May Composition Challenge - GET WRITING

[Skol303]

May’s challenge is on!

Here's the image for your inspiration, chosen by last month’s winner bobbass4K...

Usual rules apply:

✔️ Entries must be <5 minutes and written/recorded this month.

❌ No illegal samples or other funny business.

❌ No bagpipes. Ever.

Deadline for entries is Sunday 24th May.

[lurksalot]

Woah 

I’m thinking Twiggy going back to her roots, maybe branch out and try something countree 

I’ll do some noodling , I’m not stumped yet 

[NickD]

Hmmm ... Best to stick to the root!

[bobbass4k]

I figured It'd be an interesting change of pace, something a little dark and sinister. 

A little context - I took this while walking home in a state of mild inebriation at about 2am, and had absolutely no recollection of taking it until I was going through my pictures a couple of months later, whereupon it scared the bejesus out of me and I moved it to the "album covers?" folder. 

[Dad3353]

Here is my contribution to the May 2020 Basschat Composition Challenge, inspired by a picture chosen by the previous winner: BobBass4K..!
An ambient track this time, composition inspired by the thought of the fractal nature of the branches and twigs in the photo. A slow build-up, using fractally-generated themes, intertwining in apparently hapless fashion, but all interlinked, combining natural earthiness with algorithmic rigor. Somewhat hypnotic; it kept me up until the early hours refining it. Was it worth it..? Hmm...
All instruments are Kontakt (Contra-bassoon, horns, Emotional Piano, archtop guitar, percussion...), excepting the Superior 3 drums (a first, for me...). Very little Fx or mastering 'pixie dust', as the quality of the instruments speak for themselves, I think.
Thanks for listening, if you already have; if you're about to, enjoy.

 

[NickD]

*Closes Cubase, unplugs computer and pours a beer*

Ladies and Gentlemen, we have a winner! 😎

Edited May 3, 2020 by NickD

[Dad3353]

[lowdown]

This is very odd. I have just been watching something on YouTube with my oldest boy.

I then come here, only to find Dad's opening 90 seconds, would fit that 'something' very nicely as an underscore (especially the Contra-bassoon).

That something is called, "The Saga of Noggin the Nog - King of the Nogs".

 

 

 

Edited May 3, 2020 by lowdown

[Dad3353]

3 minutes ago, lowdown said:

...King of the Nogs".

A slightly flattering description of me, too..! 

 

[Bilbo]

I love the music from Noggin The Nog. 

[lurksalot]

7 hours ago, NickD said:

*Closes Cubase, unplugs computer and pours a beer*

Ladies and Gentlemen, we have a winner! 😎

I have a strict policy of not listening to entries until mine is done , I know I would rip it up each time I listened to anyone else’s.

i do have done sounds I want to put in mine but also I’ve noodled a cool guitar riff , but I haven’t found the angle for the guitar  sounds yet 

[Dad3353]

2 minutes ago, lurksalot said:

... I haven’t found the angle for the guitar  sounds yet 

No more than 90°, or it becomes obtuse. An error that I commonly make, unfortunately. 

[lurksalot]

7 minutes ago, Dad3353 said:

No more than 90°, or it becomes obtuse. An error that I commonly make, unfortunately. 

I didn’t think it needed saying that I am acute..y. 

As for angles , even at 90° I am rarely right 

[fingers211]

10 hours ago, lurksalot said:

I have a strict policy of not listening to entries until mine is done , I know I would rip it up each time I listened to anyone else’s

A policy I try to follow but, the resistance is ebbing away here.

The draw of Noggin the Nog, one of my all time favourite programmes (with Mr Postgates' wonderfull narration), is causing a wobble !!

[Leonard Smalls]

I've got a bass line... And it might be jazzy, though 140bpm is pumpin' it a bit for elevator jazz! I'll break out the atonal guitars and whole-tone sax which should keep Doug happy 😁

[Dad3353]

24 minutes ago, Leonard Smalls said:

... atonal guitars and whole-tone sax which should keep Doug happy 😁

[Leonard Smalls]

I've got an actual melody now... Only briefly though as tunes are for wusses. 

😄 

Next some proper drums and a chromatic sax solo... 

[Dad3353]

12 minutes ago, Leonard Smalls said:

...some proper drums...

[Leonard Smalls]

It's amazing what you can do with Mr Clyde Stubblefield, Mr Jabbo Starks and a talented medium... Knock once, a-twice, a once twice thrice whatever 4 is (quatice?)

[Iacopo San]

Finally is time for me too to give this a go.Working from home I was given a MacBook Air by my employer, so recently I have been having a bit of fun with GarageBand. Recorded with my Precision Classic 50 MIM and Squier John 5 Telecaster. All the rest is the standard GarageBand stuff - I did not have a chance yet to look into plugins and what not.

I am new to recording so be nice  

 

Edited May 5, 2020 by Iacopo San

[Leonard Smalls]

Liking the early 80s new wave feel!

[NickD]

My contribution to this month's composition challenge, inspired by the image selected by last month's winner, bobbass4k.

 

[lurksalot]

I'm going to let mine settle for a day or so, I like it, but I cant get it to gel together just yet but It will do as is if I cant get a better feel for it , have to say though its a good job reaper backs up every project or this one would have been done for,  a very scary 20 minutes till I sussed that beauty !  

[Dad3353]

1 minute ago, lurksalot said:

...its a good job reaper backs up every project...

Top Tip : Reaper also has a Menu entry, just under 'Save project as...'... 'Save new version of project'. This saves the project with an incremented name ('1', then '2', then'3' etc; you get the idea...). Every time that I'm about to make a major change to my stuff, I invoke this, and carry on. Some of my projects have a dozen incremental versions; if I make a mistake (don't laugh; it could happen..!), I can call up any previous version and carry on from there. As can be imagined, I save any adjustments I make very frequently, too.
At project's end, it's simple to delete all the previous stages (I don't; I prefer to keep 'em. Not as nostalgia, but sometimes as a stepping off' point for other projects, but going in a different direction. Yes, I'm daft, no need to rub it in..!).

Hope this helps. 

[Leonard Smalls]

Mine's got guitar, 3 saxes and a trumpet... All it needs now is some rhythm noseflute and a tumble-drier solo.

And the obligatory dusting of glitter combined with 3 coats of varnish.