Chrome

Hi,This is a piece I wrote over the Christmas Holidays just to past the time and, to my surprise, I think it turned out quite good. It took me about a week to complete the composition but I'm still editing things here and there. I showed it to my band director about a month ago and we read though some of it (exciting!) but the middle section was apparently hell to get through; So with out changing the piece too much I simplified some of the parts so it would be possible to play. If all goes well we might take this piece on tour!! Upon reading the piece in band a couple weeks ago, there were also several balance problems... for example the opening mallet motif; Apparently the low end of the marimba was getting covered by the rest of the band and etc... I never even think about that stuff while composing!Well anyway the percussion professor at my school said that she would take a look at the score to figure out the best way to get the maximum volume out of the beginning section. She suggested maybe using three vibraphones instead... but I'm still waiting to hear back from her. If this piece gets performed it will be my first piece to get played by a real ensemble in front of a real audience! Please leave any comments you have. -Steven

Chrome

I enjoyed listening to it. Thanks for sharing..

You say you never worry about "that sort of stuff" while composing, which is normal, but if you know you're getting it performed, you MUST think about those sorts of things, or the piece will be incomprehensible, just some quick advice. I'm going to try to be specific but your writing is a bit to hard for me to follow, I'm not at the level your band is at, you know who you should get to review this? Tokkemon or JAWoodruff.

Anyways, I think your mallet part is fine up until fourteen, where you should either add greater dynamics or more instruments as your director said. I'm wondering why you have tenor sax coming in with the trumpets though (bar 9)? Although tenor is a great double for both trumpets and clarinets, I wouldn't bring it in in an only brass area where the trumpet could soli instead. Usually tenor is only doubled in tutti situations the way I see it.

My next suggestion is your use of tuba during the opening statement. It comes in after everyone else is already in, and holds a note for 9 beats, crescendoing for the last bit. It will not be very well heard at an entrance where everyone else is at forte (tuba needs a dynamic marking by the way) and if people do here it they'll expect a change of note at least, or a new countermelody or something. I'd bring it in earlier, at least with the horns if not with the bass clarinet. Which leads me to another strange combination: Euphonium and Baritone Saxohphone. I'd switch baritone saxophone with tenor, and perhaps if you don't want to switch the tuba add the baritone sax to that part.

At bar 20 I think the alto sax should not come in, but come in a beat later at 21. Also, your score doesn't match your playback at parts, for example there is no trombone at bar 29 but you heard some in the music. I love that whole section by the way, but am wondering why you take out tuba randomly for a bar? I also love the countermelody in the flute and clarinet part, great section there! But once again you have soli trumpets and tenor sax, and the tenor sax is in it's highest octave. I'd give the horn the tenor part, the tenor the trombone part and the trombone the horn part if that works.

At 59 you have trombones (or low trumpets like later on)playing background but it's marked alto and tenor sax in the score, or am I mishearing? Anyways, this would be a great time to point out your fantastic percussion writing! It actually leaves me in awe how great you are at writing for them, great job!

So the song is fine as far as I can tell when you have everyone in, but I'd give the tuba and trombones the melody with the bass end at 87 instead of the euphonium and horn, as they are meant to double slightly higher instruments such as the alto (horn) and tenor (euphonium) saxophones. You have strange bass end combinations the whole way through - it's a common misconception that euphoniums should double tuba's.

On the other hand, you have amazing writing for clarinets! You use their tones exquisitely, and they are always put to good use - just make sure that they can play the fast parts, as I'm not certain it's as easy for them as saxophones. Your oboe choice for the solo was great as well, it's tone suited it nicely. And for the first time all piece I saw good Tuba writing - one thing you abuse throughout the song. I like the transition to the bass end at 37 though, but would remove euphonium and give it's part to bassoon at 38 where contrary to my writings, there is a great use of tuba!

At 154 I'd add alto to the mix of melody to complement the horn and make it a trumpet+T.Sax with Horn+A.Sax combo sort of thing, if that doesn't make me sound crazy. At 205 I can't find the melody... I can hear it though? Then at 215 you have sax missing when I can hear it as well? Is this a copyright issue or something? Your ending is fantastic though, but I dislike the mallet percussion hanging on at the end, I'd 'choke' them or however you put it.

So great job! I don't want you to think this is a terrible song, because it's not (I gave you 10/10) I just want your performance to go as well as possible. I didn't hear balancing issues really at all, but that depends on the number of performers you have as well. I hope this helps, and that your concert works out smoothly!

Good work, this should be quite nice after some tweaking. Impresario already touched on a number of things, but I have to echo that those quiet mallet parts in the beginning under a blaring band are going to be muffled and covered. Ask the percussionists to play louder or hold back the volume of the band. You could even double the low notes of the mallets in the winds... if the winds weren't already so active. Do you only have two trombones and one horn in your band? You could get a more powerful sound in so many places if you split those voices further.

I enjoyed listening to it. Thanks for sharing..

Hey I'm glad you liked it!

You say you never worry about "that sort of stuff" while composing, which is normal, but if you know you're getting it performed, you MUST think about those sorts of things, or the piece will be incomprehensible, just some quick advice. I'm going to try to be specific but your writing is a bit to hard for me to follow, I'm not at the level your band is at, you know who you should get to review this? Tokkemon or JAWoodruff.

Anyways, I think your mallet part is fine up until fourteen, where you should either add greater dynamics or more instruments as your director said. I'm wondering why you have tenor sax coming in with the trumpets though (bar 9)? Although tenor is a great double for both trumpets and clarinets, I wouldn't bring it in in an only brass area where the trumpet could soli instead. Usually tenor is only doubled in tutti situations the way I see it.

My next suggestion is your use of tuba during the opening statement. It comes in after everyone else is already in, and holds a note for 9 beats, crescendoing for the last bit. It will not be very well heard at an entrance where everyone else is at forte (tuba needs a dynamic marking by the way) and if people do here it they'll expect a change of note at least, or a new countermelody or something. I'd bring it in earlier, at least with the horns if not with the bass clarinet. Which leads me to another strange combination: Euphonium and Baritone Saxohphone. I'd switch baritone saxophone with tenor, and perhaps if you don't want to switch the tuba add the baritone sax to that part.

At bar 20 I think the alto sax should not come in, but come in a beat later at 21. Also, your score doesn't match your playback at parts, for example there is no trombone at bar 29 but you heard some in the music. I love that whole section by the way, but am wondering why you take out tuba randomly for a bar? I also love the countermelody in the flute and clarinet part, great section there! But once again you have soli trumpets and tenor sax, and the tenor sax is in it's highest octave. I'd give the horn the tenor part, the tenor the trombone part and the trombone the horn part if that works.

At 59 you have trombones (or low trumpets like later on)playing background but it's marked alto and tenor sax in the score, or am I mishearing? Anyways, this would be a great time to point out your fantastic percussion writing! It actually leaves me in awe how great you are at writing for them, great job!

So the song is fine as far as I can tell when you have everyone in, but I'd give the tuba and trombones the melody with the bass end at 87 instead of the euphonium and horn, as they are meant to double slightly higher instruments such as the alto (horn) and tenor (euphonium) saxophones. You have strange bass end combinations the whole way through - it's a common misconception that euphoniums should double tuba's.

On the other hand, you have amazing writing for clarinets! You use their tones exquisitely, and they are always put to good use - just make sure that they can play the fast parts, as I'm not certain it's as easy for them as saxophones. Your oboe choice for the solo was great as well, it's tone suited it nicely. And for the first time all piece I saw good Tuba writing - one thing you abuse throughout the song. I like the transition to the bass end at 37 though, but would remove euphonium and give it's part to bassoon at 38 where contrary to my writings, there is a great use of tuba!

At 154 I'd add alto to the mix of melody to complement the horn and make it a trumpet+T.Sax with Horn+A.Sax combo sort of thing, if that doesn't make me sound crazy. At 205 I can't find the melody... I can hear it though? Then at 215 you have sax missing when I can hear it as well? Is this a copyright issue or something? Your ending is fantastic though, but I dislike the mallet percussion hanging on at the end, I'd 'choke' them or however you put it.

So great job! I don't want you to think this is a terrible song, because it's not (I gave you 10/10) I just want your performance to go as well as possible. I didn't hear balancing issues really at all, but that depends on the number of performers you have as well. I hope this helps, and that your concert works out smoothly!

Hey, let me start by saying thanks for all of your advise!! You make very good points and I will definitely take them all into consideration. So far I took out the tenor sax at measure 9 and had that part just be a brass section for awhile. I also had the tuba part, at the beginning, enter louder with a descending part.

And thanks for noticing that the score didn't match the playback in some places. I just added in some of those section and I guess I forgot to transfer it over to the score.

I'm really glad you thought the section with the xylophone "solo" was OK... I thought people would think it sounded kinda random or out-of-place. People I know tell me it sounds fine but I'm glad I get to hear it from a neutral stand point. The percussionists at my school are pretty much hating me right now for the mallet parts... I really didn't think it was that difficult but I guess they just didn't want to work it up ha.

It's funny that you should say I have good clarinet writing because I play clarinet lol! I know the horn pretty well, but on the flip side, I have never played a tuba in my life so that may excuse me for my poor tuba writing haha.

So hopefully I'll be able to get a live recording of this piece if things go according to plan. I guess we'll have to wait and see.

Thanks again for all of your advise and compliments!

Good work, this should be quite nice after some tweaking. Impresario already touched on a number of things, but I have to echo that those quiet mallet parts in the beginning under a blaring band are going to be muffled and covered. Ask the percussionists to play louder or hold back the volume of the band. You could even double the low notes of the mallets in the winds... if the winds weren't already so active. Do you only have two trombones and one horn in your band? You could get a more powerful sound in so many places if you split those voices further.

Hey thanks for your comment!

Yeah those mallet parts are giving me hell ha... I didn't know they would require so much attention would I started plugging them in. I'll probably have to do a combination of both: make the percussion play louder and have the band play a little softer, but not too soft or I think the beginning would lose some of its drive.

When I go back in to make some (more) corrections I'll definitely have the trombone and horn split more; that's certainly I good idea.

Thanks again!

bravo

Great job!

Wow, I really don't have much to say. This is incredible by my standards, the mallet parts are incredible. I'm a percussionist myself, and I can't seem to write for mallets at all, but wow, I enjoyed this so much. The piece always keeps the audience guessing what is going to happen next. The more silent parts are even fierce. The whole piece is just great. It does not get old, which I struggle with sometimes. I've only had one piece premiered, and it was nothing compared to this. So bravi, sir. I commend you.

Also, in one of my pieces the percussion is lacking. Could you listen and maybe give me some ideas for mallet parts and a broader percussion sound. Thanks.

-Patrick

Wow, I must say that this is great! Definitely very difficult, but if pulled off would make a great piece! Where do you go to school at?

I loved this! It kept me engaged right from the get-go. I can imagine how well-received this piece would be at a concert, as it would be very impressive to hear live. The lack of key changes, to me, proved to get a little stagnant. I also think the ending could use something even bigger, something grand, something huge!

Excellent work!

Wow, I must say that this is great! Definitely very difficult, but if pulled off would make a great piece! Where do you go to school at?

Thanks for you nice comment!

I am going to be a junior at Sam Houston State University this upcoming semester.

Thanks everybody who commented on the composition! Sorry I was unable to respond to them quicker. School had me really busy these last couple months.

Wow, I really don't have much to say. This is incredible by my standards, the mallet parts are incredible. I'm a percussionist myself, and I can't seem to write for mallets at all, but wow, I enjoyed this so much. The piece always keeps the audience guessing what is going to happen next. The more silent parts are even fierce. The whole piece is just great. It does not get old, which I struggle with sometimes. I've only had one piece premiered, and it was nothing compared to this. So bravi, sir. I commend you.

Also, in one of my pieces the percussion is lacking. Could you listen and maybe give me some ideas for mallet parts and a broader percussion sound. Thanks.

-Patrick

Hey man, thanks a lot for your comment!! I'm not really the person to ask for percussion advice(haha!) but if you still need help I wouldn't mind trying to help you out.

I loved this! It kept me engaged right from the get-go. I can imagine how well-received this piece would be at a concert, as it would be very impressive to hear live. The lack of key changes, to me, proved to get a little stagnant. I also think the ending could use something even bigger, something grand, something huge!

Excellent work!

Haha I'm really bad at key signatures and accidentals. I could write forever in one key and not get bored for awhile...

Believe me I tried to go for something HUGE for the ending, but what came out was the ending you hear on the recording lol

Thanks for the comment!