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Hi all. This was my first attempt at using loops in GarageBand. The sax is made from standard Apple loops, and the percussion is automated: so the only thing that's actually me is the piano! Feels like cheating really. Not sure it's a good way to make music.

Since I also mentioned the ending I thought I'd contribute my 2¢ to this. I think maybe the ending could be made to sound more final by having a gradual ritardando before the end. From my own experience I think even strange harmonies (like in this case a diminished chord) can still give a sense of finality if other elements of the music tend to contribute/suggest it. That's just what I would do. Did you come to the conclusion that it's in C# minor from the very common inclusion of D#'s (even though the key signature is A major and it starts in A major) and the ending chord? I'm not sure if that's enough to say it's in C# minor - to me it seems more ambiguous.

Ah you're right... it's in 12/16... man I'm really careless when it comes to time signatures. Thanks for listening and giving a warm feedback 🙂

This is really nice! In meas. 4 and 14 I was confused because your melody seems like it's syncopated but the rhythms fall on the beat in the rendition but I think that's because the piece is actually in 12/16 with 4 beats per bar instead of 2 (or you could notate it in 6/16 with 2 beats per bar). Or you could also double all your note values and notate it in 12/8 or 6/8. I love this piece though, musically! The ending is really unusual and like a cliffhanger - not at all a common resolution (I'm afraid that some might say it doesn't sound finished though). I love those kinds of endings in my own music so I liked what you did. Great job!

I think you can just notate them in unmeasured bars. I'm not sure if Musescore has that option, but I think unmeasured bars do justice to the cadenza most.

Hello! I wanted to share a recording of myself improvising at the keyboard last November (my working title comes from the date) and ask for help with a certain issue. Improvising often feels more honest and pure to me than formal composition where I have time to overthink things, and I feel like I'm handing over a piece of my soul, but at this point the background noise is really my main obstacle from making it public on SoundCloud. I attempted to use the noise gate in my DAW, Cubase, which either dulled the entire recording down or muted *all* sound for an interval of time. Does anyone have experience with this feature or have other tools/methods to recommend that are compatible with Cubase or can be done entirely on an outside platform? I do not have much experience eliminating noise in recordings. While I've encountered tools to suppress constant low-level noise, here it is in sharp spikes over softer, sustained notes. I am also prepared for the possibility that not much can be done for it and open to re-recording it if so. 🙂 I look forward to hearing from more experienced editors. Thank you so much!

Re: ( ) That's true! I almost felt like I was in the room with you. Who can do what Bach did, anyway? Haha. Music is music. 😊 But I have to say that I love that you're helping to keep the classical tradition alive, accessible tonality, etc. -- it's refreshing!

You see that in my ( ) there's the school alarm, lol. I don't think it's a great obstacle at all. It only makes the recording more real for me. I actually think that for an improvisation, a re-recording means to have an entirely different piece! You can never play those things again with that certain mood and atmosphere. The moment is captured and you can never change that! Maybe I just don't like improvising I guess. I tend to treat composing too serious a matter and can never improvise freely. I know Bach can improvise a 3 part ricercar but obviously I don't have that ability to do so😅. Thank you! You and I are different types of composers and I love to see all kinds of different styles and approaches here!! Henry

Thank you so much, I'm so glad you enjoyed it and I love your poetic analogy. 🥲 I want to think anyone can improvise but that there is some learning to it in terms of practicing. I am classically trained, and most days it's definitely more difficult for me to flow, so I feel like luck was involved that night. But I also believe that fumbling comes first and if you give yourself permission to fumble around enough you'll start to notice patterns in where the music wants to go, that it has tendencies that are not completely random. That's true of the music you write formally, you have your own voice. A composer will never stop having a voice... Of course it's much, much easier said than done. I hope you're able to experience that kind of liberation at some point. Best wishes to you. 🙂 At any rate, your comments made my night! I like this mutual admiration we've started.

Wonderful miniatures! Very interesting chord progressions, you definitely have a flair for interesting harmony. Well done

Why? I think it gives this piece a bit of charm with the live recording. However, if you're going for studio quality, I'd say try rerecording it. You could maybe try a de-noiser as well. Not sure if your DAW has one, but even if it does work, I'm not sure how well it would work, especially if the noise gate didn't help.

This was my comment. Make sure you check your peaks in your recording software before hitting record. It'll save you a large headache by taking time for some preparation for the future. The music is lovely, very nice and colorful musical language

You're not being too nitpicky! Im not good at this yet, and im still trying to improve! Here's the update!

I just listen to the overall feeling of it as it's an improvisation. The overall feeling is really moody, and I enjoy it very much. Your improvisation skill is really strong. The harmonic color here is so beautiful, as it's so jazzy and advanced for me. The modulation is great to provide contrasting colors, for example the opening is more in flat keys, and around 2:34 it becomes bright C major/A minor. The ending is really nice as it's like a sun shining through the clouds, even though it's in doubt whether the clouds can be swept. (I am sorry that I am just like saying useless comments. I cannot give something critical or something concerning the DAW though😅 I can only say I enjoy it!) I myself can never improvise, since I always overthink and can never enjoy free flowing in music creation, so I always appreciate those who can improvise! Really great job here and thanks for sharing! Henry

Hello, Henry! I'm sorry -- I may not have pasted the secret link. I tried re-attaching it just now. Please let me know if that works. 🙂

Updated!

Actually tidying up the score can help organize our thoughts and ideas. Sometimes a messy score may hinder our inspirations and polishing of the music. Of course the most important thing is to have new inspirations and ideas, but sometimes if we don't have new inspirations we can take a little bit of time to polish the score to allow later inspirations!! Henry

Hi Gwendolyn, I click into the soundcloud link but it says the track was not found. Maybe I will check that later😅! Always excited to listen to your new works. Henry

Thanks to both of you! Yes, for the moment it's the only instrument I play, so most of my pieces are according to that. I plan on releasing a passacaglia this weekend after fixing my old yamaha, which will be a bit longer than those pieces above. Not really new. I started somewhat four years ago, although it was always rarely.

The harmonization is good! Except in the last beat b. 7 to b.8 when tenor and bass has a parallel octave from E to A, and in b.11 third beat the chord is bare without a third. In b.13 soprano and tenor has a parallel fifth B-F# to A-E. I like the double third major chord though since it's bright here. Thanks for sharing! Henry

Wonderful theatrical music for film and/or stage. Mysterious and inviting at the same time ... quite romantic. Film Noir for sure! A fine balanced orchestration - among the winds, brass and strings ... You do set the scene .... Mark

A bit late on the scene here but I have to agree with other commenters: brilliant. Interesting harmonies/progressions, flows beautifully. Cut off a bit abruptly at the end though. And yes, it would be nice to see a score though I can understand anyone not wanting to offer one as anyone can download and mess with it. We have had such people here!

This is really good! I really like your use of very exotic scales and the unique textures you create with them. I especially like the ending, how after the big dramatic climax the rest of the orchestra fades away, leaving only the two solo instruments. I thought that was a really cool effect. I agree with others that the cello needs more of a presence. Maybe around the 1:00 mark or so, you could adjust the waltz so that the cello gets the melody, while the oboe continues as a countermelody in the background... perhaps symbolizing the tortoise surpassing the hare?... And as I always say, you really should spend a little time putting a score together. Not only would it make your music easier to follow, but it would make the presentation more professional. Your music is really good, and it deserves to be presented in the best light possible. Thanks for sharing, I always look forward to your unique voice.