November Composition Competition - Added Twist

[Skol303]

[quote name='steve' timestamp='1352658005' post='1865742']
There's been some really good entries so far, here's mine

[url="http://soundcloud.com/stevemcevoy/steve-mcevoy-mr-shellsuit-and"]http://soundcloud.co...r-shellsuit-and[/url][/quote]

Hi Steve, this is bloomin' great! Really cool, atmospheric intro and then it breaks into a ska number - which is just music to my ears. Great bass playing and you've done a good job of the lyrics and vocal too.

Nice one!

[krysh]

[quote name='Skol303' timestamp='1352655426' post='1865678']...

Nice one Krysh! Slick bass playing there mate - nice tone too. I really like the pounding kick drum than runs throughout the track. Gives it a nice pulse. Sounds like you can play guitar too! And percussion?? Not fair, but all good ...
[/quote]

thanks skol.
I sampled the cajon set of my ex band, so it is only programmed.

great contributions so far, good luck fellas!

[Roger Evans]

Just joined here. Too late for me to enter this and I wouldn't know where to start anyway! Good luck to you all. Some nice entries so far!

[steve]

[quote name='Stephen Houghton' timestamp='1352659569' post='1865771']
Yeah like this one, great bass line, can tell you are a classy bassist, sounds like Scooby Doo backing music in the second part.
[/quote]
[quote name='Skol303' timestamp='1352662633' post='1865836']
Hi Steve, this is bloomin' great! Really cool, atmospheric intro and then it breaks into a ska number - which is just music to my ears. Great bass playing and you've done a good job of the lyrics and vocal too.

Nice one!
[/quote]

Thanks chaps, I appreciate your comments

[Blademan_98]

[quote name='Roger Evans' timestamp='1352664956' post='1865891']
Just joined here. Too late for me to enter this and I wouldn't know where to start anyway! Good luck to you all. Some nice entries so far!
[/quote]

Welcome aboard!

It's not too late.

Grab a bass and record your gut feeling. It's what I did

Mine might not have the polished quality of the others but as Silldx says, if it come from your soul it's all good!

[steve]

[quote name='Blademan_98' timestamp='1352665566' post='1865910']
Welcome aboard!

It's not too late.

Grab a bass and record your gut feeling. It's what I did

Mine might not have the polished quality of the others but as Silldx says, if it come from your soul it's all good!
[/quote]

absolutely; go for it

[RockfordStone]

[quote name='steve' timestamp='1352658005' post='1865742']
There's been some really good entries so far, here's mine

[url="http://soundcloud.com/stevemcevoy/steve-mcevoy-mr-shellsuit-and"]http://soundcloud.co...r-shellsuit-and[/url]

I could have continually twiddled and re-recorded bits and gone round in circles, but enough's enough, time to upload it and move on. First part was done in Sibelius and then transferred into Reason to record the remainder. Hope you like it
[/quote]

really like this one, i love how it changes up half way through, nice work man

[Mornats]

Righto here's mine. I've been listening to a bit of Leftfield this weekend hence the move into electronic music.

http://soundcloud.com/mornats/macabraea

[RockfordStone]

[quote name='Mornats' timestamp='1352668397' post='1865964']
Righto here's mine. I've been listening to a bit of Leftfield this weekend hence the move into electronic music.

[url="http://soundcloud.com/mornats/macabraea"]http://soundcloud.co...rnats/macabraea[/url]
[/quote]

Im liking the beat to this one good work

[Mornats]

[quote name='steve' timestamp='1352658005' post='1865742']
There's been some really good entries so far, here's mine

[url="http://soundcloud.com/stevemcevoy/steve-mcevoy-mr-shellsuit-and"]http://soundcloud.co...r-shellsuit-and[/url]

I could have continually twiddled and re-recorded bits and gone round in circles, but enough's enough, time to upload it and move on. First part was done in Sibelius and then transferred into Reason to record the remainder. Hope you like it
[/quote]

Yeah, I do like this one! The feel of it just suits the image so well.

[Stephen Houghton]

[quote name='Skol303' timestamp='1352655426' post='1865678']
Looks like people have been busy over the weekend! Some brilliant entries just in...



Nice one Krysh! Slick bass playing there mate - nice tone too. I really like the pounding kick drum than runs throughout the track. Gives it a nice pulse. Sounds like you can play guitar too! And percussion?? Not fair, but all good



Love it! Great lyrics, great samples and a really cool 80s hip hop vibe in places (the drum break almost reminds me of Soul 2 Soul). Very creative and inventive. "They hadn't a clue; **** me call Scooby Doo" made me genuinely laugh out loud. Good work, Steve.



Very nice production on this. I like the contrast you've set up between the verse/chorus using the guitar parts, works really well. Cool drum breaks. And nice vocal too! You've got a good singing voice there, Rob. A very well written song.
[/quote]

Cheers Skol

The feedback is really appreciated, thanks for the comment, i did want to keep it dark with a tongue in cheek feel which was hard to do with such a dark subject and it was hard to link the two pics together in someway as asked in comp, didnt want to miss anything out hence the Scooby Doo comment, thought I would throw in the kitchen sink and all that!

Edited November 11, 2012 by Stephen Houghton

[Skol303]

[quote name='Mornats' timestamp='1352668397' post='1865964']
Righto here's mine. I've been listening to a bit of Leftfield this weekend hence the move into electronic music.

[url="http://soundcloud.com/mornats/macabraea"]http://soundcloud.co...rnats/macabraea[/url][/quote]

My background is more electronic than acoustic, and this definitely pushes the right buttons for me! Now that you mention I can hear shades of Leftfield in it - particularly in the drum work - but it certainly has an identity of its own. My younger, more energetic self would have gone mental to this on the dancefloor

Very well produced too. The mix nicely fills the stereo spread across my headphones and everything sounds crisp and clear - good work. I notice you've used the T-Racks mastering tools - been meaning to play with those myself. Have downloaded the demo but yet to use it. This gives me an incentive!

Anyway, really like it. Again, the variety of styles cropping up in this challenge is just great!

[Elvis Valentine]

Seriously impressed by the entries so far.
Here's mine for the hell of it.
[url="http://soundcloud.com/elvis-valentine/ghosts"]http://soundcloud.co...alentine/ghosts[/url]
There is a vocal edit too but its me singing and i wanted a female voice to do it. Its also lyricly not very in keeping with the pictures, well at least not the Saville pic at all, although the day of the dead pic a bit more so. Or at least what it made me think of.
I also do a spectacular rap towards the end , i have mad skills. lol here it is for those interested parties.
[url="http://soundcloud.com/elvis-valentine/ghosts-vox-mix"]http://soundcloud.com/elvis-valentine/ghosts-vox-mix[/url]

Edited November 11, 2012 by Elvis Valentine

[Stephen Houghton]

[quote name='Elvis Valentine' timestamp='1352675833' post='1866090']
Seriously impressed by the entries so far.
Here's mine for the hell of it.
[url="http://soundcloud.com/elvis-valentine/ghosts"]http://soundcloud.co...alentine/ghosts[/url]
There is a vocal edit too but its me singing and i wanted a female voice to do it. Its also lyricly not very in keeping with the pictures, well at least not the Saville pic at all, although the day of the dead pic a bit more so. Or at least what it made me think of.
I also do a spectacular rap towards the end , i have mad skills. lol here it is for those interested parties.
[url="http://soundcloud.com/elvis-valentine/ghosts-vox-mix"]http://soundcloud.co.../ghosts-vox-mix[/url]
[/quote]

Nice one Elvis,like it and great rapping at the end

[Skol303]

[quote name='Elvis Valentine' timestamp='1352675833' post='1866090']
Seriously impressed by the entries so far.
Here's mine for the hell of it.
[url="http://soundcloud.com/elvis-valentine/ghosts"]http://soundcloud.co...alentine/ghosts[/url]
There is a vocal edit too but its me singing and i wanted a female voice to do it. Its also lyricly not very in keeping with the pictures, well at least not the Saville pic at all, although the day of the dead pic a bit more so. Or at least what it made me think of.
I also do a spectacular rap towards the end , i have mad skills. lol here it is for those interested parties.
[url="http://soundcloud.com/elvis-valentine/ghosts-vox-mix"]http://soundcloud.co.../ghosts-vox-mix[/url]
[/quote]

Niiiice! I really like the way it chugs along with that pounding rhythm and power chords. That synth rimshot sound is an inspired addition - is that from an 808 or something? Very distinctive sound.

I'm no slapper myself (or so I like to think… ) but your playing sounds great to me. Like the vocals too - personally I'd enter the vocal mix into this month's challenge (think is has more going for it). The horns are cool too - in fact there's lots going on in this track but it all fits together nicely.

Another great entry - it's shaping up to be a crackin' month! I need to pull my finger out and get mine done this week...

Edited November 12, 2012 by Skol303

[Elvis Valentine]

[quote name='Stephen Houghton' timestamp='1352678439' post='1866143']
Nice one Elvis,like it and great rapping at the end
[/quote]
What can i say KRS1 has nothing on me.lol
[quote name='Skol303' timestamp='1352680784' post='1866175']
Niiiice! I really like the way it chugs along with that pounding rhythm and power chords. That synth rimshot sound is an inspired addition - is that from an 808 or something? Very distinctive sound.

I'm no slapper myself (or so I like to think… ) but your playing sounds great to me. Like the vocals too - personally I'd enter the vocal mix into this month's challenge (think is has more going for it). The horns are cool too - in fact there's lots going on in this track but it all fits together nicely.

Another great entry - it's shaping up to be a crackin' month! I need to pull my finger out and get mine done this week...
[/quote]
Its actually just a live snare but its a really nice bamboo snare with some compression.

Thanks guys, i appreciate the response.
I suppose i'll enter the vox mix then.

[Roger Evans]

Cheers for the welcome gents.

I don't have any recording gear but I've noticed lots of advice on here for getting started on the cheap. So maybe next time!

[Mornats]

[quote name='RockfordStone' timestamp='1352668704' post='1865975']
Im liking the beat to this one good work
[/quote]

[quote name='Skol303' timestamp='1352672783' post='1866033']
My background is more electronic than acoustic, and this definitely pushes the right buttons for me! Now that you mention I can hear shades of Leftfield in it - particularly in the drum work - but it certainly has an identity of its own. My younger, more energetic self would have gone mental to this on the dancefloor

Very well produced too. The mix nicely fills the stereo spread across my headphones and everything sounds crisp and clear - good work. I notice you've used the T-Racks mastering tools - been meaning to play with those myself. Have downloaded the demo but yet to use it. This gives me an incentive!

Anyway, really like it. Again, the variety of styles cropping up in this challenge is just great!
[/quote]

Thanks guys, I really enjoyed making this one. It's funny that you say the drums remind you of Leftfield as I used a "leftfield" preset on the drum mix in EZDrummer

I think the mix sounds fairly muddy. On my Tannoy hi-fi speakers (E11s) the fingerstyle bass sounds very boomy whilst on small headphones I can hear a nice bit of bit to it so I think there's something going on in the lower freqs that's booming around a fair bit. All part of learning though!

T-racks is pretty decent. I like the compressors but I find the EQ options a little limited, or more to the point, I don't know how to use them properly and need more flexibility to fix badly recorded parts! I got T-racks Standard for $30 or so so I'm not complaining.

[Elvis Valentine]

[quote name='Skol303' timestamp='1352680784' post='1866175']
Niiiice! I really like the way it chugs along with that pounding rhythm and power chords. That synth rimshot sound is an inspired addition - is that from an 808 or something? Very distinctive sound.


[/quote]


Sorry man, actually yeah that is a little programmed beat using BOOM in pro tools and yeah i think i had it set to either the 808 or the 909 setting.
Just thought it gave it a little something, slightly less organic sounding maybe lol.

[WalMan]

Got to listen to a load of the tracks up so far last night before the weekend finally caught up with me & I hit the sack. Some interesting stuff coming in

[Skol303]

[quote name='Roger Evans' timestamp='1352746451' post='1866962'] I don't have any recording gear but I've noticed lots of advice on here for getting started on the cheap. So maybe next time![/quote]

And don't be afraid to ask questions either. Very helpful bunch of people here and some top notch expertise among them (myself not included!).

[quote name='Mornats' timestamp='1352757362' post='1867174'] I think the mix sounds fairly muddy. On my Tannoy hi-fi speakers (E11s) the fingerstyle bass sounds very boomy whilst on small headphones I can hear a nice bit of bit to it so I think there's something going on in the lower freqs that's booming around a fair bit. All part of learning though![/quote]

I have an old pair of Tannoys. Great hi-fi speakers but I stopped using them for mixing as they played merry hell with the low end (I found it v. difficult to get an accurate sound out of them). I now use just headphones and test my mixes out on a variety of different systems: hi-fi, car, iPod, etc. Not ideal at all but it's what I'm stuck with for the time being.

[quote name='Elvis Valentine' timestamp='1352758446' post='1867193'] Sorry man, actually yeah that is a little programmed beat using BOOM in pro tools and yeah i think i had it set to either the 808 or the 909 setting.[/quote]

Ah no worries! I did think it was an 808. Sounds great and really works in your track.

[Mornats]

[quote name='Skol303' timestamp='1352815129' post='1867731']
I have an old pair of Tannoys. Great hi-fi speakers but I stopped using them for mixing as they played merry hell with the low end (I found it v. difficult to get an accurate sound out of them). I now use just headphones and test my mixes out on a variety of different systems: hi-fi, car, iPod, etc. Not ideal at all but it's what I'm stuck with for the time being.
[/quote]

I should have said that I don't mix on my Tannoys, I've got a pair of M-Audio BX5a speakers too. They lack low end output being little 5 inchers so it's hard to get it right.

[MiltyG565]

i suppose then it's out of the question to re-write Elton John's "tiny dancer" by putting in Jimmy Saville?

"Hold me closer, Jimmy Saville"

Nobody has ever said that before, EVER! anyway, now that i know about this, i shall crack on. HA-ZAH!

[WalMan]

[quote name='Mornats' timestamp='1352827266' post='1868034']
I should have said that I don't mix on my Tannoys, I've got a pair of M-Audio BX5a speakers too. They lack low end output being little 5 inchers so it's hard to get it right.
[/quote]Luxury I find myself recording / mixing on headphones in one room then bouncing it around rooms & cars on memory sticks to try to get it about right. Phones I often end up with not enough bass. Wharfdales in another room tend to make me compensate the other way, etc, etc. I have [i]almost[/i] got the hang of it but it's still a pain

Tend to work with 'phones to not annoy the rest of the house and while they were mid priced and are OK I could probably do with looking for a set wth a flatter response.

One day.....

[Mornats]

Heh, that last post submitted itself before I'd finished it! I use my BX5as whenever I think I can get away with volume (I share a house with my bro and his misses and it's link detached which is a godsend). I also use a pair of Superlux heaphones which have a very similar response to my BX5as. I'll use my Tannoys as well to hear a hi-fi mix. I'll also use a pair of £18 AKG headphones on my Galaxy S2 (I used to use an iphone before I got that) and will occasionally listen in the car too. Every single speaker shows up something different.