To Write A Kickass Song...

[Trivun]

So, I'm here again asking for more musical help. But this time, I want to actually make music, not just listen to it. Thing is, I have a lot of songs in my head and a lot of ideas, but I can't play an instrument (would have started learning drums if my parents weren't opposed to me having drums in the house), and my instrument-playing friends are all in different cities.

But, surely I can find some other way? And that is where I turn to the Escapist community. Basically, I want to know if there are any decent, relatively easy-to-use, programs available where I can simulate instruments and write songs without needing an actual instrument to physically record. Specifically, I'm looking for a particular genre. The first song I planned on writing was a remix of some Silent Hill songs (particularly the Main Theme, Promise, and Room Of Angel). Then, I had a concept album planned, based on a story I've been developing, with the sound similar to these:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XciVM7cgt_A
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NXrHIC1VVlM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOFxb0F2F2A

But with much heavier drum beats (and for those bands, that's saying something...).

So, does anyone know of such a program? Ideally I'm looking for free stuff, but stuff that costs money is fine too as long as it has a free trial so I can try it before paying for something (in case it turns out useless for what I need to do )...

 

[Dante DiVongola]

You can use your garden-variety MIDI program to map out what you want to do. I usually use something stupid simple, like TuxGuitar, to do that. It's free the last time I checked and it's simple to use, so long as you give yourself time to acquaint yourself with it.

 

[aPod]

You can emulate the sound of instruments with your voice. If you get a catchy beat in your head record it using that funky instrument known as your body.

Then you can try and learn how to read and write sheet music and transcribe it later. Since you don't actually need to know how to play an instrument to write music for it. Though it probably helps.

 

[Brown Cap]

Problem solved:

Find online the free tabliture program, "TuxGuitar2"
It's free, safe (friends of mine and myself have had it for years) and it's amazing.

Write Music, Convert to MIDI, etc. it's all there!

 

[Trivun]

For the record, I'm not specifically trying to write music as sheet music, I'm trying to find various virtual instruments (especially piano, drums and more classical string instruments) to experiment with. My style is much more experimental than anything...