When I play with the song's time signature / measure, I usually do so in such a way so that it still maps in some consistent way to the original measure: I might just shift every measure over a couple of beats so that my measure run from beats 3 through 2 of the originals, or I might slow down the original but cram in 3 measures for every two, etc. That way, any melodic motif I come up with can actually be repeated, because the notes will fall in an unusual but consistent way within the original score that determines each note; it also means that I can map to some alteration of the original chord progression, rather than giving that up to randomness. That's what I did with my latest one, Chariots of Fire; that little repeating melodic bit on the violin is only possible by shifting the measures that way.

If I try just leaving the original behind completely and not mapping to it in any consistent way, it's more difficult to establish some sort of continuity, etc. But that's just my way of doing it; I believe Chicken is interested in going a bit further away from the original.

Also: Kid A, your newest recording is wonderful; once again you've teased out a very nice pattern from the chord arpeggio, and the percussion is incredible. Regarding Videotape, I do greatly enjoy the Basement version (that entire concert is fantastic), and it does make me more amenable to the album cut the more I listen to it... I still feel like something was lost from the live version, particularly where I want it to pick up a bit at the end instead of just trailing off. But I look forward to seeing you try something with it--those rolls would be pretty tough in this game.

(By the way, Kid A, you're supposed to pick which version of that song I keep--the one with the drum set or the one with just the big bass drum. Probably the latter is better... but I might try a third variation eventually.)

I haven't started a new song yet, but when I rented it, my first two songs somehow managed to be happy accidents, and nothing else I tried afterwards for the remainder of the rental period managed to be half as good. The game probably was not intended to have the songs broken to our will in this way (well, in the way Chicken does, and I try to emulate), so it can be hard to control the results. When you do get a good end product though, it's worth all the desperate waggling.

I added you to my Wii friends, by the way, Kid A. I think we both have to log into Wii Music before we can send videos though, so I'll have to send you some later on. Hopefully I'll have something new to show by then, too, though I have approximately a bazillion games to play right now (mostly VC), so no telling.

There is that, yes, but there's also the fact that you're probably much, much, much more musically-minded than I am. When I learned to play (first guitar, then piano, with harmonica, ocarina, and a few other oddities somewhere in between) I could only ever learn "by ear." Books didn't help, tutors didn't help, even a college course didn't help. I just don't have a mind for theory, and I end up getting frustrated.

I do just fine on my own (nothing brilliant, but always serviceable at least), but I don't have the vocabulary or the theory to get any further than that. And I think it shows in our compositions here, Wario...mine is all seat-of-the-pants, laid-back groove stuff, and yours has an obvious and deliberate structure.

We're like Felix and Oscar, only we don't live together, and we play too many video games.

You and BB King. The best part of U2's Rattle and Hum is when they're talking with BB backstage before going out to play When Love Came to Town and they're talking about keys and such and he tells them he can't read music so just play and he'll come in as needed to which they look at him with stunned expressions!

I do love music theory--the downside is indeed that I have never felt that I'm all that good with pure originality, ie. I can only achieve anything interesting when I'm explicitly thinking about the structure and other matters. Back when I used to play guitar or keyboard with others more (even fiery electric guitar with friends back in undergrad, something I left behind ages ago), I could come up with some great lines technically but I could never just close my eyes and play, instead it was always a matter of racing thoughts almost like a puzzle game... "oh, the next chord is a hinge to switch the emphasis back to the relative minor, so I should run through notes X and Y" and so forth. That works great for analysis, but in performance you can only get so far without the fundamental creative spark or melodic gift.

Also, we already have a QFT for Adam's remark about experimenting with Philzo cheerleaders... but this is QFT2, if you ask me:

We're like Felix and Oscar, only we don't live together, and we play too many video games.

@Wario
I like your Chariots of Fire with the balance board drums the most.The percussion in that one is much more interesting IMO.

Thanks, I felt like there was something worthwhile in those drums, but I also agreed with Adam's remarks that it doesn't quite fit. I think what I need to do is rerecord the balance board drums (maybe at a slowed speed this time) and correct the little errors, perhaps also change up the pattern a bit for the second half so that it meshes better; and then maybe I'll keep both versions for now, even though that violates my usual rule for myself.

Actually, the thing that I liked about that recording the most is that your percussion had a really odd tempo that still complimented the song. It reminded me of the percussion in Pyramid Song.

Oh, and I did a new video of Please Mr. Postman--it tuned out quite good.I sent it to all. Just make sure you listen to the whole thing because my electric guitar riff at the end really brings the song together.

The emergence of the drums in Pyramid song is a favorite Radiohead moment of mine. I do see the parallel, because what's really happening in Pyramid song is this: Thom's piano chords are actually against an ordinary 4/4 meter the entire time, but they're so syncopated that it makes it feel like a completely different rhythm with odd measure lengths. At first, the drums follow that odd rhythm for a couple bars, then they switch over the 4/4 that's been behind the song's structure the entire time, and it's sort of disorienting to the ear at first, but after a moment it makes perfect sense, bringing the whole thing together. In my recording, I have that trumpet enter the mix on an odd rhythm of sets of 3 beats that overlap unevenly with the backdrop, and I also have the drums follow the deceptive trumpet for a couple measures before switching back to the song's real meter. I still think I should rerecord it, if only to tighten up a couple places where my drums are slightly off, but I'm glad you made that connection, because I think it was in the back of my mind when playing it.

I'll have to listen to that Postman this 'eve.

If you sent anything to me, Kid A, I didn't get it, though maybe you sent it before Wii Music had added us -- I don't know precisely when it added us, since I noticed we were added long before on the system friends list.

I'm about to send a song to everyone. It's not good, but I just feel like sending a song to celebrate my Wii Music purchase. So deal with it.

@Adam Yeah I sent it out before we were registered, but I just recieved a message confirming our registration so we should be good to go. I'll get on to tonight and send you some of my greatest hits

The Videotape thing I'm trying to do really isn't working out. I might scrap the idea until I get better with the balance board.

hi guys, just few words. I'm going in holiday and i will back in september. I listened all the videos you sent me and they're all good. So, i thought it was a good thing to send you a mario bros delirious. See you in september

@Kid_A: I'd really like to hear your Radiohead songs on Wii Music.
Can you send them to me? What is your Wii code?
Mine is: 0241-8869-3453-7321
I add you as soon as I have your code.

First of all, I just have to give mad props to Metroid, who's Frere Jaque (spelling error) was one of the best Wii Music Vids I've heard.

@SKTTR: I don't really have any Radiohead songs on Wii Music. I have a couple songs that I've used Radiohead Mii's for, and a couple failed attempts at doing Radiohead-inspired songs, but nothing I'd feel comfortable sending lol. I'll send you some vids if you want though! But they won't be very Radiohead-ish. My code is either on page 21 or 20.

Radiohead is my all time favorite band, so I'm never really satisfied with anything I try to do on this game that copies them. I feel like I'm not doing them justice, you know what I mean?

@Kid_A

That Frere Jacques, if I'm thinking of the same one I got (this one) is from WassiJames, the genius behind some of the most incredible Wii Music videos out there (check out the others on his page). I shared videos with Wassi for a while myself, although he hasn't sent me any new ones for some time. I'm guessing Metroid passed it on to show us the great work that's being done out there, beyond our little group (though I think we have a pretty great concentration of talent on this board ).

@SKTTR

Hey! I'm insulted! Not really... but I am also a huge Radiohead fan who plans on bringing some creations to life using their music as inspiration. My FC is in my sig if you do want to add me; but as Kid A noted, the best one can do is create Radiohead inspired pieces, so don't expect Pyramid Song to come through (although that's the one I'm currently wanting to play off of, if I can only pull it off before Kid A shows me up by creating a Videotape masterpiece!).

Gah! Now I feel pressured to make this Videotape thing! But I think I've finally figured out a way to do the drum rolls. I'll do a basic bass-petal beat on the balance board drums, with some snare rolls thrown in, and on top of that I'll take that big standing drum thing (the one where if you hold A your Mii yells "YU!") and do some clicks and rolls with that. I'm just trying to figure out with song I should do the piano chord with. Any suggestions?

@Kid_A

The pressure was intended, because I want to hear it! But as far as picking the right song, that's something I'm currently trying to figure out as well for Pyramid Song, which has such a bizarre harmonic rhythm that I actually made a chart of how it would fall against a standard meter, and then am trying to figure out what song would work, with some beat offset, so that they chords would fall more or less in the right places.

Videotape would also be difficult if you tried to mimic the chord pattern, because it's basically structured so that the harmonic progression repeats over 3 measures instead of four. I doubt that any of the songs in Wii Music would match that without some tricky computations. Then again, to do a good clone of the general feel of the song and its drums, you certainly don't have to carry over the 3-measures bit, so I guess what you're looking for is just something that has the same general feel to its harmony. That's a good question; I'd have to think about the tracklist.

Yeah, I don't need to do the same chord progression, I just want to capture the feeling of the song (which reminds me, I have to make Phil Selway and Jonny Greenwood Mii's). I'm thinking probably swan lake, because it's a pretty dark song.

Phil and Johnny? So do you already have a good Thom? I need to search for him and see if anyone has managed it well yet.

I think I put my Thom on the Check Mii Out Channel. I've got a good Thom and Colin. Ed is impossible. But back in the Kid A days he had a ponytail so I just made a dude with a big stupid grin and a ponytail. It kind of works.

Wait, I just realized, I could send you Thom, couldn't I? Yeah I'll do that later. I've worked out a pretty good idea for this Videotape thing, so after my sister is done playing Resort I'll give it a go!