December 20, 200916 yr == The Challenge¡ == Are you good enough to make the worst piece of music ever made¿ Exactly what it says on the title¡ Make the worst piece of music (or "music") you can possibly think of. Yes it's that simple. Post it and let OTHERS be the judge of the badness¡ Can you really imagine what other people find terrible¿ Ya think your tastes are refined and you surely can tell bad from good¿¿ Wanna find out¿ Well then participate¡ Don't just scallop and moan about other people's music being terrible, show us what you mean with terrible. Really truly absolutely terrible. Go¡ === OK! So how about some reviews. Gamma's submission had a problem so I can't review it (the link gives me a broken page with no content) and Siwi's gives me a "forbidden" error. Just so you understand my review system, when I say something is "good," it means exactly that. So, the more I find good in a piece, the more you failed with the contest's objectives! And of course, likewise, the more I think something is bad, the higher it'll score. So, here are the results so far. === composerorganist: - Marching Marching in B major: It sounds thrown together in about ten minutes, I don't think you truly sat down and composed the badness systematically. Instead I bet it was a more "wow this sucks let's keep going" gut feeling thing (somewhat of a trend it seems in the other submissions as well.) That said, I don't think it's nearly as bad as it could be, there's plenty of things to hear in it and certainly some of the textures are interesting to say the least. The beginning is pretty cool actually! After hearing it a few times I like how it gives off a Glass-style vibe, then it transitions into Drums + what appears to be a sax repeating a pattern. The idea of involving the audience too in the experience isn't bad either, but sadly on the midi it's hard to tell. But my question is, why do you think this is bad? Pros: - Interesting start and transitions. - Varied use of instruments is nice. - The idea with the audience isn't bad. Cons: - Doesn't seem as if you thought it through the whole way as much as you should have. - For this to be worse you'd need to probably lay off the cut-paste since it adds a layer of coherency and structure because of the repetitions. Grade: D- Actually alright. - piano piano flyes aways kisses sky and falls down Alright so more rapid transitioning between styles, however this time it seems much more controlled than the previous entry. Now, at first I didn't like this as much as your other entry, but it had some pretty cool moments never the less. In fact some of it reminded me of Ligeti's Musica Riccercata! I like the simplicity though, and how you are using musical cliches to help you get a sort of dull/pointless set of sequences. However, all this goes out the window with the last segments where the pauses are. Pauses make the last bits actually pretty cool and specially considering that you turn then the misdirection that previously was a con into an effective interest-catcher. But because of this ending, the more I listen to it the more I think it has a certain elegance to it. As if you start off rather disjointed but by the end there's again a structural and textural coherence. This sort of thing makes it actually interesting, not bad! Pros: - Accidental form is actually cool. - The use of the pauses near the end. - Some of the rhythm figures along with the harmony. In the midi you don't notice but on a real piano it'd sound pretty cool! - Name is awesome. Cons: - The use of cliches does make the beginning sections seem dull. - The above is coupled with the fact that you don't really work the piano enough, it remains in the same register and there's no dynamic. Though no dynamic isn't necessarily a bad thing on its own, here it does hurt the piece on occasion. Of course an actual interpreter would insert dynamic regardless of what you wrote and phrasing and so on would change the piece unfortunately for the better. Grade: D+ Eh, alrighty. === jesusfreak1277: - When the World Turns Pink Ooh, a classic category of instrumentation. Let's see, first of all the first thing anyone should notice is that in this tempo some of the soprano parts are next to impossible to sing as notated. HOWEVER, in the score there's no indication that you can't just rubato through them. The rest of the part is actually singable just fine if you have a coloratura soprano (think Lily Pons, she'd sing this no problem.) Of course they are rare, but that doesn't mean much (I know people who could almost sight read this lol.) Now, since this piece has text and it's a very classical instrumental setup with a great deal of tradition behind it, it goes without saying that the handling of said text and how its put to music is a MAJOR factor here. As for the text, it's actually very neat and fits the piece perfectly. It has that sort of surrealist spin to it which is very much in style with the way the piece is written. Here are the lyrics for those playing at home: Ai, eeeei!One upon a time in blessed spain there lived a man who ate gold! Every time he'd sing, he'd ride a moose and he would cry and sew jeans. He knew that when the world was pink he'd die. His small girl then would sigh and ask him "why oh why can't I?" Honestly this is great. It's very much in the line of nonsense but the structure keeps it together and gives it a very interesting spin. So, how is this wonderful text set to music? The piano part is actually interesting as well and seems to give each area of the text a specific atmosphere. The use of different techniques and styles is also rather well used and seems to form a coherent structure, even the ending uses traditional ending elements and it stabilizes the piece. It's a very good take on post-modernism if you ask me, intentional or not, in how these elements are used throughout the piece. The soprano works together with the piano in most areas, complementing the atmosphere. The handling of both instruments together is nice overall and they are co-dependent. Take either away and the piece would fall apart (hint.) An overall trend however in more than this entry is how small pieces tend to pack a lot of material. Surely nobody wants to write an opera for a contest like this, but length sometimes does matter. This piece doesn't feel like it ends before it should, however it does beg for a second part or even a cycle in the same style. As part of something bigger it would be very interesting. I won't be reviewing scores unless I think it adds or detracts from the overall "badness" (or lack thereof) of a piece, in this case the score seems to be notated "hard" on purpose in places, but overall I think that it doesn't achieve much since that segment is rather isolated and in fact does come off as interesting for the interpretation as it's also a rather easy passage. Pros: - Excellent lyrics! Good name. - Handling of the instruments is interesting and fit well together, specially in relation to the text. - Score is alright and sadly the "intentional annoying" part only adds to the atmosphere! - Overall handling of techniques is cool, specially the use of certain cliches and the ending segment is perfectly fitting for such a piece. - Would fit quite well in a bigger cycle of works. Cons: - Finding a sorpano to sing this could be problematic. - Some segments will be performed differently than the midi by default, specially the tempo and articulations. Grade: E- Not bad, not bad at all! === BGal510: - A day in pirate town: An outlook on life Interesting name for a wind quintet. Alright, the first thing that springs to mind after hearing it the first time is that it's very structured and coherent. You have elements that keep showing up, like the ostinato figure in the bassoon. This, coupled with the patterns that you run on the other instruments, make this piece actually automatically "ok" for most people! But I'm not most people. This could as well be background music to a game or something like that, in fact parts of it sound like the soundtrack to Final fantasy tactics, haha! But this same thing could be a sort of bad for the piece, because a lot of it does fall in the background. There is not enough character in this piece to really bring it out as something that can stand on its own, despite the spikes here and there it's overall a rather smooth ride. There are some interesting moments, sure, but they don't compensate for how stale the overall product ends up being after a bit. After hearing this more, I end up with a "Yeah well, and?" feeling, there's not much to look at and that to me is pretty scrafty. Also the fact that it relies so heavily on an easy to recognize structure makes it rather uninteresting after a bit since it's quite obvious what you're doing. And, of course, the basic tonality here doesn't help matters. Pros: - Would work actually rather well as background music in a lot of instances. - Conservation of material is good, the piece does what it does without being all over the place. Cons: - Relies too heavily on a simple structure, with moments that fall out of it being just superficial and with no consequence. - Leaves me with a feeling of indifference. This neither here not there is very annoying. - Lacks a character of its own. - Considering the amount of action that pirates saw in their lives, they'd think this piece was boring too! You might want to rethink the title, or brace yourself for pirate outrage. Grade: B- Nothing to look at. === jawoodruff: - Suite no. 0 for Piano -- 1: Allegro Snortoso -- 2: Lento ZZZ -- 3: Noone Cares 1: Allegro Snortoso Well the gag title is sort of stupid, honestly. It seems kind of cheap too, almost "haha lol this'll suck so i'll give it a joke title" kind of cheap. Unfortunately the actual music isn't nearly as bad as the title and it got my interest right away. Barring a few performance difficulties (playing it atempo anyway) the thing is short and to the point. Very incisive and I like the harmonic choices as well as the fact it's overflowing with energy (FFF and very fast!) Great opener to the suite honestly, in a "punch to the face" kind of way that makes sure you're paying attention or that you already left before the second movement. I like this a bunch. 2: Lento ZZZ Well the intention is very obvious here from the title (again another gag title, but this isn't as bad as the previous one.) The contrast however between this and the previous movement makes this actually a very good contrast. Yeah, it is a cliche of the slow movement being the second, but remember cliches aren't necessarily bad. I also love the conservation of musical material in this movement, the overall atmosphere and just how short it is. The length is pretty interesting considering that it's slow yet it does manage to do its job perfectly fine within that time span. If anything, I'm not sleeping after hearing these two movements, I'm actually waiting to see how you finish it off! 3: Noone cares Interesting choice for an ending. The pauses give it a feeling of closure and overall the movement is less atmospheric and charged compared to the first two. The title is actually good here, since the ending here does seem like you just said "eh whatever" and yet judging from the actual music it seems to fit well as the ending. It's almost as if the suite runs out of energy and just stops. Overall, this is a rather nice and short suite, though I would've liked to see more done with the piano (ranges, techniques, etc) but it's still not bad at all. The way the movements fit together is actually rather nice and they play off eachother throughout the piece. Pros: - Kickass start and setup for the overall form. - The overall form here is not instantly obvious as it plays with cliches and you don't know exactly what to expect next. This is cool. - Short, but manages to get a lot of atmosphere across, specially the second movement. - Conservation and usage of material, specially considering the length of the pieces, is the best out of all entries so far. Cons: - Gag titles. Eesh, come on now. - Could've done more with the piano, but this is just a minor point. Grade: E Not bad! === SergeOfArniVillage: - The Most Harribel Thang Oh, wow. This is probably the best thing I've heard up to now. No joke, the noise and the stuff happening in the background is just fantastic. I've actually been hearing it now on repeat for about 20 mins, and every time I hear something new. I love the distortion, I love the fact that you can still make out instruments and things happening in the background. The heavy atmosphere it generates is nonstop, it's loud and not hidden or "made nice" by anything, it's raw and it doesn't apologize for it. This could work as a soundtrack to something too, hell I don't know I imagine tons of things when I hear this but the choice of sounds is to me rather great. I also like how it just abruptly starts, as if this (whatever it is) was already happening before you began listening and when it ends it just continues happening but without you hearing it anymore. One of the cool things about it is the fact that the distortion provides a clear set of "layers" you can make out. It's all a blur but you can see elements that would be foreground and background. The droning and patterns also help make other things happening very clear and audible, even through the heavy distortion. Fantastic job, joke or not, intentional or not, this is great. It's a very heavy piece to listen to, sure, but it's amazing because of how loaded, raw and heavy it is. Pros: - The choice of sounds, distortion and the background layer all fit to form a very heavy atmosphere. - Length is perfect, it's isn't too long, and isn't too short. Just enough to tell you what it is and make you either hate it or love it. - Conservation of musical material coupled with the droning patterns make the whole thing an almost surreal minimalist trip, it all fits very well. - Gets better the more you hear it...if you can take it, that is. Cons: - Not for everyone (though maybe this isn't a bad thing at all.) - Title doesn't fit how kickass this is, but oh well. Grade: F- Oh wow, good job! === Heckelphone224: - Nightmare Lullaby I don't really know where I stand with this. On one hand I don't like it overall, even after listening to it multiple times and it seems unfinished and raw (in a bad sense.) On the other, I kind of like that it's sort of crazy and all over the place. Barring of course the score and the impossible to play stuff, I'm mostly looking at the midi rendition. Just because something is unplayable doesn't automatically mean it's bad, but in this case it doesn't seem to matter much and it just seems to be there to add to the badness. Though it's not really enough to be good or bad either way. I like the bit with the solo piano, the midi glissando there made me laugh. But nah, I don't dig this. It's crazy sure but it seems a lazy "thrown together" kind of crazy, which ultimately because of its length ends up being more forgettable than something to actively dislike. Hell, it's almost a one trick pony in that sense, since after you hear it once there's really nothing else there. Pros: - I like the idea of it being crazy and all over the place... not so much the execution. Cons: - Instrumentation here obviously plays a role, the ensemble is enormous but the use is crap. - Too short and the material isn't simply enough to warrant going back to this. - Seems sloppy and lazily put together. - Left me indifferent, since it seems to be mediocre enough to forget but not bad enough to really remember with hate. Grade: B+ Crap. And there's a second entry, it seems, but it's in sibelius format and I can't really view it. So oops. === andy-uk - Rambo 600 Great name and an interesting piece. The repetition figure holds the piece together and I think the effect works just fine. The second voice breaks up the drone of the first and helps add more points of interest, but it's all very minimal and empty which is not really a bad thing. In contrast with other entries, this is a very quiet and low key piece, which I appreciate. There are some motives that repeat themselves lending to a sort of return structure. Not bad really. There's not much else to say, the instrumentation is peculiar but I think it fits just fine (very small, just like the piece.) It's also long enough for the effect to work. I'd say it's pretty solid overall; it has a very defined intention and focus which it accomplishes pretty well. And the name's pretty cool. Pros: - Name's cool. - A no-nonsense piece, it does exactly what it needs to do and ends. - Very simple and minimal, with the second guitar breaking up the pace in instances make the piece good to go back to. - The effect of the rhythm in places is also simple yet effective. Cons: - Could use a little more contrast maybe, but then again the subtraction of elements here is what makes it shine. Grade: D- Alright. === javileru - Atonal Piece Well as it usually goes with pieces called "atonal" something made by people who think that's "bad," this isn't really "atonal" (extended harmony, perhaps) or as bad as they think. First of all the piece is well spaced out, the segments are all clearly defined and the piano even if it is using a mix of styles, it manages to remain consistent in the atmosphere of the piece. There are certain classical elements like the ending segments and cliches of the like, but they're not used in a way calls attention to them. The pedals in the solo instrument near the beginning also help give the piece a stable harmonic ground, though there's a lot going on it still all remains close to that idea so it doesn't feel like there's much sticking out or too contrasting. The contrast between the melodies in the piano and the solo instrument is interesting and it's good how it gets developed to the ending. Now the midi has a long pause after the end, I assume this is mostly a theatrical thing and it's not really anything new. Though, I dunno how effective it really is here since it detracts from what was going on earlier. It makes the piece seem rather like a one-trick deal, where once you know the pause comes up it loses the effect. So I've been talking about the "ending" as the part before that long pause, just to make it clear. Since also that's a segment that can be identified as an ending because of the cliches (tempo change, pedal tones, etc.) I'd really just shave off that pause trick at the end to be honest, it doesn't do much for the piece. Pros: - There's just enough things happening at once to not be overwhelming or otherwise boring. - Pacing is interesting. - Nice atmosphere, harmony used is used with consequence rather than just for cheap effect. - Length is OK, but it could be spread out a little bit more (nevermind the length-inflating pause trick.) Cons: - Pause trick is just a novelty here. - Yet another "har atnal muisk is bad lawlll!" implication (but I bet this is true for MOST of the entries!) Grade: D- Alrighty. ===
December 20, 200916 yr This is funny, I am sort of laughing in the inside, but I got a smile after reading this unorthodox way of creating opportunities.
December 20, 200916 yr Author the bar is high.... No examples except if you made them yourself. Write your own badness or don't bother posting. This is not a bashing thread, it's a composition thread.
December 20, 200916 yr Oooooh Ooooooh do I win?????? Here is the link to my submission http://www.youngcomposers.com/pg/Music/composerorganist/composition?entry=22331
December 20, 200916 yr OK,,, Heres my submission. Hope you all hate it! XD http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EK2tWVj6lXw
December 20, 200916 yr Someone should write a symphony pertaining to this idea. I would, but I have no experience with strings :P x]
December 20, 200916 yr I'm going to make a special effort with this and include every one of my compositional pet hates in this. I am now off to read all my orchestration books in order to be sure I do the exact opposite of what is recommended in them.
December 20, 200916 yr Sorry for double post... Oooooh Ooooooh do I win?????? Here is the link to my submission http://www.youngcomp...ion?entry=22331 This was quite deliciously bad, but somewhat spoilt by the fact that the music did sound as if it was actually playable on real instruments and not just a general MIDI patch in Finale. Your orchestration was rather poor as it failed to swamp the melody with useless noise, and there were passages where the music didn't just consist of static chords lasting two and a half minutes each. So I don't think you've really thought about how to make this as banal and unforgivable dire as possible. ;-)
December 20, 200916 yr OK,,, Heres my submission. Hope you all hate it! XD http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EK2tWVj6lXw Hey! Sony hated this so much they've decided to block it in the U.S.!
December 21, 200916 yr Siwi - I'll try much harder to be bad. Though the orchestrated sound of a cellphone beep is rather cool if totally accidental. Now how did I do that? Could someone explain???
December 21, 200916 yr Author Well until I don't see more than one real submission, I'll refrain from making any decisions(!) But to clarify, you have to make the music yourself and post it. I don't care if you don't have a score this time, just an mp3 will do or even just a midi. It has to be bad, remember?
December 21, 200916 yr This sounds like a lot of fun, I'm in! :D Are there ANY rules I should be restrained by though? Time limit, for example?
December 21, 200916 yr Author There are no actual rules, except of course that it has to be awful. It could be a 2 hour piece or a 2 minute piece, it doesn't matter so long as that condition is fulfilled. As for choice of idiom or technique, well that's totally free.
December 21, 200916 yr Here's my submission, the Awful Symphony in Q flat sharp. I've tried to incorporate as many of the things I berate others for doing in my reviews...
December 23, 200916 yr you guys are good ...but a lot of it sounds like John zorn..... ;) Here is my submission....."Rambo 600" http://www.youngcomposers.com/pg/Music/andy-uk/composition?entry=22839 A relaxing and non-repetitive background.... A sweet arrangement of some sprightly nursery rhymes.. Is that a hommage to "The Firebird" near the end....?....A perfectly constructed ending.... I promise you that no alcohol or any cut 'n' paste were involved in this presentation. copyright by barking mushroom enterprises (in association with "Preperation H")
December 23, 200916 yr Here's my try at it. http://www.youngcomposers.com/pg/Music/BGal510/composition?entry=23024 It's called A Day in Pirate Town. I tried to use range limits of all the instruments to make it playable, but scallopy. Also notice the sudden changes from terrible to something you would hear commonly to throw all of you off. Hehehe.... I'm so devious.
December 24, 200916 yr Here is my entry: http://forum.youngcomposers.com/t22486/suite-no--0-for-piano/
December 24, 200916 yr Author This is cool, I'll be writing my reviews of them along with the VERDICT in a couple of days. The reason I'm not doing it right away is because I'm waiting a little see if anyone else posts. :>
December 24, 200916 yr Here's my entry: http://www.box.net/shared/9yehbt3ufb I think it's too awful to win, because it's so bad it's good! xD I can't listen to it without busting a gut from laughter!
December 24, 200916 yr Here's my entry: http://www.box.net/shared/9yehbt3ufb I think it's too awful to win, because it's so bad it's good! xD I can't listen to it without busting a gut from laughter! Excellent work sir! my ear drums are in concussion...
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