Tune Contest -- WINNER ANNOUNCED (10/04 - 18/04)

DoorKnobHandle · Sun 09/04/2006 23:26:20

TUNE CONTEST
___________________________________

This time we'll get a little experimental.

The rules are simple: write any kind of song using the so called Gypsy scale!

For your information, this is how this scale goes:

Root - Minor Second - Major Third - Perfect Fourth - Perfect Fifth - Major Sixth - Minor Seventh

or:

Root - 1/2 step - 1 1/2 step - 1/2 step - 1 step - 1 step - 1/2 step

or in C:

C - C# - E - F - G - A - A# - (C)

Entries will be judged on how good they express the feel of that slightly uncommon scale and how good the overall production is of course.

Now, stop reading this and get working! Lay down some ideas in this scale, put them together and post your entry! The last time I did this contest, there were NO entries! Don't do that to me again or I'll never enter a tune contest again!

BOYD1981 · Sun 09/04/2006 23:33:13

music contests with rules like this generally don't get many entries so you could end up seeing a repeat of your last contest.
not everyone that makes music knows about and/or knows how to use scales, or even likes being limited to them...

DoorKnobHandle · Sun 09/04/2006 23:41:23

You might be correct. I didn't think about that. I am curently thinking of an alternative set of rules - I'll edit the original post then.

Thanks for letting me know!

Ghormak · Mon 10/04/2006 00:48:42

Are you sure that's the gypsy scale? I found one site claiming it should be a minor sixth and not a major. http://home.swipnet.se/freakguitar/gypsy.html
And then there's this one that's completely different. http://www.music.vt.edu/musicdictionary/textg/Gypsyscale.html

Both are called the gypsy scale. I know this isn't really a big deal, I guess we could choose any of these and just make a tune with it, but I'm just wondering if you're sure you've heard the scale you proposed being called the gypsy scale, or if it was a mistake?

Gregjazz · Mon 10/04/2006 06:14:50

Otherwise known as Mixolydian b2: the fourth mode of harmonic minor.

[Cameron] · Mon 10/04/2006 06:39:19

How many mixolydians are there? I have trouble enough with the one

Here we are. I had a go. Bit odd I think but at least I finished something. I suck at sustaining a tune though. Anyone wants to show me how I could improve please feel free to do so in PM

Here it is

DoorKnobHandle · Mon 10/04/2006 10:02:51

Hey, we have an entry! I like it!

This also means that it is too late to change the rules, I guess. I am sorry for the songwriters that can't participate because they don't know the required music theory. You'll have to wait this week.

About the question with the scale: You can use both. As long as you bring the scale to sound through your piece that's great!

So. Anybody think he or she can beat Camerons entry? Please?

Paper Carnival · Mon 10/04/2006 12:11:54

Great idea! I love writing songs using weird scales. I'll try to make one soon, thanks for the awesome rules

[Cameron] · Mon 10/04/2006 12:29:26

Dont do it Peepwood! I want to win

Cino · Mon 10/04/2006 13:37:19

I'm not quite familiar with musical theory, but I hope I got it right. So here's my entry (save as probably won't work)
Feel free to disqualify me if I misunderstood the gypsy scale.

DoorKnobHandle · Mon 10/04/2006 13:56:23

That sounds good, Cino! Nice song and I certainly won't need to disqualify you - the "strange" scale was definately there!

Very good. Can't wait for Guybrush Peepwood's entry. Keep it up, guys!

Ghormak · Mon 10/04/2006 15:13:28

From me, the usual incoherent, overkill melodies and impossibility to play on one piano.

Piano Tune nr 11

DoorKnobHandle · Mon 10/04/2006 15:19:26

Wow, that's a great entry! I just loved the melodies and atmosphere that you managed to squeeze out of that scale. Great!

Helm · Mon 10/04/2006 21:30:49

bah, I know this scale inside out but I still couldn't do anything worthwhile with it for this. Oh well.

BAH!

Gregjazz · Tue 11/04/2006 00:52:47

My entry:

21st Century Gypsy

The bass in the tune is from my latest sampling project...

Shane 'ProgZmax' Stevens · Tue 11/04/2006 05:36:21

I'm not sure if I got the scale right, I'm not even sure if it's good, but here it is. I'm a more play by ear type of guy, and for some reason this reminded me of Crocodile Dundee once I finished. I mainly did it to try out some soundtracker samples I got anyway.

http://members.cox.net/progzmax/gypsy.ogg

DoorKnobHandle · Tue 11/04/2006 09:22:26

Wow!! Great entries, everybody. Seems like the gypsy-scale rules are quite popular after all.

I will give a short comment on each piece as soon as this competition is closed.

Anymore entries?

He-Man · Tue 11/04/2006 09:34:41

Yo!

Don't close the competition yet. I want to join as well. I just need to get my microphone. I'll get it today and I'll add my entry in a couple of days...
Great entries so far and the competition is just one day old...

Your pal
Niels

Paper Carnival · Tue 11/04/2006 17:20:57

Wow some awesome entries there! Helm's and Ghormak's are my favourite, but there are more good ones. I'm working on mine, it will take a while because I'm slow but it won't be nearly like the quality of Helm's or Ghormak's.

EldKatt · Wed 12/04/2006 11:49:37

Considering the number of replies and successful entries (not that I've listened to them yet), the point I intend to make is probably quite irrelevant, but I still feel the need to vent my frustration.

Is anyone else as tired as I am of the anti-intellectualism (to use a possibly elitist-sounding, but well-intended, word) that arises as soon as someone starts a tune contest with rules that expect a certain prerequisite of musical knowledge? This time it was quickly disproven and didn't give rise to much discussion, but it's not the first time, so I've begun to muse upon its motives. If I went into a sprite jam and complained that I didn't know what a pixel or a palette is, I would get lynched, ignored or consensually disagreed with. This sort of celebration of ignorance seems limited to the field of music. If you don't know what a gypsy scale (or an irregular time signature, or twelve-tone technique, as has been the case in previous contests) is, why can't you take this as an opportunity to learn? (Or am I the only one who takes pleasure in learning about things I didn't already know?) It's a rhetorical question, but I have no idea what the answer is. It seems absurd to me.

I'm sorry if I'm offending anybody; that's not my intention.

That said, I'm probably entering this contest.