Whoo! I'm Ureshii Gaki, one of Ichigo's many composers. What you may find unique about my music is that I combine elements of the Classical, Romantic, Symbolistic, and Contemporary periods of music. Most people seem to like what I do, so maybe you will too.

Below is a catalog of all the compositions I completed that I'm willing to share, along with all compositions that I'm currently working on; please let me know if any of the links are dead or falsely labelled. Any title that doesn't have its instrumentation specified is strictly for piano, my primary instrument.

COMPLETE COMPOSITIONS ~

Rhapsody I: "Paean" (Piano and Full String Quartet) ~ C Major, 12/8
Rhapsody II: "Untitled" ~ G Minor, 4/4
Rhapsody III: "Imperial" (http://forums.ichigos.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=507&d=1126403409) ~ B Minor, 4/4 (Sheet Music Available)*
Pursuit of Happiness (http://forums.ichigos.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=699&d=1130117498) ~ C# Minor, 4/4 (Sheet Music Available)*

INCOMPLETE COMPOSITIONS ~

[Currently Untitled] (Miniature Orchestra) ~ B Major, 4/4
[Currently Untitled] (http://forums.ichigos.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=2604&d=1153882651) ~ B Major, 4/4
Spider Silk (A cappella SSAATTBB Choir) ~ Atonal, 4/4
Beneath a Strawberry Moon (http://forums.ichigos.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=2460&d=1152419967) (Piano, Cello, and Flute) ~ C Minor, 4/4
The Ardent Thorn (Piano and Violin) ~ Bb Minor, 3/4
A Stately Rose (Full String Quartet and Harpsichord) ~ E Minor, 4/4
Morningstar Waltz (http://forums.ichigos.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=2441&d=1152214725) (Full String Quartet) ~ A Major, 3/4
Étude for Marina Isabella (http://forums.ichigos.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=2440&d=1152214719) (Piano and Oboe) ~ G Minor, 4/4
Music Box Demon (http://forums.ichigos.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=505&d=1126394973) (Celesta) ~ F Minor, 4/4
Rhapsody III: "Imperial" (http://forums.ichigos.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=999&d=1135752486) (Full Orchestra) ~ B Minor, 4/4
The Land That I Adore (http://forums.ichigos.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=1292&d=1140238008) (Piano and Cello) ~ Bb Major, 4/4
Musica Mundi (http://forums.ichigos.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=1293&d=1140239480) (Piano and SATBB Choir) ~ E Major, 5/4

ARRANGEMENTS AND TRANSCRIPTIONS ~

Mykola Leontovich's Ukrainian Bell Carol (http://forums.ichigos.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=933&d=1134526805) ~ G Minor, 3/4 (Sheet Music Available)*

* ~ Sheet music will only be given to trustworthy people via PM. No exceptions.

TOO MANY VIDEO GAMES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ah, oh well. Imperial Medley sounds just like a castle theme in an old NES game! It's very loud, but I like it! Keep up the good work! One suggestion, though. It could probably do with one less repeat on the end.

Thanks for the comment! Yeah... it is a little loud, but I was far too lazy to add dynamics at that time. >_> and though I do see where you are coming from on losing the repeat at the end, I really don't. X_X The reason is that I want to keep both themes at around the same size; I know that "Castle of Guilon: Supreme Ruler of the Umbrelands" (that's the second one by the way) is two measures longer than it should be at this point, but I felt it was necessary for the transition into it's playful section. Though I'm not going to go in-depth on the first theme, I will let you know that it is titled "Palace of Knarlox: Kindly King of Vvildrivine".

I really should rephrase on what I said about the ending; the thing is I actually DO have an ending that I really want to use, but I don't know how tomake a good transition into it without it being too abrupt. >_< I'll post a MIDI of that ending very shortly, so then maybe you guys can give suggestions.

For those who know their musical periods, you might have noticed that it goes through several of them in a fairly respective order. While all of them definitely have a Romantic influence, which is my style, the changes should be very noticeable.

Oops! I completely got sidetracked and forgot to make the quick MIDI of the ending I want! :heh: I got it now though. It is a pretty cliche ending, to say the least, but I like the duality between the D and E major gliss at the end. ^_^

The song, I sorta liked. I found the constant silences a little off, but the song got back on track. The melody was rather good. :)

Whee! I figured out how to finish this composition properly, but I need to just write it down now. >_> I kinda took deathraider's advice on losing the repeat, but then I didn't. It technically is still there, but the bass is different from the first, and it has a much more appropriate ending.

In order to complete the rest of the piece, I will need one more section (since the ruler of the Umbrelands has been confirmed to be a five year old girl, I started to get a little playful in this section. Think "Nanny Nanny Boo Boo" gone terribly wrong. XD), and then the nice conclusion attached to my last post, so I will give the finished product shortly. ^_^

I will post the in-game "orchesrated" versions of either piece later, but I need to finish this first! >_<

Alas, I'm STILL working on the above composition, as I am never fully satisfied. >_> I have, however, made two little ditties this morning that could be used in the RPG. Note they're rather small, but both have very strong musical ideas in their current form and will be built upon in the future.

One more thing; unless If the instrumentation is very simple in my mind, I will not be posting orchestrations of these pieces. X_X I would, but orchestration is still extremely difficult and time-consuming for me.

The two were unusually short, and the first, I didn't quite like, but the second was awesome! :lol:

My friend sitting next to me requests that I tell you he thinks the "Music Box Demon" was sexy. He adds, "YE YEA!!!"

YAY! I have completed my Imperial Medley! I am very proud of it and I think it deserves positive ratings and comments, but I want you all to be perfectly honest with your critiques. The MIDI is attached below as usual... ^^;;

*quietly waits for a comment from Al or Noir7*

*wonders why you didn't vote in the CMA* =P

Imperial Medley:
Great stuff! Simple, effective driving rhythms that made me want to . . not dance, but move about? Something about that style . . and I loved your harmonies (even the dissonant ones), especially because they were so full/rich and yet light at the same time. Wonderful interplay and voicing between the right and left hands. Middle section didn't sound as 'imperial', but hey, I adored its brightness regardless. Nice modulation back to the main key (I'm assuming, since I don't have perfect pitch and I'm too lazy to check on my keyboard by playing along, haha). The piece never bored me. I loved how it went about with not a care in the world, even though the melodies weren't as memorable to me so as to leave an impression afterwards despite their clear simplicity (but not too simple, you get what I mean), but yet the piece still retained its excellent quality and style throughout. I picked up on a few different musical periods, and yet they were seemless and not out of place in the piece. Impressive ending too!

Prelude in Db:
Pretty good! However, I felt that your ending wasn't as strong, leading me to believe that the piece was meant to go on for much longer. But it just stopped, even though it wasn't too abrupt, but yeah.

Music Box Demon:
Nice, not much else I can say, except you got the title down right =P I can let the ending slide, because it's a 'music box' after all.

Yeah... I know that the second major section doesn't sound very imperial at all, but my friend specifically asked for something that didn't sound cliche, so I may or may not have gotten a little carried away. >_> It makes me proud that I can play this perfectly without stalling. ^_^

And as for the two miniscule compositions, both are far from completion, explaining their abrupt endings. O_O You may have noticed that both the Prelude and Imperial Medley share the exact same motif at one point (the Imperial medley shows it near the ending, where the Prelude has it in the middle); I did this to give all of the pieces a sense of unity, as all of these will somehow be incorporated into the RPG. ^^;;

Either way, my friend recently stated that my Elfman was showing. XD *covers Elfman*

Very nice song. :)
I liked the beginning and end especially. Didnt find anything I didnt like.
Everything was good and I enjoyed it very well.
Nice job

Very nice! I applaude this song! Is it playable? (Imperial Medley)
I think I understand why Prelude in Db was so short. It is supposed to be some kind of intro to Imperial Medley, right?

Actually, the reason why The Prelude is so short is because I was just playing around on the piano this morning and liked what I was doing. I will build on it later though. >_>

That motif, that would be the "Elfman" you were talking about, right? Haha, but I don't believe your friend. I can recognize Elfman a mile away, and your style is still uniquely you ^.~

Pssh... you should have said that it does sound Elfman-ish; I consider that more of a compliment. >_> Yeah... Elfman is now regarded as one of my nine Musical/Artistic Gods (Kinda like the Nine Muses, except with living men who pioneer in their industry).

Anyway... I had another one of those piano brainstorming moments this morning and I came up with another little ditty which will be built upon later. ^^;; I went to sleep last night while listening to the Nightmare Before Christmas Soundtrack, so that may very well explain its filmy flare. O_O

Enough of my rant; here is the aptly titled sample composition, Lamentations! \(^.^)/

My apologies for double posting, but would you like for me to post sheets for the Imperial Medley? One of my friends already asked for a copy, so I would be happy to do that for you all; that is assuming that you don't attempt to claim it as your own. >_<

I'll work on making a nice edition of it, as I only have it in MIDI form. X_X Note that it probably won't be titled "Imperial Medley" on the piece, but perhaps "Fantasia No. I". >_>

EDIT ~ Perhaps "Rhapsody No. III" would be more apt?

It suits more with the title "Imperial Medley" than Fantasia no.I, imo.

Yeah... As we all know, I am 73|-| 5|_|(|< with titles. >_< Thanks for informing me of my shortcomings. >_>

... You didn't comment on the composition itself? *dies*

Yes! Please do! I hinted when I said "Is it playable?" I'm so excited!

Imperial Medley

This piece has somewhat of a simplistic Medieval feel about it. Perhaps it's the chord progressions, but whatever it is, I like it. About 1/3 of the way through brings a delighting surprise by changing the melody and chords into a more playful mode. The transition about halfway through the piece is a good way to return to the light-hearted yet dark theme which is present nearer to the beginning. This is an entertaining piece indeed, though I think it sounds more pirate-esque than imperialistic. The ending did have a good pattern going on, but I feel that it ended just a little too much without warning.

Ending of Imperial Medley

This ending may be more colorful and flourishing than the previous ending, but I felt that it was not fitting of the rest of the piece.

Prelude in Db

Your neoclassical style is very intriguing, and the beginning surely lets me know that you take it seriously. However, as many preludes go, this one is too short to gain a special place in my mind.

Music Box Demon

Is that a celesta by chance? What a wonderful sound this song produces, especially considering that it's a midi! The to-and-fro of the supporting parts create a great playful yet sort of devious theme consistent with the title. I enjoyed this short and sweet piece.

Imperial Medley [COMPLETE]

The piece is now more complete and fanciful near the end, but I don't really have any new comments on this version.

Lamentations

This is a woeful piece. Seems rather wintry to me, but that's beside the point. :P I like how the chord progressions are so deliberate and beautiful underneath the rather somber melody. Near the end, it sort of seems to trail off into nothingness, but I think that's a very unique ending you have crafted.

Your style is something which can grow into something great some day with just a little bit of exposure and a little bit of development. Your pieces are short and thoughtful, something that is to be admired by many of your fellow composers. ;)

PRELUDE IN Db
I like the fact that your chords flow very nicely. One thing I should say about this is that preludes usually have very distinctive and memorable melody... but for this one I kinda had a trouble remembering the melody. (perhaps it's just me)

MUSIC DEMON BOX
Best sounding piece in my opinion. I love the melody and it sticks in my head like a licked gummy bear on a ceilling. Definitely enjoyable.

IMPERIAL MEDLEY
One thing I noticed is the flowing melody and chords. The ending wasn't all that bad either. I think ending of the song is very difficult and yet most crucial part in composing, but you managed to make it look so easy to come up with an ending when you said you couldn't think of the way to end the song.

I'll definitely come back and listen to some more and try to learn a thing or two from you.

Thank you all for such lovely comments! =D

Yeah... Because of school, I can't get a lot of time into composition, but I haven't forgot about it! XD I actually have a new piece-- a much darker variation of the Prelude (I'm really liking the minor twist on the Prelude's brilliance). I'll be sure to post it over the weekend, and I'll do my best to get the Sheet Edition of the Imperial Medley out as well. ^^;;

Lamentations was nice, except it didn't sound like an ending at the end. :heh:

Sorry about the wait, but I have an extension of sorts to the Prelude in Db! I like it a lot, but I still want to hear your opinions and comments. >_>

Fear not, as I have been working on the printable edition of the Imperial Medley; it should be done (hopefully) by late tomorrow. ^^;;

Also, I have another composition in the works: a much darker variation of the Prelude. I will have the MIDI of the beginning of it shortly.

This is a good song and enjoyable piece. I didnt find anything I disliked about it. :)
Nice work

Very good, if you want me to do a more in-debth analysis you post the finale file.

Unless you want me to risk getting plagiarized again, you're going to make due with what you're given. >_> Try scanning the MIDI in; it may look messy, but you'll get the idea. ^^;

I will make a MUS fie in the future, but I'll scan it in and post it as a PDF for you guys, because I posted an MUS of a transcription and I found someone (one of my friends) who edited one of them, changing the transcriber credit from "Dustin Morningstar" to his name. >_< I can tell that it was mine because all of the articulations that I could remember were included exactly where I like to put them, and since I can sometimes overuse articulations (this being one of those cases), it was a giveaway. >_>

EDIT ~ I'm sorry to go off on you like that. T_T I've been under a lot of stress lately: my computer crashed on the 14th, rendering it useless until yesterday afternoon, and my parents figured out that I was bisexual on the same day. O_O

Very nice. :)

...>_> I know I'm going back on my word, but I'm actually going to host the .MUS file on my thread of the Imperial Medley. Also, I trust you guys enough to post future .MUS's of my work, but I swear... If any of you plagiarize it, I will haunt you for the rest of your pitiful life. ^_________^

i love the music box thing so much!

I dropped out of the Double-Up CMA because the idea I had in mind suddenly became VERY personal, and I feared that the effect it has on me already wouldn't necessarily be ruined by Noir7, but altered in a sort of way contrary to my liking. However, that composition will be posted in its HALFWAY FINISHED form below; I'll make sure to post the completed edition (along with its .MUS) whenever I finish it.

By the way Noir7, the particular other theme that I had in mind (Romance) will be melded into this piece for an epic ending. *coughs* Also note that the ending of this particular MIDI is out of sync for some odd reason; those chords are supposed to be straight Bb Minors. >_>

Anyway, here's Pursuit of Happiness (and no, it is not a reference to the Declaration of Independence)! :P

Very nice. I didn't feel anything though. Sound quality perhaps? I don't know. I liked it though.

Yeah... If I were to record myself playing it, you might get to hear the feeling of the piece-- then again, it's very personal, so the feeling I'm trying to get across might not be perfectly clear to others. >_>

Very exotic chord changes 3/4ths in. The melodies are very neutral - not very prominent; and I like how it comes out more as the song progresses. Though I didn't find the melodies themselves extraordinary (nothing wrong with them, they just didn't stick out) I really liked the flow of the song's emotion, especially towards the "end;" here's to hoping the rest of the song will be as good as this part.

I love the switches from major to minor! This piece has wonderful, tastefully used dissonance, too!

To Pyramus:
I was surprised that I came up with those chords all by myself! ^__^ I personally thought that the droning Db in that particular section was a nice touch. >_> I'm really liking how the song is burgeoning into something greater-- something more passionate, and I'm glad you feel the same way!

By the way, I'm ADORING your sig and avvy. <333

To deathraider:
For some reason, I love it when people point out my ideosyncratic use of dissonance; it makes me very happy. XD Thank you for that boost of morale!

---

As all who read my preliminary comments should be able to connect, this piece is insprired by Sam, the most ridiculously nice, overly talented, and disgustingly gorgeous guy I ever met (I had the strangest urge to use a series of oxymora; forgive my impulses). Well... As it should be, this piece is dedicated to Sam, and I'm going to post the O so pitiful dedication for your viewing displeasure. XD

"This piece is dedicated to Samuel Durill, the man responsible for taking my breath away for the very first time; alas, he doesn't reciprocate the feelings of which I show to him... I fear that I'll forever be in pursuit of happiness."

:blink:

WHY MUST YOU BLINK AT MEH?! *coughs*

I'm just...surprised and somewhat wierded out with that...

I'm glad you found my "set" impressive.

Man, I crack myself up.

Anyways, if that is the peice's particular story, then might I suggest having the end sort of just fade off into obscurity, getting quieter and quieter, never coming to a cadence... Similar (if you know it) to Tchaikovsky's 6th symphony, which did the same.

If indeed that is the subject you wish to follow in the song - unrequited love.

To deathraider:
To be honest, I'm not quite sure what you're weirded out about. Is it that your compliments make me happy, or is it that I'm bi?

To Pyramus:
I do, contrary to your perception, wish to actually "end" the piece, but it will begin to fade and end in a week cadence (It's definitely not going to be perfect authentic. At this moment, I sense a minor plagal).

But yes, that is indeed the story and ultimate inspiration beind this piece. ^///^

Sorry, I guess I SHOULDN'T be weirded out, I just didn't expect such...openess. I'm not used to that sort of thing where I live (if you know anything about SLC)

All I know about Salt Lake City is that it's in Utah and there's a salt lake right next to it. Observant, aren't I? *coughs*

*waits patiently for Al's action-packed reply*

Pursuit of Happiness:
I wish I could use dissonance like you do! I don't know how you do it, but it never sounds out of place to me (even though dissonance tends to stick out like a sore thumb). And I also loved how you used it to modulate. As for your consonant harmonies, they are rich and full, great for the mood. Really does sound like a journey of sorts, this pursuit of happiness of yours. But with the way the piece ended (it's incomplete, right?), I'm afraid things won't turn out too well. However, you could still finish off with a hint of optimism? =T

Edit: I apologize for my mediocre action-packed reply =P I can't think of anything, besides, it's 11:10 pm and I'm sleepy!

*Thanks Al for the lovely comment* Don't be discouraged, Al; the dissonance that I use just takes TONS of trial and error, so I'm sure if you did that, you would have the same pleasing results. ^^; And yes, I do plan to end this on a much happier note, though that, in reality, does not coincide with the story behind it. =P I just don't want anyone to feel that I need therapy. XD By the way, I almost stole the name of your composition Searching for Happiness, but I later decided that i liked the word "Pursuit" better. >_>

I'm still not quite finished, but I have added and changed a few things to Pursuit of Happiness. ^__^ Please give your comments!

Yes...I like...

Thank you much, O so furtive raider of death. >_>

There's something wrong with the last section... There's an arpeggio that doesn't seem to fit (the D#7dim most probably), but I have no idea what to put in its place. :| Back to the drawing board on that particular chord! ^^;

EDIT ~ thanks to spc1st for pointing out that I listed the wrong chord; you're right-- the D7 does work there. ^^;

Nice stuff - I certainly didn't expect this from you (though actually, I don't think I've heard much from you before). At first I thought this was just going to be another entirely diatonic piece, but I was quite surprised when all the augmented/diminshed chords appeared. Nice use of dynamics and tempo control, though some pedaling would help as well. Also, what do you mean by the D7 chord? I don't think I see a D7 chord (there is a D#7 chord, though I thought that one worked fairly well in context) in your entire piece... though the sudden major to minor change at ms. 19 was a bit jarring, I thought. Anyways, the style of this piece is pretty neat too - it sorta has a raggy feel mixed with more contemporary style, as well as some classical romantic influence, and the end result works amazingly well in this piece. Good job.

To spc1st:
Thank you muchly, spc1st! ^__^

Because I'm going for a more emotionally riveting piece, I recently listened to a lot of Chopin to get idea of how I can use the instrument to convey those feelings; I say that it worked quite nicely. O_O Sorry about the absense of pedal effects. It is indeed supposed to use the dampener and the sordina at frequent intervals, but I was simply too lazy to put them into the MIDI. I'm such a procrastinator! >_<

Hmm... I would've liked to have done something more experimental with the first return to the original minor, but that was the best thing I could come up with at the time. ^^; I'm also rather tempted to drop the "birdie" section, as I like to call it. I personally think that it's a little too suddenly happy at that point, but I may be able to find something to connect it with. :| Time will tell!

To my Composing Peers:
If you have the time, could you please try doing a bit of analysis like spc1st and Al did? It's not required, mind you, but it would be greatly appreciated. ^^;

---

I should be able to have a new installment of the song by the end of the day-- that is asuming that I have very little homework. >_> If I do have the time, I'll try to add pedal effects, but I can't make any guaruntees.

EDIT: OMG, OMG, OMG! I have the most GORGEOUS idea for the transition into the romance, but it's going to take a VERY long time to notate; after all, it's going to be one of those massively difficult, "etudesque" riffs of doom. XD I don't have much homework today, so I can at least get a little bit of the section prior to it done. ^^;

Very good! ^.^

:sweat: Woah, yeah. I got a well written review once, then I yelled at the person who wrote it. I think that scared everyone off...

Pursuit of Happiness

Part I - I liked the introduction, it set the atmosphere of the piece very neatly. Although, the parts that followed (around 00:26-00:36) sounded uninspired. This part was pretty much the only real weakness of this piece, however.

Part II - Good. Simply good. The dissonance was great, and you set good expressions to that part. Is this the part you wanted to take out? Well, don't =P It was very good imo. Your composition is about bittersweet love, no? This part gave the piece the warm feeling of love. It blended in real good with the previous part, the melancholic setting. With these two combined, this piece becomes what your title says.

Part III - I liked that you used the pattern from your first theme. Just after the warm middle parts, you remind the listener once again that this piece isn't all about love. It takes the piece back to the melancholic feeling you introduced in the beginning. I also liked the melody used in this part better than in the first. The ending of this part (00:28) felt awkward and dumb.

Part IV - This part I felt was out place, and didn't contribute to the abstract image your piece gave me =/ In fact, this part seemed like a good introduction for another composition.

~~

Overall, this piece has potential. Even though I think you (as an impressionist) probably succeeded to give me the mental imagery of your composition, some of the contend was too obvious! Hm.. how can I put this in a way that you'll get what I mean.. :think: You like Claude Debussy, right? He manages to put so much emotion into his pieces without having for example... really 'sad' passages for sadness, or really 'bouncy' parts for happiness. Does this make any sense? I think you manage to put your emotion into this piece (and let the listener feel it aswell, which is the most important part) but I do not think you manage to do so as flawlessly I'd want you to!

yes, and another thing I came across was your title. Honestly, I think you can (with lots and lots of work) turn this into an epic piano piece. Why? Because it has the most common theme of all time, and, with your skills as an impressionist I think you could really do something great of it. So therefore I encourage you to proceed and get yourself really busy with this piece.

The title, although appropriate, isn't what I want for this particular compo :heh: I want something more abstract. Something more.. artistic.
Having a title like that would give this composition a whole new dimension, and would in turn let the listener feel rather than read what this piece is about.

Want a rating? You won't get one ^^; I think this is one of those pieces where (when finished) it becomes very personal what to think of it, and therefore I won't put any number on it.


Very nice. I didn't feel anything though. Sound quality perhaps? I don't know. I liked it though.

Oh you goon, this is better in terms of emotion than anything I've ever come across on this forum. In fact, most other compositions on this forum have as much emotion as a rusty fork.

Thank you, Noir7! You don't have to fight for me like that though; some people just do't analyze the music... Perhaps he was just listening to the "performance?"

Anyway, yeah... I was thinking about dropping the section that you named "Part IV," and now I'm convinced. >_> Just so you know, I will have this composition done by the 26th of October, as that is the deadline for my "reflections" entry. I'll get a MIDI out on or before that day, and I will post its .MUS a few days after (I need to make an edition for the public; I've only been working on the "reflections" edition. ^^. Who knows? Maybe I can get out a PDF for non-finale users! ^__^ If I do that, I'll be sure to do the same for Imperial Medley/Rhapsody No. III.

I'll be posting a MIDI of the next melody and its basic progression, but I'm going to ask for your guys help on how to make the progression more flowing. >_>; The progression that I have right now is just simple blocked chords, but I want to save those for the ending.

I have a file which contains the progression that needs to be tweaked, and the above melody may serve as a guide. >_> Please try to do something with it, like make it more flowing-- rather than just blocked chords. O_O If at all possible, I would like for the same progression to be used (as in the same types), but I want it to be executed differently. I bet I'm not making ANY sense. XD

Can you please attach a midi? :heh:

Yes, it wouldn't open in Finale Notepad.

Whoops! O_O Here's the MIDI.

Wow, that sorta ruins the melancholy parts of the song, doesn't it?

That's not what I'm asking for. >_<

I was talking about the part with Sam. I edited the first part of this (up till about 0:25). Tell me if you hate it, or if it's just plain not what you wanted. Be *honest*.

It's good, but the staccato by the begginning and the dissonant parts I don't like. I think breaking up the chords would help make it more "flowy." :)

Lik Marlon said, it is good, but it's deinitely not what I'm looking for. ^^; There's something that you did at around 18-21 seconds that sounded cacophonously dissonant, and the blockish chords were still there. X_X Marlon had the right idea in mind of "breaking" the block chords into flowing arpeggiations, and THAT'S what I want. >_> Perhaps I should've been more clear on that? O_O

Well, here's my attempt. I tried to make the chord changes more smoothly flowing by getting rid of a lot of the parallelism, and also kept the ostinato parts longer to make it flow smoother. Also, I tried to keep the chord changes more rhymthically patternistic to that effect. It may be a bit less fancy sounding, but in my opinion consistency is improved upon.

It sounds better. I think all is needed would be to break up all the chords. I might try it sometime. :)

I just edited the first half because I have a paper to write, but you can pretty much see where I was going with my rhythym schemes.

Let me just say that you write so much better for the piano than I do. My piano skills... not so much. I'm much more an instrumentalist. And I agree with Al. Your harmony is excellent.

Whoah! That's awesome, Alfonso! ^_^

I don't know that any of ours where what he was looking for.

Meh, probably not.

Honestly, not at all. ^^; I mean, don't get me wrong-- they're good, but they still have those block chords in there. I was hoping that one of you would actually create a new, "broken" accompaniment based on the block chords. >_>; Like the beginning A chord... Instead of playing A, C#, and E simultaneously, break it up and stretch those across the bass.... Am I making any sense? O_O

Oh, I must have misunderstood. By "block chords", I thought you referred to "tone clusters", or just chords that are bunched up with lots of 2nds. So I kinda wrote those out :P. I'll give it a shot again when I can, but it may be kinda hard not touching melody if the accompaniment is going to have more lateral space.

How's this? :unsure: (only first half again)

PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS [COMPLETE]:

I ~ Though pedaling is used in the piece itself, it will not be included in the MIDI because I'm much too lazy. =P Just IMAGINE it. >_>;

II ~ The ascending Bb Minor chords at 1:27-1:30 sound oddly detached, but they are not supposed to be. Pretend like it never happened....

What?

III ~ The octaves at about 1:30-1:33 are not supposed to be as slow as they sound in the MIDI, but that's because FINALE doesn't comprehend MIDI. XD;

IV ~ The octave Bbs at 1:51 are not supposed to be that quiet, but FINALE insists upon it. SO STUBBORN! T_T

V ~ I would like to thank all whom took time from their probably busy schedules to help me with the progressive execution of the "Harmony Help" snipit, but I'm afraid none of them were really used in the final product. ^^; All of them were very nice and showcased how different each of your styles are, but it wasn't what I was looking for. X_X

VI ~ The ending is supposed to have a morendo-- ritardando and decrescendo into nothingness-- but I was too lazy to program the morendo properly so FINALE would recognize it. I really need some more motivation, but then again, if you look at the MUS, you will see that I put so much crap into each score that extraneous drive is really no longer needed. >_<

VII ~ I felt like adding a completely pointless Roman Numeral, so here you go! XD

VIII ~ The MIDI and the MUS are attached below, and I will personally make a recording (yes; a recording) by this Wednesday. Since I'm recording this composition, I might as well record Rhapsody III: "Imperial" too. ^__^

~

One more thing; would someone with FINALE 2006 please print out the score UNALTERED and scan it in as a PDF for non-FINALE users? I would do it myself, but I am once again scanner-less. X_X I would really appreciate it!

Darn.

Is it really THAT bad, deathraider? O_O

NOOOO!!!! OMG that was a WONDERFUL song! I have no bad feelings towards it whatsoever. My "darn" was because of the fact that my versions of Harmony Help really sucked in comparison with what you came up with on your own. I wish I could compose music like you...I love your style!!!

Very nice. It was really all over the place; other than a few spots, it sounded like it was new each time. That's both a blessing and a curse, however. It seemed somewhat unbalanced in this respect; not enough farmiliar rhythms/melodies (in my opinion) to balance out the non-repeating stuff. I think you should repeat the blocked chords/syncopated place when you fade out, to kind of give a real sense of the peice coming full circle. Indeed, it's a very nice journey, but personally I would just add another farmilliar element at the end to give it a real sense of finish (even if it is fading out). You know, just kind of like a reminder; like a conclusion in an essay.

Other than that tiny thing, job well done!

In the end, the most fitting version of that section was your own (which is no big surprise, of course ;) - though since I did go through that section thoroughly, there are some parts now that don't quite sound "right" to me (ie, at ms. 57 and 61, the tritone in the 2nd chord probably should be rectified by making the E into octave with the high F for 57, and making all the A's into Ab for 61 - but I digress :P). I don't feel quite as comfortable with the fast arpeggios, though... it sounds like they are a bit off time. Try to make them constant, and simply mess around with the tempo if you want to alter their expressiveness. Other than that, good stuff - keep it up.

Thanks for all the comments, guys!

To deathraider: OMG! I'm envied! XD;

To Pyramus: I'm done with you. ^_~

To spc1st: I can see where you're coming from on the tritone thing; tritones seldom sound good, but we also need to understand that I did the entire Bb Major Section in all of 30 minutes. O_O As for the "fast arpeggiations," I'm too lazy to go back to the MIDI and appease you needs, but I will fix that little problem in the recording; I promise. XD

To Everyone Else: You better comment, or I'll... I'll...

*runs away*

Pursuit of Happiness [Recorded]:

Note that there are a few small mistakes here and there, and the section near the ending has a much larger error in both the accompaniment and melody. I would've done another recording to correct it, but I didn't have the time; besides, it's more human this way. ^_~

Please don't bash my playing. ._. I'm only self taught for 4 years, so I have an excuse. XD

Ick! That quality was bad! I can do a bit better, if you want. It will be perfect (right notes and stuff, not sound quality), since it will be with my trusty disclavier...but it will only be as emotional as the original midi.

NO! The hissing in the background actually compliments the piece itself, in my opinion. >_>; It sounds oceanic to me. XD

Ok...it wasn't just the hissing though. It was the fact that I couldn't really hear it...and...other things...but if I recorded it it would still have quite a bit of hissing.

It's always awesome to hear a piece performed by the composer, to see how s/he interprets it. *thumbs up*

*feels scolded* okay. I was just observing the fact that I couldn't hear how he performed/interpereted it.

I wasn't scolding you. I was merely making a general statement to Ureshii ._.

Tomorrow is Oklahoma All-State Choir audition day, and I'm entering as a Tenor II. I made it last year, so I have a good chance of making it again, but I need all the luck I can get! XD Please wish me luck.... ._.

Apparenly, my friend found another composer, so I'm not doing the Suite anymore! *whispers "YES" under breath* ^^;

Good Luck!!! I want to be in Utah All-State Choir, which was directed by the director of my dad's choir this year, Craig Jessop...

just for the record, I made it to the second round of Auditions for All-State Choir! WHOO! ^___^ The judge gave me a 9/10 for Excellent Tone and Intonation, and if I didn't mess up on the last audition song... CURSE YOU, "LAMENTATIONS OF JEREMIAH!"

Congrats!

Hmm, she better be paying you damn well for 21 movements about an egg, haha o.0

Lol, just what I was going to say.

you´re quite skilled for your age...
im almost impressed (im not being sarcastic), its just that somethings missing i just cant put my finger on it. Its a good song though and you are among the better composers here.
keep the music flowing dude.^_^

Hey guys! I made it into All-State choir 2 years in a row! WHOO! *dances crazily*

I hate to say it, but I won't be doing that lovely suite anymore! *whispers "YES" under breath* My friend found another composer for the job that has a more "Classical" style. She complained because I was being a little too minimalistic. XD; Oh well...

However, I didn't come empty handed! :D It's not a new composition, but an arrangement of one of my older works... For a Full Orchestra! O_O This is not my first attempt at orchestration, but this is the first time that I've actually gotten good results. I'm ecstatic that this randomly-conceived project turned out better than I expected, but let's see what you guys think! Note that it's incomplete though. ^^; Also note that in the silences of the second theme, that's supposed to be a piccolo-- not shrill strings. X_X I couldn't figure out a way to fix it, so it'll stay like that for now.

Anyway... It's what you guys know as "Imperial Medley," but I recently changed the title to "Rhapsody III: 'Imperial'."

It's very well orchestrated, especially for a MIDI! I'm not sure why you were so desperate...but Congrats on making to All-State Choir. The brass at the beginning aren't so flattering to the chords that you created, but besides that I personally don't see any problems. That symbol sounds funny though.XD

It's supposed to be a Chinese gong, but there's no midi for that particular instrument apparently.

It's good!

That's all you get.

Hate to be cliché by quoting a song, but he took the words right out of my mouth. XD; It is indeed supposed to be a gong, but MIDI's rendition of a gong sounds more like a wimpy cymbal than anything. >_< If it were a Chinese gong sound, however, it would sound much better (at least in my little head). ^^;

Sounds preety good at the moment, it is a rhapsody. very sectional

Yeah... I had a feeling that you would like it, Maestro~. It is very... Classical. ^^; Do keep it mind that it sort of strays from that Classical tone into something more diatonic. That's going to be interesting to orchestrate.

I'm going to come back and give a sort of planner for how the composition is going to work, but I'm at school now. ^^; Bai!

It's actually a Chinese cymbal rather than a gong, which doesn't really exist in general MIDI.

Nice work on the piece - I'm glad to see someone on this site that is putting a good amount of effort into dynamics and all (by the way, if you want a more smooth volume change, use the expression controller instead of the volume controller). The orchestration style and harmony reminds me a lot of video game-styled orchestral music, particularly the more light-hearted ones. Keep it up and I'm sure the piece'll turn out nicely :).

True, it does have a kind of "drift" away from the classical sound a bit. Some of the ideas that I'm working into etudes, aren't sounding exactly like classical tunes. Hard to find melodies since to many are already taken by so many people, so many years ago... :heh:

Whoo! Post #100! :D

I just had to do that. >_>;

LoL! XD

Anyways, I loved your song, except for that reverse cymbal at the beginning. Good job! ^.^

Yes, if you have worked on it since then, I'd love to hear whatever you did to it. Thanks

Wow, your compositions are awesome :D
especially Pursuit of Happiness :D

by the way, can you post that one in PDF format as the MUS didn't work
thanks :D

EDIT: I just read the post where you posted the MUS file again. Well I do have a PFD printer, but I have the demo of Finale 2006, so I can only make the first page a PDF. :(
If you pm me your email/msn I will send the PDF printer to you, so you can do it yourself too :D

OK... I went ahead and made a catalogue of works at the beginning of the thread for your and my convenience. It just makes navigating my thread a lot easier for newcomers-- plus, it looks professional. XD;


Yes, if you have worked on it since then, I'd love to hear whatever you did to it. Thanks

I have been working on it, but I've come up to a problem. There's one section that I feel MUST have pizzicato strings, but I don't know how to write it into the score and have it recognize it without adding new visible staves. Can someone please tell me how to do that? If it helps, I use the full version of FINALE 2006.

Thanks in Advance. ^_^

EDIT ~ Well... I WANTED to get a little further, but I'll go ahead and give you guys this piece of the puzzle. I'm very eager to read your responses.

Hey guys! Thanks to the excellent program that PFK found, I can actually make PDFs now! ^_^ So... I'm going to make copies of Pursuit of Happiness and Rhapsody III: Imperial (For Piano) right now.

EDIT ~ ...Oops. Sorry for the double post. ^^; I didn't even realize. O_O

Hey guys! Thanks to the excellent program that PFK found, I can actually make PDFs now! ^_^ So... I'm going to make copies of Pursuit of Happiness and Rhapsody III: Imperial (For Piano) right now.

EDIT ~ ...Oops. Sorry for the double post. ^^; I didn't even realize. O_O


They aren't full quality PDFs though, as you need another file to install, but I'm glad you got the PDFs of it :D
and btw, not a program I found, it's a program my dad made. :P

I liked what you started/have done to the rhapsody. it sounds good. i like the little jig with the violins and bells around :40 or so. keep working with it (if you are!:P )

Once again, I disagree with the reverse cymbal at the beginning. But otherwise, you rock! ^.^

BTW, how far have you gotten so far in Reflections with that song?

As of now, Pursuit of Happiness is going through state counsel. I passed through the school and district divisions in a unanimous 1st place, so I have a good chance this year.... I haven't done this well since 7th grade (I got 1st in school, 2nd in district, and 4th in state).

For now, I am officially postponing my work on Rhapsody III: "Imperial," If There Exists Any Agony, and the others. Why? I'm going to bring back my wonderful *coughs* arrangement of Carol of the Bells from last year: sheet music and all. I'll have it done by the end of the week; it's a rather short and simple song to notate.

I will get straight back to the others once I'm done, so there! ^^;

Heh... I finished a lot faster than expected. ^^;

UKRAINIAN BELL CAROL ~ Originally by Mykola Leontovich, Arranged for Piano by Moi.

I now have a presentable copy of the sheet music and an accurate MIDI, meaning that I actually took the time to add in pedal effects. Both the PDF and MIDI are attached below, and I'll get right to updating the catalogue. ^_^

-Variations on "Ukranian Bell Charol"

Wow!! This was very well variated! I love your little modern meodies and rythum patters. They surprized me that you were good again! Hah! :P

I liked the part from around 1:55 to 2:50 or so. I kind of noticed (thought) that you changed the key signature. I like the little (as I like to call it) the "delayed waltz" that you made in it. It was my favorite part.

Grrreeeaattt job !

Yeah... A LOT of people liked it when I put it my composition thread last year, but I didn't think that you would like it. I know that modern composition isn't your cup of tea, so you surprised me. O_O; Basically my general style with some exaggerated Jazz influences.

Well, I get my "modern" taste of stuff in our Jazz band. It isn't like you'd think of Jazz. It's kind of like BeBop/Big Band/Cuban Type of Jazz in our band. I play electric Piano, and bass (on the piano)

I like my teachers compositions !

Good stuff - some of your works (particularly the piano ones) remind me of music from a friend of mines, probably because both of you are rather heavily influenced by the some of the same things (impressionism, video game music, and jazz). That's a good thing, cause he is one of (if not THE) my favorite "amateur" composers (to be honest, I think of him higher than most of the rather uninspired video game and film composers of today :rolleyes: ). EDIT: Semi-shameless plug - his music is hosted here (http://www.soundclick.com/bands/pageartist.cfm?bandID=141747).

Anyways, I quite liked the arrangment you've done of the Carol theme. It's done in a rather nicely balanced manner - neither being too derivative of the original, nor "too interpretive" to the point of making it barely recognizable (something that I usually find myself doing in arrangments :(). The development and just overal flow of the piece is very smooth, and the overal sequencing is pretty nice too. There really isn't anything I can suggest as improvement outside of personal tastes; awesome job ;) .

Thanks for the comments, guys! ^__^

I wish I could work on Rhapsody III right now, but I don't know to write in pizzicato and have FINALE recognize it.

Yay, the score is here, I've waited a year for it =D

I'm learning the Pursuit of Happiness, it's awesome!

Wow! Your new piece is BEATIFUL!

OK. I have another addition to "Rhapsody III" prepared for you guys; I feel like I've been going on too long without a critique, so please appease my desires.

Bah! I find no faults in it, try as I might. The subtle whispers from the piano come in perfectly at their respective moments, the winds and brass evoke the necessary period, and the strings add a soft, playful flavor that is aided by the youthful Celesta. For your first effort in orchestration, you prove yourself to be quite capable of harnessing its power. Each part is chosen wisely. I commend you on a job, thus far, quite well done.

Hmm... I like that you made a little "ending-part" twoards the end of the piece (DoH!). I like this version very much..

I just think, the most instrument being ignored is the piano; you always make it what you want, any of my suggestions are just my suggestions. So don't take them like, "Omfg, noob, do dis'." or whatever.

Your post makes minimal sense to me, Maestro~, but I'll try to respond anyway. And, Pyramus, Thank you for that gorgeous piece of prose! I sense your IQ increasing~

It was actually my goal to take away from the piano. I even considered completely leaving it out of the piece, but I found that its crisp bass notes were far too valuable. Rest assured, the piano does get a *small* solo somewhere down the line. Also, the ending will be slightly changed so that it sounds even more finished.


you always make it what you want

Isn't that the way it should always be? Heaven forbid I make something that I detest. O_O;

Rhapsody III Orchestrated [Still Incomplete]
What a great song! I can't wait to here the full version. A job well done, so far.

Many modern orchestras/peices use pianos as instruments in a very similar fashion; unless it's a piano concerto, it, obviously, shouldn't be the focus, but only exist to aid the orchestration. Towards this end, Gaki's on the right path.

yea, that's true Py. When the Milwaukee Symphony was playing on PBS in January 'o5, they were playing music from West Side Story. I saw a little part of piano in there... So yea, that's true too..

Nice work in your orchestration! The piece was already very good as a piano solo, but now it's got a whole new character to it. Your choice of instruments is well thought out, and I like how you contrasted certain parts, e.g. strings with the celesta following right after. But to me, sometimes those sections seem more like solos. What I mean is, you've got a full orchestra at your disposal, but during those 'solos' it doesn't feel as whole and complete. So if I could make a suggestion: let's say you have that string melody and then the celesta melody. When the celesta comes in, it sounds like the strings have completely gone away, but why not keep them in the background? Give them a counterpart or something. It'll complement the celesta and keep your sound full. Of course this is just my opinion, nothing more, nothing less =P

Yea, I can agree with that statement made by Al. It would make it richer.

Somehow this song reminded me of a Tim Burton movie. I really like it's orchestration. One comment: I think that certain times when you repeat phrases more than once, it makes the listener momentarily loose interest. Perhaps you should add something to the different repeats to add interest.

To Al and Maestro~:

I personally disagree with this suggestion because this is, after all, a light-hearted piece. In order to convey this more accurately, I feel that the piece should feel sectional at all times.... Now that I'm thinking a little more about it, I've noticed that the orchestration in many of the places is rather full. Take the D major section where the strings and Celesta have a call-and-response as an example. Every single instrument is used in this section except for the cymbal. Another good example would be the entrance to D minor. Though not very many instruments are used here (Only the Brass, Timpani, Cymbal, Strings, and Piano), it still gives a very rich, devious sound.
I do thank you both for your comments though! ^_^

To deathraider:

I see exactly what you mean. The more times I listen to it myself, I find that, though the instrumentation is appropriate, it really could be better on the repeats. I'll consider adding something to those sections later, but I'm rather focused on finishing a first draft at the moment.

I've said this a million times; I don't like the reverse cymbal at the beginning.

But that's the only thing I find wrong. Everything else is wonderful. Also, like Deathraider said, it sounds Danny Elfman-ish. ^_^

EDIT: Oops! I wrote Tim Burton-ish! *fixes*

Uhh... Tim Burton's not a musician. ^^; It'd be much more accurate to say that it's Danny Elfman-ish because he composes exclusively for Tim Burton, and he just-so-happens to be one of my major musical influences. "The Nightmare Before Christmas" was part of my inspiration on "Pursuit of Happiness", and that definitely shows in the ending. >>;

Oh, duh. I knew that, and I forgot the people ALWAYS say that your style is similar to Danny Elfman's *slaps self*. Anyways, I didn't really see that until now, for some reason. Just for the record, though, I said it reminded me of a Tim Burton movie, not of Tim Burton's composing style.

I <3 Danny Elfman. I'd do him.... >>;

WHAT?!

You heard me, dear. It may even have some weird, magical effect on me. XD;

Uhhmm.. Yea... I'm just gonna erase that memory from my mind. >.< !

Good Maestro~... If you have nothing nice to say, don't say anything at all. XD; *kidding*

Okay, let's talk less about your "alternative lifestyle" (lol, that was coined by my ninth grade teacher) and more about music, si vous plait.

I'm making an opera now. XD

OMG, an opera? How exciting! =D I've always wanted to write one, so good luck with this! By the way, are you doing the libretto yourself as well?

Yep! Just like Jonathan Larson (the GENIUS behind RENT), I'm doing the Book, Lyrics, and Music. ^^;

An Opera? K.

Yesterday was the Reflections Award Ceremony-- where I received the 1st Place trophy for my piano solo "Pursuit of Happiness." They also gave us the theme for next year's Reflections: "My Favorite Place." I was quickly inspired by the idea and went straight to my computer to notate the first few measures of the following vocal solo, "The Land That I Adore;" the land referred to is England, where I spent most of the happiest times of my life. The lyrics are written by me and are as follows:

Here's to the land that I adore:
A field of fragrance awaft forevermore
Where the winds meander thru the valleys
And the raindrops plentifully pour.

In the silence of the night,
With its crystal stars bedight,
I often think about those days of yore--
When I lived upon the land that I adore.


I have another unfinished work to show by the name of "Musica Mundi," or "The Music of The World" in English; I have a lot of fun working on this because it allows to me to experiment with stranger chords and, dare I say, risqué meters (such as 5/4 and 7/4). It has always been a dream of mine to compose a choral piece with Latin text because I find the language to be beautiful, and, thanks to my enthusiasm for the subject in school, that dream is finally becoming a reality. The lyrics were first written in Latin by me and translated into English by my Latin teacher; they are as follows:

Audite musicae mundi, omnes.
Listen to the music of the world, everyone.
Si est dolor, purga gaudio carminis.
If there is any sorrow, cleanse it with the joy of song.
Saltate musicae mundi, omnes.
Dance to the music of the world, everyone.
Si est dolor, absalta gaudio carminis.
If there is any pain, dance it away with the joy of song.
Musica semper intra corda nostra vivet.
Music shall always live within our hearts.

The incomplete MIDIs to both songs lay below. Do note that I have no idea on what to use as an introduction for "Musica Mundi," so I just added in a four-measure filler of sorts.

Oh, quite interesting so far =) I'd love to hear you sing that first piece.

Ah, you learned latin too eh? I forgot most of what I learned, haha. Anyways, the second piece is so upbeat I'd never expect to hear that kind of music set to that kind of text. Innovative!

Yeah... I'm making "The Land That I Adore" sound like it was blatantly stolen from Rachmaninoff's repertoire; as for "Musica Mundi," I felt like giving the public an accurate display of just how musically eccentric I am. XD I feel that both are coming along nicely.

COMMENT! ><;

Apologies for the double post, but I need people to notice my thread. >>;

I like the Lyrical Pieces that you have makde Gaki.

PS - Yea, no one likes to go in my new section.

Well, not your best work - but the first one (The Land I adore) would fit in well in a more orchestral suit. You could go with the piano like you did, and enter the orchestral part with a harp roll or something. I don't know, just something from the top of my head =P

A more orchestral suite, you say? That would be rather intriguing, a concerto for Tenor and Orchestra, but it's going to stay as a simple Tenor solo with piano accompaniment for now; I need to keep it playable-- by playable, I mean by me and me only. I, sadly, do not have a pet orchestra nor a competent synthesizer-- for when it comes time for next year's Reflections! :D I'll keep that thought in the back of my head and come back to this piece when I'm more experienced with orchestration.

As for "Musica Mundi," it only exists for the sake of experimentation with irregular meters. I'm sure that my Choir teacher would be very eager to have it performed (and recorded) whenever it's finished but that's not going to happen in a while. >>;

Anyway... Thanks for the comment. Please keep 'em comin', everyone!

AH! I can't listen to them! It tries to make me download them as html files, and then it tries to make me re-login in a seperate window, and I can't do anything? Is it just me?

Yep... It's just you. :P Did you try right-clicking the attachments and saving them to your computer?

Yeah, I have, and it still tried to save it as an HTML, which didn't help at all! I just found out it didn't only happen on yours, though.

I figured it out.

The Land that I Adore
Hmmm...the piano part is very interesting (cool), I must say. I'm not sure I would say that the mood of the accompaniment matches how I would have interpereted the words, but then again, it doesn't have to. I like it!

Musica Mundi
Oooo! I love this choral piece! You are so good at making the choral parts interesting, and having them meld. And the piano! Though it sounds very different than the usual style, I like the style of accompaniment you went with and how it blends with the choral parts! I also really like that pause in the piano when for just a minute the vocals are singing alone. I think it was really efficient in making the piece more exciting.

Just checking up on you dood, how's the opera going? Tell me if you want help with anything.

Hey! I like these songs! :)

Damn, this is incredible stuff.

Damn, this is incredible stuff.
Amen to that. Late yes but I really enjoyed Pursuit of Happiness. The way it developed was awesome.

Ah... Such lovely, soothing comments. :D *shot*

Musica Mundi
Oooo! I love this choral piece! You are so good at making the choral parts interesting, and having them meld. And the piano! Though it sounds very different than the usual style, I like the style of accompaniment you went with and how it blends with the choral parts! I also really like that pause in the piano when for just a minute the vocals are singing alone. I think it was really efficient in making the piece more exciting.
After being in choir for several years, I've become acquainted with the general structure of choral pieces; it was definitely helpful. I can't wait to get "If There Exists Any Agony" up, as it has some pretty exotic chord progressions (Gm, GmM7, F#M7, F#m6, Gm, D, Eb, Bm7, Em9 is the progression of the chorus, if you want a bit of a preview). 8D

Just checking up on you dood, how's the opera going? Tell me if you want help with anything.
It actually is progressing relatively well. I'm mainly concentrating on the music itself right now, but I'll soon take the story I have in my head, make like Tim Rice, and finish this lovely little opera of mine. My original idea was to share the storyline with you guys, but I'm going to keep it private for now-- until it gets performed on Broadway. XD

...There's some wishful thinkin' for ya.

Indeed, those are some original chord progressions! I find that when you reduce them to chords, they don't sound as good as when placed into context with the rest of the music and melody.

For some reason, "The Land that I Adore" sounds really American to me. Not that that in itself is a bad thing, but it sounds strange if you want to write a tribute to Britain.

Just curious, but have you hear of Eric Whitacre's (did I spell that completely wrong, someone?) techno opera? It looks...intriguing, actually.

Enough talk! Post more new pieces!! :P

Enough talk! Post more new pieces!! :P
Magnificence takes time to create ;)

Indeed it does. ~_~

I am working hard on a Piano/Oboe duet right now... I'll get back to my lyrical pieces when I can figure out a good piano part. ^^;

Not if you're Mozart.

Due to being plagiarized recently by Darksage, I am no longer posting sheet music directly onto my thread. Instead, you must send a PM after checking to see if sheet music is available-- you can check on the catalogue on my first post-- to me requesting it; I will then decide whether you are trustworthy enough to handle my pieces.

Too bad...

Due to being plagiarized recently by Darksage, I am no longer posting sheet music directly onto my thread. Instead, you must send a PM after checking to see if sheet music is available-- you can check on the catalogue on my first post-- to me requesting it; I will then decide whether you are trustworthy enough to handle my pieces.
What happened with Darksage? oO
I've missed something in my time of absence? :O

[Currently Untitled] ~ This is a very melodically driven piece with what will be a pleasant instrumentation. I may give out a piano sample soon, but do know that this song is intended for a small orchestra. I want this song to go with the other two songs about roses, Waltz for the Ardent Thorn and A Stately Rose, so I would greatly appreciate assistance with the title. X_X

Spider Silk ~ This one is going to be a little weird, and I can already tell you that the MIDI is not going to do it ANY justice. It's a largely atonal piece based on open fifths that utilizes the percussive qualities of consonants (like the "S" and "K" in "silk") in unique ways. If I can ever get this performed by my choir, I will have it recorded just so you can hear how it's really supposed to sound. "Eyes sewn shut by spider silk, locked in dreams from yesterday." No MIDI yet.

Beneath a Strawberry Moon ~ This is actually a nice melody that I had floating around in my cranium for quite some time, but I never found a way to give it life until the "Chronicles of Ichigos" came along. The "Twilight" song idea fit mysteriously well with melody, so I started doing stuff along those lines on the piano, and voilà! Instant composition!

Waltz for the Ardent Thorn ~ This is my second waltz idea, but it's completely different from the first. Since this piece is meant to symbolize the thorns of a rose, it is going to (hopefully) feature a strong melody with a dissonant harmony. A MIDI of this song will come as soon as I can find the motivation to put it into FINALE.

A Stately Rose ~ This piece was conceived just two days ago while I was flipping burgers at McDonald's... and yes, I'm serious. It's a really nice melody and almost has a bit of a tango feel about it. I will post a MIDI of this song once I actually write at least a fraction of the harpsichord part. XD

Morningstar Waltz ~ This particular piece is not only my first waltz, but it's also my first piece for a full string quartet. I had pretty much everything that's in the MIDI done for about 2 years now, and I just now decided to bring it back. I hope you enjoy it, even though it's still incomplete. X_X And please excuse the lack of dynamics in the MIDI; this piece is so old that it's still an NWC file. ^^;

Étude for Marina Isabella ~ My friend Mary once asked me to make her an Oboe solo for the Band Solo & Ensemble Contest, so this is what I did for her so far. =P As for the name, that's her secret Latin name--don't tell anyone. >>;

Definitely finish those songs! And I like the name for that waltz, so personal eh? =P

Definitely finish those songs! And I like the name for that waltz, so personal eh? =P

Meh... When I first conceived the piece two years ago it was intended for my brother's wedding, thus our surname. However, I locked the piece away because the woman he was supposed to marry broke up with him after he joined the Air Force... yeah. >>;

Anyway, to all fans of my recent creation Beneath a Strawberry Moon, I decided to take the piece into a slightly more... atmospheric realm. Because of this new, darker tone, it may undergo a name change soon (though I like the current title very much). I will have an updated MIDI tomorrow, so stay tuned! =D I may also include a small portion of A Stately Rose, maybe even a piano reduction of the currently untitled work (if you're nice to me), so that gives you even more incentive to come and visit! (O_O)-b

Whoo! Here we have a new installment of Beneath a Strawberry Moon. New things you'll hear include a new introduction, the entrance of the flute, and a section where the cello and flute trade off with each other. I understand that the "ending" isn't very good, but I had to make a good stopping point. =P

And beneath it is the first installment of A Stately Rose. It's very Baroque in orchestration, which explains the title to an extent, but it doesn't really sound Baroque... I dunno. :P I hope you all like it!

I shouldn't even have to explain the amazingness of your compositions Gaki-chan~ you're an amazing composer. I can't really judge the sound or anything like that because it's all good to me :3 that and I'm not really a composer or theorist or anything.

You should keep going forever and ever and ever~~~ Because it's an amazing thing. I'll see you as an amazing composer someday surely, at least I know you, hehe. n.n

The Stately Rose one seems like the chords are just a tad little mashed, but not the end of the world.
Like the melody.

The sounding and musicality of the two songs are great, but some orchestration/instrumentation stuff to point out are that in 'Stately Rose' I heard a part where there was 'pedalling' for the harpsichord. From what I have researched/heard so far, I don't think the harpsichord can sustain pitches... so yeah... And the other problem occurs with the 'Beneath the Strawberry Moon' song. The problem is that the flute was playing glissandi that are above a major 2nd, which means that those glissandi/portamenti are impossible to play. Although there are problems, it was musically great, keep at it~! ;)

I shouldn't even have to explain the amazingness of your compositions Gaki-chan~ you're an amazing composer. I can't really judge the sound or anything like that because it's all good to me :3 that and I'm not really a composer or theorist or anything.

You should keep going forever and ever and ever~~~ Because it's an amazing thing. I'll see you as an amazing composer someday surely, at least I know you, hehe. n.n
Umm... Thanks for the compliments, but I would really appreciate a bit of critique next time. It doesn't take a musically-oriented mind to be music critic. :X


The Stately Rose one seems like the chords are just a tad little mashed, but not the end of the world. Like the melody.
I figured you would like the melody, but what exactly do you mean by mashed chords? ._. I was trying to keep the quartet section closely packed together, if that's what you're talking about. At first, I was going to leave the quartet alone and without accompaniment except during phrase changes, but it sounded a little too empty without the harpsichord. It'll get better... just wait for the pizzicato strings to come in. *gets excited*


The sounding and musicality of the two songs are great, but some orchestration/instrumentation stuff to point out are that in 'Stately Rose' I heard a part where there was 'pedalling' for the harpsichord. From what I have researched/heard so far, I don't think the harpsichord can sustain pitches... so yeah... And the other problem occurs with the 'Beneath the Strawberry Moon' song. The problem is that the flute was playing glissandi that are above a major 2nd, which means that those glissandi/portamenti are impossible to play. Although there are problems, it was musically great, keep at it~!
I was actually going to ask about the flute portamenti and if they're possible because I didn't know for sure, so thanks! As for pedaling on the harpsichord, when I went to the second round auditions for All-State Choir, I saw a modern model of a harpsichord that had something that looked like a sustain pedal, so I don't know. :| I hope I get to keep it, because the small whole-tone passage sounds stupid without the pedal to meld everything together.

Anyway, thank you for the comments!

Okay... I did say somewhere down the line that I was going to release a piano reduction of my currently untitled piece, so here you go! :P Just like everything else, it's incomplete, but I personally feel that it's my strongest piece thus far--better than Pursuit of Happiness. O_O But anyway, I'm interested in your opinions, not mine.

I'd also appreciate suggestions for a title. :X As long as it has SOMETHING to do with a rose, it'll be fine. XD

Thornless Rose?

Umm... Thornless Rose wins. O_O It's subtle yet unbelievably poetic.

Now all I need is some good old' critiques. =D

Actually, this one's just kind of boring to me. I don't think it's better than Pursuit of Happiness. You can probably make it better by the end, but what you had so far was kind of unusually unexciting for you.

Well, we also need to remember that the arrangement I gave you is not my original vision. :P

Still, could you tell me exactly why the piano reduction is a little boring? ._. It's bothering me like crazy... Is it because I did too much at once? Did I focus too much on the melody and not enough on the accompaniment? Is it because I've been putting out a lot of slower songs lately, and the psychological effect of hearing slow tempi from me is taking a toll on you? *tried to make self feel better with last question*

It all sounds good, but it sounds like an accomp. for a voice.

Other than that, it seemed to please me throughout the whole thing, I really have nothing for you to work on, other than [if your not having the voice/alt. instrument do the melody] make the melody pup out more? I know you have one there, but it sounds more like an 'Accomp. Melody'

Nice job so far.

Yes, I think you need to focus on accompaniment to the melody more. I don't have a problem with the melody, really. The accompaniment just sounds exactly like what Maestro said: a generic vocal accompaniment.

Okay... That makes a lot more sense, thank you! I hate to use it as an excuse, but the main reason why the melody isn't really pushing forward is in the orchestration. As a piano reduction, I can only do as much as (my) two hands can allow. :| If I were some psychotic incarnate of Chopin, I probably could fix the problem, but I'm not. Another reason could be that I'm heavily basing this song on Japanese musical traditions--not so much traditional Japanese, but modern Japanese music (a la Nobuo Uematsu). Maybe that will help a little with understanding the directions I'm taking this piece to.

Anyway, I will put out an orchestration in a couple weeks, hopefully. I recently purchased a book on orchestration so I can familiarize myself with the medium and perhaps improve. :D

More comments are always welcome!

Very well.

The song's quite relaxing, really. It's really not the style I like at all, but it's well done nonetheless. I think I heard some dissonance in the very beginning that I didn't much care for. But of course, it is a midi and that might not even be noticable on an actual piano. I suppose I agree with the above comments about vocal accompaniment in the sense that it very well could be. I personally don't think it sounds totally like it is, though.

Good work, sir.

@_@ I like the 'currently untitled'. It's very relaxing and I love the melody. Even I think those sudden pauses should be filled in with something ^^

Can you send me the sheets when it's done by the way?@_@

Lucretia was a beautiful girl who, according to Roman history, was raped by Tarquin the Proud, son of Tarquinius Superbus, the last king of the Romans. No longer able to live knowing that her first spill of virgin blood was against her will, she killed herself. This apparently created controversy within the monarchy and arguably led to the fall of the monarchy and the beginning of the republic.

Anyway, this is her theme that I composed in six days. XD I hope you all enjoy it.

I liked it :) The introduciton was simple yet effective. The accompaniment is pretty rough for this kind of song (might have something to with the midi sound), but the melody was nice throughout. The chord progressions were quite innovative and gave the song a nice colour. I liked the Coda very much, but wasn't so impressed by the very ending.

This needs to be properly performed/recorded!

J'aime bien.

I agree with Noir. Great job on this piece! It's very beautiful. ^_^

I liked your progression, but I didn't quite like the opening fluorish, I felt something was left out, although it was merely acceptable for my ears. I also thought that a more colourful underlying accompaniment would be nice, but it works the way you did it, I just felt that more can be added to it. Nice job. ;)

hi, i have been searching for "Mykola Leontovich's Ukrainian Bell Carol" original piano music sheet for the last 2 hours and then i came across your thread. Now im a member lol how ya doing

I think it's safe to say that it's an Ichigoan miracle!