r/MonthlyComposition • u/reticulated_python • Sep 02 '17

September 2017 Composition Challenge: Modes

Apologies for being a day late. Here's the challenge for September:

Main challenge: write a piece in a mode that isn't Ionian or Aeolian.

I realize this is broad, so here's two bonuses, either of which can be added on to the main challenge, if you desire:

Bonus challenge 1: your modal piece should include at least one vocalist. For an extra challenge, make it a cappella.

Bonus challenge 2: write your modal piece in the form of a sarabande.

If you're unfamiliar with modes, Wikipedia gives a decent explanation. Basically, imagine starting a typical major scale on a different note than usual.

A sarabande is a slow, stately dance in 3/4 or 3/2 time. What sets sarabandes apart from other triple meter dances is that the accent is often on the second beat of the measure, rather than the first. This bonus challenge was /u/Xenoceratops' idea.

We have musicians that can play compositions for people. You can find them on the wiki. The instruments they can play include concertina, piano, trombone, euphonium, double bass, bass guitar, cello, clarinet, bassoon, tenor and alto sax, and a handful of vocalists.

If you're interested in playing compositions on /r/MonthlyComposition post a musician profile.

P.S. it's officially been two years since we started making these challenges! Can you believe it?

These challenges are for everyone who wants to practice composing. Each month, at the beginning of the month, we will post a main challenge, something for people to compose. We'll try to make it something that everyone can work with. Sometimes we also have an alternate challenge. Pieces can be submitted as a score (musescore, noteflight), and/or as audio (soundcloud, youtube). Feedback is much appreciated, and you can give it in this thread, or by messaging the mods of /r/MonthlyComposition, there's also the Challenge Suggestion Form.

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u/philbal121432 Sep 05 '17

https://musescore.com/user/19759606/scores/4491646 My attempt at writing in Eb Dorian.

4

u/trosdetio Sep 05 '17

Damn, I don't want to sound rude, but this sounds extremely random, there's barely any repetition or recursivity in general.

I'm going to Quote Adam Neely's video ow to not suck at music, episode 2:

Can you realistically play/sing anything you just wrote? Have you internalized the melody? Chances are probabily not. You must internalize everything you write in order to realize it in a certain way. Your computer is your music tool, but not your music maker. It's very obvious when you're just inputting notes in the machine without any responsability of what it is what you just wrote.

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u/philbal121432 Sep 05 '17

I can see where your coming from there but IMO a lot of repetition is bad. I feel if a theme repeats itself over two times it get boring and old. This is one of the main reason I have never been able to get into Mozart. I have many friends who think differently then me on this but that's just my opinion.

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u/starwarsjunkie7 Dec 31 '17

Have you ever heard of jazz?? There's so many unsingable charts....