Original Composition: Prelude and Lied in G-Flat Minor

[kakeithewolf]

Since I am apparently actually allowed to do so, I thought I would take the liberty of uploading one of my original compositions. Of all the things I have made, this is without a doubt the best of them. Unfortunately, this MP3 is all that is left of it, meaning I'd have to memorize it by ear in order to get a score. And with a song written in G-Flat Minor and C-Sharp Major, that is no easy task.

The song consists of two parts: A prelude in G-Flat Minor (Not F-Sharp Minor...), and a lied in C-Sharp Major (Not D-Flat Major). The structure is built upon a single message delivered in two parts, which implies the nature of the prelude is as that which is the base, or foundation, of the song, not just the concept of the lied, the fulfillment of the prelude and song, not solely the prelude.

The prelude is designed to be slow and deliberate, to expound upon its nature fully, before concluding and ceasing to be so the lied may come forth. I wrote it to portray solemnity, and the desolation of a lonely and cold life, and to reflect on the bitter natures of torment past and the search for acceptance. From this much, I wrote it as a summary of what I have been, and what I have gone through, a lamentation on the circumstance of a languishing soul. I wrote this in G-Flat Minor because I believe no key more truly can express the sensation of desolation and tribulation that I wanted to convey.

Approximately five and a half minutes in, the prelude ends and the song shifts to the lied. The lied was constructed to be blissful and hopeful, to convey the "spirit of esperanza", the hope that love would be found that lies in a soul. So I tried to form the lied as if a love song pointing to a love to be, written from the understanding and point of view of the prelude, but expounding on the hope of a better future. This part was more difficult, as I myself have never actually experienced love, and can only guess what the feeling really is like. The lied was played solely on the black keys, not using the C and F (Or B# and E#) of C-Sharp Major, in order to achieve the desired effect: A sensation of the hope that love may be found in life, and the celebration of the joy when you have found it. I wrote this in C-Sharp Major because, as stated above, the use of black keys only simply gave me the clearest portrayal of my message.

I do greatly wish I could get a score of this up someday. I've tried MP3 to MIDI, but that technology is far from where we are. But, I can't change that. So, I have the link attached and I hope you enjoy. Feel free to comment, as I could always use constructive criticism.

[yubyub96]

I like it, i really do, but as everything, it has some thing that could improve, for example, the first part, i think it could do a little variation on the notes, some details. It sounds good, i really liked it, too bad you lost the scores, have you got them back?
Something that i think will sound good, more as a suggestion, add some quick strong notes, like a hit of sadness or a lament.

I hope you keep writing, i have seen some of your other songs, they sound good.

[kakeithewolf]

Thanks. Unfortunately, the situation with the scores is bad enough that I have to remake the entire thing (No easy task for someone with a short attention span and a ten minute song!) from scratch. And that's disappointing, as this is the one piece of mine that, to me, resonates with a strong passion and emotion in me. It speaks of the two things that define me: sorrow and hope.

And I KNEW something was up with that intro. It always kinda sounded just a bit iffy to me.

Edit: Nice to know The Storm and Wolvenjacht didn't get all the attention, though.

[yubyub96]

Thanks. Unfortunately, the situation with the scores is bad enough that I have to remake the entire thing (No easy task for someone with a short attention span and a ten minute song!) from scratch. And that's disappointing, as this is the one piece of mine that, to me, resonates with a strong passion and emotion in me. It speaks of the two things that define me: sorrow and hope.

And I KNEW something was up with that intro. It always kinda sounded just a bit iffy to me.

Edit: Nice to know The Storm and Wolvenjacht didn't get all the attention, though.

Well, keep composing,take this as a fresh start, try to make a new song with the same emotions but with more experience, when did you wrote this?
Any tips for a fellow "composer"(trying)?

[kakeithewolf]

Well, keep composing,take this as a fresh start, try to make a new song with the same emotions but with more experience, when did you wrote this?
Any tips for a fellow "composer"(trying)?

Truly, I wish to capture this specifically in sheet. I have tried replicating such emotion as this piece provides countless times since, and all has fallen short. Naught but this song will suffice. No truer in my life had I projected the emotions of sorrow and pain, desolation and shadow, respite and light, hope and love... than I did in this piece.

Though I am of little personal skill, I know a good piece of advice. Do not focus solely on the form and technique, do not get so caught up in the intricacies of a work that it resounds with no heart. As my signature states, I believe passion and emotion are just as crucial as form and technique.

With every piece you write, pour your heart and soul into it. Let the sheet be a canvas of your heart and your soul be the ink, writing each piece with every drop and ounce of emotion you possess. If there is anything that I find makes music beautiful, it is the projection of the composer's truest thoughts of passion and emotion, just as poetry and literature are defined by.

[mikeowski]

Though I am of little personal skill, I know a good piece of advice. Do not focus solely on the form and technique, do not get so caught up in the intricacies of a work that it resounds with no heart. As my signature states, I believe passion and emotion are just as crucial as form and technique.

With every piece you write, pour your heart and soul into it. Let the sheet be a canvas of your heart and your soul be the ink, writing each piece with every drop and ounce of emotion you possess. If there is anything that I find makes music beautiful, it is the projection of the composer's truest thoughts of passion and emotion, just as poetry and literature are defined by.

I'm sorry, but I'll have to say, this is very bad advice. Passion just doesn't cut it, especially when you're a beginner. What if I told someone starting to play piano "a teacher is not so important, just pour your emotion into every note and you'll be fine"? If this person followed my advice, he'd become a pretty bad pianist, I'm sure.

Imagine Music theory (Like musical form, to make your "fugues" actually be fugues for example) to be like building blocks. When you have enough of them, you can arrange them to write something interesting and worthwile, beautiful, passionate,... The more you have at your disposal, the better. But if you start out with just passion, you'll get nowhere. It's like running against a wall with full force or trying to build a house out of empty air. Passion isn't necessarily bad, but without proper direction and understanding it's basically wasted potential.

Here's my advice: Study music theory.
Having even basic understanding of Harmony and Counterpoint will make your music so so so much better. And the process of writing will become less tedious, when you understand how and why you develop motives the way you do, or use a certain harmony, or how and when to modulate, etc.. It'll be less trial and error and more logical, and in the end a million times more enjoyable to listen to.

I mean, I see this in your pieces kakei, you start out with relatively interesting motives, but seem to have no idea how to develop them. So then you add a bunch of half-random notes to somehow get together a piece. That's why all your pieces, at least to me, sound so incoherent. (I started out exactly like that, and my pieces sounded like that too)
Music theory was accumulated by many many people over centuries, so why not use it. There's nothing that's more efficient, the research was already done, all you have to do is understand it.
And when you have a good understanding, then your passion can be brought to use, not the other way around.

tl;dr: As a beginner, theory is the thing you need, not passion.

Good Night.

[kakeithewolf]

I'm sorry, but I'll have to say, this is very bad advice. Passion just doesn't cut it, especially when you're a beginner. What if I told someone starting to play piano "a teacher is not so important, just pour your emotion into every note and you'll be fine"? If this person followed my advice, he'd become a pretty bad pianist, I'm sure.

Imagine Music theory (Like musical form, to make your "fugues" actually be fugues for example) to be like building blocks. When you have enough of them, you can arrange them to write something interesting and worthwile, beautiful, passionate,... The more you have at your disposal, the better. But if you start out with just passion, you'll get nowhere. It's like running against a wall with full force or trying to build a house out of empty air. Passion isn't necessarily bad, but without proper direction and understanding it's basically wasted potential.

Here's my advice: Study music theory.
Having even basic understanding of Harmony and Counterpoint will make your music so so so much better. And the process of writing will become less tedious, when you understand how and why you develop motives the way you do, or use a certain harmony, or how and when to modulate, etc.. It'll be less trial and error and more logical, and in the end a million times more enjoyable to listen to.

I mean, I see this in your pieces kakei, you start out with relatively interesting motives, but seem to have no idea how to develop them. So then you add a bunch of half-random notes to somehow get together a piece. That's why all your pieces, at least to me, sound so incoherent. (I started out exactly like that, and my pieces sounded like that too)
Music theory was accumulated by many many people over centuries, so why not use it. There's nothing that's more efficient, the research was already done, all you have to do is understand it.
And when you have a good understanding, then your passion can be brought to use, not the other way around.

tl;dr: As a beginner, theory is the thing you need, not passion.

Good Night.

Perhaps I stated what I meant wrong. What I meant to convey is that passion is just as important as form. Of course a person will be a bad pianist if they don't study technique, because then their work is unpalatable. But on the other hand, if a person studies theory but has absolutely no care or passion for what they are doing, you don't end up with music that is as powerful or effective.

I knew a person who asked me once to teach them how to make music, and I asked them why. Always, their reasons were in the wrong place; they didn't care about meaning or substance, or even the music sounding good, but solely for it to be tolerable. They had absolutely no passion or drive for their music, everything they made felt so lifeless and cold. That's not the best road to travel.

Music is much like poetry. You can have perfectly executed form, and still have a crappy piece. I've seen more than a few cases in both music and poetry where people have given flawless form and I cannot palate their works because it is, at the core, so hollow and vapid. Mere notes or words strung together does not make for a masterpiece.

In short, I am saying that both theory and passion should bear equal gravity, that both be the subject of equal focus. They compliment and complete each other; to be devoid of either makes for a travesty. Musical theory should be learned in full, that much is certain. But one should also take care not to lose their passion along the way. You're screwed just as much if you have technique without passion as you are if you have passion without technique.

tl;dr - Learn music theory, that makes for better pieces. But keep the passion as well.