Jump to content
Why become a member? ×

May composition Challenge

lurksalot

By lurksalot,
in Recording

 Share

Recommended Posts

lurksalot Grand Master

lurksalot

Posted
Posted

Many congrats to young @Leonard Smalls (again) for his double and @upside downer for the joint win in April.

That now puts Lenny on a hat trick and as he chose the picture last month, upside downer has provided the inspiration for this one.

As he says .............."I've gone for daft again, I'm afraid I just can't help myself :facepalm:"               :lol:

 

b25lY21zOmE2OGExNGI5LTFhOGMtNDFmMS1hMzBmLTA1NWI4YmI2NGI4ODozZDYxYzMwMC00Mzc1LTQ5YTItYmExNi05ZGFiMjljN2VhYjg=.png?crop=61:45,smart&width=800

 

I think this will provide the option for many stylistic approaches!

 

Usual rules apply. You know the drill:

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

❌ No illegal samples, copyright infringements or other snide goings-on

❌ Bagpipes. please no bagpipes, Easter truce now Expired. Also on thin ice with panpipes, to be perfectly honest.

❌ No voting for your own entry. We'll know. And we'll shame you.

A line or two offering an insight to your inspiration will be good as well , it works nicely on the voting thread.

 

Deadline wise , following a Zulu theme last time, we will call midnight on African Liberation Day , and yes, yet again, you probably have till about 19.00 on the 26th, ( the clue given here is that African Liberation Day is the 25th) 

Go To It , no excuses , 2 bank holidays to spend recording as well :sun_bespectacled:

 

  • Like 1
  • Thanks 3
  • Haha 1
Leonard Smalls Grand Master

Leonard Smalls

Posted
Posted

I always go easy with the yodel.

But a wet Bank Holiday gave me plenty of time to get a bit greasy and modal. With a rap that's like Medici getting anecdotal, not Saint Francis of Assisi taking a photo, more like a pugilisti getting scrotal...

Er, er...

xgsjx Grand Master

xgsjx

Posted
Posted
  On 02/05/2021 at 20:51, Leonard Smalls said:

After the unexpected success of grimey rap last month, I'm working on more rap... Possibly with a grunge edge, as genres are made to be mixed!

Expand  

Giving my singing abilities, I might try rap. Expect it with a capital C. 

Dad3353 Grand Master

Dad3353

Posted
Posted

Here is my contribution to the May 2021 Basschat Composition Challenge, inspired by a picture chosen by the previous winner: Upside Downer.
Suspense, anguish, doubt, bordering on terror, à la Hitchcock, with these inexpressive 'birds' watching every approaching step. What gauntlet do we have to run..? What are they waiting for..? What do they want with us..? The heart beats apace as the tension mounts. WHAT DO THEY WANT..?
A rather piece-meal approach, this month, with some MIDI tracks triggering various elements from Spitfire LABS instruments (they really are excellent, and free, to boot..!); with a healthy dose of various samples I have. Quite (or even, very...) 'cheesy' on their own, they meld into a curiously hypnotic, and somewhat spooky, atmosphere when arranged and mixed with Reaper. No other Fx nor mastering; t'would serve no purpose here. 
Recommended to be listened to on decent headphones, in a darkened room, with eyes fixed on the picture. 
Thanks for listening, if you already have; if you're about to, enjoy.

 

  • Like 7
NickD Mentor

NickD

Posted
Posted
  On 06/05/2021 at 00:06, Dad3353 said:

Here is my contribution to the May 2021 Basschat Composition Challenge, inspired by a picture chosen by the previous winner: Upside Downer.
Suspense, anguish, doubt, bordering on terror, à la Hitchcock, with these inexpressive 'birds' watching every approaching step. What gauntlet do we have to run..? What are they waiting for..? What do they want with us..? The heart beats apace as the tension mounts. WHAT DO THEY WANT..?
A rather piece-meal approach, this month, with some MIDI tracks triggering various elements from Spitfire LABS instruments (they really are excellent, and free, to boot..!); with a healthy dose of various samples I have. Quite (or even, very...) 'cheesy' on their own, they meld into a curiously hypnotic, and somewhat spooky, atmosphere when arranged and mixed with Reaper. No other Fx nor mastering; t'would serve no purpose here. 
Recommended to be listened to on decent headphones, in a darkened room, with eyes fixed on the picture. 
Thanks for listening, if you already have; if you're about to, enjoy.

 

Expand  

That's awesome!

  • Like 1
  • Thanks 1
xgsjx Grand Master

xgsjx

Posted
Posted (edited)

Well I remember the band "A flock of seaguls", so this must be "A band of pigeons", which means it's 80's.  So Synthwave it is!

I had fun making this & might go back to add things...

I went back & made improvements.

Edited by xgsjx
  • Like 5
Leonard Smalls Grand Master

Leonard Smalls

Posted
Posted

I've been busy too...

The picture reminded me of going into the local butchers shop a few weeks ago... The butcher was expertly dismembering a pigeon for a customer who was going to do a fancy confit of leg with seared breast in hoojahcapivvy sauce. Hence a rap, in the form of a confessional, detailing with a total lack of empathy how being ignored, mistreated and abused as a child led him to a life of murder...

So can I just apologise now?

 

For those who are interested, 2 basses used - Wal and ACG. Keys are Ableton's own piano, plus baby Kontakt funky organ. Guitar is a strat (both) and drums are by Mr EZ, with a few programmed fills. Mixed in Ableton, with the help of Ozone, Neutron and Bassroom.

  • Like 5
Nicko Veteran

Nicko

Posted
Posted (edited)

Here is my entry for this month

Inspiration?  Seeing pigeons go round and round in circles reminded me of the discussions on certain, ahem, internet forums and the feeling that they aren't fully in control of their thoughts. So I took a synth and let the synth take over to an extent using the auto arpeggio function.  Like @xgsjx I ended up with 80s synth pop. Bits of it remind me of the Pet Shop Boys which would be a good tie in but that's incidental and I didn't set out to recreate that sound. 

 

For those interested its actually not that many tracks - but most are multi layered parts in Xpand 2, including the drum The only exception is the Prophet 5 sound which is Dexed. No real instruments were harmed in the making of this track. All in Cubase although if I'd set out to create this I'd probably have used Live10.

Edited by Nicko
  • Like 5
lurksalot Grand Master

lurksalot

Posted
  • Author
Posted

I loved the picture but really struggled to find a way in on this, but after a bit of riffage it kind of came into view

 I took the picture as being a guard of honour by birds , and that opened up a few options for a story with some wordplay , of course the downside is that my dulcet tones are all of the vocal on this :P

the guitar is an Ibby played through waves Gtr3 , the bass a Gordon Smith , drums EZ and loads of FX to try and offer some help to my voice , while hopefully keeping it on top of the mix.

A splash of ozone polishes the turd a touch 

 

cheep cheep 

 

  • Like 3
  • Thanks 1
lurksalot Grand Master

lurksalot

Posted
  • Author
Posted

A quick heads up due to a calendar pink torpedo up 

  On 01/05/2021 at 12:25, lurksalot said:

 

Go To It , no excuses , 2 bank holidays to spend recording as well :sun_bespectacled:

 

Expand  

Er....you only had the one bank holiday , so if you are hanging in to the next one , the bird will have flown, the boat will have sailed and you will have missed it ! 
humble apologies for any misunderstanding , I would say normal service will be resumed , but this , is, actually it 🤦‍♂️
 

 

 

 

As you were 😃

  • Haha 1
upside downer Grand Master

upside downer

Posted
Posted (edited)

Here's my go for the merry month of May.

Inspired by the sheer lunacy of people wearing pigeon heads I've gone oddly peculiar with the lyrics which speculate on other remarkably strange pastimes that could fill your day. The tune is a bouncy little thing that bobs along happily with a spring in its step. Mrs UD helps out on backing vocals by putting to good use her experience of going "woo woo" on stage with my old band when we used to play 'Sympathy For the Devil'.

For those that like to know, I used the Hydrogen drums software, an Epiphone guitar, a Roland Cube amp, a Westfield violin bass, a Daphon Wah Wah pedal, an Apogee Mic+ and an M-Audio Fast Track Pro interface. Recorded as usual with Audacity and Wavepad.

 

Lyrics -

 

  Reveal hidden contents

 

 

Edited by upside downer
clarity
  • Like 2
Nail Soup Grand Master

Nail Soup

Posted
Posted (edited)

Here goes!

There are lots of phrases involving pigeons -  like pigeon toed and pigeon chest, stool pigeon etc.... and my first notion was a Booker-T style instrumental called "Pigeon Peas".

However the riffage went in a different (Crampy) direction so I ended up using all the phrases into a full set of lyrics.

Same gear as usual: Studio one DAW, Studio One drum set, Vantage bass, Squier Tele guitar, SM38 mic.

 

Lyrics:

  Reveal hidden contents


 

Edited by Nail Soup
Removal of grocer's apostrophe
  • Like 3
Nail Soup Grand Master

Nail Soup

Posted
Posted
  On 22/05/2021 at 18:25, lurksalot said:

A quick heads up due to a calendar pink torpedo up 

Er....you only had the one bank holiday , so if you are hanging in to the next one , the bird will have flown, the boat will have sailed and you will have missed it ! 
humble apologies for any misunderstanding , I would say normal service will be resumed , but this , is, actually it 🤦‍♂️
 

 

 

 

As you were 😃

Expand  

This got me confused at work too. I work in a European team and we discussing who would be out on the 24th for the public holiday which is happening in some countries. I remembered your post and (without checking any further, such is the trust I have 😃) started to plan cover etc.

Luckily I didn’t get very far before I realised!

  • Haha 1
zbd1960 Veteran

zbd1960

Posted
Posted

My first time looking through and listening to submissions. I'm impressed by what you guys get up to! I've dabbled with more traditional composition - nothing serious. I need to give some thought to having a go over the coming months.

  • Like 6
Nail Soup Grand Master

Nail Soup

Posted
Posted
  On 23/05/2021 at 10:22, zbd1960 said:

My first time looking through and listening to submissions. I'm impressed by what you guys get up to! I've dabbled with more traditional composition - nothing serious. I need to give some thought to having a go over the coming months.

Expand  

Cheers....good to have you listening, and do jump in with an entry when you're ready 👍.

Meanwhile you can participate as a voter...... IM me if you need any voting recommendations ;) !

  • Haha 1
adamg67 Proficient

adamg67

Posted
Posted

Well, I hope we really are okay til the 26th, cos I managed to get that date in my head! I had it done last night as well. A bit of a rush again, but TBH they seem to come out better if I don't think about them too much.

For the voting thread:

Pigeons.... I always think the name for a wild pigeon is way cooler than for a domestic one: Rock Dove! So I wrote something that I though deserved the title "Rock Dove". It feels like it worked to me, it was what I was aiming for anyway, with the bonus that I managed to use all 3 of my basses on it, and the bass feels like the main instrument even with the guitar on there.

The gory details: Studio Drummer playing adapted Groove Monkee parts, bass line on a Sandberg 48, melody bass double tracked with a Maruszczyk Jake on one side and a Hellwood on the other. Guitar is a PRS through Amplitube. Apart from the drums, all played live though I can't honestly claim everything was done in one take - it always takes me a few goes to get the guitar bits, especially when they're mainly improvised. Hardly any processing at all, just EQ and a touch of final glue, tried to keep the dynamics and not squash it all.

  • Like 1

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
 Share
Go to topic listing

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...