Composing Short Pieces Using A Theme By Danjtitchener

That's a possibility also. Any votes for Aquatunic's idea?

I don't know how to use that thing, but it looks alright. 

Well someone has to input all of our names into the box under the random name generator. At which point that person will generate a random name using the handy dandy button provided and assigning it to someone participating in the challenge. We assign the names generated to participants in order of who posted their themes first to last. Each time a name gets pulled up by the selector, it should be removed form the list.

Example: Christian lists the participants on a sheet of paper in order of who posted their themes first. He then plugs all the names into the box labeled 'Students' on the website. Then he generates a random name using the 'Go' button and assigns that name to the first person on the list, which would be Danish. If Danish get's JFTFT's name, then he must use that theme.

This complex and laborious process will repeat until everyone has been assigned the name of the person whose theme they will work with. The person we entrust this task with will then post the results in this thread. It need not be Christian, as I only used him as a random example. But someone must do it and we'll just trust that whoever does it is actually doing it right and not playing a mean prank on us by giving us the themes we are least suited to work with (Example: Giving me Christian's theme on purpose and not as a result of chance would be disastrous for me).

Any volunteers for this tremendous burden? You needn't take it upon yourself if you fear the trials... Let him not vow to walk in darkness who has not seen the night  :shiftyninja:

Oh just for convenience, here is the link that Aquatunic posted: https://www.teachsta...-name-selector/

This has gotten so complicated!  Why not just put someone in charge of pulling them from a hat and letting us all know?

This has gotten so complicated!  Why not just put someone in charge of pulling them from a hat and letting us all know?

Also a great idea. I'm with Pateceramics, lets just pull names from a hat.

Anyway, this is my entry http://www.youngcomposers.com/music/listen/7224/%2216%22%20Bar%20Challenge it's not really 16 bars because it's an old piece that i didn't know what to do with and just left it unfinished to rot in the deepest pits of my file folders.

Lol I'll do it (or attempt to), but we need to have a concrete deadline so we can get all the stragglers in. I say by tomorrow night...fair?

Haha! I guess pate is right. Danish can pull names out of a hat since he has volunteered. It's virtually the same thing only a bit less complicated. Tomorrow night is a fine choice. Lord knows that we're already 6 days past the original deadline :P

Alright. Tomorrow (1/23) night, 10 PM EST. I'll hopefully post the "results" shortly afterwards.

If anyone's still waiting for any theme from me, I'll need at least until Saturday, since I won't be able to write it down before then.

It's not as easy as pulling names out of a hat. There will be two names, the name of the theme's author and the name of the composer who will work on that theme. So there have to be two hats out of each of which names have to be pulled for a first pairing (let's say theme-composer in hat 1, and theme-user in hat 2). Then (after all the names have been put back in the two hats) there has to be a 2nd instance of pulling names out of the two hats for a 2nd pairing (theme-user in hat 1, and theme-composer in hat 2). Also, should the names from both hats come out the same, the puller has to put them back and pull again.

Nonsense! All Danish has to do is use one hat. He can just make a list of who is participating and as he pulls out the random names he can assign that name to whoever is next on the list. If for some reason, the name pulled out turns out to be the name of the person who is next on the list, it's a quick fix. He can just assign that theme to the next person instead or just put it back in and draw again. Although 2 hats is a viable option, it doesn't seem necessary. This is easy-peasy stuff :D

Also, I have no objection to extending the deadline just one more day for Austenite. He had already stated his desire to participate before we decided the deadline. But how does everyone else feel about it?

Yes, I just realized that a 2nd instance of pulling names would be redundant. But two hats might be used. Or your idea of using a list instead of the 2nd hat. But the two hat solution would ensure that there is the least human interference possible in the pairings.

You know what would be PERFECT for this name-picking problem? An online "Secret santa" generator web site!!

Here's one: https://www.drawnames.com/secret-santa-generator.

We just need to add names and e-mails, the site will pick all the names and distribute them (in a way that no one will pick his own name) and send us secretly via e-mail. Then, everyone will have the theme to work on and it will remain secret until the composer post it here. What do you think? It's not complicated and it's quite impartial. I can do it. I just need everyone's e-mail ^^

I like that idea. It adds an element of secrecy and that always makes things more fun! What say the others?

I'm ok with Christian's suggestion (seriously we're making this more complicated than it needs to be, lol). And I'm ok with extending the deadline...one last time...to tomorrow night, though I think we can start randomizing and assigning themes now.

Yeah the Secret Santa website does everything we want in sorting without all the mess. 

bmichaelrodgers@gmail.com

Also okay with starting to assign themes, I think we have 8 so far? We could do 5 now and 4 later or something.

edit: Alright, I can't believe I'm adding to this issue...but I have another way.

http://namedrawing.com/

Basically the same Secret Santa idea without needing emails. I could post a screenshot of the results like this

If proof of non-bias is needed: here

Additionally, we could do all the swapping at once and keep the deadline today, with Austenite included in the swapping.

I don't get the point of this anymore, but... is there an oppurtunity for me to make polyphonic settings of other people's themes at all?

That hat thing is looking more and more appealing by the minute, lol. Well I really really really really wanted the whole secret surprise thing but since this is getting so darn complicated and I'm not sure if collecting everyone's emails in a timely fashion is practical... we could just go back to the hat thing with Danish...  :veryunsure:

"All I wanted was for us to enjoy this challenge in the most amusing way possible and it just turned into a soggy mess :sadtears: "

*gives up on life and starts making electronic music*

*months later, releases EP about space sharks*

Ok so I'm just going to randomize assignments based on one of the methods provided (probably not the email one), since I feel like its going to take forever for a consensus on how we assign themes to one another. I'm going to add in Rob's name to the random drawing and hopefully he'll have something for us tomorrow. I'll post the results of the drawing momentarily. 

All right, randomizing done! Here are the results:

Aquatunic will work on JFTF's theme

Luder will work on Pater's theme

Christian will work on Austenite's theme

Pater will work on Danish's theme 

Danish will work on Dan's theme

Dan will work on KJ's theme

JFTF will work on Christian's theme

KJ will work on Luder's theme

Austenite will work on Aqua's theme

We can hash out the deadline details later. I'm also guessing there are no rules regarding instrumentation, but I think we should keep the length at most 10 minutes. 

Sounds good! And I'm pretty well pleased with how it turned out! I get Ludey's theme and Dan get's mine :D

Plenty okay with this, I can't wait to hear everyone's themes!

Gonna get crackin'!

Good! I did like KJ's theme :)

I will upload a more naked version of my theme tomorrow, but I think I will leave it partly clothed in classical harmony, for decency's sake.
:P

Perfect! I'll just sit and wait for Austenite's theme^^  :musicwhistle:

Just one thing: I think we could save this "secret santa" method for the next challenge, because it would be interesting to maintain the mystery about who picked our themes. We should be able to collect everybody's email until the next challenge (we don't even know when it's going to happen!).