Hello, My first piece

This is my first post on the forum and I have to say that I'm terrified to share this... but I'm really interested to know if I've done anything right.

I've yet to come up with a title for this piece but it has an obvious mood and feel to it. It's my first orchestral work to speak of, outside of very short 30 sec. or less clips and ideas. I started this out with just a simple melody and chord progression and over a day it became this...

I'm really interested to hear what ya'll have to say about it as far as the piece goes along with the orchestration, which I'm sure is all wrong... Please just let me know what you think, I can take it... Also, I look forward to listening and hopefully sharing some decent advise and thoughts with ya'll.

www.boxcarfilms.com/raydonnelly/audio/Finished.mp3

Finished.pdf

Now, I have come to rip you apart.

Actually, it was really amazing. Like, your orchestration wasn't even bad at all! :thumbsup: I have nothing to complain about, lets see if the next guy does. :whistling:

Thanks for the kind words... I'm still learning what to do, gotta love access to books. I'd love to get into school for this kinda stuff but at 26 I just don't know how I feel about being a student again.

Hi, and Welcome!

Simplicity and patience abound in this work with great use of anticipation and tension. A job well done! Looking forward to hearing more from you.

Michael

Thanks for the kind words... I'm still learning what to do, gotta love access to books. I'd love to get into school for this kinda stuff but at 26 I just don't know how I feel about being a student again.

Hey, just read this and had to comment.

I started my formal training in composition at age 25 and have NEVER regretted it. For me that was a perfect time to start b/c I wasn't young and trying to figure out what I wanted to do - i knew exactly! I soaked up so much information like a sponge and it catapulted my skills and works farther than I had thought I would be able to go with a good foundation of theory, history, and composition/scoring.

In short, I would go... :)

Michael

I know where you're coming from... I've spent my whole life with music, and always wanted to do something with it, but it was never really clear, rock music, concert band, piano, all that and the only thing that has really stuck with me is composing... I do feel old enough to know that this is really what I want to do... I regret not doing it sooner... I had the chance and didn't go for it. My wife takes your side that I'm old enough to know... Perhaps it's just nerves...

Thanks for the comments by the way... I took a look at a few of the pieces you have posted... very nice stuff... "Marionette" I really enjoyed it... to me it has really good movement. Thanks for the encouragement.

your welcome. :)

This is my first post on the forum and I have to say that I'm terrified to share this... but I'm really interested to know if I've done anything right.

I've yet to come up with a title for this piece but it has an obvious mood and feel to it. It's my first orchestral work to speak of, outside of very short 30 sec. or less clips and ideas. I started this out with just a simple melody and chord progression and over a day it became this...

I'm really interested to hear what ya'll have to say about it as far as the piece goes along with the orchestration, which I'm sure is all wrong... Please just let me know what you think, I can take it... Also, I look forward to listening and hopefully sharing some decent advise and thoughts with ya'll.

www.boxcarfilms.com/raydonnelly/audio/Finished.mp3

Great theme!

Very heroic, I like that!

Fredrik

:)I really liked your use of percussion, it was very...satisfying. Also, I thought the melody was cool, along with the orchestration of it...it just seem to "fit."

I think it would be a good thing for you to have some music comp. training, I think you could be very ingenious with proper knowledge...coming from me, a sixteen year with no proper knowledge isn't saying much, but truely, just from this piece, I think you could be fantastic.:thumbsup:

Wow... Thanks for the comments guys. I wish I was into writing this type of music at 16, instead I was too fixed on being the next big rock star.

I'm pretty happy with the theme, just worried that I may have over used it a bit... I did rework it in several spots though... I just feel like it was very textbook... I'm hoping my next outing with be a little more something...

Thanks again guys.

Wow... Thanks for the comments guys. I wish I was into writing this type of music at 16, instead I was too fixed on being the next big rock star.

I'm pretty happy with the theme, just worried that I may have over used it a bit... I did rework it in several spots though... I just feel like it was very textbook... I'm hoping my next outing with be a little more something...

Thanks again guys.

Hi, had to listen to it again... it's great, the snare drum is at the right place... I'm a drummer myself... the gong gong is a blast!

What were you playing in your rock band?

Fredrik

I loved this, the orchestration was very effective, and your snare drum writing was fantastic :) One thing I felt it could benifit from was more varied harmony, but you may have been thinking more about orchestration than harmony in writing this piece, and I understand completely ;)

I look forward to hearing more of your work.

I was playing guitar mainly... although I don't think it would be considered standard rock, don't they all say that? I do have a background in concert and marching band though... and I did work with the percussion section for a long time... that said... I don't really consider myself a percussionist and was quite worried that would show through with the piece... i.e. a little heavy on the percussion maybe...

but man... it's overwelming to have some good comments on this... I started on a new piece that has a lot more harmony in it... this one was focused on themes... thanks guys.

I wish I was into writing this type of music at 16, instead I was too fixed on being the next big rock star.

At least you got your kicks out. Now you won't have a mental breakdown when you're 35 cause you never had a chance to be a kid. ;)

At least you got your kicks out. Now you won't have a mental breakdown when you're 35 cause you never had a chance to be a kid. ;)

Man, this is SO true.

I was playing guitar mainly... although I don't think it would be considered standard rock, don't they all say that? I do have a background in concert and marching band though... and I did work with the percussion section for a long time... that said... I don't really consider myself a percussionist and was quite worried that would show through with the piece... i.e. a little heavy on the percussion maybe...

but man... it's overwelming to have some good comments on this... I started on a new piece that has a lot more harmony in it... this one was focused on themes... thanks guys.

Hi Rdonnelly!

I don't think the percussion is too heavy at all!

This music at the right moment in a dramatic movie...!

Speaking about percussion... having played drums I would like to try timpani one day, looks exiting!

And if by the performance of my violinconcerto their is no timpani available, then I will jump in to do my best...!:sadtears:

Great Work!

Keep it up!

Speaking about percussion... having played drums I would like to try timpani one day, looks exiting!

It's not that fun. :( Only fun when you get to play loud, which is truly rare. You might like it though, who knows? Course, this is coming from someone who hasn't touched timpani since 10th grade band... when ALL percussion parts inherently sucked.

It's not that fun. :( Only fun when you get to play loud, which is truly rare. You might like it though, who knows? Course, this is coming from someone who hasn't touched timpani since 10th grade band... when ALL percussion parts inherently sucked.

Now you really make me wanna play timpani!

I used to play pretty loud at the time I played rock drums, sometimes I even hit my hand and bled while I kept on playing, which made my rock buddies laugh of enthusiasm...!

It was in the days of Hendrix and Grand Funk Railroad.:cool:

Yeah, another not-so-young-composer! Welcome aboard!

Well, that was really good. The orchestration was very decent and at a glance, the score looks very pretty too!

I believe you could benefit greatly from learning more about harmony/counterpoint. Yeah, and smash that guitar! :p

Welcome!

yeah... with my current job and all I've been working on learning counterpoint in spear time... although, it seems like it really deserves my full attention, same with harmony, I've started looking into going back to school, but I don't know when I would be able to do that...

thanks... orchestration freaks me out... so many instruments to choose from, and as far as the score.... I just remember playing and really wanting to see dynamics and such... I conducted my high school band a few different times and the scores really stuck with me.

I guess its not so bad being not so young. thanks for the welcome.

26? you young pup!!!

2 years ago I decided to go back to school to get my degree in mathematics. I will graduate next fall at the tender young age of 50.

I do regret never having had any musical training, I do what I do by the seat of my pants.

Your piece here shows great promise!!! I think it needs to go a little further and develope a little more, but then I always like good music to continue.

I noticed you commented on my piece, so I will thank you here for that. The more pieces here you listen to, the more you will learn. Comment on as many as you have the time for and they will go out of their way to find your works as well. I listened to yours before and thought I had commented. Obviously I forgot or something came up. As a full time student it is hard to find the time.

Keep up the good work

Ron