February Composition Competition

[urb]

All good chaps - I'm surprised I got mine done already - love to hear any thoughts or comments on it, the thing I love about doing this to a deadline is I feel I can experiment more and get away from my usual working methods - so it's all about learning and developing... innit?!

[RockfordStone]

[quote name='lurksalot' timestamp='1360617915' post='1973597']
I am a composition virgin no more , my first entry , ooh er missus , I have really enjoyed having a go at this , thanks for all the help I have had so far , I am sure I will be back fo more .
I don't totally understand, but the soundcloud mix I have uploaded does sound a bit different to my original, I think my synth sounds are a bit brighter.

for your interest [url="https://soundcloud.com/lurksalot/radiation"]here [/url]
[/quote]

apparently that link doesn't exist or its set to private

[OldG]

seems to be fixed now..

That's a fine piece of work for your first effort!

much cleaner and defined than your other mixes- great to hear that you laid off the 'verb!

[Stephen Houghton]

Would appreciate some feedback myself if anyone can spare the time.

Cheers

https://soundcloud.com/9thaspect/beyond-words-entry-for

Edited February 13, 2013 by Stephen Houghton

[urb]

[quote name='lurksalot' timestamp='1360617915' post='1973597']
I am a composition virgin no more , my first entry , ooh er missus , I have really enjoyed having a go at this , thanks for all the help I have had so far , I am sure I will be back fo more .
I don't totally understand, but the soundcloud mix I have uploaded does sound a bit different to my original, I think my synth sounds are a bit brighter.

for your interest [url="https://soundcloud.com/lurksalot/radiation"]here [/url]
[/quote]

Sounds good for a first effort - you've created a great sense of narrative, and it works well - the simple layering of ideas works great - and all the sounds are good too - good effort


[quote name='Stephen Houghton' timestamp='1360687914' post='1974721']
Would appreciate some feedback myself if anyone can spare the time.

Cheers

[url="https://soundcloud.com/9thaspect/beyond-words-entry-for"]https://soundcloud.c...words-entry-for[/url]
[/quote]

Steve - that's a nice track - I like the flow and while it does meander a bit it's a perfect evocation of the idea of staring at the sky in wonder - nice playing and sounds too so all good

As for mine I'm not liking the latest mix - note to self, wait a couple of days before posting! I've drowned out the melodic content with ear bleed drums and bass.. which is not necessarily a problem but it's messed up the tuneful side of the song... will fix and repost in time for the closing date.

Edited February 13, 2013 by urb

[BigRedX]

Do entries have to be hosted on Soundcloud?

My piece for this month may have a visual element to it, so could I use YouTube instead?

[lurksalot]

many thanks for the kind words , I am just chuffed to get one in .


[quote name='Stephen Houghton' timestamp='1360687914' post='1974721']
Would appreciate some feedback myself if anyone can spare the time.

Cheers

[url="https://soundcloud.com/9thaspect/beyond-words-entry-for"]https://soundcloud.c...words-entry-for[/url]
[/quote]

I really liked it , I think the overall ambience was lovely , I thought the bass could be higher and I thought the synth was a bit to far forward and 'pulsey' If you get my drift , but the same thing happened to mine on the soundcloud , my bass dropped a bit and a similar synth sound leapt out ,
But the composition was very appropriatte to the theme , very nice .

[Stephen Houghton]

[quote name='lurksalot' timestamp='1360710076' post='1975363']
I really liked it , I think the overall ambience was lovely , I thought the bass could be higher and I thought the synth was a bit to far forward and 'pulsey' If you get my drift , but the same thing happened to mine on the soundcloud , my bass dropped a bit and a similar synth sound leapt out ,
But the composition was very appropriatte to the theme , very nice .
[/quote]

Thanks i will take that on board and will have a pop at a remix, did you listen through headphones, quality speakers or computer speakers/laptop?

Have remixed it slightly and brought the bass up a touch, dropped the keys down very slightly, let me know if you think this is better?

Here's the new link,

https://soundcloud.com/9thaspect/beyond-words-entry-for

Edited February 13, 2013 by Stephen Houghton

[RockfordStone]

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1360709535' post='1975351']
Do entries have to be hosted on Soundcloud?

My piece for this month may have a visual element to it, so could I use YouTube instead?
[/quote]

i think as long as its an easy link i don't think it matters, think sound cloud was only used as its accessible to all

[lurksalot]

[quote name='Stephen Houghton' timestamp='1360710817' post='1975392']
Thanks i will take that on board and will have a pop at a remix, did you listen through headphones, quality speakers or computer speakers/laptop?

Have remixed it slightly and brought the bass up a touch, dropped the keys down very slightly, let me know if you think this is better?
[/quote]

I only have headphones on my lappy at the moment , we are in a decoration/re-arrange mode at the minute , with regard your work, the don't take my word as gospel, I am new to the critique of mixing , but I am considering how much the mixing is a part of a composition competition ?
if, like my entry, the composition is instrumental, then I guess the mix is fundamental.
but I like it
I have tried to listen again , but I get a script error ? I will go again tomorrow .

[Dave Vader]

I genuinely took yesterday afternoon off work to get the drums finished. Managed to put the bass in there as well while I was at it. I may make the deadline yet...

[charic]

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1360709535' post='1975351']
Do entries have to be hosted on Soundcloud?

My piece for this month may have a visual element to it, so could I use YouTube instead?
[/quote]

Youtube is fine you experimental so and so you

[urb]

Sorry - last and final mix from me:

https://soundcloud.com/munkio/trippy-tundra-oslos-revenge

Thanks for your patience

[Stephen Houghton]

[quote name='lurksalot' timestamp='1360717028' post='1975496']
I only have headphones on my lappy at the moment , we are in a decoration/re-arrange mode at the minute , with regard your work, the don't take my word as gospel, I am new to the critique of mixing , but I am considering how much the mixing is a part of a composition competition ?
if, like my entry, the composition is instrumental, then I guess the mix is fundamental.
but I like it
I have tried to listen again , but I get a script error ? I will go again tomorrow .
[/quote]


Here is the new link,

[url="https://soundcloud.com/9thaspect/beyond-words-entry-for"]https://soundcloud.c...words-entry-for[/url]

I have re-uploaded this to soundcloud and don't know if this is working, it works for me fine but not sure if anyone else is having problems? Can you let me know if it works OK for you?

Edited February 13, 2013 by Stephen Houghton

[lurksalot]

Works fine for me , I can't tell the sublte differences in the mix , but it is a day since I listened to the original , it sounds sweet though

[Stephen Houghton]

[quote name='lurksalot' timestamp='1360790195' post='1976658']
Works fine for me , I can't tell the sublte differences in the mix , but it is a day since I listened to the original , it sounds sweet though
[/quote]

Cheers

[Bilbo]

I just got a copy of Miroslav Philharmonik - I hope I can make it fit what I have been owrking on by 21st but, if not, I'm pulling out of this month's competition and re-grouping for the next one! How exciting!!

[Skol303]

[quote name='Bilbo' timestamp='1360929545' post='1978414']I just got a copy of Miroslav Philharmonik[/quote]

Very nice! I've heard some samples from that library and they sound great - a well recommended collection. Good value for money too.,,, especially given the next tier up for orchestral sounds is probably something like the [url="http://www.spitfireaudio.com/albion.html"]Spitfire Audio[/url] collections, which ain't cheap! (not by my pocket anyway). Looking forward to hearing what you make of them

Been crazily busy with work myself, so have some catching up to listening-wise and I also need to pull my finger out and finish my own entry for this month. I'm going to have to scale down my original idea - no time to finish it - and put something more simple together. Still, no harm in that!

[xgsjx]

Finally got some bass recorded on mine. I might try some lyrics, but here it is just now...

https://soundcloud.com/xgsjx/the-auroral-zone

[Dave Vader]

[url="https://soundcloud.com/plastic-squirrel/the-rola-cola-polar-bear"]https://soundcloud.com/plastic-squirrel/the-rola-cola-polar-bear[/url]

Boom, and I'm in, didn't think I'd get it done, and then I did. There were some problems involving a crappy old PC refusing to load the VSTs as I ran out of RAM, but I got round them.
ADT wouldn't load, so a little cloning and shifting on the vocal tracks, sadly the SM58 is rubbish for studio recording, as is my voice at the moment (well most of the time to be honest)
None of my analogue synth VSTs would load either, so I had to use my Roland D110 for the synth sounds, that actually worked out alright in the end.
Anyhow, it is done....
And I am in.

[xgsjx]

[quote name='Dave Vader' timestamp='1360949273' post='1978917']
[url="https://soundcloud.com/plastic-squirrel/the-rola-cola-polar-bear"]https://soundcloud.c...cola-polar-bear[/url]

Boom, and I'm in, didn't think I'd get it done, and then I did. There were some problems involving a crappy old PC refusing to load the VSTs as I ran out of RAM, but I got round them.
ADT wouldn't load, so a little cloning and shifting on the vocal tracks, sadly the SM58 is rubbish for studio recording, as is my voice at the moment (well most of the time to be honest)
None of my analogue synth VSTs would load either, so I had to use my Roland D110 for the synth sounds, that actually worked out alright in the end.
Anyhow, it is done....
And I am in.
[/quote]

I like that! Very catchy.

[Dave Vader]

[quote name='xgsjx' timestamp='1360954815' post='1979074']
I like that! Very catchy.
[/quote]

Thanks man, I was worried it was going to get too long and complicated and never end, but then it shrank.
Will listen to everyone else's stuff when I get back from Surrey next week.

[urb]

[quote name='xgsjx' timestamp='1360932920' post='1978502']
Finally got some bass recorded on mine. I might try some lyrics, but here it is just now...

https://soundcloud.c...he-auroral-zone
[/quote]

Dude - I really like this - not a million miles from the approach I took with mine although your's gets on with the dancey stuff a bit more sharpish than mine - I like the fact you let it rave-away and let the drums and bass do the talking... very cool

[quote name='Dave Vader' timestamp='1360949273' post='1978917']
https://soundcloud.c...cola-polar-bear

Boom, and I'm in,
[/quote]

Dave - that's excellent - Zappa-tastic too - love all the mad guitar unison lines and crazy lyrics too - really ambitious stuff all pulled together very niceley. Good work both of you.


Any thoughts feedback on [url="https://soundcloud.com/munkio/trippy-tundra-oslos-revenge"]my tune[/url] would be massively appreciated - I have no idea whether I've suceeded in getting something half decent together or if it sucks big time - thanks again

Mike

[xilddx]

I'm not going to get anything done this month

I'll have a listen to the entries when the voting starts, looking forward!

[Skol303]

[quote name='xilddx' timestamp='1361185436' post='1982277']I'm not going to get anything done this month :(I'll have a listen to the entries when the voting starts, looking forward![/quote]

That's a shame Nige, but I know the feeling. Barely going to scrape something together myself this month (I had a good idea but it was too complicated for the time available, so I'm trying to make of it what I can).

Still, plenty of good entries thus far