February Composition Challenge - VOTING!

[Roland Rock]

[quote name='Horizontalste' timestamp='1393422078' post='2380009']
I was torn this month, but in the end one of the tracks had a very addictive hook so that's where my vote went.
[/quote]

I think I know the one - I've been unwittingly singing it while washing up, obviously a good sign

[AL-the-Bassman]

I think who ever wins should dedicate march's comp to Paco De lucia
Who died Today.
Probably the best Flamenco guitarist Ever.
R.I.P Paco

[lowdown]

Voted - Well done all.

[Dad3353]

Well, I've got the sound back for my PC, thanks to a little interface box (Behringer UCA202...); works well so far; I've listened to each of the entries. Which brings us to the affairs in hand: how now to choose between these works..? Every time I have the same problem. I look forward to hearing what everyone has to offer with eager anticipation. Every time I then anguish over the decision to make. All of these, without exception, have merits and qualities worthy of my modest vote. How to reward one over the others..? I'll leave it for now, but I'll be back before the deadline. It's not fair, really it's not. How to give recognition to all the tracks I like..? Hmm...

[EliasMooseblaster]

Bravo, chaps. A difficult choice, as usual, and quite the eclectic mix. It is after no small amount of deliberation on my part to give my vote to stu_g. (A very close 2nd and 3rd...possibly even joint 2nd...to Ou7shined and Dad.)

[Dad3353]

[quote name='EliasMooseblaster' timestamp='1393515332' post='2381312']
Bravo, chaps. A difficult choice, as usual, and quite the eclectic mix. It is after no small amount of deliberation on my part to give my vote to stu_g. (A very close 2nd and 3rd...possibly even joint 2nd...to Ou7shined and Dad.)
[/quote]

Thanks for the compliment, EM; I heartily agree on the difficulty to choose. I'm still pondering how to decide. Too talented by half, these folks..!

[SpaceChick]

Great songs again.... A real interesting mix of interpretations of the picture!

One stood out for me by a whisker so it got my vote, but another tough month to choose.

[Lord Sausage]

Voted.

If i ever see a pic i like i will start entering again!

[stu_g]

woah i got a vote thanks very much

[Ou7shined]

[quote name='EliasMooseblaster' timestamp='1393515332' post='2381312']
Bravo, chaps. A difficult choice, as usual, and quite the eclectic mix. It is after no small amount of deliberation on my part to give my vote to stu_g. (A very close 2nd and 3rd...possibly even joint 2nd...to Ou7shined and Dad.)
[/quote]

Cheers and cheers again for even mentioning mine.

[Dad3353]

Well, I finally took the plunge and ticked a box, but with sincere regret; not that my final choice was disappointing, quite the opposite. It feels so unfair, though, to leave all the others out of the limelight. There's not one without enormous qualities, despite the sometimes 'domestic' nature of the production. If it's raw talent we're rewarding, there are no losers. Such diversity, too..! To think that this one photo could inspire such different reactions; it's uplifting.
Never mind, the die is cast. To top it all, it's closely run again; apparently I'm not the only one with difficulty in choosing.

[Thurbs]

For some reason sound cloud is not working Will try again later.

[Skol303]

[quote name='Thurbs' timestamp='1393594095' post='2382345']
For some reason sound cloud is not working Will try again later.
[/quote]

Hi Thurbs. It's working ok for me (using the Firefox browser). But it does suffer from occasional hiccups... try again later and if you're still having problems let us know here and I'll try to find a fix for you.

[Skol303]

I've been meaning to post some constructive feedback on everyone's entries, so here goes...!

[b]stu g:[/b] Wow, this is crazy I like how the sense of rhythm starts to build in the beginning. The synths are cool. The sense of chaos you’ve created makes it sound suitable busy and bustling. Production-wise it sounds a little muffled - some of the elements could do with being ‘picked out’ more, to prevent it all blurring into one sound. A very inventive track!

[b]Dad3353:[/b] Nice use of field recordings and samples! I’m immediately picturing a busy station. The engine hum in particular gives it a sense of rhythm. Some of the sounds could perhaps be panned harder L/R to create a bigger ‘sense of space’; maybe a little more variation would have helped too. The ending is great! Production sounds fine. Good work, Doug.

[b]Ou7shined: [/b]As those above, good use of samples. Love the bass tone/playing. Interesting melody. The simple rhythm part really works. I really like the middle section where the bass drops out, leaving just the ghostly synth part. Subtle but very effective. Nice mix and production. Great track!

[b]Stephen Houghton:[/b] I like what you’ve done here Steve! It’s a really good stab at the 60/70s soul vibe. Production sounds nice: good panning; maybe just needs some more ‘welly’ in the low end - bass and kick drum - to give it a fatter sound and help propel the track along a bit harder. Lovely keys and brass sections. Like the lyrics. Vocals sound a wee bit thin and trebly - again, needs a touch more bass to thicken it up. All in all, really good!

[b]lurksalot: [/b]Very ambitious track lurks! Very creative too. The strings all sound ace. The vocal is a damn good effort and bold as brass! Either you’re singing a second part in falsetto or I can hear two voices here - ? The track has tons of potential and I can really hear what you had in mind with this - but it’s not [i]quite[/i] there. Still, it’s not a genre I would ever attempt myself - I’m too chicken! - and top marks for throwing a curveball and taking me by surprise.

[b]AL-the-Bassman:[/b] Bam! Straight into this track and I already like it. Nice playing and tone as always. I’m amazed that the ‘guitar’ parts were played on a bass - very clever and good production. The 'news' sample works well, but I’m not sure it works throughout the track: it ends up being a bit distracting. The track itself is great; very soundtrack-esque (you’re clearly a fan of the same 80s movies I am!). A wee bit repetitive, but a superb effort for an afternoon. The Robocop sample works nicely at the end but is strictly-speaking 'illegal' for the purpose of this challenge - “No unlicensed samples” - so yeah, dead or alive [i]you’re[/i] coming with me!

[b]the boy: [/b]Beautiful! Grabbed me right from the start. Very nice choice of sounds. Great lyrics and vocal (maybe needs a slightly ‘warmer’ reverb, but I’m splitting hairs…). Love the simplicity of it all. I was waiting for it to step up a gear towards the end, but the sax parts gives it just the lift it needs without any grand fanfare. Very nice indeed mate.

A tough call as always, but in the end my vote went to…

[spoiler]Ou7shined! I thought you nailed the vibe of the photo very well and your track came across as being very creative, well played and produced. Ticked all the right boxes for me The boy was a close second - beautiful song.[/spoiler]

And well done to EVERYONE who took part this month! A really diverse and enjoyable mix of new music.

[b]Voting ends at midnight. Can whoever wins please message me with their choice of photo this evening or sometime tomorrow, so we can kick off the next one promptly.[/b] Ta!

Paul

[Stephen Houghton]

[quote name='Skol303' timestamp='1393606850' post='2382557']
I've been meaning to post some constructive feedback on everyone's entries, so here goes...!


[b]Stephen Houghton:[/b] I like what you’ve done here Steve! It’s a really good stab at the 60/70s soul vibe. Production sounds nice: good panning; maybe just needs some more ‘welly’ in the low end - bass and kick drum - to give it a fatter sound and help propel the track along a bit harder. Lovely keys and brass sections. Like the lyrics. Vocals sound a wee bit thin and trebly - again, needs a touch more bass to thicken it up. All in all, really good!

Paul
[/quote], Thanks for the feedback Skol, I need to suss out how to do vocals as I always get a crap trebly sound (any lessons going ) just cant seem to get it right. Also the bass and kick drum comments noted, will try to work on all these things next entry. Well done everyone, I haven't entered for a while and the difference in quality from a few months ago is really impressive. Its a very close race at the end, watching with anticipation

[Ou7shined]

[quote name='Skol303' timestamp='1393606850' post='2382557']
I've been meaning to post some constructive feedback on everyone's entries, so here goes...!

[b]....[/b]

[b]Ou7shined: [/b]As those above, good use of samples. Love the bass tone/playing. Interesting melody. The simple rhythm part really works. I really like the middle section where the bass drops out, leaving just the ghostly synth part. Subtle but very effective. Nice mix and production. Great track!

[b]...[/b]

[/quote]

Wow thanks Paul!
I was obviously very much out of my comfort zone genre wise with the track but I just let the vibe of the project dictate the direction it took. Although not my usual thing I do hear references to some of my biggest non rock influences in there. Going back a few days after first recording it I realised that the simple percussion line you mentioned was reminiscent of Pink Floyd's Childhood's Dream and Obscured By Clouds (in fact I think I now see a few nods to the mighty PF in there) and from the bass and keys side I hear a little Kate Bush. I find it fascinating how these musical flavours steel themselves deep within us and pop out subconsciously into our music when they feel like it.
I'm glad you mentioned the production as making the grade. My monitoring is through a quite old 2.1 Logitech computer setup and although I think it sounds ok most of the time I worry a lot about my "mastering" such that it is.

Edited February 28, 2014 by Ou7shined

[lurksalot]

[quote name='Skol303' timestamp='1393606850' post='2382557']
I've been meaning to post some constructive feedback on everyone's entries, so here goes...!


[b]lurksalot: [/b]Very ambitious track lurks! Very creative too. The strings all sound ace. The vocal is a damn good effort and bold as brass! Either you’re singing a second part in falsetto or I can hear two voices here - ? The track has tons of potential and I can really hear what you had in mind with this - but it’s not [i]quite[/i] there. Still, it’s not a genre I would ever attempt myself - I’m too chicken! - and top marks for throwing a curveball and taking me by surprise.

[/quote]

Cheers Paul ,
Yeah , you called it , ridiculously ambitious , but I have no particular genre I am any good at , so I will have a go at whatever seems to call at me in the picture , Last months was humorous , but this one I saw in a much darker , serious way . The voices were all mine except 1 from emmas friend, which I effectively stole from her , I said "sing this and I will record it" ,she said Wow and one take and I had to use it. It needed a proper, good vocal and that is really where it gets let down , I do know an opera singer ( a friends daughter) who has a beautiful voice who will bring you to tears when you listen to her, and I was hoping...........but alas , a few hundred miles , a tight schedule , and probably a lack of talent from me , put too much in the way of a collaboration, and my Emma didnt like it so was not up for it either .
Live and learn though, and it is all good experience , and someone voted for me , many thanks
I daresn't listen to the entries before I put mine in, as the quality of them scare the life out of me,

but the last week of the month is a terrible time for me , I have uploaded my entry and have to wait a whole 7 days for the next inspiration

[Dad3353]

[quote name='Skol303' timestamp='1393606850' post='2382557']
I've been meaning to post some constructive feedback on everyone's entries, so here goes...!
...
[b]Dad3353:[/b] Nice use of field recordings and samples! I’m immediately picturing a busy station. The engine hum in particular gives it a sense of rhythm. Some of the sounds could perhaps be panned harder L/R to create a bigger ‘sense of space’; maybe a little more variation would have helped too. The ending is great! Production sounds fine. Good work, Doug.
...[/quote]

Cheers, Paul, it's nice to get other folk's reactions, and all criticism is good criticism. The whole thing stemmed, in fact, from the diesel loco, idling in 6/8 (or so it seems to me... ), which set me off 'syncing' a drum track to it. Not content with 'normal' stuff, I went for a rolling 'AAAAB' phrasing, with the 'B' resembling a points crossing. OK, wishful thinking, but that's what I hear it doing..! Various mournfully chorded train horns, and an international dialogue between stations accompagne the voyage, which is supposed to be hypnotic, repetitive, soporific, repetitive, boring, repetitive, mundane, repetitive, routinely repetitive until suddenly...
KERRASH..! it couldn't last; all comes to a rather abrupt halt, leaving only ghosts and brief echos...
Yes, OK; maybe I should get out more. Sorry. The final sound is always a bit of a gamble, with my poor monitoring and poorer hearing, but I get it cross-checked with my captive audience (the young'uns...) who pull me back from the brink a little.
Thanks for the compliments and review.

[stu_g]

cheers Paul any feedback is always welcome
the composition competition is brilliant you can drop in or out when you have time and inclination and everyone is always striving to improve on there last composition which can only be a good thing so well done to whoever thought it up.

[the boy]

[quote name='Skol303' timestamp='1393606850' post='2382557']


[b]the boy: [/b]Beautiful! Grabbed me right from the start. Very nice choice of sounds. Great lyrics and vocal (maybe needs a slightly ‘warmer’ reverb, but I’m splitting hairs…). Love the simplicity of it all. I was waiting for it to step up a gear towards the end, but the sax parts gives it just the lift it needs without any grand fanfare. Very nice indeed mate.

Paul
[/quote]
Totally agree, the vocal is way too sharp. I'm experimenting with my new mic so it may take a bit of time to get it right. Thanks for the feedback and thanks for organising the challenge each month it's great craic.

[Skol303]

[color=#b22222][size=5][b]And this month's winner is... the boy![/b][/size][/color]

Well done. Great track

[AL-the-Bassman]

Well done mate
good job

[Ou7shined]

Well done. Great song.

[the boy]

[quote name='AL-the-Bassman' timestamp='1393438432' post='2380364']
I think who ever wins should dedicate march's comp to Paco De lucia
Who died Today.
Probably the best Flamenco guitarist Ever.
R.I.P Paco
[/quote]
I think this is a great idea. I agree that this months challenge should not only be dedicated to Paco but also inspired by him. I'm not very good visually but I will try and find a picture that may be inspirational.

I'm overwhelmed to have won. Thank you very much for the votes. Good luck to all in next months challenge.

[Dad3353]

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