Re: Does this composition deserve to be played in front of an audience?

2:20 and 00:50 (Refers to the time line of the compositions MP3.)

Hook (is a musical phrase in a piece that catches the listeners ear or your ear and you or they say "Wow that phrase was nice")
You can use a Hook as a formal tool to grab the listener again and draw more reaction to your piece. The trick is to not over use it.

:| Repeat (Go back to and start from again)

Fine ( is to resolve the piece or Finnish a piece [The End] )


As for compositions more like a short story being told. One of the many compositional constructs that I would teach. Was to try to keep all parts of a piece moving forward by never really play a passage exactly the same way twice. A musical journey, a story. As a matter of utility I also would teach to talk and think of the interpretation of a piece from a listeners point of view. This allows the composition to be more open ended and frees it up to become something far more than just a piece that "I Like". Many times I would Compose songs that I did Not like to listen to. But, I still think they were great pieces that hit the point needed.

I would have students compose two, four or six full compositions per week no less than three minutes long. Each piece would be evaluated so it was hard work. But the goal was to disassociate the student from personal possession of the pieces So that they would be free to compose without restrictions and start doing things they normally would not want to or think of doing. Believe me, after six months if asked a student to Compose a sad piece, "I got a sad piece".

Sadness, pain, drama, stress, tension who wants that. Is that fun? Do we like feeling these emotions? No. Yet we will watch a sad movie. Movies that give us a front row seat to many of these emotions. The same with Music and the freedom to go there can help render greater results and a much larger pool of skills to pull from.

How do you make a compositions Sad, Happy, Mad, express Love, Hate, Cold, Hot, Ugly, Beautiful, Neat, Messy. Learn as many tools as you can learn. Theory can start you off most of the time. Example: some elements like intervals, and treated chords passages can have what's called dissonance. Dissonance is with out getting in to details two or more unstable tones Like a minor or diminish chord very dark sounding. The offer the composer an option to resolve as in to finish the feeling with a brighter happy sound. helping you make emotions as needed.

Quick comment for your other post. You do not need to sight read scores at all to learn theory.

Some would say you don't need to be so deep or use theory to compose music.. I agree 100%, but truth is most of the time "I" just like to and this is only one of many formal and non-formal ideas and compositional constructs. Fun stuff if you ask me, but not for everyone.

There is a lot more to this. But I'm not sure if this is even the line of conversation you intended. That said I hope you can use some of this and it some how brings you closer to opening new paths in music.

I am re-building a music theory website. I'll post the link soon..


Have a great day
Bob

Bob O'Dell
Music Creation/Composition Leader