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Thanks the compliment. 🙂 Am I an advanced composer? That is an interesting question. From the point of view of longevity - yes ... I been composing for 20 years or so. From the aspect of a formal education - probably not. For me the score sheet is a puzzle/structure to be filled/built; hopefully with interesting ideas and melodies. I compose for my own enjoyment and not to impress. Although, as all artists I do crave the compliment and recognition on a work well done! Once again - thanks for the kind words. Mark

https://musescore.com/user/1990646/scores/15992089/s/0rv0Jj?share=copy_link sorry this link should work now

Hi again @Fermata! Have you outdone our famous @Henry Ng Tsz Kiu with a 6 voice fugue of your own?! Quite an accomplishment and a joy to hear the complexity and intricacy. I like your episodes and modulations. I think besides @Quinn St. Mark's comment above about the addition of dynamics, I think you could also add a ritardando at the end and stay on the ultimate chord for a longer duration to really let the end sink in and let the listener really rejoice in the sound of completion. Thanks for sharing!

Hello @Hc123! I'll comment on the first 2 minutes since that's as much of it that seems like it's finished. I really like how the piece starts very underwhelmingly. I think the percussion in the beginning before the 1 minute mark with all the drums could be louder. You're inexperienced at writing percussion parts so naturally, through your timidity you've rendered them too quietly in this recording imo. After the 1 minute mark though, I think it's the same problem except now you're overusing the percussion when it should only be used sparingly and to accentuate important moments with the orchestra (especially the cymbal crashes). But the percussion instruments that are laying down the groove with the orchestra (the various drums) should be brought out more and balanced perhaps at equal importance to the rest of the accompanying instruments in the orchestra. Those are my thoughts about that. Thanks for sharing! P.S.: The score link doesn't work!

Hello @StripedGazelle and welcome to the forum! I like the idea of this piece. I have myself had similar ideas with respect to microtonality and using portamento glissandi in such compositions. I imagined a string orchestra piece in which said micro-tonal glissandi are stretched out over long (relatively speaking) periods of time (meaning - at a slower tempo). I wonder if your intent was somewhere adjacent to my idea or if you'd be interested in composing something slower in this style (and for strings). I do wonder why you don't show the glissandi in the score? Thanks for sharing!

If so, what instrument do you perform it on? Do you try your piano pieces out on piano? What about non-piano pieces? Do you play or try out your musical ideas on an instrument while composing? Or do you just use software simulations for that? If so, what sound libraries do you use and are you satisfied with the results? Does that sufficiently connect you to the performance practices of actual musicians? I generally only create melodic lines/chordal accompaniment. I can play passages in many cases but not extended efforts---I'm not trained as a pianist--unfortunately (I can read/perform lead sheet/pop music--I have a good right hand and enough technique to do brief figurations with the left....Enough theory and experience to know where the bass needs to be...) Performing non-piano pieces: I work through passages for strings on the piano--again not performance grade, but checking concept, harmony, rhythmic flow... When it comes to realizing the piece, I rely on the software to render correct parts, dynamics as I write them. I now use VSL special editions and am comfortable with them. Unfortunately, I am working on mainly chamber music with solo strings, and with most libraries, these are the hardest to sample due to their idiosyncratic nature and high level of individual expression (vibrato width, warmth of tone, sound point, subtle variance of dynamics, overtones/partials/harmonics....) VSL special edition has a good cello, great viola, and an average violin, but in all cases the articulations make the difference---great pizz, staccato, tremolo, accenting, etc... The spatial convolution/reverb/panning are excellent as well, and individual instruments can be tweaked. The pianos are exceptional across the board. All in all, using VSL is a great pleasure and makes the realization of what I write a pleasure to hear--and useful. Nope! I am comfortable with violin, viola, flute and piano (to some extent--self education with scores and books beyond my playing). This is a major reason why I am seeking out actual musicians as a next step to workshop and record a completed piece. Expensive, but really necessary to evolve as a composer. I rationalize the expense by figuring that a formally educated composer has spent 100k to 200k on an education--- if I spend 1 or 2k (or for free!) on getting a piece performed/recorded and experience the give and take/feedback of working with musicians--I am getting educated on the cheap! Yes. As soon as the electronic ink has dried, I'm looking for grad. students to workshop it, or short of that, professionals. Then to record... After that, a public performance? I'm considering being my own empresario and (with help with ticketing/advertising) booking a show with standard rep. pieces and sneaking in my own... I love composing, and if a piece makes the grade, why not have it performed?

A few months ago I discovered the Moonlighter Soundtrack (I've never played the game) and I fell in love. While all music gets old when you overlisten to it (which I did), I still appreciate this song, my favorite one from the OST: I like how this song can evoke such a brave and exploratory emotion with mostly diatonic harmony. I have been one to overobsess over fancy chromatic harmony, and this song has proven that amazing things can be done with diatonic harmony. From my knowledge, the only borrowed chord is the V chord, which is expected.