Composition Challenge
From Destiny Wiki
More actions
(Redirected from Destiny Composition Challenge)
The Composition Challenges were a series of semi-frequent (typically occurring every few months) contents held by Destiny within DGG to create a musical composition 
with a melody provided by Destiny.
| I’ve always been a big fan of music. I grew up with it, and even ended up going to college majoring in woodwind performance ... And that’s where you come in! |
| — Destiny |
List of all Composition Challenges
Green denotes a winner in the "Destiny's picks category" with the lighter shade indicating the second place. If both colors are the similar it means no placement categories were used and all colored participants won the competition.
Yellow denotes the winner as chosen with a community poll, with similar rules as above.
Composition Challenge #1
| There were a ton of great submissions, so picking a single winner is really difficult. Thankfully, this is my contest, so I can do whatever I want |
| — Destiny |
Winners
| Participant | Entry | Destiny's Comment (if provided) |
|---|---|---|
| cparsons | ENTRY | I really like the guitar playing in this arrangement. I wish there was more contrast between the two sections (something I really wanted to hear), but regardless of that, the guitar playing sounds really slick in this. The piano highlights and the little guitar licks add enough to keep it interesting throughout the entire thing as well. |
| Vincent Pavone | ENTRY | This arrangement is so cool. Incredibly polished, and very well arranged. The piano arrangement is very tasteful, and actually holds true to the example I originally put forth, but the build-up around the piano (with the arrangement of the individual strings) and the small flourishes make this sound incredibly cool. Not to mention the sick change of chords at 1:09, which was handled incredibly tastefully. |
Notable Submissions
| Participant | Entry | Destiny's Comment (if provided) |
|---|---|---|
| ukdaza | ENTRY | The mastering on this is craaaaaaaaazy loud, pretty much the entire track is non-stop clipping. The drums are also in the incorrect time signature, which leads to them sounding pretty “off” during the entire thing. Those two glaring problems aside, I am absolutely in LOVE with the guitar playing. Easily my favorite musical performance of any of the tracks I listened to. I’m not sure what it is about that crazy, bluesy, emotional, guitar-driven sound, but I’m absolutely in love with that style. A second take for this was provided (at my request/demand), but the guitar still clips a bit. But it’s insanely sick playing. |
| Deramico | ENTRY | This arrangement was done in a more electronic style. I think the composer here has a really nice ear for melody/improvisation, evident from both slow sections. I liked the changing of the melody instrument during the second slow section as well. I think it would have been cool to hear some more contrast between the two sections, not that there isn’t enough already, but perhaps that wouldn’t fit in with the style of this arrangement. Overall, a very slick track. |
| Guan yo | ENTRY | Ahhh, of course, what would a composition contest be without a wubstep submission? That being said, this track is amazingly well polished, goddamn. The drop is nice, and the transition between sections is really sick as well. The rhythm on the second “fast” section changes the pace of everything so much. My only real complaint about this track is the fade-out ending; I would have liked to have heard something a bit more “resolute” to end the song. Otherwise, super sick dubstep arrangement! |
| meetle | ENTRY | The metallic sounding percussion at the beginning sounds a bit out of place, but once the rest of the percussion comes in, it all fits together in an easily digestible way. The strings were handled pretty well, considering how much of a stark contrast there is between them and the percussion. My only complaint about this piece is the use of my playing (the original sample) in the arrangement, instead of re-arranging it, heh. |
| Quincentopolis | ENTRY | Here’s an interesting dance remix. The contrast between the two sections in this one is actually really really amazing. The only complaint is that the piano rhythm seems a tad off during some parts of the song. Other than that, the instrumentation and overall “sound” of the track sounds really dance-able (I think, but I hate dancing, so it’s hard for me to say). |
| NineB | ENTRY | This guitar playing is super sexy. The mastering is a little bit off as the guitar seems to clip a bit, but it’s manageable. The solo section sounds really cool, and the changes in chords were handled well, too. The biggest complaint I have with this is the percussion (bass?) in the song sounds “off”, like it’s in a different key or something. Not sure if it’s intentional not, as it kind of sounds like it could fit. |
| 7th Horizon | ENTRY | This is a chill sounding electronic arrangement, but I don’t think there’s enough similarity between this and the original track to qualify it as a remix or rearrangement, heh. |
| Kasperhhk | ENTRY | This has a super indie/”recorded in my bedroom” kind of vibe going on, but it fits and I think it sounds cool. The guitar playing is a bit rough around some of the edges, but this is a decent attempt using only guitars for an arrangement. |
| Calum Brockie | ENTRY | The instrumentation is amazingly and tastefully varied on this piece. I was happy when I heard the trumpet enter towards the start of the song, and the acoustic guitar finishing the song was perfect. I really enjoyed the syncopated rhythms throughout the song as well. This is an amazingly polished piece, and very mature in regards to how all of the instruments were handled. |
| Klausto | ENTRY | This arrangement is pretty nice, but I’m not a huge fan of the instrumentation. The “hollow” kind of sound is really pervasive throughout the entire piece. Interesting take on the more spare areas of the piano in the middle/ending section, though. |
| bugofwrath | ENTRY | This guy actually submitted three separate versions, with the first two in the original key, and the third in Eb, but he said his favorite was the third, so I went with that one. To be honest, the piano playing on all three versions is really well done. The only thing I could have asked for is a larger contrast between the “fast/slow” sections and a little bit of a better recording. Otherwise, the piano playing was really enjoyable to listen to. |
Composition Challenge #2
| When I was going through these pieces, the key thing I started to look for were pieces that sounded like they could stand on their own as songs. This one definitely could, and the level of recording/play of the guitars + the wonderful and amazing addition of the accordion pushed this one over the edge for me. There were about 4 other pieces that all could have been here, but this one takes the cake for me. |
| — Destiny |
Winner
| Participant | Entry | Destiny's Comment (if provided) |
|---|---|---|
| cparsons | ENTRY | Cparsons actually submitted one of the two winning tracks from the last challenge, so it’s nice to see him return with another track with some more amazing guitar playing. As before, the guitar playing is super sweet and super tasteful. The transition to and from the minor/middle section is handled tastefully, though I would have liked to see a bit of a difference in texture here compared to the before and after – maybe the piano that’s introduced here could have been utilized a bit more? The accordion also sounds delicious as well! |
Notable Submissions
| Participant | Entry | Destiny's Comment (if provided) |
|---|---|---|
| ukdaza | ENTRY | Really cool to see another submission from ukdaza. The mastering of this trick is significantly improved over the mastering of the previous submission as well. Even though there’s not much here in regards to rearranging the original idea, there’s still a ton of awesome improvisation going on here. |
| Mr. Goodmorning | ENTRY | Tons of instruments in this arrangement, and a surprising electric guitar at the end makes this a really varied arrangement. I really enjoyed the different textures scored in, but I wish that this piece had more cohesion and direction. Maybe if it lasted a bit longer and each section was given a bit more time to build, it would have helped with the overall sound of the piece. |
| DrumurBoy | ENTRY | This arrangement is incredibly sweet. The slight alterations in the chordal structure really add a ton of kick to the progression. The tracking on the drums was very sick as well (the ride pattern on the symbol so groovy!), and I’m a sucker for well processed drums. The only complaint I could possibly have with this was that it was too short! |
| Bass Race Music | ENTRY | The atmosphere created in the first minute or so of this lead to something quite…unexpected. I like the transition in that it’s unexpected, but I feel like it didn’t relate much to the initial section. I also wish that the piece would have had a bit more expansion on both the initial and ladder parts. Both of them sounded okay on their own, though, but I really wish the two parts felt less disjointed. |
| Fr0z3nFL4mE | ENTRY | This is definitely a “safe” arrangement, insofar as nothing ventured too far from the source material, but it’s a very solid arrangement with some piano playing behind it. I enjoyed listening to this being fleshed out as much as it was, though I might have wanted to see a little bit more experimentation with the arrangement. Overall, though, a solid piece. |
| kasperhhk | ENTRY | This is a pretty “loose” interpretation of the source material, but I’ll let it slide in because, well, the more the merrier! I think that there are interesting ideas here, but the arranger would greatly benefit from becoming more familiar with whatever DAW he’s using. The midi instruments sound very flat and dead, and the lack of dynamics between any of the instruments gives the entire arrangement a pretty “flat” sound, in my opinion. |
| rising_son | ENTRY | I like the way that the arranger handled the different instruments here, but I wish it would have gone on longer to hear some development for the second section. The volume on this was really quiet, too, and the abrupt ending was disappointing. |
| Alexander Kolonelos | ENTRY | I like that this one strays pretty far from the original, but at the same time it’s really hard for me to hear any of the original at all in this, heh. That being said, the chords used during the more spare sections towards the start sound really nice, and the piano motif introduced at 0:53 sounds really cool as well. |
| Nuoska | ENTRY | This arrangement deviates from the original in an amazingly awesome way. The combination of electronic/acoustic instruments is handled really well, too! The pizzicato strings in the second half are amazing! The instrumentation that follows afterwards is also really cool. Overall, a really adventurous and well handled submission. The only complaint I’d have is the sudden ending! |
| OutsetReset | ENTRY | I like the 8-bit feel to this, even if it does get a bit reptitive. Everything sounds nicely put together, surprisingly, considering how awkward it might seem to throw an acoustic guitar in here. I wish there was more variety as the verses repeat themselves, though. |
| JayTea O _o | ENTRY | I like that even though the instrumentaiton is relatively simple, all of the parts seem to be really well thought out. There’s not much in regards to straying from the original, which works fine in this case because everything is handled so well within this piece. The only thing I could have possibly asked for is to have a bit more of the am->Bb section. Regardless, very nice scoring in this! |
| Eshystie | ENTRY | I like that even though the instrumentation is relatively simple, all of the parts seem to be really well thought out. There’s not much in regards to straying from the original, which works fine in this case because everything is handled so well within this piece. The only thing I could have possibly asked for is to have a bit more of the am->Bb section. Regardless, very nice scoring in this! |
| Tao S | ENTRY | This arrangement is probably one of the more interesting/out there electronic arrangements. I’m not a huge fan of the dancey “untz untz untz” arrangements, but this one seems to handle it well enough. |
Composition Challenge #3
| Alright, I’ve been really pleased with the success of these challenges so far, so I’m going to start offering small cash prizes for my favorite submissions. |
| — Destiny |
Winners
| Participant | Entry | Destiny's Comment (if provided) |
|---|---|---|
| UKDaza | ENTRY | I really like how far UKDaza’s come from his first entry; his mastering has improved, his orchestrating of other instruments has improved, his tracking of the drums and the smoothness of his playing have all improved as well. This particular piece highlights all of those improvements! The intro sets the piece up nicely, with enough interest generated by the synth and drums before the lead guitar comes in. I LOVE the staccato that starts in the guitar at 1:54, highlighting the difference between the AM7-Gm7 part and the Cm part. And the Phantom of the Opera quote at 2:27? Such an awesome way to incorporate that into the piece, along with some more awesome guitar playing over the top.
All in all, I really really love the tone UKDaza sets with his style of play/improvisation. I hope he can continue with his composition/arrangement skills as well! |
| cparsons | ENTRY | Picking 2nd place was really, really hard. There were easily 4-5 different songs that could have taken 2nd, but I ultimately decided on giving it to cparsons. The atmosphere of the pieces he’s sent in have exceeded all others. There’s just not matching how laid back and chill his songs sound. The ostinato pattern works really well to maintain the mood throughout the entire song. The guitar playing, as always, is sublime, perfectly matching the tone of the piece and playing well off of the vibraphone in the and the drumset in the background. |