Feedback on my new composition

philcoleman

Hi Guys,
This is my first post here so hello! I thought I'd post a link to a piece I just finished and ask for some feedback. It's a solo piano piece, not professionally recorded but not the worst either. Anyway, I'd love it if you could have a listen and let me know what you think.
All the best,
Phil

Link to music: http://soundcloud.com/philipjcoleman/serenade-no-1-op-3

Nailz

Hello there, Phil. It was quite good, a lot better than the majority of music posted on this section of the fora, which, it must be said, isn't relatively hard. The key is most effective aspect of the composition, it is the best choice in a normal range and works quite well with the slow, and suspectively, emotional piece and is best for the notes.

Yet, I wouldn't be any help to you if I wasn't honest about my personal criticisms regarding the piece, while just saying what any other original writer would like to hear. These being the most important parts of any composition without exception, and it's the writing and arrangement itself. Ultimately, it's highly unoriginal, the scalings and repetitions appear to have been borrowed from hundreds of other works, and albeit there is musical changes in the song, they seem utterly eventless, with little to no impact. To be harsh, it's boring.

If you are struggling with that, I would recommend approaching it with more of a minimalist mindset, as I am a huge fan of minimal music, I am able to see that you could well be able to make a good artist. Yet that does mean mixing it up a bit more, add diversity to your writing. But, as it is you have it, it's good, and I think it's quite fitting for soundtrack, film, and visual art.


Keep it up, you have potential, it just needs to be recognised.

philcoleman

Hi Nailz,
Thanks very much for taking the time to listen to the track and provide some feedback. It's a shame you found it boring but I appreciate your honesty, it can be hard to find sincere critics sometimes.
In terms of taking a more minimalist route that's not something I'm into myself. I very much enjoy minimalist music (for the most part) but it's quite an old-fashioned movement at this stage and not something I'm looking to pursue (strict minimalism I mean, i.e. Glass, Reich, Part et al. I'm aware that Einaudi has described himself as a minimalist but in an almost totally different sense of the word - a style I'm far more interested in and which heavily influenced this piece of music).
Anyway thanks again for your thoughts Nailz, I'll keep them in mind in the future.

Phil

clashextra

Hi Phil, I enjoyed it in parts but felt that your changes were too jumpy and unrelated to what went before, like you were stricken with too many ideas. Overall it doesn't work but contains some lovely moments.
Maybe you just need to be more ruthless and EDIT!
Keep up the good work.

thumbscrew

I like it! - quite Donnie Darko-ish!

philcoleman

Hey guys, thanks for the feedback!
Clashextra, just in terms of the too many ideas comment I can't agree. If you take another listen to the piece you might notice that there's really only one main theme permeating the music. There's a very brief 'B' section in the dominant before the main theme returns again in the original key. Overall it's a standard ABA(ish) form with one central idea that gets played around with a tiny bit.
Thumbscrew, I'm glad you like it! I haven't seen Donnie Darko in a good few years but I must crack out the ole DVD during the week!

clashextra

Hi Phil, I HAD only listened to it once before posting on here and it did appear to change quite alarmingly. Just goes to show that first impressions are never reliable! Still liked it though.

philcoleman

Thanks very much, although I did take your critique as a bit of a compliment! At least you didn't think it was boring and repetitive on the first listen - that would've way worse than sounding too busy!

Buddly

I really enjoyed it. The last change was a bit sudden but apart from that I thought it progressed nicely. I suppose my overall impression was that it sounded a bit like the accompaniment to a vocal/other melody rather than a full piece in itself. That might be a good thing though, depending on your perspective!

The piano effect in the middle section was really cool, reminded me of an 80s sci fi movie!

trashcan

At the risk of damning with faint praise, I thought it was quite good. Didn't make me go "wow, that was fantastic" but it had something about it. Sounded as if it would be right at home as part of a movie soundtrack.

philcoleman

Thanks for the feedback guys!