Help

[Oritendo]

How do you make an arrangement? I've seen so many by different people, but how excatly do you do it?

Thanks in advance.

[Greg]

1. Get music notation program.
2. Choose piece.
3. Write piece.

Seriously, exactly what do you need to know? 

[Oritendo]

...you make in sound easy.  well, I just wanted to know any tips or something. I mean, how can someone get the exact notes for an arrangement?

[Brassman388]

Aural training.

[Greg]

Listen to it a lot. Like a LOT. It helps to have a piano or something nearby to compare the notes with. Also headphones.

[Oritendo]

I guess that would work. should I record it, or find a youtube link? because I really hatedon't like youtube.

[Greg]

Youtube is probably a better idea, because higher quality. Or you could download it alternatively.

[Oritendo]

ok, I'll try my best to just use my ears, thanks for the help!  btw, do you know any game that has music that sounds.. easy?

[Shadoninja]

a sound editor like audacity is an option for slowing down a song.

as for game music that sounds easy, you could try something from the NES or Gameboy era.

[Oritendo]

a sound editor like audacity is an option for slowing down a song.

as for game music that sounds easy, you could try something from the NES or Gameboy era.

is audacity a program? sure, i'll try one of those, thanks for the tip!

[Shadoninja]

yeah it's the best free sound editing program.

[Bespinben]

This is what I do:

1.) I have a youtube video pulled up in a separate tab of whatever I'm arranging
2.) I listen to the VERY first note of the song in the melody line. I keep that tone in my head, and I put a note into my program. If your program is anything like Finale or Sibelius (which is what I use), it should play that note back. Now move that note you put into the program up or down the staff until it's the same as the one you heard while listening to the youtube video.
3.)Taa-dah, you have the right notes now, but now you need rhythms, so copy/paste the notes you just collected for the melody into a different measure for reference. Just count the beats and determine how long the duration of each of those notes are. Once you've done that, enter the notes into your program with both the correct rhythm and pitch (since we determined that earlier).
4.) Repeat steps 1-3 for the other parts in the music (bass, harmony, countermelody, etc.)

[Flamewire]

Learning the melody (and bass line/harmony/countermelody/etc) on a piano if you have one available, or any instrument really, is a really good way to make the process a bit faster. Just listen to the piece over and over until it's stuck in your head, figure out the first note, then more notes, and keep playing. Once you figure out the key signature, it gets much easier (just be wary of accidentals).

If you know the melody, you'll know the notes and rhythms instinctively, and you'll know for sure when your arrangement sounds correct and doesn't have wrong notes/rhythms.

[Shadoninja]

if you have a keyboard with a midi port, I'd recommend getting a midi cable that connects to the computer. I bought one a while back and it helps a lot.

[HugoMeister]

Aural training.