Arrangement Contest #9 Brainstorming

[Dekkadeci]

Here's an idea.

You're only allowed one motif from one melody. Then you have to develop it yourself

How long can that motif be? For example, can we get away with the entire major-key section of "Gourmet Race", or are we restricted to motifs that are the length of its introduction or shorter? ...Or are we allowed something in between (such as the first 4 bars of "Gourmet Race"'s major-key section, but nothing longer)?

What about something like this:

Each member is given the name of a game and/or a famous VGM composer and has to rewrite a piece in that particular game/composer's style. Scoring would take into account how well the arranger recreates the game/composer's style.

Would it be easier to pick the name of a VGM theme and have everyone rewrite their piece in that theme's style? I've heard pieces in pretty disparate styles from VGM composers such as Nobuo Uematsu, Jake Kaufman, and the Jun Ishikawa-Hirokazu Ando pairing.

...Or, if a game/composer has that many disparate styles, can we just pick one of their themes and rewrite in that theme's style?

[BrainyLucario]

Let me update the OP with the ideas and participants.

[Dekkadeci]

I suppose there's always the immortal Jazz-Style Arrangement contest idea (which we also put in last time's poll).

[InsigTurtle]

Using http://www.ninsheetmusic.org/download/pdf/776 as the example

I'd say for the opening section, the motif is m.3-6, and for the major key section, it's m.35-36 that's the motif, which is subsequently developed. Point is to start with a small video game based fragment and to develop it into something unique, just like how Beethoven's 5th symphony grows out of the opening short-short-short-long motif.

[Bloop]

I'll participate again too

I'm not really too fond of an "in the style of [composer]/[game]" theme. I think it restricts someone too much artistic freedom, because you have to think about "What would they write?" instead of "What would I write?"
Also (I'm speaking for myself here), in the case of a composer's style, I don't know much composers and even less their styles. A composer's style could be pretty arbitrary anyway, like Dekkadeci said.

[E. Gadd Industries]

I suppose there's always the immortal Jazz-Style Arrangement contest idea (which we also put in last time's poll).

I support this notion wholeheartedly

[Olimar12345]

An idea on collaborating in teams: what if everyone was paired up and one person had to come up with the arrangement idea but couldn't write any of it and the other person had to try to write out what the other person meant. I think that'd be pretty fun and would produce some crazy results lol.

[E. Gadd Industries]

So person 1 would be like
"Okay, let's make a stride piano out of 'Mario Circuit' (MKWii)" (for a random example)
And then person two would do that?
Or would person 1 only pick the style or game?

[BrainyLucario]

Or charades with an arrangement

[Olimar12345]

So person 1 would be like
"Okay, let's make a stride piano out of 'Mario Circuit' (MKWii)" (for a random example)
And then person two would do that?
Or would person 1 only pick the style or game?

Something like that, yeah. They both can agree on the song, but ultimately one player isn't allowed to physically make changes and has to communicate them to the other.

[E. Gadd Industries]

I believe that would be a fun challenge, however being that this challenge relies heavily on communication, we'd have to extend the time limit a bit/lot more than we normally would

EDIT: Also, I propose that this round we offer motivation for getting entries in sooner, such as two deadlines, the earlier of which gets you bonus points or something in the scoring

[mikey]

In with the intention to drop sooner than last time

I fully agree with bloop here on those ideas ftr

[BrainyLucario]

I like the idea E. Gadd, we'll probably discuss this further in our judges/host chat when the contest gets further underway. Also glad to see the commitment Noc

[Bloop]

but ultimately one player isn't allowed to physically make changes

Doesn't that kinda take out the fun of the arranging contest? I think it could lead to situations where the arranging-deprived person is unsatisfied with the end result.

[Olimar12345]

The point is to have the other player make the changes for you

I mean it's not a great idea, it's just an idea.