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So this is the final draft of the entire 2nd movement of my String Sextet. I can confidently say this is my best movement of music ever written up to date. The movement is divided into three parts: Lamentoso, Fugue a6 and the Return. The first two parts of the movements have been posted before in below links: Lamentoso: Fugue a6: If you want to skip to the newest content I compose, you may skip to 20:16. The musical analysis of the Lamentoso and Fugue have already been done in the link posted above so I won’t repeat it here. Here is the YT link and score of the movement: (Final Draft) String Sextet 2nd mov with last page.pdf Here is the YC post to the first mov of the same Sextet: Here is the structure of the movement: 00:00 Lamentoso The Eden in the 1st mov is great but man, come on and live in the real world. All sorts of tragedies happening and what ground do you have to claim the transcendence? I especially love the outburst in 4:59 and the passage starts from 8:53. 11:47 Fugue a6. This part is totally inspired by Vince’s @Thatguy v2.0 comment on my first movement “to write a dense fugue”, also to further explore the fugato in the 1st mov. Like @Giacomo925 said, this part summarises the sadness of the first 20 minutes of the movement. It always leaves me in awe that my favorite C minor passage, the absolute climax of the whole piece, lies in minute 30 exactly. The fugue aims to end on desperate terms but I won’t allow it. I try to give it a fight by recalling the pentatonic ideal even though in the wrong key of the tritone C major as hinted in the pentatonic section of the fugue, but the power is diminished. I need some purification for the paradise regained. Thx to @Luis Hernándezfor introducing me to tritone substitution in this part. The chant (22:01) begins with self murmuring of viola, occasionally inviting mysticism recalling 7:55 in Lamentoso and sadness of the 1st subject of the fugue. Two violas play together with the texture of a parallel organum. After a sad cry some more primitive power comes in to recall the passion and good of human beings, the theme is from b.27 of 1st mov. It gets agitated and experiences an epiphany in the form of Bartok Pizz. Both the chant and the folk melody is built around the 025 set! And the 025 set is the essence of the pentatonic scale! Furthermore a quartal chord is the further essence of 025 set, and hence the core of the whole pentatonic scale! Discovering this, the fury cannot be stopped. It leaves me in wonder how on earth can I write this thing out. After returning to the tonic key in 27:00, I decided to conceive it as a one off climax with build up. The idea is inspired by my playing of Beethoven’s op.110 when he did the same thing in the last movement as well. There is no “development” but only realisation of Tao in this imperfect world. There are appetizers to the ultra climax, first introducing the two most important themes sparingly, then in 27:16 theme in b.35 of 1st mov which is in fact inspired by my own Clarinet Quintet in C minor, and then an appetizer fugato responding to the lament in b.148 of the Lamentoso which is based on the opening theme. The entrée of Ultra Climax appears in 28:38, first is the first theme in tonic by first violin, viola, and cello, then second theme in C major by second violin, viola and cello. The playing of tritone is to prove Tao‘s omnipotence, also respond to the first mov and the fugue with the F# and C minor relationship. Using all 3 instruments for me is the resonance of Heaven, Earth and Human when they finally sing together the Tao they shared. I think I really feel the Chinese philosopher Tang Chun-i’s Realm of Heavenly Morality here. The modulation to Ab major, responding to b. 294 and 644 of 1st mov, complete what’s left undone there and finally Gb major is in triumph. A pedal point on a tritone is funny for me. The cello overlapping the violin is signifying earth and heaven interaction which is considered auspicious in Chinese classics I-ching. I am always in awe of the power exhibited here and wonder who’s actually the composer of this passage. The next passage in 30:07 is the heterophonic version of the 1st theme, which is where I was inspired miraculously by a Chinese music group. Next is the in extremis passage in 30:57. It’s the immanent version of the 1st theme. I was imagining what my friend’s thinking on his last day of life. The texture is probably inspired by the film music in Kurosawa’s Ikiru when the main character was swinging on the park’s swing to await his death. I quote Bach’s St. John Passion here for my friend’s name, and I find out that the lyrics fit too. I wish him to rest in peace and return to Tao. The final ending is probably inspired by the ending of Chopin’s Fantasie in F minor. I can never believe I would end the whole thing this positive in an absolute way. The whole passage always leaves me in tears. After writing the Lamentoso in May 2024 I had no power and inspiration at all to write anything in the Sextet since I was suffering in my full time job. I started picking up by working on the C# minor Piano Sonata first. After finishing that in Jan 2025 I felt like my negative power was expressed out, leaving the goods for this Sextet. I then went for a walk on 10 Feb 2025 and had a miracle, inspired by a Chinese music group, which turned on my creative power and I fervently completed the entire thing in just 18 days, when I had zero notes written in the past 9 months. It’s such a miracle I could have finished this piece this quick and good. My dedicatee Mr. Johnson Ho had already passed away last year. It's a shame that this piece couldn’t be completed when he’s alive, but I would be forever thankful for his inspiration. Special thanks must have been granted to my great friend Mr. Vince Meyer @Thatguy v2.0 for making this perfect audio and many ideas, and being a great friend, but I will leave it to the final version of the whole Sextet. Also a very special thanks must be given to my ex-boss. Thanks to her mistreatment, I have the pain to reflect on my own, the drive to finish the whole Sextet in a fury and the time to complete it when I was forced to resign for my own mental health. Foremost of course I must thank my dearest mum. But lol, the whole acknowledgement will be left to the post of the final version of the whole Sextet, including the first movement and this movement. This is a very long movement and commentary and I don’t expect anyone to listen and read till the end. But if you do so, here is my deepest gratitude to you. Feel free to comment as well, I would be very thankful to have received them. Thank you!!!!! Henry

Hi all! This is the second movement of my Piano Sonata in C-sharp minor. It is set in the relative major E major to act as an (apparent) counterpart of the furious first movement. Pentatonics and Locrian scale are added in the movement, but the motive of fourth from the first movement is important here as well. Here is the Youtube video link: Here is the pdf and audio of the score: Final Draft Piano Sonata no.3 in C sharp Minor 2nd Mov.pdf Piano Sonata no.3 2nd Mov.mp3 The movement is set in a rondo form ABACA. Here is the structre of the movement: 0:00 Introduction & 1st Refrain: The Locrian scale is used capriciously at the beginning by a confused Henry right at thr start of composing the movement when he didn't know why he used it but still retained it to see what would happen. The main theme (00:23) begins in a quite beautiful pentatonic E major. I love the German Sixth used in 00:53 and I absolutely love the C-sharp minor contrasting theme, as it's beautiful but at the same time coherent by using the falling fourth motive from the beginning of the 1st movement! (Btw it is quoted in parody in my joking fugue) It then unoriginally modulates to dominant B major. 01:32 repeats the whole process apart from some embellishments. 2:34 1st Episode: The beautiful (I think) 1st episode is actually composed the second last one, only before the last refrain. It's Chopinistic here, but I think it's quite beautiful! The theme is roughly the inversion of the 1st theme. I had the inspiration of this beautiful theme when waiting in a queue in my ex-company's canteen LoL! I love the counterpoint in 03:43 as well, again using the falling fourth motive. The C-sharp minor is never solved and merely forced back to E major with a quite beautiful G sharp major transition to the 2nd Refrain. 4:29 2nd Refrain: The first theme is turned to a bell texture which I must have taken inspiration from Brahms's op.117 and Prokofiev's Sonata no.6. The serenity proves short-lived as the mood starts to become agitated and the falling fourth motive starts to attack. 5:12 2nd Episode: The Locrian scale starts to disturb and the keys start to moving all around, again in 05:30 the agitation proves itself it is not going to be covered at all, and with octatonic modulation it ends on G minor which sounds like the beginning of Chopin's 1st Ballade in 05:41. The first theme enters in 05:53 but is only a false recap as the stirring continues once again in a semitone higher in a Schubertian fashion. The first theme re-enters in 07:07, this time in C-sharp major, the global tonic major but with undercurrent underneath. F minor disturbs once again as in earlier as well as the development of the 1st movement, and the Locrian mode is finally forcefully purified to a pentatonic. I think the retransition here is slightly abrupt and forceful. 8:16 Last Refrain: First theme appears with the purified locrian scale turn to pentatonic crystal in the upper register of the piano. The contrasting theme is set in F-sharp minor this time for the E major confirmation. The C-sharp minor is not answered at all again in 09:17, and only forcefully shut up, and the piece ends in E pentatonic. At least a momentary serenity can be achieved before facing the disasterous 3rd movement. This movement starts in 2023 June right after the completion of the 1st movement, but was abandoned since I had to focus on composing the 2nd movement of my Sring Sextet. Then after a personal crisis in 2024 I had no energy at all to compose, and I hoped to use this movement to pick up my creative energy. It succeeded and the movement is quite beautiful in my opinion. I expanded the movement from a ternary one to a rondo with the addition of the 1st episode and completion of the last refrain. The movement may sound too Chopinistic and less original, but I definitely pour my heart here. I just maintain the “write-what-I-want approach” in the whole Sonata without much thinking, planning, or trying to be original. I just don’t want my emotion disturbed by the chasing of originality when expressing my feeling is my ultimate concern in the whole Sonata. The recording is played by myself. I buy a new microphone I hope the recording quality will be better and not to be roasted by @chopin anymore! Feel free to comment or critize this piece below! I will be more than happy to hear any opinion whether it's positive or negative! Hope you enjoy it! P.S. Here is the link for the YC post of the 1st movement from the same Sonata: And here is the 3rd and ending movement of the Sonata! Henry

ello everybody, I've spent many months working on three short new piano pieces for beginning to intermediate students. These are originally intended for children to play, but could also be for beginning adults. In these pieces, I've also tried to discover my own voice and style, do let me know how I've done in those areas. Other feedback related to technique, harmony and playability would be much appreciated. Poem 1: "based on a theme by Beethoven", updated score Poem 2: "the quirky detective", updated score Poem 3: "the crazed capybara", score

The Image in G major is the third piece of the four piano pieces I wrote for relaxation after writing the very heavy String Sextet. I try to do something a bit different than the previous two pieces, as I actively use more quartal chords and pentatonics in the whole piece, and also invite a bit of impressionistic chords. This is my personal favourite of the set. Here is the score and YT video: (Final) Image in G major.pdf Like the previous pieces, this one also comes from recycled materials. It comes from an unfinished Piano Suite I composed in 2016 Jan, but only with fragments of it including the first few bars, b.35-38 LH melody and some parts of b.58-72. Don’t know why I went for pentatonics that long ago LoL! One thing to note: b.43-46 is probably inspired by @Fugax Contrapunctus Pabio’s mention of Joe Hisaishi in his review of my Sextet, plus my recent listening experience of his music while watching Miyazaki’s films. Hope you enjoy this small piece! Henry

The final piece of my four Piano pieces set and just a lame joke. Can be developed into a postmodern minimalistic masterpiece by repeating the joke forever and forever...... Joke in A flat major.pdf Hope you enjoy this one! Henry

This Moment Musical in A-flat major is the second piece of the four pieces I intend to write for relaxation after finishing the very heavy String Sextet. As the title suggests, I only want to achieve Schubertian simplicity with some contemplation here. The result is somewhat a bit beautiful and contemplative for me. Here is the YT link and pdf for you: 5-4-2025 Moment Musical in A flat Major.pdf This piece is the opposite with the Intermezzo in A, the first piece of the set, as it uses the theme from the 1st movement of my First Piano Sonata and the key and texture of the 1st movement of my Second Piano Sonata. The recording and this video is again made in a rush so the quality may not be good. Hope you enjoy this little piece! Here is the previous Intermezzo from the same set: Henry

Hi everyone, this is my new composition, Autumn Leaves. I hope you like it!

It's time for the annual Young Composers Christmas Music Event! The Brief Same as ever year - write anything inspired by a winter celebration (e.g. Christmas, Hannukah, Kwanzaa) or just Winter in general (or Summer for those of us in the Southern Hemisphere). If you want to participate, pop a comment below! You could have a look at last year's competition for inspiration if you like: As usual there are no prizes and everyone's a winner. You will however, be rewarded with a beautiful badge designed by our very own @PeterthePapercomPoser. Submissions are open now (8th December). Submissions will be included in this thread. There is no deadline, though preferably your piece should be done before Christmas or at least before the end of December. What are you waiting for? Get composing!

Like many trio sonatas, this work consists of four movements: slow - fast - slow - fast. It starts with a three-partite Grave with a slight hint of French ouvertures, though then developing in a different direction. The second movement is a fugue. I am rather fond of a moment where all voices stop and the recorder and violin start the conversation of voices anew, and more lucid than before. The third movement is a through-composed Adagio, followed by a fugal finale in 12/8. This trio sonata is written for alto recorder, violin, cello and harpsichord, but a variety of instruments would fit too, though it leads to interesting changes in the character of the individual movements. I am not sure if the Grave and the Adagio shouldn't be swapped to increase the coherence of the music. Any suggestions welcome.

@gaspard has asked me to orchestrate another one of his Clavichord pieces and I was happy to oblige! You can view his YouTube video here: Character Select Screen And you can view his score here: It took me about 8 days to do this orchestration and I am presenting here two versions - one that repeats the piece from the beginning and one that doesn't. I hope you enjoy and I'd love to hear any critiques, comments, suggestion or just observations that you may have! This is the 2nd time that I've orchestrated one of @gaspard's Clavichord pieces.

I thought I'd start a topic about everyone's repertoire that they're currently playing on any instrument you know how to play. Or you can share what pieces of music you're composing/working on right now. This topic is inspired by a series of messages I recently exchanged in which I realized that basically nobody on this forum knows about all the really corny pop songs I sing and play on the guitar! LoL So this first post will be dedicated to guitar music that I've been playing (although I also have other repertoire that I'm playing on other instruments). In roughly chronological order from oldest to newest: Bach's BWV996 Bourree in E minor - One of the first classical pieces I learned on guitar from my "Bach for Guitar" book. Originally for Lute. Bach's BWV Anh. 132 Menuett in E minor - Another classical piece I've been learning, more difficult than the Bourree. In the same book. "Downtown" by Petula Clark - I found this song in the movie "Panic Room" and have since fallen in love with it completely independently of the horrific movie. Some alternate chord shapes in this song let me play it easier rather than having to barre almost every chord. "Wedding Bell Blues" by Laura Nyro - a really old song that I fell in love with and posed a challenge because of it's chords. I modify the words to "Girl, I love you so..." when I sing it. The only problem I see with this song is finding an occasion where a guy would actually want to sing it to a girl! LoL "Maneater" by Hall & Oates "Wishing" by Electric Light Orchestra - ELO is my mom's favorite childhood band. This particular song has chords that were easy enough for me to learn and a cool whistle solo that starts and ends it. "Magic" by Pilot - the Scottish one-hit-wonder band Pilot's "Magic" is irresistible to me from the lyrics and emotional tone standpoint. And maybe I also relate to this song just from personal experience LoL. I sang this at a talent show two years ago. "Easy Lover" by Philip Bailey, Phil Collins "Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now" by The Smiths - in my opinion The Smith's best song. It was a challenge to learn because of all the constant barre chords. But I've learned some alternate chord shapes to make it easier on myself. I love the lyrics. "Lovely Day" by Bill Withers - a song I got the hang of with some fussing around with different chord shapes on the guitar. "Faith of the Heart" by Rod Stewart - I found this song because it was the title song for StarTrek: Enterprise. LoL But it's also been used in a famous Robin Williams movie I forgot the name of. "Friends Theme" by the Rembrandts - the theme song from the famous TV show "Friends". This recording includes the 2nd verse which you never get to hear when the show is starting. "Like Humans Do" by David Byrne - I found this song a while back when it was included with Windows 95, 98 or XP (don't remember which). It has really funny words and tells a cool story. Some challenging chord shapes. "I Know You Know" by The Friendly Indians - the theme song to the popular TV show "Psych". The chords are easy and I've heard it so many times I decided I should learn it. "Used to be Young" by Miley Cyrus - I recently sang and played this at a talent show and won 3rd place! "The Heart Wants What It Wants" by Selena Gomez - great meaningful lyrics. "Chained to the Rhythm" by Katy Perry "Streets of New York" by Alicia Keys - I really fell in love with this song for the chorus and how it emphasizes the Subdominant. The lyrics are also full of heart. "Sex, Drugs, etc." by Beach Weather - I fell in love with this song because of its hypnotic chords and cool lyrics (and it's easy to play!) "Hometown" by Twenty-One Pilots - I love the whole album that this song is from but is probably the only Twenty-One Pilots song that I can easily play on guitar. "Hold on Forever" by Rob Thomas - a song I learned for an ex-girlfriend. "All the Stars" by Kendrick Lamar feat. Sza - a very seductive song written for the movie "Black Panther". I wrote a little commentary on the meaning of the lyrics in a creative writing workshop. "Never Enough" by Loren Allred - this song from the movie "The Greatest Showman" is full of emotional intensity and heartfelt lyrics. I still haven't seen the movie though. "Get Lucky" by Daft Punk feat. Pherrel Williams - a really simple but cool song with a dope mood. "Love on the Brain" by Noah Guthrie/Rihanna - this song is a challenge to accurately fingerpick each arpeggio. "Never Wanted Your Love" by She & Him - She & Him is Zooey Deschanel's band. Really heartfelt lyrics. "Ennui" by PeterthePapercomPoser - a song I wrote when I first started learning guitar in 2020 (also around the time I joined YCF! I entered this song in the 2020 summer competition) Some of these songs were picked by me because they had easy chords on guitar. Others because I have a soft spot in my heart for the lyrics. Some are just plain awesome. Some of the songs by female artists I picked because they set a certain emotional tone that I got attached to when listening. In some of the songs by female artists I changed the lyrics to make it more appropriate for a guy to sing the song (LoL). Feel free to share your own songs or pieces that you're currently working on! Or any composition that you're composing as well!

Sometimes when I've found myself listening to my favorite compositions written by me, over and over, I start to wonder if my own creativity is leading me to become an artistic narcissist. I guess it might make sense that as a composer succeeds more and more at writing music, it will become better and better and more the kind of music that they really enjoy listening to though. But regardless of how good or sophisticated their music actually is, do you think the tendency is for them to be more attracted to their own music? I've heard interviews with John Williams that surprised me from this perspective though. He commented that when he listens to his own music he can't help but hear all the flaws in it. When I listen to his music on the other hand, I don't hear any flaws - I mostly just hear beauty and good music. Is this him just being modest or does he really not enjoy his music as much as others do? Or maybe he's heard it so much that he's grown sick of it? Then there's also something to be said about writing music with flaws and all included in it. That's what gives music its variety and interest. I don't think writing music should be about perfection or always striving to create the next masterpiece - I think that kind of approach could lead to burnout if anything. So maybe when I listen to my own music over and over, I DO in fact hear all the flaws but I've grown to like them through repeated listenings? What do you think and how do you approach your own music? How much do you listen to it and how much is too much?

Update: Live Performance + Score of this piece:

I got a ping today that I am not active on here much anymore. Last August, I became bedbound with ME/CFS and have seen a steady drop in my abulities to do anything. From 50% functioning, to 40 to 30 to 20 to 10 to 5. Some days I can barely lift my head to eat. There is talk of putting me in a nursing home when my mom goes back to work this fall. I’m only 22! Oobleck, which I’ve posted here before, was written primarily in the first month of my illness. Before things became really bad. When I was still hopeful I would be better by “X” date. “It’s just the flu,” and “I’ll be ready to go back to school by fall break,” turned into a slow melting away of my entire life. Moving back home with my mom, leaving my friends, my college city, my life I had built, and having to start completely from scratch with a body that leaves me in 9/10 pain and dysfunction daily. It is a very potent work. Perhaps my first real “piece of art.” I am proud of creating something that is truly me. It is not about enjoyment, it is about the experience. I can dub the work as “Mahler, but with quarter tones.” I won’t be writing or doing much of anything for the next while. My life is too covered in oobleck. Program Note: The term oobleck is a type of substance that, when supported with pressure and force, is a solid. However, as soon as this support is removed, it oozes into a sticky liquid. Because of this, the oobleck always feels like it is on the verge of oozing apart into a mess of gunk. Dr. Seuss coined the term, introducing it in his story, "Bartholomew and the Oobleck." Its manifestation in the story is an evil, sticky substance which covers the kingdom it rains down upon. "Oobleck" is an aural exploration of a familiar musical world tainted by oobleck.

This is the final draft of my best work up to date in my life, String Sextet in G flat major. Posts of seperate movements have been posted before and I'm not gonna repeat it here. If you're interested in the music details, pls check the following YCs: 1st Mov: 2nd mov: Here is the score and YT link of the work: String Sextet in G flat major.pdf Here is the structure of the work: (*denotes parts I love). The two movement structure is inspired by Mahler's 8th Symphony, so the second movement is proportionally much longer than 1st movement: 0:00 Opening credit and structure 0:11 1st Mov, 1st Part: Tao Primo (*3:35-3:47 nice bridge, **4:40-5:26 nice chromatics) 5:34 1st Mov, 2nd Part: Minore, a fugato, some little challenges (**9:40-10:10 nice retransition) 10:10 1st Mov, 3rd Part: Tao Return, a triple fugue and ending (falsely) (*11:45, **12:46 till the end) 14:48 2nd Mov, Lamentoso: Denial of Tao and realization of the realistic World full of tragedies. (*16:54, *19:11, ***19:44 sounds like my version of Bee's op.131 finale!, ***23:38-25:15 most emotional passage for me) 26:33 2nd Mov, Fugue a6: Objectification of emotions and reason. The most difficult passage for me to write technically but easiest emotionally. (**28:10-28:42 includes a 6 part stretto of 1st subject and a nice C minor modultation quoting my own Clarinet Quintet, ****30:07-31:27 a 6 part stretto of 2nd subject and one of my fav. section in the entire work with the very beautiful C minor passage, ***32:58-34:31 nice turn to pentatonics and nice disappointment) 35:03 2nd Mov, The Return. Start picking up the real self and soul and connect oneself with Tao, finding self equals to finding Tao. “I Six Books explain me and I explain Six Books (Lu Jiuyuan)”(*35:03-35:36 try to regain energy, **37:05,37:37,38:11,38:43 Nice color, **39:12 nice folk melody, ***39:15-40:15 Nice pizz.! And a very nice snap pizz! **** 40:46-41:46This passage leaves me in wonder. I don't know how do I compose this, **42:17-43:23 Nice appetizer fugato, ****43:24-44:53 Grand Climax!, ***44:54-45:41 Nice heterophonic passage which ignites my creative power for this movement, *****45:42 till end Pefect ending) This work was first inspired by Chinese Philosopher Tang Chun I's Realm of Heavenly Morality in his monumental book, The Existence of Life and the World of Spirituality, in April 2022. I wanna felt and descibed it hence I finished the whole 1st mov. I thought it's enough, until I met with my dedicatee Johnson, my respected philosophy professor Dr. Tao and my friend Merina in April 2023, and I knew it's not enough since without pain Tao isn't possible at all. After some painful incidents in 2024, I am finally able to finish the whole piece in March 2025. For me this work is about Tao, Tao lost and Tao regained. Since this would be the final post on the Sextet, please let me acknowledge people I would like to thank along my way of composing. This work is dedicated to and in memoriam Mr. Johnson Ho https://youtube.com/@beingintheworld?si=9Ch3hnk1UtluHTRF who sadly passed away in July 2024, and it's a regret the work couldn't be finished when he's alive. I would like to thank him for his great inspiration especially his postive way to deal with his illness. I would like to thank Dr. Tao, without his teaching esp. the one on the book Buddha-nature and Prajñā (?) did I realise the importance of pain and human suffering to morality and humanity, and probably won't have enough philosophical basis for this work. I would like to thank Mr. Vince Meyer @Thatguy v2.0, who acts as my musical Virgil, providing so many inspiration particularly in this piece's fugue and different motivic usage, and also make this great recording. Also, thank him for his encouragement when I kept saying I could never finish this piece. I would like to thank Dr. David Goza http://www.youtube.com/@David_Goza⁨⁩ ,without his videos on YT I would never able to improve my own writing. I would like to thank Merina, Yvonne, Arjuna @expert21 and Peter @PeterthePapercomPoser for staying with me in my difficult times. I would like to thank Mike @chopin for his idea to go back to medieval texture in the Return. I would like to thank Luis @Luis Hernández which helps me solve the harmonic progression btw tritiones. I would also like to thank my ex-boss's mistreatment, as she teaches me a great lesson and the pain helps me reflect a lot which shows here. Also, thanks to everyone who has listen to this piece before and comments, as they help me a lot. Thank you Young Composers Forum and @chopin for giving me a chance to grow musically. Thank you for everyone who has commented on the work's parts before, I especially love the comments by @Fugax Contrapunctus @Giacomo925. Last but most importantly, I would like to thank my mum and family. Without their love I would probably fall much deeper and won't be able to finish this piece at all. Thank you!! P.S. One interesting fact on the piece is that it stays longer in F sharp minor then G flat Major….. Henry

If I had the amount of followers on YouTube these audio engineers do, I'd honestly make my own video tearing these apart. The irony of these videos produced by audio engineers stating "the real reason today's music all sounds the same!" is that they are all saying the same things every other audio engineer is. and they're all wrong. This is a subject that really needs an experienced, old composer's perspective on. To his credit, Billy does passingly mention things like 120 bpm, loop packs and a lack of key changes, but his arguments are still mainly "Everyone is recording the same way." like what Rick Beato and Glen Fricker talk about. "No one is recording guitars with real mics! They're all using Superior Drummer! They're quantizing!" etc. Yet they cannot explain why so many different-sounding albums in popular music used and still use the Shure Sm57, Marshall JCM800, Celestion Speakers, 6L6 tubes, and a Gibson Les Paul or strat with DiMarzio super distortions. How come everyone who writes for an orchestra doesn't sound the same? It reminds me of how, back in my electronica phase, guys said not to use presets because "You'll sound like everyone else!", and then proceeded to plop down a four-on-the-floor (the only beat they know) with an offbeat or side chained, straight 16th note bassline just like everyone else. Guy...I don't think it's the patch you chose for the bass that is causing you to sound the same. Stuff sounds the same now because everyone is WRITING THE SAME MUSIC I don't know why this isn't obvious these guys; it should be obvious even to a layman. Like I said in the thread about "what makes a chord move poorly": This thinking in terms of "chord progressions" is one of the things making everything sound identical, as is the dominance of "ostinato". It's just crazy to me that someone out there is laying down "epic" drums and plunking in that "root-third" 8th note ostinato every trailer piece plays on the violas and thinks to himself "...I'll bet if I had my own string library, I'd sound unique!" Granted, I do think that it helps to an extent. I don't think anyone else's mockups sound quite like mine due to me having a rather unique collection, but this by itself would not be enough. I like to lean into genre tropes, but as @PeterthePapercomPoser accurately noticed in my latest cinematic-metal track, the guitar riff is a seamless mix of Phrygian and the diminished scale. Most metal bands today would stick to the Phrygian the whole way through the song. Curious to hear your thoughts. In my opinion, it is a more damning report on the current state of the music industry that everyone seems oblivious to the obvious decline in craftsmanship at the songwriting stage than it is that everyone is using Superior Drummer.

This Intermezzo is intended to be the first of four little piano pieces I intend to finish. I write this as relaxation piece after finishing the very heavy String Sextet which would be published in the near future. For me this piece contains some beauty and I hope to maintain simplicity in all four pieces. Here is the score and YouTube video: (Final) Intermezzo in A.pdf The recording is played by myself and recorded in a rush since it’s completely unplanned to record this one this quick haha. Feel free to comment on this one! Hope you enjoy! Henry

(Sorry for the viola clef mistake...) Hello again. After 2-3 months with a considerable mental block I managed to start doing some progress and last night I composed a piece with this newly found creativity. This piece is a reflection of some of the feelings I haven't been unable to express in the past weeks. I wasn't expecting to create it, I just sat down and started playing with some harmonies. But luckily it turned out to be one of my most expressive pieces in my opinion, even if it is just a miniature. I hope you enjoy it!

I'm stil not done with my orchestrations, I will probably come to this section a bunch of times this year haha. What do you think? I believe I managed to portray a dark aura. I still don't know how to assign dynamics to the instruments, any advice for that so I don't have to rely on "mp" and "ppp" so much?

Hey everyone, While I've been quite busy with university during the past year, I've started uploading some of my compositions to a YouTube channel, which I think better presents my music as a score-audio combo. They're all still computer renditions, but I hope to begin uploading my own performances these next few months (including of other works, mainly Scriabin). Here's a waltz that I originally wrote for one of those community-organised composition challenges on MuseScore, in which it was required that a note be repeated at least once in every bar of a piece. I ended up bestowing upon it the nickname "Waltz of the B(ee)s" for that reason and gave the score to my music teacher as a gift. Among all of my pieces, I think this is the one I'm closest to recording myself, so I'll update this thread when I'm ready!

As implied by its title, this arrangement was based off my Crab Canon (aka. Canon Cancrizans) a 3 in C minor ( • Three-voice Crab Canon in B minor.): Since its initial publication, it has been transported one half step upwards to accomodate for the ranges of the instruments involved in this double trio, with the full realization played by the Continuo harpsichord part (which may be omitted entirely on account of the extremely wide intervals between voices in certain invertible configuartions making it rather difficult to play). Enjoy! YouTube video link:

Revisited this piece, after a few weeks off of messing with it. That always seems to give me a fresh perspective on things I've written, and helps me to identify areas where improvement could be made. I feel confident in saying that if I were to forget this piece, and return to it again, that I'd be happy with how it is in it's current state. As always, if there are any areas where someone with more expertise than I have is able to identify an issue or mistake, I'm all ears for the feedback! 🙂 Thanks, and I hope you all enjoy my little heartfelt piece of music Lamentation_-_Kyle_Hilton_UPDATED_with_Spitfire_Labs_VST3_Audio (4).pdf Lamentation_-_Kyle_Hilton_UPDATED_with_Spitfire_Labs_VST3_Audio.custom_score (1).mp3

Bagatelle in G major is a piece I composed in 2011. I was inspired when listening to Beethoven’s Bagatelle in G minor, op. 119 no.1 in my music lesson, and I immediately composed this piece that night in less than two hours. Here is the YouTube video and score of the piece: Bagatelle in G major.pdf The piece is in simple ABABCoda form. The middle section in C minor is probably due to my fervent love with Beethovenian C minor LoL! i revisit this piece because of @PCC ‘s showing of his manuscript in the discord group. I also wanna use this piece to test the new microphone I just buy. It sounds much better than my crappy phone, although with my bad recording skill this recording still has some tears in it. For me the piece is just a banal one, but not bad for a teen. I just wonder how do I transform from this level of writing to the piano piece ( ) in a year LoL! Here’s the Beethoven Bagatelle for your reference: Hope you enjoy this little piece! Henry

I'm on a microtonal binge-composing streak and next I thought I'd try to use 1/6ths of a tone instead of just 1/4ths. I thought that Musescore Studio would have this capability built in as well but it doesn't. Instead, what I found works, and turned out to be a good enough compromise is using syntonic commas to lower or highten certain notes by about 20 cents. My goal was to use justly tuned minor and major 3rds in this which would necessitate lowering or heightening the equally tempered thirds by about 15 cents. If I had been able to use 1/6ths of a tone, I would be approximating that goal at 16.666 cents. But anyways, I wrote this invention for harpsichord as I've somehow fallen in love with microtonal harpsichord lately. There are in fact harpsichords built that can play microtones. Usually in 31edo they look like this: Edit: upon further listening and reflection I'm wondering whether this might not also have the character of an Allemande - a dance from a Baroque Dance Suite. What do you think? I would love to hear your input, observations, critiques or suggestions! Thanks for listening.

Hey @Thatguy v2.0! A lucid, absorbing piece of orchestral music! The introduction of the melodic material is cleverly interwoven with counterpoint from multiple different solo instruments. And there's also some blues elements in the use of the b3 in a mostly major context. I love the effect at 2:40 and 6:26 where the trombones very slowly glissando up to the next chord. It really makes the harmonic changes so apprehensive. The piece is thematic and motivically driven. Only after multiple listens can I now really appreciate all the thematic and motivic elements and how they're developed. I like how the Piccolo brings back the main theme near the end at the 14 minute mark. The flourishing and cycling through various keys before the end is also very effective at bringing the piece to a satisfactory conclusion. Perhaps my favorite part is around 4:40. I also really like the pizzicato part at 8:38. Throughout the piece you overlap the entrances of various motifs in the different instruments. And they're all nonetheless clearly related to each other and to the main theme of the piece. It took a lot of work and dedication to write this 16+ minute orchestral piece and you should feel satisfied with your accomplishment! Congratulations and thanks for sharing!

Hello fellow composers! I am very excited to present my newest work, the first Movement of my Sinfonietta No. 3! This opening movement is intended to be lighter in mood, with a simple structure. The plan is to eventually follow this with a slow second movement, and a fast third and final movement. I had a few goals in mind as I composed this, feel free to evaluate how well I achieved them: Focus on simple, memorable themes and motives Keep the overall structure simple, in this case A-B-A-B Write something in an unusual time signature (5/8) Have a greater emphasis on rhythmic elements. Evoke an overall lighter, fun mood. The movement is structured as A-B-A-B, with a brief introduction 0:00 - The Introduction presents the rhythmic motif, which is contrasted with a sweeping pentatonic melody 0:22 - The first theme is a soaring melody, first presented in the violins. A contrasting woodwind theme is presented, before returning triumphantly to the soaring melody, which then builds to a climax with the opening rhythmic motif 2:03 - The strings usher in a staccato melody in the lydian mode. The woodwinds then introduce a simple melody that floats above, with periodic hints of lydian dominant. The section builds to a bombastic climax, with the horns and trumpets soaring above the orchestra. 3:12 - The first theme returns, this time in the English Horn. The overall structure of this section remains the same, but with significant changes to the orchestration. The section builds to a climax again, this time more resolved. 5:26 - The staccato lydian theme returns, this time more urgent. The section builds to a climax in the horns and trumpets again, this time with an ominous bass melody underneath. The entire ensemble crescendos to fff to end the movement. As usual, I have several questions for feedback, feel free to answer as many or as few as you wish: What effect does the music have on you? Does in conjure up an image? Or an emotional feeling? Does it tell you a story? This can be the piece as a whole, or a specific part or parts. What was your favorite part? What was your least favorite part? How well do you think the motives are developed? Do you have any comments or critiques on technique, e.g. harmony, melody writing, counterpoint, orchestration, voice-leading, etc.? How do you feel about the overall form? Is it effective? Do you have any comments of the quality of the performance in the audio file? I really want this to be a decent representation of how the piece would sound if it were performed live, since it is unlikely it ever will be. Feel free to put your "conductor hat" on and critique the "orchestra". I have included a score and welcome any constructive feedback on its presentation. And if you're like me it's a lot more fun to follow along with the score. Are there any composers this reminds you of, that I might enjoy listening to? Thanks for listening, I hope you enjoy! If you liked something I did and want me to explain how I did it, feel free to ask. -gmm Score link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1EnjEuPwdFr7Ep-f4SRH3BEMYTKxfxu48/view?usp=drive_link

Hey everyone, Just wanted to share a piece that I recently finished. If you'd like some context and a musical breakdown, feel free to pop out the spoilers; if not, have a read/listen and let me know what you think. I'd like to get some feedback on this before I polish up the score!

Hello everyone, long time no see. My life has been a mess lately. Anyways, I thought this piece would be a cool way to get back to posting on the forum. As the title says I don't know what title to give the composition, but it should be something somber and evocative. Also this is one of my compositions with the most elaborate textures even though the work is only 32 measures long. For more information feel free to leave a question. 🙂

This is the third and final movement of my Piano Sonata no.3 in C-sharp minor. It’s probably the most perplexing movement of music I have ever composed. For me it’s a struggle between Beethovenian heaviness (Es muss sein!) v.s. Unbearable lightness of blues (trying to imitate the style). Even though the first and second movement of the same Sonata has been commented as “random” before, I believe this one the most random of all haha. I once challenged myself whether to keep the eclecticism of the movement or not, but decided to leave it unchanged since all the styles were what I was thinking of and feeling at the moment. Here are the previous movements posted on YC before: 1st mov: 2nd mov: Piano Sonata no.3 in C-sharp minor 3rd mov.pdf The structure of the movement is a bit weird for me. It’s in Sonata form but the exposition and recapitulation never leave tonic key C-sharp minor at all, as the contrast of the 1st and 2nd subject is not achieved by key, but by style. In fact I only realized I was going for a Sonata form only when I almost finished the development section. Here is the structure of the movement: 0:00 Exposition, 1st Subject, 1st Theme: The falling fourth motive attacks immediately at the start of the movement in a passionate fashion, reminding himself of the pain he suffered after the more serene 2nd mov. It cools down in 0:31 and even keeps denying (or rather me denying my own sadness) by German sixth harmonic progressions, instead of normal dominant-tonic progression. 0:59 Exposition, 1st Subject, 2nd Theme: A deliberately repressed theme consisting of the inversion of a fourth, i.e. fifth, later gets more agitated with the Chopin Revolutionary Etude like L.H. accompaniment. It keeps on boiling until reaching the transition. I got crazy there thus I wanna try escaping… 2:28 Exposition, 2nd Subject: This section is made of 12 bar blues elements, thx to Arjuna’s @expert21 suggestion, although I already originally wanted some nihilistic jazz elements to contrast with the heavier 1st Subject. The pattern is repeated thrice, first just the “accompaniment”, then with the falling fourth motive theme added, and lastly an “electric-guitar-like” melody thx to of course my buddy Vince @Thatguy v2.0, as I won’t ever try to write something in jazz without his piano preludes. The locrian melody of course is a quotation from the 2nd mov opening! 3:46 Development, 1st Part: The opening falling fourth motive attacks again and modulates to keys I didn’t where it would go when composing lol, and finally reaches C# Locrian which confuses even me! It ends with a bridge of the locrian in L.H. quoting a little of the blues theme to the next part. 4:48 Development, 2nd Part: This part first develops the 2nd theme of 1st subject, then ends in confusion again. Suddenly a new theme emerges in the distant E-flat major and repeats again in relative major E major in a more passionate manner, until it boils down to a marvellously passionate retransition in 6:39 which I believe is the most beautiful section of the entire movement. It’s by composing this passage that I knew my creative power had finally come back. The passage ends in a desolation which leads back to the recap. 7:17 Recapitulation, 1st Subject, 1st part: A weird section. I finally could not refuse to admit my sadness by having a normal dominant-tonic progression, but still tried to escape by quoting the reminiscence of the blues themes like in a film montage jump cut in a Godard style (or, Stravinskian juxtaposition). 8:40 Recapitulation, 1st Subject, 2nd part: The 2nd theme of the expo 1st subject reappears in the L.H., and then a beautiful variation which I was probably laughing at myself for my weakness. The music goes on and gets more agitated until going to the 2nd subject. 9:32 Recapitulation, 2nd Subject: The previous “light-hearted” blues theme is transformed to an enraged Rachmanioffian roar. It subsequently cools down and tries to go for hope in the coda. 10:18 Coda, 1st Part: I tried to find peace by quoting the beautiful theme in the development plus 2nd mov’s 1st theme in counterpoint, repeat twice, 1st time in major and 2nd time pentatonic. The Locrian theme in the exposition is then transformed to a pentatonic plus the blue note of flattened sixth, signifying my attempt to find peace… 11:16 Coda, 2nd Part: However it’s futile. I realized that my sadness could not be “transcended”, at least not here, and finally realized my pain. The heavy falling fourth motive keeps attacking, and finally I was able to make a simple dominant-tonic chord progression to admit my pain, when the question is laid unanswered from the beginning of the entire sonata. The movement and the whole Sonata ended in utter desolation, as I had no energy anymore to fight as in the 1st mov and 2rd mov, nor create an imaginary utopia for myself as in 2nd mov and 3rd mov… The movement was primarily composed from Dec 2024 to Jan 2025, under a state of depression and confusion, due to what I had suffered in my full time job. I struggled a lot whether I should have a happy or sad ending for the whole sonata, but my mind gave me the answer. I could not pretend to be happy or hopeful at that time by forcing a meaningless Picardy-3rd at the end as in many of the Romantic Sonatas or pieces. I had to admit my sadness then. Paradoxically by doing that, I left all the negatives here so I had the 200% positiveness for my Sextet, which is my best piece and probably the most optimistic piece I ever composed. I tried my best at playing the movement already despite some slips haha. Hope you enjoy the movement and even go back to the 1st movement to listen to the whole Sonata! Thank you for listening,and possibly reading through this and commenting!!!!! Btw, here's Vince Preludes which inspire me: Prelude no.7: Prelude no.9: Prelude no.3: Henry

Lately, I've been thinking and imagining how Ancient Greece was reinterpreted in Impressionism. And well, all of that inspired me to write something. The dawn is that moment before sunrise when there is already light. For a brief explanation of what resources I use: Aurora

Dang, two new(-ish) pieces in a month? That's crazy. Tbf the main materials here are from a preexisting song, and the other piece is a full revision. Then again, I had to learn orchestration stuff for this and that took a very long time. aaaanyway, really happy about how this has turned out anndd imma just gonna quote the description from the progress update thread you could find the progress update thread here: also @Henry Ng Tsz Kiu, I'm really glad I could be the first one to ever quote one of your themes! When I was sketching that section, I thought of wanting to quote, and I thought of your specific theme. Again, really happy that it fits really well. Also also, those syncopated rhythms are actually from the original song itself. But, I do agree that it fits this "cover" and the original song. Glad you liked my orchestration too! (vocal by Jillian Ashcraft, taken directly from the OST)

Thinking, "I should write a theme first and then a contrasting one," is exactly the sort of thinking about form that he is discussing. You sound like you are well on your way to thinking about the large scale issues with a piece, rather than just writing note by note. It sounds like he's talking about how beginning composers just sort of work from one note to the next without any rhyme or reason. There may be no theme at all, just a random succession of notes that they liked for five minutes straight. Everyone works one note to the next, but the more experience you have, the more you'll be thinking ahead about how to organize yourself in the choosing of those notes. Thinking, I have a fast section, so next I should have a slow one for contrast... that sort of thing. Or, I'm going to have range issues if I give this bit to that instrument without modulating. Do I want to modulate, or do I want to give it to a different instrument... And he wants to suggest some simpler exercises to get you started thinking about these sorts of things before you decide to write a whole symphony. Use fewer instruments. Write a short theme and see if you can turn it upside down. Practice writing a fugue. Also, Schoenberg is writing in a way that makes him sound like a big smarty pants so he can scare you into doing your homework, so don't be intimidated into a state of confusion, just do the exercises. (My best guess at what he was going for at any rate).

This is intended to be the second part of the second movement of my String Sextet in G flat major, after the part of Lamentoso. These two parts are very different from the more fleeing and transcendental first movement as I hope they capture the sadness of the time and what I feel, before leaping back to the world of the pentatonics later, which would make the pentatonics more grounded. Here is the first movement of the piece: Here is the first part of the second movement of the piece, the Lamentoso, which is actually finished after this fugue: Here are the scores, the original version and a version with my own (painful) analysis on it: Final Fugue from String Sextet movement 2.pdf(With Analysis) Final Fugue from String Sextet movement 2.pdf And here is the youtube video: The piece is dedicated to Mr. Johnson Ho. The finishing of the fugue is prompted by hearing his worsening health, so I really want him to stay healthy. The inspiration of the fugue first comes from my friend Mike @chopin and my mentor David (I am very honoured to name him my mentor even though we have never met in real life since his videos form the skeleton of my composing skill. Go watch his analysis videos NOW!) said that the middle fugato section from the first movement is the best part of the movement. I was shocked since I believed it was the worst of the movement! Then my bro Vince @Thatguy v2.0 (who also makes this perfect audio) inspired me to write a dense fugue for the second movement, and so I challenged myself to write a six part fugue, since I feel like it’s not fully realised in the first movement. This is he most difficult I have ever written, but finishing it I now consider it my most beautiful work composed up to date. It’s so emotionally deep, even weirdly I feel zero emotion during the composition process, only calculating the counterpoint haha. I am so satisfied with the result. The fugue comprises of three subjects, all from the 1st movement. The 1st and 2nd subjects are from the 1st movement fugue’s subject, while the 3rd subject is derived from the opening theme of the Sextet’s first movement. Here is the plan of the movement (time according to youtube video): First part (00:03): First subject enters in each instruments, inversion introduced at . All of sudden C minor enters (01:55) and I quote my subject of the C minor Clarinet Quintet 3rd movement fugue here to intensify the sadness. Also kind of replying to the relationship of G flat major and C major in the first movement, but while freedom is shared there, now sadness is shared. Second Part (02:12): Second subject enters and the section features a saturation of stretti. The C minor section (03:56) comes in at and it’s my favourite section of the whole fugue. It’s insanely tragically beautiful here. Third Part: Third subject enters (04:58), first and second subjects combine in the manner of the 1st movement fugato. The intensity is kind of lowered after that insanely tragic C minor section, maybe kind of accepting and reflecting upon it, and it’s less saturated with the subjects. However things starting to get intensified, first the third subject is treated as in Bach’s Chorale Preludes when it is cut up and divided to four phrases alongside the other two subjects (06:29). The only pentatonic entry (07:16) arrives to kind of relate itself to the first movement and hints what will come at the end, but at the meantime it’s defeated by disappointment and the fugue ends in a doubtful manner, which will lead to the chant section. Hopefully I would finish the whole movement as soon as possible! Hope you enjoy the fugue now! Henry

I don't think it sounds arrogant. At its best, our music is a deep unconscious expression of our own essence. It carries our signature like nothing else does. If we don't love it, we don't have a healthy relationship with ourselves. Even if no-one else resonates with it - it's important that we do, else what are we making it for?

Yeah I may sound arrogant, but during composing my pieces especially with the String Sextet(my best piece ever), I did think of myself, my friend, and also us as 2 members of the whole mankind and how my own ego fits with others, and how can I express and excavate myself in order to express mankind and Tao. I never think I claim music because my inspiration comes everywhere. Another "narcissistic" approach is I always listen to my music daily for composing coherently. Only by getting to know my music so much I can generate inspiration that is free and refreshing but at the same time reasonable and coherent. Henry

Most people here are students, and it's the end of the semester. They're busy, but luckily, we have decades-old-posts to keep you entertained. Cheers, friend! 💋

Hi all, This composition is called A Child's Walk. Over the years I have revisited the work .... this version (4th) and has some new transitions, orchestration and a brand new ending. Imagine a young girl going about her walk and encountering lots of interesting encounters along the way. She has a very lively theme ... which by the way is my cell phone ring! Mark Engraving still in progress .... A Child's Walk - 03-10-25.pdf

Hi Peter! For me it's because I have to focus in my own writings. When I compose insanely myself I can't review anything here since it will take some of my creative energy away. Only listening is ok, but to provide feedback I need that same creative power for composing. Reviewing is very helpful for my own composing, but only before or after a huge project. When I complete my Sextet which would be posted soon, I never experience a more ferocious composing like this one, so I cannot bare to waste any creative energy other than finishing it. Another reason I don't review some members is because they never reply or give reputation points to reviewers, let alone review other members' works (including mine!) themselves. Since I review because I wanna interact with the composer, if there is no interaction I would feel like my review is futile, therefore I won't review them. Henry

Hi there I'm going to be recording some demos of new songs, but in the meantime I'm self-recording just to have them to pitch. I'd love some feedback on this and the upcoming songs, especially all you talented vocalists and lyricists. I'm really interested in improving my vocals. This is a quick recording, I'm really hoping for ideas on how to improve the melody or guitar parts since this recording won't be final. It's pretty simple, pop-ish chord progressions, nothing crazy. Even if you don't comment, thanks for checking out my music 🙂 *** Lyrics: I've no fear of the sea cause with you I can tread higher water even if we drift off with the breeze I'll go the wrong way with you * When we drive down the road I get lost in the way you direct us no matter how far we are from home I want the wrong way with you * When I get back from working I come home to karaoke and your voice fills the room an out of key symphony but I can't help it, I'm in love * I tend the fire at night the warm light dancing free all around us I wish the sun would never come up again so I can stay right here with you down the wrong road with you and I love the wrong way with you any other one just wouldn't do when you're here, wherever we are feels right inside and I'll always throw away the guide and walk, the wrong way with you

In the Microtonal Invention, I only modified the 3rds of major and minor triads, although you could also modify the 3rds of the counterpoint. But if you go by the counterpoint then, as the piece progresses through different passages the tendency would be for the piece to get more and more out of tune in relation to 12 tet. I wanted to keep the piece basically in 12 tet and only modify choice tones to keep the best features of 12 tet which is good sounding perfect 8ves, 5ths and 4ths. Also, since major and minor 2nds are also compromised in 12 tet so that they can fit equally into the perfect 8ve, if you modified each interval in counterpoint to be more like just tuning, you'd get more and more out of tune especially if the scalar motion traversed larger intervals than the 8ve. Check out this video that @Henry Ng Tsz Kiu shared with me: Thank you! Yeah I was stoked to hear microtones in @Mooravioli's recent orchestral piece so I of course I decided I had to try it out!

What better way to announce my new YC account than with my latest composition? This little piece took me around 10 hours of work and I consider it has the most luminous climax I ever composed and one of the most intoxicating endings I have seen for violin and piano duo. I make use of a completely new vocabulary that I never used before or not in such a structured way. Let me know your thoughts. I personally thing the fragment between measures 20-25 could be improved, but I'm not sure how.

This is something I decided to work on for a very limited amount of time over the past two days for the Christmas Event this year! It's a variations piece on the famous Polish Christmas Carol "Gloria in excelsis Deo". Those eponymous words are actually in Latin, but the rest of the carol is in Polish, and I made sure to go in and include all the proper accent marks and special characters which is actually a little tricky to enter into Musescore. This is one of those rare pieces that I wish I had Cantamus for, since it would increase the realism of the piece to have the actual words sung, especially when the Tenors and Basses are in canonic imitation with the Sopranos and Altos. I would really appreciate any comments, critiques, feedback or even just observations that you may have. Thanks for listening and Merry Christmas!

Hi Everyone, here is a first draft of a piece I am working. It is intended as background/atmospheric music and I've tried to make it more of a mood piece. Cheers! Aled Edwards Mood Piano Piece.mp3

I Wrote a Sonata for Rach (Sonata Quasi Una Fantasia in cis moll) - CelvinPiano Hello fellow musicians and music lovers, I am an 16 years old composer and I’ve recently finished writing a Sonata in C# minor, dedicated to Rachmaninoff, and I’d love to get some ears on it! If anyone is up for giving it a listen and sharing their thoughts or feedback, I’d really appreciate it. Anything from the composition itself to ideas on performance would be super helpful. And if someone feels inspired to perform it, that would be amazing! I’m open to chatting about that as well, and we could definitely figure something out if it resonates with you. Feel free to reach out if you’re interested, or if you know someone who might be. Can’t wait to hear what you think! Best, Celvin

Please make sure you take the time to watch our 2024 Halloween Challenge video, featuring our 5 challengers! @AngelCityOutlaw @Layne @JohnElive1 @Jan-Frederik Carl @sned If you want to see more of these types of challenge videos in the future, help spread the word by subscribing, liking, commenting on the pieces, and sharing the video!

Hello. My chronological journey of music brought me to Romanticism, in which I have been immersed for months. I study its methods, harmonies, etc... And that has led me to study also the neo-Riemannian theory, since many chord progressions are explained through it. I write some things practicing these concepts. This Consolation III (as there were two others already) is very much inspired by Liszt's, in its structure and some resources. I have also based it on a pop song whose harmony is fantastic. You have to absorb from all sources....

Hello Among the survey options, I prefer to receive constructive criticism. The truth is that this space is very peculiar. On the one hand it is about something specialized such as composition. On the other hand, it accommodates all kinds of levels, from the amateur beginner to the more or less professional. This is good, although on the other hand it can create imbalances. However, it all coexists very well. Also the people who comment the most, have very different backgrounds and points of view, which I think is perfect. What always strikes me is why people, in general, are not encouraged to comment more. Yes, there is the excuse that “I don't have enough knowledge, etc...” It doesn't work for me. Simply commenting I like this or I don't like that is positive. Besides, to reach something as a composer, even as an amateur, you have to listen and analyze many works, of all kinds. That is what this forum gives me the most, to know the work of others.

My entire life seems but a continual wandering, and perhaps the jury is still out concerning whether I am just lost or not! Either way, here is a little of what the Muse had to say about it. I hope someone may find some pleasure in it.

Of course: A chord’s mediant is another chord whose root is a third apart (it can be a major or minor third), in this case, a chromatic mediant is mediant chord of the same quality as the original chord (Eg: C - E, C - Eb, C - A, C - Ab. Or: cm - em, cm - ebm, cm - am, cm - abm). However, this is just a simplification (sorry, this is a bit complex). Diatonic mediants (C - em or cm - Ab) share two notes (E and G in the first case and C and Eb in the second case); Chromatic mediante share only one note (Taking the huge list above, in order, the notes are: E, G, E, C, G, Eb, C, Eb) we also have double chromatic mediants, this share no notes, but are still a third away (Eg: C - ebm, C - abm or cm - E, cm - A) So: Diatonic mediants have their roots a third away, have different qualities and share two notes Chromatic mediants have their roots a third away, have the same quality and share one note Double chromatic mediante have their roots a third away, have different qualities and share no notes The uses of chromatic mediants could be to: prolong the tonic or a certain degree of the scale (this could be further explored by employing chromatic mediants a minor third away of minor quality so they can be chromatically altered to form a common tone chord of the first chord (Eg: C - ebm - cdim - C, where c dim is a common tone chord)); to “smoothly” modulate by going from a chord to its chromatic mediant and then twist the harmony even more; to abruptly modulate by resolving a cadence to its chromatic mediant, eliding the tonic (G7 - E, eliding the C in between) or to just come up with a different way to use it that sounds good to you. Chromatic mediants between minor chords sound eerie, chromatic mediants between major chords sound uplifting, but it also depends if they are a minor third apart or a major third apart. Just explore them and use your favourites. If you have survived this soporific music theory lesson, let me give you one more fact about them: playing four chromatic mediants all a minor third apart gives you an octatonic scale and three chromatic mediants a major third apart gives you a hexatonic scale Sorry if this was a bit too long

This is great advice. My thoughts as well. I don't mind the C tonal center throughout for a shorter piece, but that's more subjective I think. Don't worry though, your piece isn't bad by any means. To me, your music is creative and shows you have an awareness to take advantage of your whole ensemble. Peter is right though; all that parallel motion will lead to really thin sounds, unless your parallel chords are all already chunky (7ths and above I'd say). For your next string etude, what if the focus was on counterpoint and a more full harmony? Contrary motion and all that? Nice work, and thanks for sharing!