Writing for STRINGS in 40 MINS

[@patrick5301]

We watch as Dan slowly turns into Guy Michelmore 😂💯

[@HellbellyUK]

He's not waving his arms around enough. Yet. :)

[@joanna439]

Do you mean he's a Keane Guy then?

[@Stanglishh]

I'm waiting for the sunglasses of doubt to show up lol

[@pochologuillar2799]

🤣

[@dagga07]

a cross between Guy Michelmore and Cristian Henson!

[@LightWingStudios]

I have learned SO MUCH from just this short sojurne of yours Dan. At 70 years old I finally have my own small home studio, learning piano a bit and orchestration. Thank you so much and yes...we're NEVER to old or young to learn and reach for our dreams. I've been able to afford some Spitfire libraries but most of these are unfortunately out of my "Wallet". :)

[@charlieflint622]

Nothing gives me more joy than the feeling of solidarity when watching the re-recordings, the bum notes, the annoying zoom accidental that happens in piano roll! Such lovely writing, Dan. So nice to watch someone else going through their specific process.

[@DanKeenMusic]

THANKS CHARLIE!!

[@g13jon]

Ah yes! I love watching and learning from these 'composing-on-the-spot' short recordings of yours Dan. Thanks so much for putting yourself under pressure once again for one of these brilliant exercises. 🤗

[@BenvanGeest]

Tears in my eyes, mate. What a wonderful piece. And such wonderful libraries. Thanks so much for allowing us to take a quick peek in your musical mind. Cheers!

[@JoelBrownMD]

This just made me a believer again. Its beautiful.

[@6stringbeats397]

I literally have to start working on some emotional piano and string cues for a TV show and this helps alot.

[@josuevelazquez]

Love this video. I've been watching sketch to strings videos and this is the best one. I'm a pianist and i've struggled to get this right. I get some chords that sound great and then when trying to split them into strings feels overwhelming . The way you do it is great. I"m glad i found your video.

[@GnuSCello]

Love it!

[@sagereynolds]

Beautiful, Dan! Wishing you a speedy recovery and some summer fun once you're feeling better. Cheers!

[@RobertRodriguezMusic]

Really amazing video Dan, thanks for sharing this one!

[@AsukaAmaneHeavenlyMusic]

Such a beautiful piece!!!!! I LOVE your live composition!! Thank you for doing this as always...!!! I especially like when you mistouch and that turns out to be great. It is like an angel guides you❣️🥰

[@pianomanjc3]

Beautiful. Rather ‘Delius-esque’. Lovely to see it build up…like watching a master-painter!

[@LongshanMusic]

I love these videos and also get anxiety watching them. Thanks Dan. I’m very sorry to hear you have Covid. Hope you’re feeling better soon and taking proper precautions. You’re so talented, and have me taught me so much. All the best. Longshan

[@aleccassidy]

Amazing work, Dan! I really appreciate you letting us know the shortcuts you were using, they’ll really come in handy. The way you add such lovely color and movement in your music is really inspiring and very helpful to learn from. Wishing you a speedy and healthy recovery!

[@vewilli]

What an artist! Mind-blowing! 👍🏻👏🏻🙏🏻

[@elainecheer13]

really love such videos where u show ur work process dan! as a beginner, this is so useful with u just breaking down everything and all, especially how working on strings alone for me is such an arduous process. im so amazed at how u could kinda nail down something within less than an hour 🤯. look forward to more of these videos!

[@gianandrelubin]

lovely

[@danielthehuman107]

I enjoy these kinds of videos the most! just getting to be a fly on the wall and watch nothing turn into something!!! Keep it up!

[@pcwilliams.]

Loved this Dan. Thank you. Learned so much about composition, arrangement and production. How you went from a blank page to something so beautiful in 40 minutes astounds me.

[@ScamperMusic]

Love the piece! Had to listen a bunch of times already.

[@sampathpremkumar8444]

Great job...God bless you

[@kevinmcguire4537]

Just beautiful Dan . Get well soon .

[@bonuebonue]

Great!!! You are a true musician! Subscribed.

[@alexcrowson]

Hey Dan, just found your videos and already obsessed. Thanks for all the knowledge. I'm switching to Mac next week and you're giving me a good head start. Take care from Oregon.

[@phildupuis1084]

Brilliant and inspiring. Thank you so very much for this.

[@PEBeaudoin]

I had to laugh that there was an ad for the Midi Pack from unison before you came in Dan - LOL!

[@davidsinclair699]

NIcely done Dan. I've been thinking about Appassionata Strings and your piece is a great ad for it.

[@mediawebrecords]

Beautiful...thanks

[@Parteum]

This is great. Thank you.

[@sienastudio7044]

Superb brother

[@DaveDickens]

Fantastic stuff, wonderful to watch, really gets me inspired to put down the guitar compose with orchestral instruments, thanks Dan. Cheers Dave

[@elvehornacekacevedodelgado7353]

Great work Dan! Thank for sharing your process. This is very valuable for me as a beginner composer.

[@AlexMNader]

Awesome video Dan! You really could make another one and give some tips about orchestration!!

[@dafingaz]

Nice!

[@CYGNO]

Thanks Dan, that was as entertaining as it was educational. And, in reference to one comment one here, it was far more listenable, watchable, fast paced, witty and information-rich than much of Guy Michelmore's often rather lugubrious output. (I've sent him my recommendations previously. Haha! But true.) The rather miraculous end product in your video being a testimony to your talent. Hope you are recovering well from Covid.

[@DanKeenMusic]

Thanks Michael!

[@aviramspies]

Beautiful work ! *get a fan haha

[@sarakearns1516]

The piece you wrote is really beautiful so thank you for that and also for what I learned from this. Last but not least, thank you for the motivation to try to make more money so someday I can possibly invest in one or two of the great tools that you use so well. Of course first I have to focus on being able to pay to have my piano tuned, lol.

[@DanKeenMusic]

Thanks! I enjoy tuning pianos myself. It’s very long though 😅

[@sarakearns1516]

@@DanKeenMusic That doesn't surprise me that you can tune pianos. You seem to really know your stuff. I can't imagine being able to do it myself. What an accomplished skill. And yes, it does seem to be a rather labor intensive, or at least time consuming, venture. 🙃

[@Killadey]

"sometimes I forget what I've just written" That's my default mode.

[@sampathpremkumar8444]

Congratulations Don ...my like made you to reach to 1K subscribers👍

[@DanKeenMusic]

Thanks for sticking around! I’ll try to be more consistent with the uploads!

[@LeDrummerDu88]

I didn't know this rhodes was in keyscape 😅 thanks you for that !

[@ReKo9277]

Damn 🤩

[@spadogs]

Hope you are feeling better.

[@timmah4476]

Really gorgeous cue Dan - something beautiful emerging from the precursor to the covid lurgy brain fog! Really nice to observe your process and demonstration of how contemporary composition by 'synthestrating' and just working from a sketch can develop into a really beautiful moment of music where the ability to drag notes around, select different articulations and control them (cool MIDI controller btw - what is it? I have a Monogram setup that I splashed out for and wrote my own customised mappings, always enjoying the geekery of using it - but I think the extra travel in that one probably lends itself to more precise control over dynamics / expression etc.) all within a DAW is really just so massively empowering for musicians and the ability to get 'that sound' that, as you say, makes you cry out of every pore! It's really something very special that all this work and research into audio has resulted in! The precision and immense engineering capability of analogue audio since the 40s ish I think now matched by the incredible palette of colours and potential that digital music making affords!! I love Spitfire - amazing company with an amazing ethic - bravo to you all! 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

[@timmah4476]

Also - love that mastering chain! The widening and the tape saturation - LUSH!! And, yoinked that AS timer! Sorry not sorry!! 😆 great freebie - super handy!!

[@timmah4476]

Oh and also, a little late to the party but THANK YOU FOR THE GENTLE GRAND ON PIANOBOOK!! - Absolutely beautiful instrument, and given freely! Wow, you have ALL the good karma 😇

[@NickWendelsGuitarLessons]

Great video! Maybe it’s an idea to go more in dept with the ‘mixing/plug-ins-part’. Love to hear how you think to mix strings the best and what plug-ins you like the most. (And how to use them)

[@FTMuisikTV]

This sounds absolutely breathtaking Dan! What midi controller are you using for the modulation and expression?

[@tobybarker6808]

xmas chick flick theme...love it

[@sfleeee]

i can't work out whether it's my sound card or yours that's popping now! Lovely composition, however. Right up my street.

[@DanKeenMusic]

Sorry to hear that, but it's yours 🙊

[@dantesdjay2068]

can you talk some more please on how you build these chords and make these chord progressions? thanks

[@peterkovacs9951]

some harmonies remind me of rach 2 2nd movement

[@mustafagedikli_]

Hi Dan, this is my first time seeing the midi volume controller you are using. Can you tell me what is the brand and model, it looks very functional.

[@joshrainbow-IceTenor]

Dam, absolutely great video. Learning a lot from you. Would you be willing to make a short video, you can use this composition, on what you have on your busses and how you EQ and treat your instruments over the entire project. It would be such an enormous help to get that beautiful well balanced sound you have in your mixes and masters. There the spitfire instruments are so beautifully recorded I often wonder if hard EQing and compressing the instruments is taking away the quality and of course if it is even needed. So, hopefully you are willing to lift the curtain and want to show us what you use and how you do it. I saw you also have the fab EQ, who doesn't right 🙂 - Thanks in advance

[@guillaumeliberty3762]

8 advertising on the vidéo 😭 (You're the best btw)

[@FabienC-MusicAndSoundDesign]

The beginning reminds me of the french anthem

[@alexandersolovyev9181]

Hi! What a midi controller are you using? Thanks!

[@AsukaAmaneHeavenlyMusic]

I wonder if you could show us how and why you use the sustain pedal for strings? I have seen it in Christian's video too but never understood why. Especially how to use it without interrupting the code change? And also why to use it over reverb?

[@ruhanshete2804]

dont apologize for every little thing, we are out here not even able to properly record on a tempo. and even from a content stand point if you dont apologize ppl are probably not even going to notice.

[@DanKeenMusic]

I'm not sorry 😅

[@saintshaggy1372]

Can you make choir like music with a 49 key midi or is 61 key the bare minimum?

[@nephthaddads9415]

do you make midi of those strings? ad sale them?

[@albertpepper1]

Hey what keyboard is he using? Sounds lovely 😍

[@doctorJman3]

Dan, whats on your string bus?? besides that reverb

[@makingmusiconline2309]

Hope you're fully recovered by now!

[@pedroparussolo9723]

Im a musician, but im curious about what camera and lens do you use? Is hard to see this type of quality on youtube! Btw, is the same pair as the macbook video?

[@joselain5659]

hey man! what would you recommend for high quality strings for pop music? Thanks!!

[@Banquet...]

Thank you so much for sharing your process to write this lovely piece. It wouldn’t seem real without the odd mistake. I’d be interested to know why you duplicated the apassionata tracks for the 2nd part instead of just carrying on with the existing tracks?

[@DanKeenMusic]

Thanks! I duplicate the tracks mainly so that I can have some overlap in the midi automation without it glitching

[@Banquet...]

@@DanKeenMusic thanks Dan, makes sense

[@joelwybrew]

Hey Dan, every time I hear you play chords, I ache and I bleed. What style of education did you receive to achieve this style? I want to explore these sounds and musical feelings so much.

[@julienjanssoone7037]

WHAT IS YOUR CONTROLLER PLS

[@baron5978]

Love this. Thanks for sharing. Random question for anyone who knows - my libraries are BIG and my PC struggles to run them without crashing Kontakt or my DAW. I have a very powerful custom built PC (latest intel processor, rtx 3080, 64g ram) and wondering what I'm missing. I've searched online and have not found an answer. How do you have SO many instruments lined up in Logic and it not crash?

[@VilhelmG]

It depends. Your specs ought to be good enough for your PC to handle your library. Check if your PC is running properly (you can download apps for this) and obviously any cracked software will always perform worse/crash. See if any change in your Logic settings have any impact. If it’s a PC issue you should sent it in for inspection, software issue - reach out to their support. t could be a multitude of reasons but those are my first thoughts

[@bdel7219]

what’s gear that you use?

[@ArtManiac-f3w]

could you please tell what the faders are assigned to function

[@DanKeenMusic]

From left to right: CC1 mod wheel, CC21 Spitfire vibrato, CC11 expression, CC7 volume

[@martinggebert]

What a beautiful piece! Well done mate! What controller with slideres are you using? :) Thanks

[@jazzybeeff]

This is beautiful but i want to ask something else. How did you make your metronome as a track? I,ve seen this first time on you. Thank you Dan. This is so inspirational.🙏

[@JoelBrownMD]

What's that black box you are using to swell the strings?

[@tsmiguel]

Noce video Dan. I am wondering if you use the Roland module sitting on top of your keyboard as an Omnisphere controler by any chance ? Or just as a normal synth by itself.

[@AmdisenAnders]

Fantastic. I really do need to ask how you got Logic to that search function. I need to know how you browse you instruments and plugins like that :O

[@DanKeenMusic]

It’s called PlugSearch!

[@rubenmolino1480]

I would correct a little the voice corresponding to the viola descending

[@lucascover832]

Where is the composer cap ?

[@DanKeenMusic]

It suffered a splattering from a seagull on Venice Beach and is still recovering. I'll be back with a cap in no time

[@andreiviievskyi2838]

Thank you for this! What kind of controller with faders do you use?

[@DanKeenMusic]

This is a VS Faderbox by NativeVS but my review video last year has inundated him with sales. If you can grab one, they're great, but otherwise there are lots on the market

[@nickvoyages1608]

Dear Dan, can you please make us a list of what mastering plugins do you use and for what reason? I really believe that there are composers like myself who are watching the great work you are doing in this channel and would absolutely love some guidance on the mastering area! You are killing it in your videos here and at spitfire and it would be much appreciated every tip you can give us. Keep on the great work!! 👌

[@DanKeenMusic]

Thanks Nick, I’ll see what I can do!

[@elvehornacekacevedodelgado7353]

What MIDI controller are you using here? Thanks

[@DanKeenMusic]

This is the VS Faderbox by Native VS. I made a review about it last year and then promptly inundated him with sales - he can't keep up! Lots of other great ones on the market too but highly recommend this if you can grab it!

[@joederbyshire_]

@@DanKeenMusic I was going to get one but I fear I may have been a week or two to late :( Ive emailed him just in case anyways!

[@tapiorinne]

What parameters are connected to 3 sliders?

[@DanKeenMusic]

Dynamics, Vibrato and Expression (volume)

[@xamxamxamxa]

🌚🖤🎶

[@majid__jafari]

Ok i'm 1:40 into the video and before i have fun watching the rest of it i'm just gonna mention ... DUDE how are you guys dying in 35 degrees in London ? I live in Ahvaz, one of Iran's biggest cities, and we reach above 50 degrees every single day nowadays !!! Even Nasa has recently announced that it is the hottest city in the world. We are literally dreaming of a 35 degree day 🥵🥵🥵

[@DanKeenMusic]

I think it’s two things: 1) We’re not used to it. Usually we get mid to high 20s in the summer so the 40 degrees we had last week was unbearable 2) insulation in UK is designed to keep heat in, as it tends to be cool most of the year. So hot air comes in and then gets trapped and can’t escape

[@karmaindustrie]

Eminem is Disney

[@彭大鹏大鹏]

Rich or muddy?

[@1981KJan]

your subbase seems far too strong

[@yves2078]

very bad et tu oses donner des conseils!!!

[@superblondeDotOrg]

Do it with pencil and paper or it shouldn't be called "composing".

[@DanKeenMusic]

Why ?

[@graingerproduction1]

Want him to cut down some trees and make the paper too?

[@superblondeDotOrg]

​@@DanKeenMusic Because pencil & paper would eliminate the crutches demonstrated in the video (at the expense of inability to demonstrate Spitfire products in real-time). 1. 'Composing' is the art of taking a premeditated musical idea and setting it down in a determined way for a cohesive artistic purpose vs. 02:00 "I really have no idea..lets see what comes out today." The latter has more in common with stream-of-consciousness spontaneous randomness compared to definite and determined composing. 2. A big portion is not composing but instead sound design 11:44 "I'm gonna change my (instruments/timbre) because (it does stuff)" 13:29 "Lets just add some more layers and see how that works". 15:35 "What I'm gonna do is add even more reverb" 3. Most of what is featured in terms of writing is improvisation 16:40 "Lets just continue on this train... (trial and error playing) Thats quite nice" 26:10 "These tools make me a better composer because if I were to play this with a sine wave or Sibelius's absolutely awful choir, I wouldn't have been moved by that chord" 3. Relatively positive that your prior composition instructors would agree that composing is done in the musical imagination and thus best set down on paper first without external instruments (and for very good, deep reasons) although they are likely too polite to call out DAW users publicly for their lack of adherence to this foundational principle of the art. 4. Writing as score notation eliminates the frequent type of problem run into here 32:25 "There is definitely something wrong here" . 5. The remainder of what is being done is arranging or orchestration as in 35:25 "Now if you want to make it a little bit bigger or better or whatever (let's add another instrument like Celeste and add rhythm)". In conclusion there should be a new word invented for what this video is actively doing, for example if it is called Dawing (from DAW) that would seem to be a more legitimate term, rather than the continued watering down of the term of and the art of Composition.

[@onnooo]

The Cambridge dictionary literally says: compose: to produce music, poetry, or formal writing. You write it on paper, other people create/produce it differently. Not sure what's your problem here, and why you'd feel the urge calling our people doing things differently than yourself. Art is art :-)

[@villebooks]

@@onnooo What do you mean by "our people"? It's everyone's right to comment, no matter if some agree or disagree. Any community of arts has been staying alive with the exchange of controversy and lively discussion. Don't forget, everything we all debate in the www depends on definition and presets, like language or science doctrine. So yes, I agree with you, art is art, and the way how we create art is complex and diverse. But let objections live! The algorithms still do the filtering for us, we should not end in the oblivion of a binary dogma.