Hey everyone,

I'm having difficulty deciding what key to play in depending on what kind of song i want to make. I know that minor scales tend to be for darker pieces and major scales are for more upbeat and happy pieces but id there a more specific way to go about it?

it does´nt really matter does it? to decide alot from the begining is just to limit yourself at least in my opinion...

Do you mean BEFORE you write it, or after?

Before it...is it just easier to write it as you see fit and then by the end you'll know what key it's in?

Before it...is it just easier to write it as you see fit and then by the end you'll know what key it's in?

Actually, I'd just find whatever tune you have in your head by ear. ;) Just tye best way to do it, in my opinion. Music's like life, no matter how hard you try, you can't plan it and expect it to come out the other like you thought it would.

In other words, it won't reslly matter at the end. Just put in whatever comes from you. Or I'd say your soul or your heart, but it sounds cheesy. :bleh:

Uh...more practically, I always just pick a key and go with it. I compose differently than a lot of other people do, so this may not be the way for you.

the funny thing is that there is a way to find a key, like the key of C is more kiddyish sound or something...but that's only if you want to really get into all the technicalities and theories of music. My friend in universities was telling me this and I find it really amazing cause for most of the keys they state what that key is used for, it's true... i just can't remember at the moment....

One last question(it doesnt have anything thing to do with the above but i didn't want to have to make a whole new topic). Has anyone here bought the Garritan Personal Orchestra and if so, is it any good?

One last question(it doesnt have anything thing to do with the above but i didn't want to have to make a whole new topic). Has anyone here bought the Garritan Personal Orchestra and if so, is it any good?

I bought Garritan Personal Orchestra, and it really is just about what type of music you're making... If you're into orchestral music, sure go ahead and buy it because it has some decent sounds, but if you're more into modern stuff like guitars, or whatever, this is not a good choice... Plus, Garritan Personal Orchestra is a standalone software, so if you have a sequencer or notation program, you need to have some decent knowledge of how to work your program and with MIDI settings...

I hope that helped. :)

So after i write my music in a notation program i have to put the MIDI file into the program that runs the garritan soundfonts?

I tend to pick the key based on what will minimize the need for ledger lines and such.

Ledger lines aren't always bad, though. I have Finale 2006 which has Garritan Orchestral stuff, and I really like it. The one problem is that it takes up tons of memory, and I can't actually do any orchestral scores with it...but I love the instruments.