May 6, 201015 yr This is a rather polished draft of a violin solo I've been working on for the last week. Some advice or criticism would be nice.Also tell me what kind of scene you imagine when listening to this (setting, events, etc.). I want to see if I am able to evoke what I was trying to. Violin Solo
May 6, 201015 yr Very playful, joyful character in this piece! The minor interludes helped to keep the piece from becoming stagnant and you managed to place them in spots in the piece that really made sense to the overall structure. Good job! My only criticism would be to treat your piano slightly more like a soloist. The accompaniment is very background in this piece, and while it certainly does its job of providing rhythmic and harmonic support, it doesn't add much else to the piece (my opinion, you can feel free to take it or leave it). As for what this piece evokes in my mind... hmm... well, to be honest, the playful sound of the melody evoked an image of an old-school Mario game. Perhaps Super Mario World? Probably not what you had in mind, but I think the character fits. :) Good job on this piece!
May 6, 201015 yr This is very good, Matt! :nod: --The harmonies and melody you use are very fresh and adventurous, and I found myself hooked from start to finish :happy: --As for what you were trying to convey though....oops. Honestly, I tried my best to think of what it was you were trying to convey, and I can't come up with anything that satisfies me :facepalm: Maybe I'm just out of sorts today, because I normally can crawl inside the composer's mind to find out what he/she's thinking, from the music. Your piece is just so crazy and all over the place to my ears I couldn't think of anything that really fit for me :dunno: But I'm sure it's my fault: I need to brush up on my skills. Thanks for sharing, this was very enjoyable! I will give it an 8/10 :D
May 7, 201015 yr I think you have some nice ideas here, Matt. One thing I would like to see, however, is the following: First, a better grasp on contrast is in order. You have a very simple harmonic language here. That's not a bad thing BUT you don't variate or depart from it much at all. Instead, you use a slower passage to set up a second idea. Instead, try to maneuver your music into a different harmonic direction and then state your contrast. This can be achieved via modulation or, if you feel for a more noticeable contrast - cadence and then without modulation state your contrast. Second, you have no accentuation at all in the violin part. The violin is capable of many colorful sounds: staccato, spiccato, marcato, legato, etc... the list goes on and on. Add these to your violin part to better accentuate and deliver what it is you wish to convey. Third, as stated before, your piano part is very accompaniemental. What I would like to see in a future work is more interplay and interaction between the solo line and the piano. Add coloration here, don't just let the piano play 'second fiddle' to your soloist. This will add more light and color to your work. I hope this wasn't a harsh review and that I've stated things that will enable you to move ahead a little more as a composer - hopefully, give you room for growth.
