the boy Posted January 28, 2014 Share Posted January 28, 2014 [quote name='AL-the-Bassman' timestamp='1390915019' post='2351164'] but it would be great to see 10 to 30 entries each month .. [/quote] Absolutely..... With a couple of hundred votes. There has to be a better way of promoting it within the website. I've no idea how but there must be some clever guy here who can work it out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lowdown Posted January 28, 2014 Share Posted January 28, 2014 [quote name='Skol303' timestamp='1390909040' post='2351054'] but a texan in a hat is well... a texan in a hat! And not so open to musical interpretation.[/quote] [size=4]Ahhhh..but you could have taken the 'The Big Country' theme or 'Dallas' route...[/size] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjz6tNPyxZw http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQTH3a0mjR8 [size=4] [/size] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad3353 Posted January 28, 2014 Share Posted January 28, 2014 [quote name='the boy' timestamp='1390915430' post='2351179'] Absolutely..... With a couple of hundred votes. There has to be a better way of promoting it within the website. I've no idea how but there must be some clever guy here who can work it out. [/quote] We're on the case. A series of 40-second slots on the main TV channels and a percussive campaign of posters on buses, featuring nubile young things whispering sweetly "Bass Compo Challenge..!" whilst twirling down a pole should do the trick. ... ...or not. What budget do I have to play with..? No, I mean, I have to audition the twirlers, you see. I'll post the videos here, though, if you wish... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the boy Posted January 28, 2014 Share Posted January 28, 2014 [quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1390916809' post='2351214'] We're on the case. A series of 40-second slots on the main TV channels and a percussive campaign of posters on buses, featuring nubile young things whispering sweetly "Bass Compo Challenge..!" whilst twirling down a pole should do the trick. ... ...or not. What budget do I have to play with..? No, I mean, I have to audition the twirlers, you see. I'll post the videos here, though, if you wish... [/quote] Lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skol303 Posted January 28, 2014 Author Share Posted January 28, 2014 [quote name='the boy' timestamp='1390915430' post='2351179']There has to be a better way of promoting it within the website. I've no idea how but there must be some clever guy here who can work it out.[/quote] I'm all ears! Seriously... very open to suggestions for how we can promote it more effectively. Our current method is to post a thread advertising the competition in the General Forum and send out a series of Tweets to all of the BC Twitterati (courtesy of Sylvia, who always helps out on that front). It usually gets a mention on the BC Facebook page too. I'm always conscious of wanting to avoid 'nagging' people into voting, as that's likely to have the opposite effect. So for instance, I don't think mutiple threads promoting the competition would be the right way to go about it. But it might help if more of you added imploring comments to the thread in the General forum ([url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/227998-january-composition-competition-vote-now/"]here[/url]), to help keep that thread bumped and in the spotlight. I think prizes and sponsorship will help, but again, may also change what we have into a different beast entirely. So we may decide to run prize competitions in a different format and perhaps even with a different voting system, involving judges in some instances, etc, etc. More on that in due course. But for the time being, as I've said already, [i]"you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink".[/i] Well, not unless it's massively thirsty. Or a pantomime horse. Or... yeah, I'll stop now. [quote name='lowdown' timestamp='1390916521' post='2351202'][size=4]Ahhhh..but you could have taken the 'The Big Country' theme or 'Dallas' route...[/size] [/quote] Damn you Garry and your inventiveness!! Those would have been interesteting routes to take. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PauBass Posted January 28, 2014 Share Posted January 28, 2014 (edited) [quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1390878108' post='2350857'] Here's a site to get anyone started, with a fair selection of vst instruments, effects and treatments... [url="http://www.vst4free.com/"]Vst4Free...[/url] The quality is variable, but as it's very easy to try out and discard if not up to scratch, there's not much to lose, really, and there are many very good ones. All are free; although it is considered polite to donate if they're found to be worthy. Which are the good ones..? Aha..! Good question, but I can't answer that for you. It's all down to taste and style; for instance, I'm an old fuddy-duddy, and tend to go for classical instruments such as woodwind, brass or keys. Others will prefer 808 beat boxes, or glitchers (what the heck does a glitcher do, anyway..? ) for composing trip-hop techno acid house jungle beats and such. Here's a couple that I found suitable, just the same... [url="http://www.vst4free.com/free_vst.php?plugin=DVS_Saxophone&id=187"]Saxophone...[/url] [url="http://www.vst4free.com/free_vst.php?plugin=AZR-3&id=277"]Drawbar organ...[/url] [url="http://www.vst4free.com/free_vst.php?plugin=Crash_VSTi&id=1124"]Cymbals...[/url] I forgot to mention earlier that, in order to get the best from many, if not most of these instruments, a keyboard is almost essential. I use a tiny M-Audio Mini32 Keystation, which is inexpensive and very compact. Anyone able to play keys would doubtless benefit from a larger model (61 keys..?), but all will have their own 'take' on that, so I won't expand here. There's plenty to try out there, and there's not much on the TV these days, so off you go... Hope this helps... [/quote] [quote name='lurksalot' timestamp='1390863559' post='2350768'] Dad appears to be on it with the drums , though I have a midi drum machine that I can record as audio , I use [url="http://www.sonomawireworks.com/drumcore/downloads/"]drumcore free[/url] for my laptop which runs Reaper 32bit but on my PC I use EZdrummer for reaper 64bit which I paid £18 for. both are relatively easy to use after a bit of faffing but once you get the hang of one of them they work in a similar way . you can pick a loop and drag and drop it into place . [/quote] [quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1390859779' post='2350681'] Have a look here for drums... [url="http://www.hydrogen-music.org/hcms/"]Hydrogen...[/url] [/quote] Great! Thanks a lot! Edited January 28, 2014 by PauBass Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lurksalot Posted January 28, 2014 Share Posted January 28, 2014 [quote name='AL-the-Bassman' timestamp='1390915019' post='2351164'] but it would be great to see 10 to 30 entries each month .. [/quote] That would be incredible ,however , I think there could be a bit of an issue trying to get the membership up for listening to 30 tracks before casting a vote , It would probably be a struggle for me to be honest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zenitram Posted January 28, 2014 Share Posted January 28, 2014 There may also be people who will listen to the tracks but don't see music as a competition and don't wish or see the need to favour one piece of music over another. That's certainly my position, to an extent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skol303 Posted January 28, 2014 Author Share Posted January 28, 2014 [quote name='Zenitram' timestamp='1390931011' post='2351466'] There may also be people who will listen to the tracks but don't see music as a competition and don't wish or see the need to favour one piece of music over another. That's certainly my position, to an extent. [/quote] Good point. That said, I think the voting is a way for people to get involved in the monthly challenges, rather than 'just' being passive listeners. Although for sure, as others have said, the real value of the competitions is that they encourage us all to make music we might not otherwise think of making. I mean... my staple output is electronica and here I am writing country music! That's not normal. And I'm all the better for it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad3353 Posted January 28, 2014 Share Posted January 28, 2014 [quote name='Zenitram' timestamp='1390931011' post='2351466'] There may also be people who will listen to the tracks but don't see music as a competition and don't wish or see the need to favour one piece of music over another. That's certainly my position, to an extent. [/quote] +1 here, which is why I always use the term 'challenge'. The competitive aspect isn't the motivation, it's the challenge (to oneself, for my part...). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skol303 Posted January 28, 2014 Author Share Posted January 28, 2014 [quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1390937871' post='2351571'] +1 here, which is why I always use the term 'challenge'. The competitive aspect isn't the motivation, it's the challenge (to oneself, for my part...). [/quote] I've often wondered whether we should call it the 'Composition Challenge' instead of 'Competition'. Happy to change the name next time round unless anyone objects - ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zenitram Posted January 28, 2014 Share Posted January 28, 2014 We could have a competition to see who comes up with the best name for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad3353 Posted January 28, 2014 Share Posted January 28, 2014 (edited) Meanwhile, here's the 'teaser' you've all been waiting for. If this doesn't bring 'em in in droves... [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSrufAVlS_g&feature=youtu.be[/media] Feel free to link to this as much as you wish... A tad subliminal (no bad thing..?); could be improved upon, certainly. Cobbled up this afternoon from a few 'archive' free-to-use clips, with a sound track I did a couple of weeks ago. Enjoy... Edited January 28, 2014 by Dad3353 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skol303 Posted January 28, 2014 Author Share Posted January 28, 2014 (edited) [quote name='Zenitram' timestamp='1390939041' post='2351594'] We could have a competition to see who comes up with the best name for it. [/quote] Nah... a good ol' fashioned knife fight would be more inclusive and less passive-aggressive. Winner gets to choose [quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1390939180' post='2351596'] Meanwhile, here's the 'teaser' you've all been waiting for. If this doesn't bring 'em in in droves... [/quote] Genius or insanity... it's a fine line between the two Douglas, a fine line Edited January 28, 2014 by Skol303 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad3353 Posted January 28, 2014 Share Posted January 28, 2014 [quote name='Skol303' timestamp='1390943326' post='2351674']... it's a fine line between the two Douglas, a fine line [/quote] [attachment=153516:Tigh_Walk.jpg] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassman Sam Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 A hard task again this month, not a bad track in here. You guys always deliver. I've cast my vote, now, where's the lesbians? [size=4] [/size] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad3353 Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 (edited) [quote name='Bassman Sam' timestamp='1390954647' post='2351801'] A hard task again this month, not a bad track in here. You guys always deliver. I've cast my vote, now, where's the lesbians? [/quote] Not certain; [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/228357-dancing-girls-video/page__view__findpost__p__2351632"]here[/url], maybe..? Edited January 29, 2014 by Dad3353 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RockfordStone Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 [quote name='lurksalot' timestamp='1390930721' post='2351458'] That would be incredible ,however , I think there could be a bit of an issue trying to get the membership up for listening to 30 tracks before casting a vote , It would probably be a struggle for me to be honest [/quote] seconded, i struggle to find the time to listen to 5 or 6 sometimes. i also think its fair to suggest that not everyone has their own recording set up, i think the ones who do and are into it hang out on this section of forum as it is. in terms of people voting, i did also consider whether it comes down to taste maybe... a lot of people here play songs in the standard form and the compositions on here tend to take the form of a piece of music rather than a typical song... maybe thats why some people don't come over here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skol303 Posted January 29, 2014 Author Share Posted January 29, 2014 [quote name='RockfordStone' timestamp='1390985545' post='2351885'] seconded, i struggle to find the time to listen to 5 or 6 sometimes. i also think its fair to suggest that not everyone has their own recording set up, i think the ones who do and are into it hang out on this section of forum as it is. in terms of people voting, i did also consider whether it comes down to taste maybe... a lot of people here play songs in the standard form and the compositions on here tend to take the form of a piece of music rather than a typical song... maybe thats why some people don't come over here [/quote] Aye. In fact, we've had feedback during some of the larger competitions that people find it hard going listening through all of the entries. Again, that's a shame but very understandable. I was thinking that during some months we could do a 'special' and limit the length of each track to a minute, or thereabouts, as both a fresh challenge to the entrants and a more 'quick fire' experience for the listeners. Just an idea. I've also been toying with the idea of a 'Battle of the Bands' event at some point in future: a one-off, separate to the composition competition, showcasing music recorded by BC members' bands (as a way of involving people who play in bands but don't record music themselves). All food for thought Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RockfordStone Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 a competition to find the "Basschatters Band of The Month" would be fun, say like 5 or 6 bands entered a month, we all vote and that band is the band of the month for february... maybe an obvious link/advert on the main page could be a prize maybe which could give people an incentive to enter... i dunno just thinking out loud Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skol303 Posted January 29, 2014 Author Share Posted January 29, 2014 [quote name='RockfordStone' timestamp='1391016271' post='2352316'] a competition to find the "Basschatters Band of The Month" would be fun, say like 5 or 6 bands entered a month, we all vote and that band is the band of the month for february... maybe an obvious link/advert on the main page could be a prize maybe which could give people an incentive to enter... i dunno just thinking out loud [/quote] Like it! I'll float the idea in the General Forum next month and set some wheels in motion..,. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AL-the-Bassman Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 Good Idea but your band could enter this comp anyway , doesn't have to be solo comp's i think if u have the facility to record, Do it , enter and have fun , its not a test for berklee !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skol303 Posted January 29, 2014 Author Share Posted January 29, 2014 [quote name='AL-the-Bassman' timestamp='1391018031' post='2352353'] Good Idea but your band could enter this comp anyway , doesn't have to be solo comp's i think if u have the facility to record, Do it , enter and have fun , its not a test for berklee !! [/quote] Absolutely! Although I think the task of composing and recording a track in three weeks is maybe better suited to individuals than bands for logistical reasons. But you're right that bands are welcome to take part. In fact we've had a few in the past. I've been involved in one (sort of) and it was a huge (and sleepless!) effort, but worthwhile Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seashell Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 SO difficult this month. I love them all! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skol303 Posted January 29, 2014 Author Share Posted January 29, 2014 For anyone interested I've just posted an archive of the past 2 years' Composition Challenges in the 'Share Your Music' forum. Right here: http://basschat.co.uk/topic/228445-basschat-composition-challenge-the-archive/ Ah, the memories... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.