Comprovisation in the Key of Everything Minajor by Derek Andrews

[Derek]

Here's a little piece I improvised/wrote (simultaneously) this morning:

https://www.personal.psu.edu/dga112/2006june18part2.m4a

It is a study in contrast of texture. There are two recurring themes: one is the dark chordy passage, the other is the ascending/descending romantic melody.

Any comments about what I did too much of, not enough of, parts that you liked, parts that you didn't like, would be appreciated.

Either way, I hope you enjoy it!

[mephisto]

Oh this is terrible. omg this is like when my cat once fell down on my keyboard. why don`t to listen to some real music like Bach and Beethoven or Chopin, Scriabin, Rachmaninov etc. holy sh*t

[stevie]

hahaha harzh reply

[nicco]

hey this was kind of cool 

i wish i had a cat that could play like that

[ahinton]

this is like when my cat once fell down on my keyboard

Now I know it's a whisker off topic, but this reminds me; who was it that once said that "Opus Clavicembalisticum" means "Kitten on the Keys"?...

Best,

Alistair

[mephisto]

My reply has a hidden dark, almost lynchian sarcams coupled with prepexaling references and traces of aincent chinese mysticism. Look carefully and you will see that if you put every 2nd letter together the meaning if my reply will be completely different.

-da Meph

[Derek]

I'm glad you're all enjoying it so much! Anyone want to tell me what your favorite parts were? 

[jlh]

My reply has a hidden dark, almost lynchian sarcams coupled with prepexaling references and traces of aincent chinese mysticism. Look carefully and you will see that if you put every 2nd letter together the meaning if my reply will be completely different.

-da Meph

hhsemhsihyaneonyehooiooeuianerhca

Yep... makes much more sense now...

I can't believe I actually did that...

[tyler_johnson]

I'm glad you did, because I was gonna

[mephisto]

hhsemhsihyaneonyehooiooeuianerhca

Yep... makes much more sense now...

I can't believe I actually did that...

hahah respect!!!!!1

-DA PEPH

[ahinton]

Indeed, I'm sure that we're all much the wiser now we have had the benefit of that lucid explanation.

Actually, notwithstanding anyone else's thoughts or otherwise on this, I have to say that the term "Comprovisation" has a neat echt-Graingeresque edge to it (Grainger, as you may know, made something of a habit of anglicising and twisting terms to suit himself - one of the better known ones being "pianized" to signify a piano arrangement of something - or what I might accordingly therefore call an aGraingement...),

Best,

Alistair

[Derek]

Really? Personally I like the passage around 3:56...sort of a nice climax of the piece. Rather near the golden ratio point, actually! Ever since one of my friends noticed my pieces climaxing near the golden ratio point I've begun to notice it appears quite often without my willing it, even in my earlier pieces!

[lisztisforkids]

Well, I enjoyed it actually. It sounds like something you would play for a girl. My only criticism is that the piece dosent really do anything much at all but just kind of stays in this one kind of mode.

[instromp]

Here's a little piece I improvised/wrote (simultaneously) this morning:

https://www.personal.psu.edu/dga112/2006june18part2.m4a

It is a study in contrast of texture. There are two recurring themes: one is the dark chordy passage, the other is the ascending/descending romantic melody.

Any comments about what I did too much of, not enough of, parts that you liked, parts that you didn't like, would be appreciated.

Either way, I hope you enjoy it!

Umm how do i watch this?? Everytime i try to download it, it just says save and cancel with a application icon for the file..I must not have the software or w/e to open it.....ANy help please

[Derek]

Here's an mp3 of it.

Lisztisforkids---could you point out specific observations you felt could be improved upon?

Comments about touch/tone/pedal are welcome as well, everyone, I am no expert on that and I'm sure I still have all sorts of room for improvement in that department as well as musically.

[tyler_johnson]

You know what you should do Derek, you should start putting names to your songs, that way when people hear them, they can identify which piece it is, plus it will give YOU something to write about...musically that is.

Maybe even name the song first.  Something like: "Cacophonic Beauty" then play what you think cacophonic beauty sounds like.

You could string all of your songs together in one song and it WOULD sound like ONE song, you know what I mean?

Give each song a different paint job so to speak, lisztforkids was right, your style doesn't differ much from piece to piece.

I'm not trying to sound harsh here dude, just some things i've thought of overtime.

[quantum]

I liked the desne chord sections.  I thought the beginning was quite effective.  Kind of a mix between dense harmony and dark ambiguity.  Still I sensed direction in the chord passages. 

As for the melodic motifs, I would have probably like to hear more contrast within the melody.  Maybe try going through several different accompaniment styles for the melody, or changing your accomp. figurations so they don't always sound the same.  Maybe also framing the melody with additional accompaniment figurations in the same had that has the melody. 

[Derek]

I liked the desne chord sections.  I thought the beginning was quite effective.  Kind of a mix between dense harmony and dark ambiguity.  Still I sensed direction in the chord passages. 

As for the melodic motifs, I would have probably like to hear more contrast within the melody.  Maybe try going through several different accompaniment styles for the melody, or changing your accomp. figurations so they don't always sound the same.  Maybe also framing the melody with additional accompaniment figurations in the same had that has the melody. 

Thanks quantum! This is precisely the sort of comment I am seeking. Yes---I do tend to use arpeggios a lot, if that's what you meant by similar accompaniment. I'm better than I used to be---you should hear how I sounded 2 or 3 years ago! Still--obviously I can kick up the variety knob a couple of notches! Thanks.