Evil Monkey With Ray Gun

Hey-- Do you know Rachmaninoff's (Rachmaninov for the old-schoolers) second piano concerto? The piano introduction, orchestration, and even beginning melody resemble it rather closely. I was wondering if you had that in mind while writing it. (That, and maybe some good get-in-the-kitchen jokes.)

I started this thread in the free for all, but I decided to copy it here: Is there a program or any tool that helps you to give yourself a kinda fake perfect pitch? For instance, I can sing an A without a reference within a few cents, but no other pitch. I can then use relative pitch to figure out whatever I need, but is there a program or something that helps you name the pitch in the first place?

Here's an extrememly abridged background on me, so as to make clear where I am coming form: I've only been composing for about two to three years, and with no instruction. In the past year and a half I taught myself music theory, just the basic stuff such as intervals, keys--the ground stucture. I have played around and studidied cadences and modes, but for the most part I don't think about them, I just use them. I've gone by ear doing so.... I kinda fit the "talented but no real training and it's new"--actually, I think my parents are kinda annoyed with themselves becasue there were lots of examples from when I was a kid that sould have screamed, "music lessons" but that's okay. So, my songs are basic in a few senses: they generally have one meoldy with chords backing, and usually do something ABA ABAB or, well, it's very organized. They are supposedly good for what they are, but since I've only written for piano or full ensemble, the concept of two instumentalist blows my mind, along with only dissonent intervals, being that I am quite tonal. I attached what I made up in about an hour the other day--the teacher liked it, I think it's okay. You can tell I'm new at it, for it's fast and using changes in meter often, so that the point of the song turns form tonal to rythemic concience. As far as two part harmony, I guess I really am not familiar with it.... Feel free to comment/rip up the thing I attached, I really am composing blindly, so your suggestions are welcome. 06-Correctly barred music thus far.MUS

So I'm in my frist semester as a college student for composition. I'm pretty much completely a tonal musician. My teacher is fine with that and I will be tuaght with that in mind, but my first assignment is to compose a clarinet and flute duo using only these intervals: m2, m3, tritone, m6, M7. Those are intervals between notes in one line; I can have major and perfect intervals bewteen the clarinet and flute. I've already composed some possible meloidies and they are okay. I'm still keeping a tonal center by manipulating the meolides to start, end, and suggest a tone. I've never done anything like this, before, though. I don't really know where to go or what to do as far as oveerall structure and how the instruments should relate. I've been playing by ear so far... but that only works when you ears are ready to play. Oh, and it has to be a three part piece--not long, but total of all three parts will probably run up to eight minutes. I assumed fast/slow/fast, but it's not written in stone. Any suggestions?

I see what you mean by "stream of conciousness"--like I said (on a couple threads) I compose form beginning to end; I don't even know what the second half of the meoldy will sound like when I put in the first. It works for me, but I really want to get away from it. Thus, the second meoldy was concieved on the spot after the first one. I kept it, though, I like it. :happy: I did decide to play with the ending, though, I can never seem to end it well. Ah well. Thanks!

The awkwardness at 6:20 has actually bothered me for a long time; it is, as far as I can tell, due to the high, off-beat trumpet part; I absentmindedly uploaded the second newest version, not the newest, where I had already replaced the trumpet part. The end of a song is always difficult for me; I don

Around measure 40 really sounds like Mars, the Bringer of War, by Holst

I really liked your piece! Yeah, it was reminiscent of Pirates at about 1:50; however, to the contrary of Stubbazubba, I belive that the song is as good at the end as the beginning. It sounds like film music, which is always great

Let me first state that I really liked your piece! The song overall is intriguing and would sound very good actually played. You don't have an mp3, do you? The midi is kind of killing me, and it's hard to distinguish dynamics. I really like that you don't overuse the strings or let them get caught up in too much chord support. Measures 18/19 are really nice. Measures in the 60's really remind me of Beethoven's Sixth Symphony, which is a good thing--to criticize, it is hard to grasp an melody or something in the song to hold onto--there is very little reoccurring in the piece. This, of course, is probably due to the piece being the overture and thus more of an introduction. For me, (though my style is rather repetitious) the song does not sit by itself as a complete song--as a movement, though, it is fantastic.

Actually, I think it is a pretty good pre-battle theme--it sounds like it could be in Warcraft by Blizzard or something of that nature. It is really good in that the song does not get boring as it continues, and though it does not have any real climax, the entire piece keeps the listener's intrest. However, I didn't like the ending--the song just seemed to get cut off and not really stop--this is just me, though.

This is a fast-paced orchestral piece depicting a game of capture the flag amongst kids (not like on a first-person shooter game, you game with trees and the whole deal). 1. Techniques used No instruments, just at the computer, singing out the parts. I used no specific technique, really; however, I did compose from beginning to end (no "mapping"). 2. How long it took to compose the piece About two weeks, off and on. 3. Structure of your piece I stuck with two melodies and altered them throughout the song a couple times, hushing in the middle and increasing intensity at the end. To be precise, it is ABCBDABC, but A and D aren't really melodies, more like oversized transitions. 4. Obstacles when composing Nearing the end of the piece it got harder to work with--I may have used too much of the extra/complicated stuff the first time. Also, it was hard trying to keep the piece simple, since it portrays kids at play--I personally like to have a lot of different parts going at the same time and I was kind of at conflict with myself. Furthermore, I like powerful parts and I may have made capture the flag a little too serious for kids at play--of course, to the kids it is serious, so maybe it's okay. 5. Summary of overall piece There's not much to say--it's just supposed to be a fun piece with a little edge, I guess. Please comment/critique at will! Capture the Flag

;) Uh, somebody... anybody?

This piece is awesome! I love the immense use of dynamics and once again (though I think you posted this before the first song I listened to of yours) it sounds like a combinations of Beethoven and Rachmaninov; that is a powerful combination. Though once again I find myself compelled to post a message due to a disagreement :P : I disagree with Apollo XI in that the pedal should be reduced. I just got done listening to Chopin

Actually, I disagree with Daniel (hey, that's my name, too... must be a genius thing...): I like the ending with the high notes. The song is not dreary or anything, but it is definitely not a whimsical song. The last two notes left a smile :whistling: of amusement on my face--though agreeably it is aurally a little off the usual, it idea is incontrovertibly effective. Overall I liked it; I really don

Before listening to this I had full intentions of ripping it apart