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Hmm, that's a piccolo, but I am not certain if a piccolo and a 1/4 are the same thing: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Violino_piccolo'>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Violino_piccolo Notice that it says the body is 1/4 size but that the other parts aren't. Also from wikipedia: "Finely made fractional sized violins, especially smaller than 1/2 size, are extremely rare or non-existent. Such small instruments are typically intended for beginners needing a rugged violin, and whose rudimentary technique does not justify the expense of a more carefully made one." ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Violin ) I guess you will find out soon. If it's too small, maybe you know some children who might like to start playing violin? ;)

Well, criticism of a certain thing will actually tend increase the thing criticized. If the person improves, it will be in spite of the criticism, not because of it. (And I'm guilty of criticizing other people's music in front of them, though I'm trying to change that). I think the powerful, effective thing to do is to offer suggestions....don't just say "This sounds out of place/ weird/ uninspired". If you have a vision for how someone's piece should be, then offer the suggestion of the change you think is good. That is what I value when getting feedback, and what I find helpful.

It is, but not to the extremely overt way the post filled with sarcasm suggested.

OK, Boulez admits that he openly bullied composers (even estabilished ones) into avant-gardism - and is still proud of it. Another one of the many 20th century facts that a lot of people would be glad to pretend that it just didn't happen.

Well, there's no such thing as a "proper technique" when it comes to composing. Different things work for different people. For instance, I have just started working on a new piece, but instead of going straight to Finale, I tried handwriting the theme along with a few chord changes. I've never handwritten anything of substance before, and it's doing wonders for my inspiration! Also, try to give yourself enough time to allow the theme to develop in your head before you even touch the piano. I usually come up with a very simple theme in my head, and (if it's good enough) I'll just keep thinking about for at least a few days, if not weeks. This process allows me to plan ahead and figure out where I want the theme to go. There are much more qualified people on here that could answer this question, but this is just my take on it. Oh, and welcome to YC!!!