Composition challenge #20 - before Xmas?

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  • FretwiredFretwired Frets: 24601
    TTony said:

    Agree with pretty much all of the comment.

    But if we try to ensure that the "challenge" part is about the challenge of creating a piece of music - rather than the challenge of trying to interpret a  meaning within a theme - would that encourage more participants to get involved?


    Agree with the above and @steamabacus - I know an issue that has come up in the past (and I know that I have been guilty of saying this) involves someone having a piece dismissed as 'not meeting the brief' ... it happened to me a few tasks back. Such feedback could put people off.

    Do we need a winner? Could we not critique the entries and just say these are my favourites without points being awarded? Again it might put people off if they create a track a get no points. Yes, I know it's how the creative world works and many pro artists have spent months making a record and when it's released its panned by the critics and bombs.

    Remember, it's easier to criticise than create!
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  • stratman3142stratman3142 Frets: 2177
    edited December 2017
    Fretwired said:
    How about ...

    A New Year: Time to set new trends or update music from the past by putting a new spin on an old style.
    How about the above theme. Is that easy enough to come up with some ideas? For example, you could:
    • Do a guitar based rock style dance track
    • Do a heavy metal disco style track 
    • Do a electro synth blues style track
    • Lots of possibilities. Just decide on a style and then do something a bit different with it, including ignoring the theme completely and just coming up with something that people might vote for
    Btw. It would be nice to keep the picture part of the challenge, but maybe make it optional. Perhaps a picture automatically gives the entrant a free point. The picture could be anything from a hand drawn sketch, photo, edited photo or something done in a fancy graphics package.

    It's not a competition.
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  • FretwiredFretwired Frets: 24601
    edited December 2017
    Fretwired said:
    How about ...

    A New Year: Time to set new trends or update music from the past by putting a new spin on an old style.
    How about the above theme. Is that easy enough to come up with some ideas? For example, you could:
    • Do a guitar based rock style dance track
    • Do a heavy metal disco style track 
    • Do a electro synth blues style track
    • Lots of possibilities. Just decide on a style and then do something a bit different with it, including ignoring the theme completely and just coming up with something that people might vote for
    Btw. It would be nice to keep the picture part of the challenge, but maybe make it optional. Perhaps a picture automatically gives the entrant a free point. The picture could be anything from a hand drawn sketch, photo, edited photo or something done in a fancy graphics package.

    Gets my vote.

    Pink Floyd meets jazz ...

    Remember, it's easier to criticise than create!
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  • We don't need a winner but I think the voting is part of the overall structure that holds this thing together - without that structure it all becomes very nebulous.

    From a personal point of view, having to vote makes me listen with a bit more care. I feel obliged to give more thought and attention. I constantly come up against choosing between a track that might be 'better' and one that I 'like more'. Or between one where I can easily see how it relates to the theme and another where the theme is less obvious but that I'm instinctively drawn towards.

    I've been on the wrong side of the 'not meeting the brief' myself (even when I know it absolutely did to me, in my own left-field way) but everybody has to decide that for themselves and whether it's ultimately important.

    I see the 'winning' and 'losing' as a necessary framework but ultimately meaningless. I've 'won' a few of these challenges - but never with my 'best' pieces! :/


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  • FretwiredFretwired Frets: 24601
    We don't need a winner but I think the voting is part of the overall structure that holds this thing together - without that structure it all becomes very nebulous.

    From a personal point of view, having to vote makes me listen with a bit more care. I feel obliged to give more thought and attention. I constantly come up against choosing between a track that might be 'better' and one that I 'like more'. Or between one where I can easily see how it relates to the theme and another where the theme is less obvious but that I'm instinctively drawn towards.

    I've been on the wrong side of the 'not meeting the brief' myself (even when I know it absolutely did to me, in my own left-field way) but everybody has to decide that for themselves and whether it's ultimately important.

    I see the 'winning' and 'losing' as a necessary framework but ultimately meaningless. I've 'won' a few of these challenges - but never with my 'best' pieces! :/


    Fair enough - you make some sound arguments for keeping the voting so let's keep it.

    Remember, it's easier to criticise than create!
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  • TTonyTTony Frets: 27342
    So then, in the interests of getting something going so that people can create over Christmas, a summary of where I think we've got to;
    • we keep the voting
    • we "encourage" the inclusion of an illustration too - and an illustration gets a point
    • we have simple themes for a couple of months to try to encourage entrants
    • start with A New Year: Time to set new trends or update music from the past by putting a new spin on an old style.
    • I like this too ...
    stratman3142 said:

    For example, you could:
    • Do a guitar based rock style dance track
    • Do a heavy metal disco style track 
    • Do a electro synth blues style track
    ... ie give some ideas of how people could interpret the theme, just as a starter-for-10 for anyone who might look at a theme and think "what the xxxx" is that all about.

    Should we aim for completion by end-Jan, or is that too soon?
    Having trouble posting images here?  This might help.
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  • FretwiredFretwired Frets: 24601
    Agree with above .. I'd go for Monday 5 Feb 2018 .. that gives the whole of Jan for those that might be away.

    Remember, it's easier to criticise than create!
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  • I'll go with the above but I'd suggest even longer for the composition challenge. The composition challenges used to be held every three months and there was about 10 weeks to complete the challenge. Writing a complete piece is a lot more challenging than bashing out a riff or solo - well it is for me :)

    We can still have the Riff of the month and Solo of the month on a more regular basis.
    It's not a competition.
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  • TTonyTTony Frets: 27342
    I thought the compo challenges were every 2 months - which may well just show how out of touch with them I've become.

    Make it end Feb if you prefer.
    :)
    Having trouble posting images here?  This might help.
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  • The composition challenges started out as 3 months, changed to 2 months for a while and then went back to 3 months. I still end up doing mine in the last couple of weeks most of the time. It's good to have a few months to 'think about it' though. ;)
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  • kinkin Frets: 1015
    While I’ve not exactly ignored the various themes, I’ve definitely not worried too much about fitting in with the brief and generally just send something in that I’ve enjoyed making and seems vaguely listenable.

     
     

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  • FretwiredFretwired Frets: 24601
    edited December 2017
    kin said:
    While I’ve not exactly ignored the various themes, I’ve definitely not worried too much about fitting in with the brief and generally just send something in that I’ve enjoyed making and seems vaguely listenable.

     
     

    Good name for a task.

    Create a song that seems vaguely listenable.

    :-)


    Happy with the end of Feb.

    Remember, it's easier to criticise than create!
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  • BRISTOL86BRISTOL86 Frets: 1920
    Fretwired said:
    kin said:
    While I’ve not exactly ignored the various themes, I’ve definitely not worried too much about fitting in with the brief and generally just send something in that I’ve enjoyed making and seems vaguely listenable.

     
     

    Good name for a task.

    Create a song that seems vaguely listenable
    That’s me screwed then :D
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  • OK I'll try to start the challenge tomorrow, unless the missus has other plans for me. Otherwise, it will Tues or Wed because I've got stuff going on through Sun and Monday.
    It's not a competition.
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  • @Fretwired ;

    I plan to call the Challenge #21, not #20. I referred to the End Of Year Challenge as #20.

    Just dotting the i's and crossing the t's :)
    It's not a competition.
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  • FretwiredFretwired Frets: 24601
    @Fretwired ;

    I plan to call the Challenge #21, not #20. I referred to the End Of Year Challenge as #20.

    Just dotting the i's and crossing the t's :)
    Makes sense.

    Remember, it's easier to criticise than create!
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