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Topic ClosedMinimum Length For An Epic
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Poll Question: How short can an epic be?
Poll Choice Votes Poll Statistics
5 [5.88%]
3 [3.53%]
3 [3.53%]
11 [12.94%]
11 [12.94%]
18 [21.18%]
1 [1.18%]
5 [5.88%]
2 [2.35%]
2 [2.35%]
24 [28.24%]
This topic is closed, no new votes accepted

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Reed Lover View Drop Down
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Points: 5187 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: December 21 2004 at 18:47
Originally posted by richardh richardh wrote:

22 minutes and 54 seconds is the perfect length for an epic

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Walking across the sitting room.....

.......doing an improbable trick with the Tv off-switch eh Cert?Wink



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Points: 5187 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: December 21 2004 at 18:56
Originally posted by maani maani wrote:

All:

Swinton seems to be going in the right direction by suggesting that the word "epic" needs definition (sort of like "prog"...).  However, it can also be looked at from the opposite direction.

If 9 minutes - or even 15 minutes - is "epic," then what word (other than "masterpiece"...) do we use to describe compositions like "Supper's Ready," "Thick as a Brick," "Zarathustra," or any other 20-minute+ composition?

Conversely, if we describe those (properly, in my opinion) as "epics," then we need another word to describe the compositions offered thus far.

Peace.

Conventionally "epic" refers to being "grand in scale" not just "length".

By-tor and the Snow Dog has an "epic" feel to it but it is only 8 minutes long.

One wouldnt want to start using "Progressive Rock Opera" for a composition such as  "Supper's Ready" because that would sound silly, but it is not far from the truth.

Magnum Opus?

Confused



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tuxon View Drop Down
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Points: 5502 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: December 21 2004 at 19:09
ep·ic   Audio pronunciation of "epic" ( P )  Pronunciation Key  (pk)
n.
  1. An extended narrative poem in elevated or dignified language, celebrating the feats of a legendary or traditional hero.
  2. A literary or dramatic composition that resembles an extended narrative poem celebrating heroic feats.
  3. A series of events considered appropriate to an epic: the epic of the Old West.

 

IMO epic has nothing to do with the length of the song, but with the story that's been told. Some stories can be told in three minutes, but most stories need more time to develop.

 
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Points: 1835 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: December 21 2004 at 19:20

Reed Lover wrote: ".......doing an improbable trick with the Tv off-switch eh Cert?"

It's called "historical present tense" or "dramatic present tense" and, whilst it bothers Certif1ed, is quite commonly used in literature and there is nothing wrong with it, grammatically speaking.

 

 
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Points: 41 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: December 21 2004 at 21:34
I would say 9 or 10 minutes as a minimum.
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Eddy View Drop Down
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Points: 637 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: December 21 2004 at 22:11
i think this is a silly post.
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Arioch View Drop Down
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Points: 169 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: December 21 2004 at 22:18

I say 79 minutes and 3 seconds....everything else is too short.

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Peter View Drop Down
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Points: 9669 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: December 22 2004 at 02:27
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Points: 67 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: December 22 2004 at 03:56

getting up in the morning is quite epic........

 

 

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Points: 854 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: December 22 2004 at 04:02
Originally posted by headboy headboy wrote:

getting up in the morning is quite epic........

so? >15 min?

btw, i like psychedelic breakfasts ...

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Points: 67 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: December 22 2004 at 05:37

nah....longer!

       

yes, quite yummy aren't they...     

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Points: 166183 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 23 2005 at 18:22
I think to be defined as an epic it has to be long, the shortest being around 15 min. Not saying that shorter songs are not epic worthy, thier just not epics. A good example would be GG- Nothing at all. A great song with epic qualities, but i feel it is too short to be a true epic.
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Tristan Mulders View Drop Down
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Points: 1723 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 24 2005 at 11:43
It depends on the song we're talking about, but I find 10 min to be the minimum, although most epics I know are around the 15min mark.
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Points: 366 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 24 2005 at 15:04
I wouldn't say epic has anything to do with length. It has to have several sections and at least one climax. That makes "Can Utility and the Coastliners" a definite epic, so I'll say 5 minutes (It could possibly be even shorter).
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nacho View Drop Down
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Points: 521 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 24 2005 at 15:09

SIZE DOESN'T REALLY MATTERS!!!

 

Does it?

 
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Points: 10616 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 24 2005 at 15:29

All my " epics", from Genesis, Yes, ELP, U.K. etc. are longer than 9 minutes.

Well, I call them epics anyway.
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Philrod View Drop Down
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Points: 319 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 24 2005 at 18:12
Depends of your definition of an epic, really. If Bohemian Rhapsody is an epic for you, than abotu anytime, and if not, maybe 8 minutes.
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Points: 1930 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 26 2005 at 02:39
15 min, how can you tell a good story in less time and still include wicked solos? impossible.
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Points: 396 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 26 2005 at 04:30
Good wines is not in big barrells...
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Points: 159 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 26 2005 at 08:03
6 mins, Bohemian Rhapsody is pretty Epic at 5.55.
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