A Composition.

Hello everyone!

I'm trying to compose once again. Here is this very innocuous, exercise-like composition I made for the piano.

Audio here: untitled.mp3

What I would like to ask is this. How would you describe this composition? Does it make "sense" to you, in the purely musical sense? Could it be better, perhaps?

And lastly, what criticism or feedback could you give (e.g., the second to last bar has a figuration which sucks, etc.)? Anything will do, even mean comments.

(P.S.: Is this the right forum to post this in?)

There is definitely a call and response effect and I can hear where you are harmonically. I would say the rhythm of measure 7 is going against the rhythmic theme you have presented intially (half note, eighth, eighth), really more so the half note. You also have an issue with a missing beat in measure 11 I think it is, which then carries on to the quarter note in measure 13 which should be a half note as per the audio. Went ahead and did some mark ups on the image if that is ok, along with some quick ideas on the measures you mentioned...apologize for the sad mouse notation...

1. measure 7

With regards to what you said about measure 7, I do see what you say, although to me it sounds refreshing. It's a little difficult to say with words. But when the phrase (in measure 7) beginning with C# is sounded, I liken that to a self-important character trying to assert his "majesty", so to speak, and thus it makes sense to me in that particular way when you relate it to what has been played before. It helps if you think of it with this facial expression, which is close to what I mean (minus the obama - just the expression itself).

Does it make sense to you that way too, or does it maybe strike you as something you would describe as being "off"?

2. missing beat in measure 11

Yep, thanks for those observations on the missing stems and being off a beat. I was weirded out a little when I tried to sing the original in my head.

3. your ideas

My first impression of the ideas you added make the overall piece more balanced. It sounds pleasing, until I find that after the red measures in the middle you added, there is a rhythmic redundancy between that last read measure and the two following ones - almost as if the piece itself is too symmetrical (from the beginning to the end of these red measures).

http://i.imgur.com/hC0qQ.jpg

3-Julian.mp3

It's a little same-y, or same-ish in essence. Do you see what I'm saying? Maybe you have a different perspective, which is why I'm interested in seeing if you agree or disagree with this comment.

Nonetheless I really appreciate you doing this :D

4. some core issues

I suppose I'm battling with difficult questions, like with my description above of measure 7 (point 1).

Is a particular musical passage universally expressive, or subjective (in the obama-expression way that I interpreted)? There are those who say there's truth to both. It's confusing because it does makes sense to me, but to others it could sound off, which makes me doubt whether I can create a sound that can communicate something to others and that I can only see myself.

Also, I suppose when something just downright does not make sense to you, as a composer, you can just play with more ideas, modify a few notes here and there and see the result, right?

That was a helpful post. Thanks!

I'd say the interpretation of a piece of music is always dependent on the listener. Some might hear what you hear, others may attribute that passage to something else entirely, or focus on another part, some may not get anything out of it. With harmony, instrumentation, etc you can lead the listener to where you might want to them go. The reasoning you give for the choices you made in the middle portion make sense given the context, but even without context, you're entitled to do whatever makes sense to you. Composing something that you're not happy with, doesn't strike you, or doesn't make sense to you would seem to be a waste IMO.

Perhaps naive - but what if what I compose makes sense to me but not others?

Do you mean musically or conceptually? I don't think there is any guarantee that someone will perceive your music the same way you do...which is the beauty of music, or all art for that matter.

Good point. But what I'm referring to is: if I understand my work in my own way, and if I concede that most will understand it differently as you say, and I like my own work myself, but a large body of people that represent a majority dislike or don't get what I do, and in fact nobody ever likes my own music at any point in time, then what happens? What is it about my mind's own bias over my own creations that make my work inherently valuable to me? Is it possible to look back after some time and listen to the song with a new perspective and then be of the same opinion of those who initially disliked my work?

Sorry if this is obnoxious, I'm not sure where I'm going with this haha

I think your perspective changes over time. You may like something more or less than you do now later on. Everyone is human. People will appreciate something you've done if you are true to yourself in it. I don't think you should compromise your work to possibly make it easier for others.