January Composition Challenge - GET WRITING

[Mornats]

No pressure at all then!

[Mornats]

Here's my finished track:

https://soundcloud.com/mornats/drops

I had intended to use the Lightguide feature on the S61 to help with the piano parts but I ended up learning the arpeggios for the chords myself so never needed the help. But as I had the Lightguide as a safety net I was more willing to give it a go. I must say that the action of the keys on the keyboard helped a lot with the piano. Also, playing piano is much harder than I had imagined. I had trouble getting the timing right along with the correct pressure on the keys. I was able to adjust the sensitivity of the keys in the software which helped a lot.

I'd originally intended for the track to morph into a bit of an industrial track (you can hear it with the synth that comes in near the end) and use my new telecaster for some guitar work but the piano bit took much longer than I expected and I would have missed the deadline. So you just have the same 4 chord sequence for now

I was also going to introduce the industrial part with some cinematic percussion effects but as complete as Komplete is (I don't have Ultimate) it doesn't come with any - or at least any that I could find. It's such a huge collection I'm not even scratching the surface of it yet. I'm looking at Evolve Mutations though (can't justify spending too much more on virtual instruments!)

So in terms of how the keyboard helped (as xgsjx is interested):[list]
[*]The key action is way better than my M-audio KeyRig 49
[*]The transport controls let me stay at the S61 all the time whilst doing takes
[*]The integration with Komplete is second-to-none. I could browse patches across instruments right from the S61.
[*]I can tweak parameters in my virtual instruments right from the S61 too.
[*]I'm no longer jumping between midi keyboard and computer keyboard/mouse. (I've already mentioned this but it made a huge difference to me.)
[*]I could control the sensitivity of the velocity of the keys to help with my ham-fisted piano playing.
[*]The whole thing is just so darn nice that it was a pleasure to use throughout.
[/list]
I also have to mention just how much I love Rounds (check it out: http://www.native-instruments.com/en/products/komplete/synths/rounds/). It's the first synth that kicks in 52 seconds into the track. At the moment I'm just selecting presets and maybe tweaking them slightly so lots to learn and play with once I figure out how synths work!

The full list of instruments, software and hardware used is in the track description. It almost didn't include a real bass line but I thought back to Bohemian Rhapsody and how John Deacon's brilliantly fitting bass gave Freddie's piano a real lift. (I shouldn't really mention that song or those two musicians in the same post as my track as they are absolutely worlds apart.)

Much fun was had

[lurksalot]

I am quite pleased to have got one done this month , there has been a lot going on in the Lurks household to start the year.

As usual, as mine is done I have had a listen through the entries so far and a cracking set they are too , so all I can offer are the 'Boaterfly blues'

https://soundcloud.com/lurksalot/boaterfly-blues



I do need to learn to sing though

[Dad3353]

Seeing the entries piling in, and knowing that it's disappointing (for me, and maybe others...) to not be able to get 'em all appreciated, I'm going to start writing up my thoughts on 'em as of now. I'll not put them out until after the closing date, but I can't always be sure of having the stamina when it's needed, so I'll get stuck in whilst I can. If any tracks are updated, I'll probably know, anyway, and amend, if need be, any comments.
Keep 'em coming; we have, yet again, a bumper crop. I wonder what underlying dung is provoking all of this fertility..? As long as it's healthily natural, and not chemically induced, it's all good, I suppose. Maybe some of the p**-taking and bull**** in other topics bring forth beauty from the bowels of the forum..? The blooms here certainly make up, to a great degree, for some of the dross I stumble across in some of the posts elsewhere. Thanks, all, then, for yet another splendid bouquet.
Back shortly (I hope...)

[Doctor J]

That deadline doesn't be long coming around

Here's my first crack at this comp and start as you mean to go on, I reckon, so here's a power ballad. I've tried to get both images into the theme of the lyrics so, without further ado, "Exit Splashtown"

[url="https://soundcloud.com/doctor_j_bass/exit-splashtown"]https://soundcloud.c...exit-splashtown[/url]

Edited January 22, 2016 by Doctor J

[lowdown]

[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1453501906' post='2960204']
Maybe some of the p**-taking and bull**** in other topics bring forth beauty from the bowels of the forum..? The blooms here certainly make up, to a great degree, for some of the dross I stumble across in some of the posts elsewhere. Thanks, all, then, for yet another splendid bouquet.
[/quote]





True, dat.

[Skol303]

Done.

http://soundcloud.com/skollob/dont-rain-on-my-parade

[b]Deadline for entries is tomorrow (Sunday) at midnight. if you're still writing and recording, then get busy[/b]

[TorturedSaints]

It's about time for my semi-annual entry into the competition! I always wish I had more spare time to participate, it just only seems to happen when I've got a few days of holiday not allocated for other stuff. I was going to metaphorically squeak under the wire and submit tomorrow, but I've got a band rehearsal to go to - and we won't be doing this song, although I'm sure a decent vocalist could do more with the vocals, the lyrics, and probably the tune!

[url="https://soundcloud.com/torturedsaints/wings-of-a-butterfly"]https://soundcloud.c...-of-a-butterfly[/url]

Luckily, I didn't get flooded in the recent UK deluges, but my heart goes out to those who did.

Edited January 23, 2016 by RalphDWilson

[alibabu]

Nothing from me this month I'm afraid. Busy with work and kids at daytime, and building stuff at the evenings. Promise to vote though!

[Dapper Bandit]

Midnight tonight? No chance of making the deadline this month but will certainly vote and it will be interesting, as always, to see how the pictures have inspired everyone.

[Skol303]

[color=#800000][b]VOTING IS UP![/b][/color]

[url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/277622-january-composition-challenge-voting/"][size=6]Flutter yonder...[/size][/url]

[Dad3353]

[color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]For anyone interested, here's my 'Play of the Day' topic for this month's Challenge [/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif] ...[/font][/color]

[url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/277629-play-of-the-day-basschat-composition-challenge-january/"]Play of the Day, January ...[/url]

[Skol303]

PS: just launched a new challenge in General Discussion:

[url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/278080-new-challenge-the-60-second-super-noodle/"][size=5][b]60 Second Super Noodle Challenge[/b][/size][/url]

...resulting from this 'ere discussion:

[url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/277810-alternative-composition-challenge-idea/"]Natter, natter, blah, blah[/url]

[Dad3353]

So... The winning compo this month, eh..? Considering the extremely high standard of all the others, how not to be extremely flattered..?
It wasn't looking good at the start. I've not been on top form of late, and last month was lower even than usual. Not very promising for inspiration and concentration, but having sen the pictures, and unable to sleep much, stuff kept turning around and around between my ears. Once I'd merged the pics into one, I 'heard' the same theme, backed by two different, yet compatible backings (or so I imagined...). A first mouture went quite rapidly into the bin, but it kept nagging at me, so I pulled up EZKeys and sketched out the chord sequence. Originally with a 'gospel' feel, it needed more kneading. This is where the time-line starts, really; 2nd Feb, 02h10. The EZKeys was rendered, but the sound quality is not as good as I had in my head, and so MIDI exports were taken. An export through MIDI to BIAB, where several styles were considered, from which I retained two; the first somewhat sedate and stately, the second with a bit more tempo and spark. Time to open up Reaper, around 04h00. Finally, only the string bass was retained from EZKeys, and a short section of an orchestral pad. The piano part was confided to Kontakt, through an excellent, but resource-hungry, Pearl piano. Some tweaking, as Pearl has much more dynamic possibility than EZKeys. BIAB had thrown up a second piano part, equally converted for a second Pearl piano (yes, more resources eaten up, but it's a really fine piano...). Daylight has broken and the day has passed. It's now 20h30; I'm shattered, but I need to get this down whilst it's fresh. I've got the first part taking shape, and can't put it down now; I wouldn't be able to sleep, anyway.
The plodding, marching thunderstorm timpani, panned and faded to give a 'surround' effect, inspired by the storm layer from the picture (I saw it as a shipwreck on a reef, but I wasn't seeing things that clearly, to be honest...). Then the main 'melody' needed to be expressed. In my delusion, I was thinking fretless, [i]à la[/i] Jaco, and so naturally invoked Ruby, from Spectrasonics (Trilian...). Again, heavyweight, especially when using all the variance and 'round robins' of which it is capable, but needs must when the devil drives. It's more or less 'in the box' as a rough draft by 01h00. That's just about 24 hours so far, but it's far from finished, in fact it's only just starting to take shape.
On to the second half. I've got a semblance of transition in place, but transition to what..? Well, firstly, a change of colour, taking the basis of the melody theme and handing it over to a pair of disto guitars, in a high and lower register. The second piano steps up, too, to a much more lively cadence, and accentuating the major, positive, elements of the edifice in order to dilute the slightly oppressive ambiance so far created. The 'star' of the show is still, for the moment, the bass, however, which is brought back in, but doubled up with a thickly-toned synth bass, playing in unison [i]à la[/i] Zawinul (yes, I' was that sick..!). A different beat is required, to push this forward, and, in playing around with my drum Vst, I go for a very fast-paced samba, far too rapid to dance to, but capable, I thought, of discreetly building up pressure.
It's now 16h00, 3rd Feb. Not entirely sleepless, as I've been dozing off, on and off, in my armchair, woken by fresh tea, hot soup and calls of nature. Still, now that the crude form has been hewn, the refining and polishing begin. Strings are brought in, each section with a role to play in underlining the tone, firstly sombre, then increasingly frantic as the pace hots up. Brass, to fill out and help induce a sense of 19th century, Yorkshire, brass bands, another world. The original rendered bass was found to be a little weak, and another Ruby struck up to double it; Jaco's fretless was equally doubled and subtly chorused. Much listening through, modulating the piano volumes, tweaking much more than is my wont, and each time thinking 'It's nearly there; just another spot of [insert tiny adjustment here...] and it'll be finished. The nodding off helped in this, final, phase, by allowing at least a modicum of rest to the pretty over-strained ears.
The final, 8th version was put down on the 4th Feb, at 21h01. That's somewhere around 60 hours; not continuous, but not far short. Maybe 45 or so, when adjusted for naps and breaks. 'Twas a relief to be able to sign it off, and I would admit that, having listened through since, several times, I'll not be changing anything in there. Once achieved, I could sleep a bit more, and, although still not on top form, I'm much better than I was then. I honestly would claim that, in having this to occupy me, I was unconciously pulled up from a steeper slope than I would want to dwell upon. My thanks, then, to Messieurs Alibabu and Bleat for their choice of pictures, and to Skol303 for organising and overseeing this Challenge. It should, in my opinion, be formally recognised as having true therapeutic value. Onward and upward..!

Edited February 1, 2016 by Dad3353

[Skol303]

^ That's quite a recording session Doug! I've heard of sleep deprivation being experimented with as a creative catalyst. Providing you don't also start drinking absinthe and necking LSD I'm sure you'll be fine.

Good track though! Maybe there's some mojo in the method after all

[Dad3353]

[quote name='Skol303' timestamp='1454453577' post='2969992']... Maybe there's some mojo in the method after all
[/quote]

I would seriously dissuade any from experimenting with ill health as a creative stimulus, it's not been all that successful for me over the last year or so..:! OK, I struck lucky this time (but even then, a close call with all that heat from Lenny, and others close behind...). No; more a case of not really being capable of doing much else, and having a hard time sleeping at all..! I will admit that having spent more attention to details through repeated, critical, listening, I was able to hone the piece to a finer result, as each time it could get it just that little bit closer to what I heard in my head. I'll admit, too, that having more experience with the wide range of tools I now have, including a fine pair of monitors and a very much improved PC platform has boosted the quality stakes, too, so those investments have not been in vain.
Now for the hard bit, of course. Following it up with monthly masterpieces is out of the question, naturally, more especially as the adversaries are more than capable of [s]kicking arse[/s] creating wonderful works, but I'll just have to be a bit more precise in my processes and give the best shot every time. It's winter, nowt on 'telly and the print version of the Game of Thrones I'm going through is a bit too small for long reading stints, so what else should I do of an evening..? I don't drink (tea doesn't count, does it..?), the drugs wore off decades ago and I've no partners for bridge, so...
Onward and upward..!

Footnote: the sudden death of my elder brother has just come through, so I'll be spending a bit more time in the next couple of weeks off line, with family affairs. Luckily, I'd chosen the picture beforehand; I'm glad now that I chose a cheery one.

Edited February 3, 2016 by Dad3353

[Rikki1984]

[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1454461381' post='2970055']
Footnote: the sudden death of my elder brother has just come through, so I'll be spending a bit more time in the next couple of weeks off line, with family affairs. Luckily, I'd chosen the picture beforehand; I'm glad now that I chose a cheery one.
[/quote]

I'm sorry to hear that. My thoughts are with you and your family.

[Leonard Smalls]

Indeed. Deepest condolences from darkest Shropshire too.

[Doctor J]

Very sorry to hear that, Douglas.

[Dad3353]

Thanks, lads. The year gets off to a bad start, I'd say (so it must get better, no..?).

[Skol303]

^ Ditto the sentiments above; really sorry to hear about your brother.

Not much I can offer in way of tangible support, other than words written here. But if you want me to take over your Modding duties for a while then drop me a line via PM. Very happy to do so.

Hang tough, mate.

Paul

[Mornats]

Sorry to hear that Douglas.

[lurksalot]

All the best Douglas , sorry to hear the news , wishing you well