mrkmni
Oud Junkie
Posts: 393
Registered: 12-9-2007
Location: Ottawa/Canada
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Composing. How?
Hi Guys, I would like to ask experimented people.
What is the best way for composition using the Oud only:
2-Writing the note and repeating..
1-Recording and re-recording and re-ajusting.....
Frankly I found the second one the easiest.
Thanks!
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fernandraynaud
Oud Junkie
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Registered: 7-25-2009
Location: San Francisco, California
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Wow, that's like asking the best way to walk, there are so many ways. I'm having a hard time relating to this question. What is your end product? what
style have you composed in so far? Do you read/write music very well? what is your audience? who is supposed to be the performer?
Quite different if you are composing with the intent of performing this music by yourself versus if preparing for performance by someone else who is
a studio musician (and works from scores), or by a performer who plays by ear. Is the performance by one or more than one person? Until you answer
these sorts of questions, it's impossible to say a lot more. If it's for you, then you have already answered the question.
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mrkmni
Oud Junkie
Posts: 393
Registered: 12-9-2007
Location: Ottawa/Canada
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Thanks Fernand,
these are my answers to your questions:
1- composing with the intent of performing this music by yourself : Yes
but ofcourse no-one can prevent others to play my pieces if they are to be good.
2- Is the performance by one or more than one person?
One person. It is aboud Oud only, I am interested by samaii or perhaps "makouwats" ( pieces) 4/4 ; example "Zikrayati" by Quassabji.
Thx again.
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ilnokaly
Oud Maniac
Posts: 97
Registered: 7-21-2009
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interesting
but is there perhaps any rules ??!
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fernandraynaud
Oud Junkie
Posts: 1865
Registered: 7-25-2009
Location: San Francisco, California
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No, there are no rules. Let people in uniforms enjoy rules.
As to the best tools, it largely depends if written scores are very natural for you. There are people for whom they are as natural as scratchpad notes
in the language they speak, and if that is your case, then it's a good way to work. If written sheet music is not as fast/natural for you, a little
pocket recorder is a much better tool.
I find I forget ideas as fast as they come, and I'm lucky if I can grab a little recorder in time to play or hum into it. It's all a matter of where
ideas come to you, and if you have nothing immediately at hand, the ideas come and they go bye bye. The angels that give you ideas have little
patience. If you don't respect what comes to you, it will not come.
If ideas come when you sit at your computer, and if you can play piano, even a little, get a little MIDI keyboard, like even a little 25 key miniature
Korg for $50 that makes no sounds of its own, it just plugs into a USB port:
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/nanoKEY/
or
http://www.korg.com/product.aspx?pd=511
and keep it plugged in to your computer. There are programs that will notate what you play as sheet music and allow you to play it back with various
sounds, make arrangements, etc. For instance Cakewalk Sonar comes in very professional versions that create a complete studio, but also in
inexpensive home versions. Or you can use the program Reaper for free, though it does not give you sheet music capability as far as I remember. But
all of these programs allow you to record your oud with additional tracks. There is an enormous amount of good music-related software, and all sorts
of percussion and instrumental "loops" for free. Once you have a way to trigger sounds, the sounds can be drums, loops, or to play maqams, not just
simulating instruments that play in equal tempered scales. You can build rhythmic and instrumental backings for your oud if you learn to use these
tools. Why bother? Because as you try things, new ideas develop.
If ideas come best to you when you're playing oud, and the computer is not your main tool, then get a little digital recorder. They are cheap and
smaller than a cell phone these days, and keep it with your oud, so it's always near. Some of the multi purpose devices like even phones work, but if
it takes more than one or two keystrokes to start recording, it will never work. Better to buy a dedicated gadget. When you get ideas as you play, you
can record little sections while you explore, and then come back to them and listen to what you have captured to see if you can assemble these "atoms"
into compositions.
Everybody is different, but these are some good approaches. Have fun!
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Marcus
Oud Junkie
Posts: 446
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Location: Stuttgart/ South Germany
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Hi mrkmni 
I´m not an expert with recording, but....
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if it takes more than one or two keystrokes to start recording, it will never work |
I totally agree with that. For me it is a big big difference between playing with/without recording. As soon as the "red button" is pushed ,my playing
get`s kind of statically, because this red button starts a red light in my head,always reminds me on"concentrate, play straight...and so on.
The best way for me is to start recording even before the oud is out of its case.Till I tuned it, find the right seat ........I allready forget that
all is recorded, and I play relaxed. A bit of work to get thrue all the rubbish, but mostly something usefull remains. Because I cant read/write
notes, its the perfect way for me to store my ideas.
I use audacity,a free recording-software. On a usual mediumsize pc or notebook you can record a week at once.
I`m curious to listen to your first take
All the best,
Marcus
Playing the oud is like feeding my soul with peace
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ameer
Oud Junkie
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Agreed. I think I'll takethat advice and start recording early so I forget about it, otherwise I get nervous.
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oudtab
Oud Maniac
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Registered: 3-17-2009
Location: France
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Bonjour Mrkmni,
Try to ask yourself these questions :
- Before composing, do you think that you play and work enough your instrument (15mn/day, 30mn, 1h, 3h...etc)?
- Have you trained your ears by picking some oud solos only hearing them on CD or mp3? It's a good exercise to learn and write music.
- Have you tried to transpose some tunes for oud (transposing a vocal melody for example, Using or not an original score)?
- Have you tried to transpose a tune composed in a Major scale to a Minor scale? Or a tune composed for a oud tuning in CFAdgc to DGAdgc?
...etc
I've tried to do and share that on my website.
For example, Alla Turca (Marche Turque) by Mozart is a transposition for oud using a piano score; for some parts of Gamil Gamal (Farid Al-Atrache), I
had to listen the tune 15 or 20 times to write them; Greensleeves or Jeux Interdits are totally transposed, because I couldn't use the guitar
scores...etc.
In french I could say "L'arrangement est l'enfance de l'art".
I hope these ideas will help you.
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mrkmni
Oud Junkie
Posts: 393
Registered: 12-9-2007
Location: Ottawa/Canada
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Thanks Guys,
I also start using my recorder earlier...
Michael,
I know about these transposition methods; you can also invert a partition or measures... or in some arab countries they take the Turkish or Greek
partition and they change a little bit and .......
we can use math as you said to arrange notes..this is true specially in oriental music because maqams: just pick any note of Nahawand for example and
give it a time and then another note by chance you always get a good melody..but I think in Major or Minor it is more vaste so you could fall on
strange music.
The methods above smells like plagiarism or cheeting...
For me, a melody is like a story ( start develop climax end) or so.
For example : I have to say I am going to have a slow starting, then a little sadness then a little joy ......
Sombati is a great Master in this.
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