Skol303

Yeah... there is a risk that everyone will vote for everyone! Which would be a lovely kind of utopia, if a little boring. We'll perhaps ask listeners to "vote for their top three favourite compositions". We can't limit it to three votes, so we'll have to see how it goes. The ideal would be to allow a 1st, 2nd and 3rd choice (with each weighted accordingly), but sadly the current 'poll' options don't allow for it. Yet...!

ALL MUSIC sounds better louder No, really. Here's some blurb on the subject, courtesy of Music Radar: http://m.musicradar.com/tuition/tech/why-do-we-like-our-music-loud-212790

PS: this month we're going to trial a new voting system (you heard it here first!). It'll allow you to vote for as many entries as you like (one vote maximum per entry), so we should get a better spread of results - and hopefully a closer finish. This is all assuming I work out the technicalities... If it tanks, we'll revert back to the traditional 'one vote' system. But no harm in trying, eh

[quote name='Bilbo' timestamp='1424265751' post='2694505'] ...surely the title should be 'February Composition Challenge - GET WRITING! Or 'GET COMPOSING'. Recording is the part of the process where we budding composers translate out ideas into a form that our peers and audience can readily consume. [/quote] Good point; noted! I'll change the title when next on my desktop (current stabbing away at a phone keypad). And for future challenges we'll use the title "GET WRITING!". Same gist as "composing" but it sounds slightly less daunting

^ Love it

^ I like it A bit like using an old 4-track, which is precisely where I got the bug for this recording and mixing lark. In fact there's a lot to be said for going about things in a 'low tech' way. It can be a real boost to creativity and quite liberating. I might try a similar approach one month for the Composition Challenge...

[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1424048572' post='2692058'] ...except that he's unlikely to be able to announce a correct date until several days after that..! [/quote] I'm arming myself with a calendar. And an abacus!

[quote name='the boy' timestamp='1424043500' post='2692013'] Saturday 21st is very early. I have a lovely song in my head that might be done next Monday or Tuesday. I haven't a hope of getting it down this week. Mid term and work have me fully loaded. I wouldn't expect anyone to wait for me but would an entry that late be accepted? [/quote] Sorry chap, I can't budge the deadline this month! The reason being I'm away in Amsterdam from Sunday night until Thursday next week (sadly business, not pleasure) and I wouldn't want to delay the kick off until Thursday/Friday, as that would mean biting a chunk out of next month's composition time. If you can get something finished for Monday night that would be fine*. I mean... you can submit a track [i]anytime[/i] after the deadline if you like; it just might not get the votes it deserves with everyone else having a head start. But better late than never! Sorry to be such a scrooge. Any other time and I'd happily give you a couple of extra days. *EDIT: let me know in advance if you plan to do this, and I'll try to make sure I have an Internet connection that evening.

There was a time when Noel (and Liam)'s comments about other bands were funny. Maybe. I certainly enjoyed some of their scuffles with Blur. But now they're irrelevant "has beens" - certainly to younger audiences - and it just comes across as being desperate for attention. It's time for Noel to hang up his guitar, buy an organic cheese farm and invite David Cameron over for tipples on New Year's Eve

[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1424019116' post='2691589'] You have a 2-minute head start. Don't waste it. [/quote] 2 minutes? I'm eating the pies in that time...

[quote name='alittlebitrobot' timestamp='1424010485' post='2691457'] voting ends or voting begins? [/quote] Ah. Yes. I'm not having much success with these announcements, am I? Voting begins on Saturday! Well, technically Sunday morning. But the deadline for entries is midnight on the 21st. PS: probably best to just put me down now. Don't prolong it. Quick and painless. Death by custard is preferable.

You are not alone! This is precisely how I feel. I'm determined to get some 'proper' practice in this year. Grrrr! [battle face].

[quote name='Bilbo' timestamp='1423898135' post='2690130'] 21st is Saturday, Paul [/quote] Oh good grief... I've done it again, haven't I!? Cheers Rob. I really must start using a calendar rather than counting on my fingers. [color=#800000][b]To clarify: voting ends next Saturday 21st![/b][/color] I've also amended this in the OP. Well, it's an extra day if nothing else

Them young 'uns and their sub cultures!! They don't even know they're born, half of 'em

[quote name='The Badderer' timestamp='1423867592' post='2690018'] I might manage to put forward an entry this month (1st timer). [/quote] [font=Helvetica][size=3] [size=4]Welcome![/size][/size][/font] [font="Helvetica"]Deadline for entries is midnight on Friday 21st February. Don't worry of you don't get something 100% finished by then. Half-baked is always better than going hungry [/font]

[quote name='spectoremg' timestamp='1423860475' post='2689919'] The Partridge Family. [/quote] Unnerving putting your opinion on a pedestal for others to throw rocks at, ain't it

[quote name='spectoremg' timestamp='1423860322' post='2689916'] Elbow. Yes, dogshit. [/quote] ...and your idea of a good band would be??

[i]>> Name-Dropper Alert <<[/i] I knew these guys when they were playing pubs in Manchester and I was working as a music hack for the local paper. A genuinely nice bunch of people who worked [i]very[/i] hard to get where they are now. A mate of mine was at the gig last night but felt they weren’t at their best. He said that Guy sounded a little hoarse and they just didn’t have their usual ‘energy’ about them… but that it was still a good gig. I saw them play in Manchester last year and thoroughly enjoyed it. They were supported by Jimi Goodwin (Doves) who also gave a great performance.

[quote name='lowdown' timestamp='1423820609' post='2689306'] Here's the thing though. With an i7 Quad core, and a load of RAM, all the bore fest, that I have written above...... is a thing of the past...... [/quote] [font=Helvetica][size=3] [size=4]Ah Garry, you’re taking the fun out of it! [/size][/size][/font] [font=Helvetica][size=3] [i][size=4](note to self: I need a new computer).[/size][/i][/size][/font]

[quote name='Bilbo' timestamp='1423776754' post='2689023'] I got an hour in tonight trying to nail a few of the glitches that are screwing my final mix up. I spent ages trying to find out why the midi editors would not open. Finally realised that locking the tracks (on the advice of Skol, IIRC) meant exactly that. Still, I learned something more [/quote] [font=Helvetica][size=3] [size=4]… did I say that? Oops [/size][/size][/font] [font=Helvetica][size=3] [size=4]Ah! No… I remember now. It was ‘freeze’ the tracks, not ‘lock’. I think.[/size][/size][/font] [font=Helvetica][size=3] [size=4]Point is: if your computer is straining under the demands of various VSTs, it can cause your DAW software to crash or start producing nasty sounds (known as ‘artefacts’).[/size][/size][/font] [font=Helvetica][size=3] [size=4]The way around this is to output each track/instrument (or stem) of your composition as a separate audio file, with the VSTs applied. And then load each audio track back in without the VSTs. Make sense?[/size][/size][/font] [font=Helvetica][size=3] [size=4]So for example: I might have a very busy and complicated drum track, which is written in MIDI and has a whole bunch of VSTs applied (virtual instruments, EQ, compression, saturation, reverb, etc, etc). It’s making my computer groan. So I solo the track and select ‘Export loop as audio’. This gives me a nice, neat copy of just the drum track as an audio (WAV) file. I then delete the original MIDI drum track and all of its associated VSTs from my composition - and replace it with the new audio file. Job done![/size][/size][/font] [font=Helvetica][size=3] [size=4]On very busy compositions, I often end up using this method to create audio copies of each ‘mix stem’ (vocals, drums, bass, guitars, synths, etc), so that my final composition contains only audio files and very little in the way of MIDI/VSTs. It keeps everything ‘lean’ and prevents my computer from sweating during the final mix.[/size][/size][/font] [font=Helvetica][size=3] [size=4]Or you could just buy a new computer [/size][/size][/font]

I once owned an Ibanez EDB600 (luthite plastic body). 'Twas great! Very well built. Sounded good with lots of tone options. Had a very thin neck that was fast/easy to play. I only sold it 'cos I switched to 5-strings and it wasn't getting the use it deserved. But my brief experience with Ibanez was certainly a positive one

[font=Helvetica][size=3] [size=4]Well done guys. But [/size][size=4]arghh!...[/size] [size=4] you’re all making me sweat a little [/size][/size][/font] [font=Helvetica][size=3] [size=4]I’m going to really struggle this month…. and for the next few months.[/size][/size][/font] [font=Helvetica][size=3] [size=4]All in a good cause. What little free time I have is being devoted to a trio of projects with Mike ‘urb’ Flynn of this ‘ere parish: a jazz album that his band J-Sonics have recently recorded (which I’m helping to mix); our own electronica project, which is taking shape as an EP (nearly finished!); plus some new work with singer Paula Rae Gibson.[/size][/size][/font] [font=Helvetica][size=3] [size=4]I’m [i]very[/i] excited about it all! But it does mean that my entries for the Challenge are going to be squeezed in around this lot, as and when.[/size][/size][/font] [font=Helvetica][size=3] [size=4]Still, I’ve never yet missed one of these Challenges and I don’t plan on doing so [/size][/size][/font] [font=Helvetica][size=3] [size=4]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zu0rP2VWLWw[/size][/size][/font]

Good thread! And great suggestions already Does 1992 count as bygone? If so mine would be the unimaginatively entitled 'Selected Ambient Works' by Aphex Twin. http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selected_Ambient_Works_85–92 Not to everyone's taste for sure. But an important album for me and one that triggers a whole bunch of memories whenever I put it on. I wore out my original vinyl copy and bought it again quite recently at a much inflated price.

[quote name='ras52' timestamp='1423605571' post='2687051'] I'm more Lidl Meola... [/quote] I was fishing for a pun but you beat me to it.

Kanye has very clearly let it all go to his head and there's a long list of millionaire musicians who've suffered from the same delusions of grandeur. He is but one more tool in the 'toolbox' And it's certainly not an affliction that's exclusive to rap music. It's just born out of having more money and fame than common sense can cope with.