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View Full Version : Any software like this out there?(composition aids)



squoze
10-03-2004, 05:55 PM
To help beginners, untrained musicians, etc.
I want to be in piano roll view (or staff view) and be able to right click on a note and choose:
build chord, show scale, add a 8th harmony, check for parallel fifths, whatever.
Like a Sonic plugin, or notation software with this integrated in...

"build chord" would give you:
"use current note as: root, 5th, whatever."
"show scale would give you:"
pick a scale (any scale), use this note as 1st, 2nd, etc.
Or highlight a group of notes and choose "this chord is:"
It would show all possible chords and chords that could be had by changing any of the notes.
Highlighting one note would give you all chords (in current key, or all keys) using this note.

Click to bring up a Circle of Fifths chord wheel, recommend key modulations, pivot chords to use, etc.
Check for proper use of counterpoint, resolving 7ths, suspensions, whatever.

Anybody use anything integrated (or otherwise) like this?
Thanks!

P.S.
OK,OK-I know you're saying "why not let it write it for you?" "Why even bother with writing-let it produce random songs for you?"
Here's why:
For all of you (respected, admired, & envied) trained muscians, you have all these aids immediately available to you. I'm sure you can look at a staff or piano roll and can picture scales, chords, inversions, progressions, counterpoint rules, etc.,etc.You wouldn't say that these aids, rules, guidlines, scales, etc. "write your music for you", would you? Rather, having this knowledge of theory as part of your creative process allows you to take a quantum jump in your music composition. (lucky for us!)
You still have to have soul, and something to say, and talents for creating melodies,etc. in order to create music that is at least "classy" if not "classical".
I just want to see what its like to produce proper, law-abiding music!

Could it however, be considered a "crutch" or "cheating"? Maybe so.
But why don't we (educated people) ban calculators and require everyone to do calcuations using math tables that everyone "should know"?(at least if they want to go 'round adding numbers)
Or remove spell checkers? (I meane, we usually kknow what th other perrson is saying even if they misppell it :)
(I think I know the answers to the above 2 questions--I offer them simply "hypothetically")
I say simply that this type of integrated composing aid would be a learning tool for me.
And yes, I am reading and experimenting trying to learn music theory, but there's only so much time--I dropped out of piano 35 long years ago (when we got to 2 sharps).

KevinKauai
10-03-2004, 07:36 PM
I think I heard about it on this Forum and I've downloaded it, but not had a chance to install it yet -- it's called "CAMPS" and available from "Microworks" -- http://mxw.com/ .

The have a free trial (I think 30 days). How about giving it a try and reporting back?

good luck ... KevinKauai ;)

YBaCuO
10-03-2004, 07:42 PM
www.ntonyx.com

robfromholland
10-04-2004, 10:15 AM
Sibelius Compass is a composition learning software (not very deep by the way). It also contains a tool that aids composition. You can use it, for example, to change the mode of a melody or changing the rhythm.

You can download a movie that demonstrates this tool from:
http://www.sibelius.com/products/compass/

Christopher Duncan
10-08-2004, 09:04 AM
I say simply that this type of integrated composing aid would be a learning tool for me.
And yes, I am reading and experimenting trying to learn music theory, but there's only so much time--I dropped out of piano 35 long years ago (when we got to 2 sharps).
Hey, man.

At the end of the day, it's all about making music, and the cool thing about our chosen artform is that there is no right or wrong - only expression.

An old friend of mine used this tool for many years doing single & duo gigs. I don't know if it meets all your criteria, but I think it might be along the lines you're looking for. The product is "Band in a box", and is very mature - been around for years. Their web site is http://www.pgmusic.com.

Hope this helps!

Chris

Joseph Burrell
10-08-2004, 09:53 AM
At the end of the day, it's all about making music, and the cool thing about our chosen artform is that there is no right or wrong - only expression.

You've become my new favorite poster, Chris. That's exactly how I feel. I am glad to be learning the theories and conventions of music, but its all about expressing yourself, just like any other art form.

Christopher Duncan
10-08-2004, 11:09 AM
You've become my new favorite poster, Chris. That's exactly how I feel. I am glad to be learning the theories and conventions of music, but its all about expressing yourself, just like any other art form.
I frequent a number of forums for my studio tools, and of course each has its own personality. Sometimes good technical advice comes at the price of a rather hostile environment, and such is life.

However, I've been very happy about the good vibe I find here. Everyone is supportive and benevolent, whether its advice or constructive criticism. I'm a philosophical creature by trade, so it's always nice to hang out with kindred spirits. :)