Topic started by rjay (@ 206.152.113.140) on Thu Aug 24 12:45:43 EDT 2000.
All times in EST +10:30 for IST.
Composing Secrets - Tracks and Instruments
Most songs have the following structure:(you can
think of them as parallel tracks)
1. Melody
2. Bass
3. Chord/Accompaniment
4. Drums
5. Percussion
Melody is sung by the singer or could be the
'solo' played by an instrument, when singer
is taking breath. In most music,
melody states the theme of the song/composition
and carries the emotion. All the other tracks
should provide a context to what is says or
reinforce and enhance it.
Human voice, flute, sax, trumpet, and synthetic
sounds serve well as melody instruments.
Drums set the basic pulse and rhythm and there
are many drum kits: acoustic, jazz, techno(used
in ;chandralekha - Thiruda; for example), power
(pottu vaitha kadhal thittam) and many many more.
Bass is usually played by a double bass - huge
violin, plucked like a guitar, or with a guitar
itself. With electronics, synth bass sounds are
generated from keyboard itself(kadalikkum pennin
kaigal - has a wonderful synth bass sound
in its intro.) Slap, Electric, Fretless,
are a few more common sounds. I will get you
recordings of these in isolation.
Accompaniment or backing is usually provided
by piano or guitar class of instruments.
And there are two types: block chords, where
you play the whole chords and hold them,
versus arpeggio and broken chords where
you strike the notes one after another.
In most western music, piano and guitar
are 2 pieces of the five piece orchestra
(voice, piano, guitar, strings, drums)
Strings typically provide counterpoint,
but can also play accompaniment.
My definition, Counterpoint is nothing but alternate melody
which either responds to the lead melody
or plays against it. Examples to follow.
Percussion is the name given by westerners
to all non-western beat instruments! ;)
Shakers, Morocos (chicku chiku) and sticks
and claves and others are examples.
Even bongos (from Africa) and our Tabla are
named percussion, but they are actually
drums because they can play alone and provide
rhythm without the drums.
We can proceed learning in two ways:
(i) We will explore the General midi sounds
128 instruments (16 categories and 8 in each)
and one drum kit. We will take each sound one
by one and learn to identify it and see what
its unique value is and how it has been used
in TFM. I can upload audio demos.
(ii) We can later see the song structure along time
axis (measures) - in terms of intro, theme, break, pallavi
, charanam structure and learn how orchestration
is effectively varied to serve the needs of
the listener at each position.
Basically, tracks and measures are the two
dimensions to understand a composition.
As an aid we can pull apart some famous songs of your choice to see how they are put together. And I can take one of my own compositions and share what thoughts and decisions guided its creation.
Game?
Responses:
- From: ?? (@ 192.190.51.14)
on: Thu Aug 24 12:56:40 EDT 2000
idhu namma tfm-df-aa illai vazhi thavaRi vEra engEyaavadu vandhuttEnA? :-)
- From: Udhaya (@ 63.89.188.104)
on: Thu Aug 24 13:08:03 EDT 2000
rjay,
This is a fabulous idea for a thread. I hope more folks like you join this thread and make it an enjoyable one.
- From: rjay (@ 206.152.113.140)
on: Thu Aug 24 13:08:30 EDT 2000
Dear ??
This series is about the third letter in
TFM. Since the examples will be from TFM,
I dare to write here!
;)
RJAY
- From: bb (@ 216.217.80.201)
on: Thu Aug 24 13:15:18 EDT 2000
rjay, way to go!
- From: rjay (@ 206.152.113.140)
on: Thu Aug 24 13:22:10 EDT 2000
OK, here is the first exercise:
EX.1: make a list of all the musical instruments
you can think of. Without stopping. Anyone who
can list more than 45 gets a free CD from me!
If you cannot list beyond 10, you are in
serious trouble. Take exercise 3.
EX2: Classify it into one of the five groups.
Can it play a lead melody? Can it play bass?
Can it play chord accompaniment, block or broken?
Can it play percussion or drum!
You will be surprised with what you find. IF an
instrument can be used in two ways, make a note.
EX 3: Listen to a song and list all the instruments used in the song.
- From: Murali Rangan (@ 206.40.46.50)
on: Thu Aug 24 13:24:16 EDT 2000
Wow! This is a great thread!! I am looking forward to learning lots of new stuff. Providing real audio or better samples would make it wonderful.
- Murali
- From: rajaG (@ 208.24.179.211)
on: Thu Aug 24 13:38:24 EDT 2000
rjay:
Great Work! Thanks a ton!
BTW, ??s question (I believe) was more of a pleasant surprise at such a wonderful thread rather than the usual IR vs. ARR. You can rightfully take it as a deserved compliment!
- From: Sandiren (@ 202.123.17.199)
on: Thu Aug 24 13:45:44 EDT 2000
Great idea Rjay!!!!
We could start with a recent song which IMO has a very complex composition....
Kanna Moochi - Chitra
or if anyone else has another one in mind..i'm all ears..
- From: Sai (@ 199.72.89.253)
on: Thu Aug 24 13:51:12 EDT 2000
Tabla
Drums
Tongo
Dolak
Nall
Mirdangam
Ganjera
Gattam
Thavil
Thalam
Harmonium
Piano
Accordian
Violin
Santoor
Guitar
Veenai
Sitar
Tambura
Yazhal
Bass guitar
MoorSung
Nadeshwaram
Flute
Trumpet
Saxophone
Back pipe
- From: rjay (@ 206.152.113.147)
on: Thu Aug 24 14:04:26 EDT 2000
Sai
That was great! But you still missed
your free CD by about 10 names! And to win
it now, you or next person has to list 40 more
names!
RJAY
Udhaya, bb, rajaG, Murali, Sandhiren,
thanks and welcome
to the thread.
Yes Sandhiren, we can take that. I will take
one from IR and one from Rahman, to make sure
this thread is composer-friendly.
- From: Murali Rangan (@ 206.40.46.50)
on: Thu Aug 24 14:26:10 EDT 2000
rjay,
How about 'Nandhavanak kuyile' from Ponnuveettukkaran? I love that song just for the interludes! It is probably an underrated song. Just a suggestion, anyway, its your choice.
Sai,
Did you mean Yaazh (harp) by Yazhal?
My2c:
Jala tharangam
Cymbal
Banjo
Clarinet (Is Clarion different from this?)
- Murali
- From: Sai (@ 199.72.89.253)
on: Thu Aug 24 14:42:31 EDT 2000
Murai,
I ment Yazhal...
Rjay...
only those thing I could remember...
- From: pg (@ 12.20.190.1)
on: Thu Aug 24 14:43:54 EDT 2000
tympani
viola
sarangi
mandolin
oboe
sarod
LSD
trombone
bansuri
udukkai
urumi mELam
naiyANdi mELam
thArai
thappattai
- From: chidam (@ 63.108.172.193)
on: Thu Aug 24 14:51:48 EDT 2000
few more instr:
Mandolin
Piccolo
Mouth organ [is there a tech name?]
French Horn
- From: chidam (@ 63.108.172.193)
on: Thu Aug 24 14:53:07 EDT 2000
thavil
- From: Vijayaditya (@ 160.231.1.30)
on: Thu Aug 24 15:09:07 EDT 2000
Here's the result of exercise...Listen to the MIDI files uploaded in my briefcase. Let me know if they are compliant with your explanation.
go to http://briefcase.yahoo.com/Vijayaditya
Select MIDI folder and I have two MIDI signature songs composed in abheri and saraswathi ragas...
- From: Sridhar Seetharaman (@ 12.78.107.103)
on: Thu Aug 24 15:33:23 EDT 2000
Ravi,
You are a brilliant communicator. Keep it up! I will join whenever possible.
Sridhar
- From: Udhaya (@ 63.89.188.104)
on: Thu Aug 24 16:53:48 EDT 2000
clarinet
bul bul thaara
cello
bassoon
Japanese flute ( a looooooooooooong flute with a melancholy sound)
Zamfir’s flute (looks like small bamboo sticks stuck together)
Snare drum (marching bands play this)
Steel drum (country/folk and polka bands use this)
khamok
goob goobi
esraj
ektar
gobichand
dilruba
banjo
bongo
harmonica (the less pornographic name for mouth organ)
electric guitar
madol
pakawaj
shenai
surbahar
tambourine
cymbals
chimes
kottaanguchi violin (think: maasi maasak kadasiyilae machchaan vandhaaru--from Pallaandu Vaazhga)
- From: rjay (@ 206.152.113.175)
on: Thu Aug 24 17:13:33 EDT 2000
Udhaya
Impressive list! I have not heard of
goob goobi and khamok, what are they?
rjay
- From: Udhaya (@ 63.89.188.104)
on: Thu Aug 24 18:08:47 EDT 2000
rjay,
I got those two and a couple of others from the following site.
http://www.aacm.org/shop/percussion.html
They were new to me as well.
- From: rjay (@ 4.16.44.191)
on: Fri Aug 25 04:40:25 EDT 2000
Udhaya
Look closely, Haven't you seen goob goobi before?
It is guduguppai or konangi. And I dont know
if Khamok is the same as thamokku.
- From: Subbu (@ 192.39.71.67)
on: Fri Aug 25 06:19:24 EDT 2000
rjay,
Thanks for starting this great thread.
1.My suggestion for IR's sample composition to study would be 'Maamarathula Oonjal kattanum' from KarisakAttu Poove pls.
2. If someone can give a layman's guide for 'chords' funda, I will be very grateful. I am not able to understand the basic principles on which these Major/Minor/7th/Diminished etc terms of chords are formed. I understand there are some underlying formula/patterns like tone;tone;semitone... etc. Pls help.
3. Also someone pls direct me to existing WCM resources avl for beginners on the net.
- From: peeps (@ 202.54.13.6)
on: Fri Aug 25 08:03:08 EDT 2000
thanks very much rjay for starting a seperate thread.i think many music lovers can get
into the technical terms involved in it.i only posted my thread yesterday evening and today its really great to see lots of responses..great!!!!
waiting to see many more...
- From: Ajit (@ 136.182.2.221)
on: Fri Aug 25 11:33:51 EDT 2000
RJay!!!!!!!!!
Wonderful!!!!!!
Thanks so much for starting this thread! I am learning something here. I love music! I want to learn everthing about MIDI (I will read some text on it too). I have done a couple remix CDs (http://www.sivasweb.com/djswamy/) I took advantage of some wave editing software.
I also want to invest on a good synthesizer. Can you please suggest one for me? My objective is work on other remix/fusion projects. I am looking long term.
Also can you explain me the differences between synthesizer, keyboard, organ, drum machine and other related tools?
I appreciate you taking the time.
nanRi,
-Ajit
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