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Other => Off-Topic => Forum Games => Topic started by: MaestroUGC on June 04, 2010, 04:39:25 PM

Title: The Musical Showdown - Discussion for Creation.
Post by: MaestroUGC on June 04, 2010, 04:39:25 PM
This was inspired by dahans, who challenged me in a compositional duel.

I've created this to see who would want to test their compositional ability, do not sign up for any thing in this thread.

The idea is simple; it will  be a tournament duel in which two people will write a piece which will be judged by the other members of the tournament.
Your writing has to follow these guidlines:
1) They must be for the same instrument
2) The must be similar in tone (i.e. match a similar theme or idea)
3) Random factor for the judges to determine

Now as the tournament progresses, each round will be more complicated.

I'm not asking for people who compose for a living, but for musicians who want to try something new.
Please suggest your ideas; or if no one is interested then I'll ask for the topic to be closed.
Title: Re: The Musical Showdown - Discussion for Creation.
Post by: dahans on June 04, 2010, 04:42:05 PM
That's a great idea. Of course, I will take part!
Title: Re: The Musical Showdown - Discussion for Creation.
Post by: universe-X on June 04, 2010, 04:46:29 PM
This sounds good... but I think the same tone rule should be taken out. A writer needs their own standards, ya know? And for judging: Make a list of judges, who are not part of the tournament. So it could be like this:

Contestants:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

Judges:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Sounds like an idea?
Title: Re: The Musical Showdown - Discussion for Creation.
Post by: MaestroUGC on June 04, 2010, 04:47:36 PM
Well, the tone is to keep people on track; that way the judges can have a fair idea what they need to accomplish with the music.
Title: Re: The Musical Showdown - Discussion for Creation.
Post by: universe-X on June 04, 2010, 04:52:53 PM
So then we'll get an idea of what kind of tone our songs supposed to have? And in that case, will we have a specific key signature/time signature for the song?
Title: Re: The Musical Showdown - Discussion for Creation.
Post by: MaestroUGC on June 04, 2010, 04:54:50 PM
That's too restiricting, but at the beginning of each roud, the judges will pick the instruments, tone or idea, and some third factor.
Title: Re: The Musical Showdown - Discussion for Creation.
Post by: Concerto No.20 in D minor on June 04, 2010, 07:14:01 PM
I wants to be a judge!  : D
Title: Re: The Musical Showdown - Discussion for Creation.
Post by: MaestroUGC on June 04, 2010, 07:18:47 PM
Quote from: Concerto No.20 in D minor on June 04, 2010, 07:14:01 PMI wants to be a judge!  : D
I thought as much.
Title: Re: The Musical Showdown - Discussion for Creation.
Post by: universe-X on June 04, 2010, 07:20:21 PM
I sent out PMs to everyone that I thought would be active and have Finale... let's see what we get.
Title: Re: The Musical Showdown - Discussion for Creation.
Post by: SuperFireKirby on June 04, 2010, 07:27:34 PM
Darnit. I would totally do this if I still had Notebook
Title: Re: The Musical Showdown - Discussion for Creation.
Post by: MaestroUGC on June 04, 2010, 07:28:22 PM
You mean Notepad?
...
Title: Re: The Musical Showdown - Discussion for Creation.
Post by: universe-X on June 04, 2010, 07:29:19 PM
Quote from: SuperFireKirby on June 04, 2010, 07:27:34 PMDarnit. I would totally do this if I still had Notebook
You can always try it on a free Notepad 2008. Should get the same results, and you could always ask someone for MIDI help.
Title: Re: The Musical Showdown - Discussion for Creation.
Post by: SuperFireKirby on June 04, 2010, 07:33:07 PM
right.... I guess I could scuff out ten bucks on it. Or get a torrent of Finale. But thats just no fun.
Quote from: universe-X on June 04, 2010, 07:29:19 PMYou can always try it on a free Notepad 2008. Should get the same results, and you could always ask someone for MIDI help.
You can't download Notepad for free anymore, excluding the trial and illegal copies
Title: Re: The Musical Showdown - Discussion for Creation.
Post by: MaestroUGC on June 04, 2010, 07:35:41 PM
Well, I don't encourage illegal activity...but Finale is something a good musician needs...
Title: Re: The Musical Showdown - Discussion for Creation.
Post by: master_gamer38 on June 04, 2010, 09:20:20 PM
Quote from: universe-X on June 04, 2010, 07:20:21 PMI sent out PMs to everyone that I thought would be active and have Finale... let's see what we get.

Jerk, you didn't send me one.

Anyways, I might try this. Just questions first. Is it going to be like, simple things like, a piano solo? Or like, Full Orchestra? And length?
Title: Re: The Musical Showdown - Discussion for Creation.
Post by: MaestroUGC on June 04, 2010, 09:24:41 PM
Well it'll be simple at first, i.e. only one or two instruments; and the orchestration will grow with each round.

Length may be a factor determined by the judges, but nothing excessive. Most likeley "make it 2:17 in length" and such.
Title: Re: The Musical Showdown - Discussion for Creation.
Post by: mantis985 on June 04, 2010, 09:33:02 PM
I'd be down for this if you need another contestant. 
Title: Re: The Musical Showdown - Discussion for Creation.
Post by: MaestroUGC on June 04, 2010, 09:33:48 PM
All are welcome.
Title: Re: The Musical Showdown - Discussion for Creation.
Post by: Oni-Link on June 05, 2010, 04:17:04 AM
Is it too late to sign up to become a judge?
Title: Re: The Musical Showdown - Discussion for Creation.
Post by: Tranzlater on June 05, 2010, 04:20:29 AM
Uhmm...

I would, but I just got sibelius which I have NO IDEA how to use...
If we're doing this every year, then I might next year, when I learn a bit more in my GCSE courses. I can compose, just not so good, and only when I'm in the mood, which is usually less that once a week for about 20 minutes in the middle of the night.
Title: Re: The Musical Showdown - Discussion for Creation.
Post by: MaestroUGC on June 05, 2010, 07:12:03 AM
I'll worry about judges later...and about Sibelius; if you can at least create a midi than that'll do for now.

Right now, I want suggestion on how to game should operate.
Title: Re: The Musical Showdown - Discussion for Creation.
Post by: TheLegend on June 05, 2010, 08:18:18 AM
ok, so 8 members, 7 judges.  here's how it'll work.   the winner of each is the first digit.
Round One

1.  vs 2.      judge 1

 3 vs 4.        judge 2

5. vs 6.       judge 3

7. vs 8.        judge 4

Round Two



1.  vs 3       judge 5

5. vs 7.         judge 6

Round Three

1. vs. 5.        final judge 7


wins!!!!!1111






Title: Re: The Musical Showdown - Discussion for Creation.
Post by: Oni-Link on June 05, 2010, 08:20:45 AM
Quote from: TheLegend on June 05, 2010, 08:18:18 AMok, so 8 members, 7 judges.  here's how it'll work.   the winner of each is the first digit.
Round One

1.  vs 2.      judge 1

 3 vs 4.        judge 2

5. vs 6.       judge 3

7. vs 8.        judge 4

Round Two



1.  vs 3       judge 5

5. vs 7.         judge 6

Round Three

1. vs. 5.        final judge 7


wins!!!!!1111







Sounds good.
What about you, Maestro? Do you agree?
Also, I want to be a judge because I'm a musician myself.
Title: Re: The Musical Showdown - Discussion for Creation.
Post by: TheLegend on June 05, 2010, 08:24:22 AM
I'm in.  again, please don't make big quotes, like you have a tendency to do.  I'll be a composer, I have two pieces in the making!  or rather, one arrangement.  can we do arrangements?
Title: Re: The Musical Showdown - Discussion for Creation.
Post by: Tranzlater on June 05, 2010, 08:36:54 AM
Uh, personally, I think 8 contestants, 8 judges sounds better, and that could work if judge 7 did the final, and judge 8 did the composition for 3rd place.
Title: Re: The Musical Showdown - Discussion for Creation.
Post by: SuperFireKirby on June 05, 2010, 08:38:03 AM
Quote from: TheLegend on June 05, 2010, 08:24:22 AMI'm in.  again, please don't make big quotes, like you have a tendency to do.  I'll be a composer, I have two pieces in the making!  or rather, one arrangement.  can we do arrangements?
No.
Title: Re: The Musical Showdown - Discussion for Creation.
Post by: MaestroUGC on June 05, 2010, 09:24:26 AM
Okay, I only want a comittee of four judges, who'll judge on a point scale; much like the olympics.

If it is one judge per duel, then personal preference may create a bias. With more judges, we can balance that out.

I want to say no to arrangements, that's more of something that is planned. These games will be spontaneous; meaning you will write once the qualifications have been given by the judges.

I'll pick the judges once we figure out the exact rules of these games.
Title: Re: The Musical Showdown - Discussion for Creation.
Post by: Tranzlater on June 05, 2010, 10:09:16 AM
I would watch out for the rifts & relationships between members...
Title: Re: The Musical Showdown - Discussion for Creation.
Post by: mantis985 on June 05, 2010, 10:14:01 AM
We could keep it anonymous, like send our composition to one person, and then they post them as a number.
Title: Re: The Musical Showdown - Discussion for Creation.
Post by: TheLegend on June 05, 2010, 10:23:46 AM
I really don't know.  I mean, i have planned a few remixes of songs, that I composed, with touches of my own melodies and stuff in things like Ode to Joy, the Tempest, only the melody sounds like the original.  because making melodies is hard.  so, the four judges are for every two people?
Title: Re: The Musical Showdown - Discussion for Creation.
Post by: MaestroUGC on June 05, 2010, 10:38:12 AM
We could keep the contestants anonymous, that wouldn't hinder progress.

Yes, the four judges would judge every face-off; they will also determine a universal grading scale on each piece. It'll simply be a scale on how well people followed the guidelines and originality of the piece.

So here's how it will go:
Each week two people will recieve the objectives for their pieces.
They will have a week to write and at the end of the week they will send their entry the judges (I'll find a way to make sure it is anonymous).
Using the grading scale, the judges will individually score each piece. They will combine the four scores for each piece and the higher score moves on.
Rinse and repeat for the next duel.

Submission would be much easier if it wasn't anonymous, but if it the wish of the majority; then I'll find a way to make it work.
Title: Re: The Musical Showdown - Discussion for Creation.
Post by: dahans on June 05, 2010, 10:52:02 AM
I can't wait for that. I don't have much time, that's a problem. So if you expect me to write a really really long piece (fex 10 minutes) I won't be able to finish it in a week.
Title: Re: The Musical Showdown - Discussion for Creation.
Post by: MaestroUGC on June 05, 2010, 10:59:42 AM
I see no reason that you should write anything longer than 3 minutes...and only that we be later in the competition.
Title: Re: The Musical Showdown - Discussion for Creation.
Post by: universe-X on June 05, 2010, 11:01:45 AM
No, around 2-5 minutes at most should do.

I'm liking these ideas. Just remember, everyone needs to be consistent in this game. Meaning that in order for this to work, everyone should be active enough to keep this going. We did something like this on another forum (Mario Paint). It was a tournament and they're still stuck at round 2 with a big turn-off. No one's active enough to keep it going, but then again, it was probably because of when the tourney was taking place (fall/winter).

Summer's the perfect time to start something like this.
Title: Re: The Musical Showdown - Discussion for Creation.
Post by: MaestroUGC on June 05, 2010, 11:03:18 AM
Well, most of the people here have alreadyfinished school for the year, so I don't think that'll be a problem.
Title: Re: The Musical Showdown - Discussion for Creation.
Post by: Tranzlater on June 05, 2010, 11:46:52 AM
Quote from: MaestroUGC on June 05, 2010, 11:03:18 AMWell, most of the people here have alreadyfinished school for the year, so I don't think that'll be a problem.

Ugh... we don't finish till the second-last week of july... even through our exams are in two or three weeks...
Title: Re: The Musical Showdown - Discussion for Creation.
Post by: MaestroUGC on June 05, 2010, 12:11:25 PM
Well...most of us have finished.

It looks like we have gotten quite a crowd, so any final suggestions befor eI get this tournament underway?

*Note: this may not start for another week or two.
Title: Re: The Musical Showdown - Discussion for Creation.
Post by: universe-X on June 05, 2010, 12:14:37 PM
Yes; does the piece that we're gonna make matter at all as far as how advanced it is? And should we trade quality for playability?
Title: Re: The Musical Showdown - Discussion for Creation.
Post by: MaestroUGC on June 05, 2010, 12:18:47 PM
These issues will be addressed in the rules.

Difficulty will not be an issue unless specified by the judges. However, just because you can make it hard does not mean you can make it unplayable.

Any unplayable submissions will warrant a point deduction, or immediate disqualification depending on how great the offense is.
Title: Re: The Musical Showdown - Discussion for Creation.
Post by: universe-X on June 05, 2010, 12:24:41 PM
Quote from: MaestroUGC on June 05, 2010, 12:18:47 PMThese issues will be addressed in the rules.

Difficulty will not be an issue unless specified by the judges. However, just because you can make it hard does not mean you can make it unplayable.

Any unplayable submissions will warrant a point deduction, or immediate disqualification depending on how great the offense is.

So, what if we don't play/know a specific instrument that we're assigned? Research, I assume?
Title: Re: The Musical Showdown - Discussion for Creation.
Post by: MaestroUGC on June 05, 2010, 12:26:05 PM
I'll post some guidelines on orchestration, that way people don't assign 3 notes to a single flute player.
Title: Re: The Musical Showdown - Discussion for Creation.
Post by: TheLegend on June 05, 2010, 12:37:48 PM
I would rather it be either violin/piano, just piano, or violin/cello.  viola clef is hard to understand, and I never use it alot.  so... just my preferences.  and to my last question: are we allowed to use remixes of pieces?  same melody, different form and accompianment?
Title: Re: The Musical Showdown - Discussion for Creation.
Post by: MaestroUGC on June 05, 2010, 12:40:46 PM
I'll say this only once:

NO ARRANGMENTS, REMIXES, TRANSCRIPTIONS OR ANY UNORIGINAL WORKS. ONLY ORIGINAL PIECES WILL BE ACCEPTED. VIOLATION OF THIS RULE WILL CONSTITUTE IMMEDIATE DISQUALIFICATION.
Title: Re: The Musical Showdown - Discussion for Creation.
Post by: SuperFireKirby on June 05, 2010, 12:43:39 PM
YAY! Thats just what I personally wanted to hear.
Title: Re: The Musical Showdown - Discussion for Creation.
Post by: universe-X on June 05, 2010, 12:46:01 PM
Quote from: TheLegend on June 05, 2010, 12:37:48 PMI would rather it be either violin/piano, just piano, or violin/cello.  viola clef is hard to understand, and I never use it alot.  so... just my preferences.  and to my last question: are we allowed to use remixes of pieces?  same melody, different form and accompianment?

Viola clef... Alto clef, is actually really easy to read. Middle C is on the middle line. (Thanks, Hugo, for that :D)
Title: Re: The Musical Showdown - Discussion for Creation.
Post by: TheLegend on June 05, 2010, 03:57:50 PM
So, are we voting or what?  Thanks Universe (-X) and MaestroUGC for that.
Title: Re: The Musical Showdown - Discussion for Creation.
Post by: MaestroUGC on June 05, 2010, 04:03:55 PM
We can get started as soon as I here back from the judges, they will be the ones who'll primarily run the game.
Title: Re: The Musical Showdown - Discussion for Creation.
Post by: SuperFireKirby on June 05, 2010, 04:19:34 PM
Have the judges already been picked?
Title: Re: The Musical Showdown - Discussion for Creation.
Post by: MaestroUGC on June 05, 2010, 04:26:25 PM
Yes, sorry if you were intersted.
Title: Re: The Musical Showdown - Discussion for Creation.
Post by: MaestroUGC on June 05, 2010, 08:53:41 PM
Okay, it looks like we're just about ready; I'm just trying to bring together a few loose ends. The first game will start:

Friday, June 11th

Sign-up will begin on Tuesday, June 8th.

Yay!
Title: Re: The Musical Showdown - Discussion for Creation.
Post by: ThatOneComposer on June 05, 2010, 10:26:24 PM
Soooo how does this work? The tunes are supposed to fit together? I don't really understand the concept of the game besides writing music.
Title: Re: The Musical Showdown - Discussion for Creation.
Post by: MaestroUGC on June 05, 2010, 10:40:03 PM
Your writing a short piece based on the parameters given by the judges; then it will be compared to another's work. the winner moves on.

Long story short, A contest to see who can write it better.
Title: Re: The Musical Showdown - Discussion for Creation.
Post by: dahans on June 06, 2010, 02:33:33 AM
:D I participate.
Title: Re: The Musical Showdown - Discussion for Creation.
Post by: MaestroUGC on June 06, 2010, 05:40:33 AM
Okay, we now have our own child-board. Yay!

I'll post rules, sign-up, orchestrations guides, and whatever else you need in good time. We're almost ready to begin!
Title: Re: The Musical Showdown - Discussion for Creation.
Post by: TheLegend on June 06, 2010, 05:56:23 AM
In
am I too early?
Title: Re: The Musical Showdown - Discussion for Creation.
Post by: MaestroUGC on June 06, 2010, 05:57:01 AM
Just a bit.
Title: Re: The Musical Showdown - Discussion for Creation.
Post by: TheLegend on June 06, 2010, 05:58:00 AM
 :'(
Title: Re: The Musical Showdown - Discussion for Creation.
Post by: MaestroUGC on June 06, 2010, 10:58:26 AM
http://www.ninsheetm.us/smf/index.php?topic=2158.0

Sign-up Thread is up...GO THERE, NOW!