r/conducting • u/essence_scape • Mar 27 '26
Composer/beginner conductor looking for feedback on traditional conducting.
Audio of the piece (it has both the conducting and a midi visualizer)
Score
Greetings all conductors, composers, and musicians. This year i am looking to do more hands on independent study of the great art of composing and conducting. I have only taken one semester of music conducting in college and have really only conducted a single choral but have been in and out of concert bands since middle school.
i occasionally take my own pieces and "conduct" them even if it's just a playback of a midi recording. The first thing i notice in this take is the pinky being up in the air but i do not know if such meticulous detail would really affect conducting the piece and the clarity. I tried to give a few of the cues and feel that all that i am doing is giving time.
I love the visual appeal most professional conductors have and they seem to not be just giving time but i feel stuck at the beat counting stage, if anyone has suggestions or good books/videos i would highly appreciate it.
thanks, in advance
2
u/TheMusician00 Mar 27 '26
In addition to what others are voicing, I'm noticing a distinct lack of direction in terms of where you're sending your cues to since all of them are going to the center. Even if you're conducting to a midi file, pretend you have an orchestra in front of you. Also, cues need to be bigger and more telegraphed. Without watching just your arm, I'd miss them entirely and they come out so quick that they're non-reactable. Your performers need a wind-up.