Z-I-v Summer Contest 2016

Yes, it is called key change, but for the purposes of my post, I'm trying to explain one way of being able to tell when it happens and what hints to look for. A change in pitch is one of those things.

Since it goes up by 1 tone during the key change, perhaps it goes from two sharps to four.

---

...oh my goodness. It feels weird having a hand in the official themes.

I'll take it though! I got something I've been meaning to send since Mid Speed that'll fit right in.

If anyone is personally unsure, they can send ddrstepper or I the song and get the greenlight if it's good to go.

Oh yeah, also, as the designer of the theme, I should clarify that I'm going to be listening to every song submitted, comparing them to versions online, and making sure no one's adding artificial changes via any audio programs. Unless it's an original (for instance if DJXYZ composed something himself), please don't do this. I personally consider it cheesing the theme.

I've seen a lot of Eurovision.

This is MY week.

---

It switches to Eb or Ab major, it did come from A or D major. I never noticed that keychange, it doesnt seem as obvious as it should be.
A very good example of a Key change is +♂ from Neko96 which switches from Fmaj to Db major and its very obvious as the beginning is different from 2:50. So to easily explain it a if a song's chorus sounds higher its a key change.

...I'd stick to "the pitch/tone goes up". Keep it nicely in layman's terms - no need to confuse anybody further. NewbStepper's examples are more helpful than terminology, anyway.

POSSESSION actually goes from A minor to C minor (0 sharps to, uh, 9 sharps).
Plus Boy changes key from D minor to D# minor, which is a much more common step.

---

[rant]

Yeah, cool thing that you guys know all this stuff but you can stop bragging around and I still have no idea how to search for my song. All the other themes included either song name, BPM or particular stepping styles while this goes much beyond simming stuff. All the other themes were something that absolutely everyone could participate in.

I absolutely despise this theme and how it was announced. I just hope that the song that I will be blindly picking will have this "pitch change / key change / modulation" thing. I don't have time to be sending songs to people who may or may not respond to me because we already seen that topic was posted quite a few hours after the time it should be posted and I have just two days to finish the file.

[/rant]

"you can stop bragging around"

No one is.

"I have no idea how to search for my song"

Listen to music you like. See if any of them have a key change.

"All the other themes included either song name, BPM or particular stepping styles"

You make that sound like a really boring thing when you say it like that...

"All the other themes were something that absolutely everyone could participate in."

Gimmick Week says hello, and it wants your lunch money.

---

I have quite different view on this, full paragraphs of showing "hey I know what this is".

The problem is - I don't still understand what the hell is this key change / pitch change / modulation. Those examples show me different fragments of song which don't tell me much.

You know that bit in every Eurovision song ever when the music 'goes up a gear'?

That. Not in its speed, the notes actually go higher.

---

Take the POSSESSION example again. Notice how at 1:13, the notes are patterned the same for the most part, but the pitch is raised (and no, not nightcore-like). That is the most rudimentary explanation of a key change I can give.

---

Lisek, I am very sorry that you don't like the theme.

I wasn't expecting this to be picked and I'm honestly rather shaky about it. It was just an idea I had to compliment Mid Speed's focus on the BPM. I was certain something else much better or original from ddrstepper would've been chosen.

To perhaps help you, here are some simfiles that I know of you have made that would fit the theme.

*Ronron e rairairai!. In the music cut, the entire section from 0:14-1:03 is different from the rest of the song in one particular way.
*Chururi Chururira. 0:02-0:38 is different from the rest of the song.
*Jordan. The song changes at 0:24, 1:02, and 1:10.

I'm still up for listening to song cuts to make sure they work. If neither I nor ddrstepper are on, your best bet would be NewbStepper as he seems to also have an understanding on this topic and was on when I was asleep, when I couldn't clear up the big confusion by a majority of you.

Again, I'm very sorry for the difficult theme and the little time you have to make a simfile. I believe in you, though. I know you can come up with something good.

I need to get my Keyboard to see that for Possession.
I use Major because its easier for people to understand.
C minor is three flats btw.)

Hey, Lisek, if BEMANI is your primary musical experience, surely you remember this track. Notice that thing the song does around 3:25? That's a key change.

Also, if you still don't get it, allow me to present you with Key Change: the Song. Every time the costumes and lighting change, it's a key change.

i genuinely don't get how someone can be in the rhythm game scene for so long and not eventually pick up on basic music tropes
one of the easiest basic music tropes to pick up on at that
click here and you'll eventually get it

---

Stole my idea of an example. That song is really full of itself with how many times it changes key signatures. Not stepping it though
"Actually, POSSESSION goes from A minor (0 flats/sharps) to C# minor (4 sharps). Perfect pitch FTW
I have a self-composed song, in MIDI... It's time to R-R-R-R--RRREEEEMIX!
Actually, I was just commisioned for a different piece. I'll be too busy for that. There's bound to be something out there though...

---

I know I'm not a part of this contest, but if any of you even think about taking a song and pitching up a section into a different key with Audacity, I will hunt you down and gut you like the fish you are.
Best of luck to everyone this round!

---

Because rhythm games focus entirely on your . . . uh . . . rhythm?

Also, all that I've seen in the thread so far are examples of key changes but no concrete definition of it that is easy to understand and doesn't use any musical terms at all. If someone is able to do that, great, but I can't think of anything at all, even though I know a good amount of music theory myself. I mean, if we need more than a page of discussion explaining what to do, what does that say about the theme?

---

heavy sigh

Didn't know music had nothing to do with simfiles. Neato.

I don't think it says anything about the theme quite like it does the simfiling community right now...

---

*Cosmos. 0:12-0:40 and 0:40-0:51 are different from the rest of the song.
*Dong Saya Dae. How else, other than the different genre, is 1:17 onwards different from the rest of the song?

I'd post more, but uh... those two seem to be the only simfile of yours I've played that has this trait. Just also examine the examples I posted to Lisek. You'll have to notice what all five of these songs have in common.

^ this this this.

Anyways, I have been searching for nearly FOUR HOURS and still didn't find a SINGLE SONG that fits this theme. I may just not be able to hear this. I searched for lists that contain "songs with key changes" but what I mostly get is 80s rock which wouldn't really work in StepMania.

https://www.reddit.com/r/Music/comments/2wjwoe/what_song_has_your_favorite_key_change_moment/
http://www.avclub.com/article/can-you-take-me-high-enough-24-songs-pivotal-key-c-216699

And I still have no slightest idea how I can change if song really has this "key change". I can't check this in audio editing programme, I cannot search for the info on the song, nothing.