Week 1 - Prepare // Mar 22nd
Welcome to the Main Thread for the first week of the composition challenge! This is the place to discuss the Week 1 livestream and post your Week 1 assignments.
- Make sure you've read the guidelines before replying (<- click)
- Watch the kickoff livestream for help with the first section!
Week 1 assignment description:
Write one short "imitation" piece modeled off an etude by another composer of your choosing by using key elements found in the "model piece."
(For inspiration and some tricks on how to do this, watch the livestream above!)
If you want to describe your process (optional), feel free to use the following template.
- Etude you are imitating:
- Things you found easy:
- Things you found difficult:
- (Optional): a video of you performing it!
- (Optional:) questions
↓ Reply below with your assignments and questions! ↓
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All right everyone,
Here's my attempt at the imitation game
. Etude I'm imitating:
I've based it on bits of IV of Takemitsu's "All in Twilight" and María Luisa Anido's "Nana". Not etudes, I know. Sorry about that.
Things you found easy:
Choosing the bits of the pieces I liked - I took the texture and rhythm from the Takemitsu, the idea of a repeated figure with another longer note which stands out because of its duration, but hidden within the range of the repeated figure, as well as the addition of extra layers with harmonics. The repeated figure with a melody idea also came from the Anido as did the G as a starting note.
Things you found difficult:
I had chosen the materials, but hadn't chosen how they would develop and what kind of structure the piece would have, so this developed more as I went along, meaning that some phrases and sections aren't really sure where they should be in relation to each other as a whole. And the harmonics have a bit of a "oh yeah, I meant to include some harmonics like Takemitsu did, er, I'll just stick them here" flavour to them.
Also, once the basic materials were in place, developing them meant that I needed to be able to control and move the melody, accompaniment etc. independently from each other, which always presents technical difficulties on our fantastic but tricky instrument. So the performance ain't too polished either...
Looking forward to the rest of the challenge! Thanks Ash!
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Roni Glaser thanks so much for sharing! I really appreciate your willingness to explore some more complex ideas in this exercise :) Takemitsu is a great composer to study. Very nice written notation too! Great work
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Roni Glaser so unique! I love the darkness it evokes. It’s inner and contemplative. I don’t know the originals so I have no reference point but it seems like you really went out on a limb to explore. And the smile is great!
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Thanks Blaise Laflamme , Ashley (Ash) Lucero and Debbie !
It's a great exercise to explore at any level of complexity and just see what comes out. It was very interesting to take specific bits of pieces very consciously (and vary them a little) and then see very clearly what was missing (the developmental aspect and direction I mentioned). So now I know exactly what I need for the next one
. The same could have happened (and probably will again...) with any other musical parameter too, so it's a very nice exercise. Here are the originals - I don't know if according to copyright laws I'm allowed to share them here?
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Roni Glaser wow bravo!!! i have to look for the original, but your version is dark, introspective... i enjoyed it a lot!
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Emma Thanks Emma! Really glad you liked it.
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Roni Glaser Great work. I like the dark mood - it has an ominous quality.
Thanks for sharing.
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Roni Glaser Wow!!! Aawesome!
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Thanks Marek Tabisz and Jack Stewart !
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Hi Ash, Here is the original short piece by Robert De Visee found in a Chris Parkening method book. I will send my score imitation from Musescore shortly. I found doing "imitation" fairly easy (I have neither formal music conservatory nor composition training.) This is my first attempt at "composing" and using Musescore.
Is there a way in Musescore to clean up those messy rests that overlap notes?
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Here is the Musescore imitation.
Please let me know your comments. You are doing a terrific job in inspiring me to do this. Thanks!!
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Barney Great! What a charming piece :) that D# really got me! Twists like that are really effective. Keep up the good work!
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Here"s me playing the final piece.
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Vilio Celli hi Vilio. I tried to listen but couldn't open the video
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Derek Hi Derek try this tube link https://youtu.be/VuC_RnkvPJE
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Vilio Celli Congrats on the completion of your etude! It's short and sweet, lovely!
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- Etude you are imitating: Carcassi Op. 60 No 6
- Things you found easy: Using Musecore (I already know how to use) , also etude has no technical difficulty
- Things you found difficult: Sticking to the original melody without getting lost.
Hello everyone!
Sorry for submitting midi and not making a proper recording, still not recovered from my illness
And I also worked on only half of the piece, the other half will be covered this week. And as a promise, I will take a video with a good mic. And also I couldn't listen to most of your assignments yet, sorry about that too 
I am attaching the original score and my imitation video showing the fake version:
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Gokce Turkmendag Hi Gokce - hope you're fully better soon. Love the composition - well done
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Gokce Turkmendag great job Gokce. I like what you did with the melody! I know what it’s like to try and catch up after being sick. You came through on time and did a solid job
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Gokce Turkmendag Wow!!! It is gres idea - sometimes classical, sometimes..... Gokce - great job!
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Gokce Turkmendag I really enjoyed your etude! You have some clever lines in there, and it is a very complete and coherent piece. Thank you so much for taking the time to submit :) Get well soon!
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Just did a quick recording on my iPhone - sorry about the quality - I've never recorded anything before!
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Very pretty Ron. Can you tell us something about your composition?
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Ron Lovely, Ron!
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Hello everybody
Here's my small contribution. I'm fascinated by Bach's chorals and 4-part harmony in general. So I've crafted my own choral according to Bach. Using Musescore I first made a piano version and then arranged it for guitar. I include both scores and a MIDI version of piano and guitar.
Unfortunately the recording will come later - simply haven't had the time.
Using a MIDI keyboard, the melody and final guitar arrangement came fairly quickly. But adding the harmony of the other 3 voices, was a real challenge. I hope I avoided consecutive 5ths and 8ves.
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Philip That was a beautiful, and convincing 'Bach'. choral.
When I down loaded it, it played in my Mac music app. The next piece in the que was 'Big in Japan' by Tom Waits. THAT was a very interesting juxtaposition!
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End of the Year Challenge: Finish Strong!
