Cats Night Out

Here's a little project I put together this morning. Give a listen and let me know what you think.

Thanks

Daniel
<center><table border=1><tr><td>Cats Night out on the Town
CatTown.not (112.9 k)</td></tr></table></center>

Howdy Daniel,

Love it! This sort of reminds me of "The Pink Panther Meets Count Basie". I'm going to add this to my "Jazz practice" Playlist (I play bass)

Any background that you want to share on the inspiration for this piece? Keep 'em coming!

ttfn,
Sherry

Hi Sherry,

Actually I created the drum line first, then followed with the bass line. Everything else is supportive. Sometimes the lead switches to the sax but not always.

I'm glad you liked it. If you see anything that need fixing, feel free.

Daniel

Hi Daniel
Very CATchy tune.I couldn´t resist playing the bass part along (after transposing to minus one octave because of the loooow F# ).It was fun, but in a way I am missing the "bottom" then ,which in my opinion is an essential part of your bassline for this song as well.
Keep the good music coming !!
Regards
Djim

Hi Daniel,

Enjoyed hearing the enjoyment of the Cats on the town. There is a certain mysterioso quality about the piece, even as there is about cats, of the four legged variety. I wonder if this quality might be enhanced by giving some of the eighth notes of the bass to a double bass, or doubling them, or doubling then on trombone or baritone sax? This is not saying I didn't like it as is.

Will look forward to hearing more.

all best,
mgj

Hi MG
Just a question related to the Cats.How loooow can you get with thrombone and baritone sax ?
Thanks and regards
Djim

Hi Djim,

Both the bass trombone and baritone sax should go to a couple of C's below Middle C. I've forgot exactly which notes, but somewhere around there. I didn't think of the contra bassoon, which will go as low as the piano goes, and has a nice growl to it, below C4, but might be hard to find for a jazz group, perhaps.

all best,
mgj

Hi Djim and MG,

Thanks for the wonderful comments. I love it when people enjoy my work. You will have to forgive me though, I don't really know what doubling down is. I have only been writing music for a short while and I am still learning piano. I go completely by ear.

If you would be so kind to make those changes and post it back here I could sure use the education.

Thanks

Daniel

A very enjoyable piece, Daniel. Thank you for sharing it.


Lee

Hi Daniel,

By doubling, I just mean to duplicate the notes one instrument plays by having another play them, too, perhaps an octave higher or lower. There is an example in measure 18 of "Cats", where the piano right hand is doubled two octaves lower by the left hand.

What I was thinking when I speculated about doubling the bass, perhaps starting at measure 24, was that an instrument that produces a sustained tone might enhance the mysterious quality. The only instruments I can think of, off hand, that would play the lowest notes are the double bass, the tuba and the contra bassoon. An organ might be another possibility.

It doesn't hurt to experiment, all of which might lead you back to where you are with the piece right now, but it can be fun.

all best,
mgj

Hi,

Nice song, but is it not out by a quarter note, as notated?

The lowest note on a baritone sax is Db3, on a trombone E3 and on a bass trombone Bb2.

I am a double bass player. I naturally love low sounds. The problem is that the low notes of a double bass when played pizzicato, say from B2 downwards, are to low to be produced well enough on inexpensive sound systems. Electric basses do a lot better. The difference here is that electric basses have a much higher content of harmonics (overtones). Even if the fundamental frequency of a note is missing, the human brain fools the listener into imagining that the fundamental frequency is present, provided that there are lots of harmonics. Distortion in the sound system will increase the perception of low notes. This is true for all instruments and often exploited by sales persons of sound equipment, choosing deceptive music for demonstrations.

It should not discourage anybody from using the double bass. I almost always use a double bass. Typically the bass line for a double bass should not have too many short notes.

Doubling up an instrument with a double bass an octave below, is often used in orchestral music for a fuller sound. As MG says: “It does not hurt to experiment ...”

Best wishes,

Herbert

Hi everyone,

I want to thank you all for your suggestions and help. I am continuing work on this piece. Your support is greatly appreciated.

I have added some starter lyrics so you can see what I was envisioning when I wrote the bass line. I have plenty of work to do but with your encouragement I feel I can finish this now.

Thanks again

Daniel


<center><table border=1><tr><td>CatsNightOut
CatTown.not (115.0 k)</td></tr></table></center>

Hi Daniel
You might want to check out the following tip: just GOOGLE "writing bass lines ".There is a whole erray of good suggestions for bassplayers and non bassplayers as well for composing bass lines.
Hope this might help.
Regards
Djim

Howdy Daniel,

We also have a "Songwriting resources" page at http://www.notation.com/SpecialInter...gResources.htm, which may have something useful for you for composition and writing songs.

ttfn,
Sherry