The next step in this project was hammering out a composition. I decided to use standard notation since this would be performed on a keyboard instrument (however, using the new synthesized sound), and then I needed to decide what I was going to write.
Our compositions weren't supposed to be the Beethoven's Ninth of our instrument, it only had to be approximately one minute in length, so I thought of something simple that would work in about a minute. I decided to write a duet with one player doing the rhythm (lower part of the keyboard) with another playing the melody. Since the drum kit was set for the lower part of the keyboard, I wrote out a driving rhythm of bass and snare that were on the lowest C and G of the keyboard. I had the piano play for the full range of the instrument, so this got a somewhat perfect fifth playing with the drums. Then I added a hi-hat which laid on the notes Gb and Bb, with clashed with the fifth interval attached to the bass and snare. Ocassionaly I interjected with a crash cymbal, which laid on the Db about the high hats. So within a single measure in the lower part, you would hear a 8-beat drum pattern going on with the pitches C, G, Gb, Bb, and Db. Of course, since the instruments were detuned and the scale wasn't equal-temperament, there was quite a clash of pitch.
I left the 8-beat pattern going on throughout my composition, and then decided to write a simple melody for the second player in the upper range. This player got some of the more strange-sounding instruments, and I left it simple for that reason as well as the fact I didn't know who would end up playing the part. The form of the piece is a simple ternary form (ABA), and I created the score using Cakewalk Professional 6.0 (yeah, I know I need to update... I need the $400 for it first...)
Here is the score of my first draft of the composition:
After having my teachers review my first draft, the only comments I got back were to see more dynamics/expression (which are present on the above pictures if you look carefully). I quickly turned out a final draft, replacing the text "play as loudly as possible" with ff. Here is the second draft:
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