A very random Quartet: Piano, Cello, Double bass and Drums

Absolutely any advice is appreciated because I don't know what I did here. I definitely want to revise this because it sounds rushed and I think I can expand this and improve this, but how is this as a first draft? Also, to any drummers, do the rhythms make sense? I tried it out on the drums and it made sense to me, but I don't really play the drums so I don't know.

I love hearing stuff like this. To me it's a diamond in the rough. I can tell you are a beginner/novice with compositional technique, but your writing and ideas are your own. That's the thing no one can teach, and you have such a cool unique voice that I'd be sad if you ever stopped writing. 

I wouldn't say this sounds "rushed", but I think I know what you mean. There are things you fleshed out and developed (like the melody in the piano and the drum rhythms), but other parts you haven't (overall harmony is on 2 or 3 chords, bass part is boring). But what are you going for? I've heard plenty of music with a static harmony on a few chords, but melody and everything else are developed. For instance, as jaunty and extravagant as your melody is, it kind of meanders to me. Wondering around and noodling are fine, but imo there wasn't a destination. Since your harmony is static, what if you tossed the melody around to other instruments? Or gradually kept the melody notes rising to explore more of it's register? Lots of ways to expand this, just depends on what YOU want to do.

Another idea is to explore forms. Study up on simple ones like binary and tertiary forms. Search "simple forms for composition", I bet you in .3 seconds an overwhelming heap of information will come your way. What an exciting time for you to get to try your hand at all of this! Keep writing simple pieces, short ones, that you can complete relatively quickly. You'll learn a lot faster and inspiration of KNOWING you can write and complete a piece will keep you going when "the spirit" or whatever doesn't. Adhering to a form is an easy way to fix the "I don't know what to do next" problem. 

If I were you, I'd keep writing for piano, or another instrument that's polyphonic so you can keep practicing harmony. AND, your piano writing will get better too. For instance:

One thing you could do is have the beam of the eighth notes cross to the bass clef to include the low G. That way the performer will instantly recognize your rhythm, and at least to me it would be easier to read. I wouldn't expect you to know that, and it's definitely NOT a mistake per se, but as you continue to study scores, you'll see all kinds of engraving that you may not have come across, and that's one way to get better. Your rhythm changes soon after, but it's readability is something you should always consider when notating. Also, if there are notes in the bass clef, I would put the pedal marking under those notes. 

Watch out for stuff like this. The right hand notes go lower than your higher F note in the left hand, so it might be awkward to play. 

I would have maybe given the more athletic sections to the cello over the bass, but other than a few things that are easily fixable with your continued growth, you have a lot to look forward to after writing this. I think the style and the cool harmonies with the piano over the block chords are unique and your own. I encourage you to continue to explore this forum as well as ask questions for anything. 

Thanks for sharing, and good luck with your future music!

4 hours ago, Thatguy v2.0 said:

Thanks for sharing, and good luck with your future music!

Oh wow, thank you so much for this amazing feedback! I appreciate it very much that you took the time to listen and write something so helpful!

4 hours ago, Thatguy v2.0 said:

I love hearing stuff like this. To me it's a diamond in the rough. I can tell you are a beginner/novice with compositional technique, but your writing and ideas are your own. That's the thing no one can teach, and you have such a cool unique voice that I'd be sad if you ever stopped writing. 

Ahh I can't tell if you're being nice or genuinely think that, but thank you very much! You are right, I just started trying to write music in scores, and I couldn't do it for a while because of my studies. This piece is something I started writing a while back, and I liked the initial piano melody, so I wanted to put this up in the forum. I resumed it recently and finished it in a rush because I was getting impatient, which is why the strings are so underdeveloped and why this is so short. Someone else here suggested developing the other instruments too on another piece I put up here, so I should definitely try that!

4 hours ago, Thatguy v2.0 said:

Another idea is to explore forms. Study up on simple ones like binary and tertiary forms. Search "simple forms for composition", I bet you in .3 seconds an overwhelming heap of information will come your way. What an exciting time for you to get to try your hand at all of this! Keep writing simple pieces, short ones, that you can complete relatively quickly. You'll learn a lot faster and inspiration of KNOWING you can write and complete a piece will keep you going when "the spirit" or whatever doesn't. Adhering to a form is an easy way to fix the "I don't know what to do next" problem. 

If I were you, I'd keep writing for piano, or another instrument that's polyphonic so you can keep practicing harmony. AND, your piano writing will get better too. For instance:

It's also easier for me to write sensibly when I have my piano (I don't have access to a piano right now) with me so that I can actually play it and see the placement because I'm not good with sight reading and I've only just started writing, so this is great advice to develop my writing!

5 hours ago, Thatguy v2.0 said:

I would have maybe given the more athletic sections to the cello over the bass, but other than a few things that are easily fixable with your continued growth, you have a lot to look forward to after writing this. I think the style and the cool harmonies with the piano over the block chords are unique and your own. I encourage you to continue to explore this forum as well as ask questions for anything. 

 

It only occurred to me today that I should've given some of the bass's parts to the cello when I saw someone play the bass today - I should watch live performances and study these other instruments too when writing for them.

Thank you very much, this is highly encouraging!

This work has the potential for further development.  You do have a very interesting voice here.  I love the effect of the lower strings creating an interesting floor for the piano and percussion.  I think a bit more variation in the piano part would enhance the work.  Keep at it!

Mark

Hi @piajo!

This piece shows some character!  There are some things you do that I would personally avoid in my writing but that might just be me so take my advice only if you agree with it.  Your piano lines have a somewhat haphazard/aimless contour - they seem like they just wander up and down the keyboard without any purpose or destination.  Also, you change from 8th notes to 16th notes to 32 notes very drastically.  Each of those durations goes by twice as fast as the precedent and changing from one to the other can give the listener rhythmic whiplash.  If you want to create an impression of more rhythmic smoothness you should keep in mind other durations such as triplets.  If you want the melodic line to speed up smoothly it should go (for example) from 8th notes, to 8th note triplets, to 16th notes, to quintuplet 16th notes, to sextuplets, to septuplets and finally to 32nd notes.  But the sudden appearance of (especially) the 32nd notes in your piece are all of a sudden very fast and sound like a recording that's being played too fast for any listener to be able to appreciate and absorb.  That's my take on what I observed about your piece.  Thanks for sharing!

On 7/7/2024 at 5:46 AM, PeterthePapercomPoser said:

If you want the melodic line to speed up smoothly it should go (for example) from 8th notes, to 8th note triplets, to 16th notes, to quintuplet 16th notes, to sextuplets, to septuplets and finally to 32nd notes.  But the sudden appearance of (especially) the 32nd notes in your piece are all of a sudden very fast and sound like a recording that's being played too fast for any listener to be able to appreciate and absorb. 

I see what you mean, the transitions could definitely be smoother! Thank you for your feedback!

On 6/15/2024 at 2:24 PM, Thatguy v2.0 said:

I wouldn't say this sounds "rushed", but I think I know what you mean.

    One of the early lessons I have learned is letting the music "breathe" and find its own stride.  The tendency for new composers is to have something happening all the time---vs.  the letting the phrasing take its time to naturally spin out....

   I'll often revise a section to expand or "slow" the pace to do just this, and the results are invariably better.