Week 3: Draft // Apr 5th
Welcome to Week 3! This week we focused on form, setting parameters, and drafting in aims of completing more short pieces.
The assignment for this week is to blueprint (plan) our ideas into whole pieces (arch map, graphic drawing, text) and complete at least 1 rough draft.
Use the following format to post:
Things you found easy:
Things you found difficult:
More information or graphics/files of your completed assignment.
Congrats on making it to week 3, my fellow composers!
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Hi everyone!
Here is my piece for this week. I wrote it in midi and barely touched my guitar. My challenge to myself this week was to be less "guitarry" so I wrote it directly into Sibelius. It was fun. I was trying to be a little more Brouwer-esqe but now sure if I succeeded. I love how he is modern and quirky but still finds the most amazing melodies. I'm not interested in being too avant-garde because I love a good melody. This is a quirky little piece in d minor with some chromaticism. I haven't a clue yet how I will play it on the guitar :)
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Debbie really nice Debbie! Sound really Brouwer to my ears. I agree with you that you can think of further developing the base line (or middle line) to make it even greater! :)
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Exactly!!!
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Thomas said:
I think it is crucial to limitate ideas. But this is hard.Yeah!!
Thomas said:
I would need more restrictions, I guess.
Deadlines and restrictions are perhaps our best friends Thomas said:
I compose a kind of ABAmy ABA just have collapsed (see above). Life is brutal and we can't help it - don't give up!! Anyway - good job!
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Eric said:
When it came time to actually put concepts into notes, I hated almost everything I came up with.Oh! Eric! You are not alone with that!
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Dear Friends,
I have a fulltime job and it was a really busy week, so had no time to relax and create. My brain is full of unnecessary stuff. So I decided to use the motive of the first week's imitiation assignment (Carcassi Op.60 No: 6). Thankfully, it evolved to something else.
Things you found easy: I used the melody from the first week, no need to be a creative
Things you found difficult: Avoid being boring when repeating the sections
More information or graphics/files of your completed assignment: I wanted to make a rondo, but it is also like theme and variations. I am not sure if the form fits to rondo, because I changed the sections a bit. I used this form: A B A1 C A B1 A2-
Gokce Turkmendag I like it! Clear and structured blueprint... Not what my scribbles
Sometimes I hear the distant echo of the Canon by Pachelbel
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Marek Tabisz thanks Marek, imitation is my middle name
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Gokce Turkmendag nice work, Gokce. I really like your chordal section. It has so interesting motif because of its good variations in rythm. :) And I agree with Marek that I hear a distant echo of the Canon by Pachelbel in the A section - a nice imitation by the way :)
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Gokce Turkmendag beautiful Rondo!!!
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Emma thank you!
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Here is my recording of "Lullaby". There are slight changes (in the second repetition) to the written notes. Sound a bit ugly, but it was not enough time to learn and repeat recording
I know I should practice a little more. I've tried to keep mainly climate and mood of the song.
PS.
Please do not pay attention to my stupid faces, they come from looking at the music against the light!-
Marek Tabisz I realy like it! Especially the very interesting use of harmony in the first bars!
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Thomas Thank you!
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Thomas I call it "traipsing and loitering" harmony and Roni Glaser said that I could get arrested for this!
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Roni Glaser exactly with intent... from Wiki: "...Loitering has historically been treated as an inherent preceding offense to other forms of public crime and disorder.".... (for instance: composing)
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By the way - my wife says that this lullaby would give her nightmares. I don't know if it's a accusation or a compliment
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Marek Tabisz thank you so much for taking the time to perform this for us to hear! It's a nice mix of Takemitsu and maybe Narvaez? very nice work :)
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Hi Ash, Here is my first draft . Not sure how you would label the parts (ie ABCBA, etc.) but there is some development and return to original theme. Please let me know your thoughts. Thanks!
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Sorry, here is a cleaner pdf draft without the distracting rests.
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Barney - Interesting rhythm and pulse - a catchy theme. Good job!
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Barney it looks like you've got some really interesting rhythms in your sketches! I think it'd be great if you took those and used them in more melodic figures and may add some bass notes or chords underneath? Can't wait to hear more!
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Thanks Marek! This composing stuff is not easy for me. The creative ideas are not flowing quickly. I'm more of a player than creator. I think it would be helpful if I had more formal music training ( with theory, harmony, structure composition , ear training and analysis, etc courses that music conservatory students get) with more music appreciation listening experience.
At this point my creative writing is purely the melodic side with simple harmonies. Since my favorite guitar music is the tradition Spanish repertoire, I think my draft for this project has a Spanish flavor in a Phrigian mode.
Thanks for the encouragement. I need it!!
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Barney
Barney said:
I think it would be helpful if I had more formal music training ( with theory, harmony, structure composition , ear training and analysis, etc courses that music conservatory students get)In retirement, I write more than I play (but that's a different topic). I would say that the thorough education you write about can also be a heavy burden of rules, etc. It's good to know, but it's also worth forgetting about it sometimes (it's better for me to forget). The key is creativity - without it, all formal education is worth little.
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Understood Marek! That makes sense, and you are doing a great job with your own composition challenge- I just looked and it keeps getting better and better. Keep up the fine work!
I guess we need to find the right balance in guitar playing and creative writing, and time for both, as well as for the other things in our lives--not an easy juggling act.
