# Work In Progress String Quartet



## Masonm (Nov 25, 2015)

This is my first post here! I'm starting to get into composition, or at least classical composition (I've written songs for my rock band). I'm working on a string quartet, but I wondered if y'all would be willing to give some feedback of what I've got now (a first and second movement, and an unfinished third).

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B7wFYoXqxUJqaGtfdEVMNlBVR2VScndRb2s5U1NYc20xeGxF/view?usp=sharing

Thanks! Hope you enjoy.


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## Samuel Kristopher (Nov 4, 2015)

Hi Mason!

Could definitely hear some of that rock influence in the work, which isn't a bad thing of course (I started out in metalcore and I think some of the nuances of writing in that genre have influenced my classical stuff). I like the direction you go with some of the chord progressions which keeps the tonal landscape quite interesting. I wasn't able to tell if you're thinking consciously of modulating to other keys in this piece, but in any case I feel like it needs a little more cadence, especially at the end of the first movement. It took me a while to be sure that the first movement had even ended 

Do you intend on following any of the traditional structures, like sonata form for the first movement? I'm not saying you have to, but quartets, like concertos and symphonies, usually open with sonata form. That theme you use at the beginning - I wanted to hear it developed, put through different forms of variation, maybe contrasted with a 2nd theme, and then to hear it restated clearly at the end with a strong (to a greater or lesser extent) resolution. Still, I'm much more traditional than I am unorthodox, so if you're less interested in form and more in just pure creativity, ignore my advice 

In any case, it was an interesting piece to listen to!


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## kartikeys (Mar 16, 2013)

Masonm, what software have you used?


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## Alexanbar (May 11, 2016)

kartikeys said:


> Masonm, what software have you used?


I 'd like it to know too.

it is very difficult to estimate composition with a such sound.


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## Samuel Kristopher (Nov 4, 2015)

It's MIDI so it could be any software that allows you to write in this format, but given his rock-band background I wouldn't be surprised if it's Guitar Pro. I used it a lot for writing metal music, and sometimes did some classical works in it too, but it's not very good for classical music. Sibelius is much better and has better sounds too


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## Masonm (Nov 25, 2015)

Thanks all, 

Samuel, I'll definitely keep that in mind, thanks for the advice! I'd like to use the traditional structures at some point, I guess I'm just figuring out how everything works first. 

Sibelius is my primary composition software.


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

It is a long way to become famous, never forget that


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## Samuel Kristopher (Nov 4, 2015)

What version of Sibelius? When I got it, it came with Sibelius Sounds which have a much nicer sound than MIDI. Not anywhere near perfect of course but it's quite suitable for reference or checking how your piece sounds. With the right dynamics you can get the piano to sound almost real though!


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