Piano w/Guitar accomp. ***opinions?***

[SEDstar]

its called "Voices" for now...
http://www.mediafire.com/?neodbjzjyzh

Okay... this piece might have solved a few things for me. One, I recently got an acoustic VST to work, and I suddenly realized that between the newer music computer switch, one of my Piano VST's might work the same way... bingo. Might be my best piano sound yet, I dunno *shrugs*

Once I started using it, I quickly (though accidentally...) noticed that once the 'verb was on it, I was able to do something on this piano VST that had previously stumped me... "suspensions". The previous inability to do suspensions on piano severely limited me; it thoroughly prevented me from ever reaching "free counterpoint", or stage IV/V counterpoint, if you will (suspensions being a major component of this...)

already prepared to simply wet my pants, lol, the suspensions allowed me for the first time to write a counterpoint melody system in 3 octaves simultaneously. This GREATLY increased my "options" as I went along. With 2 octave piano melody, I only have so many motive variations I can pull off, and things get stale quickly. This had always forcd me to add/switch instruments more frequently, as well as led me down the road of "more chord changes" to "fight staleness"

Here, I thought I finally had enough variations where I could limit my chord changes to short partial ones, and sit more squarely in key, while constantly and more subtly morphing the melody slowly, as well as not constantly threading derivative harmonic lines thru it.

When I was done, it was missing something, so I added the acoustic guitar as accompaniment I like recently. The much more numerous possible variations on motive allowed me to switch around a lot more with the piano, without changing chords every several seconds.

oh well, have a listen...

 

[gecko zzed]

My observations on 'voices' are:

1 Immediately apparent is the new, improved piano sound. This is sounding much richer than what you had before, and the complexities in tone (like that of the guitar) add considerably to the tune.

2 I also notice your greater use of the lower notes of the piano, and their sustain . . . these too make a change from the abrupt staccato of earlier piano driven tunes.

The consequence is that the tune is more pleasurable in its own right, rather than as an exercise in marnoic/melodic development.

I notice your use of longer melody lines, and I encourage this direction. I'm interested in melody lines that develop over many bars, not just a basic four (or whatever), but to get to this, you may like to look at increasing melody note lengths.

By the way, you may be interested to know that the little melodic hook in 'harmony' has been inhabiting my mind . . . and I've not been able to stop humming it in my head for the last couple of days!

 

[SEDstar]

...

PS - the prelimanary "rough draft" of the full orch piece from this is a tad better, LMAO

PPS - thanks for the "stuck in the head" harmonic line in the melody. I think I know the one you mean. I lked one part too. actually, that somethign "stuck in your head" for a few days, I really couldnt ask for any better praise I suppose.

you can hear the rough draft of the orch version I emaild you when I thought the site was "down", I'm gonna massage it over the next week or two before I post it, as I think it might have some potential (well, "potential" is used here, as, more potential than I am used to seeing in my exercises, LMAO)

Humm... fNot the first time I "workd out" a counterpoint melody system and varioations on piano, then went to full orchestra... but it went a lot "smoother" than I am used to having it go. Either I got lucky, or I am getting more used to this.

Its a tad long (this version and the emailed full orch version...), but better to write more material than needed, than have it too short and feel stuck, or worse yet, write more thats "uninspired" 'cos you think you have to... I'd rather "trim off" than "have to make more". I'm not 100% in love with this piano sound either (I obviously need an expensive piano VST, LMAO) its just the first one I could ever do a suspension on.

I see what you mean about suspensions...