Is There A Software Package That Approaches Songwriting This Way?

[Kel]

no, it was because of asking if there is software to do the writing for you.

[john]

I think Kel meant the musical theory, not the programming side. I may be wrong.

Yep OOD using OOP. LOL TLAs are a pain in proverbial, but at least faster to type.

I agree no need to five into the programming detail. I just wondered what approach you would take.

While I can understand that writing for a PC may be familiar I would think a mobile app would be the most useful, even one for tablets specifically. I mentioned an Air app, by that I mean Adobe Air. It would work on numerous platforms and on desktop using an Air framework. Stick a MySQL database on the back end and that would be it. If you can program basic, or C or C++ adobe air would be a breeze. There are also a ton of previously developed modules you could drop in.

just an idea, and maybe taking you in a direction you don't want to go. Tis up to you

Ah, replies crossing in the aether.

[Badger]

Ah.

That just means I'm not very good at coming up with successful search terms...  

I have a hard time imagining what others might use as a keyword to get their page to the top of the list...

 

I just noticed your post with the three links in it.  Chordpulse lite looks like it might actually be what I was asking for.

I'll try it out, and if it is then... Well, I didn't propose writing the thing myself because I wanted the challenge of writing it; only because I really believe the tool would be helpful to me.  So if chordpulse does it, I won't need to.

 

Aaaand.... installed it and ran it for a few minutes, and now it's looking like exactly what I was looking for.

Drop in chords, try them out.  Only thing missing from what I was asking is marking the inappropriate progressions as distinct from the appropriate ones.

Or maybe appropriate isn't the word I want... someone else said something about more or less common? Or logical...

 

So anyway, thanks for the pointer.

[john]

All's well that ends well yeah, 'twas me that mentioned common progressions and less common as part of a tool I was thinking of developing for Songstuff. Maybe. There are other product development priorities to consider.

[TapperMike]

In regards to Band In A Box

 

I've been a biab user for many, many years.

 

It doesn't give one musical knowledge nor writes for you.  It does make somethings much easier when it comes to writing such as Charts / Fake sheets.

I've used it as a teacher especially for jazz studies and reharmonization approaches.  Granted I've also used Guitar Pro for lesson work.

 

Where BIAB truly shines is for improvisational work.

In the world of rock covers the goal is always "Play it like it is"  In jazz we retain the song form and the melody but everything else is up for grabs. The musicians interpret the piece rather then simply play verbatim.  If you've ever had the displeasure of playing with an auto accompaniment system like those cheap keyboards sold in big box stores you quickly find out how lame and boring the accompaniment is.  Band in a box isn't a simple single measure looper. It's styles take longer looks at the length of the progression and makes alterations to the background instruments over time.  As well it will often change the same section when played twice.  This makes the environment more realistic then say OneManBand or Chord Pulse.  It's the only music software I've used everyday since I first got it a very long time ago in a distant galaxy. 

 

Band in a box is used as courseware in many colleges and universities.  Many seasoned performers use band in a box for accompaniment on live gigs.

 

Granted it doesn't do mind reading.  If I have something scored out and I like the bass line but wish it were more staccato less legato it aint going to happen.  However when writing via biab I'll get my form down then the individual progressions then look for a style.  Once I'm happy with the main construct I'll save the .mgu and open it in Real Band where I can rewrite each instrument according to my tastes/needs. It's my foot in the door software for music writing.

 

It also is my inspiration for looking at new ways of doing the same things.

 

In regards to other matters.

 

If you purchase a book for the information it offers you that you wish to apply then...You are the one doing the application work, not the computer.  If you can't apply the concepts then it may mean that you didn't comprehend them or that you actually don't want to write music.   When you allow someone or something to take that part of the process away from you then you can lay no claim to being able to do it for yourself.  After all. It's not you writing the melody or giving the parts the characteristics that make them unique it's what ever you delegate that to.  Clicking file new and then clicking generate song does not make one a songwriter.

 

 

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