Midnight Fanfare

Midnight Fanfare - it's about 3 minutes long. NOTE: In the score, the sextuplets in the timpani parts are just timpani rolls. It's hard to get good roll sounds out of the Virtual Drumline sounds.
Midnight Fanfare

First off, welcome to Young Composers! I really enjoy the percussion here. I like the energy in the beginning parts, and the variety set forth in the flute (solo?). I think there should be a little bit more counter melodic action in this section. I think it ends too suddenly too. It did this several times throughout the piece where it seems like it just ends - but then the fanfare comes back in. I thought this was going to happen again, but it just ended. Nice piece though, it had me tapping my foot. Is there any meaning behind the name?

TheMaskedTrumpeter, on 18 June 2010 - 02:21 PM, said:

Hey thanks. Yeah I'm actually a percussionist and just started composing not too long ago. I'm pretty novice so my song structure and such is very good yet. But thanks for the compliments it means a lot. Haha well when I wrote it it was around midnight and i was desperate for a name haha.

Welcome to young composers! I really like this! You really kept my attention and have alot of potential! I love your cadence sounding percussion and the piccolo? solo was brilliant! Is this your first piece? If so, GREAT job! There are some places where the piece loses focus! Like a 2:10 when the ensemble comes in on their build? I call those "nothing notes" just boring rhythms used to keep the song moving! But this is really nice! You have some great ideas and you can really develop them! Keep on composing! P.S any chance of seeing a score?

MichaelAlex, on 18 June 2010 - 08:26 PM, said:

Thanks Michael. That really means a lot. This is my first REAL piece, everything else I've written are just little piano tunes. Thanks a lot for your advice. Can you elaborate on the "nothing notes" some more. (what they are, how to fix them) Cause I want all the support I can get haha.
I would be more than happy to show you the score, but I really do not know how to make my Sibelius score into a PDF so would you mind helping me?

Man-o-War, on 18 June 2010 - 10:15 PM, said:

Well nothing notes is basically using a bunch of rhythms that don't really add to the song, I prefer to use the opportunity to maybe restate the team through key change or inversion or giving it to another voicing of the ensemble! Also, if you want a PDF score, all you have to do is download PDF Creator, (it's free, don't worry.) Go into sibelius, and print and choose pdf creator as your printer, your score should open up in another window as a PDF! (: I like doing this, it makes me feel professional. Hehe.

MichaelAlex, on 18 June 2010 - 10:21 PM, said:

I actually do know what you are saying. That's a good idea, I'll have to mess around with that haha.
Haha oh that's easy. I'll put it up as soon as possible.

Hey, this was an amazing song! I love hearing percussionist's compose because they actually know how to do great things with percussion and it adds so much more! Referencing above comments, I personally enjoyed the pauses, it added intensity for a moment and made the entrance a lot grander. Although I do agree that I thought there would be more coming at the end, it was too sudden for my taste. Also, I would change up that bell line, by the time it has a solo on the top of all the help notes it has become uninteresting. Otherwise, your piece was amazing and kept me completely interested! Great work!

impresario, on 19 June 2010 - 08:21 AM, said:

Thanks impresario, that means a lot. I totally agree with all of your advice. I was thinking about changing the flute/piccolo part during that section too because it comes quiet repetitive. After hearing everyones advice I'm gunna fiddle with it some more.

I know what you mean about trying to get legitimate sounds out of the percussion section on these midi files. I loved the flute variations, especially on top of the bells--although I thought that needed a little more variation. Your dynamics are great though!