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Based on Psalm 119
May thy word
Guide my feet
Be a light
On my way (verse 105)
May thy word
Guide my feet
Be a light
On my way (verse 105)
As the entrance of thy word is light
Understanding to the plain (verse 130)
Be thy word a lamp unto my feet
and a light unto my way (verse 105)
ps119b.mid ~Derek
ABC Notation:
X: 1 T: Psalm 119 M: 4/4 L: 1/16 Q: 1/4=176 | zB10z2A3 | zB8z7 | zA10z2G3 | zA8z7 | zc10z2B3 | zc8z7 | zB10z2A3 | zB8z7 | | zB10z2A3 | zB8z7 | zA10z2G3 | zA8z7 | zc10z2B3 | zc8z7 | zB10z2A3 | zB8z7 |
The above ABC Notation was transcribed from midi file ps119a.mid (Choir 1 track), and although it will sound pretty much the same as ps119b.mid, the notation differs between the two files. This difference is reflected below in the next ABC Notation X:2 ~Gemma
Hi Derek :) I've been humming your tune for the past few days. It was hard for me to move past these lines of melody because, for me, it evokes a deepening, an opening, in the same way a mantra would and, therefore, feels complete. I like your choice of inspiration (Psalm 119) too. Well, today, I pressed on and added a line that feels perhaps like a response to the desire of "May thy word". I haven't tried to apply any lyrics yet ~ just a beginning. ~Gemma
For some reason, I can't upload a midi file with the extension .mid. Any ideas? ~Thanks, Gemma
Did you check if there are any spaces, periods, etc. after the file name? Or use the button to select it from your hard drive, instead of pasting in the file name? Otherwise, I haven't a clue. ~Sharon I keep getting this error message: "ps119d.mid: 'mid' is not an allowed file extension" ~Gemma
ABC Notation
X:2 T:Psalm 119 M:4/4 L:1/16 Q:1/4=185 | B10z2A3z | B8z8 | A10z2G3z | A8z8 | c10z2B3z | c8z8 | B10z2A3z | c8B7z | | B10z2A3z | B8z8 | A10z2G3z | A8z8 | c10z2B3z | c8z8 | B10z2A3z | c8B7z | | e10z2f4 | g8e8 | d8B8 | e10z2f4 | g8e8 | d8b8- |b8z8 |
Hey, blue was going to be my color! Oh, well, I'll take green :-)) Ah, but you started in green LOL I'll trade back if you'd like but somehow, I think it is a good thing if we use a new colour each song so newcomers feel they can jump in with any colour too. Sort of 'not sitting in the same pew every Sunday' kind of thing. What do you think? Gemma, I don't know why your upload didn't work. I was certainly able to upload midi files.
I think I have't entered it quite rightly. What it's come out as is really long notes at about 180 beats per minute, but what I meant was a slow 4/4 at about 90 beats per minute. Hmmmm ... wonder if we can fix it now before we go too far. So you'd like to slow it down to a meditative speed? OK with me.
I was thinking of something like Taize chant, but then I had this idea the choir would continue to chant the refrain, while a soloist adds a verse on top. Can you do anything along those lines? I'll give it a try :)In the meantime I'll try to listen to your melodic idea (our friend the ABC Convert-A-Matic isn't working for me right now).~Derek.
I think this is what I meant -- sounds the same tempo, just written differently:
ABC Notation
X:3 T:Psalm 119 M:4/4 L:1/8 K:G Q:1/4=90 | B3AB2z2 | A3GA2z2 | c3Bc2z2 | B3AB2z2 | | B3AB2z2 | A3GA2z2 | c3Bc2z2 | B3AB2z2 |
Hi~ Yes, the above tempo notation is easier to work with :) Here's my attempt at a descant voice. I realize we'll have to work with the lyrics a bit if we decide to go in this direction. Also, I've dropped the ooh-ahh voice one octave lower, writing it in the bass clef. I extended the last note of each bar by changing it from a quarter note to a half note and eliminated the quarter note rest. I thought it sounded better when I played the two parts together. ~Gemma
ABC Notation
X:5 T:Psalm 119 - Descant M:4/4 L:1/8 K:G Q:1/4=90 | G2Gd3e2 | cdABd2-c2 | A3dg2e2 | dBdABGcB | | G2Gd3e2 | cdABd2-c2 | A3dg2e2 | dBdABAG2 | X:6 T:Psalm 119 M:4/4 L:1/8 Q:1/4=90 K: | B,3A,B,4 | A,3G,A,4 | C3B,C4 | B,3A,B,4 | | B,3A,B,4 | A,3G,A,4 | C3B,C4 | B,3A,B,4 |
Oh, what fun ... time for our Sunday afternoon hobby! :-)) This is fun, eh? :D First I find it hard to read the ABC Notation so I go to the ABC Convert-A-Matic to make a picture:
Is this what you mean? Yes :D I really like your arrangement. In fact, I've been singing it all week. I can imagine singing it as a Taize song. I think it works. What do you think? ~Gemma
The first and fifth bars of your midi have different tempo notation than what is written above. Is this intentional? ~Gemma
Hi, Gemma, not at all. This is what I have in the midi file. Is it not as intended? ~Derek
Hi Derek and All :D Re: the difference in the bars (as above) - Interesting. When I downloaded your midi file into Magic Score Maestro (the programme), it did not translate the music correctly. Aha! Good to know. Well, where would you like to go from here? ~Gemma
Good. I like the way your melody floats and soars over the chanting in the background. Now what we need are some words for the verse. Everyone open your Bible please and turn to Psalm 119. ~Derek.
Hi~ Sorry I'm a bit in and out today. My sister is visiting. Glad you like the descant :) ~Gemma
Like this, with verse numbers in parentheses:
May thy word
Guide my feet
Be a light
On my way (105)
May thy word
Guide my feet
Be a light
On my way (105)
Let thy mercies come also unto me
O my Lord even thy salvation (41)
So shall I have wherewith to answer him
That reproacheth me for I trust in thy word (42)
Can anyone improve on this? ~Derek.
Gemma, it fits perfectly. The only thing I'd change is I don't like Jehovah (too Jehovah's Witnesses) so I changed it to my Savior: ~Derek. Hi~ Could we compromise with changing 'my Saviour' to 'Creator'? 'Saviour' takes the Psalm out of the realm of Old Testament to that of New Testament and therefore changes the meaning of the Psalm quite dramatically (at least for me). 'Creator' was often used in the Old Testament translations as a replacement for the unspoken name of the Sacred (God) as were the words 'Yahweh', 'Lord' and 'Jehovah'. ~Gemma Hi, Gemma, you're right of course. The anachronism of Savior did strike me after I'd made my last post, but it amused me -- made me think of our Ps 119 as a hymn of some strange 19th century evagelical group with more sense of piety than of history. So ... Creator it is then: ~Derek. Thanks Derek :D A rose by any other name, eh? ~Gemma
May thy word
Guide my feet
Be a light
On my way
May thy word
Guide my feet
Be a light
On my way
O Creator, let thy loving kindness
Come unto me for thy word brings sweet salvation (41)
Make me walk the path of thy commandments
O Creator, for therein do I delight (35)