Knowing that there is talent out there when it comes to composing, I was thinking about starting an arrangement contest.

Key note: A composition is an original work done by a composer. An arrangement is a piece of music that has been adapted for performance by a particular set of voices or instruments. This is important.

I was thinking of nominating songs, picking a song, and have people make different arrangements of it and have a vote for the best one. If your interested or want to say something about, please post.

That sounds very interesting to me!I'm 100% with you! :D

That would be right cool. I can see the wisdom of everyone arranging the same thing, but that's kind of disappointing because the moment I saw the thread I got an idea of what I wanted to rearrange, but I guess it is necessary for us all to work on the same thing. Anyway, I'd be interested.

[SIZE=1][Hey I have an idea!!Everyone should make an arrangement then join the original version!So we could see the difference!How about it?

Huh..?

[SIZE=1][Hey I have an idea!!Everyone should make an arrangement then join the original version!So we could see the difference!How about it?

I'll try to translate:

Hey, I have an idea... Everyone could post the original compositions along with their variations, so that we can compare between the two. How 'bout it?

So when are you starting it Michael?

Originally posted by Alfonso de Sabio@Jun 29 2004, 02:52 PM

I'll try to translate:

Hey, I have an idea... Everyone could post the original compositions along with their variations, so that we can compare between the two. How 'bout it?
Oh, but wouldn't it be alot more easier if everyone got one original piece to go after? Then you could compare the arrangements better. :think:

I don't mind either way...I won't participate in any case. =_=

If you don't mind why are you posting it there...could you explain it to me because sometimes I don't understand you :)

Uuh? Because it has to do with the subject..?

Sure but what I don't understand is why you came here to say that you don't mind about it?

I was giving my opinions and suggestions about it. Why are you asking? You have nothing to do with it, right?

Oh said like this,yeah I understand now,sorry :sweatdrop:

This is a great idea! ^_^

Hope I have time to participate . . .

Yeah! :lol:

How will you choose a song?

when will you make it official michael?

:D Yeah, I like the idea. Personally, I like the idea of everyone doing the same song

That sounds awesome and I would definitely participate.

It would make sense for whatever song is picked to be fairly popular and kind of mainstream though so everyone is on a level playing field. I definitely agree that it whould be everyone working on the same song. How would you choose if it was done any other way?

It would be cool if there was a criteria beforehand like you would get seperate points for originality than for harmonic structure and counterpoint etc.

Oh oh oh oh! This is so unfair, I'm jumping on a jetplane in less than 12 hours and won't be around for the next 6 weeks :( I would have so loved to try and do an arrangement of Canta Per Me for a string orchestra :crybaby: Meh, meh, meh!

Doh... Sorry... not interested. I've got a lot of things with music going on now, and I can barely fit in enough time to compose my own music each day - I'm not going to put aside composing my own songs so that I can rework some rubbish that's already perfect! (That didn't make sense... :P)

sounds like fun, i just hope ill have the time to do it :( i hate my job! :crybaby:
--thomas :ph34r:

We could do variations on something really bad, and make it sound good, like a Brittney Spears song or something. That would be REALLY fun.

Wouldn't it be better to pick a song from a Video Game or an Anime? Because the winner's arrangement could be posted on the site as sheet music..

Yeah, but I really enjoy doing elaborate impromptus on stuff like "Marry Had a Little Lamb." I guess I'm just twisted.

I'm not going to work with crazy stuff like this,just hearing mary had a little lamb more than 2 time its gonna drive me crazy XD

i seriously wish i can.. but i really want sibelius to work on arrangements.... but beyond that, all i can do is record.... it's hard for me to send my original work....
maybe it should start out easy first? for instance...... we get a simple competition going.........and then we start eliminating.... so lets say we have 12 ppl in competition.... start out with simple diddies like mary had a little lamb, i'm a little teapot, etc... then we pick the best 6. then those 6 have to do another arrangement but harder.... then pick the best three, then the best out of the three.... the level of challenge gets harder....

Sorry I took so long to reply. My ISP was acting up.

There shouldn't be "rounds" of this. I still say we go with my original idea of NOMINATING songs, us voting on which one we wish to arrange, and have the contest based on that. It seems like it will be the easiest way possible.

Secondly, since this site is based on anime/game-related music, we'll keep it as such. But to be simple, I say we should start off with anime since there seems to be a large amount of possibilities there.

And thirdly, I think we should limit the channels/instruments used. I'm assuming this will be done through midi programs, and there are some programs that limit the amount of instrument tracks you can create. I suggest at least 4, but not more than 14. Or something like that. I'll let you guys debate on that.

Everyone should consider using NoteWorthy Composer. I'm biased because I own the program and I have been using it for 6 years now, but it pretty much gives you the full 16 channels to compose on, even on the trial version. Go to downloads.com and search for it. It really is a great program for easy arranging.

Finally, nothing will be completely decided until we decided what songs to consider, and the amount of instruments we're limited to.

In general, once we have decided on things, we'll have a month to do this, so there's no rush.

Sounds good but please let me do it through Finale. I've tried using other programs and none of them work as well for me. I also think that it should be limited to composition program midi outputs. If recorded midis from keyboards are allowed I think it would give them an unfair advantage.

I suggested NoteWorthy Composer, not saying that you HAVE to use it.

Also, I have to add something. I really don't synthesizers with percussion backgrounds already there. You should NOT use them for this contest. You should make your own rhythms.

Sorry for my confusion, but do we provide a midi and score, or just the midi? And if the the score is included, would it be in gif/jpeg format, or mus (or whatever)?

Just like the CMA, I believe the midi/mp3 would be just fine. The scores would just complicate things.

Suggestions of some songs would be nice people. I'm still looking around for some simple-yet-complicated ones that I can suggest. I've been looking around the Ichigos Main Site and I was considering Scarlet from Ayashi no Ceres as a possibility...

Originally posted by michael@Jul 3 2004, 03:41 AM
And thirdly, I think we should limit the channels/instruments used. I'm assuming this will be done through midi programs, and there are some programs that limit the amount of instrument tracks you can create. I suggest at least 4, but not more than 14. Or something like that. I'll let you guys debate on that.
I don't think at least four.. because that would rule out a piano arrangement, which could be just as complex and end up with at least 4 parts but with two hands.

Scarlet sounds fine to me. :)

Oh ya, never thought about that. What about a limit? Any suggestions? Should there even be a limit? I mean, the arrangement can only be as good as the composer makes it, not the amount of instruments... Any more suggestions as to what song we should do? I'll set up a poll after a few songs are listed.

I think "Canta per Me" by Yuki Kajiura is a good idea :)
It's not too complicated and got a lot of possibilities for variations :think:

Lol! If you guys were into Baroque/Renaissance I'd suggest La Folia. That piece has been varied by soooo many composers of its day (Corelli, A. Scarlatti, and many others)! It's an old dance from Portugal. :P

I think Canta Per Me would be a great piece to do.

Same here.

I don't think there should be a limit on instrumentation. Because some people may want to arrange the song for an entire orchestra, but that's just my opinion. Hmm... but yor probably could do an entire orchaestra in under 14 channels.

Originally posted by Matt-Chan^^@Jul 4 2004, 10:21 AM
I think "Canta per Me" by Yuki Kajiura is a good idea :)
It's not too complicated and got a lot of possibilities for variations :think:
Is it from an anime? (I'm familiar with the artist, but not the song)

I think it's from Noir. :think:

It is. There is even a transcription of it here on Ichigos.

So Scarlet from Ayashi no Ceres and Canta per Me from Noir. Anymore? How about two more days for suggestions, then we start voting.

What about Secret Game from Noir? It has a simple melody, so you can easily arrange it for the better ^.^

I'd also like to suggest something that's familiar to a lot of people because I think it would be interesting to arrange. How about Every Heart from Inu Yasha?

Well, if Nobuo hadn't reworked the FFVII Prelude (the prelude to most FF games...) so many times, then I'd suggest that... Hrm.

Alrighty, here we go.

Scarlet from Ayashi No Ceres
Canta Per Me from Noir.
Secret Game from Noir
Every Heart from Inu Yasha

Just vote for whichever you think would be good to use for this contest. For example, here's my vote:

I vote for Scarlet. :rockon:

Also, what should we name this? I mean, we have "Composition of the Month Awards," so should this be something as well?

And finally, you have until Wednesday the 14th to vote. When it's decided, you'll have until August 1st to complete and submit the arrangement. ^_^ Good luck! Any questions/concerns, post here or PM me.

Oh ya, anyone can vote, not just those participating in the contest. :sweatdrop:

I pick "Canta Per Me".

And how about we call it "Arrangement of the Month"? :heh:

Canta Per Me, its looks to be the easiest one.

Originally posted by Alphonse@Jul 11 2004, 09:48 AM
And how about we call it "Arrangement of the Month"? :heh:
Will it be a monthly thing though? And I thought it would be kind of repetitive as well... :sweatdrop:

Maybe this could be one of those 'one-time-events'. You could create new ones every now and then.

1 Scarlet
2 Canta Per Me
0 Secret Game
0 Every Heart

You have until the 14th!

Since my Finale is all healthy now, I'll throw my hat in and vote for Secret Game from Noir ^_^

Vote: Canta per me.

Vote: Canta Per Me

Vote: Every Heart

If Scarlet or Every Heart is chosen I'll try to participate. I don't have much time though but it would be fun.

every heart...

by the way, i don't think i can create an arrangement that fast... i'm composing everything by hand (man do i need to get sebalius...) at the moment... but yeah, fun fun.

1 Scarlet
4 Canta Per Me
1 Secret Game
2 Every Heart

I vote for "Canta per Me" :)

"Secret Game" would be the easiest imo, but "Canta per Me" is just great! ^.^
"Scarlet" is very hard to rearrange compared to the others.
"Every Heart" is cool, too, but I'm voting for "Canta per Me" ^^

Vote: Canta per Me!

1 Scarlet
6 Canta Per Me
1 Secret Game
2 Every Heart

Alrighty, for this Arragement Contest, we'll use

Canta Per Me from Noir.

You have until August 1st to submit your arrangements!

Could you please give us a clear definition of what an arrangement entails so that there's no confusion?

when does it start?

You have until August 1st to submit your arrangements!

Awww. Quite honestly I dont like Canta per me, because its so free.... and the stupid progressions, ugh... well I guess I wont participate (cries) perhaps next month.

The arragement should be easily recognizable. There is no limit to how long it should be or the amount of instruments. It's encouraged that you use midi files because they're easier to download. Sheet music need not be supplied. Any other questions, PM me.

s***! 1st Agust is impssible for me, I'm on holiday next week. Hope you make a second round after that

Should we put an extension?

Please. Even just one week would be very helpful. I've always found a good arrangement takes longer than a composition.

true... and of course, ppl may have summer school or on vacation since it's summer holiday...

Alright. I'm having a hard time as well (I haven't started yet because of work). I'll extend it to August 14th. That should be enough time for everyone.

Whoa. I just noticed this thread. I just started. We're August 1st. If I make it to the deadline, I'm gonna be happy. ^_^

It's going pretty well right now though. :)

Oh no! I missed it!!

I'm in the process of moving right now and this isnt my computer and it doesnt have finale so i wont be in this one X_X

as long as there are more in the future, hopefully ill be ready for the next one :heh:

It completely depends on this one. No one has submitted anything yet (I'm too busy to do it, but I'll try again this weekend). Hopefully, somebody will do it...