Your Stage : New Style! Opinions? by Tobias Alexander Ratka

This is the sort of music that works perfectly with games. I am hoping you have a composition instructor and if so, you may have already heard this. The piece begins to get very repetitive very quickly since you use the same minor chord and continue with the same tempo with everything on the down beat. Nothing varies until 1m15s approx when you begin to use a couple of different chords. Now that may be what is needed if it is a cue but even with action cues which this one seems to be, action in a film is never consistent and you need to syncopate and vary the percussion so that it does not sound regular. At the point you are currently at, I know it is fun to do these cues and experiment but that is not going to be the best way imho for you to learn the diversity of composing. I have suggested before you that take the standard string ensemble - two violins, viola and cello - the infamous string quartet and see what you can write for them. It does not have to be classical - write what inspires you and then post it here for us to listen to. (I am hoping you take this for what it is - information from another composer who is only slightly on the path in front of you and has been where you have been and wants you to benefit from his experiences. I can't tell you the number of times I have brought works to my composition teachers all excited to find out that they were not as enthusiastic about it as I was. I sometimes get very frustrated when they tell me my works are boring and repetitive, tell me to stop using piano to set a tempo or to pull a piano out all together and to pull out notes that I think belong - but I know they are right. Then I keep getting suggestions to read certain books on orchestration and to study scores which I sometimes feel is way over my head such as Ravel's Pictures At An Exhibition. By the way, this is a great score to study since it is much closer to cues than most works of that era. Please be aware that looking at other's scores is often better than just listening to them - especially since so many scores are free - check out http://imslp.org/) Happy New Year.

Hi Tobias, Unfortunately I agree with Joel. It does not really capture my attention until 1:16. It is not a bad idea but either modulating the guitar or throwing in some mixed meters would help a lot. Just my opinion. All the best.