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Post by Bob Porter on May 20, 2019 22:54:59 GMT
I'd like to write lyrics for the last theme of this piece. Other than that, this is the usual too slow, not enough variation or development, notation playback, four or less chords, etc. that I always write. Oh well. I discovered a known bug (previously unknown to me) in Sibelius that caused me to have to change some notes for playback. Kind of annoying. soundcloud.com/user-737777673/spring3
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Post by socrates on May 21, 2019 8:08:49 GMT
Well Bob, despite not having enough developmental variation… I think it has :-) It worked for me quite well, although I don’t usually go for pieces of that length staying in one tonality. It shows that you considered and you thought seriously what you could add or deduct in terms of harmony, motivic differentiation and instrumentation, through the various sections and it is audible and pleasant. In the last section you want vocals? Do you intend to write lyrics or someone else could get involved there? I have lots of lyrics that I don’t have time to set to music, but I don’t know what would fit the melodies and mood. Perhaps a PDF of exactly where you want to fit them would help. BTW, what is this bug in Sibelius? Others must be aware of it too, but I'm not. regards
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Post by Bob Porter on May 21, 2019 20:14:33 GMT
Thanks for listening, Socrates. The last theme was originally envisioned as a stand alone song. Pretty much like presented here. A solo singer the first time through, joined by other voices later. I added it to this piece so I wouldn't forget it.
The bug is known and never fixed. In some voices, in certain situations, a repeated note across a bar line does not sound. In the case of this piece, the problem was in the solo trumpet when it started the theme. the figure is two eight notes, bar line, dotted half note. The notes are D, F bar line, F. The second F does not sound. What is even more interesting is that in the practice piece I wrote to figure out this little melody, It was originally for piano and worked fine. when I changed it to trumpet to hear what it sounded like, The first verse was fine. When a harmony came in on the second verse, the repeated F in the melody does not sound. In the actual piece the F doesn't work in the first verse. I had to tie the notes together to get any sound. I don't know if any of that makes any sense. I found a reference to this in a post on the Avid site from some years ago. Not surprised it was never fixed.
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Post by Mike Hewer on May 25, 2019 7:35:23 GMT
Hi Bob,
The opening is a nice evocation of perhaps a stillness on a summer morn. The piano entry is effective and the tune is good. The chord progression whilst being nothing new, still has some mileage in it as you've shown here. I like the light and shade, but felt sometimes it got too choppy and would have benefitted from extending (or having less of) the colour changes. Still, despite that, I could feel a story being told and that is not easy to do. The Copland-ish simplicity works very well, especially around 3'50ish -the trp solo is very American and very evocative and the addition of the choir is great, good key change too. The last 2 notes on the trumpet are not enough to end the piece proportionally speaking for me, I would have added another phrase or two from the solo, re-worked to gradually bring the music to a gentle contemplative end.
You should post a score now and again and we could give you a lot more pointers on what's good and what's not.
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Post by Bob Porter on May 25, 2019 17:16:19 GMT
Thanks, Mike. I always appreciate your input.
I could post a score, but it's kind of a hassle. Besides, it would not be a proper score that I would hand to musicians. It would reflect what I had to do to get Sibelius to begin to sound like I wanted. Articulations tend to be lacking. Sibelius reads some, but not all. Why not practice producing a real score? Fact is I seriously doubt that any of my music will see the light of day. That's not why I write it. And if something were to be played live, it wouldn't be anything I've written so far. Pretty much these are all practice runs. Repositories for ideas.
I thought of you as I wrote the last note (oboe, by the way), as I knew you wouldn't like the ending. Though I didn't write it that way just to irritate you, believe it or not. I have many frustrations with this piece and just wanted to end it. If I revisit this, I will either leave out, or heavily rework the second piano entry. Actually both piano sections are unsatisfactorily too short or otherwise ill thought out. I know that my music tends to plod evenly along. I sometime feel that I could add a drum cadence and have a proper march. Oh well.
Thanks again.
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Post by Dave Dexter on May 29, 2019 15:28:49 GMT
It's good work, Bob. There's a lot of restraint and use of space, which I've mentioned before being very bad at myself. Some aspects remind me of James Horner in a general sense - unfortunately, there's a phrase and progression that's so dead-on to Jurassic Park I'd find a way to change a couple of notes. 2.20 is the most obvious. It's galling to write something great and find it's been taken, but then if you arrived at it independently why should you change it? Solo trumpet and choir was beautiful. I agree with Mike that the ending could do with more, but my way would be the easy and obvious one - subtly bring the F# chord harmony under the final note. Resolving in such a way is a bit pat, but have you heard my music? I like the odd pat.
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Post by Bob Porter on Jun 3, 2019 17:51:39 GMT
Oh man, Dave. You're right. Had I repeated the melody in the next measure it would have been right out of JP. Totally unintentional. Good thing nothing will ever come of this piece.
As you guys know, I write for the fun of it. Therapy and all that. I have zero illusions about doing anything professional. I am pleased that you guys who are making a go of it can find something good to say about what I post. It is meaningful to me that any of you take the time to listen and even more, comment (both positive and.....not). Thanks.
Yes, the ending.
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