Hi mgj:
When I started in midi I didn't ever concern myself with whether a song was playable with a real instrument. I considered the midi process an instrument of its own. I wasn't hampered by normal physical limits of a performer or whether a band had two or three measures of several oboe (how many bands can afford to hire three oboe players for three measures), I just wrote to create the sound I wanted to hear.
You're right! when listening to the two pieces the sonics are much richer in the earlier version. The piece will probably never reach commercial status and I'll not worry about complaints from keyboardists who can't make the stretch. I think now my task is to see if I can achieve the same sonics and still be playable. However, I'm torn, and maybe don't even care if it's playable as long as it's listenable.
I started in music at the age of nine on the accordian (I think I could make the reaches on that keyboard) (I also hated the accordian) and twelve years switched to guitar. I've mostly played by ear and the guitar was self taught. Midi was a way for me to express what I heard in my head rather than write for a real physical instrument with its limits.
The majority of my writing is with the mouse and occasionaly my midi keyboard or midi guitar. I'm sure that many of my pieces are unplayable, but listenable. Even so, I guess I should be concious of whether a piece 'is playable' to learn how. Thus, this thread.
You and Fred have been a real help and what you have challenged me to do was a learning experience. It also helped me to dig into Composer learning more about its capabilities.
That all said... maybe you could put up your piece and let others on the forum offer suggestions as you did for me.
Make a great day...Larry