<nonpony><original>Duet for Cello and Contrabass No.1

[WavesOfParadox]

I wrote this quite a few months ago, but never got any real feedback on it.

http://soundcloud.com/wavesofparadox/duet-for-cello-and-contrabass

I will add the proper instruments rather than the piano at a later date.

EDIT: Here is the track played on cello and bass rather than the piano like above. I did not put any work into mixing/mastering this, so it sounds a bit bad, but it has the proper instruments.

[LunchBagMusic]

Two things flag themselves here:

1) The violoncello and contrabass can be written in duet form, but your sound will be naturally muddy, aggressive and dark (especially with a lot of notes; there will be a lot of attacking coming from the bow). Writing harmonies and cadences that are intentionally dissonant will create extremely isolating and "teeth-on-edge" sound. Dissonance is a fantastic tool in music and can be used to great effect, but to the extent that I can hear here it probably won't pull of very well. The sections where mild consonance arrived served as landmarks of relief to my ear (as consonance after dissonance usually does), but rather than being a pleasing resolution they were simply a pause for breath before the next "onslaught".

It would be beneficial (in my opinion) to try and adhere more to a scale/mode.


2) Structure. If I am allowed to be frank, it sounds like noodling. I feel no resolution to phrases and even the ending of the work is rushed and sudden. Melody is still the hardest thing to get right for me, but you do need to pay a little more attention to what you are doing after you start an idea. As I mentioned before, adherence to a scale/key/mode would help here (After a couple of listenings I can hear more of a scale emerging and you certainly have sectioned ideas, but the main point about resolution still stands).


Looking back on my post I realise that this could come off as harsh, but please don't take offence to what I say. You should never doubt your own abilities and there is great promise in this music. Good job!

[Dr_Dissonance]

It's difficult to say without the actual cello/bass sounds, but I'll give it a go.
My first thought is that if you are going for some interesting dissonance, don't make the players in unison rhythmically. An important part of writing with dissonance, as I was taught, is how the notes sound in relation to each other. So a foreign note played in a space where other notes are held, or no notes at all, is far more powerful than that note being played in a chord.
Also it's a duet! If I wanted block chords, I'd listen to a solo piece!

Remember that string instruments CAN double and sometimes triple stop. Use that to your advantage! Also remember range. Cellos and Double Basses have the biggest range out of the string family, so utilise all of it.

So in conclusion:
Don't use unison rhythms, unless they're fleeting!
Think about the harmonies and whether they'll work better together, or in relation to each other!
Use the instruments you have to their full advantage!

[WavesOfParadox]

I would put the cello and bass in there, but I think it would be a lot of effort to go and adjust everything for a piece I'm not particularly content with.

I'd just like to say that both the lack of melody and loose structure were intentional. I was also displeased how the dissonance turned out. I used it in the beginning then the piece just took another turn. Also, concerning range, this piece was created with the intention of having some of my inexperienced peers being able to play it, although that never turned out like I'd hoped.

Thanks for all feedback, and don't worry about being harsh!

[WavesOfParadox]

Well, I I basically just plugged the MIDI file into my DAW and used the sforzando so the 32nd notes would come out right, so it doesn't sound that great. but you can at least hear the cello and bass now.

http://soundcloud.com/wavesofparadox/duet-for-cello-and-bass-no-1

I do admit the bass comes out as muddy when it was not supposed to be.