God I wish I could do that. I can't even read music but I get things pop in my head all the time. Usually as accompaniment to my poetry. And I can't write it down! I've had a SATB choral piece in my head for *years* that just doesn't work as a poem because I can't figure out how to get the phrases to overlap the way they would if it was a song. Song, chant, whatever.
Fortunately there is a solution for you! Unfortunately, it costs a little money (how much depends on whether you want a current version or something used that was good enough twenty years ago).
A multitrack tape recorder or digital recorder. For SATB, an old 4-track cassette (such as a Yamaha MT100 (I think that's the model number -- it's been a while) or a PortaStudio) wilo do. It's a portable device that allows you to record tracks all at once (if you have other singers) or one at a time with overdubbing. Then you can play back the assembled parts (adjusting relative volume as needed) and present an audio copy of your arrangement for someone else to learn by ear or try to transcribe or whatever. Or just make sure it works as well as it did in your head.
There are more modern and much more featureful versions (many of which record to a hard disk instead of a cassette tape), but for what you've described, an old 4-track from eBay will likely suffice.
There may be a freeware program to make your computer do something similar.
Learning to read and write musical notation is still useful, but this would at least let you get the arrangements out of your head and into a transmissible form to share with others.
That's my catch22. I can't sing worth a damn. I sure as hell can't sing soprano and bass. And I can't tell anyone else what to sing without proper notation. So either I learn how to write music or I'm sol.
(no subject)
(no subject)
A multitrack tape recorder or digital recorder. For SATB, an old 4-track cassette (such as a Yamaha MT100 (I think that's the model number -- it's been a while) or a PortaStudio) wilo do. It's a portable device that allows you to record tracks all at once (if you have other singers) or one at a time with overdubbing. Then you can play back the assembled parts (adjusting relative volume as needed) and present an audio copy of your arrangement for someone else to learn by ear or try to transcribe or whatever. Or just make sure it works as well as it did in your head.
There are more modern and much more featureful versions (many of which record to a hard disk instead of a cassette tape), but for what you've described, an old 4-track from eBay will likely suffice.
There may be a freeware program to make your computer do something similar.
Learning to read and write musical notation is still useful, but this would at least let you get the arrangements out of your head and into a transmissible form to share with others.
(no subject)