Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Composer's Lounge My first non-piano composition

This is a short piece for string quartet. Don't be afraid to listen, it's very exciting and stays interesting, IMO.

If you can open Sibelius files and would be interested and seeing that (so that if you have a keyboard you can play it back with a better sound than MIDI) PM me.

Here's the MIDI: http://www.box.net/shared/0wyfzzyo8k

Hi Age..

You can create an account at http://www.box.net/
then attach your file for sharing. I did this with a MIDI file for the first time earlier this week, but it sounded "tinny".

I am about to learn how to record from my digital piano to free online software from site http://audacity.sourceforge.net/about/ , which I am told converts MIDI files to Mp3.

I certainly hope this helps. I am sure there are many other ways to accomplish your posting -perhaps other members will share. I'd love to hear your composition!

Good luck!

Teri

Okay, thanks. That was easy.

http://www.box.net/shared/0wyfzzyo8k

It sounds very busy to me. It sounds like you've spent a lot of time composing each separate part so that there's lots of motion, but where is it going? No climax, just movement. Like I'm running on a treadmill from an imaginary being. Lots of things happen in the plot, but there's no story to feel any emotional attachment. (But it is a MIDI recording, which is rarely ever emotionally captivating.)

HOWEVER, it's very cool in the sense that I could see it in a retro video game. Definitely a boss-level course.

There's my two cents. I don't mean to sound arrogant, I just want to give you my honest opinion. Constructive criticism, you know.

It's a bit too typical Sibelius point and click music.

It lacked any form of thematic development and the harmony was rudimentary and rather diatonic.

If you want to be a good composer, it's not about creating what you think is exciting, it's about well structured form and design. Something that develops, ebbs and flows and contains a variety of harmony to pull the listener into an emotional response.

As a side note, Sibelius and other notational packages have made anybody become a composer, or should I say give the illusion that you are a composer. Sibelius is one of the worst software packages available and those who think it's great are either 1) being paid to say it's great 2) aren't very talented composers or 3) are lazy and think that writing by hand takes too long.

If you want my honest opinion, dump the software packages, get loads of manuscript and 2B pencils and hone in your perfect pitch skills and let your brain (not your fingers/mouse) do the composing... I think someone could write a very good PhD thesis on the 'psychology of composing classical music using a software package' like Sibelius.

I'm sorry, I lack attention to give constructive criticism. The internet is littered with post of 'oooo listen to my great piece I composed on Sibelius in 5 minutes!!". I worked hard to develop my composing skills and I'll be buggered if I'm letting people off by cheating their way through. You have to earn respect not instantly want it.

gemiknight: Yes, it is too busy. For some reason, I made a lot of effort -effort which I now understand was unnecessary, if not wasted- into making every voice have something to play all the time. An old-school composition professor who is what I would call my mentor pointed this out to me. I have been working on putting some rests in, but now I don't know. Devillish's post was quite discouraging. Maybe I'll start fresh, maybe even give it a go without software.


Devillish Publishing: Maybe you're just jealous? Just kidding. Take it easy, though.

This is the only time I've composed a piece with software. For all my previous pieces, I've composed at the piano and then used the software for notating it. Keep in mind, I'm only 17 and most of my theory is self-taught. You're right that I need to work on my relative, if not perfect pitch. I have experimented with composing without an instrument or software, but never anything for more than two voices.

"It lacked any form of thematic development and the harmony was rudimentary and rather diatonic."

Yes, it lacked thematic development, but wasn't void of it. But your idea that the harmony was rudimentary and diatonic I disagree with completely. The beginning, for one, is atonal. The harmony, which, I'm surprised your trained ear didn't notice, is heavily quartal, as well as the melody. As for the more melodic, Dorian part, I directly modulate down a step in two instances. I used no modulation guide for this. Then, the middle section is again quartal.

"If you want to be a good composer, it's not about creating what you think is exciting[.]"

If that were true, I'd end my composing career before it ever started.

"As a side note, Sibelius and other notational packages have made anybody become a composer[.]"

To some extent, true, but what if someone used a notational package to compose (I know there's no such thing) the most beautiful piece ever? Would that ruin it?

"The internet is littered with post of 'oooo listen to my great piece I composed on Sibelius in 5 minutes!!'."

I'm glad you appreciate my work. You seem to adjust well to developments in useful, harmless technology. Besides, more like 5 or more hours.

" You have to earn respect not instantly want it."

Maybe I'll have yours once my wrist recovers and I record and post one of my piano compositions. Keep in mind, this will not be a software-aided composition.

EDIT: I might add that last year was my second year in a row to win a state-wide senior high composition contest.

Oh, I just remembered I already recorded it. There are a few mistakes, but it will be better than waiting. I'll have it up tomorrow, if all goes well.

A-of-A, I liked it!

So it was a bit same-y in texture, but I could see the possibilities for it being part of a SQ movement, with maybe a central section of contrasting movement or texture. It made me want to go away and write a central section, actually . Or maybe if you're thinking of keeping it short, you could write a few more of similar length, to make a little suite of contrasting SQ movements.

There are so many things you can do with the SQ medium - it's no wonder composers have gravitated towards it for so long. You may want to study some for more ideas.

I'll be interested to hear more of your music. And I think it's a good idea if you've mainly composed at the piano to try another method. If you're writing for SQ then you still have to use your imagination, whether you're doing it at the piano, at the computer, or at your desk. Good luck!

I have to say I agree with Devilish...