Couple compositions by me (solo keyboard)

Hey fellow young composers.

Here are 3 original short compositions written by me (Jared) for solo keyboard/piano. I'm hoping soon that I will get Melancholy composed into an orchestrated rendition, or at the least record it on an actual piano.

Melancholy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgXHIKqnHP4

Epic Montage and Intro Jingle

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8zeYv80oBV8

Trinity Aftermath

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sY158E-78fU

Thanks for listening and let me know what you think. I just started playing the keyboard a couple months ago and have a couple other comps on the go as well.

Hey, Caprice, could I criticize your piano playing technique?

...doesn't matter, I will:

Try to keep your hands above the keyboard, and your arms, like at the same height as the keyboard. In the first video, especially, you let your hands drop down, like you're being lazy or something. Perfectly normal to make this kind of mistake as a beginner in the piano.

Also welcome to YC. Happy composing!

As Ian suggested, you need to keep your hands above the keyboard, but I watched another video (trinity aftermath) and I noticed that your keyboard is way up high, bring it down, or you could injure your wrists, and thats really something you don't want to do. I once lent a keyboard stand to a friend, and played for something like 2 hours with my keyboard on the table top, and I had sore wrists for a week. Other than that, I think you have some solid ideas, but do try to make the left hand more interesting that just 1-3-5-3 arpeggiation.

Are you a guitar player? (Or have you played it?)

1st piece:

It is hard for me to critique upon something so emotionally close to you. Musically wise though I didn't find it very interesting, very pop inspired and I'm not at all for that ;) But I can't say it is bad or good when it is not the music per se, but the dedication to your father that counts. If you (and your family/friends etc) found it good and thoughts/emotions-provoking, than yes it was good.

2nd:

Oh when the saints! And the second part was an elaboration on that. You definitely felt the music to say the least. You were all in there. Great that you can enjoy it so much, good for you. Read my comment on your 3rd piece though (below).

- Eh really, only octaves and first position chords? It is that you are a beginner, otherwise I would have commented on that.

3rd:

Beginning of the song: Try to keep your right hand still when you are playing those long held notes. It's not a clavichord (where you can make vibrato). It's all samples and once struck the notes will sound the same whether you move you fingers, wrist, hand, arm, even your head. It saves energy and looks much more solemn, it gives the illusion of calmness (or looming as the commenter wrote) which this song tried to evoke. Don't go for the silly monkey-mimicry of Lang Lang. It's not all that fun to watch. (He can just barely pull it off only because he is actually a good pianist. A good performance does not need excessive movement of the body)

During the piece both arms started swaying up and down - don't! ;) Apart from the repetitiveness you created a nice athmosphere.

Next go for a piece with a more varied bass (if you are not going to use different chords, at least make the listener believe you are giving him something new). After you have a bit more proficiency, might I suggest some more harmony/voiceleading/orchestration(since you want to do that) lessons? You can do that by yourself, buy some books, or easier: search the internet and read up. Keep composing and welcome!

Thanks for the feedback everyone.

Forgive my naivety, but the way I'm playing right now is comfortable and I haven't had any wrist problems. The wrists have been through a lot already as I'm also a guitar player (mainly heavy metal) for about 7 years. That being said, I will be more cautious from now on.

The 1 3 5 3 left-hand pattern is played out. I just started playing; all 3 songs were written within 2 months of me just picking up the keyboard. So I just need to put in the time and effort to learn more left-hand rhythms. :facepalm:

Roy** You commented that Melancholy sounds pop-inspired and Epic Montage is a variation of 'Saints go marching in'? I'm gonna have to wholeheartedly disagree with you, I don't see these two points being meritorious. I know 'epic montage' has basic formula written all over it but I haven't been able to think of a piece that it sounds noticeably similar to (at all for that matter). As for melancholy (the first one), it does mean a lot to me but I can see what you mean. I feel an orchestrated version (and a better performance) would help the piece become more effective and dynamic.

As for the third song, I don't know why I was doing that. I was probably much too adjusted to guitar at that point (it was the first song I wrote on piano). It IS pretty repetitive for sure, but looming.. :hmmm:

Thanks a lot for the criticism. This music is just a fun hobby of mine but if one day I can actually do something constructive with it, other than use it for my own personal enjoyment, that would also be ... just awesome. I wish my parents got me in to the piano when I was like 2. At 21, I'm far behind.