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We staff have decided that it might be a good idea to open the awarding of badges up to the members, not just the staff. The staff aren't perfect and can sometimes miss some good opportunities to award badges to members for some of their excellent or distinctive content. So if you feel like you have been overlooked for an award you deserve - let us know! Tell us which piece you think deserves what kind of award/badge and why and we will consider granting it to you. You can also suggest awards for other fellow composers' works! Refer to the following list of manually awardable badges. If a badge doesn't exist for your particular achievement you can suggest new badges/awards in that thread:

There gonna be this one guy who’s probably treating the badges like Pokémon

I present to you the new badge - The Colossus of Prora

Hallo @PeterthePapercomPoser, I have created a PNG which could be used as basis for a badge. Some considerations: The original photo can be found at Wikimedia Commons under https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:20-07-06-Prora-RalfR-DJI_0120.jpg. Please check whether it can be used concerning the license conditions. I have nothing against a „Collossus of Prora“ badge, but I would remind that this building did not have the best reputation because of its „problematic“ history. Originally erected by the Nazis as a huge holiday resort for their „Kraft durch Freude“ (Strength Through Joy) project. After World War II it was used a long time as military barracks, first by the Soviet Army, than by the East German Volksarmee. Since the mid-1990s, it stood empty for a long time and was exposed to decay and vandalism. Now it is (at least partly) renovated and houses a hotel, apartments etc. A more detailed overview can be found at Wikipedia under https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prora.

how about, "better than th..." oh nevermind

Upps, the "Colossus of Prora". Did you mean something like that?

Wow then I would get several of them for my works! My Clarinet Quintet is 62 minutes long so it will get 2 of them!!

Hello everyone, I recently updated a little draft of music for string quintet on the incomplete works forum and I just developed it into a full piece. After some thought, the section felt somehow like a developed theme, so I composed a main theme by using some of the musical features found in that draft I composed. The piece is an elegy and has the following sections: [m.1~m.9] Introduction -- The introduction was composed by making use of the most important harmonies of the piece: Cmaj, Cminor, Dbmaj and Gmaj. [m.10 ~ m.25] Main theme -- Main theme in C minor. This theme is in 2/2 (cut time). It works as a period but, in this case, both statements end in a half cadence (the second has a stronger modulation to G). I created a version for Cello too, because I do not like playing the melody always in the violin, but I did not manage to use it, as I did not like starting with the cello, and using the cello after the violin sounded anticlimactic :S. [m.26 ~ m.40] Development section (original draft) -- Developmental section which starts with the main theme in Cmaj. This section is repeated once and it is in 4/4 (common time). The last improvement I would like to give to the piece is having the second repetition ending in a more climatic way, but it is something I haven't been able to manage. [m.41 ~ m.51] Restatement of main theme -- second part of the main theme repeated once, this time ending in a perfect cadence (with picardy third in last chord). I am considering repeating also the first part of the theme in the restatement. Somehow I feel the development lasts for long enough as to justify a complete repeat of the initial theme, but I am still not sur. Any suggestion about the best thing to do is welcome! I think the atmosphere fits that title of "elegy", but it is also too hopeful at times so I am not sure if it is really an elegy. Please, let me know if you have any suggestion for the title! Also, I am not sure about the use of dotted notes for those moments in which they need to cut the phrase a little earlier. Would there be a better way for notating that? Thank you! As always any feedback is more than welcome and hope you enjoy it!

Hi @Cafebabe! This is a nice classical sonata! The thing that bothers me when listening to this at first is the really bad balance between the melodic right hand and the accompanying left hand. The left hand should be softer and the melody in the right brought out more to be in high relief. Before, the only way to make this happen is to use MS Basic Soundfonts and use velocity values for the right hand. But I don't know if you know about a recent trick I learned in writing piano music in Musescore Studio 4 using the Musesounds Piano. What I do now is I write the piece for two tracks of basically two separate pianos - one for each hand. I go to the layout options and have each piano displayed with only one clef in one staff rather than in a grand staff for both. Then I bracket them as if they're one grand staff but each retains its own individual identity. This way I can give each hand its own dedicated dynamics and volume, reverb and other settings giving me more control over what is the most prominent part of the composition at any given point. I also noticed that you don't have any dynamics in your piece at all. Maybe you didn't find it necessary, and it could be argued, it is more historically accurate if its meant to be played on a period instrument. Musically, I find the retransition back to F major at the end of the exposition a little abrupt and forced. Another thing is that I'd expect each theme in a sonata to have ample time to speak before going into transitional figures. This would usually be done by giving the themes a full period, double period or sentence form which you don't do and it makes the themes seem like they can't stand still and start to flit about try to run away from themselves before the listener has even had a chance to absorb them. Also, when the development section starts, it seems like it's just a chord progression without really any relation to the themes. It makes me question what, if anything, is being developed. Although I had a lot of critiques of this piece, I did find it an overall enjoyable easy listening experience. Thanks for sharing!

Here is a list of Manually-Awardable Badges that aren't directly related to a competition or event: Musical Debator Melophile Holding Strong Opinions History Buff Philosopher of Music Theory Buff Orchestration Buff Keen Ear Keen Eye Musicologist Ivory Tickler Symphonist Chamber Guru Troubadour Concertophile Outstanding Orchestrator Maestro Soloist Master of Improvisation Skilled Arranger Film Buff Video Game Buff You've Got Rhythm Got Published Got Performed Tune Smith Prolific Composer Counterpoint Wizard Sick Beats Period Composer Ardent Producer Hepcat Aleatoric Composer Bando Drum Major Pop Song Aficionado Brass Aficionado Woodwind Aficionado String Aficionado Film Composer Recording Artist Musical Dramatist Challenger Avid Listener Musical Socialite Ingenious Harmonizer Dance Music Impresario Headbanging Rocker Musical Storyteller Musical Explorer VGM Enthusiast Film Music Enthusiast Sculptor of Sound Audiophile Idea Peddler Star Performer Choir Master Musical Architect Immaculate Engraver Impeccable Taste Local Lurker Abstract Composer Guitar Guru Collaborator Accomplished Virtuoso Musical Advisor Elegant Classicist Amorous Romanticist Programmatic Composer Master of Subtlety Dedicatee Lo-Fi Audiophile Better Than Thatguy Lavender Hands Effect Ardent Reviewer The Colossus of Prora Feel free to suggest badges as well! - PeterthePapercomPoser

Yeah, this is one of those hypothetical late night thoughts I had. Honestly, this is more of a inspirational completion thing that someone would do where they are inspired by one of the badges to write a piece of music purposefully trying to get that badge

Thank you Peter, I become the first recipient of this badge!!!!!! 😍

“Good evening, dear friends. Here is the scherzo from my third Sonata. I hope you like it.”

The badge was already there! Even Thatguy himself got Better than Thatguy badge lol!

Some parts are now used as living space, shops, etc. now, though. I am fully aware of it's history, and it is already thought of and I have a good reason for that choice. You see, it hurts to analyse long works...

Oh, I didn't expect to receive an answer to my "badge" which was in the first sense ment to be a joke. Since I would welcome to award a badge to the "longest piece", it is a good idea to follow @TristanTheTristan idea about a "Colossos of Prora". Concerning the icon, it was really just a "joke" of me using a WikiMedia Commons Picture and mashing it together to a "badge icon". I'll look tomorrow, whether I have some better personal photos from that location or whether I can gather more background about "Prora" before creating such a badge for the YC forum.

The Colossus of Prora Someone who has written (music) something longer than 30 min. The Colossus of Prora is the longest building in the world.

A very enjoyable piece. Leaving aside some noise and clicking issues in the audio, I think it lacks something to bring it closer to the style, and that is dynamics. Although classicism (and Mozart, of course) did not make extensive use of gradual dynamic contrasts (but rather more powerful ones such as piano and forte), there are none here either. More than that, it is the accents, sforzandos, etc., which were very common in this period, that make it sound like it.

Going to review less as I am self studying

Hi @Bjarke! The piece starts in a soft and dark place giving it lots of room to grow. The trumpet melody at 0:43 is the first instance of a theme in the piece that could be developed. At 1:03 you reiterate the theme in the choir with variation. At 1:33 the thematic exposition is finished and you continue the piece with a sequence of ostinati over low brass accompaniment. At 1:52 you introduce a trumpet fanfare that is then continued in the strings with brass ostinati underneath. At 2:13 you introduce a rising choir and brass melody. At 2:38 you've modulated into a nice string melody. At 2:53 you start an intense passage for strings and brass. There is some relief from this intensity at 3:17 with the staccato brass and string hits. At 3:49 you have an intriguing string ostinato that in my opinion could have started softer to give it more room to crescendo towards the end of the piece. Now to give my more overall impression of the whole piece: I think the piece is exciting and full of energy but it suffers in terms of musical coherence and unity. The trumpet theme at 0:43 is not particularly notable - in terms of melodic construction, it starts off strong and heroic but soon suffers from lack of inner melodic coherence. What I mean is that melodies usually have some kind of self-similarity to give them a hook or a catchiness to the listener. You do actually reiterate the hook of your trumpet melody in your string melody at 2:38 with variation which is a nice way to add some unity to the piece, but none of the other material in the piece seems to be related to the theme which is a shame and why I would say that overall, your piece lacks unity. I would also say that it suffers from too much variety - it's a jumble of mostly unrelated ideas thrown together. And the overall sense of the piece (besides the introduction) is to be hard, fast and loud without very many places where you let up the intensity which isn't very musical. Like at 3:49 where I felt like you really could have drawn the listener in by bringing the dynamics of the whole orchestra way down so as to lead the piece with a big crescendo to the conclusion which would have been more effective imo. Perhaps the reason why the piece resulted to be the way it is is because of what you chose to focus on when you were writing it? It seems like "Composition in four hours without any breaks" was your goal rather than any kind of particular musical goal or inspiration. Music is boring when it's approached in such a way as to look at it only as a way to force oneself to work on something without any breaks. And why wouldn't you take any breaks? Is there any particular reason? That doesn't seem like a significant nor important goal in music. For me, composition usually goes in cycles: if I haven't composed something in a long time, I'll start out with something small to warm up, then I'll move on to progressively more substantial and involved musical projects. Whether I take a break or not is not even something I pay attention to nor aspire to avoid. Just saying: you might want to rethink what's important to you in music or what your musical values are because it seems to me like you're not focusing on the right thing. But everyone is different and you might not agree - if not, by all means continue writing the way you do and know how! Thanks for sharing.

A lot of voice leading things that are weird. Very postmodern sounding to. I somewhat appreciate the dissonance. OK, I like the change to pace. I appreciate the different folk aspects of this piece. And I definitely like that electric guitar cadenza. A mixing issue with the winds burying the main theme. We are back at measure 59 with the folk melody There may be some difficulty at 83 and before that with the double tongue in the brass. I also like how some of the other instruments double the guitar with the runs. Why is the viola in the bass clef. I like the rhythmic interpretation and variation around 111. I enjoy the guitar solo and also the irregular variation with the rhythm although that the playback may not support this make sure you write some slurring around. At 179 a previous theme returns. Along with the folk melody running after that. Some of the guitar material had returned. And I like the end. Good job and I appreciate the amazing structure and the cool material that you have given throughout the first Movement

Reach the Highest Rank "Transcendent" on 31st January, 2026, after joining the forum for 3 years and 9 months.

Here's another small invention. More quiet than the 1st one. It's an adagio! Mostly done in 2020, but updated in 2026.

I took time to listen to this set of variations. Since you got comments about monotonous experience by other, I think the best solution to this would be modulations to other keys, tempo changes, more varied use of instruments (a theme in bass clarinet every now and then) and more polyphony. The theme is memorable and instantly captures the attention. You should work on this piece to make it better, you might eventually produce a masterpiece.

Since I have been long fascinated with crazy, unusual ensembles I present to you the piece "Always something unique" for flute, clarinet quartet, accordion, marimba and double bass. Composed in 2023 for the Alpe Adria festival of Music, it was premiered in November in my hometown Mengeš. It is not a perfect performance, there were some mistakes so do follow the score with the performance. It is a pretty demanding piece, particularly in rhythm and overall coordination (there was no conductor). I follow my standard fast-slow-fast form, with finale being pretty high pitched and ear penetrating. The style could be described as a mix of some Stravinsky, modern French music and my own personal idiom.

Thanks for the comment. I will check you Variations soon. I am not really a bassist, my elder daughter is. I do play tamburitza bass, called "berde" occasionally. It has frets like guitar.

Hi all, here is a composition I began in 2011. I rediscovered it in my computer files and decided to rework it and give it some new life. Hope you enjoy the work. All comments welcome as usual.

I agree with PeterthePapercomPoser, I don't like this midi version at all considering articulation. I believe the piece is all legato, these non legatos at least here sound like quasi staccatos. If you wanted staccato as a contrast, you should have written it in the score. How about pizzicatos instead of these non legato passages? I personally would use legato slurs all the time since the character of the piece is calm and melodic. The organic flow of key changes sounds nice, while the middle sounds almost stuck too much in diatonic c minor although I believe it is done on purpose: the a section has a chromatic flow, while the b section does not.

I wrote this in the course of a day almost non-stop, because my vacations end tomorrow. Its quite freely chromatic and quartal and has a lot of space for brooding contemplation. No score for now because the rhythmic spelling is a mess.

Sylva Train Runnin' | Official Motion Picture Score from A Fire Within Hello! Over the last calendar year, I have been creating my first short-film called A Fire Within. When completed, the film will follow the tragedy between two friends: Sam and Andy. The story focus on the theme of betrayal as being cordial does not stop greed or jealousy from bubbling within someone. This score is paired with a travel sequence in the film and is my 4th attempt at writing for Big Band Swing. I am very happy with the result and simply wanted to share it! The style was meant to replicate late 40s/ early 50s swing to match the era in which the story takes place. I sampled a little of Miller's "Chattanooga Choo Choo" to help tie into the railroad theme with the main structure being based in verse-chorus with multiple repeats and a key change. If you would like to know more about the score, go to the "About" section on page 4! ________________ Program Note: A Fire Within is an original story written by Mason Kistler detailing betrayal between two friends. Featuring an original soundtrack, soundscape, voice cast and more, this story established itself as the first short-film made solely in the video game Railroader, which was released in December, 2023. Join the orchestra as they bring you in towards this cinematic universe and involve yourself in their soundscape. All aboard as the saxophones open the throttle and the ensemble leaves the station! [DO NOT REPLICATE]

You have no idea the wonderful suggestion you have bestowed upon me. I have been searching for various ways to capture a steam locomotive with the western orchestra. That piece is SO COOL!! It's luckily on IMSLP too, so now I have a score I can study. Thank you!! Yeah... The repetition was more for simplicity to be blunt. I felt I did good with the saxophone writing, however, I admit I am not too knowledgeable on ways to utilize the brass in the Big Band style. In the film, it is cut in half with the key change happening after the first shout/ chorus section. So in context, it only repeats the form twice. I copied the first section in this version as a means to extend the work. Thanks for the comments!

Hello again @MK_Piano! This is a cool big band piece meant to imitate a train! I wonder if you've ever heard of the Copenhagen Steam Railway Galop? It is another wonderful example of a piece meant to imitate the sound of a train getting started and chugging along. It's a very musically inspirational topic to write music to. And supposedly, Prokofiev loved to write music on train rides. I think there are some obvious flaws in your piece so please forgive me for pointing them out! LoL The piece is very simple and once it gets started, doesn't know what to do with itself. You employ the use of the common up a step modulation to try and infuse the music with some freshness and excitement towards the end of the piece. I've been guilty of using that kind of modulation myself as well. But the piece is basically the same 28 measure phrases repeated over and over. That's my only critique. It would have been nice to hear some kind of development or maybe variations? Thanks for sharing!

The polychords are starting to make the music sound much more adventurous, and perhaps more like Ravel. I feel like there's a lot more opportunity with this style of music. Great job, sounds awesome!

I like it, sounds like music from an old film. Fun nuances around the instrumentation (the staccato and rhythms).

Also listen to this one the whole way through. How did this get passed the censors lol

Sounds good. The 13th bar is strange, but I see you've made a correction. I think there's some pretty good imitative treatment, characteristic of the Inventions. So many colours confuse me a bit. I suppose they highlight imitations or motifs, but as I'm colour blind, I can't tell. Best regards.

Continuing with the polychordal exercises in Persichetti's "20th Century Harmony" I wrote this Brass Sextet. The prompt was "2. Harmonize the following first-trumpet melody in six part brass harmony (three trumpets and three trombones). Use a predominantly polychordal texture with occasional unison relief." I chose to use two trumpets, two horns and two trombones instead of the suggested instrumentation. Thanks for listening and I would appreciate any of your comments!

That sounds great. I love this series you're doing on Persichetti's proposals. Organised, it would be a fantastic resource for anyone studying the book.

Starting with what you've got is a great idea. Start with whatever you already know and are comfortable with, and then you can build from there. So you can try coming up with a tune to play on guitar, and then try writing the notes down accurately using free software like Musescore. Or, the reverse, try writing something for guitar using Musescore, and then try playing it. Either will help you get better at knowing when something is a half note, or a quarter note, or a dotted eighth note. Either will help you get better at reading and writing pitches and knowing when to use accidentals, and when the sharps and flats are part of the key signature. I like the advice to start with children's songs or folk music. You could also add Christmas music to that list, or songs from summer camp, or any music that you know by heart. Anything you are very familiar and comfortable with is a good place to start. Do one or two of those, and then when you feel like you can accurately write down the notes and rhythms you want and know the basics of the composing software you are using, you can start arranging pieces, or writing your own tunes. It's like learning to read and write. We start with picture books, so we know what is going on, even if we get stuck over the reading. We start with being read to by someone else, and following along with our finger on the page, and writing letters with a pencil. We start writing short, simple sentences. Then we write short stories or poems or book reports, and can read more fluently, and we learn to use Microsoft word and type quickly, and then can write whole novels if we like. But for now, don't overthink it, just get started. 🙂

I have moved on to Chapter 5 of Persichetti's "20th Century Harmony" which is about added note chords. The prompt was "11. Harmonize the following melody for strings with triads in the violins and violas, and the added notes in the cellos and basses (in octaves)." Thanks for listening and I'd appreciate any of your comments!

Since your pieces differ a lot from one to another I do believe you are searching for a personal musical language, which is always a good thing. It seems you prefer long, slowpaced layers in strings with some arabesque like moments in winds and percussion.

Ok sometimes it's 6 weeks, other times it's 3 months haha Ferrum being the true lieder he is and coming in clutch with the words... cool stuff! It'll be interesting to hear what you guys come up with

#3, the date is unknown for this one, but i remember writing this during a final term in high school (2021 maybe). it was cold and rainy outside. i finished early and decided to write. i hadn't titled this one so i decided to do so for this post Unease Sunshine saw me walk He whispers nervousness through my ears I sit on my wooden chair Calmness to crowdness out of leash Maybe he's right, the first tends to brute I wait for the master to come Each seconds send waves of arrows to my soul Each noise amplifies the burden on my mind Burden of the final trial It laughs at me everyday The guidance who speaks wisdom I despise to escapism Lost in the snow of thoughts I try to find composure Anxiety then pulls me back She neatly imprisons me I love anxiety Her company when I'm alone Her hands multiplying those weights to keep attention Let me see unreal possibilities beyond comprehension aight, those are all the poems that i could find, hope you like them !!!

Hi @Kvothe Thank you for your kind comment! That is very interesting it reminds you of Scott Joplin. I can hear it a little now that you point it out. One of my favorite pieces to play is Maple Leaf Rag!

Hi @kaiyunmusic I thoroughly enjoy how this resembles Scott Joplin piano works. I love to listen his works on relaxing day. Your piece reminds of him. The swung 8th in the right on top of lazy left hand. It just amazing all around.

i really love the interplay between the instruments here. the way the themes and counterpoints are bounced around the three instruments is also really playful. the ending tied the piece neatly and satisfyingly. it matched the vibe of the whole piece well. it's cool how you used the two modes (mixolydian and pentatonic minor) to differentiate between the sections. i especially really like the second theme. thanks for sharing !!!

Hey everyone, I wrote a short work based on a particular rocking-up-and-down figuration that I liked while improvising. I guess it's a little bit like an étude w/ respect to technique but I also thought the almost perpetuum-mobile right hand gave it a somewhat toccata-esque feel as well. Hope you find it interesting; and if you have any suggestions/critiques/general comments I'd enjoy reading them!