Originally Posted By: Joe V
...Because I really like the sound of the original arrangements and my ear was never good enough to duplicate the parts.


Then I have to break the ice and ask this obvious question.

If your ear admittedly isn't good enough and you really don't play an instrument, what makes you think there will ever be any way to music work for you? You may as well just buy karaoke tracks and sing on top of them. And we don't even know if you can sing. You have never posted anything of you playing or singing. How can we be of any help when we have zero idea of your skill level? There is a language that goes with music and unless the more experienced players here know how much you know, we have no way to know how to talk to you. Most of your posts are "How do I" posts, but they are rarely if ever about the software. It's like you want to find a way that we can all practice for you, learn for you... It simply doesn't work that way. Your ear can grow by using it with a basic knowledge of music behind you.

Way back in my early days on the forums I tried to make a point and I asked 'If you were teaching a total newb, how would you answer him if he asked how to make a major chord?" Within 10 minutes I had 5 replies that said "A major chord is 1-3-5." Then I replied "What is a 1? What is a 3? What is a 5?" The replies to that were "The steps of the scale." And my reply was "What is a scale? What is a step?" You appear to be at that level of not knowing half steps and whole steps, major from minor, 3/4 time from 4/4 time from 6/8 time, what the notes on a keyboard or guitar neck are, and want to be out playing arenas next weekend.

Start at the beginning.
Move forward and try to get to the end.

PS There is no end. The road to music knowledge never ends. April marked 66 years since I took my first music lesson. I am still learning. I don't even really play out anymore, but several times a day I spin the computer chair I am sitting in around to face the Kurzweil I have in this room because some musical thought crossed my mind and my curiosity drove me to quench that thought. "Oh yeah. That's a Dm7b5. In a strange inversion, but that's the chord." From what I just said there, I think I can safely assume that the only word you understood in there was "strange".

I don't know in what part of that large NYC you are. I would call Castellano's House Of Music on Staten Island at (718) 982-8548 and ask for their suggestion for a music teacher near you, and start learning music. Not songs. Music. Once you know basic basics of music everything else will come clear in 4-6 months. At that point it's just a matter of how much you are willing to practice. Learn the notes on the keyboard. Then study where those tones are on a sheet of music. Learn how to form and play scales. Major and minor is a good place to start. Once you know that, and take note of where the whole steps and half steps are, things will start making sense. That will get you moving forward.

That will NOT, however, turn you into a stage ready performer simply by osmosis. Those things will be your screwdriver, drill, and screws. Then you go build your first end table and slowly move up to building a China cabinet.

There are no shortcuts. There is no replacement for dedication and determination. If you are going to tell yourself "I just don't have time", don't bother trying. If you want it bad enough, MAKE time.

There also is no replacement for talent.

I have a friend who in the now 16 years I have known him has told me "I wish I could play guitar" at least 5000 times. He also constantly tells me he doesn't have time to practice. Every night after work he goes and wanders around Walmart for 90-120 minutes. Guess what he should be doing with those 90-120 minutes? He "wants" to play those 6 guitars he owns but continues to make excuses for why he can't.

There is no golden nugget. No silver bullet. No magic Elixer.

There is hard work and dedication. And manageable expectations. I don't know anything about you. I don't know your age. I don't know your skill level. I don't know your end game. You are probably aware that you will never play The Enormodome in your area. MSG is out of the scope of reality. If you want to do this for personal growth, then you need to start musically personally growing.

You can also go out and hire 6 great players and singers, have them write and record 12 songs, and salve your ego by paying for it all and putting your name on the sleeve as Executive Producer, then say "Yeah boyeeee. Didn't WE make a great album?" having contributed nothing musical to the product. (It's been done before. Believe me.)

This is 100% on you. Get to work. Then come spring, post the link where we can buy your new CD, and I will buy the first copy.

PS. Practice with a metronome.

Last edited by eddie1261; 07/11/23 03:07 PM.