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Underwater

Featured Replies

This is a piano improv I recorded a couple of months ago. It was inspired by another improv of mine that I didn't have a chance to record, but 95% of it was improvised on the spot. The reverb and rumble were added later. It's one of my favorites, and I'm quite proud of it. Enjoy!P.S. Sorry that there isn't a score. I definitely didn't want to take the time to notate this.

Underwater

I was immediately taken in by the "underwater" ambiance. I like all the space in the beginning: it gives a relaxed feeling, like you're sort of drifting :) Very nice!

And the way it builds up is gorgeous: it's like your slowly coming more and more aware of your surroundings under the water, and you start to notice all the beautiful life around you. You have wonderful improvisation skills :D

Pity about the lack of a score, but it doesn't detract from the sense of wonder in the piece, and I too find this one of my favorites on this site. I was very moved by this piece :happytears:

10/10 and favorite: thank you for sharing this with us :D

  • Author

Serge, I found your comments very humbling and uplifting. Thanks very much! :)

By the way, the reason I chose to end with a fade out is because I improvised some things that didn't work with the rest, if I remember right. Plus, due to my hardware buffer size, Pro Tools decided to, ahem, "Encounter a problem." Haha. Apologies if the fade-out seems too abrupt, like Marius thought it did.

Hey haha ... second try.

I loved the effects you put in at the beginning... they reminded me of the sea quite well. Now when your piano comes in, I think you did a good job of knowing where you wanted to go and slowly getting to that point. However, your harmony is really simple and restricts the amount of development that can occur (of course, for a short improvisation like this, the tonal distance you must travel to maintain interest is probably shorter). What I would suggest (and what I do before improvising) is practicing advanced harmony beforehand so that your fingers get used to the movement. With advanced harmony, you can explore much more colors and ideas, which will add more interest to the music. However, that being said, I like the fact that you restrained yourself melodically and harmonically because I see all too often that people go crazy with improvisations with no coherency or direction.

As for thematic material, the fact that you have only close modulations and not very clear themes is good because this improvisation is short.

Overall, not bad at all for an improvisation! A fun listen :)

I thought the simplicity was really appropriate. If you made it more colourful, it would sound like it was from 100 years ago. It might've been a bit better had you kept it even simpler, I think.

  • Author

Thanks guys, for your comments!

Well I certainly enjoyed this one. The simplicity is great for this piece in that it keeps that feeling of drifting without the listener becoming "too aware" of what's going on from odd changes or over-colorization. All in all after a little mixing I'd say keep it just how it is.

This is amazing.

I'm not one for solo piano, but I liked it, it was beautiful.

The ocean ambiance also added so much to it!

I really can't go into much more detail without a score, but great job?

This is a piano improv I recorded a couple of months ago. It was inspired by another improv of mine that I didn't have a chance to record, but 95% of it was improvised on the spot. The reverb and rumble were added later. It's one of my favorites, and I'm quite proud of it. Enjoy!

P.S. Sorry that there isn't a score. I definitely didn't want to take the time to notate this.

Underwater

I'm not an expert musician but for an ordinary individual like me your piece is very soothing and truly worth listening to. :) Just go on, do your stuff and make us happy!

This is an improvisation, and you dont got that form that you normaly would have in that sense if you were writing.

It ends a little unsatisfying! but i suppose you just took the part you were the most happy with and cut the "crap" as we might say :)

Being at the point is something that is important for the listeners patience! youve done a good job forfilling that!

Good job, and well played!

I like it! But it ended a it strangely, didn't it?

It just drifted off without reaching any kind of conclusion. I found that strange.

On the other hand, the piece is very soothing. I agree the harmonies being very simple makes it good as a short piece, and it is definitely underwater, with the effects or not, it sounds like you're floating.

I'm not stable enough to deliver good improvs. xD

  • Author

Many thanks Tidemand! And yes, it ends a little abruptly with no real conclusion. But doesn't that compliment the drifting atmosphere of the piece? In my opinion, it does, but I'd like to hear what you think about it.

Thanks to the rest of you for the reviews!

It's nice, kind of Arvo Paerty at the beginning :P

I would have wished for something more harmonically interesting though. It needs more "meat" if you get my meaning, too.

It is a bit boring after a while, getting into a sort of pop groove, not my favorite of styles :happy: . The mood and atmosphere is soothing, though, it's very relaxing. A lot of piano improvs tend to be like that, never found out why :santa:

  • Author

Ah I see, PF. Well, I'm sorry you didn't care for it! I know lots of people don't care for "pop" music, though I didn't intend for the piece to be particularly "pop-y." o.O Anyways, thanks for listening!

  • 3 months later...

Hey Alex! So, it doesn't look like I've added my 2 cents on this piece yet...even though I've looked at it before. Hmmmmm :P. Anywho- I absolutely love this piece (and my roommate likes it too!!). It's delightfully beautiful and simple (in a good way). I enjoyed your chords and...just the general simplicity. I'd have to disagree with Berlioz, about wanting more "meat" in the music, though. Beautiful work!! ~Elizabeth

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