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Mark 1 Group: Members Posts: 65 Joined: June 2001 Posted: Nov. 04 2003, 09:07 As has been suggested by the man himself, maybe it's a good idea to try developing an original song (as well as another cover version). If anyone's interested, please post a follow up to say what your vision of what such a song would be is. I'd recommend making it an Oldfield-style song (sound and structure wise, melody oriented). Since I haven't contributed stuff before in these forums: here's a link to an older song I did: Silk Sunsets Back to top

Korgscrew Group: Super Admins Posts: 3511 Joined: Dec. 1999 Posted: Nov. 04 2003, 09:28 The way I'd personally see this going would be to first work on constructing a 'score' using sequencers. This would allow people's contributions to the composition to be assembled together easily, and would make alterations very simple. I think the important thing would be to get a sense of structure, which could either be done by laying something down from the very outset, or it could be done by assembling smaller segments contributed by people (which, being in MIDI format, could easily be changed in key and tempo to allow them to fit together). With some kind of 'score' in place (which could just be a skeleton, or could be a fully arranged thing), that could then be followed by all those contributing instrumental parts to the track (and could of course be embellished by them if they wished - it's best to allow for a bit of room for the thing to develop organically), as was the case with Finale. The recorded parts can then be assembled together and mixed. Putting something like this together is far from being a simple job, but it's achievable if people are interested. I'll give all the assistance I can, which be more at some times than at others. I'd suggest that it's best to start off with a clear idea, rather than scraping around for inspiration, as if nobody has any ideas, it's not going to get very far... Back to top

Crises Group: Musicians Posts: 142 Joined: Nov. 2002 Posted: Nov. 04 2003, 11:34 Maybe we should start with some chord/chord patterns and decide what rhythm and lead work could go over the original patterns.. -------------- - Johnny - Back to top

Korgscrew Group: Super Admins Posts: 3511 Joined: Dec. 1999 Posted: Nov. 04 2003, 13:27 What exact approach is taken depends on the intended complexity of the composition...whatever way, I think it's a good idea to come up with a solid structure to work to, and really I think a few solid melodic ideas would also be a good idea, otherwise the tendency would be for it to just drift towards a noodly 'jam' type track...which is ok, but I think if the aim is for a 'composition' then it ought to be something more than that. 'tis just my feelings. Back to top

Crises Group: Musicians Posts: 142 Joined: Nov. 2002 Posted: Nov. 04 2003, 13:55 We should conjure up a list of musicians willing to be involved in this project so we can discuss, share ideas etc. -------------- - Johnny - Back to top

BOOsTER Group: Musicians Posts: 1024 Joined: Jan. 2003 Posted: Nov. 04 2003, 14:38 I would like to do anything...but I really don't think my composing skills are up to that level...so if any synth works or something will be needed I am here just call... -------------- http://www.djbooster.net Back to top

Korgscrew Group: Super Admins Posts: 3511 Joined: Dec. 1999 Posted: Nov. 05 2003, 08:12 I'm thinking it might actually be best to aim low for the first try, just so people can get an idea of what working on something of this nature is like, and how best to go about things. It might even encourage a few more people to jump on board if they feel it's not got to be anything serious. Then the big one will come when it's ready, once the ball's rolling a bit. Back to top

Crises Group: Musicians Posts: 142 Joined: Nov. 2002 Posted: Nov. 05 2003, 08:28 Still this thread is showing no interest from others   -------------- - Johnny - Back to top

Sir Mustapha Group: Musicians Posts: 2802 Joined: April 2003 Posted: Nov. 05 2003, 10:58 Yeah, low complexity for the first try is a good idea. You should try a 70 minute Prog symphony! No, seriously. I guess a good idea is to gather a few solid themes, and working them in some way. Start out with a melody, and then combine it with other ideas, and add a few twists to keep it fresh. I dunno, for me, themes are the foundation of a composition - especially Mike's compositions. Look at Amarok - it's built entirely on top of what, 4 or 5 really solid themes, and variations. Maybe you can try something very, very simple (for a start), but that gives gorgeous results. Does anybody know King Crimson's "Red"? Intro-verse-chorus-verse-chorus-middle8-verse-chorus-outro... and it's a hell of a song, because it has good themes. For a group collaboration, I think something like that would work. Maybe that middle8 may turn into something more complex, until you have... I dunno, "Taurus IV". -------------- Check out http://ferniecanto.com.br for all my music, including my latest albums: Don't Stay in the City, Making Amends and Builders of Worlds. Also check my Bandcamp page: http://ferniecanto.bandcamp.com Back to top

MusicallyInspired Group: Musicians Posts: 1445 Joined: June 2001 Posted: Nov. 05 2003, 11:50 Here's an idea. How about each person involved creates a basic theme out of their head and puts a small versino together to get the basic skeletal point accross. Everyone else will make their basic compositions and then decide how best to link them all together and then once the skeletal version of all the themes are all together, then everyone starts recording parts for all the sections so each theme is from one different person but everyone has a hand at recording everything and putting their own view of the piece and style of playing in. How's that sound? Do I make sense lol. I don't think I'll be able to do this one either since I've got a couple projects I need to finish, but I'll cheer you guys on! -------------- BrandonBlume.com "The beauty in life is in the embracing of the variety of things. If all the world was blue there would be no colour blue." Back to top

Ugo Group: Members Posts: 5495 Joined: April 2000 Posted: Nov. 05 2003, 19:36 I think that if five or six themes by five or six different people are put together, the final result does tend to be a bit messy, until, as Sir Mustapha hypotized, it's going to be a very long thing (20-25 minutes or so...). In this case everything's possible, with themes contributed by every single musician in the board (maybe including, most humbly, me... I've already got a couple of tunes...). Anyway, I think that the idea is already fascinating in itself. -------------- Ugo C. - a devoted Amarokian Back to top

Mat Cochrane Unregistered Posted: Nov. 06 2003, 07:26 It might be a thought then to look at the way some of Mike's compositions work - with only really two or three major themes  per work, then the more seperated tracks which often incorporate these themes. So if we keep a sort of filing cabinet of ideas, then I think it would be best to let one person take a sort of producer role on this decide how it should fit together structurally, then that will still leave room for everyone to do their own thing with whatever piece of the structure they are working on. The big problem is that with any piece like this there are hundreds of possible "right" ways for it to fit together and we need to pick just one. Korgscrews idea of assembling a kind of demo in MIDI is a great one. In one of the projects I did recently, all the tracks started off as MIDI and were then slowly replaced by recordings of real instruments which worked really well as long as the MIDI was only a sketch so that the performers could do their own thing to some extent with it. (PS, I'm not at my normal computer which is why I'm not logged in! Back to top

Jammer Group: Members Posts: 641 Joined: April 2000 Posted: April 16 2004, 19:24 If this project gets underway then I'd like to put a simple theme in. I'm just thinking how simple and short the themes from Ommadawn are constructed from. If there were a few monophonic lines of a few notes that would be a sufficient starting point already. I've got lots of compositional scraps lying around on my computer that I could put to good use An instrumental would be a good idea as more people could collaborate. I think we should start with some idea of a structure first and then put themes down. This structure could mark out the rough form, where climaxes could occur and where new themes start. Is anyone still interested? Back to top

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