Epic Composer

Competition #6

C = Creativity
E = Effective Entertainment
R = Realistic
T = Total
Bold = Important info and Names of Composers! READ LAST NOTE AT BOTTOM!!

1st Place: ​Robin M. Butler

2nd Place: ​Celliot P.

​ 3rd Place:​ Christian Raduns and Lady Carliss

3rd Place (Post Competition): ​jzonda415
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Most Original: ​DaKook

Most Complex: ​Phillip.Daniel

Most Cinematic: ​Jacob Edmonds

Most Expressive: ​Grant Thomas, Pepper Music

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Notes:
- I had a blast judging these scores! I’ll be looking forward to you all joining the next
competition.
- ​Look at the second page to see the scoring for your piece!
- ​I may have misinterpreted your description so I apologize in advance!
- Remember the “ Most ____” categories above are subjective so they are not relevant
to your scoring.
- Feel free to ask me any questions about the competition or the scoring you received.
- Thank you for your patience! Be you, Be true, be Epic! :D
Entries:
Light Dance for Piano Duet (​jzonda415​):

C=4
E=5
R=4
T = 13

Comments: Wow this dance is very entertaining!! I can see this being performed at
some live concert or used in a media soundtrack. The rhythmic variation of the bass line
and melody shined most here. The “set both pianos on fire” part is lively and engages
the audience well! In a dance, there can also be a more moderate part of the song
which the beginning has. I suggest you give the melody different octave voicing other
than treble clef for more variety and more articulation on the melody. This can make the
whole difference in how it sounds. Staccatos, marcatos, etc. Other than the articulation
and octave melody, awesome song! What you compose is good work so keep going the
path you're going on. Great job!
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Shaboopity bop (​Hail Jesus​):

C=4
E=3
R=4
T = 11

Comments: This piece is really unique! I love the intro and the instrumentation from
measure 20-26. The themes presented have good elements in terms of musicality but
the second half of the song lacks parts to complement the melody from measure 47-58.
The intended style or tone you want to set is not completely known by me but another
part there can really change how the song is flowing. Other than that, Great job with
your music ideas! Very original and much potential to be developed into whatever you
see it to be :D
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Fantasy (​Pepper Music​):

C = 4 (Would be 5 but due to time limit rule broken. 4 minutes is limit)

E = 4 (Would be 5 but due to time limit rule broken. 4 minutes is limit)
R=4
T = 12

Comments: The music speaks!!! The emotional journey through this fantasy is beautiful
and shows how the flaws and the land is full of goodness. What made this piece so
powerful were the solos with the piano and the violin. The accompaniment is also well
done. Usually, the ability of violin player isn’t taken into account so people would write
lower parts for the violin and not realize how loud the piano is. You took this into
account and made a very realistic and effective parts. You could have scored 5 for
realistic but the notation is sloppy in areas and could use more adjustment. Awesome
work with this one! I’m glad I saw this score. It really touched people's souls :)
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Pinball Machine - An Electronic Song (​DaKook)​:

C=4
E=4
R=4
T = 12

Comments: This song is very entertaining! The synthesiser use alone is well done. It
takes a lot of effort and ability to make similar sound effects play well for an ear. The
percussion is really well versed in rhythm and variety. What I think should be done with
this song is add a bassline melody for that instrumentation complexity. The parts play
complex rhythms which makes it fun and musically genius! Also, the articulations really
made a significant effect for each part. Great job with this entry! I’d call you up for video
game soundtrack creations :D
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At Sea with Captain Blackbeard (​Celliot P.​):

C=5
E=4
R=5
T = 14

Comments: Your pirate tune has taken on the mighty ocean waves! The 2nd and 3rd
themes from measure 70-120 is a brilliant texture to add to the epicness. Variation and
multiple emotions in any song adds more value and complexity. You did well with this
and your ending is comical in a good way! The flute and piccolo duet gave good tonality
to the melody and the multiple lines that merge together between the strings and brass
makes a perfect combo. The percussion has the perfect drive and syncopation with the
melody. All of this is how you gained a 5 for creativity. However, I suggest that you bring
more new music ideas like you did with the measure numbers I mentioned above. That
really stuck the most. With that sticking out more, the rest of the piece is boosted
musically. Great work with this composition! I see you and many others grow each
competition. Keep it up! :D
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(​KEEP GOING​)
Gaining Power (​Christian Raduns​):

C=5
E=4
R=4
T = 13

Comments: Your creativity is astounding! You have a voice that anyone can easily pick
out and say “it's you”. The pitched percussion usage with the brass melody sounds
hopeful and joyful! The complexity with the number of rhythms and parts bring a more
complex feeling of joy than the emotion itself. Your expression with the brass
instrumentation is strong! The intro to measure 33 really makes it mark with saying a
message. I really don’t see too much to critique. This piece is overall epic and beautiful!
The entertainment scoring really is a bias thing. 4 is a score for a really good sounding
and engaging piece. 5 however is above that. I don’t remember giving a 5 on anyone’s
composition but if I did give it, I would give it to you for making such an entertaining
piece (emotionally). Emotion is your strong point so keep going with your expression!
Great work and keep growing endlessly :D
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Afflitto Da Barbari (​Dun Ought​):

C=4
E=4
R=4
T = 12

Comments: Wow love the medieval theme you set up in the beginning! The song has
great themes and the progression for the game you wrote for sounds splendid! Very
versed and the instrumentation is well done. The organ at the end is surprising! The
introduction and ending sticks out most for me personally. Overall, the chords sound
good to the ear and the snare drum rhythms add a different complexity to the melody. I
suggest throughout the song you add another part that is completely different from the
rest of the parts to add a new whole sound to it. It seems throughout the song one part
or harmony seems missing. This is my point on that which can be wrong but that should
be something to look at. Awesome job with this piece! Continue this construction of your
pieces and also, I’d love to talk with you about composing for video games ;)
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(​KEEP GOING!!​)
The Great Awakening (​cheezyanimations​):

C=3
E=4
R=4
T = 11

Comments: I love the melancholy mood the melody plays! The embellishments before
the next phrase in the melody (measure 4, 8, and other similar measures) add a cool
texture to the piece. I believe you can develop the bass line and melody much more.
Your base ideas for the expression in the melody is a great but keep in mind that with a
complex emotion or mood should follow a developed part that brings a completeness.
Add more ornaments and articulation to the bassline. Great composition! Its the kind of
style I admire alot actually :D
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To Be Me (​Jacob A. Jones​):

C=4
E=4
R=3
T = 11

Comments: Ah a musical. Love it!! The variation of the theme brings a story to this
musical you talk about. The 140bpm section leads well from the intro. However,
doubling on the violoncello part I think should make the sound more full with contrabass.
This song can be performed in a musical but there isn't much ornaments and
articulations on all the parts as a whole. The song sounds a bit dragged with the lack of
it. Other than that, the parts create a full sound that doesn’t leave anything out.
Madelines journey seems to be a very long and great one! Great job and I want to see
your musical writing in the future :D
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Major WIP (​Grant Thomas​):

C=3
E=4
R=3
T = 10

Comments: This is a good start for a lengthy piece! I see that it’s a work in progress so I
don’t have a lot to say. I see a cool motif that has much potential for variation and
expression! Also, the fast and intense to calm and melancholy transition is fascinating!
Due to the lack of development though, you have a lower score. I really want you to
finish this piece! I encourage next time you submit a more complete piece so I can
judge it more accordingly. Keep it up!

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Sub-cre_a_ture (​Brian. K​):

C=4
E=4
R=3
T = 11

Comment: Wow this piece is cool! I see it’s a WIP which is really surprising with how
much development of the chord progression you’ve done already. Measure 9-12 should
have another tone in the cello chord to add more depth and fullness. Also, the chords
you intended to write can be heard but they mesh together like sounds under water.
They need to be reorganized by which instruments are playing what tones in the chord.
This is most apparent at measure 39-46. I love the arpeggio’s you use for the piano and
guitar! The chord fix will make those arpeggios more powerful. Great start for this entry
and keep this piece going!
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Ballet of Horror (​KWstudios​):

C=3
E=4
R=4
T = 11

Comment: Oh the creepiness is so cool! I see the whole mix of what the psychopath is
thinking. The bassline and melody correspond well together. That is usually what makes
this kind of music difficult to write. A mix of sounding major and minor is what is needed
for this creepy music. You did well with the mix! However, the ideas here seem
underdeveloped in terms of what rhythm and complexity can be added to the melody.
Around measure 19-28 could have more to it. Great work on this piece! I want to see
more horror works from you. Even request some too ;)
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Still a Chance (​Lady Carliss​):

C=5
E=4
R=4
T = 13

Comment: My attention was soooo grabbed by the moving chord progression and the
intro!! I listened to this piece more times than I can count. The marimba arpeggios and
the instrumentation between the recorder and the violin is splendid! I, however, think
you should have a lower voice line like the cellos or low french horn play the melody in
some variation. Your melody is beautiful and sings. Use that with the lower parts and
everyone's hearts will melt. Great work on this score and keep composing your way! I
admire this style of music very much so :D
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High Seas (​Jacob Edmonds​):

C=4
E=4
R=4
T = 12

Comment: Pirate tunes seem to be popular around these parts! Love the feel with the
melody rhythms and the percussion as well. The layering of the melody with horns and
trumpet sounds really great! I think you should extend this theme with a different tone to
it. Like, a pirate journey of course has high seas and adventure but it would be cool if
you added a slower part or a different melody variation at the end of the song where the
ship leaves the storm. Variation of your highlight in any composition is very important to
add value and depth to the song itself. I encourage you to expand that and throw more
ideas out of your brilliant mind of yours. Great work! :D
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A Shooting Star (​Robin M. Butler​):

C=5
E=5
R=5
T = 15

Comment: Hahahaha This score really was touching. The string part at the beginning
with the horn really made me envision a shooting star! Your originality is off the charts
with how the progression of this song works together. Measures 27 - the ending had two
different musical expressions. That made the song so unique and gave so much more
value to the meaning of the song as a whole. The notation is well written too. Your on
your way to being any kind of person you want to be! I don’t have much to critique
honestly but there is always ways to improve music. I’d suggest you have someone with
higher musical knowledge examine this score. You have improved so much just like
everyone else has. Keep growing and make your voice with the originality you hold.
Good job! :D
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The Exploration (​lizzapie​):

C=4
E=4
R=4
T = 12

Comment: This exploration sounds like it’s full of up and downfalls for this sailor. I love
the different tones you put within the variations of the melody from accordion/piano to
just strings at the end. Your variation was a strong point in this piece! Also, the brass
chords with the dissonance in the beginning was so dark and fitting to the transition to
the flute solo! I suggest you change the transitions after that flute solo to be more
connecting. The sound is a bit abrupt and could be more fluent. Fluency between your
variations is key to creating a full and whole sounding song. Great job! I want to see
more of your work in the future :)
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Symphony in g minor - 3rd Movement(​Vigo Kovcic​):

C=4
E=4
R=4
T = 12

Comment: Nice classical form! The themes are a very good choice for this piece. I love
the transitions made here. The mix of variation of the first theme and the transitions
make this piece whole and sound. I think the creativity part is great but it seems like a
typical classical song which isn't bad but I can see you add more to it idea wise. What
sticks out most here is the flow of the song. Its engaging and well done! Great work and
push yourself more with the themes and progression.
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Libera me, Domine, de morte aeterna (​Philip.Daniel​):

C=4
E=3
R=4
T = 11

Comment: Fugue. This is a cool entry! The harmonies and the melody between the
organ and main voice sounds soothing and deep. This piece feels complete and can be
played or used in any setting applicable. What I see is a well developed construction of
a theme played through the whole song. There isn’t dynamics or any articulations.
There’s small places where dynamics can make phrases more powerful and significant.
There’s a lot you can do with dynamic placement but that will create a more impact on
an audience if the sound of these harmonies you created have different volume and
intensity. Soft to loud and all. I’m hinting at more expression here. Great work overall!
This style of composing can be very challenging and you took it on well. Keep going
with your work!
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The Strike of the Dark King (​EpicSoundtrackbyL​):

C=4
E=3
R=3
T = 10
Comment: This strike is intense and very dark! This kind of epic is stuff I write as well
(which is cool in my opinion!). This piece has good themes and progression. Measure
29 to the climax can have doubling of the violins with a higher octave playing the motif.
Also, the transitions switch too abruptly and the flow with your intended progression
seems misguided and confusing. Transitions and making sense for the audience is
really important for them to engage more with the piece. Sound balance with the
woodwinds/strings and the brass is needed. The brass dominate the other parts so
hearing what you want the audience to hear is quite difficult. Overall, your piece is very
engaging with how the moods you have played are. Good work! Work on these things
and the composing of your pieces will go up to a whole new level.
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Note:
Thank you everyone for your patience AND music!
The scoring has been close yet again and the scores here are impressive and
deserving of more praise.
The next competitions will be more climatic and engaging later on.
I’ll have further details on that for you all later.
Also, please spread the word about this competition so we can have more people
participate.
If you have questions or request too then let me know through messaging or
commenting.
Good work everyone and continue to Be you, Be true, and Be epic!

Sincerely,
Enochulous