Labels:text | electronics | screenshot OCR: Letters to AM/FM Here's a nice letter we got this month from Nigel M. Parker. Some might remember his name from previous AM/FM issues, and perhaps best from having his Basement Tape "Ethmeric Realm" featured in our very very first Basement Tapes section. Here goes : Dear Bjorn, 1agazine #17 was the best ever, the Craft brothers orchestrating with MIDI section was absolutely fascinating to read. low did you get a HAM 8 picture onto a new CD cover ?? [Nigel is obviously referring to the CD "Montage" released by yours truly - Ed] Give us another of the fascinating Bjorn inside reports on CD manufacturing P L E AS E. Would it be possible to give us an insight into the song construction of your music or anybody else, I mean do you start with a tune, then a chord structure, or do you find chords, then a tune? I personally find a few chords, but unfortunately can not change from 3 or 4 good chords to find new ones, the whole piece just changes. Ok, I know, pay for music lessons - which is what I am doing, I started playing the piano at 7 and got to grade 5 theory and grade 3 practical, then stupidly I gave it up. I am now 26 and wish I had stuck with it, my new music teacher has put me in for grade 4 practical and says I will pass, no problem! I still find it hard to put "pen to paper" as it were, do you have a tune in your head and when you come to play the notes just aren't on the keyboard ?? I do! What chords are used where and why ?? I should know from grade 5 theory but can't seem to remember, sorry for going on so but I am reaching frustration, why does it sound good in my head and sound rubbish when MIDI'd up ?? Could someone go through F/X and Synthetic sound creation, you cold have a different section in every issue, i.e. analogue creation, FM sound creation, A synthesis, etc. On a good note: You may remember the "Ethmeric Realm" tape I sent and said I made 500 copies, well the 500 copies are SOLD and I have had another few hundred made. Also with the profit I made I bought an Amiga 4000/040, yes 4000/040 - well ok, I put " to as well! ETHMERIC REALM Ethmeric Realm is still for SALE priced at ú2, yes TWO pounds including postage and packing [Just how the hell do you do *that *??! -Ed] Is this ok to advertise in AM/FM please. Please send ú2 to : Nigel Mark Parker 21 St. Francis Rd. Feniscliffe Blackburn Lancashire BB2 2TZ ENGLAND Well, Nigel, thanks for your very nice letter - and as you can see, here's your advertisement . Thanks also for the 3 nice Video tape reviews, you may already have noticed, they are all published in this issue. I'm really happy that you sold all 500 of your tape - and may I be so bold as assume the review in AM/FM's Basement Tapes section had something to do with it? Great - good luck with your future releases as well! Now, about a series on how to create different types of sounds, that's a splendid idea, but I don't feel I know enough about it to be able to take this job myself. So with this, I ask if anybody out there knows enough about this, and is willing to write a good article, or series of articles, about this? Anyone ?? Another article about CD manufacturing etc? Sure, why not, but I don't think things will be that much different from the already publshed two-parts of "The story behind 'Hobbits & Spaceships'", my first CD, which I wrote a long, two-part article about how we went about getting everything together. I will consider a similar article about "The story of 'Montage'", but I'm not making any promises about that. Why? Next subject - how is a song born? Hmm ... very difficult question, Nigel. Because, for me anyway, it's a different approach almost every time. Sometimes it starts with a melodic line and then move on from there. Sometimes it just starts with a groove. Anyway; I hardly ever start with the chord structure. I feel that if I do that, I'm too "locked up" in that position and often can't get any real inspiration from it. The chords would have to be extremely nice, though. Try this, for example: (play it rather quickly) CICIG I Bbm | Dm | Dm I Am | Em .. . repeat once and then go to G. :- ) Just a little something I'm working on for the band ... :- ) I will think about writing an article about "how a song is created" for the next issue, but I'm not sure it will be such a good idea, because I feel that not only does this change from song to song, but it is also a very personal thing that every musician has to work out for himself. But you're right about one thing: Knowing one's theory to the fingertips isn't always enough. Music is a matter of feelings and moods, and expressing them, and all the books, teachers and facts in the whole world can't reach in for your feelings. Just keep at it! I'll see if I can come up with an article for issue #20. Thanks again for your very nice letter, and I hope to hear from you again soon . Bjorn. (your favourite AM/FM-Editor ) :- ) AM/FM
(.png)
