What I'm Learning About Orchestral Writing (both MIDI and LIVE) 

I think there is no other person on youtube, who does something like this. It feel like magic. Please, go on. You are brilliant!!!!!!!!!!

Nahre: As an ignorant but appreciative non-musician, I found this video fascinating. I learn so much, and gain so much more appreciation of the knowledge and skill that musicians have. As I watched, I wondered about the minds of great composers - their familiarity with all the instruments, its capabililties, the abilities of the musicians, and whether the composers collaborated like you with the people who are going to eventually play it. Loved it.

The orchestra and MIDI are completely different beasts as you demonstrate and to be honest, it takes a lifetime to really know the orchestra as an instrument :) - Anyway, great video Nahre!

Four things that make your videos wonderful: 1) Your absolute joy in music and in learning about music. You are clearly very accomplished and are creating beautiful music, but you have an insatiable curiosity and the grace to know you have so much more to learn. You are always humble and listen to fellow musicians. You show a side of the creative process and how artists learn from each other and help each other develop...I don't think most people who appreciate music see this and you show it in real time. You set a great example of how to approach learning more about your own craft, 2) The artistic cut-aways. You break up your videos to give the viewer both aural and visual breaks, and they are always surprising, delightful, and perfectly timed. That cut to the waterfall gave the video a grander ambiance and a natural context, 3) Massively insightful information that has something for every level of viewer. Even my 11 year old daughter who is just starting piano can take away some things from your videos, and 4) Beautiful music, sounds, soothing voice, and pacing. Well done! I'm so excited to see and hear more from you!

So insightful! Can’t wait to hear the full piece!

9:02 You have here the "A Day In The Life" problem. :) Paul McCartney wanted two large orchestral sweeps in the Beatles' now-classic record, all improvised from lowest to highest note. George Martin felt that the orchestra wouldn't respond very well to that, and as always, translated the Fabs' wishes to the outside players: George Martin: "I had to instruct them. ‘We’re going to start very very quietly and end up very very loud. We’re to start very low in pitch and end up very high. You’ve got to make your own way up there, as slidey as possible so that the clarinets slurp, trombones gliss, violins slide without fingering any notes. And whatever you do, don’t listen to the fellow next to you because I don’t want you to be doing the same thing.’ Of course they all looked at me as though I was mad… " Paul McCartney: "It was interesting because I saw the orchestra’s characters. The strings were like sheep - they all looked at each other: ‘Are you going up? I am!’ and they’d all go up together, the leader would take them all up. The trumpeters were much wilder. The jazz guys, they liked the brief. The musicians with the more conventional instruments would behave more conventionally. " quotes from www.beatlesbible.com/songs/a-day-in-the-life/2/ Of course now in [current year] you're dealing with a more modern orchestra with less, uh, hangups, clearly. :D But still, you heard the same thing: some sections need a little structure, some can just go nuts. Loving the piece and also the presentation of material. I've had the wild idea to try my hand at rearranging Queen's "Good Company" as a jazz band instead of, well, a guitar orchestra. This gives me some things to think about.

Yo can tell she approaches minimalism a great deal in the piano part but then maintains form in a less synthesized manner. Super cool. Definately sounds a bit like john adams piano concerto!

I'm not even a violinist but the pizzicato anecdotes at 13:47 had me *dying* 🤣

You’re the best. I really appreciate this. 🙏🏼

This is quite dizzying.. here we have a world class musician sharing her creative process with the performers ( and us!) with no discernible presence of ego. What we can begin to hear in the music is what many of us, I think are beginning to recognise as her distinctive voice. This indeed enlightening and not just in terms of the music - I am sure many us will be waiting eagerly for the next episode.

Nahre, the first few measures of your composition left my mouth wide open. That was seriously some of the most beautiful work I've every heard for this orchestration, and it's truly beyond what words can describe. Your skill at painting emotional chord progressions are incredibly powerful. I'll be listening to these clips over and over until you release the rest next year. It really comes at a very coincidental time for me, because I am in the middle of writing a piano concerto for myself to perform with my high school symphony class. I understand the difficulties in writing for so many instruments, and this video comes at a time I most needed it. To be honest, my reference when it comes to writing the chord progressions for my composition has been you. I've been trying to go for a more exotic range of harmonies, and want to do something very different. When I am stuck, I listen back to your music, which pushes me to keep going. Nahre, your ambition truly pays off, and it inspires me to be like you. Thanks again for this video! 😁

These tips from the MCO were awesome. Learned so much!

Nothing does more for music education than allowing people to see how normal it is to suck when you don't know how to do something yet. It's really important for people learning music to see and hear what the process of going from bad to good is like, because most of our experience as listeners and students is with everyone's best work, and most of our experience as instrumentalists is with our own worst work.

I like how it combines impressionism, serialism and minimalism.

I saw the notification pop up on my phone and I got so excited and I had no idea that it would be such a jam packed video. I love you're content and please continue to share your journey 💝☺️

Thank you Nahre for the 18.36 mins, learnt a lot today. ❤️

Fantastically informative video, Nahre! I am currently writing a ballet score for orchestra, but I'm doing it all "from scratch" in Sibelius. It was therefore really interesting to learn more about how MIDI orchestral writing works, as it's something I know woefully little about!

MIDI orchestration is as much a skill as traditional orchestration, and both are actually somewhat mutually exclusive. Trying to force samples into performing a phrase that would work on real instruments is always an exercise in frustration. I've been at this for 30 years and it takes a lot of hard work, determination but mostly good ears. Knowing the orchestra definitely helps, especially if the mock up will ultimately be performed by a real group. Great video! It's very educational and will help a lot of fledgling MIDI composers! :)

Oh Nahre! This is brilliant! Just the taste of this work leaves me hungry for the full concerto . . . impressions of French and American sounds, evocative of creating a whole world of the imagination. I love your collaboration with the other musicians, truly a democratic effort. A wonderful departure from another kind of composer who might tyrannically insist on his/her vision. I am one of your most appreciative fans, and I so love your generosity of spirit in sharing your personal journey with us like you do! Patricia

I was listening to your album at work about a week or so ago and thought to myself how cool it would be to see you compose a piece for piano and orchestra, and now here this is! It sounds incredible so far, and this video was stellar, as always! So excited to hear the finished product.

This was so insightful - both in terms of what's going on between your ears creatively, and in terms of the discoveries we watched you make in your conversations. Definitely, that MIDI really gave a fantastic feel for the breath within the musical line - so important for demonstrating your first movement.

Thank you so much for your incredible content! I learn a tremendous amount from every video you put up, and your music is just so beautiful at the same time (been obsessed with Solitude for a while). This is a super helpful video for musicians and non-musicians alike, without being pedantic or overbearing. Looking forward to all you put out and compose in the future!

Incredibly excited about the final representation of the piece and every step in between. Absolutely inspiring. Thank you so so so much. You‘re really blessed to be working with musicians and friends who seem to be not only really helpful, but also great communicators. It says a lot about you. Keep up the grand work.

I live in Manitoba. I will DIE if I hear this live. Can't wait!!!

That was fantastic! I especially enjoyed the gracious way in which each expert contributed to the piece. It looked like a model of collaboration.

I admire you very much Nahre. You've motivated a lot of musicians, especially me, to continue in this art of music, you've taken your time to share with us your processes and practice notes , and I love you for that. As a young musician, you've inspired me and I'm learning a lot from you. Thank you!

Your video editing skills and production value has always been good but I feel like they have still recently improved. Super engaging style

I didn't understand most of the things that were talked about here, but I found it very nice. Good Joob !!!

It’s great to show your collaboration with other musicians, your learning of software and writing process! Wonderful work!

Fantastic video, Nahre... It's great to see the synergies that happen when you put talented people together. The educational value you've created by pulling out the highlights of your conversations is marvelous. There are dozens of things people would not otherwise discover about these instruments or the creative process. It's obvious that you'll have a wonderful career in film music if you choose to go in that direction; I hope many, many people will hear your work, regardless of where and how it is presented. Looking forward to your next update!

Your videos and content are so heartwarming and intellectually engaging at the same time that I really can’t compare it to any other experience.. I watch your happy birthday videos over and over and sometimes even with my 4 month old daughter.. I watch your videos sometimes when I’m down or I had a fight with my wife, just to find piece and happiness.. it’s like a cat leaking his wound.. and then again I consume your content to learn about music and as warming tool to start watching g my math and computer science contents.. you and your beautiful voice and your friends and your content is such a blessing.. thank you a million times and please never stop, like ever!! Love Ron and baby Leana!

@Nahre Sol this is wonderful!! I'm so happy you get to work with the Manitoba Chamber Orchestra - I was born and raised in Manitoba and I know all of these musicians! They all have a huge amount of experience working one-on-one with living composers - I look forward to the premiere!

Nahre, as someone who's analysed music conceptually for years now, it's extremely refreshing to see someone of your professional calibre be humble, and more importantly, have that constant hunger to learn and therefore grow. Please keep this mindset for decades to come, so that more people who watch you can invoke this mindset in their own lives, for whatever passions they may have. Much love from a fellow music aficionado ♥️

It's so crazy to me that you're so astoundingly accomplished as a musician yet knew little about the MIDI stuff. I wanted to create essentially symphonic metal songs so I plunged into playing with orchestral sample library mock-ups a few years back, with only a meagre understanding of diatonic modes. I'm still learning about orchestral instrumentation and articulations, started to dip my toe further into classical as a result. Chopin and Debussy are pure magic to me at the moment. Your videos are very inspriring and a great source of knowledge, I appreciate your analysis of different composers' styles, their application of theory, the plethora of thematic ideas all running concurrently, music is really the ultimate art form. Anyway, yeah, thanks

Watching this channel gives me a general feeling of how much there is to know & understand. (...and to what great extend I really don't know & understand) Edit: Part 3 had a strong Ravel feel to it

I simply loved it! Bring more of this. Love your vids

I am amazed that people here love you so much that they like and comment before even watching your video

Thank you, Nahre! I really enjoyed that. Please continue to share your musical journey. I really got a lot out of your discussion of orchestration I also appreciate your transparency: showing areas of difficulty as well as strength

I don't have words to say how much your work is inspiring for a begginer musician and composer. You touch so many things with curiosity and humility and keep digging in deeper to increase the potential things you could do and last but not least, you do it. So, I just want to thank you for that and I hope you'll keep going for a few moment. Thank you.

Thank you Nahre, it's generous of you to share a part of your process. I'm grateful to watch your video as a beginner composer. I have started working in Sibelius and it's frustrating but fun too. Your piece sounds amazing, I like that you are interested in the atmospheric and the detail and I could feel the sense of being with nature in the subtlety of the music. Best of luck with your composition journey, Kevin.

Floored, you had me with the demo samples. Wow. What a breath of fresh air, the conversation with the musicians. (And I see one risk of talking with them showcasing all their tricks - you might use them all.)

I thoroughly enjoyed this video Nahre. Your joy and positive energy throughout are contagious. Beautiful work!!

legitimately got chills during the section around 11:00, really loved the impressions here, and the samples do a great job conveying it

This was super interesting! I consider myself to be very proficient in MIDI orchestration, but sometimes I have trouble translating it to sheet music, as I don’t have anyone to play it. This was very informative, and quite interesting to watch!

Can't wait to hear more from this. It's also a lot of fun when you explain a concept to us and it just clicks in my head like "Oh! That's how that works!" This video alone spawned so many ideas for other fields that I'm all giddy with excitement to try them all out in the morning! Keep up the work on these awesome videos!

Having just finished composition studies myself the opportunity to work with an orchestra is just the dream - congrats!! Loved the cello and percussion insights and rather jealous of your midi orchestrations - I'm just stuck with sibelius sounds! Would love to see more about the midi orchestration - your way of explaining it was far more clear and understandable than a lot of what I've heard in class! And the piece sounds great, I love your ideas and some improv could be really cool, and the first movement is beautiful!!

Time just flew while watching, it is so interesting! Everything is so good, as usual: the rythme, editing, musical aspects, social/emotional aspects, pedagogical aspects, and the music of course.

I feel like I learned so much. As a producer/engineer going to school; we don't really get instruction for this kind of thing; so it's super cool, you taking us through the process with orchestral professionals. Also, dope score!

It’s extraordinary you are constantly searching and learning new things. This is really inspiring. Thank you

That was super interesting and useful! Can't wait for that project with Julius. I hope we get to hear the final result, too!

You are just too good, there's no need for words at this point, every single of your videos is gold

What an amazing insight! Thank you!💐All the best for your project from the bottom of my heart!

Hey Nahre, thanks for sharing what you've been doing! I am also learning composition now bits by bits. I'm thankful for how generously you're sharing what you're learning and making!

I'm not surprised about the amount of work it takes to put together an orchestra piece but I still find it overwhelming the amount of artistry that goes into it. I understand that there's no absolute right or wrong but there are just so many directions you can go and many considerations you must go through when you pick a direction.

Great job Nahre loved the piece. And also this video was so helpful.

I love this stuff. Can't wait for the next one. It's so useful for those of us who have no formal training or access to an orchestra but want to do orchestral composition on our computer.

Thank you so much for sharing! So much useful information on working with other musicians, composing and producing. Your song is beautiful and intriguing, just like the scene you described of your inspiration. I particularly enjoy the rhythmic feel of your piece and music.

This video is absolutely wonderful. It's so interesting to hear from all the musicians and see the "behind the scenes" of orchestration.

This is such a fascinating insight into how music is created, thank you for sharing!

Once again, Nahre Sol has delivered brilliant, relevant content that is not only educational and insightful, it is entertaining and enjoyable. Dear Nahre Sol, Thank you VERY much for doing what you do so well. You are one of a kind person and I believe I speak for a LOT of people who not only agree with me, they know what it takes to do what you do. Can’t wait to watch your next video and to hear the finished piece performed live someday!!!

I found your channel a few days ago and I'm so happy to know that you are a composer! I'm new to the game, so i'm happy to find such an experienced composer/musician! Also I love your piece!

This sounds like something straight out of Final Fantasy. Tells a story in just a moment. Good on you for seeking feedback from the orchestra who will be playing your piece. Some popular composers wouldn't even think to build a rapport with their performers.

Too much fun... this has been a GREAT 18 minutes. I had no idea midi commands working with the specific the sample library could allow that level of expression. Who knew? It does seem like a ton of work, but it sounded amazing. Musicians are so interesting when talking about what they do. (A live performance in June? I expect a video...)

Oh wow, Nahre, every time I watch you top yourself! What an incredible experience. Listening to the piano parts I said to myself (aloud) 'that's Nahre Sol alright...'

Great video Nahre. Truly looking forward to hearing the piece played. I am personally also drawn to the type of textures and colors, and the piano part (as suspected, you being the pianist you are) with it's strong rhythmical element are truly inventive. On a side note, Ravel's string quartet was also my first favorite, especially the pizzicato elements he so beautifully utilized. I really appreciate you connecting directly to the musicians and ask for feedback. Keep it up!

This was a great video and a beautiful composition! Can't wait to hear the full performance!

I love seeing your work! It brings me inspiration, motivation, and joy of life!

From a practical learning perspective probably the best Video for starting MIDI composing for an Orchestra so far

Woah this is amazing! Always love watching your videos! I'm college freshman starting my major in composition, and your videos have been very helpful and inspiring! :)

Excellent! I needed all of this. Particularly helpful were the questions on how to notate special effects and/or articulations. Going beyond the note is always interesting and exciting.

Thank you Nahre! This is a wonderful insight on the world of music. You are an excellent educator/musician/composer!!!

Nahre, the piece sounds wonderful so far. I can't wait to hear it in its later iterations.

Thank you sooo much for sharing this all! Invaluable insight, demystifying orchestration, what you should be aiming at in the general. Your composition also sounds really interesting, surprising and fresh 🙂 I'll be waiting for the final "product"!

Wonderful and fascinating video all the way through - wonderful musicians you are collaborating with. I love what I've heard of this compostion so far and can't wait to hear the final piece performed!

Great to see you brainstorm, keep up the journey.

I really love your compositions! Thank you for sharing your experiences in such a way. It was very insightful and inspirational.

Love seeing the process in process, so to speak. Informative and fascinating.

SO cool to be in the back seat of the unfolding a work in progress. SO many great textures and moods in your composition. Nice coif also

This is such a beautiful piece of music, really divine and deeply moving.

Wow super interesting Nahre! As always very cool to learn from your videos!

This is a great video to share. Very informative about composer’s work in getting a composition across to an orchestra. EXCELLENT.

Saaame. That's the reaction I had when I heard that pizzicato opening for the first time! Your videos are always so interesting! Will love to hear how the project ends up sounding

Thank you so much for sharing part of your composition process, as said already it brings so much informations ! Also the calls with the musicians were super cool and having their point of view on your composition is very nice. I recenly learnt a bit about orchestra, but I interestingly noted that there seems to be much more freedom in an orchestra that what I initially thought (as it was demonstrated by the cellist player). Can't wait to see you conducting your piece !

I always love the beautiful, whimsical textures you create (my favourite is the little piece you made for Davids first 5 composers video✨) and that makes me really exited for this orchestral piece🦦

this video has moved me a lot! always so inspiring. Thank you so much Nahre

Such a delightful group of people! Magic!

These videos are great! Informative, detailed, yet still very entertaining. And the music is fantastic. You definitely have both your right and left brains in sync. Thanks! Oh, and you don't need an orchestra. You ARE the orchestra!

I love your piece, especially all the open fifths and fourths. They really capture the sound of open plains.

Really enjoyed this video

It was very interesting and fun to watch. Communication with each performer, advice, and having nice friends is amazing! It's the best!

Watching your videos always fills me with joy and enthusiasm. You have such a care for the craft and a deep passion and it's clear that you bring that out in everyone you talk to. Thank you so much for sharing, I love it and appreciate it!

Super excited by your composition, Nahre! Particularly love the string writing in the opening.

I'm making my first attempt at an orchestral piece and it's been spinning out into two experiences. When I approach it with the mindset of play, exploration, and experimentation, it's joyful and exciting. Pretty much any other mindset just spirals out into panic and anxiety though. I definitely enjoyed this video, working on orchestral music in a DAW has been another challenge I hope to overcome. Thanks for the inspiration!

This is so fantastic, insight into your musical world is such a privilege to observe! I always leave feeling inspired! Thank you Nahre! :)

Thank you so much for this video. Very helpful. Just what I needed to help get me moving towards my composition.

Love seeing your process... awesome composition(brilliant section 2), can't wait to hear the final piece !

I really like when Nahre does those syncopated grooves like at 11:20.

Nahre, thank you! This video is SO HELPFUL! (And it also compelled me subscribe to your Patreon channel!)

Nahre, you're such a big inspiration! Keep up your amazing work! :)

Wonderful. Listening to the snatches and music, I feel happy and good.