# I wrote a string quartet! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 5, 2017, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wrote-a-string-quartet/783831 "2017-04-05T17:57:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2017, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wrote-a-string-quartet/783831/21 "2017-04-07T14:32:17Z")
Turns out MuseScore (free program) can both make sheet music and greatly improve sound quality (they also can upload to YouTube): [https://musescore.com/user/18592571/scores/3702631](https://musescore.com/user/18592571/scores/3702631) Sounds much more like real instruments, I think, even if it's not perfect. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2017, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wrote-a-string-quartet/783831/22 "2017-04-07T14:37:12Z")
> [@Not\_Carlson](#): > > I liked it, especially when the percussion came in and it picked up intensity after the midway point. > Due to the synthesized sound, I kept picturing 8-bit adventure game characters battling monsters. šŸ™‚ Given the source, Iā€™m seeing the crew of a sub frantically scurrying, in 8-bit, from one battle station to another as their sub is grappled by a giant squid or something. Iā€™m pretty sure Iā€™m imagining it with 100% military accuracy, too :). ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2017, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wrote-a-string-quartet/783831/23 "2017-04-07T14:45:18Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > Given the source, Iā€™m seeing the crew of a sub frantically scurrying, in 8-bit, from one battle station to another as their sub is grappled by a giant squid or something. Iā€™m pretty sure Iā€™m imagining it with 100% military accuracy, too :). Iā€™m sorry, but thatā€™s classified. šŸ˜‰ ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2017, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wrote-a-string-quartet/783831/24 "2017-04-07T22:53:03Z")
Anyone listen to the new version yet? ---
**Author:** ![cwthree](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9de0a6/32.png) [@cwthree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cwthree)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2017, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wrote-a-string-quartet/783831/25 "2017-04-08T00:34:54Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > Anyone listen to the new version yet? Nice. It really benefits from the more realistic string sounds. What kind of drum did you have in mind? ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2017, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wrote-a-string-quartet/783831/26 "2017-04-08T00:44:47Z")
> [@cwthree](#): > > Nice. It really benefits from the more realistic string sounds. > > What kind of drum did you have in mind? Thanks! A timpani, but that part could probably very easily be done by the cello, since it might be a bit silly to wheel in a big set of timpani drums just for two notes. ---
**Author:** ![DooWahDiddy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9bcb4/32.png) [@DooWahDiddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DooWahDiddy)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2017, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wrote-a-string-quartet/783831/27 "2017-04-08T02:41:55Z")
I imported the file into Finale and it created sheet music in about .02 seconds. Iā€™ll be happy to clean it up for you and make it look official, if youā€™d like. ---
**Author:** ![Not\_Carlson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bc79bd/32.png) [@Not\_Carlson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Not_Carlson)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2017, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wrote-a-string-quartet/783831/28 "2017-04-08T02:44:01Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > Anyone listen to the new version yet? Thanks for posting the new version, although oddly, I kinda preferred the midi version. The newer one certainly has better quality, but the high notes on violin donā€™t ring true; like a kind of uncanny valley of sound. I do think the composition is very good and is quite compelling, so Iā€™d still love to hear it performed with real strings. > [@iiandyiiii](#): > > A timpani, but that part could probably very easily be done by the cello, since it might be a bit silly to wheel in a big set of timpani drums just for two notes. Really!? I never would have thought you could use cello to substitute a percussion part like that. (But then, I really have no understanding of music. I just likes what I hears.) Could cello still create the same dramatic effect? ---
**Author:** ![DooWahDiddy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9bcb4/32.png) [@DooWahDiddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DooWahDiddy)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2017, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wrote-a-string-quartet/783831/29 "2017-04-08T02:51:58Z")
> [@Not\_Carlson](#): > > Really!? I never would have thought you could use cello to substitute a percussion part like that. (But then, I really have no understanding of music. I just likes what I hears.) Could cello still create the same dramatic effect? No, it couldnā€™t. What the OP should do (in my humble composer/songwriter/pianist opinion) is flesh out the part, change it to bass, and poof, it becomes a string quintet. If thereā€™s interest, and with the OPā€™s permission, I could record it with my VI samples. Theyā€™re incredibly realistic, often used on commercial recordings that canā€™t afford a live orchestra. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2017, 10:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wrote-a-string-quartet/783831/30 "2017-04-08T10:07:45Z")
> [@DooWahDiddy](#): > > I imported the file into Finale and it created sheet music in about .02 seconds. Iā€™ll be happy to clean it up for you and make it look official, if youā€™d like. Sure! Thank you! > [@DooWahDiddy](#): > > No, it couldnā€™t. What the OP should do (in my humble composer/songwriter/pianist opinion) is flesh out the part, change it to bass, and poof, it becomes a string quintet. > > If thereā€™s interest, and with the OPā€™s permission, I could record it with my VI samples. Theyā€™re incredibly realistic, often used on commercial recordings that canā€™t afford a live orchestra. Sure again! Iā€™d love to hear how it turns out! ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2017, 10:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wrote-a-string-quartet/783831/31 "2017-04-08T10:14:53Z")
> [@Not\_Carlson](#): > > Thanks for posting the new version, although oddly, I kinda preferred the midi version. > The newer one certainly has better quality, but the high notes on violin donā€™t ring true; like a kind of uncanny valley of sound. > I do think the composition is very good and is quite compelling, so Iā€™d still love to hear it performed with real strings. Thanks again! > [@](#): > > Really!? I never would have thought you could use cello to substitute a percussion part like that. (But then, I really have no understanding of music. I just likes what I hears.) Could cello still create the same dramatic effect? It probably wouldnā€™t sound as distinctive/resonant, but I like the suggestion of using a bass for the same effect (which might work). Iā€™m far from an expert ā€“ I learned piano as a kid, learned to read music, and years later decided to write a string quartet. Iā€™m pretty bad at music notation and the like. ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2017, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wrote-a-string-quartet/783831/32 "2017-04-08T16:28:39Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > Anyone listen to the new version yet? Just did! Dawgone, thatā€™s pretty! The midi version was sweet, but the more realistic version is a pip! **Left Hand of Dorkness** is right: this would be good ā€œaction movieā€ background music. I see it as backing up the scene where all the pilots scramble into their flight suits and run out to the landing field, jumping up into the cockpits of their aircraft. The final ā€œdenouementā€ bars are when the cockpit hatches fold closed. Anywayā€¦ Itā€™s evocative! Itā€™s active, and absolutely conveys a hurried kind of urgency, an emotion of ā€œGo, go, go,ā€ yet with an organized sort of thought behind it. It isnā€™t chaotic, but, in fact, very regular. It evokes intelligent hyper-activity! Very nicely done! ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2017, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wrote-a-string-quartet/783831/33 "2017-04-08T16:33:26Z")
> [@Trinopus](#): > > Just did! Dawgone, thatā€™s pretty! The midi version was sweet, but the more realistic version is a pip! **Left Hand of Dorkness** is right: this would be good ā€œaction movieā€ background music. I see it as backing up the scene where all the pilots scramble into their flight suits and run out to the landing field, jumping up into the cockpits of their aircraft. The final ā€œdenouementā€ bars are when the cockpit hatches fold closed. > > Anywayā€¦ Itā€™s evocative! Itā€™s active, and absolutely conveys a hurried kind of urgency, an emotion of ā€œGo, go, go,ā€ yet with an organized sort of thought behind it. It isnā€™t chaotic, but, in fact, very regular. It evokes intelligent hyper-activity! Very nicely done! Wow, thanks so much! So glad you enjoyed it! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wrote-a-string-quartet/783831.md?page=1)