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February Composition Competition


charic
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[quote name='urb' timestamp='1361007297' post='1979608']

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
[/quote]

Managed to find a few minutes to listen to this (apologies to everyone else, Mike asked really nicely will squeeze you all in later) I really like it, beautifully insane, I like the drum and bassy beats towards the end. It's like Charles Mingus in a dubstep tent.
:)
Which is a good thing.

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[quote name='Dave Vader' timestamp='1361302751' post='1984279']
Managed to find a few minutes to listen to this (apologies to everyone else, Mike asked really nicely will squeeze you all in later) I really like it, beautifully insane, I like the drum and bassy beats towards the end. It's like Charles Mingus in a dubstep tent.
:)
Which is a good thing.
[/quote]

Thanks Dave - very kind of you - Mingus goes dubstep will do for me... again I think the track could go further but I'm getting inspired to get recording another tune, not for the comp, but an old one of mine that has never actually been committed to 'tape' as it were... so this whole exercise has been of great value to me.

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Ok, here's mine for this month:

https://soundcloud.com/skollob/aurora

I had a different idea for this track initially, but realised early on that I wouldn't have time to finish what I had in mind. So I simplified it and I think it's actually better as a result. I also turned a few corners producing this one, such as:

- Experimenting with a quirky time signature (rather than the standard 4:4 I normally work with). Bonus points if you can work out what it is ;)

- Creating a DIY synth using vocal notes sung by Mrs Skol and yours truly. A more hilarious process than I'd expected.

- Playing a nimble baseline, at least nimble by my clunky standards! (you'll probably hear it and think "meh"). Took me bloomin' ages to nail it and even then I only managed 12 or so bars worth using - with lots of string noise - but my dexterity has improved with all the practice. So I'm happy.

Anyway, hope y'all dig it.

I'll be posting feedback on everyone's entries next chance I get...

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[quote name='Skol303' timestamp='1361394995' post='1985417']
Ok, here's mine for this month:

[url="https://soundcloud.com/skollob/aurora"]https://soundcloud.com/skollob/aurora[/url]

I had a different idea for this track initially, but realised early on that I wouldn't have time to finish what I had in mind. So I simplified it and I think it's actually better as a result. I also turned a few corners producing this one, such as:

- Experimenting with a quirky time signature (rather than the standard 4:4 I normally work with). Bonus points if you can work out what it is ;)

- Creating a DIY synth using vocal notes sung by Mrs Skol and yours truly. A more hilarious process than I'd expected.

- Playing a nimble baseline, at least nimble by my clunky standards! (you'll probably hear it and think "meh"). Took me bloomin' ages to nail it and even then I only managed 12 or so bars worth using - with lots of string noise - but my dexterity has improved with all the practice. So I'm happy.

Anyway, hope y'all dig it.

I'll be posting feedback on everyone's entries next chance I get...
[/quote]

Nice track as usual and the production is top notch, I need some lessons in production from you me thinks ;) I think you should be banned, you are getting too good at this for the rest of us :P

Love the ideas and the vocal synths are great.

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[quote name='Stephen Houghton' timestamp='1361405806' post='1985657']
Nice track as usual and the production is top notch, I need some lessons in production from you me thinks ;) I think you should be banned, you are getting too good at this for the rest of us :P Love the ideas and the vocal synths are great.[/quote]

Thanks Steve! Very kind of you mate.

I'm always happy to give pointers on production. I'm no expert myself, I just stick to a fairly limited set of tools and have got to know them well through repetition. Maybe you should have a try at the mixing challenge one month? There's a lot of good advice being offered on the back of it. Have a read through [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/192016-mixing-competitionlearning-resource-january-poll-added/"]last month's thread[/url] for starters if you're interested - there's some useful info towards the end of it.

I'd also recommend these two books:

[url="http://www.amazon.co.uk/ZEN-Art-Mixing-Mixerman/dp/1423491505"]Zen and the Art of Mixing[/url]

[url="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mixing-Secrets-Small-Studio-Senior/dp/0240815807"]Mixing Secrets for the Small Studio[/url]

... think of the first book as being the 'heart' (how to approach mixing and production) and the second book being the 'head' (the more technical details). I learned a lot from reading them myself and still refer to them often.

And please don't ban me from the challenges! I'm too addicted to them and would end up on crack or something to fill the void. Let that play on your conscience :lol:

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[quote name='xgsjx' timestamp='1361439899' post='1985870']That's another great track Paul!I think for next month I'll send you some WAVs & you can pit the track together for me. :lol:[/quote]
[quote name='RockfordStone' timestamp='1361455654' post='1985923']I hate you paul for being so good.... i don't want to play anymore :([/quote]

Awww guys! You're making me feel like the school swot :P

I always think there's a degree of "grass is greener" when listening to other people's compositions. I hear the entries on here and I'm constantly envious of / impressed by people's creativity, playing and songwriting. You're all better musicians than I am - so I have to rely on other skills like production and synth programming, etc. Trust me, these skills can be learned much more easily than playing chops!

Anyway it's great that you like my stuff. This'll sound corny, but the feedback I get from Basschat is always the most valuable to me, so cheers :drinks:

PS: I've said it already, but I'll post some feedback on everyone's entries ASAP.

[quote name='charic' timestamp='1361456209' post='1985933']I'll start the voting tomorrow. Unfortunately I've got a family member ill so I didn't manage to finish mine (again :( )[/quote]

Ah mate, sorry to hear that. What you posted earlier sounded really promising... Still, can't be helped. Family first, always.

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[quote name='Skol303' timestamp='1361457344' post='1985955']
Awww guys! You're making me feel like the school swot :P

I always think there's a degree of "grass is greener" when listening to other people's compositions. I hear the entries on here and I'm constantly envious of / impressed by people's creativity, playing and songwriting. You're all better musicians than I am - so I have to rely on other skills like production and synth programming, etc. Trust me, these skills can be learned much more easily than playing chops!

Anyway it's great that you like my stuff. This'll sound corny, but the feedback I get from Basschat is always the most valuable to me, so cheers :drinks:

PS: I've said it already, but I'll post some feedback on everyone's entries ASAP.



Ah mate, sorry to hear that. What you posted earlier sounded really promising... Still, can't be helped. Family first, always.
[/quote]

I might get a chance to do a late entry, I'll do my best to get it done :)

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Phew!

That just gives me time to get [url=https://soundcloud.com/bigredx/february]my entry[/url] in.

Composed/improvised/performed live on the Tenori-On.

Not 100% happy with the final performance/mix, but there's only so many times you can do this and there's lots of fiddly buttons that need to be pressed in the right place...

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[quote name='Skol303' timestamp='1361439122' post='1985853']
Thanks Steve! Very kind of you mate.

I'm always happy to give pointers on production. I'm no expert myself, I just stick to a fairly limited set of tools and have got to know them well through repetition. Maybe you should have a try at the mixing challenge one month? There's a lot of good advice being offered on the back of it. Have a read through [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/192016-mixing-competitionlearning-resource-january-poll-added/"]last month's thread[/url] for starters if you're interested - there's some useful info towards the end of it.

I'd also recommend these two books:

[url="http://www.amazon.co.uk/ZEN-Art-Mixing-Mixerman/dp/1423491505"]Zen and the Art of Mixing[/url]

[url="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mixing-Secrets-Small-Studio-Senior/dp/0240815807"]Mixing Secrets for the Small Studio[/url]

... think of the first book as being the 'heart' (how to approach mixing and production) and the second book being the 'head' (the more technical details). I learned a lot from reading them myself and still refer to them often.

And please don't ban me from the challenges! I'm too addicted to them and would end up on crack or something to fill the void. Let that play on your conscience :lol:
[/quote]

Cheers for the recomendations I will deffo invest in these they look good, any pointers are appreciated I really dont have any idea what I am doing, cheers mate :) I am just going to change DAWs from Ableton to Pro tools 10, so this will be a really good move or a really bad one, time will tell.

Any thoughts on the move anyone? :blink:

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[quote name='Stephen Houghton' timestamp='1361581015' post='1988045']
Cheers for the recomendations I will deffo invest in these they look good, any pointers are appreciated I really dont have any idea what I am doing, cheers mate :) I am just going to change DAWs from Ableton to Pro tools 10, so this will be a really good move or a really bad one, time will tell.

Any thoughts on the move anyone? :blink:
[/quote]
I have orderd these 2 books aswell , cheers Skol, but for DAW I am sticking with Reaper for a few reasons really , firstly it seems to produce some great results in the hands of a few talented types on here , so advice is a plenty and very kindly offered, secondly, I have just started to get my head around the way it works and how it can do stuff, and thirdly , probably most important for a tightwad like me , is that I have paid for it :D .

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[quote name='Stephen Houghton' timestamp='1361581015' post='1988045']
I am just going to change DAWs from Ableton to Pro tools 10, so this will be a really good move or a really bad one, time will tell.

Any thoughts on the move anyone? :blink:
[/quote]

I'd seriously urge you to download [url="http://www.reaper.fm/download.php"] Reaper[/url] before hurting your wallet with PT.
It's a 6.5 meg download that is the full program which won't expire - what's to lose?
It's so good that I paid for it !

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[quote name='Stephen Houghton' timestamp='1361581015' post='1988045']
Any thoughts on the move anyone? :blink:
[/quote]

If you use Ableton - whats missing that you need ?
First you must think what [b]you[/b] want from a DAW............
Do you want a x64 sequencer, gives you all the extra RAM in windows [Mac not a problem]
Pro Tools is not x64 [will run on a x64 windows machine - but with limited RAM usage]
Your work flow needs, what suits you
Do you want bundled sounds ?
The quality of the sounds - saves you shelling out later.
How much MIDI work are you going to do.
Drag and drop...etc
Notation/Video...
Plug ins....
Floating windows
Docking
List goes on and on and on.

Most ofl the DAWS have fully [30 days ?] functioning Demo's - Try them all if you can, do a project in each.
Everyone will chip in with [i]this[/i] is better than [i]that[/i] etc........But they are not sitting in your chair.


[In no preference order by the way]
Reaper
Sonar X2
Cubase 7 [or Artist 7] Nuendo 6
Samplitude Pro/Samplitude Pro X Suite
Presonus Studio One v2.5
Magix Samplitude Music Studio 2013
Reason
Logic
Digital Performer
Pro Tools
More than likely that there are more.
Big selection.... :)
They all do a fantastic job - [i][b]Spend time and get to know your DAW.[/b][/i]
Jumping from one DAW to another in search of the holy grail of sound, is usually pilot error.


Garry

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I whole-heartedly agree with everything that lowdown has said above.

IMO unless your current DAW is missing a feature that you know is essential to your workflow you would be better off looking at improving your audio interface, getting some decent microphones and more accurate monitor speakers, and investing in some plugins instead.

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[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1361618427' post='1988291']
IMO unless your current DAW is missing a feature that you know is essential to your workflow you would be better off looking at improving your audio interface, getting some decent microphones and more accurate monitor speakers, and investing in some plugins instead.
[/quote]

All this is great advice, seriously worth thinking about.

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Audio interface is an essential purchase imho - I didn't realize just how bad the onboard sound was in comparison.

All Decent DAW's should sound identical - It's more about which one works best for you. I find Cubase to be to convoluted, for instance

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