Online Sequencer Forums

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This is a project I've been thinking about for a while.

During my stay on OS, I've come to notice that much of the feedback that people receive is technical feedback, and when discussing music in chat, the topic tends to drift towards theory - something that a lot of people here are (unsurprisingly) proficient or skilled in. It's awesome to see the technical side of music composition and the history, vocabulary, and traditions involving music - but for some people, like me, it leaves me in utter confusion about how I "should" be writing my music.

I pondered this for some time. One side of me said that there was no correct way to write music; the other pushed me towards learning theory and writing music that made 'sense'. However, music has always been somewhat of a personal thing for me, so my heart won; I believe that there is no right way to write, no right style and no right techniques.

Since OS has a lot of unique features, it's really interesting and fun to attempt to make new sounds using such effects - something that isn't considered 'technical', at least to me. There have been lots of crazy sounds and calming backgrounds made, and a lot of wonderful sequences that really branch out the stereotype music of OS. I'd like to use this forum as a prompt to hopefully inspire more of these, and hopefully inspire some of you.


Here is the prompt:
Create a sequence without really thinking it through beforehand. Not exactly improv, since you need to edit it, but try not to plan out a whole lot. The prompt/inspiration behind your sequence should be a day in your life. Where you want to take that? I'm not sure. You might not be either. But don't worry, I'll be trying it too.

Contrary to how many have been writing, your sequence should really come from the heart. Your chords don't all have to be perfect and penta deca hexa tritone monotone bi lydian extreme infinity super plus sharp natural flat minor aeolian fifth notes or whatever, it doesn't have to be complex or well thought out at all. Just write something that you feel connects with you or a connotation that you associate with yourself. Something truly organic, a piece that sounds like you. It will probably be hard and a little out of your comfort zone, but think of it as writing a memoir. The memoir doesn't have to be about you, but there's always something about memoirs that radiate the author's personality a little : )

This is more of an experiment than a contest, and I'll try my best to leave feedback on every sequence. However, my feedback won't be very typical - I'll try to include what colors or feelings the piece exhibits, rather than how nicely the chords work out or how complex or well-written the rhythms are. Other people can too! Sometimes you can picture hearing a song late at night or in a city, or maybe by a waterfall somewhere. Maybe your sequence takes place in an upside-down world; make note of that in the comments!

I'm hoping that I'll get some responses and that they might help show the power of writing without external pressure or internal pressure. If this lil test goes well, I might make it a tandem forum to the Monthly Featured Artists - I'll edit this later if it gets somewhere.

Thanks guys!
ok yeusp serious typing done for todya : ) much lov, steg <3

This prompt was inspired by a lot of the users in chat who talk about their music on a more theory-related scale; I've always written music without knowing theory, and I want to see how other people would write too. I think it might pose as a pretty unique challenge to try and forget whatever knowledge you might have of theory and really just listen to your mind instead - I get this feeling that some people get caught up in complex terms and maybe, just maybe have slipped a bit from why they chose to write in the first place. The purpose of this is just to get some inspiration flowing in the community! If this test doesn't work out as planned, that's okay as well.

ooooooooooooOOOOOOOOoooooooo

I would say there is correct ways of writing music. Classical theory is really outdated and doesn't apply to a lot of modern genres, which makes sense.

I believe all art, at its core, is storytelling. Perhaps think of each section as a scene in a story, you can give it intensity, you can give it atmosphere, you can give it emotion, and there are many ways to do this with modern technology that transcend just the notes.

I think, if anything, you should write your music to flow well and sound clear, for whatever style of music you are doing.


P.S. theory is more of a language to describe music than it is a guideline or manual how to write music. All these fancy chords usually come from the top of your head instead of from mathing it out. Its very important to also consider the mixing and not just the theory too

Good thing this is how I make all my sequences already, lol.

this is a super neat idea and i wanna try it, but if i based it on a day in my life it would be bedwars lobby 1 sound effect.. so i will just put whatevers in my head onto the sequencer and see where it goes without dwelling too much on the theory side of things :^)

(07-26-2021, 07:29 PM)Calico Wrote: [ -> ]Good thing this is how I make all my sequences already, lol.

^

this is what i do lol

i went with the prompt and ended up making a more chill version of an older song i have, will expand on this later