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Messages - JesterMusician

#31
Are there any good, yet particularly difficult songs that are unclaimed or someone wants to drop? I don't have any right now and I'm interested in making another arrangement.
#32
Wait a minute, is that really feasible? Octave jumping so far in 16th notes?
#33
I put in the octave doubling in section B - you're right, it could use more power, and the part is simple enough to do this. I also added a Bb below the D in 20.

I thought about whether or not to octave down the right hand of C and C', but I like them the way they are. I want there to be enough room among the multiple voices so that they can be heard well. A similar case could be made for octaving down sections A, A', and G, but I want to save the D2's for section B, and D3's would overlap.

I disagree with the other chord changes you made. Measure 17 is A on top of F, not F on top of D. Measure 35 is definitely D in the bass, not Bb.
#34
I thought about it, but I can't come up with a voicing that sounds correct. There's very little tonal content in that part of the original, so I don't think I should put in more than I already have.
#36
@mastersuperfan Let me know if you drop Death By Glamour, then I'll give it a shot.
#37
Quote from: Yug_Guy on November 12, 2015, 08:31:21 AMFixed the A natural, can't fix the mordent in Notepad.  :(
MLF already got most of these when he fixed it. I'm not super familiar with anything more advanced than staccatos, legatos, and accents (thus, the lower mordent). It's an acquired talent that I have yet to master.

I'm saying maybe that's all you need. KISS - Keep It Simple, Stupid.

When thinking about how to notate something, I recommend you keep the following principles in mind:
  • Use the fewest markings possible. There's a saying in design: Perfection is achieved not when there is more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.
  • Use the simplest markings possible. Simple is often synonymous with common. Using an uncommon articulation is easy - it's just a few clicks away. Using it properly is harder.
Understanding these principles is the mastery you should seek to achieve.

The rationale behind these is revealed when you think about the performing pianist: you want to reduce their cognitive load. The last thing you want is the pianist to second guess what you intended, and you risk that by using more notation or uncommon notation. These principles are sometimes at odds with each other, but I tend to favour the first.

Here's some examples of these principles in action as well as some rules of thumb:
  • Tenuto vs. Slur: Both cause the note to be held for its full length, but tenuto also means to stress it a bit. I use tenutos for the bass line. I could have omitted them, keeping in line with the second principle, but I felt they were necessary to capture the "heaviness" of the C's.
  • Staccato vs. Staccatissimo: Staccato is far more common, so they should be favoured to follow the second principle. In my opinion, staccato should be used if the note should be played around 50% of its value. I use them over eighth notes to avoid 16th rests (thus reducing notation, as in the first principle). Anything shorter can use staccatissimo to highlight the brevity, in particular when it should be shorter than the pianist would otherwise think - perhaps in contrast to staccato notes. Here's a rule of thumb to check if you're using it properly: replace the staccato notes with regular notes half their value and play it back (i.e. replace 8th with 16th). If it sounds short enough, use staccato; if not, use staccatissimo.
  • Accent vs. Marcato: Same as staccato vs. staccatissimo: you should ask yourself if this distinction of degree is significant. Also like tenuto, in that it implies a kind of effect that simple accents don't have (like a "rhythmic thrusting" according to Wikipedia).
  • Upper/lower mordent: These abbreviate a series of grace notes or triplets into a single note. The symbol isn't terribly common, but I use them in favour of the first principle over the second.
  • Dynamics: Their meaning is relative to other dynamics. You should be very careful about placing ppp and fff - these are not simple. Use them too frequently and they lose their power.
  • Repeats: They decrease the number of symbols on the page by removing some measures, but they increase the complexity of the piece because it requires the performer to jump.
  • Simile: Use it to avoid writing out a series of repeated articulations, in accordance with the first principle. It's easy to just copy and paste a measure with all of the markings, but more symbols on the page means more things to pay attention to (not to mention more room for notational error).

Finally, I should point out that these principles transcend musical notation into all forms of functional design. Graphics, programming, websites, physical spaces, tools - all serve a practical purpose, and simplicity is desirable because it allows the human to use it best. Musical notation is no exception.
#38
Yug_Guy, you should look at my Bonetrousle arrangement for reference because the songs are so similar. I think the last note in 7 is an A natural, and the mordent in 20 should be an upper mordent. In mine, I hid most of the articulations and used a simile instruction to keep the score uncluttered.

I think you should really think about what each articulation means. What's the difference between staccato and staccatissimo? What's the difference between tenuto, slurs and unarticulated notes? Are these differences meaningful enough to include them at all, or do they needlessly complicate the piece?
#39
I've seen piano arrangements include a percussion part, but only if a hand is resting. Notes are on the centre line and written with cross heads. If you do this, you should put in a performance remark explaining what to do.
#40
For that part in 1-8, you can consider using the following notation (see bottom of page):

Spoiler
[close]
#41
Swept up in all the Undertale mania, I arranged the skeleton bros' battle themes!

Undertale - "Bonetrousle"
[MID][MUS][PDF]

Undertale - "Megalovania"
[MID][MUS][PDF]
#42
I've just made a new version right now; how about you give me suggestions and I'll incorporate them? Currently I've:

  • Fixed bass notes in 20
  • Added rehearsal marks
  • Changed 45-54
  • Added some courtesy accidentals
  • Added voices to 17-20
  • Changed the bassline of 29-44
  • Added accents to 43-44

The links have been updated with the new version.
#43
They should be working? I just updated them, too. What kind of error are you getting?
#44
Yugi let me have Megalovania, and now the first draft is up! Still need to add in staccatos and maybe reconsider some voicings or octaves, but it's pretty complete already!

[MID][MUS][PDF]

MuseScore
#45
Quote from: Bespinben on November 05, 2015, 06:27:07 PMMy contribution to the project.


It's really good! Sorry to nitpick, but
  • You have a hidden rest in 29.
  • You should slur all grace note groups.
  • Sometimes you use grace notes and sometimes arpeggios for what sounds like the same effect - I'm not sure if that inconsistency is intentional or not.
  • Unless the crescendo only applies to the right hand, it should go between the staves. There's no time value between the end of 10 and beginning of 11 so I would end the crescendo at the end of 10.
  • Slurs should go on the notehead side, except in multi-voice contexts, or to be clear of dynamics. The slur in 6 and the first slur of 9 should therefore go below the staff. The second slur in 9 has mixed stem direction, so the slur would normally go above the stave, but since there is a beam in the way, it should also go below. (See Behind Bars p. 110)