July Composition Competition

[CamdenRob]

Here's my attempt this month, thought I'd get it in early as I'm not sure how much time I'll have later on.

https://soundcloud.com/robhartley-1/pastrami-on-rye-wav

Hopefully that came out as a link?

Recorded this last night onto a little pocket multitracker as its slightly higher quality than my usual youtube shenanigans... Bluesy wine bar feel to this one and still solo bass. I may still do a video, I'm undecided as yet... anyway here it is for now.

Rob

[SimonEdward]

[quote name='charic' timestamp='1372747367' post='2129315']
... Well here we have the July picture chosen by urb, quite an interesting one this time around open to plenty of interpretation

[color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif] [/font][/color]
Usual waffle:
[color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]A picture will be posted by the previous months winner to act as inspiration for that months piece. The piece should be no more than 5 minutes long and should be composed and recorded in the same month as the piece in question.[/font][/color]

[color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]To be clear, any instruments / sounds can be used although copyright should be followed for obvious reasons...........[/font][/color]

[b]Are you still here? Get composing![/b]
[/quote]

... Hmm! New Amsterdam eh? Lots of opportunities for various fusions etc - should be a popular?!?! ... I have one or two ideas for tunes/songs etc myself, so we'll see how we go... no promises, because I'm useless at keeping them GOOD LUCK EVERYONE! PS. My only wish would be... oh, lets crack on..

[charic]

Bloody hell, 2 great tunes already!

[Dad3353]

[quote name='charic' timestamp='1372853424' post='2130681']
Bloody hell, 2 great tunes already!
[/quote]

Well, [i]someone [/i]has to keep that there Skol in check..!

Thanks for the nice comments so far (although I know it won't last.. )

[MiltyG565]

I'm working on my own, currently. Sorry, but it will be a terrible arrangement of Midi instruments. It's all I can do (and I can't even do it very well).

[charic]

[quote name='MiltyG565' timestamp='1372857678' post='2130762']
I'm working on my own, currently. Sorry, but it will be a [b]terrible arrangement of Midi instruments[/b]. It's all I can do ([b]and I can't even do it very well[/b]).
[/quote]

So you're making a terrible arrangement of midi instruments badly?

So... cancelling out the negatives here means that you're going to create a good arrangement of midi instruments well

[Roland Rock]

[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1372840511' post='2130459']
Good morning, all...

Here's my modest contribution to the fray...


[/quote]

Don't be so modest, it's ##%***ing *^%###***€$¥%#!

[SpaceChick]

Douglas - Lovely track there and welcome to the party.

Rob - I think the better recording and soundcloud have made your composing easier to listen to, the timings and punctuation almost in your playing is beautiful.

Having some really serious PC problems in SpaceChick HQ at the moment which has stopped me from doing what I want!! Have a few ideas floating around in my head, none of which will be suitable to do on Garage Band on a IPad 1!! That said, whilst I could get the sounds I want on a PC, doubt I have the technical skills to do it justice anyhow

[Dad3353]

[quote name='Roland Rock' timestamp='1372858758' post='2130780']
Don't be so modest, it's ##%***ing *^%###***€$¥%#!
[/quote]

yes, I knew someone would say that...

[attachment=138199:Eeyo_Rain.jpg]

[Skol303]

[quote name='CamdenRob' timestamp='1372834158' post='2130377']There is sound in this video? I've never noticed... [/quote]

Well, strictly speaking you should listen to reference material with your eyes closed...

[quote name='charic' timestamp='1372853424' post='2130681']Bloody hell, 2 great tunes already![/quote]

Bloomin' 'eck, people are getting quick around here! I've only just finished cracking my knuckles in readiness for this month, let alone started sketching anything out. Makes me think we should do a 'speed run' one time - produce a track over a weekend or suchlike; maybe with some sort of fundraising element to it. Would take a bit of organising but might be fun. Might have potential for a Christmas Special, etc.

Anyway, well done on the early bird efforts. I'm looking forward to hearing them

[MiltyG565]

[quote name='Skol303' timestamp='1372863585' post='2130868']
Well, strictly speaking you should listen to reference material with your eyes closed...



Bloomin' 'eck, people are getting quick around here! I've only just finished cracking my knuckles in readiness for this month, let alone started sketching anything out. Makes me think we should do a 'speed run' one time - produce a track over a weekend or suchlike; maybe with some sort of fundraising element to it. Would take a bit of organising but might be fun. Might have potential for a Christmas Special, etc.

Anyway, well done on the early bird efforts. I'm looking forward to hearing them
[/quote]

What about a collaborative effort between a load of us? Combine all our best skills. I don't mean myself though, because whatever I can do, there's somebody on here who's much better at it... unless it's making a lasagne.

[Skol303]

[quote name='MiltyG565' timestamp='1372864512' post='2130885']What about a collaborative effort between a load of us? Combine all our best skills. I don't mean myself though, because whatever I can do, there's somebody on here who's much better at it... unless it's making a lasagne.[/quote]

A Basschat Orchestra? The phrase "herding cats" springs to mind!

I'd be up for it... I'm up for pretty much anything... but I think it would be a huge challenge to make it work in a truly collaborative sense - i.e. enabling people to have a genuine input into the creative process, rather than just being an exercise in cobbling together a bunch of instrumentation written in a given key at a given tempo, etc.

But never say never. Unless it's a Tesco value range lasagne

[MiltyG565]

Here's mine. Read the description of it to understand it better

https://soundcloud.com/miltyg565/miltongrahambasschatbass

[MiltyG565]

[quote name='Skol303' timestamp='1372865145' post='2130895']
But never say never. Unless it's a Tesco value range lasagne
[/quote]

Or a Findus one In fact, most lasagnes from a shop are disgusting. Needs to be homemade!

[Roland Rock]

[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1372863189' post='2130862']


yes, I knew someone would say that...

[attachment=138199:Eeyo_Rain.jpg]
[/quote]

Your translation is off :-P
For my real comments, see the toast face in Soundcloud :-)

[lurksalot]

[quote name='Stephen Houghton' timestamp='1372811988' post='2130350']
Does anyone know what city is in the picture? Stumped for an idea this month at the moment, but it ain't over till the fat lady sings, que the wife Only kidding, she cant sing
[/quote]

Yep its new york
I have a similar picture from a few years ago when I did a panoramic but in the daylight.
I had some silly ideas about merging in some of the landmarks into some lyrics, though for the life of me I was stuck with the 59th Street bridge , I may have another go but it doesn't feel quite as groovy as it should
or ..............the wind Cries Lah
anything about Trumping towers might work , or the east elevation of the United Nations .

[lurksalot]

POP , Britney will do for me , in her day yummmm

Rihanna and the wanted so far , it does grow on you a bit when you listen in on the detail , but complex .
It will be a miracle if we get any sort of resemblance to modern stuff , however if you turn the clock back to peter ,paul and mary mungo and midge , I might get a bit closer .

[Dad3353]

[quote name='Roland Rock' timestamp='1372865721' post='2130909']
Your translation is off :-P
For my real comments, see the toast face in Soundcloud :-)
[/quote]

It's the Nottingham accent which throws me..!

Thanks for the toasting, though; much appreciated. 7/8..? Yes, not only, but also. There's 3 time signatures in there, plus a couple of syncopated accentuations. It'd take longer to 'analyse' it than to listen to..!

[CamdenRob]

[quote name='SpaceChick' timestamp='1372862679' post='2130857']
Rob - I think the better recording and soundcloud have made your composing easier to listen to, the timings and punctuation almost in your playing is beautiful.

Having some really serious PC problems in SpaceChick HQ at the moment which has stopped me from doing what I want!! Have a few ideas floating around in my head, none of which will be suitable to do on Garage Band on a IPad 1!! That said, whilst I could get the sounds I want on a PC, doubt I have the technical skills to do it justice anyhow
[/quote]

Thanks Spacechick It was my first attempt at recording with anything other than a video camera... next month I may even use some EQ Its all a bit of a learning curve for me at the moment...

[quote name='MiltyG565' timestamp='1372865292' post='2130896']
Here's mine. Read the description of it to understand it better

[url="https://soundcloud.com/miltyg565/miltongrahambasschatbass"]https://soundcloud.c...hambasschatbass[/url]
[/quote]

That's not at all bad there mate. Like the concept. You've got more instruments in it than I have!

[quote name='lurksalot' timestamp='1372867300' post='2130947']
POP , Britney will do for me , in her day yummmm
[/quote]

I though she looked alright bald...

Rob

[Dad3353]

[quote name='CamdenRob' timestamp='1372869658' post='2130983']...It was my first attempt at recording with anything other than a video camera... [/quote]

The results are convincing. For my part (I may be alone in this...), I get distracted by the video component, and find that as a solely audio track, I can 'forget' about the looper. Dumb, I know, and purely psychological (certainly not logical..!). Not to say that the images are not useful in their own right; I would encourage you to continue that route, just the same. Of course, I could always just shut my eyes, I suppose..?
Thumb's up for the track, by the way. Skol had better be good, this month..!

[MiltyG565]

[quote name='CamdenRob' timestamp='1372869658' post='2130983']
That's not at all bad there mate. Like the concept. You've got more instruments in it than I have!
[/quote]

Does a laptop count as an instrument, because if it doesn't I believe you have beaten me by 1

[Dad3353]

[quote name='MiltyG565' timestamp='1372874112' post='2131069']
Does a laptop count as an instrument, because if it doesn't I believe you have beaten me by 1
[/quote]

Like..!

[Roland Rock]

[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1372869643' post='2130982']


It's the Nottingham accent which throws me..!

Thanks for the toasting, though; much appreciated. 7/8..? Yes, not only, but also. There's 3 time signatures in there, plus a couple of syncopated accentuations. It'd take longer to 'analyse' it than to listen to..!
[/quote]

I suppose I was concentrating on that for the comparison to 'Money'.
I'm more of a listener than an analyser, and liked what I heard. Good work :-)

[CamdenRob]

[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1372872098' post='2131037']
The results are convincing. For my part (I may be alone in this...), I get distracted by the video component, and find that as a solely audio track, I can 'forget' about the looper. Dumb, I know, and purely psychological (certainly not logical..!). Not to say that the images are not useful in their own right; I would encourage you to continue that route, just the same. Of course, I could always just shut my eyes, I suppose..?
Thumb's up for the track, by the way. Skol had better be good, this month..!
[/quote]

I think your right to be honest.

Truth is I may be 'hiding' behind the visual component of what I'm trying to do here, pushing that to the forefront to maybe detract from proper arranging... these aren't really songs, more layers I play around with. As I'm now going down the 'audio only' route the music is exposed so to speak... This is of course how it should be and will hopefully drive me onto better arrangements It is a learning experience this writing music lark and hopefully I can learn from this and progress...

[quote name='MiltyG565' timestamp='1372874112' post='2131069']
Does a laptop count as an instrument, because if it doesn't I believe you have beaten me by 1
[/quote]

In my mind a laptop counts as an instrument. Without getting into the realms of the 'what constitutes an instrument' debate, I would suggest that anything you can make a sound with is technically an instrument. I can appreciate a virtuoso violin performance for its feel and technical prowess and I do believe MIDI falls down slightly when attempting to emulate 'real world' instruments... its a dynamics thing, it just doesn't sound quite right...

Having said that though. Composing is composing and to me there is no difference whatsoever in writing a piece on a traditional orchestral instrument, or programming notation into a computer... you are still creating music just using a different medium...

Rob

Edited July 3, 2013 by CamdenRob

[MiltyG565]

[quote name='CamdenRob' timestamp='1372877092' post='2131105']
In my mind a laptop counts as an instrument. Without getting into the realms of the 'what constitutes an instrument' debate, I would suggest that anything you can make a sound with is technically an instrument. I can appreciate a virtuoso violin performance for its feel and technical prowess and I do believe MIDI falls down slightly when attempting to emulate 'real world' instruments... its a dynamics thing, it just doesn't sound quite right...

Having said that though. Composing is composing and to me there is no difference whatsoever in writing a piece on a traditional orchestral instrument, or programming notation into a computer... you are still creating music just using a different medium...

Rob
[/quote]

Yes, that's quite true. But the concept I had gone for left it quite limited. The bars that go up a semi-tone are the vowels. I just did that to give it some variation. But I think it's pretty cool that if you translated all the notes of the bass to a zero, and all the notes the bass doesn't play to a 1, you literally have a barcode.