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Very modern sounding, and I can definitely hear the influence of the pentatonic scale. The harmony makes this scale not sound so sing songy. Nice use of key changing, and after the musical phrase I like how you descend down the scale (such as around 0:36 and 0:39).

Hi @Luis Hernández! I personally use different numbers of staves to sketch things out for orchestra depending on how far I am in refining my material, what my needs are or how big the orchestral forces I'm sketching out are going to be. If I'm sketching out for a string orchestra I usually don't need more than 3 staves (treble clef, alto clef and bass clef). If I'm expanding the string orchestra sketch for a bigger orchestra I use 6 - 8 staves: 3 staves for the strings, 2 for winds, 2 for brass, and 1 for percussion. Finally, if the score is really complex I will write things out for a full orchestra partiture upwards of 16 staves. But I rarely use just a 2 stave piano score for an orchestra - for me it's too small. I've heard that John Williams uses 8 staves when he sketches out his film scores. Great topic!

Hi @Bjarke! Is this the piece you messaged me about? I think it is quite melodramatic trying to keep such a high intensity and drama without any relief. I don't personally perceive any "climax" because of the constant high intensity. You could create contrast by varying the tempo/tessitura or the thickness of the chords. Currently the chords are voiced so thick all the time that the thickness comes across as the most salient feature of the music and the sense of melody is lost. Also about the tempo - there are few classical pieces of music that are at this tempo and intensity that still manage to keep a sense of being sublime like classical pieces are usually expected to be. Is there any particular reason you're trying to write this piece at such a high intensity/tempo? It isn't conducive to musicality imo. Because of this the cohesiveness of the melody also seems lost to me - the melody seems arbitrary with random seeming modulations. Most importantly there's no sense of tension and release without any sense of cadence nor harmonic resolution. That's my perception of the piece. Thanks for sharing!

I don't know how to add instrumental music nor do I know how to post videos on here.

Context: composition of an orchestral work or, at least, a chamber piece. Do you first use a sketch for solo piano? What advantages would this have? With the whole range of software and virtual instruments available, the temptation (and reality) of composing directly for the orchestra is very strong. As an amateur composer who makes music purely for intellectual pleasure and for the senses, and also because I am partly self-taught and partly formally trained, I confess that the small pieces I have written have been without a piano sketch. By piano sketch, I do not mean, in this case, a reduction for piano that is idiomatic for the instrument, even virtuosic. I mean a sketch that captures the basics: structure, harmony, melody, rhythms, accents. I consider my training in classical and modern harmony to be very good. In counterpoint, quite good. But lately I have become interested in orchestration and, in turn, trying to structure a work of a certain length (without going overboard for the moment). And in this sense, I think that the piano sketch can be very useful and not a waste of time. In relation to this, I am also doing the opposite: orchestrating fragments or small pieces for solo piano. What do you think?

Where is the music itself? The pitches and stuff? This would be nicer if I could listen to it. Thank you!

Hi @Uhor! This one looks like works written in Absolute Serialism with the very precise rhythmic division, but they do not sound as random as them actually quite refreshing to listen to! Thx for sharing. Henry

I find this one refreshing to listen to and easy to follow due to the sequences!

Hi @Bjarke! I think the drama is quite well managed with the constant modulation which keeps bringing excitement to the piece, and since this one is only 2 minutes long it’s completely fine! I do think the melody is less clear, even though by seeing the score it’s quite clear, but just by listening it’s less clear because of the fast tempo. I do think the tempo is a bit too fast which makes the music really hard to play, esp. the b.43 L.H. figure which I think it’s almost unplayable under this tempo with fingering concerns. I think climax creation is ok. Thx for sharing! Henry

Hello every one hope you are doing well. i am working on a composition which are inspired i supposed cinematic soundtracks, late romantism and anime. How well do i have control over the drama? Does the piece collapse under it self at some point? (cohesiveness) What about phrasing or melody? is it clear? Personal critique: it seems to change drama in the second half of the piece which may or may not be for the better. The tempo may be too fast? The climax is very sudden(second half of the piece) There may need a better transition. If the mood changes in the second half it should at least have the same drama. Anyway. Looking forward for your critique and comments ! 🙂 Thanks in advance.

I've now moved on to Chapter 4 of Persichetti's "20th Century Harmony" which is about quartal chords. The prompt for this one was "10. Extend the following string-quartet opening. Feature pentatonic melodic and quartal harmonic writing." Thanks for listening and I'd appreciate any comments, suggestions, critiques or just observations!

Yeah, like the two places you quoted, b.41 can be modulated to G major with the constant Mixolydian C natural throughout the piece, and D minor in b.126!

I don’t have an aversion to modulations I just don’t have much experience with them. Were there any parts you thought could use it specifically? I was thinking maybe around 1:00 and 2:45 (measures 41 and 126)

Hi @MK_Piano! I think the choice of E minor is really fits for this betrayal/fighting theme. Your music here makes me think of the film music of Kieślowski’s Dobles Lives of Veroniques, the score written by Zbgniew Preisner: Thx for sharing! Henry

Hi @Musi Make, I am curious on how the arpeggiated improv piano parts are generated! To me they sound a bit not in the same pulse together, but the music is quite relaxing to me. Thx for sharing. Henry

It sounds really fluid given a dominant seventh’s function is to push the resolving process and continuous dom 7th chords really is like keeping the tension at the very end. I have a thought is that, the theme would be really fit for imitations between the four instruments, one minim apart! But that may defeat the purpose to keep dom 7th chords only haha.

For instrumentation I think it’s already good, maybe I will add a contrabassoon to strengthen the lower octave. Motivically maybe I will add the descending chromatic motive instead of just Ab octave. Henry

if anyone actually knows about mixing and has any advice let me know

You must have some delay effect on your piano sounds. Cool idea, and the 5/8 rhythm does a good job breaking things up. I feel that it helps conclude the musical phrase pretty well. As far the the harmony goes, its definitely unique. Like always, nice usage of dynamics and rit. towards your conclusion. These types of details help add to the musicality.

I have yet another short piano composition for you prompted by an exercise from Persichetti's "20th Century Harmony". The prompt was "16. Expand this piano passage of eleventh and thirteenth chords preserving the general character." I added lots of dynamics and tempo fluctuations to simulate rubato and bring expression to the music. Let me know how I did! Thanks for listening and I'd appreciate any of your comments, suggestions, critiques or just observations.

Hey for an exercise its enjoyable. It's fun to listen to, and I think this is a great way to learn different types of harmony. You stayed true to the motif, which makes it easier to follow.

I've written yet another piece prompted by an exercise from Persichetti's "20th Century Harmony"! This one is for 2 Clarinets and 2 Bassoons. The prompt is: "Extend the following passage for two clarinets and two bassoons." I tried to make an actual piece of music out of it instead of just a harmonic exercise, but let me know what you think! Thanks for listening and I'd appreciate any comments, suggestions, critiques or just observations!

Thanks very much for your review Archie! The tab score is mainly for my benefit, so I can see what hand shapes are needed to play the chords I've written. Some of them look very awkward: so I'm sure these chords will have to be thinned down. I did wonder whether the strumming hand can sometimes assist the fretting hand. E.g. When you need to depress several frets near the top of the neck, and also one much lower down, close to the strumming area. I wonder whether the thumb of the strumming hand can be used to depress the low fret? Anyway I've manually edited the tab score now, so it's looking a bit more sensible (see below) Another thing I'm not clear about, is what happens when you release the frets while a chord is still ringing? Does this produce an unpleasant pitch change effect as the strings slacken? In my piece this fret release would be required, where I have chords in rapid succession. Anyway, thanks again, Alex

That is very cute! Have to admit I don't know the instrument. I have heard of the pipa, mainly because it comes free with GarageBand!

A fun exercise, and very expressive! I think you should take this idea and turn it into something. Love how you ended it!