Improvised on the Spot: Comment Critique Please

[Jonathan White]

So... These two pieces are for the piano. I actually just got a new keyboard for Christmas so now I can record midi files. I was just messing around on it today and so i pressed record and just started playing. The first piece, was fun to go through so i improvised another... And so i bring it to you here on this forum. Please critique and advise! Thanks in advance!

[Deborah Young]

You have a good sense of melody. I prefer New Hope because of the melodic structure and the variety in comparison to Night Dance. When you're improvising you might try incorporating variety into your harmonies. For example, in Night Dance you play the same three-note arpeggio in the left hand for at least half of the song. Try extending the arpeggios (to another octave or maybe end the arpeggio on an unexpected note. For instance, if you're playing C to G to C try ending on D instead of C. Or trying going from that to the relative minor [A, D, A], etc.). I've learned a lot with this kind of experimentation. Hope this helps, and thanks for sharing.

[Jonathan White]

Thanks for the advice Deborah! I agree, Night Dance was simpler. It was in c major and i agree, i could have gone to a minor and maybe modulated to a major and go to that relative minor.

Deborah Young said:

You have a good sense of melody. I prefer New Hope because of the melodic structure and the variety in comparison to Night Dance. When you're improvising you might try incorporating variety into your harmonies. For example, in Night Dance you play the same three-note arpeggio in the left hand for at least half of the song. Try extending the arpeggios (to another octave or maybe end the arpeggio on an unexpected note. For instance, if you're playing C to G to C try ending on D instead of C. Or trying going from that to the relative minor [A, D, A], etc.). I've learned a lot with this kind of experimentation. Hope this helps, and thanks for sharing.

[Adrian Allan]

Hi Jonathan

I had a listen to New Hope and Nigt Dance, which I enjoyed. I think it would have sounded so much better on a real piano, as this sort of music needs resonance and the right pedal. I can tell that you listen to pop music styles too - in the piano ballad tradition, as your chords are influenced by those progressions.

As you develop you might like to do some more runs and melodies with the left hand, as this is doing the support right now in providing arpeggios - but some bass lines might be a next aim.

[Jonathan White]

Hey Adrian, thanks for listening. You are right, i do listen to alot of pop music despite playing mostly classical for most of my life. I agree, the pieces would sound better on a real piano. Using the pedal on the real piano would convey the theme better also, but since i do not have access to good quality recording equipment I have to stick with the midi keyboard. Thanks again for listening, i definitely work on improvising that darn left hand!

Adrian Allan said:

Hi Jonathan

I had a listen to New Hope and Nigt Dance, which I enjoyed. I think it would have sounded so much better on a real piano, as this sort of music needs resonance and the right pedal. I can tell that you listen to pop music styles too - in the piano ballad tradition, as your chords are influenced by those progressions.

As you develop you might like to do some more runs and melodies with the left hand, as this is doing the support right now in providing arpeggios - but some bass lines might be a next aim.