# Cannon in F# Major



## TheLastGreatComposer (Aug 13, 2015)

I wrote this song during last school year. I was inspired to create something similar to Bach's famous organ works. This is my first attempt. Please feel free to leave any constructive criticism for this song or for any of my future works! Thanks Guys!! 

This was the first song I have ever finished composing. Although I will probably end up going back to fix some of its voicing once I gain the experience.


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https://soundcloud.com/jaron-deming-1%2Fcannon-in-f-major


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## EdwardBast (Nov 25, 2013)

Welcome Jaron.

First a couple of terminological issues: A song is, first and foremost, a musical composition with singing in it, so this is definitely not a song. You would want to call it a "piece" or a "composition." And unless you are metaphorically likening this composition to a piece of field artillery, you will want to change the title to "Canon in F# Major."  As for whether it is in fact a canon from beginning to end, it would help to have a score to determine this.

This is an excellent first effort. I especially like the idea of using F# minor as a contrast in the middle. But I wouldn't worry about coming back to fix it up. Just write a new one. If you continue in a Bach vein, you will want to change keys several times over a composition of this length, which requires skill in the art of modulation (changing from one key to another). If Bach were composing a fugue in F# major, for example, it would move through several different keys, the most likely being: C# major, B major, G# minor, and D# minor. It would, of course, end with a version of the main idea in F# major. If Bach was using a contrasting minor key in a piece in F# major, it would most likely be D# minor or G# minor.

My advice is to take music theory courses at the college level as soon as possible. Then find a composition teacher once you have digested a bit more of the fundamentals.


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## TheLastGreatComposer (Aug 13, 2015)

EdwardBast said:


> Welcome Jaron.
> 
> First a couple of terminological issues: A song is, first and foremost, a musical composition with singing in it, so this is definitely not a song. You would want to call it a "piece" or a "composition." And unless you are metaphorically likening this composition to a piece of field artillery, you will want to change the title to "Canon in F# Major."  As for whether it is in fact a canon from beginning to end, it would help to have a score to determine this.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the advice!! I'm starting my first year of college for music education, and I've just recently started to get into composition.

A couple of questions, how would you determine the progression into diffrent keys? Is there a certain formula or is it more to do with the natural progression of sound? Also, I tend to have trouble developing transition points during most areas of a piece. Any advice for that?

Thanks for all the help!


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## EdwardBast (Nov 25, 2013)

Since you were going for something in the vein of Bach, I suggested a style of key progression for the Baroque Era. At that time, the keys used in any particular movement, whether in a fugue, concerto, sonata, or whatever, were almost always closely related ones. Using C major as an example, just list the major and minor triads indigenous to the key and you will have the array of keys a baroque composer would be likely to explore in any particular movement, that is: C major, D minor, E minor, F major, G major, and A minor. You will notice that all of these keys are within one sharp or flat of the key signature of C major. Using Roman numeral notation, these would be I, ii, iii, IV, V, and vi.

Usually the sequence of keys looks like this:

I V x x x I (or, in C major: C, G, x, x, x)

The letter "x" means any closely related key but V. In practice this usually meant that each successive iteration of a main idea would be in that order. (The number of xs is variable, usually from 0 up to maybe 4.)

Now remember, this information is only true for Baroque music. As for more complicated stuff like how to do transitions from one key to another, I can only say: Apply yourself in theory class (  ) so that you can learn to analyze scores to see how composers have done what they do. Do outside reading. Spend any free time you have experimenting with composition. Best of luck.


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## Mahlerian (Nov 27, 2012)

EdwardBast is right, of course (and gave fine advice earlier in the thread), but add that in minor keys one would usually begin by modulating to III, the relative major, rather than V.

I'd like to echo what was said above and congratulate you on a very fine first attempt.


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## Pawelec (Jul 14, 2015)

Well, this is extremely good as for the first attempt, congratulations.


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## EdwardBast (Nov 25, 2013)

Thanks Mahlerian. What he said about the initial move to III in minor mode!


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## TheLastGreatComposer (Aug 13, 2015)

Thanks for all of the comments and critiques! I've already began work on a second version of the piece and hopefully will have it ready in a few months. I like to take some time on all of my pieces to make them presentable. Thanks again!!!


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