Composition Masterclass #2: Seven Sharps and Score Order

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Classical Nerd is a video series covering music history, theoretical concepts, and techniques, hosted by composer, pianist, and music history aficionado Thomas Little.
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Music:
- Aidan Lamb: Caprice in E-flat Major for Piano [MIDI render]
- Midnight_Rose_616___: The Virgin Succubus for Violin, Piano, Electric Bass, and Vibraphone [MIDI render]
- Glen Sheppard: Symphony of the Damned for Orchestra [MIDI render]
- Thomas Little: Dance! #2 in E minor, performed by Rachel Fellows, Michael King, and Bruce Tippette
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Contact Information:
Questions and comments can be directed to:
nerdofclassical [at] gmail.com
Facebook:
/ classicalnerd
Instagram:
/ the_classical_nerd
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All images and audio in this video are for educational purposes only and are not intended as copyright infringement. If you have a copyright concern, please contact me using the above information.

[@ClassicalNerd]

*More videos soon!* I've been dealing with a lot of personal stuff in the past month, which has delayed what I _expected_ to publish, but not to worry. Videos on Balinese Gamelan, Anton Bruckner, and a third _Composition Masterclass_ are all in various stages of production.

[@maxramirez5355]

A video on Ivan Wyschnegradsky would be great. I just discovered him and there is so much depth to his music. Also want to say thanks for doing a video on Giacinto Scelsi. I feel that his music has more to offer me than that of Georg Friedrich Hass or other spectral music composers that I am reminded of when listening to Scelsi.

[@ClassicalNerd]

Wyschnegradsky has been added to the request pool: lentovivace.com/classicalnerd.html

[@pixelroryofficial]

Thank you for looking at my piece, it means a lot. My score definitely needs to be cleaned up, my god.

[@kennybania3242]

What an impressive channel. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.

[@agamaz5650]

I don't understand it but respect bro haha

[@jordanmayberry4510]

I wish I could send one in for advice, but I absolutely refuse to use any form of printouts and ESPECIALLY notational software. And music written purely by hand can't really be translated to MIDI.

[@ClassicalNerd]

While it helps, I don't really need recordings or MIDI renderings to talk about a piece and its relevant composition techniques.

[@qwaqwa1960]

@4:20, could a "doublet"(?) be used? (i.e., 2 eighth notes with a "2"-slur over them)

[@ClassicalNerd]

The rule for tuplets is that the value of the note as implied by the beaming is slower than the actual non-tuplet notes which share its beaming: a set of triplet eighth notes is 3 in the space of 2, so each note of the triplet is _shorter_ than a standard eighth. The note value within the tuplet (quarters, eighths, sixteenths, etc.) is "rounded down," if you will, to the next perfect-square note value. For instance, quintuplets, sextuplets, and septuplets within a half-note duration will all feature a single beam, while tuplets between nine and fifteen notes within that same span feature two beams. Septuplets would not be as fast (on a per-note-duration-basis) as sixteenth-notes in that context, so beaming them as if they are is imprecise. The exception to this rule-2 eighths in the span of 3 eighths, as you suggest-is only ever really found in consistent compound meters (6/8, 9/8, 12/8), where the aesthetic value of keeping eighth-note motion overrides this rule. In some editions and manuscripts, they are expressed as duplet quarters, which would be in keeping with the rule as described (as in Ives' "A Christmas Carol"). In order to prevent possible confusion, duplets in the manner you propose should only be considered in mixed/irregular meters (such as 7/8) when there's a much more consistent rhythmic pattern within the part than there is in the piece in question.

[@qwaqwa1960]

@@ClassicalNerd thx for the detailed explication.

[@Yo_ca_va]

pitch classes ? I have no idea what that means

[@ClassicalNerd]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/bHPJgqd3dsanp5Y

[@caterscarrots3407]

So, does that mean that you won't give me feedback on my Piano Sonata no. 4 in a video or even across multiple videos? And that you won't answer my question about whether the introduction of my Piano Sonata no. 3 has enough tension release in a video? Or will you make an exception for those? I could really deserve the feedback on both of these but I don't think that it is worth the fee just to get an email response and classical music forums tend to focus so much on the negatives that it feels like nonsensical criticism rather than true feedback.

[@ClassicalNerd]

This series consists of mini-composition critiques, which most composers do in lessons, which are _always_ offered at fees. This series is an exception to the rule because I'm trying to provide some quality feedback for free. I believe in accessible education, but that also means making sure as many people as possible get feedback; this series becomes less and less valuable if it's basically just me giving a handful of people some composition tips.

[@tjcogger1974]

You don't "deserve" anything. He's doing this for free. If you don't feel like paying for it, then don't.

[@qwaqwa1960]

Funny to be critiquing notation, then write "Bb"...

[@ClassicalNerd]

As far as acceptable substitutes are concerned, "b" is pretty standard for the actual flat sign, much as is "#" for the actual sharp sign.

[@qwaqwa1960]

​@@ClassicalNerd Guess we can agree to disagree. Or...why not learn how to type a flat? You just put your lips together and... ♭♭♭♭♭low Quick! What's this note: bb ?

[@ClassicalNerd]

Somehow I fail to see how "Bb" in that context could be construed as anything else. 😐

[@qwaqwa1960]

​@@ClassicalNerd To my eye, it sticks out and is ugly. Makes me think: lazy, sloppy, doesn't care. But...maybe that's just me...ex-professional editor.

[@neo-eclesiastul9386]

qwaqwa1960 it's called music, not writing. Get used with that.