Branches Book

BRANCHES

project stemmed from the need for my work to look aesthetically different and also the need to challenge myself. Writing sheet music and notation is by no means something I feel comfortable with. There is so much to take into account: the timing, the tempo, how many beats per measure, and how the lyrics match up with the notes. As a musician, I believe it is necessary to know how to write sheet music, and this was my opportunity to put my skills to test. I started by finding the vocal melody on piano and notating these notes on a musical staff. Next, I used the grid system to find out how long each note is and if there were any rests in the melody. Lastly I added my chords and lyrics to my sheet music, making sure the lyrics matched with the corresponding note. Once my template was complete, I transferred my sheet music to a program called ScoreCloud so I could finalize my notation and make it look as professional as possible. The many stages of notating a song taught me time management and convention, which are skills that I can apply to any type of future work. My intention in publishing sheet music is to allow the reader to see the intricacy that it takes to notate a song, observe how my lyrics work with the melody, and ultimately have the ability to play the song. Even though this sheet music looks like a bunch of dots and slashes on a page, it tells a story of my connection to literature and my relationships through the combination of lyrics and chords.

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