Monthly MIDI Contest #9 - June 2012

[AnthonyMorgan]

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[EnergeticEssence]

Great to see the new MMC! I've learned to write bass lines, and bass lines are always a great thing. So I think it would be cool, that you have to include a bass line in your song. That's one thing. In terms of the theme... I don't have any ideas. A cool idea would be, if we all would have to write music in the style of the same game. So not like in the last MMC, but we would pick a game (Kirby's Dream Land 3 for example), and we would all have to write music that sounds like music from that game. Of course, that would sound a lot cooler if we would actually use real SNES soundfonts, but since it's a MIDI contest, we'd have to limit ourselves to MIDI. Thinking about that game ideas... it would probably be a cool idea, if we'd open a contest one day, where we actuall do write music using samples from videos games (for example SNES). There are a lot of games, that have great music (e.g. Wagyan Paradise, any Kirby game, Super Mario Kart, Chrono Trigger). We should keep that in mind

[P3nエsXpert]

I have an idea for a theme. Here it is:

You must write a song about Finland, or something to do with Finland. Your song must use the "orchestral hit" instrument (instrument 56, or 55 if you start at 0) and the electronic drumkit (drum program 25, or 24 if you start at 0) and your song must feature triplet notes. There must also be one (only one) bar/measure somewhere in the middle of the song where only the drums and only one of your melodic instruments make any sound. And immediately after that bar/measure, there must be a staccato chord of at least four notes which is played by every instrument simultaneously, and each note of the chord must have a velocity of 127. You must also play a crash cymbal with a velocity of 127 at the same time you play the chord.

[KungFuFurby]

Going waaaaaay off course... Here's my theme idea.

Write a custom theme for any of the fifty two games for the NES version of Action 52. Doesn't have to conform to NES channel limitations.

I have a bit of an Action 52 craze, as I actually thought of producing a 250 or so track SPC set consisting of the whole kit and kaboodle. It's larger than Earthbound's soundtrack!!! Each game is going to get roughly four tracks each, some may get more. Cheetahmen is guaranteed more than four.

[Xenu]

Here is my suggestion:

Write an anime intro theme. You can either remix an existing anime theme, make a theme in the style of a specific anime series, or create your own!

Yes, I did get the idea for this theme from the winning entry of last SPC.

Although I must say I like the idea of making a song about Finland as well.

[Charybdizs]

Enough with the imitating games suggestions, we've done enough of those lately.

I'm personally a fan of ideas like the one PM posted above. Even if that one might be a little overboard. I for one, don't even know what triplet notes are, but that could actually be a wonderful learning process.

A few other suggestions:
Odd time signatures
Limit instrument banks (piano, strings, wind, and brass composition contest, anyone? Orchestra competition?)
Require a certain theme, non videogame. Remember FOODIE by Maxo? It could be anything from settings to food to colors.
Taking a passage from a book and writing music for it.
Choosing a picture by random (like was done in the 2nd MMC) and having to compose for it.

I'd be pretty pumped about a contest where you had to compose for colors. Though that might better work as an album than a contest.

[AnthonyMorgan]

I really like Xenu and Charybdizs' suggestions.

[Kayin]

I really like Xenu's suggestion too.

[P3nエsXpert]

I find Xenu's idea very interesting. I like it.

[EnergeticEssence]

I affiliate. The anime idea is great, anime themes always sound nice!

[AnthonyMorgan]

Looks like we're pretty much set. I'll probably start the contest tomorrow then.
Thanks for the quick response.

[AnthonyMorgan]

The contest is open; please refer to the top post for more info!

[KungFuFurby]

That'll get me up and running... maybe. I'll go get Harmony Assistant and whip up something, especially since producing these MIDIs in Schism Tracker has not been going well.

[Xenu]

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You are to make original compositions only.

I think you may want to change this line because of the theme.

Anyway, count me in!

[AnthonyMorgan]

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You are to make original compositions only.

I think you may want to change this line because of the theme.

Anyway, count me in!

In reaction to your remark I've now removed the words "remix an existing anime theme" from the theme description but you can still "make a theme in the style of a specific anime series". To clarify, this is a compositional contest as in the tradition of MMCs, where plagiarizing should be avoided. I don't think remixes and original compositions should be allowed in the same contest! However, if you draw inspiration from an existing anime series, you're free to decide whether or not to disclose its name.