Learning WOOOP

Ok, so I want to learn music theory, or at least improve my understanding of it, if that is a more correct way of describing my intention.

I have tried before and always found it difficult. Not in a 'my brain can't handle it kind of way'. Just in a 'there so much where do I start'.

So this post is going to be something for me to base my future learnings off.

So let us start with a definition from Wikipedia :

"Music theory is the study of how music works. It examines the language and notation of music. It seeks to identify patterns and structures in composers' techniques, across or within genres, styles, or historical periods. In a grand sense, music theory distills and analyzes the fundamental parameters or elements of music — rhythm, harmony (harmonic function), melody, structure, form, texture, etc.

So essentially, music came first, then music theory came afterwards to explain it. So music theory isn't a set of rules, merely explanations. You don't need to use music theory to create music, but afterwards you could use music theory to analyse why it works.


This is essentially why I am interested in it, I can write music without it, but I would like to understand how it works so that, when i have an idea in my head, I understand how it works and can therefore recreate it in 'real world'

Ok, so I have explained to myself what it is. All that is left is a list of things/aspects to learn and then on to the learning!

So first there will be basic terms and concepts, I have a fairly good understanding of most of these. ie Time signatures, notes, note lengths. Perhaps a good way to describe it would be the language of theory. Seeing as how I understand the majority of these terms, I won't focus on this specifically and just cover it as I go along, when new things pop up.

Then we have the music theory (this bit is going to be short and sweet, because the post is getting long and I am confusing myself):

Chords
Scales/Key Signatures
Rhythm/Meter (time signatures etc)
Chord Progressions

Weirdly when you write it as a few core ideas, it seems simple. Alas it is not, this post shall end now as I want to get on to thinking about how I am going to teach myself and where to start.

People Suck

Today after spending a lot of time reading through news, I can't shake the sad feeling that people aren't that great. Or at least perhaps we have the potential to be great, we just aren't aware/too wrapped up in being the person with the most shiny stuff.

As far as we know, we are the only truly intelligent beings. Hopefully there are more somewhere in the universe, but at the moment there is no evidence.

Now being the only creatures to have the ability to create (as far as we know) we are in a unique position to protect life. The odds in the universe are severely stacked against the continued existence of life. Our ability to manipulate the environment around us means we have the potential for safeguarding life, and fighting against the apparent chaos of the universe.

In science fiction, there is frequently an advanced race whose agenda is that of keeping balance and protecting life.

Could we be that race?

If so perhaps we should start with our own planet, no one else is going to protect it for us now are they?

Attempt at a new start.

Ok, so I am in desperate need of finding some satisfaction in life. I feel that my personal needs to be satisfied with life are a little bit different to the majority, and this makes it difficult to find a good direction.

There are some things I love ie: Music, Computers/Games, Nature/Science and generally creating things.

Now I would like to try and earn my living by doing something that in some way incorporates all of that.... To top that off I very much desire being my own boss and being able to decide when and where I work.

I am on a serious mission now to achieve my goals, the internet is looking like the place that may hold the answer.

Blog = my diary/notepad/work book, everything. I got bits and pieces everywhere and would like to centralise the things I do and the information I gain. Since I like the name of this blog, this will be my starting place. This is day 0 of my quest.

Musical Improvements

So another thing I want to improve is my music production/songwriting etc.

I use Logic 9 mainly now but have used Reason, Fruity Loops, Cubase, Sibelius and Guitar Pro to create music previously.

Not really knowing where to start I thought that I should just do something random and then go from there.

I figured a good way to get the ball rolling with posting stuff about music is to set myself a task to create a song using XXXX limitations.

So I shall create a song(some music) using the following limitations and then post a link.

It will be 1m 30s, I will probably keep it at 120 bpm to keep things simple for now. I will not use any synthesised sounds (by this I mean I will use a sampler with samples) and will only set the levels and panning. I will not use any other effects etc. I will create it in Logic 9.

Terratec Axon AX50, Problem with Noise

On my guitar I have a midi pickup (PU100) connected to an Axon AX50 USB interface. I have been having a problem with it causing excess noise when its connected to my computer with guitar etc. I have found that using a usb/midi to connect it instead seems to solve the problem (rather than the normal usb -> usb).

This means that I cannot use the editor, but if I want to change settings I can put up with the noise for a while and adjust it via the standard USB.

This is just a quick post so i don't forget this, I'm currently experimenting with my AX50 to try and get the most out of it. Information I discover on this subject will also end up on this blog.



**EDIT**

After a while of that working the noise came back, I now have my guitar running straight in to my amp and use the AXON AX50 only as a midi control box. Having the USB plugged in rather than the midi/usb converter doesn't seem to make much difference.

First Problem!

Problem with continuing my Audoballs, is that now I have gotten so excited about being able to post it on the internet all working etc, I am determined to get them working on the blog.

Now that doesn't sound that bad, as you will see, so far so good. All the sketches up at the moment are working.

The problem is that, as far as I can tell, I cannot use third party libraries with processingJS. Which means that I cannot use the 'themidibus' library that I am using at the moment.... Midi balls don't work so well if they don't do midi stuff!!

So I am currently looking for a way around this. I am hoping there is a clever way to get the libraries working.

If not then I am wondering if it is possible to accomplish it in another way. Like having the note values output to a separate script that can produce midi notes...

Confused :(

Audoballs: The circle is Bouncing!

So as you can see here we now have a bouncing ball :D Result! The code is:

float xpos, ypos;
int Size = 60;
float xspeed = 3.5;
float yspeed = 3.2;

int xdirection = 1;
int ydirection = 1;

void setup() {
size(320, 240);
background(255);
smooth();
noStroke();
frameRate(30);

xpos = width/2;
ypos = height/2;
}

void draw() {
background(255);

xpos = xpos + (xspeed * xdirection);
ypos = ypos + (yspeed * ydirection);

if (xpos > width-Size || xpos < 0) { xdirection *= -1;} if (ypos > height-Size || ypos < 0) {
ydirection *= -1;
}

fill(144);
ellipse(xpos+Size/2, ypos+Size/2, Size, Size);
}

So as you (We, I) can see we have created a few more float's representing various numbers. (size, xspeed, yspeed, x/ypos)

We have told it the size of the ellipse and the x and y location to draw it: ellipse(xpos+Size/2, ypos+Size/2, Size, Size);

Then we make the xpos and ypos move by making a calculation that changes the value. So each run through the draw() command changes the value of the xpos to xpos + (xspeed * xdirection).

Therefore on initialising the xpos value is the width/2 (320/2 = 160). Then the draw command will run the lines "xpos = xpos + (xspeed * xdirection)

So the first time it runs will be something like xpos(currently 160) = 160(xpos) + (3.5 * 1). The same applies for ypos.

xpos = xpos + (xspeed * xdirection);
ypos = ypos + (yspeed * ydirection);

The other part that has been added in is the "if".

Essentially this means that if the statements in the brackets are true then the direction is multiplied by -1. This has the effect of reversing the direction. (so rather than it being 160 + (3.5 * 1), which would cause the ball to move along the x axis at a rate of 3.5 pixels per run through (the xpos value increases by 3.5) it is xpos + (3.5 * -1) which causes the xpos value to decrease by 3.5 each run through (xpos + -3.5). This has the effect of making the circle reverse.

A few of the other commands:
smooth() makes the sketch draw shapes with smooth edges.
noStroke() stops the sketch from drawing an outline.
frameRate() specifies the speed of the sketch.

So there we have a moving circle :D