Well, seeing as how I dabble in the composition and arranging arts... and since I signed up here :heh: ... I might as well put up some of my work :)

I'm by no means great, but I like what I've done. ^_^ I'm still trying to find "my style" (looking into minimalism, atm), but alas as soon as I get 51% done on one piece I move to another. Either that or I just come up with 8 bars of a nice incidental piece with no other significance <_< Currently working on a theme and variations piece for string quintet (yeah I know it could be just "orchestra" SHUSH!), and a three movement piece for 2 pianos.


I welcome comments and constructive criticism (if I didn't why would I post here?). Not too likely to rewrite pieces, cause I'm stubborn like that... but I'll take each bit of advice for future works. ^_^


To start things off, I've an mp3 of one of my first two arrangements. This is a small brass/wind ensemble arrangement of Julian Nott's famous theme to the "Wallace & Gromit" series (ala The Wrong Trousers). Arranged by myself in Spring 2006, performed by my buds in our high school band. (The recording, for the sake of perfection is from sibelius :\ )

Hey, welcome to Ichigos!

Nice job arranging this for wind ensemble! I didn't really notice anything in particular I didn't like. Can't wait to here more from you! :P

Well I've got more :shifty: ...and by more I mean one arrangement (my first, "Hey Jude") and some random theory and one-offs. Somehow I'm really good at little themes like that, but suck when it comes to larger pieces :think:

I'd upload "Hey Jude", which I am really proud of (well, the ending at least), but 1) paranoid about uploading a MIDI, and 2) my MIDI is rather bad (even the good Kontact one) so I can't record it as an mp3 like the W&G one as it'll be indistinguishable.

-----

Well, I've sucked it up and I'm putting up a midi on one of my short themes that I did. Originally titled "Chasing the Nile" I wound up with a western theme somehow :huh: (Was listening to "Tornado" from the LupinIII OST)
So I've changed its name to "Rising Sands".... for those in the know, I was on a Stargate SG1 kick! ^_^

Nice. It's sounded like something I would expect to here in a video game. Just a couple things bother me though...


I think you have a voicing error when your horns come in (the thirds and fourths against the first and seconds). It's just the melody that is trying to be presented in the horns is mushed up with the long notes in the lower parts. I would either transpose the first and seconds up an octave or give that melody to some other "higher" instrument to avoid crossing the voices.

This may or may not apply to this but it doesn't really...end. If it's just a theme idea or just part of a bigger picture this comment means nothing, but if that's the full blown composition, I recommend bringing it to a more final conclusion. It's just that the way you left it off it feels unfinished.


Hey, but it truly is a pretty neat theme! Keep them coming my man! B)

I think you have a voicing error when your horns come in (the thirds and fourths against the first and seconds). It's just the melody that is trying to be presented in the horns is mushed up with the long notes in the lower parts. I would either transpose the first and seconds up an octave or give that melody to some other "higher" instrument to avoid crossing the voices.

This may or may not apply to this but it doesn't really...end. If it's just a theme idea or just part of a bigger picture this comment means nothing, but if that's the full blown composition, I recommend bringing it to a more final conclusion. It's just that the way you left it off it feels unfinished.

Starting with the 2nd comment, yeah... it just "ends"... :sweat: It was just a cool theme in my head, not really a "performance piece" or song. It could be one day, but for not it's short and sweet and I can use it for reference if I ever need to write a Western/Egyptian ditty.

As for the voicing, I actually kinda like the muddled up sound of the horns. Tho, listening to the Stargate soundtrack again, Goldsmith did use a higher octave so such passages... (Great example, the track "Orion").




WOAHMYGAWD... I've got more musical goodness! Been working on my piano duet (not Piano 4-Hands, for those wondering), and Movement 1 is almost done... like within 9 measures done. So, I might post that as a treat in May when the semester's over ^_^

Currently, I'm fiddling around with Movement II just to get my mind off the first one (gotta take a step back). Each Movement has a theme or motif... Mvt I has two thematic sections, Mvt II has an reoccuring ostinato/motif, and Mvt III well... :think:

This is a snipet of some themes I'm toying with for Mvt II of my Piano Duet "Arrivals".

I love Stargate!!!!

Anyways...Reminds me of John Schmidt. At 0:16 you left me hanging a bit more than I would usually advise for this style of piece (although if you exaggerated the pause even more it might actually be ok). However, the rest of the song was really nice. Keep building it up, you've got a long ways to go before you're finished.

Yup. Around 15 and 16 seconds those quarter notes really took me by surprise. After that, to my ear, I found it a little hard to follow.

About the pause..... that's NOT where that campy folky melody is going to end. I'm going to expand that section in the same Copland-like style (at least that's how I'm thinking, if it's what he'd have done or not... I dunno). The sudden chords are how it's going to switch sections in the Mvt... it's a rather Broadway-like approach, which can't be pulled off with just two themes. It's going to show different emotional points and experiences which come and go at random.
The pause fits metrically (it's in 2/4, so it's about 2 beats)... but I do like the prospect of adding another beat of two to that. :shifty:

@deathraider
...John Schmidt? Who? Also, STARGATE RULEZ!1

This is going to be a "scherzo" of sorts... funny, upbeat, but still relevant. :P Very American flavored.

You could, for example, give that note a fermata, or just a pause in the rhythm as an articulation rather than a beat specifically assigned to the pause.

Well yeah :P Which is probably what I'm going to end up doing.... but I'm lazy tonight >_>

Also, I've just updated the mp3 above. Added some more stuff to that bit at the end. Nothing substantial, but hopefully it fills out the sound a bit more. (It's weird, cause I'm doing this condensed on one piano staff, rather than two piano parts... I'll have to work on that later)

I'm back again... not actively productive am I?

Anyways, just completed the first movement of my Piano Duet "Arrivals: A Minimalist Endeavor"... Terra Firma.

The ending I'm not 100% happy with (damn tremelos), so I may tweak it over the summer... but I'm glad to have a completed movement :heh: There are two major themes in Mvt I: a Space Theme, and a Planet Theme. Guess which ones they are?

While listening to this piece, please keep in mind the title lolkthxbye @_@

Nice. I like it! I think it would sound better if you added elements like a synth pad and orchestral licks in there too.

Synth pad.... in a piece for two pianos? :think:

The lack of reviews/comments makes me sad, considering that I'm having that movement performed in the Fall.



Anyways... just finished arranging/transcribing/blahblah this piece. Which I'm not really hesitant to put up here :P This I churned out in 2 weeks for a graduation ceremony. The only thing I regret is not coming up with either a percussion part or a proper "marching band"-esque end.

Nice arrange of the song. And thanks for the tittle of the song! I was years wanting to know the tittle of that song that I hear in cars and stay wonder "Hey, I heard this when I was a kid, what is this...." Now I know this is a very old song lol.

Unfortunately I have a crap sound card and can't enjoy much the midi, but you did a good job with the transcription/arrange of the song.

Well thanks Nyu, glad you enjoyed it :)


Recently a certain lyric from a song I sang back in high school inspired me to create a very odd progression of notes. It was dissonant, yet had a warm feel to its sound. So, obviously I had to write a piece to build up to it... so I created a Woodwind Octet (2Flute, Oboe, 2Clarinets, 2Bassoons, Contrabassoon) which will have two parts. The first part is a slow variation of a single polyphonic segment. The second part is to be almost like classical trance music keeping a 4 note motif which will build to an almost chromatic ending (using said chord progression).

It's a work in progress, and I've basically shunned any sort of structure for this piece... so it's borderline random thru-composed.
*updated MP3 with more complete first part*

*Removed MP3*

This is possibly overdue, as the following was completed in early to mid July.

This is my most recently completed work: Heavenly Ghost.

It's a two movement piece for woodwind octet that was written in a sort of whimsy style mimicking what might be heard in a church, hence the name. An interesting factoid is that the two major motifs in the piece are plucked from the last two measures :heh: I like working backwards.

Heavenly Ghost - Mvt I - Prayer
Heavenly Ghost - Mvt II - Prelude and Confession

Instrumentation - 2 Flutes, Oboe, 2 Clarinets, 2 Bassoons, Contrabassoon

Enjoy ^_^ (Feedback = very please!)

Movement I

Sounds like a transcription from an organ piece rather than a composition.

Lots of strained dissonance. I can feel a lot of church hymns in the first movement, sadly, a lot of times it sounds like a bunch of garbled notes. Not quite certain if you were looking for a polythemed motif for the first movement, but you've achieved it quite well. I rather liked the 16th century beginning. It reminded me of church very well.

I disliked the sustained notes that appeared every 30 seconds. It was too long of a hold. Cut it by a beat, lest you lose my attention. Post 34 from the edge you really grab my attention with how you arranged the theme. The build done there was excellent and the main theme gets defined, and in a deliciously sad sounding way. I also like how you added in Alleluia chords near the end. It brought a smile to my face like "When Jesus Wept" did.

For some odd reason, the contra seems to always be out of place. In church music, the peddle tones start the right key, and sustains the note for a long period of time, causing dissonance. What you've done is make the contra make it's own dissonance.

The common leadin of a single instrument then three instruments playing and then ultimately the contra coming in with dissonance slightly annoying to me.

Overall the first theme is not bad, but I think tweaking out a few of the dissonant moments would help it move forward. It has a very pretty theme, it's just being doused in a mass of chord. Another thing I can say, is the first 34 seconds can be entirely chopped off if it were a hymn. Kinda like an organ lead before letting the congregation start singing, it's kinda interesting how that worked.

Movement II

Wow. The sound of it from the beginning made me first think it actually was an old mini-organ playing. Excellent progression and chord choice, though very bookish in comparison to the first movement. That is, until 45 from the edge. It adds a new level of depth. The music was serene and then it turned evil sounding. The ornament at 1:15 was a bit too flashy. My church going grandma would have a heart attack after all that slow and then something with 64th notes in it. Maybe change it to a syncopated rhythm containing all the notes, focusing on the dissonant ones, a la first movement.

And you went to early 90s RPG one me at 1:50 with the rapid contra notes. Thankfully you broke out of it after three stinger notes. Again, too much dissonance at 2:20. It's like you didn't know how to move into your next idea, so you threw in a few abnormal chords and slowly brought it to where you wanted it. I liked the progression choice from 2:24 to 3:00. What a massive mess from 3:09 to the end. You changed chords illegally (you've done it about 5 times at this point, but this one is terribly exposed), my grandma had another heart attack, and you went up with the last chord rather than down (which, iirc, is a no-no for the era of music this is emulating).

This movement feels like less time was put into it, but it sounded a lot cleaner than prayer's scattered litany. It was more studious, and had some modern elements to it, some which worked for the piece, others that were less than so.

Overall

I liked how you used dissonance. I didn't like where you used it. The main themes are there, but the mass of sound makes the theme hidden (like how free jazz is).

Grade:
-14/50 Mvt I
-16/50 Mvt II
Total 70/100 : 2.0

I love the texture in the first movement and the thickness of the chords and texture! Wow, I really really like this piece because of the musical elements you used. I think you did an excellent job of using a bit of unconventionality with some conventional elements to imitate some elements of a heartfelt prayer. I don't think I would change anything.

This piece is quite haunting, and once again I love the chords and they remind me a bit of some of the music from Halo in its abruptness at times. I love how interesting you kept the chord progressions. The ending of this second movement was a bit strange, though, and I would work on transitions between sections and flow a little better, but I liked your contrasts.

I'll get that second MP3 for you soon. :heh:

Sorry for the wait.

Movement I

Sounds like a transcription from an organ piece rather than a composition.
Thank you, and that's a little of a coincidence for me! My dad actually wants to see if this can be transcribed for organ... tho I have no clue how to write for the instrument (like I do anything else :think: )


Lots of strained dissonance. I can feel a lot of church hymns in the first movement, sadly, a lot of times it sounds like a bunch of garbled notes. Not quite certain if you were looking for a polythemed motif for the first movement, but you've achieved it quite well. I rather liked the 16th century beginning. It reminded me of church very well.
Again thank you. I was going for more of an abstract "person walking through a church not really paying attention to the choir" approach. Possibly in a similar to Charles Ives... but then again maybe not.


I disliked the sustained notes that appeared every 30 seconds. It was too long of a hold. Cut it by a beat, lest you lose my attention. Post 34 from the edge you really grab my attention with how you arranged the theme. The build done there was excellent and the main theme gets defined, and in a deliciously sad sounding way. I also like how you added in Alleluia chords near the end. It brought a smile to my face like "When Jesus Wept" did.
YES! Someone actually got the crying bit... although not quite my original idea. I really like how you felt about that part and I shall listen to my piece again with that frame of mind (I love the experience!) :) "Originally" the build up was meant to be a sort of hopeful anguish... reflective of the name "Prayer" it was flowing from a happy "Thank you God for all my blessings" to "Please help" finally to a sort of "Will He listen?"... which of course ends with a resounding-- well, I'll leave that up to the listener ;)

Snipping out the quotes of the Contra comments for length purposes. :sweat: I thank you for your insight and I might read up a bit more on the subject of church music (or just examine some scores)... but I politely disagree that the Contra was out of place. To each his own, ne? @_@


Overall the first theme is not bad, but I think tweaking out a few of the dissonant moments would help it move forward. It has a very pretty theme, it's just being doused in a mass of chord. Another thing I can say, is the first 34 seconds can be entirely chopped off if it were a hymn. Kinda like an organ lead before letting the congregation start singing, it's kinda interesting how that worked.
1st - I was sort of moved by the works of John Adams last month... the ever shifting chordal mass of "Short Ride for a Fast Machine" and "Shaker Loops". I don't think I've ever been keen on composing a proper melody... guess I'm too afraid of accidently stealing a theme.
2nd - Wow... I didn't even notice that! That really could be a hymn if it were arranged that way... interesting.



Wow. The sound of it from the beginning made me first think it actually was an old mini-organ playing. Excellent progression and chord choice, though very bookish in comparison to the first movement. That is, until 45 from the edge. It adds a new level of depth. The music was serene and then it turned evil sounding. The ornament at 1:15 was a bit too flashy. My church going grandma would have a heart attack after all that slow and then something with 64th notes in it. Maybe change it to a syncopated rhythm containing all the notes, focusing on the dissonant ones, a la first movement.
First thank you for the compliments ^.^ In the score it's actually noted "Organ-like" in the bassoon parts. Again from early my "walking through church" idea was used for the prelude section... the time signature in 5/4 and changing after the prelude several dozen times. The ornament... *sigh* was more meant to be sort of a player "improv" bit to reach that high note, but Sibelius just exaggerates it.


And you went to early 90s RPG one me at 1:50 with the rapid contra notes. Thankfully you broke out of it after three stinger notes. Again, too much dissonance at 2:20. It's like you didn't know how to move into your next idea, so you threw in a few abnormal chords and slowly brought it to where you wanted it. I liked the progression choice from 2:24 to 3:00. What a massive mess from 3:09 to the end. You changed chords illegally (you've done it about 5 times at this point, but this one is terribly exposed), my grandma had another heart attack, and you went up with the last chord rather than down (which, iirc, is a no-no for the era of music this is emulating).
I can't argue it isn't against "the book" (didn't know there was one, heh) but I was trying to illustrate the frustration and release in the state of confession with those really strange and frankly unexpected chords. It makes the listener cringe a bit, which is intentional. Duely noted kind sir.

Thanks for the amazingly long comment :heh: I appreciate the feedback, and the compliments ^_^



I love the texture in the first movement and the thickness of the chords and texture! Wow, I really really like this piece because of the musical elements you used. I think you did an excellent job of using a bit of unconventionality with some conventional elements to imitate some elements of a heartfelt prayer. I don't think I would change anything.

This piece is quite haunting, and once again I love the chords and they remind me a bit of some of the music from Halo in its abruptness at times. I love how interesting you kept the chord progressions. The ending of this second movement was a bit strange, though, and I would work on transitions between sections and flow a little better, but I liked your contrasts.
Yeah... transitions.... we meet again (subtext: "*eyesquint* Megatron..."). I'm really really glad you liked it! ^_^



I'll get that second MP3 for you soon. :heh:

Sorry for the wait.
YOU... do that. *nods* Lest I stalk you come the Autumn.

Okay, with stalking Porsche out of the way... and me sick as a dog (boo colds) I've been working sporadicly on this little gem.

I call it "Quartet"... tho soon it's gonna be "Septet" when I add 3 more instruments. A piece for 4 trombones. It's INcomplete, not finished at all, still working on it. :\ I want to expand on the middle Waltz (yes, trombone waltz) section and write the second half of it. It's a short scherzo-like piece... for the lulz.


Feeback = please, Enjoy = Have! ^_^

I like the not-quite-random feel to it. The transition into the waltz is pretty strange, and I actually didn't like it as much as the rest. If you were to expand on it, make the transition better, and make it make sense as a contrasting section.

I like the not-quite-random feel to it. The transition into the waltz is pretty strange, and I actually didn't like it as much as the rest. If you were to expand on it, make the transition better, and make it make sense as a contrasting section.
I was experimenting with 2-against-3 in this piece.

The Kontakt sound set doesn't do the articulation justice... as the transition section with the lone trombone doing a three note pattern is 9/8 on top of 3/4 with Eight Note = Eight Note. So with accented bottom notes on that three-note motif, its supposed to sound rather wobbly.

EDIT:: To the above. Probably not the best way to describe that. My bad. It's more like a 6/8 offset one beat over a 3/4.


I want to first expand on the Waltz section itself. I have a habbit of making 10 second "themes" which I like but are so short that no one else gets the subtleties. :\ So a waltz section is a must. Creating something after the 2nd key change is a must. Fine tuning that transition not so much... perhaps lengthening it with more wobbliness to get that hemiola effect going of 2 on 3 on 6 (or whatever).

I say wobbly because the "Quartet" name is probably gonna be axed for a more esoteric name of "Spinning".

Hmmm...I didn't hear that, but it could be interesting if you drew out the transition a bit. I think that would work, as it would create a better sense of rhythmic tension which could be resolved into the waltz section. Anyways, you should post a .mus so that I can look at what you mean, because now I'm curious.

About that.... -> sibelius 3.

Still working on it... extended slightly that transition although no major changes to it. I'm hoping that it works better with a live performance than in MIDI. :heh: Still figuring out what to do with the Waltz, and then seeing how to add in 3 trumpets.

Deathraider, below might intrigue you a bit. It's a snipet from the transitional section. (I don't think I'm going to post a full score any time soon. No offense meant, just being cautious.)

Ah! Yes, I'm sure that will come out better in a live performance. Looks interesting.

Well I've been completely overrun by school work this semester... so barely any music stuff being done. A small amount of work has gone into this recent Trombone/Trumpet piece ("Spinning"), I've somehow done a MIDI version of the chorus of "Integral" by the Pet Shop Boys (lol bored), and I got my piano piece performed!! (That's "Terra Firma" on the first page) ... sounded frakking AWESOME live!


Comments on the trombone piece welcome... yeah for adding Trumpet Trio!

I would also like to ask for some range clarification on the Trombone. Trumpet's my primary instrument so I know tons for that, but Trombones have me a bit baffled.

For regular trombone what is usually the highest pitch to play comfortably in a small ensemble? I've got the C above middle-C as the highest in my piece.
Alternatively what's the lowest comfortable note? I've got I think Ab below the staff... though that's on the Bass Trombone part (just trying to see if a normal trombone can play that low loudly).

Advanced Trombone Player: E2 - Bb4
Beginner Trombone Player: G#2 - C4

So says my Finale Plug-in.

but isn't C-4 middle C? ...that cant' be right.

Sounds funky doesn't it. Wiki even agrees. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trombone

Sounds funky doesn't it. Wiki even agrees. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trombone

Yet the range picture they offer goes up to C above middle-C (tenor clef).

I had asked a couple of trombone players in the wind symphony what they're high end is, and they said the most is C above-midC, but in a small group Bb above mid-C. So I'm inclined to believe them... but I wanted to get a second opinion.

The high school (my school) sophomore band trombone players had to hit a B (natural)-4 in Holst's 2nd Suite (and they also played that piece in 8th/9th grade). They have also had to hit the first D above the staff (in treble clef, but obviously tenor clef written), but only the top player could hit it (junior year).

Eww. A trombone should be able to play (at least) F -- below staff -- and the G above the staff.. now since I'm a freak I can play an "F" pedal tone (the usual is a Bb pedal, but, like I said, I'm a freak) And the highest I can reach is about a D an octave above what clari said.

Now, it isn't like I play in those ranges, but everything in between is pretty fair for me. =)

Wish I had more to show on my trombone/trumpet piece... but I don't. Too much holiday music in my ear to really compose.


Instead, I've got HOLIDAY MUSIC!! :lol: Spent a whole 2 1/2 days on this sucker, and it sounds great! This was written/arranged for the Christmas Eve services at a church I've been hired to play at this year.

I didn't realize that I could put "The First Noel", "We Wish You A Merry Xmas", and "O Tannenbaum" on top of one another @_@

^.^ Merry Christmas everyone!! ^.^

I like the arrange!

It's great! Except for one devastating thing:

BALANCE!

Listen to it with new ears and you'll get me. ;)

I blaim sibelius for that. Apparently Sib5.0 (which I just got in the mail, but have no intention of installing yet) has a mixer/fader option which can balance out the volume levels of the instruments... but not Sib3.0 :\

Perhaps it's also the fact that I wrote it for Trumpet, Violin, Cello, and Organ... and one violin and one cello can't overpower a pipeorgan whereas I can (on trumpet).


Additionally, my computer has just fried itself. Malicious software bastards have wrecked my beloved compy :cry: I've backup'd all of my files thank god but I'm so incredibly angry and sad that I have to take it to the shop!! :no: :cry:

So much for me composing over winter break!! *cries*

Well I amazed myself that I could come up with a piece in the span of a day.

Anyone following the Music Game (http://forums.ichigos.com/showpost.php?p=418122&postcount=17) thread might have seen my original Irish-esque melody that I composed. Well, I came up with a Lullaby based off of my melody. I planned originally to do some sort of celtic band version (penny whistle/fiddle/drum/etc. band) which I may just do, but so as not to too influenced by Nyu001's arrangement of my melody I went for a lighter approach.


Irish Melody ~ created by me!
Lullaby ~ composed for piano by me!

That is a nice lullaby, a music box could have make it sound sweeter in the beginning of the piece. A penny whistle/fiddle/drum version of your Irish melody would sounds amazing and would recreate the Irish music a lot better. :>

Btw the fast original melody makes me think of Sailors and the sea. :P

I think we both can agree on that these two pieces work very well, yet are highly uncreative. For starters, I can think of maybe nine to ten different songs that are dangerously similar to your lullaby, and the Irish melody is... well, it is what is it -- an irish melody; Not very impressive, but it surely holds up to the compositional value of this forum as of lately.

Well Noir, while I don't hold this lullaby to be a groundbreakingly awesome piece it certainly ain't bad. Especially considering I did it in a night. Lullabys (how do you plural that?) themselves are a very cramped genre... there's only so much one can do and still have it fit into that general public agreement of "yup that sounds like a lullaby". I agree it's not earth-shattering but I like it.

The melody itself, coming from being raised in an Irish town, is perhaps one of those things that just sounds like it could fit into a traditional Irish, Scottish, etc. folk music slot. Which is fully intentional, I wanted it to sound like that without going into anything fancy. In fact, the purpose of it (at least for me) is to act as the sort of Lupin the 3rd Theme for a couple of arrangements. I wanna try my hand at doing one simple melody in a variety of styles.


but it surely holds up to the compositional value of this forum as of lately.
As for that... :eyebrow:

*edit*
Read that sticky up top... wow. Looks like I came here towards the tail-end of something great. Maybe it's because I've got only rudimentary music theory under my belt (I'm going to negotiate with my professor about taking more theory courses), and maybe it's because I cannot get the melodies as I hear them in my head onto paper but I don't like feeling that what I do is completely meaningless. I do it for fun yes, I have no intention of being a professional composer. I compose to express myself.

If that's wrong, then I'm outta here.

Read that sticky up top... wow. Looks like I came here towards the tail-end of something great. Maybe it's because I've got only rudimentary music theory under my belt (I'm going to negotiate with my professor about taking more theory courses), and maybe it's because I cannot get the melodies as I hear them in my head onto paper but I don't like feeling that what I do is completely meaningless. I do it for fun yes, I have no intention of being a professional composer. I compose to express myself.[/b]
Ichigo's former glory had nothing to do with theory courses nor composition classes. You know, I love you BZ. Just stop being so fucking childish and stop wasting your breath trying to bitch back at me and use that talent of yours to blow all of us away.


Especially considering I did it in a night.
Which just proves that you don't care a rat's arse about the final outcome of your compositions. Seriously, coming up with excuses like that are embarrassing.

Okay I'm gonna regret actually falling for the bait, but here's my "excuse" as your comment puts it.

My inspiration for songs comes all at once. It's all or nothing. I have to work fast to get my ideas done to paper/computer before I forget how I want them to come out. I've set my proverbial pen down on three pieces saying "I'll finish it next week when I'm not busy with [whatever]" (this usually being in the school year)... and each of those pieces remain unfinished because I cannot find a way to approach them and continue with my original idea which I love better than what I actually attempted to force myself to write when I approached them again. One orchestra piece remains unfinished and rather subpar (it was my first original comp), a three movement piano piece (Terra Firma being the first mvt of the piece, the other two are only partially there), and the recent trombone piece (maybe I can actually finish it tho)...

Granted I accept the universal fact that working on a piece for long length of time will general produce a better end product... but I don't know how to work like that yet, and rather than leave another piece unfinished I'll finish it and then tweak it till it's what I want (even if that tweak is months later). I don't draft and rewrite, I thinking about it for days/weeks and then produce it by any means necessary, then tweak it.

Do you play the piano?

Naturally? No. I've had some basic piano lessons for my major requirement but I'm in no way a piano player. Trumpet's my forte. :D Love the sound of the piano tho, I could just never get my hands to work independantly or be able to read two lines of music at once comfortably. @_@

You may want to learn how, just because he method of making piano sketches, instead of writing a composition with it's real instruments of whatever, is a great idea. I've started doing it-- I suggest you would do. It's easy to work with.

Well with college back in full swing it looks like music might be taking a back seat... even though I'm trying hard to finish my trombone/trumpet septet. (Cos we actually have 4 trombones! @_@)... and I'm considering arranging one of Porsche's pieces into a trumpet trio :shifty:

Came to a rather perplexing dilemma with the trombone piece. My difficulty has always been transitions (learning of secondary functions is a wonderful blessing this semester), and I'm approach a rather difficult one. I modulated my septet from C minor to a temporary Bb Major section (with Ab passing tones?!) then again back to C minor depending on this next step... here's the tricky bit:

a) I want to stay in C minor but the transition modulates to G Major (!?!?) somehow.
b) the transition sounds rather abrupt and the flow is ruined however --

a2) by rewriting the transition the way I hear it in my ear (sometimes I just let my mind wander from my original idea when inputting phrases so I can end up in this situation) it echoes the opening section of the Waltz but at the same time goes back to C minor, where I want to slightly change it to C Major
b2) the transition is messy and vague... there's no cadence unless I get help.

Either way the transition goes into a full-on up-tempo waltz (in One) which has everyone playing, after a repeat it rises a half step for more dramatic final chorus and then ending. The section before this is a slower 3 (it's 6/8 at 75BPM) with the transition being about the same speed and I want to end up at a faster waltz similar to the opening (3/4 but instead of quarternote = 120BPM going for about = 140 BPM)

I'll post a clip later today to show what I mean... but in the meanwhile... HELP!

I'm not really sure how to help...but just so you know the Ab passing tones in the Bb Major section probably just mean that it is actually Bb mixolydian instead.

Yeah I thought it might be a mode... I just keep forgeting those exist XD

After plunking away at a piano I've amended a bit of my expectations for this transition part. Definately going to C Minor... but I want to give it a Major feel... hmm... So the above post was edited.


Also... writing a piece with melodic and rhythmic structure based on Morse Code. Very Yes.

I have incorporated the morse code many times in my pieces. And used it in a thematic competition of war. Here is a site that can help you to reduce the time writing the words: http://www.philtulga.com/morse.html And here another: http://homepage.ntlworld.com/dmitrismirnov/MorseMusic.html

So yeah, had a meeting with a professor of mine to give him a look at my septet... turns out I had 2 tendency tones (F# and B natural) so I was leading towards a dual key signature.... G Maj and C Maj... which doesn't work for what I want. x_x

So yeah, fixing it... tho it's still not quite what I want it to sound like. Too many leading tones not enough chord. Give it about two weeks or so till the piece is done.

So yeah, pretty happy with my theory class work. Learning the awesome 'secondary function" with V/V and viio/V and all the other awesome chords... have yet to apply it to my music (consciously at any rate) but the workbook practice material is amazing.

We're practicing modulation through pivot chords, and I was given four little snippets to work with. We were given one bar (or so) and a chord and asked to modulate within 4 bars (ending on a cadence). I think they're pretty sweet, even if they are homework.


For the second example I wanted to use a tritone suspension... but since we're doing this in chorale style I don't think my teacher would let me use the following as a cadence for the assignment.

Well I finally have stuff to show for several months of focused composition.

I finished my Trombone/Trumpet septet entitled "Spinning Waltz". (I wish I could enter this into Noir's contest, but this was started last year.)

Attached is "Spinning Waltz" and a mixed version of "Irish Lullaby" which I did with the help of Porsche shortly after writing the original piano version. :)

I was thinking maybe for the second iteration of the A section, you could have a penny whistle or something on the melody to make it more Irish, because it doesn't necessarily have the Irish feel.

I really like the creativeness of the harmonies in the septet; I felt like you should have taken a chance on the ending chord, though, and done something a little crazy for that (like a quartal chord, a ninth, twelfth, thirteenth, etc.). I felt like the form was a little lacking in focus, however.

I was thinking maybe for the second iteration of the A section, you could have a penny whistle or something on the melody to make it more Irish, because it doesn't necessarily have the Irish feel.
Excuse me while I steal Porsche for a moment....

Honestly, Irish Lullaby is more of a name holder for me. It's really just "Lullaby" which is based on that Irish melody. I didn't want it to sound "IRISH!!!!", that I'm saving for if/when I do a Leeroy Anderson variation of that melody :razz: hehe! But I'd like to hear what that sounds like with penny whistle... *pokes Porsche*


I really like the creativeness of the harmonies in the septet; I felt like you should have taken a chance on the ending chord, though, and done something a little crazy for that (like a quartal chord, a ninth, twelfth, thirteenth, etc.). I felt like the form was a little lacking in focus, however.
Ehhh the ending I felt needed to be very concrete. There's a lot of rhythmic tension in the song and a lot of "building up" in the final Waltz section.... I thought a good ol' major chord was the way to go ;)

Form... maybe you should take another listen to it. At first glance it seems like it just goes "start to end" just changing as it goes... I divided it into 4 motifs and 4 main sections. Section 1 is the Regal Fanfare. Section 2 (where the syncopated 3 note motif is introduced) is the "Transitional" to section 3... The Waltz. There is a Regal Fanfare Prime which comes in with the trumpets, a somewhat more plain tho darker Transitional Prime, and moves into the extended Waltz section. The Waltz was my favorite thing to work on! ^.^ The fourth and final section is Ending. Which introduced the final motif which I guess is debatable for a motif... I just like that trombone riff:P

I consider to really be four sections, although it's more like... A,B,C,A',B',C',C'',C''',C'''',D

OK, here goes a second time then...

I can sort of hear more what you're talking about, but I'm not hearing any memorable melodic motifs. Is there any way I could see the finale file or a pdf?

Hmm... well maybe I'm exagerating the number of motifs... I consider 3 notes that aren't forming a melody a motif. I'm rather hesitant to give out the full score, but I'll see what I can do. I'll get back to you on that.

Also, having just analyzed the last 8 bars of the piece, it goes from a G dominant to a root position D Major 9th. (those to big swelling chords during the final rallentando) So nyeh I had a ninth :razz:

I like Spinning Waltz. It entertained me with your ideas. There are many things I like. The first few times I listened to it just sounded like a piece that goes "straight", practically what you mentioned: "start to end".

I would like to comment about the "lack of Focus" thing. But I keep thinking about it and I am not sure yet what to say. Otherwise I like the ideas there, and I see you took your time for work on it.

Also, having just analyzed the last 8 bars of the piece, it goes from a G dominant to a root position D Major 9th. (those to big swelling chords during the final rallentando) So nyeh I had a ninth :razz:

I'm confused. That was definitely not the last chord, which is the one I was referring to...

I'm confused. That was definitely not the last chord, which is the one I was referring to...

OKay my bad... I thought like you just meant in the ending in general. The final chord is just a plain up G dominant. What I was describing were the two chords before that. :sweat:

Nyu -- Thanks for the comments man, if you want to add some constructive crit. about the form I used (or didn't use) go ahead. It's just more for me to consider for the next piece. I kinda dislike the rigid structure of classical music, but I understand that it *works* hence why it's used... I want it to be more of a morphing living composition.


Also! Just figured out how to better describe these motifs that I claimed were in there @_@ Okay parts of the Fanfare (like the 1st Trombone's first 4 notes) pop up later in the piece at times (notably in the ending rallentando). The opposing three-note "off-beat" pattern that's directly heard after the fanfare in the Transitional section (upward 3-notes in 2nd trombone, add downward 3-notes heard in 1st trombone) are reused at various point later to build tension or add a subconscious reminder. The waltz melody itself I consider a motif (though really it's just Melody). And the final motif is probably not a motif since it's only used for that one section... it's the rhythm used in the trombones at about 2:51 in the mp3.

If there's too much confusion after that, then I might not be using the correct word (i.e. "motif") here... if that be the case... whoops!

OKay my bad... I thought like you just meant in the ending in general. The final chord is just a plain up G dominant. What I was describing were the two chords before that. :sweat:


First of all, that can't be a dominant chord, at least not in the mode that you switch to in the end. G may normally be the dominant in the major key you were using, but the ending of your piece switches to a different mode (I would assume mixolydian if it's based on the dominant of the major scale). I still would love to see you experiment with a more risky chord there for the last chord, though.


If there's too much confusion after that, then I might not be using the correct word (i.e. "motif") here... if that be the case... whoops!

There is such think as a rhythmic motive, but usually you need a strong melodic motive to give a melodic structure to the piece. I totally understand where you are coming from with the aversion to classical form, and I don't suggest that you strictly stick to any of those, but I do suggest that some sort of strong melodic or harmonic material that recurs throughout the piece is what give the listener something to grab on to.

First of all, that can't be a dominant chord, at least not in the mode that you switch to in the end. G may normally be the dominant in the major key you were using, but the ending of your piece switches to a different mode (I would assume mixolydian if it's based on the dominant of the major scale). I still would love to see you experiment with a more risky chord there for the last chord, though.
It's a G Major chord. And it's a tonic, with the ending section being exclusively in g minor but ending with a G Major chord... picardy third. I was half asleep typing that... Major + tonic is what I mean.


There is such think as a rhythmic motive, but usually you need a strong melodic motive to give a melodic structure to the piece. I totally understand where you are coming from with the aversion to classical form, and I don't suggest that you strictly stick to any of those, but I do suggest that some sort of strong melodic or harmonic material that recurs throughout the piece is what give the listener something to grab on to.
I tried to highlight the 3-note off-beat motif in that transitional section with it being essentially an obstinato. Also the progression and melody for the Waltz itself stays the same (although modulated to the 5th later-on), only the presentation of the chord progression is changed.

Oh, well dominant means that it is major (or major minor) and is a fifth above its tonic, just for future reference. Anyways, it's not just a piccardy third; you also have an F# and a C#. This suggest that you are actually in Lydian mode at the end rather than just having a piccardy third.

I listened for the melody in the waltz sections and finally found it! I guess it seems like it could be extended, though, to make it drive the piece forward a bit better. However, I guess I didn't say that I really do like the piece and see you put a lot of effort and thought into it; I was just trying to help improve it even more.

Heh, I wasn't really doubting you liked the piece (or rather, I didn't think you hated the piece) but I didn't want to come across as arguing your points too much :sweat: I was just a bit worried since you didn't seem to notice some things... like establishing a melody at some point in the piece @_@ It's all cool man :) I appreciate the comments!

I'm still really proud of myself on "Spinning Waltz"... can't really find anything to devote time to in terms of a new piece. I may continue work on "Re: Morse" if I get the chance.


Reposting the first part of "Re: Morse" here. It's the beginning of a larger collection of music (tone-poem/minimalism) reflecting events in Morse Code history... similar to how Carmina Buerana reflects medieval texts. The opening presents the theme "SOS".

First post in quite a while.

I've revamped an old music theory assignment I did for piano, as a trio! :heh:

Flute, Clarinet (not oboe), and Bassoon

Long time bump!

It's been a quiet couple of years, mainly trying to get my life in order. I still have music ideas, but no time or energy to work on them. -_-

I want to keep all my Ichigo's related works in my thread here, so attached is my "winning!" piece from this past winter's Ichigos Composition Contest Frost Fantasia and a newer version of my Spinning Waltz (now actually playable and with an extended ending!).

As much as I've been absent, I do appreciate feedback especially on the Waltz and Fantasia as those are two of my proudest works so far. B)

These are both really atmospheric and beautiful. Could you post the score please? I really like to analyze as I listen, and my critiques will be a lot more useful if I can get under the hood.

I originally posted the PDF for Frost Fantasia back in the Rime and Reason thread... right here. (http://forums.ichigos.com/showthread.php?17047-quot-Rime-and-Reason-quot-Winter-2010-Composition-Contest-The-Prompt&p=470933&viewfull=1#post470933)

Buuutt... apparently I can move a copy of the PDF to the above post from the server. Didn't know I could do that. So I did :D

The score for Spinning Waltz is gonna stay private... for now :whistle: I have an opportunity to have it played by some pros I regularly perform with, and I want their opinions on it.