Bilbo

It' all in the programming of his synths. JZ was renowned for messing with them. On Black Market, for instance, he has the keyboard programmed the wrong way around (high notes to the left, low to the right) etc

I think its a vanity thing. l just see a lot of people in bedrooms playing their nuts off to no real purpose just doing the music shop thing in the biggest shop window in the world. Scott Devine is doing a great job with direction. Most of it s pointless vanity.

I can't help feeling that a lot of this is Sport rather than music but I am also aware that the standard of these players in terms of core skills is a lot higher than it was in the past and that should be applauded. Aspiring to make a mark on youtube is pretty tragic, IMO, and playing other people's stuff ('bass covers' I think they call them) is a really odd way to spend your time. I am aware, however, that this is like as not a generational thing and I, as a nearly 50 year old, am going to have a different perspective on the issue than 'the kids'. And that is as it should be. Better that they do this than smoke crack in a urine soaked stair well, I say

Did one on Friday in a duo and got three more out of it between now and May.

Just got its first review on Amazon. Pretty fair, I'd say.

My button appears to be broken......

If you want jazz, go for Geoff Gascoyne.

Actually, that is genuinely disturbing.......

Vote for MEEEEE!

Wow. And I didn't even vote for me

I just re-discovered the Lojac Music section on Dave Holland's website and become aware that his charts (lead sheets, quintet and band arrangements) and transcribed solos are available for download. The charts cost a couple of dollars apiece but still represent fantastic value for money. I have just downloaded three (the first of many). I always meant to get them but the previous ordering process put me off. This new method is immediate and very cheap. Great study material for players and composers alike. Go to www.daveholland.com and click on the Lojac music logo

Only 6 entries? Disappointing.

Music is just an interesting way to join up silences -Mick Goodrick

I am struggling to get more than one vst to start at a time. I press play and one midi track starts but a second one doesn't start until I click on it. Any ideas?

Thanks to the wonders of Spotify, I have just heard Sheik Yerbouti for the first time. Interesting but a bit like using nanotechnology to create artificial dog poo.

Morrison's original was all at sea....

I can see how that would work.

[quote name='lowdown' timestamp='1358786672' post='1944977'] Bounce/render the MIDI tracks down to Audio [If you are happy with the notes] It then takes a big load of your CPU - You are then free to add more FX's and the MIDI tracks won't misbehave. Nice track by the way, it builds well. Garry [/quote] How do I make that work turning a midi track into an audio one, Garry?

I propose that composition is a mixture of heart AND head. The ideas germinate emotionally but the process of development is partly inspiration and partly good old-fashioned graft.

I too have started writing with Sibelius and letting my ears lead me rather than my 'intellect'. It has resulted in interesting melodies and bass lines but the harmony is weak.

The Art of Composition Like many of us, I have taken part in the monthly composition competition under the ‘Recording’ forum and enjoyed the various approaches we all have to the problem of composing to images. I have learned and continue to learn a lot in the process. One of the things that I find frustrating about a lot of the entries (including and especially my own) is the over reliance on riffs and repetition, two chord vamps (usually a whole tone apart) or ‘classic’ forms such as blues etc. We all seem able to work quite effectively with these ‘simple’ structures. Personally, I am frustrated by my own inability to integrate complex structures like sophisticated chord sequences or interesting rhythmic ideas into my composing. I keep trying but I can’t seem to break out of simple little boxes. I wonder how many of us [i]choose[/i] to use these simple ideas and how many of us do so because we can’t find ways to move away from them? I consider myself to be the latter. I also wonder how much of it is less about what we can compose as it is about what we can actually [i]play[/i]. Most of us are playing all of the instruments on each recording so are confined by our ability to play second and third instruments, to sing in tune or to the availability of decent midi kit. I can’t complain in that are as any shortcomings in my recording is about my limited experience in the studio and with midi in particular but, as I said, are we frustrated because we need to get things played by proper players instead of by ham-fisted bass players like me. I can play ‘Lush Life’ and get around similar mad chord sequences (except Giant Steps) but I do struggle to create anything that is as deep or as beautiful as the stuff I love to listen to. I guess it is a case of valuing what we can and do create rather than regretting what we can’t but I would love to get into composing more sophisticated material. What does everyone else think about the Art of Composing?