doone128 wrote: ↑Tue Oct 22, 2019 10:03 am
Thanks - although the downloads tab only has 2.5. How on earth to you decipher what's going on on that page to download 2.6?
I don't think the binaries have been 'officially' released. There are copies out there though - IIRC n1k-o used 2.6 for the Aliens: Neoplasma music.
Ralf wrote: ↑Tue Oct 22, 2019 10:35 am
And there are actually two levels of confusion here. First thing is mastering different trackers interface. Which are usually quite user unfriendly.
Whether trackers are user-friendly or not is probably a point of personal preference. One of the advantages of tracker interfaces is that they are usually more compact than traditional piano roll interfaces.
The initial difficulty I faced when using a tracker was having to remember what each of the columns were for, and what numbers/letters are supposed to go in them. If you're starting out the majority of the columns can be ignored - the most important ones for PT3/Vortex are note, sample and volume. The note columns are just a more compact way of representing note pitches than the standard height on a staff.
Ralf wrote: ↑Tue Oct 22, 2019 10:35 am
But another thing is making pleasant music, not some combination of random noises. It's like being able to write and being able to write poetry.
This can get more intuitive with practice. I still have MIDI files of the first 'songs' I composed over ten years ago, and they all sound like you describe - completely random sequences of notes with no sense of tune or structure. A way to get better at this might be to try covering an existing tune, focusing on the notes and timing. Having an idea of how the different scales work could also help.
Ralf wrote: ↑Tue Oct 22, 2019 10:35 am
Speaking of keyboard I believe that experts of making Spectrum music like Gasman or Yerzmyey don't "type" music on standard PC keyboards but rather use some kind of piano like keyboards connected to their computers to create their songs. I would like to hear if it's true or not.
I'm clearly not an expert, but I only ever used a standard PC keyboard for my songs. Spectrum music is generally input note by note rather than performed in real-time, so a MIDI keyboard doesn't give much of an advantage over a PC keyboard for that particular purpose IMO. MIDI keyboards are more useful for playing around and coming up with ideas.
Ralf wrote: ↑Tue Oct 22, 2019 10:35 am
I asked Yerzmyey once a philosophical question
"Do you first think up music in your head and then write it down? Or do you just start pressing keys without any plan and then accept the result or not?" He was quite puzzled
I guess that at some moment making music is like walking - you do it but you don't analyse it much.
Personally I need to have a basic foundation ready before trying to write anything down. Others may find it easier to come up with tunes on command, but I can't do it. Ideas may also arrive at random times when you're not expecting them to.