Short compositions, also known as etudes, are musical pieces that are usually short in length and focus on a specific technique or skill. They are often used as practice pieces for musicians to hone their skills and develop their technique. Etudes are typically composed for solo instruments, but can also be written for ensembles. They are an important part of the classical music repertoire and have been composed by many famous composers such as Chopin, Debussy, and Rachmaninoff.