I have had a turning point in my life nearly a month ago and have been undergoing a lot of changes and moving ahead to the next chapter in my life. This is just another step, by creating a new fresh thread until the end of Ichigo's time.

This also means that I've decided to start anew in my "composition career." I chose to stop perusing composition as a serious part of my musical make-up and just chose to stick to being a critic when it came to writing. I have felt a change in the last couple of weeks and I feel up for writing for fun, but also writing seriously. I have started a new numbering system for this change (The "E" catalog system. And no, it doesn't stand for anything). I don't play to go back and try to number my first compositions, but one day I may get bored and want to search for all of them on my old computer.

Anyway! Here's the new composition. It's simple, it's very playable and it's read to be critiqued and commented on. I decided to start out small and develop my lacking skill of themes.

Fire away!

Click here to view the final version. (http://forums.ichigos.com/showpost.php?p=426381&postcount=26)

I like a lot how you had that melody moving without stop and still being totally attractive without sound random or dull. Even if was mostly the chord's notes. Well done with the melody!

On the other side, I am personally not tolerating the left hand much. I would have liked to see more movement there and doing entertaining things. But I see the accompaniment is not your main point with this piece.

Nice little piece you got there. It's surely simple, but I can see this quite working well as a practice piece or etude. Bugged me just the slightest though that you withheld that third beat in the rhythm for the whole piece XD.

I really liked the tied G in the melody at the end of the sentence, which smoothly ellides the end of the phrase back to the beginning. Also really liked that minor substitution in the second section for a efficient change in texture. Nice thing about simple pieces is that even the smallest gesture can be appriecated ;).

The only things I have to gripe about are fairly minor and should be easy to fix. One, the pickup in the beginning sounds kind of off rhythmically to me. It sounds smoother if you just cut out the first two notes and start on the third. Two, your left hand chords have a lot of similar motion, which is somewhat undesirable for voice leading purposes. And three, the ending phrase came kind of abruptly too me - maybe you should change it so that the repeat would have more a sense of finality?

All in all, a nice effort though - I'll certainly give this a whirl next time I'm on the pianer :).

I have had a turning point in my life nearly a month ago and have been undergoing a lot of changes and moving ahead to the next chapter in my life. This is just another step, by creating a new fresh thread until the end of Ichigo's time.

This also means that I've decided to start anew in my "composition career." I chose to stop perusing composition as a serious part of my musical make-up and just chose to stick to being a critic when it came to writing. I have felt a change in the last couple of weeks and I feel up for writing for fun, but also writing seriously. I have started a new numbering system for this change (The "E" catalog system. And no, it doesn't stand for anything). I don't play to go back and try to number my first compositions, but one day I may get bored and want to search for all of them on my old computer.

Anyway! Here's the new composition. It's simple, it's very playable and it's read to be critiqued and commented on. I decided to start out small and develop my lacking skill of themes.

Fire away!

Congratulations(is it?) on your turning point! I'm glad you're remembering that composing is fun! I will attempt to critique :)

Simple. Yay :) It's a shame that it's done through (what I think is) Sibelius though. The song would make sense if performed or properly sequenced. Do you want to write a melody? It's not that what you have written is bad, but it is more like a sequence of well placed notes then a simple melody. If you want a simple melody then I would say use a more variety of rhythms and improve phrasing. What are you after in that area? The first part is really cool. It has a good chord progression.

I'm being kicked off the school computer. I'll finish when I get back from school :)

EDIT: Back :)

The second part is a little confusing. Going from G major to G minor in such a short time can raise a few question marks. Since the piece is quite conventional, maybe use more common chord progressions there instead of using.....I'm actually getting used to it as I write this....haha. Ok. So now I'll say this. It's going to be a shock if you don't expect it. Nothing else "question mark raising", but just that transition from g maj to d min to g min is what sicks out, for possibly bad reasons.

Like I said before, it would be a lot better if I wasn't being played so mechanically. The ending though hehe...anti-climax to the max lol. What was the intention here?

The second part is a little confusing. Going from G major to G minor in such a short time can raise a few question marks. Since the piece is quite conventional, maybe use more common chord progressions there instead of using.....I'm actually getting used to it as I write this....haha. Ok. So now I'll say this. It's going to be a shock if you don't expect it. Nothing else "question mark raising", but just that transition from g maj to d min to g min is what sicks out, for possibly bad reasons.


Actually, it's not too uncommon to just throw the parallel minor in place of the major chord if it's the tonic. You don't even need to prepare it with a secondary dominant or anything, and most of the time it sounds fine if it's not overdone. Modal mixture is what I believe this is called, and you can use in to make change the quality of many of the functional chords (pretty much for anything but the dominants) to spice up the harmony some.

Actually, it's not too uncommon to just throw the parallel minor in place of the major chord if it's the tonic. You don't even need to prepare it with a secondary dominant or anything, and most of the time it sounds fine if it's not overdone. Modal mixture is what I believe this is called, and you can use in to make change the quality of many of the functional chords (pretty much for anything but the dominants) to spice up the harmony some.

Shows how much I listen to haha. Probably done it myself without knowing!:P Maybe it would be better if it was more fluent. Maybe another chord to really make it flow? I think that is a more accurate way of what I was trying to say.

Kevin, I don't know how more fluent I can make it, really. And you said I went from GM to Dm to Gm, which is incorrect. I went from GM to DM (which sounds like it'd go back to GM, but it doesn't, and it sounds extremely conventional when it goes back to G minor instead). It's actually a really common progression, Kevin, so you may not like it, but that means you don't like that transition which has been used by people such as Bach, Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven, Chopin... virtually everyone. And I have no intention to write ANOTHER melody. You mentioned how much you haven't listened to things. This is an extremely Romantic piece, actually. It's styled after Chopin (which I feel very "fluent" in) and the melody will stay. Thanks for the suggestion, but you back-up didn't persuade me one bit. Another thing, it's sequenced through Finale and I have no intention of making a recording of this piece. I might record a few compositions sometime down the road at my home Steinway Gallery in Milwaukee, but I don't know when. You see, I put the sheet music up for a couple reasons 1) Better critic potential and 2) People are able to play it themselves and that's what I want, for others interpretations put on the piece. :)

Shizeet, I agree with your comments. It's funny that nobody went after the transition from the B section back to the A section. That's genuinely the one part of the piece I don't like. And I am glad you weren't satisfied with the ending, neither was I, but I didn't quite know what I wanted for a Coda so I felt with that. I'll be hitting the piano again later to write something; I have a few ideas now.

Thanks you guys, I am happy you're both interested in the piece and I plan to make revisions very soon.

Kevin, I don't know how more fluent I can make it, really. And you said I went from GM to Dm to Gm, which is incorrect. I went from GM to DM (which sounds like it'd go back to GM, but it doesn't, and it sounds extremely conventional when it goes back to G minor instead). It's actually a really common progression, Kevin, so you may not like it, but that means you don't like that transition which has been used by people such as Bach, Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven, Chopin... virtually everyone. And I have no intention to write ANOTHER melody. You mentioned how much you haven't listened to things. This is an extremely Romantic piece, actually. It's styled after Chopin (which I feel very "fluent" in) and the melody will stay. Thanks for the suggestion, but you back-up didn't persuade me one bit. Another thing, it's sequenced through Finale and I have no intention of making a recording of this piece. I might record a few compositions sometime down the road at my home Steinway Gallery in Milwaukee, but I don't know when. You see, I put the sheet music up for a couple reasons 1) Better critic potential and 2) People are able to play it themselves and that's what I want, for others interpretations put on the piece. :)

Fair enough! Ahh, yes I hear now. GM to DM to Gm. I think I'm becoming a lot like my friend haha. He hears my music and says "yea it's cool." The next day he's saying...well...much better things lol. That's happening more and more with your piece. Trust me, I never didn't like it. Not even the transitional bit, it just sounded a little sudden to me. I guess not hearing finale playback for a while just killed me judgmental skills... Sorry about that :(. If I was to play it (assuming I learned to read piano music) I would use a lot of Rubato at the end of the phrases (which are becoming more clear as I imagine this played by a person:)). Melody's becoming a lot clearer for me now as well!

Excuse me if I was a bad critique. I got too hypercritical! :cry:

It's not a bad critique, and you're definitely not hypercritical, but remember this is a composition not a performance...

It's not a bad critique, and you're definitely not hypercritical, but remember this is a composition not a performance...

Shall do! :P

I'm not a good reviewer, so I'm just gonna leave it simple. It's one of your better compositions actually, I think, and I second Nyuu's comments about the fact that it doesn't get boring even though you use the same melodic thing throughout the whole song. The change to minor you had was a good touch, and I would've liked it diminishing even further, introducing stranger chords gradually, then slowly going back to the starting major key. That would have been pretty sweet =) Anyway, it's very simple, almost to the level that I could play it on the piano if I practiced and put my mind to it, but it sounds very well written. And I think it represents mine and Al's philosophy of "complex simplicity" quite well.

Next song please!

Next song please!

That sparks a question. How long does it take you to compose a piece of music?

I like those characteristically light-hearted chromaticisms. At around m. 24, I like how you condensed the range of the melody as a sort of suspension, and then open it up with familiar chords and a familiar melody with a wide range. I too am fond of the tied-over G that gives the melody a little lift. If you wanted to fool around with the melody, I'd spinkle in a couple more D#s and F#s to spice it up. Good work. :)

Ajamesu, I thought about writing more of those accidentals in the piece, but I felt it was overload. Do you listen to jazz music? You can tell when a pianist is having a hard time creating an interesting lick and will use a lot of those fast accidental turns and two-note-chromatics in their lines. I felt that if I used more than I wrote, it'd be overdone and those "light-hearted" expressions would get old and boring.

To Kevin, I really have no idea how long it takes me to write something. I am the person who always has music going through my head and could write a piece all day every day. But, that's not the case, since I haven't written anything [at all] since December, and I didn't even finish it then. I looked at my habbits of the past, and it seems that I write a piece in a shorter-time, when I am able to run off pure inspiration. I rarely go back and revise compositions and I RARELY even finish the ones I left for another date. I am going to change this with my new sort-of chapter. It's a good idea that I got more feedback on this one piece that I've gotten on others in the past, it really does help the composition process [for me]. Oh, and by the way, you congratulated me on a turning point. Thanks! Except it was more getting through this and now starting to write on the next [this chaper].

Noir7, all I can say is thanks... you know =)

Oh, and by the way, you congratulated me on a turning point. Thanks! Except it was more getting through this and now starting to write on the next [this chaper]

ahh hehe. Well you know what I mean hehe. I'm happy to see you advancing :)

I looked at my habbits of the past, and it seems that I write a piece in a shorter-time, when I am able to run off pure inspiration. I rarely go back and revise compositions and I RARELY even finish the ones I left for another date. I am going to change this with my new sort-of chapter. It's a good idea that I got more feedback on this one piece that I've gotten on others in the past, it really does help the composition process [for me].

Everyone always asks me if that is how I compose, and I always have to answer in the negative. Composing is a very deliberate thing for me, and it's very rare that I have every piece of the puzzle when I start writing the piece. For me, it's like as soon as I create the first piece of the puzzle, the others start to reveal themselves one after another (at least on pieces that I actually finish; there are plenty where no inspiration comes for the next part, and that's when I just have to stop and put the song away). However, when the song is finished, it always feels wrong if there is a piece of the puzzle which is out of place. This whole process usually happens in a matter of hours over the course of a couple of days to a week. Nevertheless, I always spend a large amount of time editing after I finish the piece (more time than I spend writing it, usually).

I'm not sure if that even is a helpful comment, but somehow after you described your composing habits, I felt like I should say this.

Lastly, I agree that it would sound overdone if you added more chromatics. However, there is one spot where you switch to minor for the last time where the transition back to major seems a little off. Not sure why, though.

I think it would be cool to have a thread about how each one compose. Like what process each of us follow to do a piece/song.

Heh, I actually tried playing this on the piano, and it wasn't as quite as easy as it sounds :P. The arppegiation style alternates every measure and one really has to plan it out ahead to get smooth fingerings.
Mind posting a version of the pdf with your suggested finger patterns, maybe?

Yeah, I was thinking about doing that actually since I myself will miss one of my OWN fingerings (I obviously don't "practice" this piece) and then mess myself up. Expect it this weekend maybe. :)

Double post! But I can do that in my own thread. ;)

Here's a revised version of my little waltz (or even a "Etude Poco" if you will). I made some harmonic changes (slight) and I did something with the left hand. I also went all Hal Leonard on it and put some fingerings in there and I already had my own dynamic markings and such anyway. The changes were subtle, but I think they definitely gave the piece what it was *just* lacking.

Fire away!

EDIT: And remember that the recording is just so you can hear this. The MIDI isn't voiced as if it should be played (i.e. double notes and the counter-point in the left hand). Just something to keep in mind, even though I HATE having to blame things on a MIDI recording.

The score looks a lot more complete ^^

Good addition with the fingerings! I want to hear a recording of this :)

I don't know if you knew this when writing, but you sort of have some voice leading "errors" with the new addition of the moving notes in the left hand. Check those and see if you are OK with them if you were not already aware.

I might want to know more specifically, actually. Could you point the ones out that you're talking about?

Actually, I guess there are only the two measures (and they're the same). In mm 16, as well as the pent-ultimate measure, check movement between the second and third beat; it basically acts like a parallel octave (which I actually heard it before I saw it if it makes a difference).

First of all, I like this piece. You truly did a good work. But I will not define this Waltz a “romantic” piece because it is not. I guess it’s much more classical, in fact, when I was playing this one, it reminded me three Beethoven’s Landler in D with a beautiful melody developed through arpeggios which I studied when I was beginning the first classical pieces. It’s also a good exercise from a technical point of view and also from a stylistic point of view. Well done! The only things I can add are: a more accurate fingering and a different ending inspired by Mozart on the same arpeggio of C major. They are just suggestions of course. :)
P.S.: Forgive me if I forgot something.:sweat:

Actually, I guess there are only the two measures (and they're the same). In mm 16, as well as the pent-ultimate measure, check movement between the second and third beat; it basically acts like a parallel octave (which I actually heard it before I saw it if it makes a difference).

Thanks for pointing that to me. I'm revising my piece a little today, and that got to me after you brought that up. Thanks!

Haha, I'm so glad I could actually help you for once! XD

You don't really have any basic fingering notion if you think my fingering is strange. They are not extremely difficult they are the basic fingering keeping in mind the hand position, phrasing, and arpeggios technique. Fingering was not created with a view on technical facility but it was instead originated by the desire to secure and encourage musical expression of the passage in question (Artur Schnabel revision work is quite eloquent on this matter).

Measure 2.The passage of the thumb under the hand is a basic technique. You should study Czerny study n.2 op.740 or Cramer study n.3-4-12-17…I can continue endless. Then you will see if the fingering passage 1-4 is so “daft” or it has never been used. In your case it was the hand position that suggested it because 1-3 is not easy, it’s just lazy. To be more precise the passage of the hand position is from the chord Am7 [A-C-E-G] (fingering 1-2-4-5) to Em7 [D-E-G] (fingering 1-2-4 not 1-2-3]. This is how you write fingering in a piece. Moving from a chord to another, especially with arpeggios. If you look more carefully to my fingering, and you did not, you just spend more time writing, you will notice on measure 19/20 that it is not so horrible the passage: you just need to move your hand up the keys (I don’t how to explain this without an image) that is more closer to the soundboard, and the passage will be extremely fluid without any kind of interruption.

Measure 8. You’re only right on this one. It was the only mistake (5 instead of 4). I’m not perfect.

Measure 18. Same for measure 2.

On measure 19/20 you wrote two legatos, meaning, on a normal music grammar, the end of the phrase, a breath. Now this sliding suggest this breath and is a quite common fingering if it is in the end of a phrase. Do you know the basic piano legato technique? You have to attack a key, then you move the weight to the following keys till the end of the phrase where you move up your hand very lightly. The example I can bring are countless. This is a basic technique. You waste time only if you’re technique is bad. I practiced your Waltz this afternoon because I enjoyed this piece so much, so the passage is just fluid even at MM=130. We’re talking about what exactly?

Measure 21-22: I did not write any number on Eb and, in fact, it is not the third finger that you abuse of implicit but the fourth. Now what, even the fourth is strange?

Measure 24: Too much movements? There is just one passage of the thumb. This is not a critic, it’s blindness.

Measure 27-28: Again end of the phrase, breath, pause, hand up.

Measure 33-34: Again end of the phrase, breath, pause, hand up.

P.S.: You can take inspiration from evrything you want but this 3/4 piece is a classic waltz not a romantic waltz. You should know why. If you don't know just look at Chopin waltzes form. Then tell me.

Hey now, both of you calm down! I promise you'll regret it if you get in a big fight because of your egos (or at least I know I often do). First of all, BOTH of you are right about fingering; it is essential to good playing technique AND it is important to creating phrasing. Second of all, fingering is highly subjective; what fingering works well for one pianist may be a stumbling-block for the next. Most fingerings printed in music should be taken with a grain of salt anyway, and changed if needed to make it work for ones own hands; however, phrasing shouldn't be sacrificed, either, so take careful note of how fingering changes will affect phrasing.


P.S.: You can take inspiration from evrything you want but this 3/4 piece is a classic waltz not a romantic waltz. You should know why. If you don't know just look at Chopin waltzes form. Then tell me.

chopin4525, don't be such an arrogant jerk! I realize he used a very condescending tone, but if you disagree with the composer about style, you should give your specific reasons for disagreeing rather than just insulting him.

Who the heck care about the period? It's music! Screw periods, we are in a time where there are too many genres and things mixed!

I had my thought where the piece goes inclined when mazeppa posted it; but then, that is not something that matter really.

chopin4525, don't be such an arrogant jerk! I realize he used a very condescending tone, but if you disagree with the composer about style, you should give your specific reasons for disagreeing rather than just insulting him.

You have sure missed something. Not telling him, it's not insulting, it's trusting his intelligence and preparation. I think he has already studied at least one Chopin waltz and he will notice what I mean. If not, he can always ask. Am I wrong? Anyway, it's not a romantic waltz. ;)

I read the post again and the post scriptum seems to have the same tone of the post but it was written on a different moment. XD

Fair enough, but just know that it sounded really snobby when put into the context of the entire post.

Ahh! Please stop the arguing. :cry:

It's just piano fingering.. Besides, if someone is told me how to place my fingers on a piece of music I wouldn't enjoy it as much. It would destract from how lovely the piece is to just play freely :)

That's what *I* was trying to say, too...

Chopin4525, the reason why I had gotten defensive about my fingerings was because you said they were inaccurate. As deathraider said, fingerings aren't dependable, and they change in ways from one pianist to another. With this in mind, I respected your unique fingerings (they are unique to me, because my hand definitely doesn't agree with your fingerings) but I could not respect them with your insults of saying that my own piece of music doesn't follow a style which I mentioned it INSPIRED and DERIVED from, but you also said that my fingerings were inaccurate. I tried out your fingerings, and they were extremely awkward as they were before I printed them out. I don't care if they were in Czerny-- THOSE BOOKS THEMSELVES WERE FINGERED AND EDITED BY ONE MEASLY PIANIST'S INTERPRETATIONS. The point is, it's not the "fingering that is taught in this way" which gives you sound quality and phrasing, but it's if whatever fingering that you use gives you that phrasing and control of the sound. So, as I knew I am wrong in doing so, I messed up by coming off very harsh, but I couldn't let it go when you mentioned that my fingerings were inaccurate. My fingers give me a wonderful sound and phrasing and "expression" and when I used yours (and practiced them for a little bit) it drove me far backwards.

Look, chopin4525, I respect you and don't take my condescending tone with anything more than a grain of salt. We obviously both have egos being some of the few people on Ichigo's that know about the mechanics of playing the piano. I love that you posted your own fingerings, but at the same time, you were insulting my own intelligence and knowledge of the keyboard and music by doing so. I apologize for being extremely rude to you, as it was irrational and stupid on my part.

I apologize too for being rude. Fingering are just personal, what I tried to put in your piece it's just my interpretation and was based on what you wrote on the paper. But I'm the last person in this planet to say that this piece has to be played like I mentioned, because I'm not the composer. I can only imagine how you play it since there is not a recording, so I started from the sign on the paper and based my interpretation only on it. As I specified, the post scriptum was written later, so it doesn’t reflect the tone of the post as it seems at a first sight. We’re here to discuss and learn something from each other not to quarrel like children.

I don't want to start a discussion on what's romantic or what's classic but you should know very well that a romantic piece is characterized by contrasts obtained with different techniques and the waltz is not a simple ¾ composition with the well know pattern in the left hand but it’s a very personal and profound composition. The romantic waltz it’s not a light composition. Chopin wrote 14 waltzes and in each one of them you can see the pure synthesis of the romantic period. His waltz usually adopts two form:

-Minuet form (ABA) ex. Chopin op. 64 n.1
-Rondo form (ABCBAB ) ex. Chopin op. 64 n.2

Now you adopted the first one. But where is the contrast between the sections? The B theme is not a complete different motive from the A theme but it seems just a variation of the first theme(A’). This is why your composition cannot be defined romantic in the pure sense of the term unless we rewrite the history of music. Your composition it’s inspired by a romantic composer but it turned out not to be romantic in its form and developing because of the lack I specified. This is not an insult, it’s an annotation on how a romantic or neoromantic piece should be wrote. Terms have their own significance.

I do understand that the Romantic style has a full contrasting theme, and I should have stated that. I know the terms style and form go hand-in-hand, but when I meant style I meant the way it should be played and not based on the form. The form is just a simple-dimple ABA and you could even just consider it AA, as it seems.

There are different tones produced in the Romantic style than in the Classical style. As you know yourself, Mozart and Chopin are very alike and to add to that Beethoven and Mozart are very alike. If this was more of a Classical piece, I would give it more to Beethoven's side due to that void of Classical/Romantic we all adore. I realize my own personal style is not found yet, due to a lack of something that I do not quite know, however, I've written in many styles and have found distinct differences and close similarities when it comes to composers and Eras.

It's interesting to think that the form of this piece is not a Romantic Waltz, but it's style isn't a Classical Waltz either. Who knows? Maybe this actually is my own little style that I've made for myself, or maybe I am such an amateur to not use the forms and colours that I've studied and understand.

Now, that's just a debate in myself we've gotten into. XD

It's your style and since it's E. 1 you should be very proud of you. I'm waiting for the next piece. I hope it will be interesting like this one. :)

I want to see another one like this, but exploring eveer more beautiful harmonies! :) Goooooooooooooood luck!

Thank God for Quality xD.

It's wonderful to know that once can always find good music on Ichigos, seeing as how what we are given by most radio isn't even music anymore. I really enjoyed E1, as many others have stated it had a hint of Chopin in it, which could never be considered as bad, seeing as how Chopin was just amazing. I hope you enjoy writing your music as much as I enjoy listening to it, I could let this Waltz loop all day.

I like how the composition is simple in nature, yet when you start looking deeper at it there is a little more complexity then what can be seen. If I had to take a guess how you went about composing this, I would have to say you started with the left hand and the progression while keeping in mind you were listening for that arpeggiating melody in the left hand. This would lead me to conclude that this composition is more harmonically driven then melodically, am I right?

Either way you look at it, it's a nifty little piano composition you have there. Keep em' coming Mazeppa!

It's funny that you say that, because it's actually the reverse. I tend to write the melodies first and then the harmony comes at the same time or "just" after it. XD

Mine comes at the same time x_x haha

As I said before, it's truly a great piece. But wow... that argument one page back is ridiculous =P What happened to this place? We used to have such vivid and fierce fighting.

Yeah, lately I feel like a teenage girl.

I'm amused that we got three pages of review out of one piece, haha.

I don't have much of a review myself, seeing as how everything's been said already. But I really like how you tie the notes in the melody (e.g. bars 9-10). I don't know why, I just do!

Edit: Oops, I pushed it to the 4th page.

Not much of a composition, but a typical boot camp maneuver. This is just an exercise I do myself for warm-ups among other things the develop that life-long-journey to dexterity and independence of the fingers, wrists, arms and anything else we need to use to play the piano.

Pianists, take a crack at it and get back to me what your opinions are on it. But, if you're open to criticize my way of practicing then be subject for me criticizing you (if need be, of course). :)

Little Hanon growing up. :)

Little Hanon growing up. :)

It's funny you say that, because I extremely DESPISE the Hannon Technique books (The Virtuoso-Pianist). Although, I do get inspired a lot from the Hannon exercises, I have a much different approach to my exercises that are more similar to the Liszt volume of technical exercises.

My biggest qualm about Hannon is that it "teaches" a firm hand and creates tension in ones playing. Tension should be completely eliminated-- And I mean 100% relaxed, 0% tension. When relaxation is in, and there's no tension, the fingers, hands, wrists, arms, shoulders and body is free to move in 100% of it's complete SPEED, MOTION and CONTROL.

With an early approach to the point of relaxation at the keyboard, we eliminate the hard transition of playing "with" tension or even "though" tension, straight into relaxed and a higher-level of playing. It took me about a year and a half to play like this. I am no master of this technique, but I am surely masterful of it's benefits and hopefully I can be one more person to get this out there and to the younger crowd of pianists. :)

Excuse the double-post.

Not yet another "serious" composition, but more of a hip-hop clip I made today. I was lazy and didn't work too much with the sound.. all I wanted was just a nice sounding beat, synth chords and a little melody. Enjoy, comments?

Missed the bass!

I like how the drums sounds. Some little variations in the pattern would help to make it not so monotonous with its repetitions. The plucked if is that what you used, sounds nice with that delay you added; it works very well. The synth you used for the chords is not really of my personal taste. I think another synth would be more pleasant to the ears and more smooth. I think I hear like a synth bass in some areas of the track also, but is not giving strength to the low frequenzes.

Sounds like more like a chill-out DnB track than hip-hop, but I'm really liking the chords and that hesitant bass synth. But it might be good to bring it out some more at parts. Also, I agree with Nyu about the drums, though maybe using a different sampled instrument might help - this one really sound really "MIDI"-quality.

Thanks for the comments, guys! Agreed. :)

This is not really a composition, but merely sharing a transcription. I like to pride myself on ONE thing, and that is my transcriptions of Zelda Music. I posted Zelda's Lullaby from the third Zelda maybe two years ago, and it was a bit hit. I've noticed there's not very good (if at all) transcriptions of the Main Theme from the original. So here's the fairly-difficult, ultra-loud, main theme arrangement for the piano!

Have fun.. comments?

Haha! Love it! It does look difficult to play. I could probably never play it, but that's ok. I really, really like how you arranged it. A great challenge for a pianist with a heart for Zelda :P

I like that you filled parts in the right hand; this make it more fun to play.

Nice transcription >.<
But your "smooth piece" really intrigued me. Sounds alot like moby, nujabes, and masashi hamauzu. The drums did sound a little dopy. But if youre using fl studio, its a big problem to make them not sound midi'ish. its not hard to find hip hop packs on the internet. But the whole idea was pretty neat

wait, how is one to hold that f in measure 10 while playig the run from low b? both hands are occupied. Was that meant to be pedaled ... with the grand piano's middle pedal?

Very good question.

You don't. You play the F and you use that technique called "take your time, but stay in tempo" to play the run. The F will sound very prominent if you do, and it'll give the illusion that it's sustained, and then play the lower part a little quieter than the top. :)

I forgot to comment and say I enjoyed this very much! XD

I've been getting into Minimalism, so here's a new piece. And yes, I will call it an actual composition. If any of you know about the beginnings of the Minimalist qualities, then you'd know that the basic principle is how sound changes over-time. I've finally used FL studio to my advantage and experimented the last few weeks with the creation/editing of soundwaves, delays and phasers.

I urge whoever listens to this to put headphones on (hopefully they're good quality headphones), lay down relaxed and close your eyes. Turn the volume almost to maximum, and don't be afraid if it's too loud-- the sound is supposed to change your senses from good to evil, hence the name (Clockwork Orange, spelt backwards).

Enjoy. Comments? (They are highly encouraged)

P.S. I know some of you may think I'm out of my mind, or that I'm just putting random loops together; this is not the case, since I've based the delays and loops off of numeric themes of 88, 5 and 2. It's not really something you hear (now you might after you keep in mind the three numbers) but I'm informing everybody that I am not someone who is without SOME knowledge.

I found it to be quite interesting. Other than that, I don't have much to say. (Sorry for the vagueness. xD I haven't heard much in this style before.)

Sweet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!

I few comments, respectively.

The hi-hat(ish) sound that comes in at 9 goes on for a long time and does change much. The length will work better if maybe you can add some cool modulation effects around/for the 3rd or 4th fade in/out. Like a phaser or ring modulator? The dominant "rusty alarm clock" sounding sample that makes it's first entry at 1:28 I think can be explored more. I think a really cool panning effect here will really kick ass. Does FL allow you to pan, starting slow and by the time you hit the fade out is panning L/R really fast? Then it goes really soft again you could make it a good L/R balance again. It's just my opinion but it's still a really cool piece. I'm just wondering if I would call this minimalism or sound arrangement. Could be both? haha. WELL DONE!

Thanks for the suggestions, Kevin. I respect them and I took them into consideration, however, I had gotten then effect I needed with the current product. I am planing to make music in the future to get different effects on the human senses trying to use panning (to feel "off-balance") and such. I hope you guys will take into consideration what this piece is to do-- please listen to is while relaxing and with your eyes closed. Music shouldn't be listened to in certain ways, but this was composed for a certain purpose. :)

I think this is my favorite composition done by you. The sound that is not percussive at the start is very pleasant. I like how moves from right to left and how liquid is, lacking solidness. Personally I would have wished to hear more panning in those things that seemed like getting an extremely delay effect.

Thanks for the suggestions, Kevin. I respect them and I took them into consideration, however, I had gotten then effect I needed with the current product. I am planing to make music in the future to get different effects on the human senses trying to use panning (to feel "off-balance") and such. I hope you guys will take into consideration what this piece is to do-- please listen to is while relaxing and with your eyes closed. Music shouldn't be listened to in certain ways, but this was composed for a certain purpose. :)

Remember that massive conversation we had on MSN? haha. I think we're on a more equal paying field now, if you know what I mean :P

Maybe so. I'm more experimenting with the ear and the mind than with emotions.

It's like you're taking after John Cage!

That's funny. I HATED that guy, but the more and more I grow and expand my mind to things, the more I love him. XD

Have you heard the piece that the YTSO did at Carnegie Hall that was basically a grafting together of two of his pieces into one? It was dang cool.

Tan Dun composed the internet symphony. He's a real revolutionary in generation of composers. He wrote the Beijing 2008 opening theme, YouTube symphony and also a lot of stuff that pushes forward in music, using things like water and paper as instruments. Haha. Sorry. Rant from a fan lol.

Yes, I've heard his "Water Passion" is truly incredible (it was performed here by the choir at the university which I will be attending this coming year), although I have yet to see anything from it. However, the Symphony (at least the movement that YTSO played at Carnegie Hall) was mediocre.

Hey everyone, I've been getting ideas for a piece (finally) to spend my time this month writing a piece for the Wind Ensemble at m school. The instrumentation is a concert band, and I must say-- I hate writing for band. I'm going to make my first piano sketch, since I can't quite get an idea right now how it'll sound.

Anyway, the one big reason I am doing this is because my band director said if I could write a piece for band, that I would be able to direct it-- 100% me, and there would be a good possibility it would be performed. Now, with this in mind, I don't want to make a crappy piece JUST so I can direct it; No, I need to direct something that's actually a good piece of band repertoire.

I've thought about writing a more "contemporary" piece, as I started to do back in December. I love to work with free atonality, but I have been getting ideas for a little more atonality-- almost in the style of Ravel and Debussy. You see, I've really wanted to work with our band so could work on them with a higher level of phrasing and teach them about colors in the music and in the performance itself. I know I have the ability to do it, but it's going to take a generally good piece to do it.

So here's my problems. I'm pretty nervous about writing a piece that would facilitate all I want to work on (after all, it IS school, so they NEED to learn something) and my director has given me the absolutely RIDICULOUS time-limit of approximately 5 minutes; if it goes over, he'll be happy to play publisher and cut it down to 5 minutes. 1) This is extremely un-fair, since another Senior last year wrote a piece much longer than 5 minutes, and the director encouraged him to stretch to 8 or even 10. 2) 5 minutes is enough to get through two our of (at least wanting) three sections.

My plan, thus far, is to just work on a piano sketch and get the piece all written out. I DO have some orchestral ideas, but they're just harder to imagine with the instrumentation of the concert band. How do any of you feel about this situation? (After all, this is WHY I posted this!) Thanks a bunch, guys.

You can go sketching music. Or you can just start brainstorming what precisely you want for that particular piece. Write down all the things you desire to show in that piece. Then study your ideas and start picking the ones you like more. Find a concept behind it and start working in the architecture of your music and its meaning. Study pieces or even songs that are similar in concept to yours and look how they are handling things just as reference and as to understand better.

Since you have a limit of 5mins, I personally would suggest you to go for 4mins first. And I am suggesting that because you don't know if you get an idea that can work in your piece and may extend it more. Do not think of the 5mins limit as something bad, but see it as a challenge for you and how well you can handle your ideas and music to fit in that quantity. That is just something that will push you more to think better what you are doing and not going all free. Look at the positive side of it. I have ran in those situations and I have been forced to cut things. And in Films and TV shows the same happen, and the composer need to see how they will arrange and fit music in those quantity without having an abrupt cut that will make the music end weird, so suddenly, or just having a fade out.

Well, that is my suggestion about it. Go writing sketches or think first about the concept of your piece. Or maybe do both at the same time and look in the end what you can pick from each one! Maybe you can learn something new from your work by working it and studying it!


By the way don't forget the capability of your band players. Oh, and to talk to them and to your director of what you have done musically in the piece would be good. So they can understand better what you want and for you to know if they would have problems with some parts of your score to play.

Hey everyone, I've been getting ideas for a piece (finally) to spend my time this month writing a piece for the Wind Ensemble at m school. The instrumentation is a concert band, and I must say-- I hate writing for band. I'm going to make my first piano sketch, since I can't quite get an idea right now how it'll sound.

Anyway, the one big reason I am doing this is because my band director said if I could write a piece for band, that I would be able to direct it-- 100% me, and there would be a good possibility it would be performed. Now, with this in mind, I don't want to make a crappy piece JUST so I can direct it; No, I need to direct something that's actually a good piece of band repertoire.

I've thought about writing a more "contemporary" piece, as I started to do back in December. I love to work with free atonality, but I have been getting ideas for a little more atonality-- almost in the style of Ravel and Debussy. You see, I've really wanted to work with our band so could work on them with a higher level of phrasing and teach them about colors in the music and in the performance itself. I know I have the ability to do it, but it's going to take a generally good piece to do it.

So here's my problems. I'm pretty nervous about writing a piece that would facilitate all I want to work on (after all, it IS school, so they NEED to learn something) and my director has given me the absolutely RIDICULOUS time-limit of approximately 5 minutes; if it goes over, he'll be happy to play publisher and cut it down to 5 minutes. 1) This is extremely un-fair, since another Senior last year wrote a piece much longer than 5 minutes, and the director encouraged him to stretch to 8 or even 10. 2) 5 minutes is enough to get through two our of (at least wanting) three sections.

My plan, thus far, is to just work on a piano sketch and get the piece all written out. I DO have some orchestral ideas, but they're just harder to imagine with the instrumentation of the concert band. How do any of you feel about this situation? (After all, this is WHY I posted this!) Thanks a bunch, guys.

I have an idea for you to consider. I haven't heard you play, but I am assuming you're amazing at the piano player. Maybe you could create a really cool piano piece that really experiments with color, or whatever you want to experiment with. Then, you orchestrate it! We can also give you orchestration tips online to help you if you're worries. People like Sir Dot Dot Dot are orchestration freaks! (in the good way! ><)

Just a random suggestion: if the 5 minute limit still seems unfair to you, I would challenge you to make it a central feature, or to satirize it, by cutting off abruptly at 5 minutes. However, I can't say I've ever even WRITTEN a piece (at least one that's not multiple movements) that is over 5 minutes, so it's hard for me to relate. :P

^Cool suggestion. XD

Okay, so I haven't done anything on that band project. Oh well.

Here's something I was working on the past hours. It's much like my thought processes in philosophy, in that it has a theme, but it likes to move around into different ideas. I finally wrote down my own experiments with my use of 2nds.

I don't think it's finished, myself; I feel it can go on where it currently stops. Suggestions, comments and all that jazz is highly encouraged and appreciated!

Oh, and enjoy!

It's sort of minimalists to me for reasons I can't quite define. I think you should bring those aspects out, because it feels a little unfocused as it is. I kind of like the stream of consciousness feel to it in a way, though...

Pictures

Time to tear this apart ;) (hopefully this was what you were asking for):

First of all, you may want to proofread your score again, you're missing quite a few important things (i.e. tempo marking, double barlines after each section, etc...) and quite a few things are messy (i.e. missing cautionary accidentals, E flat vs. E natural without accidental on E natural, pedal lines not lining up, etc...). If you show people your scores, always keep them clean.

Deathraider was right, it does sound like a stream of consciousness. However, I found that the weakest point of this piece. You said it's your 'thought processes in philosophy'. From that thought, I immediately associated it with logic, structure, reasoning, and whatnot. However, sorry to say, I failed to see those in this piece. When I started listening, I heard your opening chordal section and thought: hm, okay, it's a bit square and rhythmically dull, but I think it could go somewhere... But then it stopped and went on to something entirely irrelevant. It's like as if I was thinking about waning and waxing moon for a second, and then I suddenly thought of ice cream. It's fine if your piece was really about the moon and ice cream, but tell us how it relates. In other words, somehow show us the relations between your opening so-called 'theme' relates to the second element.

As I am reviewing this right now, I'm plunking the chords you had on my keyboard, trying to figure out what it has to do with the second element. Unfortunately, I can't see any relations between the two. You might argue that the second element came from four of the notes from the first chord, but you have practically the entire G major scale clustered all in one chord, so it's not really exactly what I'd consider the utmost intelligent connection. I mean, if I play the entire chromatic scale as a chord, I might as well call it a bitonal chord involving C major and G flat pentatonic. However, logical and intelligent music is more than just giving your notes a name.Therefore, I felt that your elements weren't well tied together.

I understand that you're probably playing with textures over anything. However, the way you're dealing with the actual notes themselves weakened your intention to bring out contrasting textures. As well, if you were dealing merely with texture, I felt that the piece was slightly too modest in variety. All you had were legato passages. Where's the contrast? Where's the section that makes the rest of your piece worthwhile?

This is probably a lesser issue, but I just need to somewhat point it out because it's one of my pet peeves in music:

Bar 26-27: Why did you change it to B major for two bars? What does it add to it? I mean, you were using quite a lot of accidentals already (look at bar 5-8), why suddenly bother with key signature? Adding extraneous symbols, key signatures, time signatures, or whatever doesn't make it a better score, in fact, it's tiresome for the eyes and nerve-wracking for the performers.

Overall, unfortunately, I felt that this was one of your weaker pieces, Mazeppa. I mean, I know you were trying to be experimental with new ideas. However, I think my suggestion would be to stay a bit more on the conservative side and understand what you're actually doing before delving into an unfamiliar realm.

I hope you won't take this criticism you asked for as offending, because I honestly think you could do much better than this. C:

Okay, so I'm waiting on that last piece for what I want to do with it. Thanks Dot for the lengthy criticism; I've read and thought over it a few times. And thanks to Death, as well. I only wished that 4 years would get me more recognition on these forums. Oh well.

This is really more of an experiment (hence no catalog number). I don't know, but it seems the more I write, the more I like to work with textures and structures of color and volume. This is simply based off of starting "low and simple" and becoming more "spread and complex." This means sound, volume and how many different things are going on at once. The second section is a gigantic "cluster" which ultimately ends up being an actual chord at the end; and yes, that resolution is tied from the cluster.

I kinda like this. I might be better as a composer for BGM than an actual composer (If I was to become a composer).

My Question is this: "What do you think of it?" Simple, yet complex question. XD

That first chord progression really reminded me of something, but I don't know what...

Besides that, the only thing I really have to say is that it felt like the cluster chord should gain momentum (raise tempo or reduce time between adding pitches) as it goes up along side the dynamic increases. I also feel like that chord that came out of the cluster should have resolved better (i.e. the high violin note resolving down by step), and that there should have been a closing section alluding to the first theme/chord progression.

That was incredible! It built up nicely! I really do want to hear this performed live. It would sound fantastic! I'm not sure what to say, but you could make it a longer piece? Ambient music works best when it's longer (but just in my opinion). Maybe give it a try? It fantastic though.

@ Deathrider. Halo 1 Suite Autumn or Halo 3 trailer theme (only the E and the B are playing)

Hmmm:think: The start reminds me of something as well.....But never mind. I thought it built up in dramatization quite well; however....something just seemed to be there but not doing something if you know what I mean. It kind of felt as though there was something sitting on the edge of the music just waiting to happen, but it didn't. I don't what it is, but at the start of every phrase I was kind of expecting that something to come in..but it didn't. Not trying to be mean or anything, but as a general music lover (I am not here to give technical support as I know nothing of the sort:\) I feel that its an interesting and good piece, but it just doesn't deliver what it seems to promise.

Taemond, don't be afraid to bring things up. I only wish I knew what you were expecting; this piece was much more naked when I originally had it written out (Just the main line) and then I would add more background and texture as that first section moved on. To me, that something is there, because everytime something came in so did that "something." So, for myself, it's there.

However, I am very interested in what you mean. Could you paint me a descriptive picture at all (Giving things like "at 0:30" i.e.)?

After listening to this again without my headphones (they aren't of the best quality, and it was about 12am when I was listening to it), I think I kind of know what I'm talking about (:heh:). I feel as though there needs to be some sort of partial melody that joins the piece and keeps it more compact. However, I don't think it should be an actual melody, but at the same time not just another undertone that blends in with everything else. For some reason all I can think of is a bass like instrument (bassoon maybe?), that plays 2 or 3 notes now and again, or does some sort of run up or down half an arpeggio. I dunno, but my brain is just screaming at me that something "should" be there.

Thanks for your suggestion.

Hey Mazeppa :)

I like the textured chords in Metamorphosis, and I like how the first half builds up. For me, I really liked how you built up the second section with a bit of rhythmic parts, but then you just dropped it to a low bass note and started out your cluster. I would like some rhythmic stuff to keep on going to aid in the build-up, or maybe a piccolo/high clarinet doing some runs. Oh, well that depends if you planned for this to be a string ensemble piece. And IMO, it would be better to use an emptier and synth-ier sound if this were a BGM piece. Good ideas popping in, though. ^_^

Hearing Pictures reminds me of Debussy and Satie Piano pieces in some parts for these particular chords you just used, but the overall result did not satisfied me. I was looking for some sort of reference in this thread for this work but I didn't find any, "thought process" apart. In this piece there are different ideas mixed together but there is not a good conjunction between them. If you generally want to write a piece in which you don't want to describe but only to suggest something, like a sort of Arabesque for example, the different pieces must be well tied together so that the listener has a perception of a unicum. My suggestion would be to rewrite it from scratch but working on the same interesting chords, preparing logical progressions and strong passages between the different parts which must have something in common even if it is well hidden. :)

Okay, so I'm waiting on that last piece for what I want to do with it. Thanks Dot for the lengthy criticism; I've read and thought over it a few times. And thanks to Death, as well. I only wished that 4 years would get me more recognition on these forums. Oh well.

This is really more of an experiment (hence no catalog number). I don't know, but it seems the more I write, the more I like to work with textures and structures of color and volume. This is simply based off of starting "low and simple" and becoming more "spread and complex." This means sound, volume and how many different things are going on at once. The second section is a gigantic "cluster" which ultimately ends up being an actual chord at the end; and yes, that resolution is tied from the cluster.

I kinda like this. I might be better as a composer for BGM than an actual composer (If I was to become a composer).

My Question is this: "What do you think of it?" Simple, yet complex question. XD

Really intense piece of work. I quite like it, especially that massive chord near the end. The resolution that actually follow feel like kind of a cheesy cop out though :P. Also, the moving (triplets) part felt kind of out of place though texturally; might work if the piece was longer and you develop it more, but right it now it feels kind of inconsequential. Still, an awesome piece throughout - sounds really good on my new headphones.

Wow! I'm surprised people are still listening/commenting on this piece. I'm quite honored that you guys are willing to press that reply button.

I don't think I'm really continuing on this piece, since it was more of a sketch/experiment.

I've taken, yet another, break on composition lately, so don't really expect anything soon-- at all.

Again, thanks everyone.

Wow! I'm surprised people are still listening/commenting on this piece. I'm quite honored that you guys are willing to press that reply button.

I don't think I'm really continuing on this piece, since it was more of a sketch/experiment.

I've taken, yet another, break on composition lately, so don't really expect anything soon-- at all.

Again, thanks everyone.

:)

http://xs744.xs.to/xs744/09406/3615840152_7e1408f6b7632.jpg

eh?

Sketch I wrote back in July, when I was in Europe. Thought you guys might enjoy it.

Definitely some interesting ideas there. I'm not sure about having it for guitar, though...

I liked it, it sounded mysterious. :lol:

Definitely some interesting ideas there. I'm not sure about having it for guitar, though...

It isn't really "for" anything. I just liked the sound of the acoustic guitar for this piece.

EDIT-- And here's another older piece of mine. Ignore the "Clarinet" in the title; it was originally written for Clarinet in a very reverb-heavy area, but I felt this flute was more fitting.

It sounds like a pan-pipe, but I think the pan-pipe fits more then the flute haha. I liked the use of space. Maybe find a real flute/pan-pipe player and record them. That would definitely evolve the piece in my opinion. Although I think I have read somewhere that you did want this to be a MIDI piece. Each version would have it's own unique character. ^^ Good job :)

Thanks, Kevin.

Here's a little something I whipped up in about 5 hours:

Piano -- Seth King-Gengler (http://www.box.net/shared/hc23bekpal)

the title speaks for itself. I can totally see this song played while some monk in a secluded temple on top of a mountain sits on his cushion humming and birds chirping in the background.

Sounds cool, but this mix is wigging out my ears! Something with the balance and the filters!

Haha. Piano was different :) House techno! Maybe try to work on the mix though. What software are you using?

Yeah, I like the track. And just noticed the balance issue.

Why does that remind me of those techno tracks you see everyday on newgrounds?


Never mind, I said that it could use different themes, but I didn't listen far in enough XD

How'd you do that in 5 hours?

I use Fruity Loops 8XL Producer for making EDM. It really isn't that hard to make a couples minutes of EDM. A lot of it is fairly repetitive; the only time consuming parts is writing the notes in the piano roll. And let's not forget, this uses 4 chords throughout the entire piece.

What does EDM mean? I have see you saying it before. But I have no idea. :heh:

Electronic Dance Music.

The majority of the time, people mistake it for "Techno." Techno is a style within the general term, "EDM."

I like it. All you electronic composers blow my mind. I can barely use Finale.

Nice piece you've got there, though the bass would probably sound better if you actually used a compressor to pump it in my opinion heh.

Someday I'll learn how to do stuff like that with a compressor...

haha. shifting from notation software to sequencing is an interesting experience ^^

Might want to use this as a journal to you guys (such as Mr. Penkin does with his Youtube updates and such).

I haven't written anything at all lately, and time for me to do so is damn0near impossible, however, I've always been obsessed (just in general) the "moments in life." I might be writing a bunch of short pieces, ranging from 10 seconds to, maybe, three minutes. I don't know. I don't like composing big pieces that much; it takes too much, and it gets to the point where it isn't fun. I like automatism, and surrealism...so impromptu is my favourite way to write things.

Anyway, might be writing some pieces; a lot of Debussy sounds in it, jazz, modernistic and free atonality. Yep.

Emphasis on might.