Music Theory for Computer Musicians

[hottoast16]

I bought this book and downloaded a digital copy. The title is pretty self-explanatory.
Music Theory for Computer Musicians by Michael Hewitt
Here's a link to the book on my mediafire:
Link removed

For those of us who never got the chance to take music theory classes, or want a better understanding of how it applies when creating music digitally, this is incredibly useful.

The physical book comes with a CD that has a bunch of sound samples, but i'm too lazy to crack it or torrent it. Either way, it's definitely worth the read.

[EDIT] I'm about halfway through the book. Basically it is everything you would expect from a music theory class, but explains how it applies in digital music.
For example, when he talks about compound intervals, he mentions the compound 3rd. He explains that it was a commonly used in 90's trance music, shows it written in piano roll format on Sonar, and then in standard notation, and refers to the CD included with the book so you can hear it for yourself.
It's great! It really helps you understand what he is talking about.
The book also comes with some worksheets so you can remember the information better.

[WavesOfParadox]

How does being a computer musician make a difference with theory?

C, E, and G still make up a major chord on a synth.

[Element6]

This looks really helpful, and it might be exactly what I need to finally begin understanding music theory and all that goes with it. As WavesOfParadox said, I'm not quite sure how music theory can be taught any differently for computer musicians, but I do like how the book seems to be directed toward amateur musicians such as myself who wish to make music digitally.

Thanks so much for sharing, I'm definitely going to be reading it.

[WavesOfParadox]

I never got the whole piano roll thing. I can't imagine not being able to see exactly what harmonies are happening in front of me. I never really got how to do complex rhythms well, either. How do you do septuplets as easily on a piano roll?

[colortwelve]

I never got the whole piano roll thing. I can't imagine not being able to see exactly what harmonies are happening in front of me. I never really got how to do complex rhythms well, either. How do you do septuplets as easily on a piano roll?

Beats are divided into 24 ticks each, for instance, triplets would be three notes at 1 beat, 8 ticks each.

I live on the piano roll...

[WavesOfParadox]

I never got the whole piano roll thing. I can't imagine not being able to see exactly what harmonies are happening in front of me. I never really got how to do complex rhythms well, either. How do you do septuplets as easily on a piano roll?

Beats are divided into 24 ticks each, for instance, triplets would be three notes at 1 beat, 8 ticks each.

I live on the piano roll...

24 isn't divisible by 7....

[colortwelve]

I never got the whole piano roll thing. I can't imagine not being able to see exactly what harmonies are happening in front of me. I never really got how to do complex rhythms well, either. How do you do septuplets as easily on a piano roll?

Beats are divided into 24 ticks each, for instance, triplets would be three notes at 1 beat, 8 ticks each.

I live on the piano roll...

24 isn't divisible by 7....

Technology has its limitations

[Rainbow_Rage]

I never got the whole piano roll thing. I can't imagine not being able to see exactly what harmonies are happening in front of me. I never really got how to do complex rhythms well, either. How do you do septuplets as easily on a piano roll?

Beats are divided into 24 ticks each, for instance, triplets would be three notes at 1 beat, 8 ticks each.

I live on the piano roll...

24 isn't divisible by 7....

but you should be able to define the number of ticks per beat. So just make it whatever you need it to be.

[Anforium]

I never got the whole piano roll thing. I can't imagine not being able to see exactly what harmonies are happening in front of me. I never really got how to do complex rhythms well, either. How do you do septuplets as easily on a piano roll?

Beats are divided into 24 ticks each, for instance, triplets would be three notes at 1 beat, 8 ticks each.

I live on the piano roll...

24 isn't divisible by 7....

A piano roll doesn't need septuplets. Because honestly, when the hell are they in electronic music? Piano rolls weren't designed to create complex serial classical music on (as I know you love to do )

[WavesOfParadox]

The point is, even if I did electronic music, I'd use a notation program. I really don't understand how people do it. (Although they probably aren't trying to work with full orchestras)

[Anforium]

The point is, even if I did electronic music, I'd use a notation program. I really don't understand how people do it. (Although they probably aren't trying to work with full orchestras)

Lots of electronic songs (of various genres) have more parts than a full orchestra, especially if you count percussion. Excluding minimalism stuff of course.

[Kopachris]

I never got the whole piano roll thing. I can't imagine not being able to see exactly what harmonies are happening in front of me. I never really got how to do complex rhythms well, either. How do you do septuplets as easily on a piano roll?

Beats are divided into 24 ticks each, for instance, triplets would be three notes at 1 beat, 8 ticks each.

I live on the piano roll...

24 isn't divisible by 7....

So you just turn snapping off and do it yourself. I'm more annoyed by the fact that I can't change the time signature in FL Studio.

Regarding being able to see exactly what harmonies are happening, in FL Studio at least, you can turn on ghost channels so that all the instruments being used in a given pattern will show up in your piano roll, and IMO, it's actually much easier to tell individual intervals at a glance in the piano roll.

[ph00tbag]

I'm more annoyed by the fact that I can't change the time signature in FL Studio.

You can. Go to Options, then Progect General Settings.

The time signature is in that dialogue box.

[Kopachris]

I'm more annoyed by the fact that I can't change the time signature in FL Studio.

You can. Go to Options, then Progect General Settings.

The time signature is in that dialogue box.

[Kopachris]

the theory you use to write music doesn't change based on WHERE you write it.

just... like... write music using standard music theory.
If you don't know it, learn it.

True dat.

Well, don't just write music using standard music theory. Gotta bend/break the rules sometimes to get the sound you want. But you still have to learn them so you know which rules to break and when.

[Seven]

I'm a Twi when it comes to books. 's gonna be a blast reading this, thanks!...now back to wasting internet on my phone...

[Markelius]

Downloaded, thanks! I'll definitely take a look at this, I love writing complex stuff, so this'll be a help. I already understand sheet music to a degree but it'll be helpful to understand the theory behind it instead of just knowing what the notes are.

[Lavender_Harmony]

Link removed -_-