# Software for orchestrating music without writing music notation?



## nikola (Sep 7, 2012)

So, I'm interested in how to make orchestration versions of some of my pieces. Since I'm clueless considering writing musical notation, is there any software where I could place my music without notes and add orchestral or some other instruments to it? 
Or if there is anyone else so bored and willing to orchestrate at least one of my pieces?


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## paulc (Apr 18, 2011)

Aha! Behold the power of music theory. Notation wins! 

nikola, you've posted some music on here. How did you record that?

If your keyboard is MIDI-capable then you can connect it to a computer and record what you are playing into a sequencer / DAW. Once the notes are in a MIDI track, you can change the output voice for that track to whatever you want (eg. cello, flute). You'd need a soft synth library containing the instrument sounds.

Doing it that way would require: MIDI capable keyboard, computer, sequencer / DAW, (orchestra) soft synth & possibly an audio / MIDI interface if your keyboard doesn't have the right MIDI ports*

* (Example only, not a recommendation):
https://www.m-audio.com/products/browse/category/usb-audio-and-midi-interfaces

I have a setup like this. Let me know if you have any questions. 

EDIT:

Google 'free DAW' to find free software that can record MIDI. Otherwise, the most popular commercial products are Ableton Live, FL Studio, Cubase & Pro Tools. Sonar (which I have used for a long time) recently changed hands from Cakewalk to BandLab. It is now free.


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## nikola (Sep 7, 2012)

I recorded my music using microphone 
I have some kind of midi, but I couldn't play it on computer. I'm not even sure what that file was capable of since it had very small size. I'm pretty much completely clueless considering such technical stuff and I should probably look more closely into all that, but I don't have time right now for such things. Considering recording the music I'm in the stone age.


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## E Cristobal Poveda (Jul 12, 2017)

Inevitably, orchestration without notation is going to run its course in terms practicality and quality, so I would suggest at least learning the basics of notation, and winging it from there.

That's what I did.


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