Complaints about submitting a song and MIDI Policy?

[luigind123]

Today I have searched the submission forum and have found something really weird to me. People complaining about someone submitting a song that someone else also has submitted. For example:

Why everybody does "Gusty Garden" arrangement? It is already on the site... It is 4th GG that ive seen here...

Or even:

You've made a song that's been on my post for months. ->http://www.ninsheetm.us/smf/index.php?topic=392.0
Keep going down till you see it.

And Nintendude73 deleted the song and apologized!!!  
(Not meaning to offend ALRAS or Composer #40 in any way.) I am just kinda curious.... I thought that you could post your own versions of the song and even submit if you felt it was better than the other or even just for fun. I know I have seen it multiple times and I am extremely confused. Could someone shed some light and help me with this?  

[Brassman388]

There's nothing wrong with it, it's just people being people. We obviously want our submissions to make it to the board, so we tend to get finnicky about it. I always looked at it like this; if my submssion isn't worthy for people to notice, then I obvioulsy have to make revisons to how i'm trying to promote my submissions. But, there will always be people that complain about something, nothing can really be done about that. So, all in all, we try to deal with everything the best we can in hopes of moving forward. Hopefully without starting any kind of useless arguments or heated debates.

[luigind123]

Okay! It's just that I had read throughout the forums and the way that everyone was making it look like, they made it seem horribly wrong to submit a duplicate of a song. That definately helps me since most, well actually every one of my songs that I have posted for review has already been submitted, is being submitted, or is in the process of being submitted! It actually kinda made me panic! Thanks Brassman!! This would be the 2nd time you have helped me, and I'm pretty sure there is probably more to come. But, there is one more question. In my post, Hungrydragon was questioning me if I had used an MIDI to rip into sheet music. Yet, in just one post, two users have admitted that they have used MIDI and seem to be giving credit to the MIDI's creator. I think it was Nintendude73 and a user who had replied in his forum. I don't exactly get this, especially since I don't see where he is giving credit to the MIDI author.....

Edit: Pretty much my second question is, "What is the policy in submitting MIDI rips?"
(Hopefully this thread won't start an arguement...)

[Brassman388]

You can use a Midi, you can't just copy and paste it though. If you do use a midi, just be sure to "reference" it. I know that some songs are almost impossible at times without it. So when you submit, just make a little footnote or something when putting it in your thread, it doesn't necessarily have to be big, but it just has to be there. I would recommend to not edit it onto your sheet though, that's just me.

Haha, Hungrydragon was asking if you completely copied it off a midi. Which I have faith that you didn't, it's just normal for people to expect these kinds of things I suppose.

If you tend to have this problem about people acusing you of midi "ripping", send it my way, I'll be the judge of that. 

Anyways, hope this helps.

Happy arranging.

[luigind123]

Okie-dokie then! I will! Thanks again! I will now go back to my arranging! Hopefully this will help newbies like me in arranging.

[Brassman388]

No problem.

[HungryDragon]

Haha, Hungrydragon was asking if you completely copied it off a midi. Which I have faith that you didn't, it's just normal for people to expect these kinds of things I suppose.

Exactly what I was wondering. Sorry if I bruised anything.  

For me, the question was coming from the discrepancy between the midi and the .mus you posted. Threw me for a loop so to speak. No hard feelings?

[luigind123]

None at all! I am just glad I didn't hurt you in any way.

 I never mean to offend anyone, and I was just giving a personal example. It usually helps for the cause that I use. No hard feelings?

[WiiMan96]

Not at all.

Sorry to intrude, but I'm guessing you were referring to me with the:

and a user who had replied in [Nintendude73's] forum...

Yes. I do. I'm quite terrible at arranging by ear (though I am attempting with a few, with little success). As much as I would like to, I can't. I have not been musically trained in any way, but I had always wanted to contribute to NSM somehow.

So I had to resort to using MIDI files. As in the case with Nintendude (correct me if I'm wrong), I basically use the notes in a MIDI -> MUS transcription, move them to a separate document, fix things such as note values (big problem with midi files), the notes themselves, dynamics (if necessary), key signature, playing with octaves, formatting and such. Then, from there, I edit it further by ear (so long as it isn't beyond my limited capabilities ) and create an arrangement that hardly resembles a midi rip (in most cases).

So in short, you can use midi files, but it can get quite tricky when it comes to:

MIDI RIP! *TEH BANHAMMER'D*

OK, not really. But you know, it all comes down to how much effort is put in to ensure it is considerably original. That way, it can be considered, for instance, as 'using sources' rather than 'plagiarism'. 

Sorry about all those parentheses, by the way. 

@ Brassman

I don't credit the original midi and its artist. I better start doing that. D:

[luigind123]

Not at all.

Sorry to intrude, but I'm guessing you were referring to me with the:

and a user who had replied in [Nintendude73's] forum...

Yeah, I was referring to you. Sorry... And I am glad that there are people who are contributing like yourself! But I needed to know answers to if using MIDI "rips" were "legal" to use in the submission forums. Not to accuse anyone of anything, I was just plain confused! But now I'm not anymore (Obviously). And thanks for being honest!

[WiiMan96]

'Rips' are not 'legal'. Direct copies of midi files are not accepted onto the site. Only those which are significantly different to their midi counterparts are 'legal'. And no need to apologise, when I first came to this site (a little under a year ago, I believe) I got completely hammered because mine, admittedly, were direct copies. And I got my first arrangement rejected then. I've been through it ALL! 

No problem.

[ALPRAS]

Hey, its me on a post! What an honor

I dont think theres a problem in making arrangement that someone have already made. Quite the contrary. Its good to see a a lot of people making an arrangement, because if that so, youll have a good number of arrangements, of different styles, difficulty, etc...
I just like to make arrangement that nobody does...

[SirIngusBingus]

There's no reason we should have to compete with each other to get sheets on the site. NSM is much more productive when everybody works on different things, because, well, more things get done.

[luigind123]

Hey, its me on a post! What an honor

I dont think theres a problem in making arrangement that someone have already made. Quite the contrary. Its good to see a a lot of people making an arrangement, because if that so, youll have a good number of arrangements, of different styles, difficulty, etc...
I just like to make arrangement that nobody does...

I get the point that you would want to be the first to make a sheet. I mean, who doesn't? It gives more variety in the forums and even later, the main page!

[luigind123]

There's no reason we should have to compete with each other to get sheets on the site. NSM is much more productive when everybody works on different things, because, well, more things get done.

Exactly! Plus, I have found that there are people who help you with the sheets that you make! That is also what this place is for! It's to help eachother become good arrangers in music. Even those with a passion for video game music and arranging needs help!
(I double posted because I am using my iTouch.... It's stupid with using quotes from posts!!!!!)