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Ok, since I did not post very well last time I am re-posting this. I made some changes to the piece and mp3 and am going to post the inspiration for this piece here: This is a piece adapted from my piano composition. I thought it needed more harmonies and motifs. It is inspired by any beloved person who lived a full life and died, and how others reflect on that life, sometimes with complex grief, sometimes with euphoric joy and hope. I picture the intro and coda as the sadness of the death, and the middle section as the whole of their life, mostly the good parts mixed with the bad memories, and the complexities of the grief people feel. Basically, it is the emotions in the life of a person and the emotions the grievers have when reflecting on the life. Woodwind Quartet.mp3 A Life Lived Woodwind Quartet Original Piece.pdf

I’m a big fan of this! You found that blend of dissonance mixed with traditional harmony that really does the trick. I admire your use of rhythm in the melody, and how it works in unison with the harmonic changes. Your piece does not feel like it’s trying too hard to be modern, but instead uses a bit of modern sound to express something poetic, while still maintaining a clean and apparent form. That’s the sweet spot! I would like to see a whole second part added on. The repeat of the waltz is great, but it makes my ear excited for part 2, just as a classical waltz might have part 1 and part 2, both with their own repeat signs. If you can develop these themes into a part 2, I think you’d really have a complete waltz. But even if you don’t, it’s still fine to listen to. Cheers!

@Grant Weep Thank you so very much, not only for your thoughtful feedback but also for taking the time to give this piece multiple listens. I agree that it throws a lot at the listener, and I also agree that it improves if you listen a few times. Often with pieces like this it can be tough to pick out the form on the first listen, and that can make it sound like a big pile of chaos. But once you start to pick out the main themes and the variations in those themes, the piece develops much more coherence. The fast pace and frenetic nature are intentional here. I wanted it to feel like it was racing at you. Thank you for giving this music your time. I do wish a real human pianist would play it. Though I can play piano, I am by no means a concert pianist. And frankly my interests lie much more in the composition space than the performance space. So I just don’t dedicate the time to practicing playing, but instead spend time practicing writing music. Therefore, I write music that I can’t play well. I wish I had more drive to practice performance, but it just isn’t my sweet spot. To answer your question, I compose a bit at the keyboard, but mostly I like to compose right into notation software. It allows me to try all kinds of iterations on the fly, though composing at the piano is also lovely, and sometimes much more free. Both techniques are part of the process. Thank you again for engaging with this! I will return the favor with your pieces!

You started composing when you were 6???? Also we're about the same age I'm 11

Hi @jejrekmek, This improvisation has a bluesy, jazzy, and avant-garde atmosphere. Also, those are nice chords. However, probably because of your creative outburst, this sounds unintentionally messy. Not gonna lie, in my personal opinion, I don't care which was intended or not, whether I find it interesting or like it. In that regard, I think your improvisation sounds nice and has an interesting style. If you remember how to play it, writing a piece based on the piano is going to be good. Finally, you listen to C418!? That's cool. I imagine then you like Aphex Twin, don't you? I actually love Messiaen so much, therefore our music tastes resonate a bit. Anyway, keep doing your style! Best, Lithl.

Thanks, Markus. This is certainly a hot topic right now. Astra is apparently phenomenal at things like mathematics, too, so it seems they’ve created something truly impressive. I was quite surprised when I listened to this piece; honestly, it surpasses some human composers. I believe that at this rate, AI will eventually reach a level indistinguishable from humans in certain respects. That said, for the time being—especially regarding counterpoint—humans still reign supreme, though AI’s pattern recognition capabilities are extraordinary. Pattern recognition isn't everything, of course, but for us humans, the structures and chord progressions of the music we’ve heard play a crucial role. For tasks with a defined "correct" answer, I think AI might soon match or even outperform humans. I think the real challenge lies in creating something truly new and creative. If AI development can successfully integrate with brain research on creativity, AI music might transcend mere industry and become a form of art in its own right. Of course, the future is uncertain, but it will be fascinating to see how things unfold. Best, Lithl.

I listened to it yesterday, so I really don’t remember much but it’s a really good piece if I’m able to I’ll probably give some ideas, but it’s sort of follows that post classical style where it’s sort of follows and borrows from the role of functional harmony and kind of like that idea, but kind of is meant to be more of as a flavor than an actual structural framework

Stumbled across this video tonight. AI’s version is actually far better than I had expected. In that respect, I’m impressed. But it is soulless, bringing to mind the first movement to Goreki’s symphony no 3, in which he puts to music the cold, banal and machinations of the Third Reich. It also goes without saying the human fugue is first rate. Eager to hear other people’s thoughts.

thank you! I had already decided where the improv would begin and end, the differences are how i depart from the beginning and arrive to the ending There were a few things i did in take 1 that i liked so i repeated in take 2, but all the differences between the two were improvisations since I'm not an extremely skilled improvisor there is still a buffer between idea and execution, things that i would probably do differently if it were a composition (the 'wrong' notes) ; so it was mostly just about translating ideas and emotion in real time no matter how how 'good' it sounded The thing i played at 0:32 of take 2 was basically the melody of wet hands from minecraft.. but with major seventh dissonances a couple octaves up, an effect i got from messiaen's la colombe

Really thanks for your considerable feedback.

This is very beautiful music, I do have to say. Thanks greatly for sharing it with us. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ One thing I will caution is: be careful that you don't treat the Viola as a 'failed Violin'. Throughout the entire composition, I already got that a Violin III and IV can basically substitute for Viola I and II. The only two measures that (barely) kept this from happening is meas. 35-36 (Meas. 35+37 for Viola II), where Violas only visit F3 and F#3 pitches right below Open-G; and then ever goes down to an E3 ONE time throughout the entire movement. The C-string never gets visited again. Furthermore, the motif's/phrases containing these quick, evanescent C-String usages could easily be taken 8va. Once that is done, Viola... er... Voila! You got yourself a Violin III and Violin IV line. (Similarly, I caution choral composers to remember that an Alto is not the lack of a Soprano voice. Altos have their own meaningful and useful range and rich intonation. Many to most Altos may have accepted their 'lazy' Soprano-supporter's role; where all women share the exact same lowest note in the composition, which is either middle-C or a few semitones below, while Sopranos' highest pitch sores a P4 to as much as an 8v above Altos' highest pitch. This may be a choral issue, but I think it absolutely bares relevant mentioning here; seeing the parallel drawn that often makes this a shared concern between the vocal and string world.) (Also, regarding taking up the few F's and E 8va, I get the counter-argument that this may potentially muddy the meaningful motions of your intended counterpoint. This muddying, as I observe, is fairly minimum and mostly unnoticeable. And, the motions that may result in hypothetically putting these up 8va have already been noted in other locations in the score; perhaps as little as just a few beats later.) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This doesn't take away from the lush and organic contours you used; I meant it fully and transparently when I say this is beautiful music that I relate to nicely. Still, this was one concern that completely jutted out to me.

How's it happening, YoungComposers community, Would you all like to casually take note of all the potential historic inaccuracies of this suite's movement? 😁 (I have two.) Jubilant Hall for the Dance of the Giants (composition) - Sonata in G for Alto Piano Trio - Movement I - Evening's Entrance.mp3 3-movement Alto Piano Trio Suite in G - Jubilant Hall for the Dance of the Giants - Movement I - Evening's Entrance (Sonata-Allegro).pdf

Hello I agree about the glockenspiel – it’s very, very piercing. So it should be reserved for moments of great brilliance or when the whole orchestra is playing at full volume. Or used very sparingly. But there’s one thing I’d like to mention. And that is that, for me, using a set of notes like this isn’t limiting at all. The possibilities offered by using something like this are limitless. It’s simply a framework to build upon, just like a major or minor mode, or a thousand other things.

Hello, I'm not really sure what to say about an improvisation...which sort of exists as this beautiful in between with live performance/virtuosity and composition. Though both takes sound similar. So is it more of an improvisation on something you have already written? But yeah, very jazzy. It gets intense at times. You got some nice "licks" that you revert to at times. Comes across as a very experienced musician. Once again, not sure what else to say. I like that you don't always keep the pedal down. It sounds very smooth, not really like an improvisation, but also sounds pretty free flowing. You play the notes with confidence, even the "wrong" ones. But you probably already know that. I like the 0:32 minute thing that you play on take 2 most. The little glissando thing around 1:40/1:50 is nice too, on the take 2. I enjoyed listening to both takes, thanks for sharing.

Hello, I've listened to this one twice as I type this. It's starts off very fast paced and it feels like there is so much thrown at the listener. It does sound good initially to my ears, but sort of becomes a barrage of notes at some point (which I want to be clear, sounds good...just feels a bit discombobulating). I think that a real life recording could potentially add clarity to what the piece is trying to accomplish. I guess I'm sort of the opposite of you...I could never write music only via musical notation. Whereas I guess you wrote it all by pen! That's pretty darn awesome if you ask me. I mean, I guess what I am saying is that listening to your music sort of feels like watching a Zack Snider movie. There are these really nice moments that happen in the music, but I struggle to hear the bigger picture if that makes sense. The moments are nice though and it's an overall pleasant experience. (I like Zack Snider movies). Once again...it's possible that having a life performer could bring out some of the ideas in your piece. Also, the middle section is reaaaally weird (in the context of the overall piece). And you obviously are aware of this based on your intro for the piece. There are some really nice tender moments in the middle section of the piece too. As I finish typing this...I've listened to it 3 times. It gets better with each listen...I think I can hear the ideas a bit better as I listen to it more! And after 3 times, I am starting to see the little variations when the main theme returns each time. So there ya go. It seems entirely possible that your music requires a few listens to really get into it. And from my point of view, your music is intriguing enough that I wanted to listen to it more than once :)

Hi. I have Adhd and Autism. -TristanTheTristan

You had me a Jeremy Soule (LOVE "Far Horizons". That Horn solo... 🤤)

WHAT. ARE YOU DOING. IN MY SWAMP!? Anyway. No, this is a very interesting submission. I have nothing that particularly sticks out at me that requires much critique. I feel you've ecapsulated what you sought out to, and the instrumentation, syncopated, percussive feel of the piece is spot on for the intent. Do it again, except add more cowbell, next time (I kid, I kid 🤣)

A very difficult and sensitive topic! Many of us here - based on many conversations - also appear to experience perfectionism. It will vary to what extent that impedes productivity, but the more problematic and chronic manifestations tend to lean towards the OCD spectrum. And quite often that might be rooted in some kind of childhood trauma. I do feel at times that most of us are mad here. Lots of obsessive types around - including myself 😅🤭😆

Hi Luis. It's good to limit yourself in this way, as it forces you to be creative, and I think you've pulled it off well. I've found the Glockenspiel quite hard to use, as it's so metallic, it can really stick out. Here I think it works well though. The only thing I would say, is that you rarely, if ever, see chords in the glock. That's because they're difficult to perceive in such a high register. (I did use some in my latest orchestration; but I've been told it's a bad idea.)

Thank you!

@CrystalCanon Thanks for listening; I'm glad you liked it. This set of notes is very small—just four—but I saw it in a piece by Schoenberg and wanted to experiment with it. It’s hard to point out all the relationships in this short piece, but practically everything is derived from that set. Horizontal sequences appear, as well as vertical chords—rotated, inverted, and so on. I think the genesis of these pieces is like that of all others: planning a structure, marking the cadences, and planning the climactic moments, as well as the moments of tension and repose. From the previous version for solo piano:

For 13 years old, your command of the english language is excellent!. 🙌

That’s great, thanks for sharing. I’m also largely self taught with some limited formal guidance here and there. You play the piano, right? I suggest that you compose something like this for piano but at your practical skill level; and then you can play it for us. I did wondering during my listening about the playability of it. Lastly, there are some aspects of your diminution in the rondo theme that I felt unnecessary. If you don’t mind, i’ll have a play around with your theme later at some point to illustrate my point.

Don’t be silly! This kind of collaboration is what makes it both interesting and enjoyable! This was my first work of this nature so it’s all very helpful. I’ll play around with your suggestion. Of course, I feel it offers opportunities for further development.