I'm working on composing an Introduction, Andantino, and Allegro for flute and harp with a string quartet. I finished the Introduction recently, and I'm in the midst of working on the Andantino. Any constructive criticism or comments would be helpful, just keep in mind that I'm fairly new to composing. When I'm done with the other movements, I'll post them. Thank you in advance to anyone who takes the time to listen and comment. ^_^

Interesting arrangement. Flute, harp with string quartet, tts something new to me. First look i thought it will be a classical piece but it is a contemporary, and having movements to it. Lol, pretty strange to me, however i'm looking forward to the rest of the movements. It sounds pretty fine to me, as a contemporary.

Yay! You've finally posted something. ^.^

Its really quite good for an early composition, but I would say to tone down the backgrounds so you can hear the melodic parts--it's a lot of 'one' layer music. Add those dynamics and reput it up, I'd like to hear it like that.

Good job, and good luck, wifey. ^_^

Thank you Hubby and Rovski for listening and commenting.


Yay! You've finally posted something. ^.^

Its really quite good for an early composition, but I would say to tone down the backgrounds so you can hear the melodic parts--it's a lot of 'one' layer music. Add those dynamics and reput it up, I'd like to hear it like that.

Good job, and good luck, wifey. ^_^

Yes, I agree with you. The layers are there, but they do tend to blend together. I need to configure a lot of things, especially the dynamics since a lot of the harmonizing melodies aren't coming out. But it's still a work in progress. The Andantino is coming along and I'll post it soon.


Interesting arrangement. Flute, harp with string quartet, tts something new to me. First look i thought it will be a classical piece but it is a contemporary, and having movements to it. Lol, pretty strange to me, however i'm looking forward to the rest of the movements. It sounds pretty fine to me, as a contemporary.

Really? I didn't think it was that out of the ordinary. Thank you for the comments.

At the beginning I assumed it would have continued into a repetitive state, but the parts added after the beginning really shaped the whole song through, especially how "moving" the strings are. Only suggestion I would dot would be low-to-high dynamic shift into the song. It's a really beautiful piece and I feel somewhere in there it needs thhat very soft, gentle part, then shift its way up to a high volume, mezzoforte/forte-ish. Beautiful piece. Don't let anyone fool you with nonesense :]

@ Shizu- Thank you very much for the kind comments. I really appreciate it. And I have duly noted what you said about the dynamic shift.

Anyway, I just finished up the second movement. Please, any comments or constructive criticisms are welcome and appreciated. I really want to improve, and I am open to changing and reconfiguring my piece. Thanks guys!

I'm sorry, but I don't have anything to say about this one. It's simply perfectious in the way that it has been crafted. I think you've simply got it, and that later on you will add more and more life to these themes; not that they don't, but strings are basically a big group of violins playing (with Cello ofcourse), that creates a more "live" sound, and i'm assuming this is pure midi, and that when you have the oppertunity to use better samples, like an OPUS 1 Assembly you will be able to make really amazing pieces. I mean hey, i'm already amazed with what you can do with Midi!

Yay! You finally posted your compositions.

You have a very distinct, lush and somewhat pop-influenced style. I guess that's the first comment I have for you. But on the technical side, I felt that in your second movement, the flute felt 'overwhelmed' (not overwhelming, but rather, overwhelmed by the strings). Your use of strings are fine, but watch out for orchestrating all the parts too closely (cos it will sound clustered and eventually turn into a mush of sounds). But my biggest, biggest concern about this movement is the use of the harp. The harp was used in a... more or less cliche way. So yeah, don't just expose the harp as a 'tinkly' background instrument. Also, don't forget that the harp can be overpowered by your ensemble easily.

I have to agree with Sir Dotdotdot. It seems that the strings are doing the main melody in this one. Flute and the harp sounds like accompaniments in this one. I would prefer the flute and the harp to be more soloistic.

@Shizu- Thank you! You're very kind.

@Sir_Dotdotdot and Rovski- Thank you for your comments. Does it really sound like I have a pop-influenced style? That's kind of funny, because I try to avoid listening to pop music at all costs. I agree with you on the harp. It's playable, but I guess it's pretty uninteresting and not especially idiomatic for the harpist. My piece is still in a rough state, and I'm far from even polishing it yet. I'm going to rework a lot of it, and I might completely start over writing for the harp. As for the flute; Is it odd to give and take which instruments carry the melody between movements? Because in the Allegro movement I'm working on, the flute is much more soloistic and carries the main melody.

Anyway, thank you to all who commented. And anyone who has been lurking and listening, please comment! I'm reworking my piece, and I can use all the constructive criticism I can get. (That is, if I agree with it. ^_^)

because I try to avoid listening to pop music at all costs.

I think Pop music still has alot of classical background stuffed into it, or
it would be sort of contradicting the quote in your signature? ^.^

The Strings have a very "moving" part (also, consider that almost all of the strings are playing), compared to the Flute, which I believe is why the Flute seems overwhelmed (plus there's some other factors).


Is it odd to give and take which instruments carry the melody between movements?

It usually depends. If it were for a concerto, for example, it wouldn't work well.

By overwhelming, I don't imply 'not enough soloistic parts' or whatever. I'm just saying that your flute is playing in the middle of the strings' movement, thus you're literally making the flute 'swimming in an ocean of other timbres'. So basically: make your flute more distinct.

Introduction for Flute and Harp with String Quartet

This piece starts off sounding positive and bouncy to me, and I like the rhythmic arpeggiations that alternate between the string parts. However, it sounds like there are a lot of parallel octaves going on, which is okay, but I'm wondering if you may have left some of the chords sounding a bit empty by not harmonizing the individual string parts a bit more. It sounds to me like the flute is drowning in a pool of noise, and it's hard to pinpoint what's happening with it underneath all of the heavy strings parts.

Also, Did you mean to end on a half cadence (on a G chord since you're in C)? Since it's an introduction, maybe this is meant to be resolved by the start of the next movement, though because of the sudden downward spiral (I'm assuming they're the sixteenth notes) right before the end, it leaves me wanting the piece to continue on, perhaps using a bit more harp this time (since it's almost inaudible here).

Andantino for Flute and Harp with String Quartet

Good chord progression, first off. The modulations are pretty subtle and interesting, and the cello part from about halfway on is especially cool. You end in A minor... why? I'm not challenging your choice, I'm just curious what made you choose to do this. I think this andantino should go on longer, with more use of the harp/flute as soloists, perhaps. It's a good start, that's for sure. :)

GNOMISH?!!! I welcome thou back my friend :) and with you the good criticism returns. Hands down!

Wow, both pieces sound beautiful! Both of your melodies are extremely captivating, and the accompaniment fits very well. I really like the way they flow, as well. The only two negative things I could say are to, first of all, echo what everyone else is saying that I really feel the that the harp and flute should be brought out a lot more, especially in the Andantino. The other thing is that I felt the end of the Andantino was rather sudden and unexpected. But on the whole, I really like your style - keep it up! :lol:

Introduction for Flute and Harp with String Quartet

This piece starts off sounding positive and bouncy to me, and I like the rhythmic arpeggiations that alternate between the string parts. However, it sounds like there are a lot of parallel octaves going on, which is okay, but I'm wondering if you may have left some of the chords sounding a bit empty by not harmonizing the individual string parts a bit more. It sounds to me like the flute is drowning in a pool of noise, and it's hard to pinpoint what's happening with it underneath all of the heavy strings parts.

Also, Did you mean to end on a half cadence (on a G chord since you're in C)? Since it's an introduction, maybe this is meant to be resolved by the start of the next movement, though because of the sudden downward spiral (I'm assuming they're the sixteenth notes) right before the end, it leaves me wanting the piece to continue on, perhaps using a bit more harp this time (since it's almost inaudible here).

Andantino for Flute and Harp with String Quartet

Good chord progression, first off. The modulations are pretty subtle and interesting, and the cello part from about halfway on is especially cool. You end in A minor... why? I'm not challenging your choice, I'm just curious what made you choose to do this. I think this andantino should go on longer, with more use of the harp/flute as soloists, perhaps. It's a good start, that's for sure. :)


Gnomish,

Thank you for your time and comments. I really appreciate them. I did mean to end on the G chord, because the second movement which I haven't finished yet, the Allegro, resolves the Introduction before moving into another key. I do agree with you and the other people who have commented on the harp and flute parts in both movements. I'm still not sure whether I should tone the strings down dynamically in order to let the flute be more audible, or whether the flute part should just be rewritten. Originally what I had in mind was that the flute would play off of the strings and then role-reverse into playing the main melody while the strings harmonize. That sort of theme would continue throughout all three movements. As for the A minor ending, I like the sound of ending in the relative minor, although I don't especially like the way it is now. I'm expanding the Andantino and finishing it with a sort of finale, and it will most likely not end in A minor. Basically, the whole piece is a work in progress, but I decided to post what I had so far in order to get comments and constructive criticism which I could incorporate into my piece to make it better.

Thank you to everyone else who commented! :)

Hi guys! It has been a while since I've posted on ichigo's period, let alone this thread, but I just finished up a composition and was wondering if some of you would take the time to listen and give me some feedback on what you think! Have any of you ever heard music in a dream, like it is a soundtrack to the dream of sorts? That happens to me quite a bit, but it always seems to fade away from my memory before I'm able to write it down. Well, this time, I was able to capture it before I forgot it! Oh, that is me playing on my Yamaha upright, and I layered in the synth afterwards using my mini recording studio system.

Any comments would be greatly appreciated! Thanks! =D

Wow...I wish I could play piano like that haha! How long have you been playing? That was really cool! I like it!!

You dream music? Me to! >.< Fantastic!

I love how you have manipulated the synth over the piano perfectly. FANTASTIC JOB!!!

I also love the high A and E at the end, did you play a D below the A? I'm not sure if I missed something or not hehe. My ears aren't good at 1am with the volume on low haha :P

Thanks so much, Kevin! I've been playing for eleven years. And yeah, I dream music a lot, but this is the first time I have successfully written it down! Hooray! And yes, your ears were actually pretty right on because I did indeed play a D below the A -- very lightly.

Wow....11 years. I hope to be that good haha. I've only been playing since December 07 though. Go my ears haha. Since confirmed, I can say this. YOU USED SOME OF MY FAVORITE HARMONIES!!!! :):):):)

I'm very fond of anything that builds on 1 5 9 :) Also Major 7's :P

Well done again! I added you on MSN. Hope you don't mind!

PS: Do you like jazz?

I remember I took a listen to this piece. At first did not call my attention enough but after a second or third listen I started to get into the piece. The chord progression is what make this piece interesting and I liked the perform of it, it felt very natural. The synth I think is the only that I did not like much, I would have prefer the synth that was layered would server as something else, like a more background effect than following the piano melody behind it.

I remember I took a listen to this piece. At first did not call my attention enough but after a second or third listen I started to get into the piece. The chord progression is what make this piece interesting and I liked the perform of it, it felt very natural. The synth I think is the only that I did not like much, I would have prefer the synth that was layered would server as something else, like a more background effect than following the piano melody behind it.

Thank you for the comments! I see what you're saying about the synth. If it was solely there for background, I think it would change the feel of the piece quite a bit. It wouldn't be bad, but just a lot different. I readily admit that the synth is a little bit cheesy/dramatic, but in a way that's kind of the effect I was going for. ^.^


Wow....11 years. I hope to be that good haha. I've only been playing since December 07 though. Go my ears haha. Since confirmed, I can say this. YOU USED SOME OF MY FAVORITE HARMONIES!!!! :):):):)

I'm very fond of anything that builds on 1 5 9 :) Also Major 7's :P

Well done again! I added you on MSN. Hope you don't mind!

PS: Do you like jazz?

Thanks again! And yes, I do like jazz.

I really think this composition should get a little more attention than what it has. Very nice use of chromaticism and great playing! Though Nyu001's comment with the synth I can see, I think it fits fine how it stands.

Thank you so much, Porsche!

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Beautiful piece, and great use of chromaticism as was aforementioned. ^_^ I saw no reason to complain about the synth. The chord progression flows really nicely. What a sublime dreamlike quality there is to it. I wish I could dream pieces up! Lol. Good work.