My first attempt writing orchestral music...

[NickMahon 0]

A friend of mine loaned me his copy of Finale 2001, so I have been screwing around with it the last couple of days. Mostly I was making some sheet music for the trombone (which I play), but I decided I'd try it out with the whole orchestra...

http://www.vereor.com/test/Theme.MID

Do I suck?

[scissorhands 16]

It's good to be the first time

Can't wait to listen to more and/or longer pieces.

[KittBash 361]

Pretty good for Your first time!

Brian99_1 - who senses a little JW influence!

[NickMahon 0]

This is fun

I've added about 16 seconds to the beginning, and I'm going to make the ending not so sudden. Also added some percussion.

I reuploaded the MID file to http://www.vereor.com/test/Theme.MID

[edit]

I uploaded the final (I think) 1 minute version. I cut out the abrupt ending and transitioned to a horn/trumpet theme, finishing with a bassoon statement of the main theme.

http://www.vereor.com/test/Theme.MID

That was more fun than I expected. I think I'm going to write another one tomorrow.

[Beowulf 4]

Wow Nick...those are some great clips. Not bad for your first time.

On a related matter, does anyone know of any free servers that can host midi files? I'm thinking of making a thread where members can post links to clips of their music (much like this thread) and perhaps get feedback, and as such I want to be able to link to midi files of my own music in the thread. Any help would be appreciated.

Nowadays it seems as if there are no more free anythings.

[Ren 77]

not bad, not bad,

What level would this be for?

[ChrisAfonso 237]

Sounds cool

On a side note, the main theme reminds me a bit of "The Time Machine"

[NickMahon 0]

not bad, not bad,

What level would this be for?

Probably a level 2 class could pull it off. There's not much in the way of sax, oboe, or clarinet, but they could probably just play the bassoon/flute part.

On a side note, the main theme reminds me a bit of "The Time Machine"  

Yeah, I also noticed that after listening to it.

[Ren 77]

I was just asking because I was taught that you really shouldn't have more than 4 separate things going on in a piece at a time for a level 3 band piece. So for example, percussion is different. . . . .the 4 parts are for the horns (as in the band). 1 part may be the melody played by fl, cl, and tpt., and 1 counter melody may be with trmb, fr h., and cl2, etc etc etc...

becareful of ranges and how long you are having instrument play those ranges.

It sounds good, I'm just supplying a little advice that you may want to chew on to make your life easier down the road. Stick with it, if you love it, it will fall into place.

[NickMahon 0]

I was just asking because I was taught that you really shouldn't have more than 4 separate things going on in a piece at a time for a level 3 band piece.  So for example, percussion is different. . . . .the 4 parts are for the horns (as in the band).  1 part may be the  melody played by fl, cl, and tpt., and 1 counter melody may be with trmb, fr h., and cl2, etc etc etc...

becareful of ranges and how long you are having instrument play those ranges.

It sounds good, I'm just supplying a little advice that you may want to chew on to make your life easier down the road.  Stick with it, if you love it, it will fall into place.

Thank you for the advice

I really haven't had any formal training other than reading trombone music for 9 months or so and listening to film score music for about a year. This was my first attempt ever writing anything. The rhythms aren't too complex, but I may be pushing it with some of the notes I'm having the brass play (although Finale says they are in range).

I'm not really sure what level it would be.

I'm writing another short little theme right now, so we'll see how that turns out.