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Hello everyone! I come to you with my first piece produced on my new Acer laptop that runs Musescore smoothly! I have taken the opportunity (before I always had a school chromebook so I couldn't do this) to download Cakewalk Sonar DAW which allows me to open all my old .wrk project files from back when I was using Cakewalk Home Studio over a decade ago. So, if you can't tell by the title, this is one of my juvenilia that I dug up from way back when I used to compose into the sequencer. Back from around 2008. I intended it to be a mix of styles between classical and jazz, hence the corny title 🤣. I use blues scales, extended harmony, altered chords and polychords - all in a way that is intended to be "classically jazzy". I hope you enjoy this piano trio and let me know what you think! Thanks for listening! Jazzical Piano Trio.mp3 Jazzical Piano Trio.pdf

Hello gooberro! This piece feels like it's portraying mysterious characters. It's a nice work, and each section feels like a different character or a different scene being depicted. Personally, I like how it ends. You mentioned it's unfinished, but which part specifically? As a small piece of advice, I feel like when you post a piece, if you include a bit of the background story or specify what kind of feedback you're looking for, people tend to react to it more. Not everyone is like that, but I think that's generally how it goes. Though I'm not really one to talk. Best, Lithl.

Hello gooberro and welcome to YC! I am honestly surprised that no one has given you feedback yet and this is your second piece, as it has a surprisingly high level of quality with interesting progressions and good themes. I appreciate your work very much.

I pray for the fingers of the pianist who attempts performing this piece lol. It is so fast. But the arpeggios are nice, but I feel as though the piece could benefit overall from a slower tempo. Your progression is very nice.

So....wow....I like this...a lot. A lot to dissect. Okay, here's the thing. As much as it pains me to say this: This instrumentation isn't realistic. With that being said, this can be something special. I would say: go ahead and have the full string section. That would further give this a chance to get played. It would also give your bottom more depth. With that also being said..this is. astart: you have the making of either a tone poem or a flute concerto of some sort. I know you said you wanted to write short simple pieces. Problem is, what you wrote wants us to hear more. The reality is, no one is going to program this while paying a full orchestra, especially the strings. Sorry, you wrote such a great piece thinking this was it? Nope, you got to write more...you have at least seven more minutes with this....maybe 10. FLute: M13: get rid of the slur. breath should be before Eb5. M14: Phrase marking on Ab4 should go to M15 and end on the Bb5. The next phrase marking starts on Db6 and end on the F5 of M16. Meas 20, the phrase should end after the Eb5. Also, get rid of Flute 1. It would be just Flute. HARP: Unfortunately, your beaming is off some. When you write octaves, the harpist would automatically switch hands. The lowest note would be played with ring finger and the octave would be played with thumb (we don't use pinky in harp). Therefore, the right hand would automatically have to play the next note. I know you were for the automatic three in each hand, but ergonomically, what you wrote wouldn't lay like that in some spots. M10: Perfect example. You could do 2 in the left hand and do 4 in the right. The other beats however do work. HARP PART 2: You stay in the throat register the whole time. You could expand the "breath of the music by having harp continue the run by repeating in the higher octave and maybe at times another octave. The harp's rang is VAST. Harp part 3: Give the harp a final not on the down beat in the end. MAYBE have the harp repeat the previous measure but play it up an octave? Put in your notation program just to see. Special note: Maybe add a clarinet also so you could keep the strings as your lush padding and you could play with harmonies with it...or countermelodies. Ravel LOVED doing that. Extra Special Note: Speaking of Ravel. I wonder how this would be for Alto flute? Maybe have it optional for Alto Flute. My $0.02

Oh this is fantastic!! I don't have any critiques really, your dynamic contrast and harmony throughout the piece is very nice. And it moves very smoothly and logically. I would love a copy of the score if you do decide to share it - this is the kind of piece you start air-playing when you listen to it (you'll get it since you're a pianist).

Nicely done...I would do some research into the form of sonatinas and their form/structure. Other than that, I think this is a great first attempt - I sat down and sight-read through it and it's very easy to read, which makes it more approachable if you were wanting to distribute the piece for educational purposes (sorry, piano teacher brain taking over lol!). If you add a second movement, please post it so we can hear both together.

Hello again, I decided to spend some time today to give more specific feedback. In this PDF are some annotations for you: H. Zheng - Dawn and Nightfall [ANNOTATED].pdf

HanselandGretel_unfin2.mp3 HanselandGretel_unfin2.pdf

Hi, Lithl Thanks for the feedback. I am still getting used to both the forum and Musescore so that’s why the storyline wasn’t explicitly there. So far, I have the: Children playing - first part Evil stepmother - second part Banished to the forest - third part Finding the house - fourth part After the huge B chord, at “p subito”, the right hand being eventually joined by the left hand is them seeing the witch. Parts I need to finish: The witch actually trapping them Children fight back The witch gets cooked (literally) and the children escape Finale I’m working on them! Plus, only one school week to go until summer break!!

Hello, L.S Barros! This piece has a medieval musical feel, yet the combination of instruments and sounds gives it a more ethnic atmosphere. This was fun to listen to :) I haven't been with YC for very long, but I'm happy to see you back at YCF! Best, Lithl.

Thank you! I don’t know if there’s a reply button, but this works. I just really tried to capture the kids playfulness with the evil stepmother, and the fog of the forest. For the directions I tried to use detailed ones to enhance the depth of the piece. 😁

Thanks, Mason! I do recognize that this is a lot of music to sift through and it isn't at all an expectation that you go through it all. No doubt that the things you have picked up already will apply generally. You are teaching me important things; for example, I wasn't aware of the 5ths double stopping issue. Also, for some reason I have never mastered use of slurs in my music. I think it is because I have been more focused on the technical aspects of voice leading and structure that I have neglected these performance indications. It is definitely something I need to get better at. The same applies to the page formatting issues you have highlighted. I agree that if this work was ever received by an orchestra to play, these things would be essential! As for the wind instruments - whether they should be divided into two parts as per convention and in the interests of adding depth, this is something else I will look into. At the moment, there are simply four individual parts for the wind instruments. 🙂

Hello again! I found some downtime today and decided to look at the first movement of your work briefly. Here are some annotations: M. Boyd - Symphony in A [ANNOTATED].pdf

Hello, PeterthePapercomPoser. This track is really nice. I did notice some clipping, especially around the 1:24 mark. As for the composition itself, it maintains a consistent atmosphere throughout, yet features unexpected twists that make it enjoyable to listen to. As a remake of a decade-old piece, I wonder if they composed it at a pretty young age? You may have already been skilled at composition back then. Best, Lithl.

This is a nice piece! It would be great for students working on waltz patterns, since the melody, especially in the beginning section is more simplistic and repetitive so they can focus on the LH. However...I would love to see you develop that section a little more. Rhythm, the shape of your line, etc. Just for some variety so it's not so repetitive - repetition is good,but not to the point where listeners are no longer "surprised" by what they're hearing/what they might hear. Your B & C sections do a much better job of applying this - repetition without becoming TOO repetitive. Good job overall, keep composing! I would love to see how your work grows

Hi, TristanTheTristan, This music is enjoyable. It seems tough to play on the piano, but the rhythmic feel of the arpeggios is great. Personally, though, I felt the ending after 1:06 wasn't really necessary. It might feel more natural for a miniature if the arpeggios just slowed down to a smooth close. Overall, it’s a nice arpeggio miniature Best, Lithl.

The instrumental sections of "Stardust" sung by Nat King Cole. That intro is heavenly! https://youtu.be/EENrbo-Zvs8?si=p1U0fLyCjt7sd5t- The instrumental bits are so delicious, so stunning! How does anyone write something as beautiful as this just out of thin air?

Thankyou Kyle Regarding YOUR future compositions ?..............................The Best is yet to come.

My own small piece of advice when I have writer's block that I use daily. When in doubt, FUGUE IT! 😄 hope that helps

Great job!! I enjoyed listening to your piece, and I don't have much feedback, but I'll start with this : WRITE MORE!! This has the potential to be even better than it is now. I know it's for an assignment, but if you have time, I would consider adding to it. One thing I noticed is how stagnant most of your parts are for the majority of the piece, your contrabass stays on pedal tones, and your violin 2 and viola stay on double stops pretty much the whole time. Which isn't a bad thing, just something I noticed - they could be more active and have more movement, while still supporting the harmony. Something else I would add is getting away from the clean breaks between ideas. For example your viola plays repeated notes until m.8 when they switch to another rhythmic idea, maybe there's a way to hint at this before the idea comes in concretely (this may be something you explore if you decide to add to the piece). Great job & happy composing!!

Some serious chops showcased here. So since this piece is so well put together, the criticism may seem harsher. My intent is not to be that but give deeper insight since you know what you are doing. Reh B: I wonder if we would get more of a flight feel if the snare wasn't here? Then maybe repeat it with the drums. At 34, I would argue the climax comes WAAAAAAYYY too soon. I wonder what would happened if you would delay it for about 6 bars....or even two bars. Be mindful of where your woodwind players breath. Some of these passages are calling it. Reh K: Usually passages like this are ended on the downbeat. It's a trick Ravel taught all of us! Notice how he ends the phrase on the down beats. It gives it more connectivity. Even if you don't want it, it syncs better. (Example Attached) Overall: I can't wait to hear this live! Daphnis and Chloe woodwind run example.pdf

Thank you so much! It was a labour of love. Will keep working on the notation, and maybe even get a performance one day!

My dear friend, thank you so much for your kind words. You can’t imagine how happy they made me. What especially pleases me is hearing comments about the natural flow of my music—that is what gives me the greatest satisfaction as a composer. I would be more than happy to send you the score, but first I need to engrave it properly in Dorico. Once again, thank you for your generous comments and for your appreciation. I truly appreciate it. Take care, and as soon as the score is ready, I’ll be delighted to send it to you.

Good stuff. My only comment: Put your name on score!

Nice: I have listen a lot of pointers since this is a big-band piece. I am a self-proclaimed Basieologist and I love this stuff. This is all to help. Take my critiques with a grain of salt: Plunger is written with o and + , o = open), and + = closed. Think about doubling them with the trombone (makes it tighter). Also, we don't use "normal." You actually don't need to write anything, but if you must, you use "open." Also in Jazz, the "&" beat are played long. You'll be hard pressed to find a jazz band that will play the & of 4 short. It's just not jazz and it doesn't swing. Same thing for measure 24. It would be played as short long instead of long short. it's like saying "apartment."" We don't pronounce it "AYpartment" or "apartMENT." M56: It's better to write it as 8th Quarter 8th. That's the aforementioned of the standard swing feel. It is always played, ba-dum-BOW! M61: No need to write duples. Write "straight 8ths" Some of the piano part won't swing having those blocks go for so long. 6ths would work. But once again, You should probably have a chord chart OR write a guitar part so there is some chordal comp. You already have it in the saxes. No need to double. Let the piano swing and do its own obligatos. For the rhythm section, write the chord changes. NEVER write a specified note part for a jazz bassist, unless it's for transitions, setups, or melodies. M29 is a great example. Also, no need to double piano with the bass. here's an example of how laconic Basie's comping is but the saxes are still playing lines! I also attached some of the parts so you can see how the best ever did it. My $0.02 Basie Straight Ahead Alto 01.pdf Basie Straight Ahead Bass.pdf Basie Straight Ahead Drums.pdf

Once again. Fine critique. I will also add, you can create counterpoint/melodies from within. Diminution would build this piece a lot!

The name is very fitting!! Your piece has a playfulness to it that is refreshing and fun. It's easy to listen to. I wonder what would happen if you gave the tuba the melody at times and used the other instruments to harmonize above it, could be especially nice with the Flute, Clarinet, and Oboe. I will also echo what @maestrowick said - the tuba can do so much more! Use it's different registers and play with the rhythm some more. Tuba, Bass clarinet, Bassoon etc are used to the one note, barely moving bass lines in pieces, but you have a chance to let the tuba shine, so let it shine. Please update us if you make any edits to the piece - good work

Amazing notes! Any I thought saying , you already posted!

This is wonderful (and I'm not just saying that because I love the piece 😆). I think you've retained the character of the original piece, without making it sound muddy or too heavy. Your doublings and overall orchestration choices seem calculated and well thought out. I think the few notation issues are an easy fix, and would make the score more readable. Good job 👏🏾

Thanks for taking the time to listen and for the feedback! I think you made some fair points that I'll definitely keep in mind for future pieces. Since this was my first attempt at writing in a larger form, I tried to keep things relatively simple while I focused on the structure. Might write a second movement for it eventually. Thanks again for valuable feedback @TristanTheTristan

Wow ty for the critique. Yeah I should definitely look into the silencing part.

Welcome to the forum! Let be one of the first to say hello and congratulate you on this endeavour. All of us know how hard creating a convincing and satisfying piece of music can be, let alone an original one! You are off to a great start, one of which not all adults can do. I enjoyed listening to your piece. This said, I do have initial comments and a deeper set of specific annotations I would like to share later. Here are my initial comments: The ensemble balance is too similar for too long. Violin 1 & 2 dominate the piece, and the other strings just act as support versus having a convincing conversation/ role in the piece. Use of whole notes is more than okay. If you like it, then keep them! This said, having a lack of pulse in the texture can make the music feel stagnant. Some of the other comments you have received may have been coming from this angle. To add, since the violins dominate the music over the course of 4 minutes, it makes the listener "zone out" as nothing major changed to their ear. Do not forget about slurs! As a string player, remind yourself that the use of a slur conveys bowing information. Even if you are not as aware as the other bowing styles, using slurs is a great way to showcase bowing information. The context of the music will inform them whether to up-bow or down-bow. Creating motion. To help the "stagnant" nature of the piece, one way to create motion is this: When the melody is slow, move the accompaniment. When the melody is moving, slow the accompaniment. Doing this will help drive the piece forward in a simple manner. Using rests for effect! While Barber's Adagio for strings is wonderful, remind yourself that even in such a thick and lush piece of music, he used silence for effect. Not all instruments need to play at the same time, nor do they always need to play in the same octave. You have the whole string section to move and pass ideas around. Strings can do double stops and divisi playing. It's another way to create an effect as using silence will elevate the moments you use all the sounds or all the instruments. Keep up the good work!

Hi again, Congrats on finishing the Tone Poem. I am going to listen and examine the score once more. You are correct I only wanted to highlight the last part of the quote in regards to the leitmotif. As you highlighted ... English horns are not the same as Oboes. During a rehearsal the conductor most probably will balance the piano against the English Horn. As per me I see the English Horn as a solo instrument within the ensemble because of its tonal/projection/character. In a larger context its uniqueness can be lost as a line in a full orchestration. Mark PS: I enjoyed your pun about my criticism not being fully developed! Okay, I reviewed the work again. I am curious to know the feedback you have received from your mentor"s? I still feel the ideas move about too quickly in a thick orchestration .... I feel there needs to be room for the music to breathe to lead and give the listener a moment to connect. For me this didn't happen.

This feels like a Beethoven / Chopin or Liszt hybrid. I definitely like the sudden and abrupt mood / key changes. And then halfway through...we turn into a waltz for a brief moment? Solid piece, with lots of things happening for an only 3 minute long piece!

I've dug up another decades old composition. I was once again experimenting with polytonality at the tritone (C and F# major). The first 9 bars of this piece were all I had to start out with so I extended it and finished it using some variation technique and slapped on a repeat and called it done. I referred back to Musescore quite a bit in the process instead of writing everything on just paper and only using my imagination. I made many "corrections" from things that didn't quite sound the way I thought they would on the page, so I feel like a hack LoL 🤣. I'd appreciate any of your comments, critiques, suggestions or just observations. I hope you enjoy and thanks for listening! A Waltz in F#.mp3 A Waltz in F# Print.pdf

Quite a creative waltz and interesting harmony...maybe a little jazzy? The tritones give this piece a lot of tension throughout. I enjoy this type of harmony so I really liked this piece.

I wrote a trombone solo based on sounds I heard while out bar-hopping with one of my bandmates. The audio and score are attached. LasChicasLocasFriend.mp3 Las Chicas Locas.pdf

Love this!! Great job, in a good playable range for trombone. One thing I would say is just watch the dynamics a little on your piano accompaniment, in some parts of the trombone's register, it overpowers the trombone. But other than that, this is a great piece, I could see it being Love this!! Great job, in a good playable range for trombone. One thing I would say is just watch the dynamics a little on your piano accompaniment, in some parts of the trombone's register, it overpowers the trombone. But other than that, this is a great piece, I could see it being used for MPAs 😁

This is one of my first orchestrations, and I would really like some feedback. "Where did all the time go?" is an emotional, mentally exposing, orchestrated piece meant to connect with everyone. The story behind this piece is to represent how priceless time is and how time flies by so fast, and we sometimes never take the time to enjoy it. It reflects our lives—from our first steps to the defining milestones of maturity. This composition demands total emotional transparency from the performer; the music flourishes only when the performer fully commits to that emotional truth. Throughout the score, recurring motifs serve as a narrative engine, guiding the listener through the distinct and shifting phases of a life well-lived. Where did all the time go

Another wonderful piece!! I love the changes in character and how you developed the piece throughout, while still keeping a very cohesive sound. Well done! I really don't have any critiques, other than to edit the orientation to make it more suited for printing it and playing it.

@TristanTheTristan It's interesting that you would mention the influence of Prokefiev and Rachmaninoff on this one. It's certainly there with this one, but I don't feel like it shines through quite like it usually does--I take a lot of inspiration from the late 19th and early 20th century composers for most of my work, especially the Russian ones (I <3 Stravinsky).

This is a nice piece of music! You have included some prokofiev and rachmaninoff essence, especially in the development section. It is sad that you have used a electrical sound, which in my opinion, makes a sound a bit worse. Your opening theme is innovative and smart, seeing the idea of I,I, V. This allows it to feel even more like a waltz somehow. Some advice I give everyone when composing, is to try not to use specific numbers, especially not the ones not on a standard metronome. Instead, what I like to do is to use italian phrases such as Allegro or Presto. The final chord should be arpeggiated. In conclusion, it is a good start. TristanTheTristan

we shall see >:)

I always like this song by him! It's used in Wong Kar Wai's In the Mood for Love. Henry

Hey!! The soprano is too far in the back in your mix. Perhaps lower the string volume and adjust the soprano so you will have a better mix! Also, can you give us a translation also if at all possible?

The idea for this composition was inspired by @MK_Piano, after he sent me some footage of himself improvising in C minor on piano. I asked him if I could write something inspired by what he played, and was graciously allowed to do so. The piece utilizes a steady quarter note / eighth note moving rhythm and melody that symbolizes the passing of time during, and the emotional feelings felt in periods of contemplation, longing, rumination, and/or sorrowful reflection. Although, I feel as though it may be a bit too repetative, despite having variation in both rhythm, chord voicing, chord progression choice, including a modulation towards the end middle. I'm seeking to build upon the ideas I have in this score, more effectively. Any suggestions are welcome :) **UPDATE** Score Files updated to reflect any/all decided changes, based upon suggestions within this thread. 6/23/26 1:25pm EST Updated again 6/26/26 - New score files attached. **FINAL UPDATE** Score files updated to reflect finalized changes to this score. I elected to change the key from it's original C minor to B minor, as I felt that the theme of this score matched the more melancholy sound of B minor best. All changes published and submitted as of 7/10/2026 UnreadLetters.mp3Unread Letters.pdf

Hello! Over the last few days, I’ve listened and looked at the score quite a lot. I felt it within my interest to analyze the score. The attached PDF is culmination of my annotations and comments. If you have any questions, I’ll do my best to answer! Good work! A. Ko - Poem for Orchestra [ANNOTATED].pdf

I think his name is actually Mason..🤣

Thank you, Mason. I will amend the score layout this morning. I appreciate this will make it easier to scrutinize for those having a deep dive. The current view and lack of repeats is intention for my own eyes and there is often no point having repeats during this phase of work. But yet, with the repeats the first movement will be at least 10 minutes once I am done with it. You seem to be a guy who knows his stuff. Very much looking forward to your comments. Will check out your stuff too!