Hullo, peoples!
So, for the past few days, I've been working here and there on project a little music project. Any critiques are welcome, and please post your own (original) compositions if you have any!

So here's my critique: It sounds like something a beginner would write, and I say that as someone who used to write very similarly. The only way to fix this is to just compose more. Another thing is you should try taking a music theory class at some point if your school offers it. I took AP music theory, and it helped a lot.


Do I! (I'm entering college in the fall as a CS/Music Composition double major)

My soundcloud is full of them:
https://soundcloud.com/pimathbrainiac

So far you seem to have gotten the basic music idea for melodies right. Many beginners uses a bassline that is completely off-key (generally the same key as the melody, which doesn't work), while you didn't. Good job on that. Also I would say you were better than when I started off in this song, because during my first few months I only used pre-made melodies and drum loops. I agree with Pi about composing more, though. That's how my music also got better over time. And judging from what you got so far, this is definitively stuff I would listen to if it got longer

As for myself I also make music since 2002 and my compositions are on Bandcamp for the most part, but under two different music genre ranges: http://djomnimaga.bandcamp.com

Yeah, about that... I really wanted to take a class, but I couldn't fit it in my schedule (and I'm a senior, too), so I want to find an online class or something. Do you know of a good place where I could find good (primarily text-based) classes/lessons on theory? But here's a question on my composition: What does a beginner's music sound like? What are the characteristics of one said song? And, by the way, I'm really digging your music!


Thank you very much; that means a lot! I've listened to a bit of your music before, and I've really enjoyed it; it's just terrific! But, on another note, and I may be wrong, but my bass is in the same key as my melody. I believe. If not, then that means I really need to take a theory class!

And, actually, any idea about where I could learn more about drums and drum theory (if that's a thing?) because I really just did some random things for that.

https://www.musictheory.net/lessons
^^^great place


You have a bassline and a melody, but they're both rather repetitive. Also you don't have any real chord progression. You're using open 5 (aka power) chords in the pattern "I5 VII5 VI5 V5" over and over (and if they were filled out, it would be "i VII VI v"), without any variation in progression. Typically, in even the most simplistic of "pop" music, there are at least two main progressions - the verse and the chorus. I was guilty of the same stuff too when I first started, so don't let this criticism be discouraging. Keep composing, learn some theory, and you'll get better, trust me

Hmmm... I've looked at the site a little bit, I guess I'll look a bit more!


Well, first off, I don't find this discouraging; I rather enjoy the fact that the criticism helps me improve! But, yes, I did realize that I should include some sort of variation in the bass, but I was feeling rather lazy. I'll make sure to keep that in mind next time.
What do you mean by "filled out"? Like, is that when I added that third note in the chord (In measure 13-whenever)? Thank you for the critique; I hope my next one won't sound so beginner-ish!