Dangles

Yeah the harmonies are very beautiful. The score was really hard to follow though. You should try and make a much longer version because I think that the composing is very good but the piece is very short. It sounds like it could be epic and last a lot longer.

Hello I'm back on the forum after about a year's break, taken because of my final year of school. My exams are now over and I hope to get back into being creative. I wrote this piece earlier in the year, however, for a school ensemble (which I'm very sad to be leaving). The saxophonist said it reminded him of sporks so the name stuck. I like some parts of the piece and dislike other parts of the piece but I'd love to hear your comments. I didn't have a choice about instrumentation. For some reason the MIDI file I exported makes most instruments stringed, which I can't seem to fix. Here's a YouTube link of us performing it with me conducting: Let me know of your thoughts, please :) Tribute to Sporks.sib Tribute to Sporks.mid

Lots of bars of rest (more than 30 for instance) is very natural and unavoidable in works. You shouldn't be dictated by the fact that your musicians don't count. I cheat and give them cues if ever they've got more than 10 bars to count. That's because I only ever work with student orchestras or bands. That also means the music I have to write is what my friend describes as "educational music." That means everyone gets a go at the melody and as a result there's far too much doubling and over-orchestration. I can't help it because if it's not fun for them to play they won't play it. Thus is the nature of educational music.

Thanks very much for your comment, Jared. Dynamics are very shoddy on Sibelius, as we all know. I hadn't thought of embellishments but looking back at it I can't imagine why I didn't do that. When I go back and edit this piece that will be the first change I make. Thanks for the thought :ermm:. Metre changes I'll also consider.

I loved it very much. Listened to it yesterday and didn't log on so can't remember the details but I think the long muted notes from the trumpet and trombone in the second movement was my favourite part; it was very beautiful.

I find lots of video game music deficient of quality. A lot of it's just to do with what you listen out for in music, probably. For example, my brother, an avid fan of film and game music, tends to get "stimulated" (for lack of a better word) by music with loud bass, big drums and blaring brass without there being an emphasis on melody or anything. A lot of what he plays would really bore the hell out of me. On the other hand I can get excited by the amazing counterpoint of the Brandenburg Concertos but my brother wouldn't at all appreciate it. Our tastes aren't so mutually exclusive, however; we overlap at Stravinsky or Shostakovich. Having said that I'm sure some game music is good but I just haven't really been exposed to it yet.

I don't own or listen to the soundtracks of LOTR but I remember really being excited by the music in that scene where the fire signals are travelling across the mountains (I think it was in the third movie but I may be wrong). Certainly it was a very effective soundtrack and undeniably the third was the best (this I remember).

Being in my final year of school, I have a great problem of lack of time for the things I love. But it's about cutting commitments. I used to write stories and keep a "diary" (yes, it's very lame) but I stopped all that this year to focus on music and homework. Maybe there are some things you can cut back on to make room for composing. Even if you don't get the time during the weekdays, composing on the weekends isn't that bad an idea. Everyone manages time differently but personally I like to do three hours of homework when I get home (more if needed) and then allow myself to relax and play/write music or talk on the phone for the rest of the night. I'm not sure if that works for everyone though.

Nice fanfare... well... in tune for the most part; bad recording equipment affects that. I like the tuba. Sounds very nice. Well written music also.

Actually scratch that, I just figured out how then. Thanks anyway.

I've just got Sibelius 4 to replace number 3 and I can't find how to extract individual parts. It used to be under the File menu in Sibelius 3 but it's not there now.

Thanks for the comment. I agree about the melody lacking rhythmic variation. I get really addicted to quartel and quintal harmonies and I have to hit myself sometimes to stop me writing with them. And yes, the plan was to use the material from the slow section for the slow movement if I ever get the time to complete it.

I really enjoyed this piece; it was really beautiful. The faster middle section my favourite. I'd love to hear it live! :P No other comments.

This is a good start. Is it your first piece? There was some work with chords around the middle but the ostinato from the flute around bar 50 (the one that occurs throughout the piece, I think) was kind of tiresome. Also, you repeated the same four-bar chord progression for too long. Some of the music's nice, however. Good work. Keep writing!

I found the piece most enjoyable. I loved the piano which was almost "shimmering" in parts. Damn, I'm not used to following repeat signs. I thought the tempo changes weren't in the least bit distracting; they were fine. Very well done! :P