Musescore Bvba Blog MuseScorer of the month: Celthyan

As you've probably noticed, we are back with the MuseScorer Of The Month series, featuring one of MuseScore.com's brilliant members each month of the year. Last month you met Mike Magatagan. He makes wonderful arrangements of baroque music and also writes his own compositions, check his profile for great scores.And now please welcome: the MuseScorer Of April - Nicolas Berland aka Celthyan !Nicolas is "a French 18 year-old boy, living near Orléans in the center of France", playing music since he was 4 years old. He composes quite often using his computer (MuseScore notation software) and improvises on piano every day.In this interview I've shortened his name (Nicolas Berland) to "N.B." and my name (Alexander Tyukaev) to "A.T."A.T.: First of all, thanks for your great compositions, I really like the melodies and the feeling that is "inside" your music! I've also noticed that your pieces sound like soundtracks to some movies. Can you agree with that?N.B.: Indeed, most of my compositions might sound like movie music. In fact, this happens mostly because I have listened to orchestral music since I discovered an artist called Brunuhville. I rapidly moved to Two Steps From Hell. Naturally, I think I have taken inspiration from them. But the fact, that my works often sound like movie music, is really natural. I couldn't compose, for example, jazz or blues or rap. My favorite composers are: Thomas Bergersen, John Williams, Lizzapie and Karl Edh. On MuseScore.com I came across maybe a hundred brilliant members, whom I consider to be truly talented! But I take the greatest inspiration from Thomas Bergersen. I try not to listen too much to his compositions, so as to keep my own style.A.T.: And can you describe your process of composing or at least tell me something about that?N.B.: I think, composing is a way to express myself, since I've got some difficulties in real life. Usually I just write down a melody I've got in my head. But a strong one, a one that is easy to get. But often I hear (in my head) epic music with saturated staccato trumpets and trombones playing loudly with strings playing strange arpeggios...; some glorious themes actually, but it is almost impossible to write down.And sometimes I just put notes into MuseScore and let my imagination go.A.T.: I know, that many people, who start composing at some point, are actually coming from some musical-talented families. What is your case?N.B.: Concerning my family, there is my brother, he is 22, plays violin; he also composes, but does it rarely. My sister is 23, she plays electric guitar and electric bass. My mother plays piano, drums and electric bass. My father, nonetheless, doesn't play anything.A.T.: So, I guess I was right, when I thought that you might have a "musical family". And what about yourself? Where did you study musiс/composing and which instrument(s) do you play?N.B.: I am basically self-taught. I started taking lessons only when I turned 12 or 13. But I can't say that the lessons improved my skills a lot. At the moment I am working hard on my dexterity (on piano) - to play faster and more accurate. I also play violin a little bit and I "touch" drums.A.T.: Sounds great! But let's return to composing. You are using MuseScore for that purpose, and you also share your works via MuseScore.com website. How did you discover it?N.B.: I discovered MuseScore thanks to my brother who was looking for good music notation software some years ago. I think, that both being able to share the scores I create and knowing that people enjoy my compositions boost me wildly! The magic of music is mostly that it is the only international language.A.T.: Your melodies are really beautiful. I wonder how you choose the instruments to play those melodies and how you make your arrangements. Do you use an orchestral template in MuseScore or something like that?N.B.: When I am facing an empty orchestral sheet, I really don't know where to begin or what to write. So my idea is just beginning to choose the instruments I want, for example: 2 violins, 2 violas, 2 cellos and 1 contrabass, some brass. Then I write down the melody. I keep in my head that a musical theme for epic music "should" be played by horns (trumpets), whereas trombones might have some "accompanying" parts. But it depends on the feeling I want to give to my listeners and on the music itself.A.T.: Do you have some kind of "special message" in your compositions?N.B.: Not each piece I've composed includes "a message". But some of them really have got a strong one. For example, "I Will Come Back" is one of the strong and intense pieces of music I've ever composed, although the soundfont I used at that moment wasn't very good. This is the only piece that can make me cry, while I am listening to it (depends on my mood). "Ode to a Homeless" has a strong message too. It is very sad to see people laying in the street, waiting for money, waiting for help. And a story of a homeless girl, told by my host family in Scotland, gave me this sad melody. "Friendship Sparkle" is basically composed "for the departure" of a YouTuber called TheFantasio974 that I liked pretty much. He stopped "YouTube-ing", so I composed this theme thinking of the duet he was doing with his best friend, Bob Lennon.A.T.: I suppose that you are using something different from MuseScore default soundfont in your works (I can hear it). What sound is that? Are you using some external synth or VST?N.B.: The soundfont, I could deal with this subject for an hour. It is a homemade one that I created with the software Polyphone using samples I recorded by myself or found on the internet. Basically, I created it for a prank for my brother by recording the Minecraft zombies sound for fun. Then I trained myself to use Polyphone, and the idea of creating my own soundfont came. I began with the strings. I took some samples from other soundfonts that I mixed and mixed again with Audacity, and then I added other samples I recorded using my keyboard...I am still improving the sound. Then I tried to make percussion sounds, it is easier to do, since there are no long tones to loop, I am still using instruments from other soundfonts like flute, clarinet... The soundfont work might have taken about 80 or 90 hours in total, spread over 1 year, of course. I also use sometimes some free VST on FL Studio and the free version of Kontakt. (I never buy anything : everyone can afford to get what I have).A.T.: Really good job, I must say, your scores sound good. Thanks for conversation, Nicolas! Just one last traditional (but still very important) question: what have you shared on MuseScore.com that you are most proud of?N.B.: I would like MuseScore users to notice my piece called "Welcome 2018" :"Welcome 2018" by CelthyanSecond place in my list is taken by "Friendship Sparkle", and then comes "World of Wonders"Generally speaking, It is very difficult for me to be proud of one piece more than of another one. I post a score only when it sounds perfectly to my ears, exactly like I expected it to sound. I think that "World of Wonders" is one of my favorite ones at the moment (except for, perhaps, the epic projects I will release soon which, I think, will be performed on scene).P.S. Just wanted to put a spotlight on Celthyan's piece I especially enjoyed to listen to, this is "Friendship Sparkle""Friendship Sparkle" by CelthyanThanks for reading and watch for our next MuseScorer of the month in June!Yours, Alexander T.