The Sun Machine - "more accessible"...slightly... 3 minutes

[Ivor]

Hi again,

I put up an introductory piece the other day. David commented that I'd chosen something that waen't too accessible to introduce myself.

So here's another piece submitted some years ago on the defunct forum. Not my melody, it's a variation on "Yellow Bird".

I won't hide that the inspiration came from a) my love for the tropics and b) Villa-Lobos' Little Train of the Caipira, though it sound nothing like Villa-Lobos. The idea of a little train running a trip through tropical verdure in the sun just appealed. Nonsensical as they don't have railways in any of the islands I've visited.

Ordinary + conventional

The Sun Machine 280821 256.mp3

The Sun Machine ISC ver 10-2023.pdf

[HS Teoh]

I didn't find your other piece "inaccessible" (whatever that means).

But anyway, this one is pretty cute. Loved how you imitated a puffing steam engine with your orchestration, with creaks and toots throughout screeching to a halt at the end with a big puff. Really entertaining to listen to.

[Ivor]

Most kind of you. I don't often come up with something as conventional as this but I like to keep in touch when it does happen!
Thank you.

[Rowy]

I missed the part about a little train, but as I was listening, I thought, 'This reminds me of a train.' So you got that part right. I think your composition would fit nicely in a video featuring a train or an animation.

Regarding the score, usually all instruments are shown on the first page, but then you only display the instruments that are playing. That will save paper when printing. You know, the environment and stuff.

[Ivor]

Hello there,
Thank you for commenting. Much appreciated.

It's my normal practice to include unused staves as it helps with visual alignment page by page. I occasionally do a second version that omits unused staves. It usually means lots of work re=spacing out staves so I don't end up with a massive blank footer to the page. I'm prepared to do the work if I think I might be submitting the score to an orchestral outfit.
Again, thanks.

[David]

when you're actually composing of course it's necessary to include all the staves and for a final .pdf export, I think it can be argued both ways (I tend to agree with you in the majority of works). Your notation software should be able to switch between both formats without extra work -- if not, it's perhaps time to change.....

A fun piece anyway, I nearly always enjoy the quirkiness and imagination in your lighter works.

[Ivor]

Hi David,
Indeed my notation software can and it's easy to set but it needs a few changes or I end up with anything from one to 'n' staves on a page and I have to click in 'system breaks', re-distance the staves and so on. I hate the wretched thing and know there'll be a few cork-ups en route.

On the few scores I have submitted I attach a note that versions can be made available omitting blank staves and with parts properly transpsed.

I've all but given up submitting stuff now (just one this year) so I can hardly justify preparing a formal score. It's quicker scoring it on m/s paper as I'll never need to rip parts. There was one recently. I put a graphic on the front cover, silly me - because I couldn't remove it so the easiest was to import it as a pdf and get id of said page in my internet browser. There are times when printing a copy and using Tippex to correct mistakes is far quicker.

[Raymond Jacob]

Excellent.