Music Composers Unite!
Read before composing!
We have two goals:
1 - to allow each composer as much freedom in composing their section as possible.
2 - to try to make this work flow from one section to the other.
In order to accomplish goal #2 there is a simple set of rules each composer must follow.
Your music will be cross faded with the track in front of it. This is not to be like a cross fade in itunes. This is supposed to sound like a continuation of the same piece. So your audio file must start on an exact measure of any meter with 4 on the bottom (quarter note.) 4/4 is fine, but so is 7/4 (NOT 7/8!) You will be coming from a /4 time that's holding one chord. You will start holding the same chord in /4 time and then progress to whatever you want WITHIN your two minute section.
What do I mean by "holding a chord?" I do NOT necessarily mean SUSTAINING a chord. It does not have to be strings or any other sustaining instrument all holding their note of a chord. It's better if it's not that. We want the listeners to have no idea where the transitions are (at best.) By "holding a chord" I mean that for the last part of your section, I could analyze it with traditional harmony as I (tonic, 1, home chord, etc.) The individual parts and notes can move, but no chord changes. And it would be better to avoid dissonances and leading tones (Fa, Ti.) "Hold" the chord as long as you feel is appropriate for a transition. Four to Eight measures if you're not sure - longer is safer. This is only for the beginning and end of your section. Within your section you can do ANYTHING (musical) you want.
Your music will be faded into the next section. So after you have had your fun with your section, have it come to your selected end key and tempo. "Hold" the chord for a while, allowing the next section to transition.
See the Section Chart to pick a section.
1 - to allow each composer as much freedom in composing their section as possible.
2 - to try to make this work flow from one section to the other.
In order to accomplish goal #2 there is a simple set of rules each composer must follow.
Your music will be cross faded with the track in front of it. This is not to be like a cross fade in itunes. This is supposed to sound like a continuation of the same piece. So your audio file must start on an exact measure of any meter with 4 on the bottom (quarter note.) 4/4 is fine, but so is 7/4 (NOT 7/8!) You will be coming from a /4 time that's holding one chord. You will start holding the same chord in /4 time and then progress to whatever you want WITHIN your two minute section.
What do I mean by "holding a chord?" I do NOT necessarily mean SUSTAINING a chord. It does not have to be strings or any other sustaining instrument all holding their note of a chord. It's better if it's not that. We want the listeners to have no idea where the transitions are (at best.) By "holding a chord" I mean that for the last part of your section, I could analyze it with traditional harmony as I (tonic, 1, home chord, etc.) The individual parts and notes can move, but no chord changes. And it would be better to avoid dissonances and leading tones (Fa, Ti.) "Hold" the chord as long as you feel is appropriate for a transition. Four to Eight measures if you're not sure - longer is safer. This is only for the beginning and end of your section. Within your section you can do ANYTHING (musical) you want.
Your music will be faded into the next section. So after you have had your fun with your section, have it come to your selected end key and tempo. "Hold" the chord for a while, allowing the next section to transition.
See the Section Chart to pick a section.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Chris Alpiar on -
the only problem is that if every transition is a crossfade from one tonic to the same tonic, even if the rythm and instrumentation if very different, its going to get really bland by the 11th or 12 piece. It would be great if there is a way to write a huge finale and then each person just gets to write the section before it 1 by one or something, then it gets more spicy with some chances for more dramatic transitions. whatcha think chieftain? knowing that the one after me starts with a big lush string orchestrated 69 chord well I could have fun with a deceptive cadence or a different modulation then down a 4th etc
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Permalink Reply by Chris Merritt on -
You're right. That way would produce amazing results. But it would require a one at a time approch and take forever. This current way does not have to be bland if the composer is creative, because those transition sections don't HAVE to be tonics. In your case you have to end on Eb at 100bpm. But it does not have to be a TONIC Eb. It just has to be a true Eb major. What if it was the 4 chord of your current tonic? And then you spice it with a little A natural note or two to make it feel Lydian. But leave some pure Eb at the end for the transition.
Or what if your were in Ab minor just before that so your Eb major feels like a dominant?
Does all that make sense? -
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Permalink Reply by Chris Alpiar on
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what about Eb maj7 #9 b13? aka symmetric augmented major? it will definately not sound tonic to anything but it will contain Eb Maj7 chord! :p
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Permalink Reply by Chris Merritt on
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For the last 8 measures or so just pull all the notes except Eb G Bb!
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Permalink Reply by Doug Lauber on -
Chris, the way I see these rules- is that the transition from one composer to the next is NOT a musical transition, it is just a starting point for joining the sections. The big musical change could come 4 measures after the crossfade.
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Permalink Reply by Simon Godden on -
I like that each section moves up in a circle of 5ths. This is very well organised and will give the piece some real momentum.
Chris (Alpiar), stop complicating it with your jazzy transitions. You'll just confuse everyone..... naughty! :-) -
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Permalink Reply by Ondib Olmnilnlolm on -
". . . By "holding a chord" I mean that for the last part of your section, I could analyze it with traditional harmony as I (tonic, 1, home chord, etc.) . . ."
Maybe that could be explained in a little more detail. I take it to mean something a bit broader than what some people appear to be inferring.
"I could analyze it with traditional harmony."
That leaves quite a bit of leeway, I think.
(And did anyone say whether this would be in equal or fixed temperament?)
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Permalink Reply by Doug Lauber on
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By 'holding' a chord, are you saying the chord should extend into the following section? Rather than setting that up as a formal rule, I say work it out with the preceding composer. Communicate privately with that preceding composer about the direction of his or her last measure. Again, there are no key assignments for a particular section.
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© 2013 Created by Chris Merritt.
