Jump to content
Objectivism Online Forum

I Am A New Age Piano Composer (A Revelation)

Rate this topic


nakulanb

Recommended Posts

I have had the recent revelation that I am a New Age Artist.  The genre is known for it's tranquil sounds and peaceful feelings.   I've narrowed down which old works I want to keep, and found a vision for the future. I am more aware of my technical ability and boundaries than ever, and am composing at that level.  My technical abilities aren't for those that like to be dazzled by fast scales, but if you enjoy a strong melodic hook, please do listen.  I felt the need to create a new thread on this similar topic because I am having a fresh start to my musical journey.  You can listen to my youtube channel if you'd like, it's linked below.

Thank you,

Nakulan

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyUv3y1LKuZfwbOgBiV30dA/videos

Edited by nakulanb
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think your music is too melodic for such a slow bpm. Most people will have trouble retaining the melody over such a long period of time. Consider how Enya has great new age melodies and uses a much faster bpm to make them stick in the listener's mind.

I listened to your songs at 2X speed and some of the melodies were catchy.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

55 minutes ago, StrictlyLogical said:

Suzanne Ciani is an accomplished new age artist... who is quite a piano composer as well.

 

Interestingly though... "new age" is not so new anymore...

Hope she inspires!

 

Very nice indeed, thanks for sharing!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, MisterSwig said:

I think your music is too melodic for such a slow bpm. Most people will have trouble retaining the melody over such a long period of time. Consider how Enya has great new age melodies and uses a much faster bpm to make them stick in the listener's mind.

I listened to your songs at 2X speed and some of the melodies were catchy.

That's an interesting take.  I do like playing rather slow so it becomes more meditative, though, but I appreciate your comments.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The melodies flow well, but the accompaniment becomes 'predictable'.

For the key of C, your left is going C E G C G E C E G C G E C, shift to F or G as a complement key and the left is going F A C F C A F, or G B D G D B G.

It was changed up in Cherry Blossoms, albeit only the structure of the chord, Yet it stayed the same from C to F to G.
C E G E, back to your starting C or F A C A, . . . or G B D B. . . .

The accompaniment should follow the melody, not distract from the melody by drawing attention to itself . . .

Carmel Popcorn was more eclectic in this regard, relative to these last two.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, dream_weaver said:

The melodies flow well, but the accompaniment becomes 'predictable'.

For the key of C, your left is going C E G C G E C E G C G E C, shift to F or G as a complement key and the left is going F A C F C A F, or G B D G D B G.

It was changed up in Cherry Blossoms, albeit only the structure of the chord, Yet it stayed the same from C to F to G.
C E G E, back to your starting C or F A C A, . . . or G B D B. . . .

The accompaniment should follow the melody, not distract from the melody by drawing attention to itself . . .

Carmel Popcorn was more eclectic in this regard, relative to these last two.

Yes, I agree Caramel Popcorn is the most interesting piece on my page.  I thank you for your thought out assessment of my pieces, however, my target audience is the elderly in nursing homes, so more of my songs will be predictable and in line with Blossoms and Cake.

 

Everyone's take is different.  I played both Popcorn and Cake for my mom today, and she preferred Cake by far and said it's one of my best.

Edited by nakulanb
Link to comment
Share on other sites

There are different types of predictability. We do, after all, live in a causal universe. :)

Your "Tangled Webs" melody had a stanza that repeated while the harmony played off it nicely with 3 or 4 chord changes.

Are you familiar with Parker changes? It is an identifiable pattern intended to support or background jazz improve by basically repeating it.

Spoiler

 

Music draws from the same set of notes. As repetitive as those notes may be, it is aspects like which particular notes, in what particular order, and in what durations, etc., that the fact that the same set of notes are being over and over fades into the background.

Edited by dream_weaver
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I know the stanza you speak of, it is what I would call the part B section.  I'm only familiar with those chord changes by ear and having heard lots of Jazz.  I can understand what you are saying though!

Do you compose and/or play, you seem to know a lot about music!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

In order to play trombone in the band at elementary school, a year of piano lessons were set by my folks as a prerequisite. That turned into about 5 years of lessons along with some music theory.

Apart from short ditty's like these:

Spoiler

 

there are many songs that can played from memory. In the key of B flat, if the melody is known, it can be harmonized with more or less on the fly. Without a particular melody, some of my playing is more of a rambling, than a composition.

Listening to an informative classical music station helps as well.

Here's a variation on Mozart's "Ah! Vous Dirai-Je, Maman".

Spoiler

 

 

Edited by dream_weaver
Added Mozart variation.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

16 minutes ago, nakulanb said:

I didn't realize I was watching videos of you. 

For the Cherry Blossoms and Funnel Cake pieces of mine, I don't understand your critique, could you elucidate it?  It doesn't seem like the progression is right.

For Cherry Blossoms and Funnel Cake isolate and focus on just what your left hand is playing. Either do it by mental exercise while listening, or play just the left hand by itself without the right to consider it by itself.

Normally, it takes an act of focus on my behalf to isolate the harmony. In those two pieces, it just stood out. Your playing style does not strike me as one who plays by ear. If you play by ear, you may be attenuating to the melody while letting the harmony just fill in.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Mind you, I took lessons from age 3 to about 16, but studied the Suzuki Method which focuses on training the ear.  But I can sight-read, just not stupendously.

I do not score out my music, I simply record them, and when I need to re-learn a work, I do it with my ears.

Edited by nakulanb
Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 minutes ago, dream_weaver said:

For Cherry Blossoms and Funnel Cake isolate and focus on just what your left hand is playing. Either do it by mental exercise while listening, or play just the left hand by itself without the right to consider it by itself.

Normally, it takes an act of focus on my behalf to isolate the harmony. In those two pieces, it just stood out. Your playing style does not strike me as one who plays by ear. If you play by ear, you may be attenuating to the melody while letting the harmony just fill in.

 

 

Would you just prefer a more interesting harmony on these two works?

Edited by nakulanb
Link to comment
Share on other sites

43 minutes ago, nakulanb said:

You have very nice tone on the piano.  The piece was very much a Blues progression!

I spent several days and several hours each day at Guitar Center playing the electronic keyboards, listening to the voices available, and the tactile feel of the action.

As to Jazz/Blues, they're both an American phenomenon. Sometimes I forget to differentiate them.

Just now, nakulanb said:

Would you just prefer a more interesting harmony on these two works?

All I can ask to that is "What did you have in mind?" or, "What can you come up with?"

Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 minutes ago, dream_weaver said:

I spent several days and several hours each day at Guitar Center playing the electronic keyboards, listening to the voices available, and the tactile feel of the action.

As to Jazz/Blues, they're both an American phenomenon. Sometimes I forget to differentiate them.

All I can ask to that is "What did you have in mind?" or, "What can you come up with?"

I think I'm done with those two, I'm happy with the way they came out.  I was just curious about your critique; I was a bit confused by your post above relating to those two pieces. 

Some people, as I said, thought they were some of my best.  The different criteria we carry, implicitly or explicitly, in assessing various Art work makes all the difference in what we feel about it.  

 

Edited by nakulanb
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...