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3 weeks of this kind of music

Hi Mads !

I think this track has a nice atmosphere. The main motif popping at 1:06 and 1:48 is simple and beautiful (simple is not a bad word).

In my humble opinion, the main thing you could try to improve is the horizontal writing. To put things simply, vertical writing is "just" chords following each other. Horizontal writing is the art of voice leading, the art of writing nice and musical individual lines for each instrument, that follow these chords without too much movement.

That's what I'm missing in your track with the strings. Even if the chords are nice, strings are sometimes confusing as there is no clear melodic line for each section.

Hope this was clear, and of course this is just my personal opinion ! I think this is great for 3 weeks, though ;)
 
Hi Mads !

I think this track has a nice atmosphere. The main motif popping at 1:06 and 1:48 is simple and beautiful (simple is not a bad word).

In my humble opinion, the main thing you could try to improve is the horizontal writing. To put things simply, vertical writing is "just" chords following each other. Horizontal writing is the art of voice leading, the art of writing nice and musical individual lines for each instrument, that follow these chords without too much movement.

That's what I'm missing in your track with the strings. Even if the chords are nice, strings are sometimes confusing as there is no clear melodic line for each section.

Hope this was clear, and of course this is just my personal opinion ! I think this is great for 3 weeks, though ;)

Thank you very much, both for your time and for your comment. This is really helpful for me. I also have a friend asking me to work more with the dynamics on the strings, and I agree very much with both him and you.

Thank you again :)
 
Hi Mads,
I also took a listen to your piece and I guess you want to create some emotional melodic piece with some silky orchestration and vocals which I think that you set actually the mood right. But what takes me of pretty much here is the structure because in my humble opinion there is very less of a cohesion in your piece and I guess this was what Adam was talking about. You know, I don´t want to sound like a smartass but let me tell you:
We humans are highly pattern cognitive people which means that we react on a pattern which we recognize and we like patterns a lot because why: Yes, because it lets us connect to your idea and we can understand what you mean. So you should bare in mind that not only you understand your track (which you certainly do), but more that audience is able to follow your ideas. A pattern can:
1. be a rhythmic thing. Think of dance music for example. Why you connect to a beat? Because there is a pattern which repeats and sets the vibe.
2. Lets take a melody: Why you connect to it? Because in a melody is a pattern which means that the melody has a disctinct intervallic motion or scalewise motion, and the notes have a rhythm and the melody has elements which repeat, which helps to make a connection to the audience.

Both things are hard to follow in your piece. Sure you have rhythmic elements and melodies, but they are very loose and they often don´t outline a strong chord progression. This is another factor: Good melodies often outline important chord tones which are based on strong chord progressions. What I would recommend to you is to simplify. Just try first to write really short pieces, e.g. 30 - 60 seconds with 2 sections which. First motif and second one which somehow builds on the first one.
 
Ok? And exactly What do you think is so bad?

Basically no actual development throughout the piece, and when there is a semblance of some, it is random and cause clashing elements. You use that out of place cymbal riser instead of creating tension compositionally and orchestrationally. There is no contrast, you just keep adding more and more stuff that really serves no purpose and results in a homogenous blend of colors which do not necessarily fit together.

Music is a language and as such you need to be clear about what you want to say and make sure to introduce everything you plan on telling your listeners. In your piece, you are not being clear about what you want to say, you start off with a simple melodic pattern which is repeated way too many times to keep anyone interested, then you add a strange counter melody that does not complement the main motive, so now not only is the listener bored, they are also confused.

There is no real sense of pacing, you keep building something up and then it fades into nothing, you cannot set up something you do not plan on delivering.

Seriously, learn from Mike Verta and your pieces will start to make sense in no time.
 
But Mads again: What Adam and I mention here IS TOTAL Normal...believe me: Everybody goes through such process and one thing: we are still practising all exact that same things which Adam and I mentioned. I do that everyday. So just to bare in mind: Our little feedback is just constructive meaning in a good manner, and when you practise it you will get better by the time. I assure you that :)
 
But Mads again: What Adam and I mention here IS TOTAL Normal...believe me: Everybody goes through such process and one thing: we are still practising all exact that same things which Adam and I mentioned. I do that everyday. So just to bare in mind: Our little feedback is just constructive meaning in a good manner, and when you practise it you will get better by the time. I assure you that :)

I think I will leave this forum.

If everyone makes the same type of music, and everyone should do the same - who is bored then?

Thanks.
 
I think I will leave this forum.

If everyone makes the same type of music, and everyone should do the same - who is bored then?

Thanks.

I am not sure if I understand correctly. I wasn´t talking about that everybody has to do write in the same idiom or style of music. Please read what I have written. I was saying that it is also important to make a connection to the audience, isn´t it? :)
 
I am not sure if I understand correctly. I wasn´t talking about that everybody has to do write in the same idiom or style of music. Please read what I have written. I was saying that it is also important to make a connection to the audience, isn´t it? :)
Yes I agree!

But If everyone has to do AS this Mike says.. then all music will be the same right?
 
Yes I agree!

But If everyone has to do AS this Mike says.. then all music will be the same right?

No. This is about principles, not the actual "sound" of the composition. Did all the great composers such as John Williams, Igor Stravinsky, Gustav Holst etc, follow these principles? Yes. Does their music sound all the same? Hell no. You are very much encouraged to find your own sound, but you should make sure that people will want to listen to it.
 
I think I will leave this forum.

If everyone makes the same type of music, and everyone should do the same - who is bored then?

Thanks.
¨
Also, I would like you to explain this: if you do not want to hear critique, what was the reason for posting, collecting compliments?
 
¨
Also, I would like you to explain this: if you do not want to hear critique, what was the reason for posting, collecting compliments?
No, of course I want critique. But I think your post was negative, not constructive. Big differense there.
 
No, of course I want critique. But I think your post was negative, not constructive. Big differense there.

There is no difference there, feedback being negative does not exclude it from being constructive. If you disagree that the feedback was constructive, you are very welcome to justify that claim.
 
Sorry @AdamAlake but I think your first posts were quite brutal indeed. The guy is just starting out, why being so harsch ? @AlexanderSchiborr gave a great and detailed explanation but you just played the Mike Verta card (with all due respect to Mike Verta !), and that felt very cold.

I believe there is never a good reason to hold back on criticism, in fact, since Mads is just starting is a very good reason to be as honest as you can with feedback, due to the fact that changing your ways only gets more difficult later on. I also believe I was more detailed in my feedback than merely "pulling the Verta card". Nevertheless, what I said is what I think and absolutely noone is forced to take it as a fact.
 
Yep, you gave a better explanation of your thoughts after, but the first one was more or less : "That sucked. Watch this. Take lessons. You have a lot to learn." Of course he has !

That being said, you may be right and maybe this kind of "brutal honesty" is what some people need. I know I wouldn't like that. But I'm french.
 
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Yep, you gave a better explanation of your thoughts after, but the first one was more or less : "That sucked. Watch this. Take lessons. You have a lot to learn." Of course he has !

That being said, you may be right and maybe this kind of "brutal honesty" is what some people need. I know I wouldn't like that. But I'm french.

Fair enough. Although, my first post was along the lines of "Way to go, mate. Here is a resource you can use to learn what is wrong with your composition yourself and learn how to fix it.".

If it were not for feedback like this, I would not be even halfway where I am at now - so I try to do the same for others, as has been done for me.
 
If you translate "brutal honesty" into a teaching career, you would be fired. Every. Single.Time. I disagree that you have to be brutal for it to be constructive. For one, it`s not very inspirational, and can actually come across as bitter.

It`s more about putting the carrot in front of the donkey. I think some people could deliver their criticism with more effectiveness. And I disagree that you have to be as honest as you can just because he`s starting out, and there IS a good reason to hold back on criticism. Little by little is easier to digest.
 
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