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How do you notate (specifically notate) your more "pointilistic" type lines/ideas?

Discussion in 'Tips, Tricks & Talk' started by Simon Hanna, Apr 4, 2020.

  1. I am on a journey to work more and more in Dorico and less in Cubase and I am running into a road block.

    Mainly to do with writing or conceptualising more pointilistic writing (Is there a better term? Perhaps fragmented).

    This example here I just jammed into Cubase, wouldn't have taken very long though it does need a clean up. I cant really "jam" something like this into Dorico so I'd love to hear sage advice on your approaches.
     
  2. Well, well, well.

    Look what we got here.

    No pointillism in Adelaide?


    In all seriousness, can you expand on your question?

    You don't notate pointillism in any other way you do normal music notation. It's more of a compositional idea than a notation style.

    I don't know if I would have described what you posted as pointillistic.

    I had to transcribe about 20 minutes of pointillistic music about a year and a half ago.



    _______________________________________________________________________________________

    I think you are wanting more of a poly-rhythmic idea. Yes, it's ping-pongs, but I think what is perplexing you is more you don't want each part to feel locked into a single meter (even though it's over a drone, and just meditation music. Asshole. What are we going to do with you?)
     
  3. Hey Doug!

    Nice to see you (figuratively speaking).

    I guess I do mean compositionally sorry (though specifically writing it down on score paper or score program).

    The nature of the question is around conceiving and notating music that's less "motivic" and more onomatopoeic.

    On the sketch I posted above, it's got the sustained string harmony with sprinkling or sparkling of celesta and prep'd piano that was improv'd by me. If you asked me to do the same in a notation program I would (and do) hit a brick wall and I am wondering what others' experiences are with more improvised, "impressionist" material. Improvised rhythms I could say

    Does that make any sort of sense? Judging by my lack of responses around the internet I am guessing NO
     
  4. You can give yourself a crash course in notating unmetered music. It existed before the metered kind, but we have modern ways to score it. It's easy. The Stone book is good for this. (A big X in place of the meter, defined malleable tempo range, no discernible beat or bar line, feathered beams, timed fermatas, proportional durations, freely ad lib, etc.)

    You should also look at some modern cadenzas. Something like, say, the Adagio from Carter's 8 Pieces for 4 Timpani.

    You can also use more “conventional” notation and disguise it as freeform. Best example here is the opening of The Rite of Spring, where the birds and other creatures of the primeval Russian forest are holding their nightly meeting.

    Also check out some of Messiaen's transcriptions of birdsong. He made lots of them, but you can find a subset at the links below. I have more on my computer if you want more than these. Pretty interesting stuff:

    https://www.oliviermessiaen.org/birdsong

    https://www.hollistaylor.com/ewExternalFiles/Whose bird is it?.pdf
     
  5. What is unclear to me is the "Why", or "What is your goal".

    You state:


    So what do you want from the score? If the answer is you are looking to give to players to perform...... ok. I can help you there.

    If it is that you want Dorico to perform the music, like Cubase is now in your example, then you will have to be very specific with your notation.

    It will always take longer, and Dorico is not designed to "jam" into.

    The other problem you will run into: The more aleatoric you make the score (which is often easier for humans to perform) the less you can reply on computer playback. Often, when I have done such scores, there is no playback at all. I just go with the ear of my mind.

    There are a lot of wonderful scores you can look at, but I don't know how much that is going to help you get to your goal.
     
    Simon Hanna likes this.

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