Suite for Winds No. 1 Mov. I: Allegro

[Ron Ofir]

Very windy! I like it. I hope your going to do an andante movement after this one, I think it could work really good. As for the ending, I would probably make the two last notes halves, maybe the last one a whole and play it twice (ta-da kind of cadence), maybe playing a bit with the harmony to make it even more end-ish. It might be too endish if you want to add a movement after that though.

Why didn't you use key signatures? Other than the modulation, it seemed like everything fit neatly into the scale.

Good job!

[crimson]

Hi Ron, and thanks for the comment!

I didn't use a key signature because Sibelius doesn't 'know' any scales outside the major/minor scales, like mixolydian for example. But for this piece I could have used one as it's in F Major. I guess it just slipped out of my mind I'm used to starting my scores in the open key option in Sibelius as I often compose in church modes. But perhaps it would be possible in Sibelius to create custom keys, although I've never bothered to find out...

I have been thinking to continue this series with a slower movement. I actually started scribbling it already but nothing good came out. I tried to use a Minor scale for greater contrast while writing the second movement, but it just didn't "catch fire" so to speak.

You're right about the ending. It seems a little hurried. Another thing that bothers me in this piece is the beginning. It seems like the three first notes come too quickly. It might be better to lenghten them, too.

[MaestroX]

Crimson, your score looks odd

There seems to be a lack of staccatos! From bar 4 to 7 in the bassoon part, there should just be quavers staccato instead of semi-quavers. It gives the same effect just looks easier on the eyes.

A thing you've got to remember is at the end of the day the notation is intended for a musician to read and you want it to be as detailed and easy to read as possible.

[crimson]

Hehe, I know it looks weird

I can't really read notation and haven't learned all the markings. I can figure out which note is A or C etc. by counting the alphabet from the bar lines, but I've never tried to write a really readable score.

Part reason for those semi-quavers was to make Synful Orchestra play the notes as staccato, as I don't think it could interpret staccato markings in Sibelius in another way. Also, I don't know how I should use the staccato markings. Should I just add that small dot to every staccato note (it seems like an awful lot of trouble), or could I just put the word 'stacc.' above them? In the latter case, would I add 'legato' or something to notes that are meant to play normally after the staccatos?

[Ron Ofir]

didn't use a key signature because Sibelius doesn't 'know' any scales outside the major/minor scales, like mixolydian for example

Well, you could just use the signature of the appropriate major scale (F major for C mixolydian, C major for D dorain and so on).

[MaestroX]

I don't know how I should use the staccato markings. Should I just add that small dot to every staccato note (it seems like an awful lot of trouble), or could I just put the word 'stacc.' above them? In the latter case, would I add 'legato' or something to notes that are meant to play normally after the staccatos?

If there is a long passage all staccato it is best just to put 'stacc.' above them (Sibelius picks this up aswell), Otherwise the standard notation is fine. And as you said, if you use the 'stacc.' method once you get to notes you want to play normally just use 'legato'

[crimson]

you could just use the signature of the appropriate major scale

Oh, I didn't know that was possible As you can see, my knowledge of theory is extraordinary!

Maestro: Thanks, I will try marking the staccatos properly when I'm revising the score.

Today I decided to give the next movement another go, and I did get some slightly better material down. I'll try and see if I can turn it into a theme & variations, but I don't think I'll complete all three movements very soon, unless I get a massive stroke of inspiration...

[Boneman]

you could see people bowing, chatting etc from a bygone era. A lovely charming little piece that is screaming to grow!

[crimson]

Thanks Boneman for the comment

I'm somewhat itching to continue this series, but I guess I'm taking a short break and waiting to hear whether I'll get a private composition teacher or not. It is very hard to find a classical composition teacher outside Sibelius Academy here in Finland, or so it seems, but I had a small stroke of luck. Perhaps I'm putting off continuing this divertimento until I know if I get a teacher and have honed my knowledge in composition. Although it wouldn't be a big deal to continue writing the next movements anyway.

[Ron Ofir]

Oh, I didn't know that was possible As you can see, my knowledge of theory is extraordinary!

At least you're willing to learn! There are a lot out there that say "Jimi didn't know any theory, so why should I?', and I'm happy you're not one of them! Anyway, key signatures are just incidentals, it doesn't really matter in which scale you write (you could use them even when you're writing on chinease scale), as long as you use those incidentals often, it's good.