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Hello wonderful composers, A friend of mine has started working on an rpg game and asked me to come up with some soundtrack ideas. This one is for one of the villages (if you hadn't already guessed from the title). The village is meant to be a small peaceful one but with a Subtle sense of isolation and struggle, so I tried to reflect this in the music. It's just one play through here, but it would loop in-game. Let me know if you have any thoughts or criticisms!

So I wrote this piece little over a year ago and it was my first time writing for harp. If any of you play the harp, I'd especially appreciate it if you could just have a look through the harp part as you listen, just to see if there are any mistakes that should be fixed. Also ... Harp Question: Should I put pedal diagrams in; leave it blank, so that the harpist can work out the best pedalling for themselves; or somewhere in the middle (like maybe at the beginning and at certain rehearsal marks)? Program Note (if you're interested): The inspiration for the piece came from Rautavaara’s Cantus Arcticus, subtitled Concerto for Birds and Orchestra, in which Rautavaara incorporates tape recordings of birdsong’s in northern Finland and near the Arctic Circle. In “Le Jardin”, I transcribed the call of the cuckoo and used it as a leitmotif for the middle piece. In “Dawn”, at rehearsal mark A, flute 1 plays a bird song like melody which at rehearsal mark B, is imitated by the rest of the woodwind. This imitation at B represents the birds calling and responding to each other as well as the animals waking up and the day beginning. For the third piece, I wanted a contrast to the first two pieces. I decided to write a light, humorous, polyphonic piece and ants seemed like the clear choice. In “Ants”, I have the melodies enter one after another, like ants walking in a line.

Very nice, I like it. In the first one I would stop the high drone at 00:38, or so.

I'm glad you upload this, because many people think modern on contemporary music relies on atonality (or lack of tonality, let's say). But that's not true. A rhythmic development like this makes the piece modern. I like it, indeed. But that rhythmic feeling is overused. Well, it's ok in a minute, but if something different came next... I agree with Maarten, when the middle voice comes in it's a bit messy because all the voices keep on playing that quick-staccato pattern. I would have used that voice to balance a bit. This part in m. 11 (and similar in 13) ... I don't see, I have no objection in crossing voices many times, but in this case you're making a cluster (and the counterpoint dissappears).

I don't think there are any manuals to know what to do. But, on the other hand, I don't think either you need lots of years to reach a good level. Of course, you never stop studying music. Perhaps, in your case, you should focus on the scales of each chord. That includes what notes are chord notes, what are tensions, and what are avoid notes. You start with major mode and its seven chords-scales. In melody, to be sure, you put chord tones and tensions in strong places, and every note you want, including avoid notes and crhomatic ones in weak places. What are strong points? The beginning of the measure, an also the beginning of every division of the measure. Also, a tone followed by leap or by silence becomes a strong note... Well, there are many things about this. And besides, when you know the essentials, you can break the rules and make other things supposedly "wrong". Being self-taught is hard, many times you don't know if you are right or wrong, if you don't have anybody to tell you. But being self-taught is also a challenge.

Well, this question is partly theoretic, partly philosophic or subjective. Since I am not a professional composer, I see myself too unable to give the theoretic aspects. I give you my vision and on solely melody and share my own experiences. Melody is much more my cup of tea than harmony, since I play a melodic instrument. Of course, it depends on what kind of melody you want to compose: do you want to write a classical Mozart melody or more in the style of Milhaud or Lady Gaga (de gustibus disputandum). Furthermore, what emotions does the melody have to contain? Melody Fortunately, I have melodies playing in my head. The only thing I have to do is to write them down. However, some of these are better than others. What I noticed is that the following aspects help to create stable, good melodies. Decide the scale or a certain set of notes / intervals. For me it helps to write down the scale / mode or the set of notes / intervals before I start composing. I hear a big difference between A major and Eb major, so it helps me to already 'get into the mood' of the melody that I want to write down. Sing! When I compose, I sing. Especially when I am composing tonal music, which is easier to sing than atonal music. When you, as a composer, have trouble with singing the just composed melody, you may need to look at it again. A general rule for me: the easier the melody can be sung, the easier it can be remembered, the better the melody. Rhythm Next to pitch, rhythm is a basic element of melody. Singing or playing the rhythms with a pencil can help to create compact rhythms. Unity and balance *This will I edit tomorrow, due to lack of time right now.* In conclusion: for both melody and harmony applies that practice is the best way to composing easier and faster. Try to compose every day and you will see that it becomes easier. I hope this helps! Maarten

I love Rautavaara. And I love this piece. Very colorful and beautiful. The arpeggio part is wonderful. And the fugato part a plus!

Another old(-ish) piece. I had to write it for an interview at the Royal Academy of Music when I was applying for conservatoires at the beginning of the year. I was given the brief, a week or so before my R.A.M. interview, to compose a miniature of 60-90 seconds duration for two instruments of my choice using the collection of notes and intervals, D, F#, C, G, E.

Hey guys, I've started leaning towards a more ethereal soundscape. This isn't something I could see being performed due to the amount of effects. Please let me know what you think, it'll help me a lot. Thanks, Rowan