Paul Agostinelli

thank you so much everyone for posting your very detailed comments, i really do appreciate it, this is exactly what i need to help me improve as for posting in other's threads, i am doing that little by little. i have no problem sounding off about my opinions when i can formulate them coherently, but my compositional critique in general is a bit novice (though i could endlessly talk about performance quality/technique and my thoughts on art in general) so dont expect anything groundbreaking until i have a bit more experience with the writing end of things. (i will definitely post my comments though)

i am aghast that there are people who have obviously been composing for a long time, giving another composer advice as apalling as "dont do it if it wont get played." this is ridiculous advice in every respect. the only time this advice has a shred of legitimacy is when someone's livelihood depends upon it. "dont do it because if you do, you wont be able to feed your family" if everyone abided by this philosophy, (yes im talking even about composing for obscure instruments such as the armonica) this world would be seriously devoid of a LOT of precious artwork. i could list hundreds of artists who are revered in today's society who were despised/ignored/unheard of/had no hopes of being heard(seen, published, read etc) what kind of world would this be if they had given up when the community around them said "dont do that, no one will buy it!" ? honestly people, get real. this attitude is unfortunately permeating every aspect of art and some great work is really suffering because of it. to the OP, forget this ridiculous mentality and write EXACTLY what YOU want to, not what other composers tell you is passe, or "hopeless." you may or may not end up with a masterpiece, but you WILL learn something, and there is always the possibility that if and when such an instrument makes a comeback, it will get played.

my thoughts exactly, this is the simple philosophy i apply to all the genres of art i participate in. if it makes you feel good/happy, do it, regardless whether or not anyone will see/play/hear/perform it! obviously you wouldnt want to do it if it was for a commission for say a piano piece, but in your own free time, why the hell not?

considering all the epic advice that i have seen from you in almost every other thread, im really surprised by this. why wouldnt you encourage someone to write something for an instrument they cant get their immediate hands on? who knows, that piece may become famous, and then it will most certainly get played. maybe im a little biased, i absolutely love the glass armonica

well, im new to the forum, but i hate those "introduce yourself to everyone in 10 words or less" threads, so i figure ill make a proper introduction through music. WAV Intentional Homelessness MP3 Intentional Homelessness i just joined the forum because i would really like to get feedback from other people active in composition themselves. ive received lots of feedback from non-composers, but it lacks specificity, and its almost always all positive (whether it be not to hurt my feelings or simply because of lack of musical experience) but i really want some proper constructive criticism so that i can improve. the only caveat is that this piece was not written as a film score but it was the feel i was going for, ill post this in electronic/experimental as well because it was all done digitally in Logic

this is fantastic, the simplicity (lack of lots of instruments, certainly not the sounds) really makes the composition work beautifully. are these fm synthesis sounds or did you create them digitally with a vst etc?