Back again, this time with a song I'm sticking with. There are others I've said this about, and I have finished them, but later ditched them.

First up is Echoes of Rain, which represents something literal, but so I don't have to explain that whole story, I'm going to give the metaphor: A gentle rainfall turns quickly into a raging storm. I realize it is VERY choppy right now, because I can't really make chords other than completely original ones (I play in band and sing in choir and about the most complex thing we learn is hemiola).

So basically I am asking for this to be ripped apart. Please don't insult, but do be critical. For example, you may freely say something (or everything) is bad, but please don't tell me I'm stupid, hopeless, etc.

This is NOT the whole song. I haven't gotten anywhere near the actual main part yet. But the piano's whole note at the end is where I plan to place a double-bar and start into the lead-up. This first part is when the clouds start to thicken, etc. No thunder/lightning yet (that has a special symbolism here so it needs to be carefully placed).

Edit: Fixed some stuff.

Please don't insult, but do be critical. For example, you may freely say something (or everything) is bad, but please don't tell me I'm stupid, hopeless, etc.
Well, you're not hopeless, but this one is bad indeed. I don't know, it's just the whole 'metaphor-litteral-intelligent-symbolic' thing I won't buy. In rare cases I do, but when songs (or PIECES, for you prudes out there, yes you know who you are!) like yours come along they often more sound like parody to me.

I think you try too hard to come off as intelligent or artistic. Either way, you won't get my vote.

Me=Finale 2006 can't open it. lol

I don't know, it's just the whole 'metaphor-litteral-intelligent-symbolic' thing I won't buy. In rare cases I do, but when songs (or PIECES, for you prudes out there, yes you know who you are!) like yours come along they often more sound like parody to me.

I think you try too hard to come off as intelligent or artistic. Either way, you won't get my vote.

I am not a talented composer, I admit, but I truly am using this as a reference to an event in my novel. Yes, I pulled the 'metaphor' out of nowhere, but only because the context to which this refers is too long a summary than I'd care to type out. No, I will not say I am intelligent; to do so would be pompous, but I do consider myself artistic. I am a writer and sometimes there just needs to be music to go with a scene.


Me=Finale 2006 can't open it. lol

It was made in Finale 2007, so try NotePad 2007. ;)

You might be artistic in someways, but that does not necessarily mean all.

In all honestly, I think you need to work on Chords a little more, and look a piece of Piano music before you write a song with a Piano in it. And String Quartets are very difficult to write, for any composer. So, I wouldn't make that your starting point in Music.

You might be artistic in someways, but that does not necessarily mean all.

In all honestly, I think you need to work on Chords a little more, and look a piece of Piano music before you write a song with a Piano in it. And String Quartets are very difficult to write, for any composer. So, I wouldn't make that your starting point in Music.

I have to agree; String Quartets are more difficult to write for than one may think. :\

Here's what I'll say: It didn't flow well.

That's not a string quartet. String quartet is always two violins, a viola and a cello.

Well, asides from that understandable error that beginner composers have, your piece is very lacking in many ways. You can discover your errors on your own by comparing your piece to other pieces.

That's not a string quartet. String quartet is always two violins, a viola and a cello.

Not always, just usually, depending who you're asking. Most people are more used to seeing a string quartet as two violins a viola and a cello, but it's not written law, and it's definitely not wrong to call something else a string quartet.

Not always, just usually, depending who you're asking. Most people are more used to seeing a string quartet as two violins a viola and a cello, but it's not written law, and it's definitely not wrong to call something else a string quartet.

Strictly and musically speaking, a string quartet is as I described ever since Boccherini and Haydn finalized this ensemble. Anything else are merely misnomers, or people are just not following the proper usage of musical terms. Yes, string quartet is a term that could be interpreted literally and not so literally. But when one speaks of string quartet, it is 2 violins, a viola and a cello, unless otherwise specified. It is true that non-classical usage of string quartet can mean anything from 4 double basses playing in an instance to 3 violins and a viola da gamba. However, seeing Rodents210's intention for his piece, he wanted an actual proper string quartet.

Actually, I did intend for the instruments to be a Violin, a Viola, a Cello, and a Double Bass. Perhaps I'll just make it Viola and Piano, though. I do like how Violas sound better than I like Violins. Thank you for the tip. What would you suggest I call the piece, then?


Here's what I'll say: It didn't flow well.

Yeah, the more I listen to it, the less I like it. When the violin and viola come in, it's too sudden. I've always thought that but didn't change it yet because I was busy fixing other parts of the song. There's too many moods in there. Like at the beginning, the piano's right hand is happy little raindrops whereas the bass clef is somewhat 'creepy' (for lack of a better term). I do understand what you mean.


I think you need to work on Chords a little more

Yes, yes, yes. That and harmony. I need to review more guides on that. I know nothing about chord structure or anything like that.

Okay, so I think before I return to this, I'll write a Nocturne for piano (for practice making something that doesn't suck), but if you guys could help me out it would be great.

I'm reading the music theory stuff on 8notes so I can understand minor vs. Major, augmented, diminished, etc.

So is it more difficult to write in a minor scale? I was thinking of A minor for the song and combine natural minor with harmonic minor since that's what 8notes recommends.

Do this for practice. Use this chord progression and incorporate anything you like to it when writing:

Am - Am - Em - Em - D - Dm
F - F - E - E - Am

Is this correct? It sounds nice and I followed the chart for half-steps but a lot of the minor chords and perfect chords look similar. I might be misinterpreting the intervals lesson.

Edit: Whoops! Forgot to attach it. >_<;;