PianoManGidley

I would say meaning...at least, if by "meaning," you mean "soul." I think some composers (*coughJohnWilliamscough*) too often write music that they know will sell because of its beauty, but lacks any sort of true passion or soul behind it. It's like feeding someone nothing but chocolate icing...yeah, it tastes great, but there's nothing solid to support it, and you're just doing it to be popular and/or make money.

Well, one of the WIPs I submitted to my composition professor in my portfolio was the piece that turned out to be orchestrated for my first composition recital. Hopes of Snow That's honestly the only piece I remember for sure that was in that portfolio. Everything else was really old crap, too.

Totally...I HATE it when people do that! :P

Glad to know I'm not the only one who read it wrong at first...though I didn't think of the wrestler "The Rock," but more just personifying the genre Rock, turning it into a composer. "Oh, yes--I think Rock makes a wonderful composer!"

Listen and analyze composers that use unconventional progressions (that still sound good), such as perhaps Alban Berg or Lisa Gerrard.

Why not just rework the piano stuff to something you can play on the violin?

"Good" and "bad" are subjective. If you just don't like rock, then pretty much ALL of it will be "the bad kind" to you. I know for me, I can't STAND that bubble-headed 50s rock (a la "Little Shop of Horrors"). It makes me want to strangle kittens.

I love Joni Mitchell! I heard she cut an album with Chuck Mingus--I SO wanna hear that!! I'm a rock fan myself. I love a lot of various artists (overall, but also within rock), such as: Duran Duran My Chemical Romance Bowling for Soup Mindless Self Indulgence 2 Gryphon Blackfield Queen Richard Marx Ludo Savage Garden Sixpence None The Richer Chicago

1. Lisa Gerrard 2. Danny Elfman 3. Alban Berg 4. John Adams 5. Aram Khatchaturian

I really enjoy John Adams. His "Phrygian Gates" was what heavily inspired my "Of Dreams and Memories."

I don't know of anyone in band or choir who HASN'T heard of Whitacre. He's got a good sound and good style...my only complaint is that sometimes it feels like he's writing music that he knows will sell and be popular. Of course, that's just my totally subjective feeling.

What does "IDK" mean?

What's your opinion of Milton Babbitt? For me, I can't stand his music--it's far too stoic, which IMO defeats one of (if not THE) main point of music.

Depends...if I'm sketching out a tune that's popped into my head impromptu and I don't have access to an instrument to check pitch, I'll pick an arbitrary key and write it like that. Otherwise, yes, I'll write in the pitch I hear it in first, and transpose only if the instrumentation I decide to use would be better suited for something else (like initial concert pitch of B for wind ensemble--moves so easily to Bb)...unless, of course, I'm LOOKING to get a muddier/emptier sound from the instruments in question.

Again I point out Eastern music...is this just not music in your eyes? Are you really going to be that prejudice?