Capture the Flag

This is a fast-paced orchestral piece depicting a game of capture the flag amongst kids (not like on a first-person shooter game, you game with trees and the whole deal).

1. Techniques used

No instruments, just at the computer, singing out the parts.

I used no specific technique, really; however, I did compose from beginning to end (no "mapping").

2. How long it took to compose the piece

About two weeks, off and on.

3. Structure of your piece

I stuck with two melodies and altered them throughout the song a couple times, hushing in the middle and increasing intensity at the end. To be precise, it is ABCBDABC, but A and D aren't really melodies, more like oversized transitions.

4. Obstacles when composing

Nearing the end of the piece it got harder to work with--I may have used too much of the extra/complicated stuff the first time. Also, it was hard trying to keep the piece simple, since it portrays kids at play--I personally like to have a lot of different parts going at the same time and I was kind of at conflict with myself. Furthermore, I like powerful parts and I may have made capture the flag a little too serious for kids at play--of course, to the kids it is serious, so maybe it's okay.

5. Summary of overall piece

There's not much to say--it's just supposed to be a fun piece with a little edge, I guess.

Please comment/critique at will!

Capture the Flag

This is incredible! You've really captured the feel of a game of capture the flag... whoops, sorry about that pun.

Some of the melody around 1:00 is a little awkward, I'm not sure why. Once again, you have very convincing figurations in the non-melody instruments. Great sense of dramatic tension, too. I think your main difficulty is coherence in melodic ideas... your melodies are often very stream-of-consciousness. If you can get past that, you're going to produce some amazingly good music, especially if this kind of thing only takes you two weeks. That's about the rate I work at orchestral stuff.

This has a much more satisfying ending than your unnamed piece, though it could still be slightly stronger; the climbing sequence right before the end is rather unconvincing and awkward, especially considering what you've been doing for the rest of the piece. It just doesn't fit; unless you can make it more convincing, you should probably change the very end, replace it with something a little more tasteful. It does work rather well as is, I just think you can do a little better! ;)

You've definitely developed your own style of orchestration and music in general. Good job. I hope to see more work from you in the future!

I see what you mean by "stream of conciousness"--like I said (on a couple threads) I compose form beginning to end; I don't even know what the second half of the meoldy will sound like when I put in the first. It works for me, but I really want to get away from it. Thus, the second meoldy was concieved on the spot after the first one. I kept it, though, I like it. :happy: I did decide to play with the ending, though, I can never seem to end it well. Ah well.

Thanks!