Sunset

This is my piece Sunset. I have it tagged as a concert band piece as I was thinking about my high school's concert band's instrumentation (although this is not actually 100% it) while I was writing the piece. Originally, I was going to write it for strings, but that didn't really catch on to me.

This is the first time that I have written for something other than percussion or piano as it is literally my fourth finished piece. I have actually been going through a period of writer's block (or whatever you call it for composing), and the idea of just writing music and playing around with ideas until something sticks was given to me by somebody I know. Thus this piece was born. It was definitely a weird process and time for me because I usually only start writing when I already have a good idea. Regardless, I like how this piece turned out. As usual, any feedback is welcome. 

Thanks 🙂 

P.S. This is unrelated to the piece, but I am so ready to graduate. #Classof2019

Edited August 18, 20187 yr by Jelly

Yah...awesome! #Classof2019

Before you read: I was a bit violent here because I didn't realize that's your first time.

Please don't take it too hard. 

You don't even have to read the whole thing if you take this note:

Please read for... say half an hour about wind instruments,

then take a look at your piece and change it.

Let's see.

I'm confused.

How can you write for a contrabass instrument in treble clef?

Ok it sounds really good but I feel like there are many mistakes I don't know how to fix because of my lack of knowledge in orchestration.

In general, I've been told that when you have a transposed score you should keep the notes as close to the middle of the staff as possible.

Try not to get too far off the staff.

That:

for example, is almost impossible. Even a professional flute player would find it difficult to perform.

Or these:

If you know any wind players- ask them about the piece.

Let me give it another listen to see if I get any new realizations.

You might want to reupload it as a piano reduction, that way it would be much easier to review the composition itself (not the orchestration).

Bar 34

The lone trumpet here sounds weird:

Add basses or cut it out. It feels out of context.

Ok this one is important:

In a place with a lack of bass you ask one of your loudest basses to reach very far out of their comfort zones to play this.

Please, for them and for you, bring these notes down two octaves. Also you could sustain them with the trumpets from the previous note.

Right after that... your first Flutes, Clarinets and Trombone players are probably dead by now. 

These registers... on a wind instrument, what you wrote is a nightmare to play.

@Rabbival507  All the clarinets are written in treble clef, as far as I know. They are transposed by octaves.

I think the bass group of instruments is big: 2 bass clarinets, 2 contrabass clarinets, 2 bassoons, 2 bass saxopohones. And they play by fifths,... is a bit heavy.

12 hours ago, Luis Hernández said:

I think the bass group of instruments is big

I meant at bar 34. It feels empty.