# Looking for some feedback, comments and criticism on my '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 (maybe someone could tell me whether it actually is one or not) out of respect to the form lol. 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 (my first attempt) and at about 4 mins it shouldn't take up too much time to listen to lol thankyou


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## Kieran (Aug 24, 2010)

Tony,

I'm going to bump this one because I want to listen to it later but don't want to lose the page.

Cheers! :tiphat:


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## PetrB (Feb 28, 2012)

It is not sonata form, but boyo, to hell with that for you, at least right now.

You've made a lovely, "pretty" sweet piece in a simple strophic song form, it has a tinge of melancholy in it as well, and it sounds like a really _good_ movie theme... You might want to make a little side excursion between some of the strophes to another key, not clinging to your tune or material, making that / those relatively brief and to "bring it back home" with the return. That can make a bit of tension (which I think is only a little needed) and the return after "going away" makes for a satisfying recognition with the listener.

Do not, please, think to go 'classical' formal and get all self-conscious. You are gifted, this has a very nice shape and feel, it is utterly sincere and wholly effective. I'd urge you only to study a bit more about pop song form (first) and anything else more extensive about form later.

The genre is in no way 'classical,' but your material and what you've done with it is excellent, and I think you should work on doing more.

_Don't change hats or costume_ -- the more you write, the more you investigate, I think you've enough of an ear and feel for what you are doing -- and what to do, that any growth and development will come by repeated doing with a bit of study along the way, and that will be change enough, and change which is 'natural' to you.

Congratulations --usually not "my musical fare," and I was more than pleasantly surprised.


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## Andrei (Sep 11, 2013)

I've listened once and will listen again. In the meantime would you mind telling us a bit more. In particular what are the instruments.


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde (Dec 2, 2011)

I'd love to see the score to this so I could give a proper analysis of the harmony. You definitely have an ear for music, what you have done here is really good and if you want to compose music like this then go for it, you're really good at it. I can hear that the harmony does seem to go to the places it should, it does have a good harmonic structure overall. Perhaps also look at some jazz progressions for more ideas!


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## aleazk (Sep 30, 2011)

While I'm not very fond of the style, I have to say that you have real talent and craft.
The piece has a nice direction, balance, sense of development, self consistency, and there's nothing wrong or out of place, everything shows up at the right moment and sounds like a logical consequence of what happened before, but without being predictable and boring.
I judge these things as one of the most important aspects in a composition, and I think they make the difference between someone who knows how to compose and someone who doesn't know how to compose.
As for the genre, form and related things, I have nothing more to add after PetrB's comment.


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## brianvds (May 1, 2013)

I wouldn't call it a sonata. But it is a really nice piece. If you don't consider it an insult (some composers do!) I would consider it more New Age than classical, and a very fine example of the genre too. 

Apart from that I cannot really comment because I don't have the technical knowledge. 

Do tell us more about your process. Did you perform the piece when you recorded it (i.e. play them on keyboard) or is it a computer performance? How does electronic music work anyway? 

I look forward to hearing more of your work.


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## presto (Jun 17, 2011)

I liked it a lot, the tune is memorable and in length the piece doesn't out stay it's welcome.
Most would agree in style it's Light music / easy listening rather than a Sonata in the classical sense.


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## tonystanton (Mar 18, 2013)

Andrei said:


> I've listened once and will listen again. In the meantime would you mind telling us a bit more. In particular what are the instruments.


Hello, well apart from the piano all the other parts were done on a Microkorg synthesizer. The recording really is just a rough demo with the synthesized parts being merely placeholders for other instruments, but I have no idea about orchestration or constructing a score for orchestral instruments. Lol


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## tonystanton (Mar 18, 2013)

Thank you everyone, all your comments are so greatly appreciated, I don't get many chances to present this side of my work to anyone let alone get feedback, so my heart is warmed and full of gratitude at the minute! 
Thank you for all the advice and constructive criticism, you've given me a few things to think about and Ill probably be making some adjustments to that piece now, which incidentally I wrote some words for a while back, so it's now a 'song'. Lol
Thank you again you beautiful people, au revoir. x


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## QuietGuy (Mar 1, 2014)

I agree with EVERYTHING PetraB said.

It is not a sonata, but a very good piece nonetheless. Keep going! You have talent!  Good luck in the future!


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