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Rileyt

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I recently finished this composition and am looking for more advice. Considering this is my third piece where I’ve written for Strings, i think I’m getting better with writing for them. I can’t think of a name for it though so please recommend any possible names or ideas for names!

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A bit too meandering. 
Firstly, your engraving needs to be tightened up by moving rhythms into a tighter 4/4 grid. Right now it's all over the place.
Everything else... there's a big emphasis on arpeggiation but all of the inconsistencies within unisons and unclear chord structures result in too much motion without a moment to contextualize what we're hearing. 

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Monarcheon, thanks for the feedback! I have a few questions to ask, and if they seem a little obvious or I guess “dumb” please keep in mind that I’m still new to composing.

 

Question One : when you say “unclear chord structures” do you mean when the four main instruments play a chord all together? If so, I wasn’t exactly sure which instrument should play the root, third, and fifth, but decided that flute and cello should be considered the soprano and bass and should play the root. I originally decided to have violin play the fifth and viola play the third but thought the violin sounded too high and straining on the ear so swapped those two. I was confused on which instrument should play which pet and if you could inform me on how to decide in future pieces it’d be greatly appreciated.

 

Question Two : Could you please elaborate on as you said, “Inconsistencies within unisons...”? 
 

Again, thanks so much for the feedback and advice as I am mostly learning how to compose with using trial and error, asking other composers questions, and taking others’ advice.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Take a place like system 4, m. 2. Looks like a D minor arpeggio in the violin with an incomplete neighbor on E, but it would make more sense with the rest of the chord to call it Em7/D, but that conflicts with the fact 3/4 beats of the violin are dedicated to a different harmony. 

Later, in the section where everyone moves in unison, but some instruments branch off to play CTA's (chord tone associates), you run into voice leading problems by obscuring the line.

This isn't "wrong" per se but it's hard to get a consistent voice with these types of issues. Maybe it was your goal, idk. But I'm only an expert on how I hear it. 

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