Rain v. Rain w/Effects

Hello all,

I wrote a piece for piano, Bb clarinet and celesta called "rain." It is supposed to emulate a (you guessed it) rainstorm.

I tried to make the piece as convincing as possible, so I created a mood by reiterating motifs with different voices and reflections. The celesta gives the actual "raindrop" sound, but the piano and clarinet represent the drops falling.

I want to make the mood as rainy as possible, so I wrote it normally (Rain), and then I made a version with cave-like echo (RainEffects). It is the same piece, but the echo creates a different mood.

I'm worried that the original is too... flat. I think that's the word... one-dimensional. But I'm worried that RainEffects may be too busy, would require some cleaning up, especially in the 3/8 section, but I'm not sure. I need more ears, haha.

So, please post which you think best accomplishes the mission of impersonating a rainstorm and why. Also, tell me what I can do to assuage my doubts about that version. I'm comfortable with re-working these a bit.

SoundClick artist: Jon Ginder - page with MP3 music downloads

Thanks in advance.

Jon

Rain.mus

I can't open the score... so the sound file you have will have to suffice.... I suppose.

For your intent to create raindrops, I didn't really see it at all - but, I may have a different idea of what raindrops sound like then you (really subjective differences). Musically, I like it. Very minimalistic in an interesting way. Seems almost longing. Good Work!

Not everybody has Finale.

So from the music alone also, I think the rain comes across, but I feel it's more the consequence of the rain that it brings to mind; the renewing of life, vast open desert refreshing into a tropical heaven, that sort of thing.

But I think the levels are too extreme, sometimes the celesta deafens me, and then the clarinet attacks me, and the piano tends to remain in the background.

And WHY DO YOU STOP at 2:20??

That's the moment I thought 'woah this is amazing', and then it just cuts off...it neeeeds to go on more or I will cry.

Not everybody has Finale.

So from the music alone also, I think the rain comes across, but I feel it's more the consequence of the rain that it brings to mind; the renewing of life, vast open desert refreshing into a tropical heaven, that sort of thing.

But I think the levels are too extreme, sometimes the celesta deafens me, and then the clarinet attacks me, and the piano tends to remain in the background.

And WHY DO YOU STOP at 2:20??

That's the moment I thought 'woah this is amazing', and then it just cuts off...it neeeeds to go on more or I will cry.

Sorry about that, I don't know how to make .pdf 's.

I knew that I was going to have to do more with dynamics (and probably change some levels on SoundPad as well.)

Haha, stopping at 2:20... I'm afraid I have no real defense. Except that I have ended many a piece quite suddenly and without resolution because deep down, I really love seeing people look like they wish I'd gone on. It's a weird sort of complement I guess. I realize, however, that it's not practical for the purposes of, say, entertaining an audience.

With this in mind I will do three things:

- Ask someone to either help me learn to make .pdf's, or make one for me. (I'd rather learn myself.)

-Change the levels in both Finale and SoundPad.

-And try to expand the work... since it does kinda beg for it.

Thank you for the comments.

Here's the pdf. Sorry I didn't do that earlier. I just downloaded a pdf writer.

Finale 2009 - [Rain.mus].pdf

you can also do it in finale if you have a mac...from the print menu pick create or save as pdf..something like that..in the bottom left.

I disagree..I think the ending is great as is...the piece definitely doesn't ask for a big cadence-imo...nice piece..you should have it performed.

in regards to the rain... descriptive/programmatic writing without a doubt