Making Music with Finale Notepad
Executive Summary:
1. The problem:
Compose a song using Finale Notepad.
2. Output:
Dan’s Wiki Song Finale Notepad Version
3. Discussion of relevance/meaning:
The relevance in this project was to study the process of learning, for myself and others, given a specific technology tool and project request. Creating a unique piece of music within a tool that may be new, and possibly very foreign in design and use, provided a great structure to understand how we go about learning. For some, there appears to be an inward look as they research and experiment on their way to creating their song. For others there is a clear move to the group in reaching out for advice and receiving the input of those ‘experts’ that desire to share their knowledge.
4. Possible conclusions/solution:
This learning adventure brings up thoughts of the reading we are doing in Situation Learning, The Book of Learning and Forgetting, and Experience and Education. The adventure provided a context within which to learn and the technology we use allowed for social interaction that expanded our own understanding and experiences with the process. The learning for each individual occurred through experience with the tool and resources that were available to guide the learning.
5. Supporting evidence – may include links, graphics, references, supportive arguments:
The reflection below outlines my experience with this learning adventure. Directly following the reflection are links to my final song file in multiple formats.
Reflection:
I have had quite a blast working on this learning adventure – not to say there hasn’t been frustration and challenge, but hey, that’s all part of the creative process!
The most recent arrangement of my song has been posted to the Google Group file page, it is called, “Wiki Song” and follows a melody that has been going through my head, and spilling out into the room, as I worked on the collaborative Wiki space for our Distributed Learning class in August. My poor wife even picked up the tune!
It was enjoyable to pick out the melody using the tools in Finale and feel a sense of accomplishment in getting the rhythm just right. Rhythm was the most challenging part of this song for me – as picking out and noting melody has always come fairly quickly for me since I was a kid taking piano lessons. There are still some parts of the tool that I would like to spend more time exploring, particularly the use of articulation. Today I noticed some odd behaviors when I tried to reduce the volume of just the cymbal using articulation. When I added anything below mezzo piano to the cymbal it messed with the playback of the bass line, making it shift in and out of volume, like a strange panning effect. In the end I decided to keep the cymbal at mezzo piano as it was not too overbearing to the song.
This process was very enjoyable to me and I loved reading everyone’s accounts of their adventures – in school, at work, etc… Getting a look into the thought process of others in this way was enlightening and forced me to think in new ways about how I approached my project. It was also fun to engage in some synchronous learning with fellow cadre members from time to time, comparing songs and exchanging info on Finale.
I used the comment “most recent arrangement” for a specific reason above as I could easily see myself returning to this song again and again to tinker with it – always searching for that perfect new part to add that would make me say, “Ahh, now that is it!” This reminds me of the Silverman’s maze adventure – it gets under your skin and you find yourself wanting more. I have been exploring digital recording for a number of years, pretty much since I could afford a computer and input/output devices. It is amazing to see how far many of these programs and tools have come and the way in which prices for these tools have greatly reduced. The freeware of five or six years ago was much lighter weight in terms of features that what we see even in Finale notepad. This is not to mention all of the other free, and inexpensive tools that you can get to compose using notation, or record live musical input. I currently use Garageband to create simple songs or just record something I am working on with my band for church.
I also see relations to Wolfram article in working on music in general. There are many times when working on a composition that I have really moved into a world of my own and almost been ‘reclusive’. For instance, two or three nights this week I found myself up much later than usual with my headphones on working to get the rhythm just right. Music being mathematical in nature also lend to the idea that it can begin as a very simple pattern from which can emerge extraordinarily complex and intertwining melodies and harmonies. Even Pachelbel’s Canon in D, a relatively simplistic song that we all enjoy at our friend’s weddings, begins quite simply and culminates with multiple variations on a theme interwoven to create a chorus of sound. This approach and concept is true in almost every genre of music – start with a simple melody and expand on it. I like the way that James identified this in his song example, “I started with this theme – very simple, nothing special at all.” (Watson 2008) As you listen to his song you see how this simple start grew into a more complex song with harmonies and variations on the theme.
My song started in much the same way for me – a simple melody that got stuck in my head. I wrote this simple melody out in Finale Notepad and began to explore ways to adorn it with supportive and more complex ideas to add interest (I hope) to the music.
I can’t wait to hear everyone’s songs and have loved the ones that I have heard so far.