April Composition Competition

[xilddx]

[quote name='Bilbo' timestamp='1365426007' post='2039347']
Here is mine....

The opening 55 seconds were conceptualised to sound like the random 'footsteps' of a moving insect and then the patterns that were created were then used as a melody. The bass parts came next and the others parts built using straight harmonies (e.g. thirds) linked to the melody or bass part. The piccolo part was a conscious counterpoint written specifically to offer variation and what I think of as the 'love theme' All written on Sibelius, transferred to Cubase as a midi file and populated with Miroslav Philharmonik vsts. I am still figuring out how to use the technology and the strings are a little too hot for my tastes but some of the sounds are marvellous (I love the pizzicato strings at the beginning)

[url="https://soundcloud.com/robert-palmer-1/creep"]https://soundcloud.c...-palmer-1/creep[/url]
[/quote]

Rob, this eclipses what you've entered before (hope you take that the intended way ). It's really beautiful!

[bobbass4k]

I'm still hoping to get mine done, I've uploaded a quick snippet to see how Soundcloud transcoding will affect it, as most of my entries have ended up with swirly treble after being put on soundcloud, so I figured I'd try and minimize that this time, it's here if anyone fancies a sneak peek: [url="https://soundcloud.com/bobbass4k/apr-comp-test2"]https://soundcloud.com/bobbass4k/apr-comp-test2[/url]

[urb]

[quote name='bobbass4k' timestamp='1366300786' post='2050792']
I'm still hoping to get mine done, I've uploaded a quick snippet to see how Soundcloud transcoding will affect it, as most of my entries have ended up with swirly treble after being put on soundcloud, so I figured I'd try and minimize that this time, it's here if anyone fancies a sneak peek: [url="https://soundcloud.com/bobbass4k/apr-comp-test2"]https://soundcloud.c.../apr-comp-test2[/url]
[/quote]

Sounds good - not mangled at all...

[lowdown]

Got a free day tomorrow, so will join in the fun this month.

Also my new Synth arrived today, and i can't wait to give it a whirl.

[URL=http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/442/53698251143018889231949.jpg/][IMG]http://img442.imageshack.us/img442/9158/53698251143018889231949.jpg[/IMG][/URL]



Garry

[Skol303]

[quote name='urb' timestamp='1365969260' post='2046761']I know I should probably give this 24-hours before posting (as I usually don't) but I don't think I'm going to take this any further - I kind of like it as it is - hope you enjoy:

[url="https://soundcloud.com/munkio/love-buggin"]https://soundcloud.c...kio/love-buggin[/url][/quote]
Finally got round to listening to this! Firstly, nice mix. I like the vocal samples. Your playing is just sublime as always mate. Super funky 'wah' effect going on.

Really diggin this beat - is that a ready-made break or something you programmed? Either way it's got a great groove to it. Love the glitchy effects that kick in around the 2 minute mark - Squarepusher-esque, which is always going to go down well with me

Can't really think of anything to offer in terms of improvements, Mike…It might even be one of your most 'cohesive' tracks to date in these challenges (aside from the Xmas track feat. Meshell Ndegeocello, which just rocked!), in that everything fits together just right. Good work mate!

[quote name='lowdown' timestamp='1366309780' post='2050949']Also my new Synth arrived today, and i can't wait to give it a whirl.

[url="http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/442/53698251143018889231949.jpg/"][/url]
[/quote]

Good to have you on board again Garry. That modular synth is something else!!

[Bilbo]

[quote name='xilddx' timestamp='1366295479' post='2050674']
Rob, this eclipses what you've entered before (hope you take that the intended way ). It's really beautiful!
[/quote]

My stuff is becoming a little more cohesive each time but I think what made this one is the process. I worked on the opening theme trying to make it sound 'random' like the steps of a crawling insect but, when I started adding a bass line to it, realised it was, of itself, a melodic theme. I giuess it is a variation on serial compoaisiotn by the back door. Thanks for the feedback, mate.

[xgsjx]

Here's mine. I wanted to do more & even have some lyrics, but no time to do much else.
I'm gonna go listen to the others now.

https://soundcloud.com/xgsjx/the-love-bug

[lurksalot]

[quote name='urb' timestamp='1366275993' post='2050319']
Hey man - just do what you can - this month is looking eerily quiet as it stands - I know it's a lot of effort to do something good but it's really just a bit of fun - would be nice to see others getting involved or failing that giving feedback on some of the tunes posted - it's about getting creative and making mistakes and learning something (I think) - imagination is just as important as technical skill - and hey if you can combine the two - job done!

Anyway hope some other folks are doing something too

Mike
[/quote]

Cheers Mike , I will have an entry in Defo , I have sussed the accent I need and a trick to get it some where near , but I have to re-record the vocal in the wardrobe , its the only place in the house without a noticeable reverb , It might not be quality , but it might raise a smile or two

[Skol303]

[quote name='xgsjx' timestamp='1366573589' post='2054357']
Here's mine. I wanted to do more & even have some lyrics, but no time to do much else.
I'm gonna go listen to the others now.

[url="https://soundcloud.com/xgsjx/the-love-bug"]https://soundcloud.c...jx/the-love-bug[/url][/quote]

Nice one Graeme! This sounds like it came straight from my record collection Very 808 State in the beginning (I think that birdcall sample is actually a species called the 'Great Northern Loon' - bit of ornithological, acid house trivia for ya there).

The synth baseline has a sort of [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qmsbP13xu6k"]Mr Oizo "Flat beat"[/url] vibe to it, which I really like. 

I also dig the bangin' minimalism and the rave-style stabs. In fact, it reminds me a lot of the sort of music I used to party to during the 90s, so it gets a big thumbs up from me. By the sound of it we may have had a similarly misspent youth?!



[quote name='lurksalot' timestamp='1366579262' post='2054506']Cheers Mike , I will have an entry in Defo , I have sussed the accent I need and a trick to get it some where near , but I have to re-record the vocal in the wardrobe , its the only place in the house without a noticeable reverb , It might not be quality , but it might raise a smile or two[/quote]

Good on you Lurks! Necessity is the mother of all invention, etc… it also makes grown men climb inside wardrobes to record vocals, as I've done myself in the past (take a duvet with you if there's room - it helps). Not sure what type of mic you're using, but I use a cheap Behringer C-1 condenser mic (one of [url="http://www.behringer.com/EN/Products/C-1.aspx"]these[/url]) and it does a fairly good job for a £30 product.



If you're getting lots of noise/hiss from the background, try recording your vocal as normal and then loading it up into Audacity - a free software available [url="http://audacity.sourceforge.net/"]here.[/url] Use the cursor to select a small slither of your track that contains the background hiss only - no vocal or other noises. Then from the top menu select Effect > Noise Removal and click on the button marked 'Get Noise Profile'. The pop-up window will close, returning you back to the main window. Select all of the sample you want to remove the background noise from (Edit > Select > All) then go back into the Effect menu and again select 'Noise Removal'. This time just hit the 'Ok' button and the software will use the initial sample of background noise to remove that same noise from all of your vocal (or any other recording for that matter). Sounds complicated in writing, but it's actually a very quick and easy way to clean up recordings - and it avoids the risk of you being sectioned for hiding in wardrobes, singing to yourself

[b]PS: anybody know when's the deadline for entries this month? I'm assuming Tuesday night - ??[/b]

Edited April 21, 2013 by Skol303

[xgsjx]

[quote name='Skol303' timestamp='1366582179' post='2054570']
Nice one Graeme! This sounds like it came straight from my record collection Very 808 State in the beginning (I think that birdcall sample is actually a species called the 'Great Northern Loon' - bit of ornithological, acid house trivia for ya there).

The synth baseline has a sort of [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qmsbP13xu6k"]Mr Oizo "Flat beat"[/url] vibe to it, which I really like. 

I also dig the bangin' minimalism and the rave-style stabs. In fact, it reminds me a lot of the sort of music I used to party to during the 90s, so it gets a big thumbs up from me. By the sound of it we may have had a similarly misspent youth?!


[/quote]

Cheers Paul.
I was tempted to put some crowd samples in there, but it reminded me of when TTF took the mick out of Ultrasonic (1,2,1,2, where's that crowd sample).
I never thought about Flatbeat, but I hear it now. That's another song from my collection too (back in my DJing days).

You're spot on with the Loon. It was a heavily used sample in the early 1/2 of the 90s.

[charic]

Last chance for entries is tomorrow night

[steve]

[quote name='charic' timestamp='1366615856' post='2054760']
Last chance for entries is tomorrow night
[/quote]

aah poo, I was going to try and get something together for this one but I think it's going to be cutting it a bit fine

[urb]

[quote name='Skol303' timestamp='1366498613' post='2053339']
Finally got round to listening to this! Firstly, nice mix. I like the vocal samples. Your playing is just sublime as always mate. Super funky 'wah' effect going on.

Really diggin this beat - is that a ready-made break or something you programmed? Either way it's got a great groove to it. Love the glitchy effects that kick in around the 2 minute mark - Squarepusher-esque, which is always going to go down well with me

Can't really think of anything to offer in terms of improvements, Mike…It might even be one of your most 'cohesive' tracks to date in these challenges (aside from the Xmas track feat. Meshell Ndegeocello, which just rocked!), in that everything fits together just right. Good work mate!
[/quote]

Thanks Paul - I guess overall this track is more in keeping with my 'usual' style - plus the speed of my writing and recording process has greatly increased in the last couple of years, which actually helps the continuity of a tune with one idea flowing into the next - hence this sounds like a complete piece instead of lots of bit hacked together - re the drums I actually used both Superior Drummer 2 for the main beat but started the whole thing with some beats from Stylus RMX, I made a beat sandwich - and actually added the main drum part last... the glitchy stuff is from RMX's 'chaos' function... which is pretty cool.

Loved Graeme's entry too - really nice retro rave vibe - I was back in the 1990s for a minute there - and didn't really want to leave!

Good stuff people...

M

[lurksalot]

OK , I'm in , it is a bit silly but it might raise a smile

[url="https://soundcloud.com/lurksalot/leapfrog"]https://soundcloud.com/lurksalot/leapfrog[/url]

[Skol303]

[quote name='lurksalot' timestamp='1366667515' post='2055856']
OK , I'm in , it is a bit silly but it might raise a smile

[url="https://soundcloud.com/lurksalot/leapfrog"]https://soundcloud.c...ksalot/leapfrog[/url]
[/quote]

I LOVE it Lurks! Definitely raised a smile here. The French accent is inspired. It reminds me of a guy called Le Tone who made some really fun electronic music in the mid-90s ([url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vW-XoWJ0TI8"]example here[/url]). Doesn't necessarily sound like his stuff, but it has that same sort of playful, tongue-in-cheek quality to it. On a more conventional, techy level the mix is good and I'd say one of your best to date. You're definitely getting the hang of Reaper and it shows!

About to upload mine shortly... looks like you and I are in at the last minute again mate

[Skol303]

Ok, I'm in… here's my effort at a [i]lurve[/i] song for this month:

https://soundcloud.com/skollob/kinda-like-me

It's a bit clunky in places but I really enjoyed putting this together, mainly because I opted for a more traditional route using guitars'n'stuff, which was a welcome break from twiddling synths and making wobbly noises. It's got a sort of 'country' feel to it… yeah, sorry for using the C-word there … which is probably a hangover from the choice of track in this month's mixing challenge (I blame you 51m0n!).

I recorded all of the instrumentation myself. The drums were played live on a MIDI keyboard (using different overdubs for kick/snare, hats/rides and claps/cymbals) and nothing was quantized, hopefully giving it a more 'human' groove. Thanks to Skol Jnr for use of his toy maraca and tambourine!

PS: this one is for Mrs Skol as it's our anniversary this month. Yeah, I'm a big mushy romantic at heart (pictures of humping beetles notwithstanding ).

[lurksalot]

Cheers Skol , It was a bit of fun , but I wont let on what the accent was supposed to be , suffice to say an accent was all that was needed

I was quite pleased the way it all sat in the mix , and I was surprised how well I could disguise the tone of my own voice for the 2 characters , I will listen to the others now , and then get stuck into the mix comp

[lowdown]

Managed to get something done today..
Here you go................

[url="http://soundcloud.com/garrycribb/a-bit-buggy"]http://soundcloud.co...ibb/a-bit-buggy[/url]

Will have a listen to everyone's tonight sometime.
Don't seem many takers this month.


Garry

Edited April 23, 2013 by lowdown

[steve]

I've listened to them all so far, and not been able to single one out to vote for so far. Some great stuff as usual. Hopefully I may be able to participate again next month

[lurksalot]

[quote name='Skol303' timestamp='1366672279' post='2055897']
It's got a sort of 'country' feel to it… yeah, sorry for using the C-word there … which is probably a hangover from the choice of track in this month's mixing challenge (I blame you 51m0n!).

[/quote]

Its another great entry there my man , I have just had a funny moment though , my daughter loves getting involved when she can , she is 12 , but she was sad when she saw your post , she said she can't listen to your song because you used the C-word !!!
I only just realised it was C for Country

[steve]

oh, b***s to it, here's my (very) unfinished song - the more the merrier, or something like that

Inspired by the relentless nature of insects, it's still waiting for vocals (and lyrics) if I ever get round to them, and a recorded bassline to replace the programmed one, (the only live instruments are the guitar parts). I started in Sibelius with the bass line before importing it into Reason to start fleshing it out. I'm fairly happy with it so far, but there's a long way to go......

EDIT: updated the file, pls see below, ta

Edited April 24, 2013 by steve

[Skol303]

[quote name='lurksalot' timestamp='1366742618' post='2056750']Its another great entry there my man , I have just had a funny moment though , my daughter loves getting involved when she can , she is 12 , but she was sad when she saw your post , she said she can't listen to your song because you used the C-word !!!
I only just realised it was C for Country
[/quote]

Cheers Lurks. Sounds like you have a very astute daughter! And good to hear she's caught the music bug so early. I'm hoping my son Max will show similar interest in music as he grows up...he's only 2 at the moment so he has a way to go yet. Current evidence suggests a drummer in the making

Garry, Steve: nice one! I haven't yet had chance to listen to your entries (currently watching Jules...) but I'll post some feedback when I do.

Edited April 23, 2013 by Skol303

[bobbass4k]

Had to rush mine a bit but got it done: [url="https://soundcloud.com/bobbass4k/crashland"]https://soundcloud.com/bobbass4k/crashland[/url]

I changed the title but the link seems to have stayed the same, the title is "Where Others Float", it's a line from a song that has romantic significance to me.

I may have gone a bit overboard this month, but I'm surprisingly proud of it, although the mid section got away from me a bit and the mix was rushed.

[Skol303]

^ Nice one Bob, I'm looking forward to listening to that.

I think that makes eight of us this month (?). Good work everyone. Especially given the slightly stoopid pic I choose... I'm still amazed that was the top result when searching 'love' on Flickr! Just checked and it still is - followed by a pair of amorous stag beetles!! What is the world coming to, eh?

Edited April 23, 2013 by Skol303

[lurksalot]

Fair play Bob , that is a big sound , lots of presence in there , and mainly plugins? this is stuff I havent got a handle on yet ,but think I should at some point .

the topic is fine bud , it teased 8 entries , even with lighter evenings and work getting busier

In all seriousness though , will the entries suffer when mundane sh*t like the garden, and outside chores, and making hay etc while the sun is shining , and golf (WTF) but hey , and riding a bike , and summer in general tempts the musos out side ?




PS .......wear sunscreen