Piano composition by a beginner.

Hello everybody,

Can you please comment on what I have composed. I have alreay uploaded the un-completed version one month ago. But now, I uploaded a complete version.

http://www.mariam.ae/composing/comp4b.mp3

Thanks,

You have a score to pair with this please? It sounds good but I wanna see a score to ascertain some facts.

Am I right that you want this to be a piece of art music?

If so, I have some suggestions, namely,

-The need to modulate (modulation is not a must, but is highly reccomended. It brings the listener some form of change for a refreshing start)

-I felt that it was too short, and you can develop your motiff more.

-Your harmonization is pretty "pop piano" if you get me.

-you should introduce more than one theme. oh well, i heard some development, but if that is your second theme, i think it is very neutral sounding.

if youre looking this for the "pop" side,

-only the last one is adviseable.

however, I think I need a score to review more constructively.

Just my two cents, nothing personal~

Well, it depends on what you are going for.

It does sound very popish, and if that is what you want, then it's fantastic. There are verses, a key change...

But if you want it to be "classical" piano music, you will need to make some changes as suggested by david.

I am assuming there is no score because you improvised it on a digital piano and recorded yourself playing?

I agree that this music has the flavor of easy listening--nothing to tax the mind at all. It is the kind of thing that you would want to be playing in the background while having an interesting dinner conversation with a member of the opposite sex. It would help to set a relaxed mood but would not interfere. In addition to the suggestions above, I would say that the perfect motive imitations are too mechanical and need elaboration.

I would suggest the following exercise. Find a simple piece you really like and would want to have composed yourself. Enter the melody into your composing software and put aside the sheet music. Make a copy of the melody. Try to compose an accompaniment. When you see accidentals crop up in the melody, try to figure out what harmony is intended and then write a cadence for it. Do the best you can with it (e.g. if the piece is 20 bars long it might take 2-4 hours). Take notes on how you thought about various decisions. When you are as far along as you can get, go back to the original and enter it into your copy. Then compare the two works.

Thanks david ckwee for posting. I don't have a score.

SonatainfSharp Many times I hear about "pop piano music" and I never thought that what I composed sounds like that :)

I always seek for composing calm music, and if this is achieved then I am satisfied. whrogers3 I don't think that I could do your exercise :( I don't have any experience in composing software or even basic music theory, but I appreciate your post.

George Winston sold an awful lot of records that could be described as what you want to accomplish--and I think your submission is comparable to his music--though somewhat shorter and slightly less elaborate. My daughter also "composes" extemporaneously (when she is supposed to be practicing) and so I know exactly what you are talking about. She wouldn't have a clue how to do what I suggested to you.

If you have a digital piano and a computer, you can get a program like finale notepad for $10 and record your music in notation format. Then you could learn how to edit it. There are some that are free and good (Noteworthy) but they require more computer knowledge. There are others that are free, but with Finale you have an upgrade path later in life and some protection against having a lot of music in a format that becomes obsolete.

I think music composition is like text writing. You can be really good with your first draft, but in the long run you will be happier learning to edit it.

Thanks, other comments?

This would really benefit from some rich chromaticism. I have no complaints about the "poppy" nature of it, but music can be both accessible and exciting at the same time. :)

A modulation into a minor key would really complement this well, perhaps as the "B" section of an ABA form.

- Matt

http://www.youngcomposers.com/forum/fantasy-etude-16546.html

A modulation into a minor key would really complement this well, perhaps as the "B" section of an ABA form.

Thanks Matt, but can anybody help to understand this :blush:

Whatever - what this means is to change the key to a minor one -- traditionally minor keys have a more sombre sound -- think the opening of Mozart's 1 mvmt of his G minor symphony or the famous 1st movement of beethoven's 5th Symphony.

As for ABA , that is just a musical shorthand to say your piece would benefit from a contrasting section (the B section) and then a return of the opening material in a its original form (the A section. Note - if you bring back the first section altered after the contrasting one then we have A B A' - the ' signifies "altered" or "varied").

I hope this helps. From what I read, you would benefit from learning basic theory. Browse the lesson threads to find one about fundamental music theory. It is important you know this -- if you are composing a symphony or a piano minature for your own pleasure, this is necessary to learn.

This is quite promising. Pretty and lyrical :)

I like it, but I think it's too short. It has too much potential to be cut short!

I like it, but I think it's too short. It has too much potential to be cut short!

I'm very happy that you liked it. I thought that 1:20 secs is long enough, what is the average acceptable length for a composition?

I'm not even talking about in terms of length. The ideas in the piece need to be developed!

You have a valuable talent, which is the ability to sit at the piano and come up with melodies and harmonic support on a small scale. If I try to do this, I get about 10 seconds into it and then I can't figure out what to do next in real time. The fact that you can come up with 1:20 and that it has some transition and ending is impressive.

This talent can be overwhelmed with too much theory too soon. Ultimately you will need to be able to capture your starting composition and then improve it by editing. I think the first step should be capturing your composition in a notation format or MIDI. The next step is to learn some music theory. There are a lot of books out there, and you can also take courses. If you are good at self study I would start by going to the bookstore and finding a book on harmony that feels good. You have to start with what makes a major chord major and a minor chord minor, what makes a cadence work or not work, and then get into modulation and how to do it. It would be at least 6 months of work to really get it. As you work through this, I would suggest that you keep making recordings the way you are now used to, and that you take melodies or harmonies from some of the recordings and try to work out a harmonization or a supporting melody according to what you are reading. I have not seen basic material like that on this site, but maybe I don't know where to look. After that, if it helps, you can try a similar study of counterpoint. The key in all of this is to do it in a way that does not make you self-conscious when you are sitting at the piano making things up, or else you will lose the fundamental talent that is your strength.

It reminds me of one of those compositions that has someone speaking over it. "love, I'll adore you for the rest of my life!"

It's very new age. It sounds nice, but like others said I think it wouldd benefit from modulations. But apart from that, all I can say is nice.

It reminds me of one of those compositions that has someone speaking over it. "love, I'll adore you for the rest of my life!"

It's very new age. It sounds nice, but like others said I think it wouldd benefit from modulations. But apart from that, all I can say is nice.

Thanks for posting.