SONGWRITING COMPETITION - SWC047 July 2021- Winners announced

[Mister Fox]

Let us kick off the VOTING PROCESS, which will end on Sunday, 01-AUG-2021 23:59 UTC+2/CEST latest


There is a GLOBAL COUNTDOWN to check for deadlines.
Just follow this link: Global Countdown (on homepage)



Here is the collection of productions from all participants (in hope that I didn't forget anyone). As usual, if you click on the small upwards-arrow right beside the quoted name, you can jump to the original post and read up on the documentation for this production.


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"Universal Plan"



FLAC: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1BUlxKe ... sp=sharing
MP3: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1a8IBhD ... sp=sharing

BONUS VIDEO:

► Show Spoiler

phpBB [media]

"Into The Wrath Zone

"Endless"

"The Final Ascension"

"Foreign Planet"



MP3: https://www.dropbox.com/s/53zegg4qiulhp ... t.mp3?dl=1

"Journey"

"Cosmic Place"

WAV: https://www.dropbox.com/s/bvtv677mva02h ... e.wav?dl=0

ADMIN INFO: sadly not properly named, documented here

"Blackout of 2250"

WAV: https://www.dropbox.com/s/4tcw76d78i0ae ... 2.wav?dl=0

ADMIN INFO: V1 can be found here

"Space Theme"

MP3: https://ufile.io/l00mvnre

ADMIN INFO: No suitable documentation yet

"Space Is The Place"

WAV: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1TGXnUa ... sp=sharing

"Starship of Glory"

"Dark Light"

WAV: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1OggaUX ... sp=sharing

"Dot"

"Space and Time"

WAV: https://drive.google.com/file/d/15lfcKj ... sp=sharing

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BONUS ENTRIES (submitted after the deadline - feel free to give feedback, but you sadly can not vote for these entries)


<no bonus entries>
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Please consult the last post on how your vote could look like (which links to more sources). And to make it simple for me for counting the votes - please use the forum usernames in your listing. Thank you!

SWC047 participants giving feedback to each other (to every participant) is mandatory. Ideally, please focus on the "overall experience", and what you think could be improved in a future release of this production (technical or even instrumentation). Please be open minded, objective and constructive.


INFORMATION: If you've submitted your entry in multiple file formats, the statistic sheet (posted alongside the results) will focus on the uncompressed material first (WAV), then FLAC, then MP3. The higher the quality, the less possible loss on bonus points for "Loudness Specs" due to offsets introduced by a used CODEC.


Good luck to all participants!




If you have an idea for a future Songwriting Competition, please post about this in the theme/genre request page.

[A Future in Noise]

Good morning @Mister Fox How's the weather in Germany? What do the rules say about editing after deadline? I'm thinking solely about fixing the LUFS stuff. I won't, in that case, change anything else. (I haven't even checked LUFS and true peak, so it would be a miracle if they are in accordance with the rules.) Right now, I can see there has been two downloads, already. But it could be other people than participants in this competition.

[Mister Fox]

One of the downloads has been me, and another one might have been by a participant or a listener.

I know you submitted late, but as made clear in the uploading rules and once more in the preparation phase post, your entry should have been finalized by the time of the deadline. So please, no more changes to your production.

Thank you.

[IrionDaRonin]

Thanks Mister Fox for pointing out my track is not downloadable, but i set it as downloadable the first day, which is weird.
Are you sure you can't download the file from Soundcloud? It says to me there were 2 downloads already.
I could upload anywhere else. Please, reply me as soon as possible, thanks.

Thanks also for gathering all tracks together. I only downloaded 8 or so...

EDIT: I downloaded from my own Soundcloud, so no changes were made. And uploaded it to Dropbox for extra link.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/53zegg4qiulhp ... t.mp3?dl=1

Sorry it is MP3, next time i will do as other participants, in wav format.

EDIT 2: Ok, now i understood what happened. It shows as "Buy" instead of "Download" due i always put Paypal donation in the metadata buy link. I removed the link, and now can be easily downloadable directly from forum link. Thanks.

Good luck everyone and have a good day!

[satchboogie]

Dear fellows !

Evaluation period is coming. I just want to apologize that i handled in a very bad mix, that is hard to listen and the parts got pretty out of balance. Also there is a huge inconsistency in volume levels. I did the composition then i wanted to bring it up to standard levels. Unfortunately i used ozone to do a quick work in the last minute, and forgot to set the eq back. I didn't have time to relisten. I hope that you still can find some value in my stuff.

cheers,

stach

[A Future in Noise]

And I repeat:

The ending was supposed to make it possible to make a loop of the track. But it seems it doesn't work perfect.

Sorry I didn't have time enough to make the much too exact midi-timing disappear.

And of course the national anthem from a country on another planet in another galaxy at the end isn't fully orchestrated, in conformity with some other parts.

More information tomorrow.

/ A Future in Noise

[Mister Fox]

Thanks Mister Fox for pointing out my track is not downloadable, but i set it as downloadable the first day, which is weird.

Yup, you figured it out. It was set to "purchase", not download. You fixed it, I also updated the post above with the MP3 link.

Also... you can release in whatever format you like/you're comfortable with. The most important bit is that you (ideally) not exceed -14LUFS and -1dBTP... now you know for next month.

Good luck indeed.

...I just want to apologize that i handled in a very bad mix, that is hard to listen and the parts got pretty out of balance. Also there is a huge inconsistency in volume levels. ...

No worries there. By joining this month, you're already a winner in my book. I hope you had fun this month.

More information tomorrow.

Looking forward to your post update (documentation)

[satchboogie]

@Mister Fox

Yeah! I always barely make it, if not miss. ) I really enjoy this community and i learned a lot. I recently noticed that my listening environment was not good. I changed stuff. Everybody knows its important but there comes a time when you really make steps into this direction.

Thank you for keeping things alive!

cheers,
satch

[becsei_gyorgy]

Hi all,

Thank you all for participating, great songs were created this month too, I like that each music would have a place in a computer game (albeit in different places).

VCA-089 - Universal Plan
Nice song and technically is a very good presentation. The synth pulse is good in the beginning but later it gets a little boring. After 3:20 it also becomes a little too dominant.
5:20 comes the lead, from here it’s a whole interesting "game", but the first 5 minutes is like a long intro, could be shorter.
I like the high end, the background mallets.
The last 2-3 minutes is very nice.

Canese - Into the wrath zone
I like the cinematic feel. Great, dark ambient background, would fit very well into a computer game. I like the rhythm, the restrained electric guitar in the first part. After so much tension, it would be nice for me to have a big climax in the end but I still like it.

TrojakEW - Endless
Nice atmospheric intro. 0:17 I would swap the bells for another FX, it doesn’t fit in the 'space' IMO. But anyway, a lot of FX, little earcandys in the first part, I like it.
The second part is very percussive heavy, which sounds for a while but "hangs a bit in the air". Maybe it could have been continued, it seems a bit short like this.
Nice mix.

EsteveCorbera - TheFinalAscension
Good start. Nice pulse and nice background. It's exactly what it has to be, I like.
The choir starts well, but then detaches from the music. It becames louder, it doesn't fit there any more.
At the end you managed to fit the choir much better. Overall it became quite good background music, it would be good under a game menu.

IrionDaRonin - Foreign Planet
Nice intro, I like the FX's. Nice arp and pads.
I’d love to hear it in a game, overall pleasant but exciting enough with good effects.
Nice mix.

Shea - Cosmic Place
Very sharp, loud start. The bouncing sounds are interesting, but will be tiring for a long time.
Definitely a special atmosphere, interesting.
Overall could be a good background music, but the sound image is too sharp for me to enjoy in a game for long. And missing a good melody. Especially since it is very long for this story.

SoundBeing - Blackout of 2250
Intro: maybe dry drums, I would give a good low-boom drums underneath.
First part: Nice oriental style, I am reminded of 'One Thousand and One Nights' or 'Ben Hur' rather than the distant future But I like it very, very much. Great.
Around 2:10 a sharp shift begins and we get into a truly futuristic environment. Nice bell arps. 'Pleasant' dark atmosphere, but maybe a lead is missing or something could happen, so it simply ends the song all of a sudden.
Overall good song, but it started better than what it became.

JanKoekepan - SpaceTheme
Nice pads in the beginning, I like the sound choices. Calm, pleasant start. Like the synth arps and the bells too.
Nice game menu music and space theme can be clearly felt.
After 4:00 the distorted low-end and the drums are no longer such a good choice. Too much distortion. The intention would be good, but the bass became very dominant, distorted, doesn't fit there.

Zach.simao - Space is the Place
Aggressive, little bit trailerish music.
Nice tension, good idea but is short and it ends suddenly.
Mix is very loud.

SimaGT - Starship of Glory
Nice synth sounds, nice arp.
Pleasant background music with just the right amount of effects. Can't add more, overall good.
Nice mix.

Askandy - Dark Light
Unexpected guitar intro and unexpected outro .
I like the first part, but only without the drums.
I think these sharp drums don’t fit well in this great dark atmosphere. Even if they were intended as a counterpoint.
Overall, I like the song put together from the little interesting mosaics (except for the drums in most places).

A Future In Noise - Dot
The intro riser is very loud.
I really like the first part. Has mix problems (there are some elements that are too loud and some are quiet) nor is reverb consistent but I really like the composition.
I like the second part after the break too, nice game music. Great.
I like the composition and the storyline very much.

Satchboogie - Space and time
Good intro, nice pads.
Can feel the cinematic feel here too, I like it.
The song builds well from the beginning. Sad to be very short because it would be nice to hear what a longer version would be. It would have been good to finish, it seems there was not enough time for it.


Scoring (and ranking) is quite a stupid thing, but as it is mandatory I usually looked at the overall effect and what feelings the song evoked in me. The technical stuff for many songs was discussed on the forum during the month (thanks to Mister Fox). As I mentioned, I could make room for each piece of music in a pc game, little things were decided about the order of the songs.

► Show Spoiler

13 pt IrionDaRonin - Foreign Planet
12 pt SimaGT - Starship of Glory
11 pt A Future In Noise - Dot
10 pt Canese - Into the wrath zone
09 pt VCA-089 - Universal Plan
08 pt SoundBeing - Blackout of 2250
07 pt Satchboogie - Space and time
06 pt TrojakEW - Endless
05 pt EsteveCorbera - TheFinalAscension
04 pt Askandy - Dark Light
03 pt JanKoekepan - SpaceTheme
02 pt Zach.simao - Space is the Place
01 pt Shea - Cosmic Place

[EsteveCorbera]

Thank you for the proposals we made this month. They are always excellent and serve me to learn a lot. Thanks to you and the comments you have made to me on other occasions, I am slowly learning a little.

VCA-089 (Infravolt) _-_ Universal_Plan_ (Final)
I love it!! You've done a great job!!
I like the constant bum-bum, the initial effects that are preparing the ground. These pads are going up in intensity. Very good mix.
Just a small detail, around 4:20, when you change the mood, the pace may not tie at all, but it's much better than the first version you sent.
But then you create a melodic part that I also really like. How do you feel about the sound of the 80's?
And the ending is also spectacular, slowly lowering the intensity.

canese_into the wrath zone
Very good soundtrack atmosphere.
The change you make for the 2:30 minute thing is lost a bit, on the contrary, the change you make at the end (3:48) is much more interesting.
I also like the mix, the stereo mix. Very well worked.

TrojakEW_Endless
Very interesting start. You create an atmosphere of preparation. Then, in the middle, you add the powerful percussion part and the strings by drawing a melody and creating a rhythm. This part could have been longer, it's too short.
Very good mix.

IrionDaRonin_ForeignPlanet
Good start, very interesting. With sounds going from right to left. When the rhythm starts the thing is even more interesting. And the half-hearted explosion, really cool !! Great job.
In the end it gets too short. It's over and I want more.

becsei_gyorgy_Journey
Melancholy trumpets with a synthesizer bass. Good ideas, always innovative. The melody and accompaniment, if you played them on the piano, would be like a classical piece. The instrumentation gives it a very modern and interesting tone.
You make me jealous: great melody, great sound environment, great mix.
I need to learn from you.
If you ever release a CD, let me know because I'd like a copy.

Shea_Cosmic Place
The theme is more reminiscent of relaxing music than a game soundtrack. Of course, the atmosphere is amazing.
You don't expect a change in the 4th minute. Now it looks like a soundtrack.
But the issue ends up being too environmental and too long. They go through things but get nowhere.

SoundBeing_Blackout of 2250_Vs2
Difficult topic. Great soundtrack, but hard to follow musically, especially the second part. I find the first part and the second too far apart. Great sound effects work.

JanKoekepan_SpaceTheme
You start very calmly, but in the middle you change to an overly distorted atmosphere. Distortion breaks the magic of the front. The percussion part could be a little wetter.
I definitely prefer the calm part of your theme, which will serve as the game's menus.

zach.simao_Space is the Place
You seem to describe a moment of action within the game. Great sound environment. Interesting reverberations. Curiously, I was listening to your song with headphones and around 1:20 I thought they were calling me. The sound you play is reminiscent of the vibration of the phone ringing without sound.
I miss a more melodic part. And a sound too distorted at times

SimaGT - Starship of Glory
Theme that goes quiet. Maybe he describes a trip with a special ship flying through space.
I like the constant arpeggio, with its variations. The mix is fine.

Askandy Dark Light
Confusing start. You really make an atmosphere forks. Describe very well the cool part of the video game. Tension, intrigue, bewilderment, drowning, etc. The lack of a melodic part is evident in your proposal.
The mixt is fine.
The percussion part is a bit detached from the production. Maybe it’s too dry.

AFutureInNoise_Dot
Very different theme from the rest, with your melodic proposal with vintage synths and the guitar part. The soundtrack is pretty good. But the fear lacks a bit of cohesion. The parts don’t seem to tie too much. For the melody, it reminds me of a game from the Middle Ages.

satchboogie_Space_and_time
Very cool topic, but too short. I find the second part of the topic a little out of place. Luckily in the end you pick up the part from the beginning. But you made it too short. When you're excited, it's over. Pity.

Voting is always a compromise. In the end I end up voting for the feeling that music has produced in me, I don’t always value the great technical quality of your work. Thanks mates

► Show Spoiler

13p VCA-089 (Infravolt)_-_Universal_Plan_(Final)
12p IrionDaRonin_ForeignPlanet
11p becsei_gyorgy_Journey
10p SimaGT - Starship of Glory
09p canese_into the wrath zone
08p TrojakEW_Endless
07p satchboogie_Space_and_time
06p AFutureInNoise_Dot
05p JanKoekepan_SpaceTheme
04p SoundBeing_Blackout of 2250_Vs2
03p Shea_Cosmic Place
02p zach.simao_Space is the Place
01p Askandy Dark Light