# Would be so greatly appreciative of some feedback/criticism of my new sonata...



## tonystanton (Mar 18, 2013)

I've attached an mp3 of my new sonata 'simple sonata', and would massively appreciate feedback, comments and criticism. As a composer who has not been classical trained, but has an immense passion and reverence for Classical music, I don't feel I have the right to even call it a sonata out of respect to the form. However I think what I've achieved to be something special, at least to me, so would love to hear what people think of it. Like the title says it's merely a simple sonata at about 4 mins it shouldn't take up too much time to listen to lol thankyou


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## tonystanton (Mar 18, 2013)

I've realised I rambled on somewhat there, please excuse me!


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## Mahlerian (Nov 27, 2012)

Well, it's not really classical music in its style. It's much more tied, in harmony and melody, to pop and rock music. That said, it's not bad. Maybe you should try to be a songwriter, if you feel compelled to do so (and it's far better to write what you want to write than what you feel you "should" write based on external pressures). My advice would be to cut the synth pad doublings, though, as they make it sound more corny than it should.


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## tonystanton (Mar 18, 2013)

Thanks very much for listening, and as soon as I read your comment and I listened to it again I realised that it isn't classical at all is it, think I just got carried away, the melody and structure like you say is still very 'popish'. I've been a songwriter for some years now but since discovering just how incredible classical music is I've become bored of 'normal' music and writing it to an extent, and just want to 'do' classical music however I can until I go to college and then uni to study it. What do you mean by the doublings?


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## millionrainbows (Jun 23, 2012)

It's good, but like Mahlerian said, it's like a pop song without words. You're thinking homophonically. I think you should try some bolder chord changes.


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## Mahlerian (Nov 27, 2012)

tonystanton said:


> Thanks very much for listening, and as soon as I read your comment and I listened to it again I realised that it isn't classical at all is it, think I just got carried away, the melody and structure like you say is still very 'popish'. I've been a songwriter for some years now but since discovering just how incredible classical music is I've become bored of 'normal' music and writing it to an extent, and just want to 'do' classical music however I can until I go to college and then uni to study it. What do you mean by the doublings?


Well, the piano synth you're using has a synth pad behind it; those kinds of synths sound great, but in this sort of context it can give off a saccharine feel.

The main difference between classical and non-classical music (in terms of its composition; on the performance level there are a lot more differences) is that non-classical music is built from larger blocks. With classical music, you have to stop thinking simply in terms of melody+chords, and get into the exact voicing and movement of the individual parts of those chords. Make them melodies as well, and most of all, get them to interact with your melody, to play off of each other. That's what millionrainbows is talking about when he refers to "counterpoint".

Pay attention to the individual parts of your melody (and you can do this by ear, but it might help to learn how to read music, if you can't already), and think about what you can do with them. Instead of repeating the whole thing, take a part and do something a little different with it. Maybe it can form its own melody.


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## jani (Jun 15, 2012)

It brought Final Fantasy music into my mind, and i love FF music!


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese (Jan 8, 2013)

nice and gentle I guess, sounds a bit richard clayderman to me but my muscial taste are odd!


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## tonystanton (Mar 18, 2013)

Mahlerian said:


> Well, the piano synth you're using has a synth pad behind it; those kinds of synths sound great, but in this sort of context it can give off a saccharine feel.
> 
> The main difference between classical and non-classical music (in terms of its composition; on the performance level there are a lot more differences) is that non-classical music is built from larger blocks. With classical music, you have to stop thinking simply in terms of melody+chords, and get into the exact voicing and movement of the individual parts of those chords. Make them melodies as well, and most of all, get them to interact with your melody, to play off of each other. That's what millionrainbows is talking about when he refers to "counterpoint".
> 
> Pay attention to the individual parts of your melody (and you can do this by ear, but it might help to learn how to read music, if you can't already), and think about what you can do with them. Instead of repeating the whole thing, take a part and do something a little different with it. Maybe it can form its own melody.


Thanks for the advice, again some great things for me to think about and work on. I'm learning to read and write at the minute and hopefully I can get it before too long. I've posted the other piece I did which I is a little more complex, only a little though lol. Thanks again mahlerian and everybody who took the time to listen and give me some great advice.


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