making my own music

[Gemmalah]

this may be the wrong place to put this but here goes.

I'm making a game for a school project, i need to make my own music, can anyone give me any hints to start this, because i am not  musically minded, only programming and pictures.

my brother has a keybopard to plug into a computer, we also have a microphone. i don't know how to use either very well but this won't be a problem.

my game is aboyut kids of 7/8 on a quest to slay a dragon. Does it need to be of a certain style to fit.

thanks a bunch everybody

[Ishmael]

People can surely suggest you programs to use, the only one I can now think of is Noteworthy Composer, but there are better ones out there... A midi music surely does fine for first games..... unless you need something certatin to it, like electric guitar.......

Just as a side note... this ain't ares belong 'ere...

[Gemmalah]

ok TK, programmes are not a problem, it's actually writing the music, knowling how to put melody and background together that actually sonds good. making a tune in the first place.

and what does the side note mean?

[CB..]

for a reasonable approach to making back ground music...try this

think of the music as a series of layers..

first;

choose four chords and slowly repeat them in a specific order  ie 1/2/3/4
(alter the order in which yu play them to change the "mood" for different parts of the game) ie 2/3/1/4
choose a sound that allows each chord to wash into the next to avoid gaps in the music

second;

select another sound and choose four single notes that match the chords
and play them in the same order as your chord sequence
experiment with this again altering the order for mood changes in diferent rooms etc

thirdly

select another sound /chord or single note/ and play this  once or twice during the sequence but in the same timing as the original layer one chords
so it alternates as chord /silence/chord/silence


so the completed music is arranged like this



layer3;chord1/silence/chord3/silence/repeat
layer2;note 1/ note 2/ note 3/note 4/repeat
layer1;chord1/chord2/chord3/chord4/repeat

very very basic but once yu have a recognisably musical set of layers yu can then elaborate and experiment..

by changing the sounds order  tempo /adding another layer/removing a layer etc yu can create a series of musical segments that sound different and yet still maintain a common theme thru out the game

[Migs]

If you're still having problems, I might recommend finding someone else to do the music for you, unless you're not allowed to do this.  If not a whole lot of music is required, I might be able to help, as long as your project isn't due right away.

Before you ask for my help (I prefer IM), go here and see if any of the music I've posted can be of use.  If you need MP3s/OGGs of the MIDI-only songs, or MIDIs of the MP3-only songs, let me know.

[EldKatt]

Yeah, if you don't know much about it I suggest leaving music to someone else. And, as a matter of fact, I might also very well be able to help if there's not a very strict deadline. Check out all of the quite recent (withing a few months) tune contests, in most of which I participated... They show not-too-badly what I can do. I prefer to write and/or dig up (from my big ol' hunk o' junk) music on commission but if any of the tunes in the contests tickle your fancy, drop me an email or a forum message, or get in touch with me on MSN. (erikigelstrom@hotmail.com)

[loominous]

i need to make my own music

Do you know anything about composing? Do you know how to play the piano? Do you know some chords? Do you know how to write melodies? What do you know exactly?

[Gemmalah]

right loominus this is what i know.

I can play a little keyboard but only with alphabetical notes and alot of time. Can press the buttons randomly if that helps. I can play three note chords.

one teacher told me to write a poem first and fit notes to it. i can write poems.

i can sing, very well, maybe i could sing different notes and fit them together on a programme. but now i've written it down that idea sounds rather stupid.

my dad plays guitar and i am trying to learn, (don't think this helps) i know how to  pluck lucy in the sky with diamonds.

i haven't done music at school for 4 years.

To everyone else, thank you very much for the offer of help, I will keep this in mind but I will have to ask my teacher if this is allowed, i recon I may have to write it myself.
*runs away and hides in a corner under the family keyboard,* it's quite scary.

[EldKatt]

Unless the school project is in the subject of music in particular, I can't imagine you'd have to make the music yourself. That's kind of like having to write an essay on organs for a physics project, which must include demonstration sounds/pictures from an organ you built yourself.

Well, not quite, really, but my point is that music is a rather advanced subject, and not really something you can be expected to quickly get into to make a few peices of music for a game.

If you really really want to, though, and are prepared to devote some time to it, that's another matter.

[loominous]

Couple of more questions:

Do you know some chords (do you know how to play an A minor chord for instance)?

Do you know how to use a MIDIprogram ('sequencer')?

Are you familiar with MIDI?

What style would you want the music in (medieval? lord of the rings? etc)

[CB..]

get your self a copy of EJAY  (some versions are free on cover discs)
not sure how yud convert the results to midi tho ?