*** January Scale Challenge ***

[clouseau]

*** Scale Challenge ***

Dear members of the Pianostreet community,

The big moment has come. The Scale Challenge, which everyone has been waiting for, for so long,
is up and running! The concept is simple:

1) upload a video/audio file playing the scale of the month in the audition room under "January Scale Challenge" (hands together, 4 octaves)

2) Rate the others from 0 (worst) to 10 (best) in the following aspects: 
    a) speed
    b) rhythm
    c) evenness
    d) clarity

3) Each participant is allowed to post one and only one recording per month and has to rate all the
other participants (but not himself) only once. Attention: When the deadline is reached, the participants must have rated all the recordings, otherwise, their entry is not valid.

4) The instrument has to be either an acoustic piano or a digital piano with weighted keys.

5) The deadline is 30th January. The one with the highest average score wins the challenge and is given the honorary title "Scalemaster" of the month.


This is the first Scale Challenge so apologies in advance if not everything goes smoothly. If anyone has any suggestions on how to improve the competition format or wants to help in the organization of the event, please send me a private message. There is and will not be any cheat control, as this competition is exclusively based on the goodwill of the participants. So please, be fair and nice to each other!

Let's start with something comfortable. The key of January is B major. Good Luck!


"The study of scales is more than necessary – it is indispensable. The pedagogical experts
of the world are practically unanimous upon this subject.” -Josef Hofmann

[zxiao9]

Which key?

[clouseau]

Which key?

good point

[beethovenfan01]

Is this four octaves in thirds/sixths/tenths, or contrary motion? Or just unison?

[xdjuicebox]

I didn't know we were waiting for this, but I would love to see what happens!

[clouseau]

Beethovenfan01: just the simplest form, unison (one octave apart) in parallel motion up and down

[tenk]

This is a neat idea, looking forward to the submissions.

[clouseau]

B major

[beethovenfan01]

Here's my best shot. Probably not conservatory standard, but the best I could come up with ...

B Major, 4 Octaves

[beethovenfan01]

B major

I would say 9 out of 10 all around. Maybe you could push it faster, but for what's I got, it's great.

[clouseau]

Beethovenfan01: you should reconsider because if you rate my scale that high, how will you rate someone who plays much better? It is a friendly contest, sure, but your critique should be objective and merciless.

Anyway here is my evaluation of your scale:
I think you have a very good sense of rhythm. However, there are 1 or 2 spots where your hands don't go exactly 100% together

Therefore:

speed: 7/10
rhythm: 9/10
evenness: 8/10
clarity: 8/10

average score: 8

[beethovenfan01]

Okay thanks!

Beethovenfan01: you should reconsider because if you rate my scale that high, how will you rate someone who plays much better? It is a friendly contest, sure, but your critique should be objective and merciless.

Anyway here is my evaluation of your scale:
I think you have a very good sense of rhythm. However, there are 1 or 2 spots where your hands don't go exactly 100% together

Therefore:

speed: 7/10
rhythm: 9/10
evenness: 8/10
clarity: 8/10

average score: 8

Which is why I gave you 9s instead of 10s. I don't have as trained an ear for this sort of thing, so I can't be as specific as you are saying.

Thanks, though!

[clouseau]

I don't have a trained ear either. I just heard your recording several times, considering each aspect separately. But pretty good overall. Let's see if we have more participants... I hate to be number one...out of two

[beethovenfan01]

I don't have a trained ear either. I just heard your recording several times, considering each aspect separately. But pretty good overall. Let's see if we have more participants... I hate to be number one...out of two Grin

LOL, if I really wanted to be mean I guess I could re-rank your scale as being all 1s, but that would be kind of mean. Naw, you're better than me at this. I just hope a few others join in as well.

[iamazombie911]

Why not, lol.

[clouseau]

Hello iamazombie911 and welcome to the Scale Challenge!

Scalewise, you seem to be in good shape as well. Here is my opinion: Your descending scale is very good but ascending you lost some clarity, not all the notes were clearly articulated. Very good overall though

Speed: 8
rhythm: 8
evenness: 8
clarity: 7

AVG: 7.75

[beethovenfan01]

Why not, lol.

Hi iamazombie911,

Pretty good scale. Here's my scoring:

Speed: 8
Rhythm: 5
Evenness: 8
Clarity: 7

Average: 7

I noticed your pulse got off at the beginning--four octaves of sixteenth notes always begin on the beat, reverse on the beat, and end on the beat. Yours didn't quite end on the beat, in part because your hands got off slightly on the way up. Other than that, it was pretty good.

[maitea]

...Seems there is a lot of people following this, but not that many people posting.. Are we all practicing and waiting for the last day to enter?

[clouseau]

Hello everyone,

8 days remaining for the end of the finger-breaking January Scale Challenge!
Post your scale, rate the others, become a true and respected Scalemaster!

iamazombie911, just reminding that you have to rate the other participants as well, in order for your submission to be valid.

maitea if everyone waits for the others to post first, nobody will post in the end 

[iamazombie911]

closeau: 8, Nice and even
beethovenfan01: 7.5, I like the energy

[d_b_christopher]

This is an amazing idea, encouraging people to learn some scales!

Please find my submission below:

I encourage everyone to enter even if it is not fluent if only to get feedback.

Do not shy away from failure or criticism, that is how we improve.

Keep them coming ladies and gentlemen.

PS:

Feel free to rate my post, I will not rate others because I am not competing; however, the challenge is stimulating.

[maitea]

A student didn't show up.. so I'm using my time efficiently Sorry piano is neither good nor recently tuned..

[beethovenfan01]

This is an amazing idea, encouraging people to learn some scales!

Please find my submission below:

I encourage everyone to enter even if it is not fluent if only to get feedback.

Do not shy away from failure or criticism, that is how we improve.

Keep them coming ladies and gentlemen.

PS:

Feel free to rate my post, I will not rate others because I am not competing; however, the challenge is stimulating.

I liked it! The hands came apart a little at the top (I have the same problem), but it was very nice, and the cadence was a nice touch also.

Speed: 7
Rhythm: 8
Evenness: 8
Clarity: 7

Average--7.5

[beethovenfan01]

A student didn't show up.. so I'm using my time efficiently Sorry piano is neither good nor recently tuned..

Very nice!

Speed: 9
Rhythm: 9
Evenness: 9
Clarity: 8

Average: 8.75

[clouseau]

Hello d_b_christopher and thanks for your kind words,

of course, there is no problem to post your scale without competing.
I would encourage however to do so, as my guess is that the others would appreciate your feedback as well. After all, it is not so much about who is first or who is better than somebody else, but how to help each other improve our scales by means of constructive criticism.

in any case, good job with the scale:
You too have a steady pulse

speed: 8
rhythm: 9
Evenness: 9
clarity: 8

AVG: 8.5

[clouseau]

Hello maitea and welcome to the challenge,

good job with the tempo and evenness!
I think you could improve your rhythm a bit, as you start ok but then speed up

speed: 9
rhythm: 8
evenness:9
clarity: 8

avg: 8.5

[clouseau]

Dear Pianostreet members,

Just reminding you that the January Scale Challenge is ending on the 31st January.

Post your recording in case you haven't. We desperately need more participants!

If you have already posted a recording, please remember to rate all the others as well, in order to compete for the "Scalemaster" title. Another option you have is to just post your scale, without taking part in the challenge and receive some feedback.

rendezvous in two days!

[maitea]

B major

    a) speed 7, it begins faster and then settles into a slower tempo
    b) rhythm 8
    c) evenness 7
    d) clarity 7.5

Total: 7.4

[maitea]

Here's my best shot. Probably not conservatory standard, but the best I could come up with ...

B Major, 4 Octaves

    a) speed 7.5
    b) rhythm 7.5
    c) evenness 7
    d) clarity 8

Total 7.5

[maitea]

Why not, lol.

    a) speed 8.5
    b) rhythm 7, it "deflates" at the end
    c) evenness 8.5
    d) clarity 8

Total 8

[clouseau]

Dear inhabitants of the 88th dimension,

The time has come to announce the winner of the Scale Challenge. But first things first. Congratulations to everyone for participating and supporting this new event(competitively or not). Maybe the participants were not too many, but that was not an obstacle to exchange opinions and listen carefully to this charming order of pitches, this solid foundation of all music, this composition that is so perfect and complete in itself, that it could not possibly be human: the scale.

The valid submissions for the January Challenge came from three members:

beethovenfan01
clouseau
maitea

The average ratings have been calculated and are as follows:

Maitea: 8.625 points
Clouseau:  8.2 points
Beethovenfan: 7.75 points

Therefore, the Scalemaster of January 2018, is...

<drumroll>

Maaaiteaaaaaa!

<fireworks>

Congratulations on this achievement!

You are being awarded the honorary title "Scalemaster of January 2018" as well as "Scalemaster of B major"! The first title is permanent, the second could be challenged in the future, in case somebody scores higher on the same scale (if it is proposed again)

Maitea, being the winner of the scale Challenge, you have the right to choose the scale of February. It can be any major, minor (natural/harmonic/melodic) scale or mode. Just post your decision and we can proceed to the challenge of February.


Honorary mentions
------------------

beethovenfan01 for being the first participant (other than the organizer) and showing a lot of engagement

d_b_Christopher for promoting the Scale Challenge


Let's enjoy all the scales of January one more time! (see attachment)

[maitea]

Awesome! What about Ab Major to increase difficulty gradually?