Shaturu
Offline
Our wonderful Planet

Heya, Chiptuners.

I'm pretty new here, seeing that I'm without an avatar and all, but I'm here to ask a question that hopefully some of you guys can help me out with.

Firstly, I've been using LSDJ for a while now after I bought it off Johan 's site, and the cartridge was all I needed to get it up and running on my old Gameboy Color. I've read the manuals and seen dozens of tutorials, and I think I have a pretty decent grasp on LSDJ.

The problem comes here. Whenever I try to create chipmusic, I barely make it past the second line because I just don't know how to fit what motes together to create a melody. Despite knowing how to manipulate the program, the rhythm is mostly out of tune in the first 3 seconds. So, do you guys know anything that might help me out, if even just a little or any links to book titles or online resources that can help me out? Any help is much appreciated. Thanks!

SketchMan3
Offline
NC in the US of America

There are a couple of threads here that discuss the topic of how people compose music, where inspiration comes from, where does the song, etc., if you don't mind using the search function.

But what I can say now is that you need a grasp on the elements that make up the type of music you want to make. Humming into a recorder is a good way to come up with melodies sometimes. First you need to know how to make music, THEN the programming follows. There are various resources online that discuss composition techniques and what-not.

Try copying a piece of music that you like.

Last edited by SketchMan3 (Sep 6, 2013 9:15 pm)

defiantsystems
Offline
.FILTHadelphia

Pick a scale and start hitting random notes within the scale.

Monotron
Offline
Douglas, Wyoming

Music theory, and experience. Also practice. Start with a scale, and use that to create a progression of chords. Then use those chords to make a baseline then work you melody off of the scale. If you have no idea what I just said well there's your problem, do you play any instruments? Piano can help you get a grasp of music. As far as the rhythm issue I have no idea, check to make sure your notes are in the right spaces. Basically 0 4 8 and C are your 4th notes. Hope that helped some

EDIT: Also looking at sav files can help you understand how certain melodies and sounds are made and work together

Last edited by Monotron (Sep 6, 2013 9:21 pm)

Shaturu
Offline
Our wonderful Planet

Thanks to all who replied! XD

I do have experience in piano, but only up to Grade 3 or 4 before I stopped going for exams, but I still have a grasp of the instrument.  I'll search for the relevant topics and see what I can dig out,  and I'll grab a music composition  book  from my libaray and see what useful stuff they have.

The One Electronic
Offline
Detroit

Composing music, like any art, takes focus, time, and practice.  Lots of practice.  Just because you know how use a paintbrush doesn't mean you're Salvador Dali.  It seems like a common misconception with electronic music, especially chiptunes, is that it's soooo easy to put together since all you gotta do is program all the parts in. 

Come up with tunes in your head and try your best to transcribe what you imagine.  Pick a song you really like and try to recreate it.  Think about the tones you want.  Think about what you're trying to convey and what you want others to feel.  Don't like what you came up with? Then scrap it, don't stress.  The important thing is honing that skill until it feels very natural.  Before you know it you'll develop the kind of sound you want smile

Boy Without Batteries
Offline
Florida

If you can play an instrument prior to writing a song in lsdj it helps. I play guitar so I usually use that as my starting point. I make a melody that I like and then I translate the notes into lsdj. Also listen to a lot of music similar to what you want to make. Dissect your favorite chip song and see how its structured.

Alpine
Offline
UK, Leicester
The One Electronic wrote:

Composing music, like any art, takes focus, time, and practice.  Lots of practice.  Just because you know how use a paintbrush doesn't mean you're Salvador Dali.  It seems like a common misconception with electronic music, especially chiptunes, is that it's soooo easy to put together since all you gotta do is program all the parts in. 

Come up with tunes in your head and try your best to transcribe what you imagine.  Pick a song you really like and try to recreate it.  Think about the tones you want.  Think about what you're trying to convey and what you want others to feel.  Don't like what you came up with? Then scrap it, don't stress.  The important thing is honing that skill until it feels very natural.  Before you know it you'll develop the kind of sound you want smile

I like this piece of advice a lot better that your last one, I'm pretty sure you recommended that someone should learn "jazz music theory"

Skycstls
Offline
Granada, Spain

I just started taking notes in a determinated scale, i can send you a sav with my last ep (chk ths out http://skycstls.bandcamp.com/) if you want, its not really hard to make my simple music, but maybe its useful for somebody smile

SketchMan3
Offline
NC in the US of America
Boy Without Batteries wrote:

If you can play an instrument prior to writing a song in lsdj it helps. I play guitar so I usually use that as my starting point. I make a melody that I like and then I translate the notes into lsdj. Also listen to a lot of music similar to what you want to make. Dissect your favorite chip song and see how its structured.

And if you can't play an instrument but can hold a tune, your own voice works pretty well, too.

sandneil
Offline

try only using these notes

CDEFGAB

and try to do a stepwise thing where you move up and down around them like

CDEFGAB
  |
 |
|
 |
  |
  |
   |
   |
  |
  |
 |
|

ratehyr than just beig all over the place

imagine youre making flowing lines through the notes instead of just random notes

& try to make it so that when two notes happen at the same time they arent right next to each other
so dont play C and D at the same time or E and F at the same time (you can do it but its advanced techniques)

Shaturu
Offline
Our wonderful Planet

Thanks for the advice, guys. I didn't expect to get some many replies. I'll keep all of that in mind and try once again to come up with something and see if it works out. I reckon I can do a little better than what I've been doing for so long, but I'll just have to wait and see.

The One Electronic
Offline
Detroit
Alpine wrote:
The One Electronic wrote:

Composing music, like any art, takes focus, time, and practice.  Lots of practice.  Just because you know how use a paintbrush doesn't mean you're Salvador Dali.  It seems like a common misconception with electronic music, especially chiptunes, is that it's soooo easy to put together since all you gotta do is program all the parts in. 

Come up with tunes in your head and try your best to transcribe what you imagine.  Pick a song you really like and try to recreate it.  Think about the tones you want.  Think about what you're trying to convey and what you want others to feel.  Don't like what you came up with? Then scrap it, don't stress.  The important thing is honing that skill until it feels very natural.  Before you know it you'll develop the kind of sound you want smile

I like this piece of advice a lot better that your last one, I'm pretty sure you recommended that someone should learn "jazz music theory"

haha oh man I was being facetious as shit dude