SONGWRITING COMPETITION - SWC061 September 2022 - Winners announced

[A Future in Noise]

I wanted to make a fairly calm theme, which does not have a conventional structure. Combine background textures with voices. I'm not used to working with voices (samples) but this time I wanted to use them ...

You handled the synthetic voice very well indeed! One thing that might be possible to improve: the closed hi hat and the open hi hat is normally placed in exactly the same spot in the recording studio (for obvious reasons). You have open hi hat to the left and closed to the right. Yes - this is kind of experimental, I know, but anyway I think that the open hi hat is too loud (if it is an open hi hat?). And I can hear no pedal hi hat sound when the open hi hat gets quiet.

[GamaGama]

Thank you very much for the topic, and in particular for the attention that has been placed on the moment of extreme difficulty that we are all going through, with particular attention to the less strong people.

The song did make smile, one of its goals, so it is a success on that score. The drums sound great, not too sequenced/robotic. I think I'm still hearing quantization on the bass which makes things a little stiff until the organ kicks in. After that it develops a nice groove that sounds great. I'm wondering if you might do some of that same humanization you did for the drums to the bass. One thing I would try besides that is to make the bass a little more "Jamaican" by trying a square-wave based bass patch + some tube saturation with the high frequencies rolled off a little, which would give it a nice dubby sound and pull the bass back in the mix a little. It is like a lead instrument now.

I have no idea if any of this would work, and it is great as is too. Fantastic sequencing skills and a great culture mashup.

Many thanks for the precise evaluation.
The drums are not perfectly quantized (indeed timbales and toms are very free!) and its "naturalness" is due to the excellent samples, the roundrobin and a bit of randomization in volume and velocity.
The bass is also not very quantized: I think the problem lies in the dynamics of the velocities. I changed instrument (wanting to add glides) and I used a fretless that responds differently from the first bass: listening to it again the dynamics are actually very flat and give an idea of ​​"mechanized". It is not for exoneration, but unfortunately both the sounds and the mix I had to do on Bose speakers, which as we know are the last to be used for activities of this type, especially the low frequency part (even if the listening is beautiful and engaging. ) is not reliable at all and changing speakers results are unpredictable. Personally, in headphones I don't have the sensitivity for the lower part: listening again I have to say that you are right, there is something to fix. I think I could add a little glide to the fretless, work with a slight random detune and inflate it in the lower part and modify the velocity response curve: it would certainly become a more natural and ska bass. Unfortunately I am very far from the workstation where I did the work and I don't know if I will be able to make the changes before the deadline for deliveries.

In any case, I thank you for the careful analysis and for the appreciation.

[Rich_Rath]

...
As for All Empty, there is one tiny little detail I would like to change: those three tones before the verse, for example during 0:57 – 0:58 (”well in my ...”): the guitar player uses the same three (single) notes as the singer. Plain eighth notes. After such a “naive” “prelude” (I apologize that English isn't my native language) I'd expect something completely different. (A nursery rhyme instead of distorted guitars, maybe?)

You have some unexpected chords with a bass line to them that fits in very well. Very attractive. The timing is still not perfect, but maybe, in the cow punk genre, this is just how it's supposed to be?

My 16-yr-old self vetoed changing the 3 note lead in, The idea throughout the song is to set up expectations and dash them. A perky lead-in and an upbeat major key with words about alienation, the ravages of addiction, and hopelessness, the expectation of a syrupy pedal steel break dashed by a wall of shoegaze bluegrass and the fuzztone from hell. I think it would be a whole different song if I changed those two things so I need to respectfully decline that suggestion. The timing is a 'nother thing though, and I'll probably keep tweaking that, punching things in and out, til the bitter end. I think the bass and drums are pretty tight now, and the main guitar should be a little "sticky" and a few Ms behind the beat, but you are right in noticing it. I want it to feel a bit loose and syncopated on the main finger picked guitar without going over into just sounding sloppy. It could be "my style," or maybe it's just technical deficiency in my playing!

[EsteveCorbera]

Hello,

Hi hat update!!

Updated in my initial post!!

Thanks!!!

[Arelem]

Here is the one thing I would work on if this were me. The vocals at 1:16, 1:26, 2:50, and the last line sound out of key to me. The music doesn't change key, so either you want this to be a dissonant moment, or you could play around those lines with your pitch correction software if it allows shifts bigger than a semitone. Once I found a note I liked, I'd punch record just the phrase "know that I love you" with your real voice rather than the pitch correct if the pitch shifted one has artifacts.

Definitely something I will attempt to tackle if I have the time before the contest closes out, thank you.

[nanocats]

Hello everyone!

This song by Nanocats is leaning more towards mental dis-ease rather than mental disease although there may be a more of a connection between the way we talk to ourselves internally and actual disease. But, we are not qualified to make any statements about those potentials.

We are however qualified to talk about and give voice to the thoughts that speak to us in our own minds. We find it strange that many of us criticise and pass harsh judgements upon ourselves. Often when reflected on and questioned one may find that one's own inner argument actually in reality holds no validity. By allowing that part of ourselves to speak/ sing we have found greater objectivity in relating to ourselves and in fact a desire to be our own best friends. To provide support and forgiveness of our innate human condition when necessary. To accept life as it is and let go of things that are out of our control. Music is healing.

The point is.... In a world of increasing uncertainty and frenetic competition in what sometimes seems to be a race towards oblivion. Be your own best friend and spread as much love as possible in the short time we have in this world.



Download link (fixed):
https://www.dropbox.com/s/hwzmyldxnefkh ... h.wav?dl=0

Peace and Blessings,
Nanocats

[GamaGama]

My ambition is to make you move your legs, make you smile and make you forget for 3 minutes the ugliness of the moments we go through. If I succeeded, that's ok for me.

Version 24/96 is here:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1M9FTF4 ... sp=sharing

and here is the MP3_320 version
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1NB3aN1 ... sp=sharing

I thank all the participants who wanted to give me an opinion and some advice. I treasured and implemented them: on Drive there is now a new version (a little shorter, 2x4 bars have been eliminated) with a rounder and more dynamic bass.

[GamaGama]

Hello everyone!

This song by Nanocats is leaning more towards mental dis-ease rather than mental disease although there may be a more of a connection between the way we talk to ourselves internally and actual disease. But, we are not qualified to make any statements about those potentials.

Hi Nanocats,
I think that this is very good! I like it a lot: it sound like some 70-80ies new wave but very well revisited. GOOOOD!

Gamagama

[PocketSunlight]

Hi. Pocket Sunlight here.

I'm placing all my 'feedback' on the entries, so far, in this one place - I hope that's OK. I'm limited on time and only really have got the opportunity to listen to one version of each song (finished or otherwise) Apologies in advance, if some feedback seems a bit curt - It's not my intention - just attempting to give my honest opinion in limited time. I'm sure we're all at different developmental stages and any entry is to be commended for the individual being bold enough to present it. Best wishes to all.

Arelem – The production is quite good (maybe a bit Bass light). I note your have issues with your own voice – I think you do a reasonable job but there’s a few flat sung notes that mar it in places. I think maybe there’s a lack of dynamics in places – perhaps because it’s too compressed/sonically limited?

Rich Rath – I quite like the drive and tempo of the song, and also the style of vocal presentation. I feel the playing needed to be much tighter to eliminate disruptive cross rhythms and allow the ‘bounce’ of the tune to shine. I note you explain why the timing is like it is – just attempting feedback on what I actually heard! Thank you for the opportunity to hear it and best wishes.

A Future In Noise – I particularly like the evolution sonically from 0.45 seconds. Got lots of interesting ideas/textures going on, which make it a nice journey. Liked the subtle solo too.

Ollie H – Although I understood the ‘beginning’ I don’t understand the ‘Finnish’ (This is meant to be an English joke!). I specially enjoyed sonically the bridge and the bounce of the chorus. I’m not particularly great at giving feedback, technical or otherwise, but I wondered if some of the vocal lines might have benefited from double tracking? Good to heard what you do, nevertheless.

Gama Gama - I liked the blend of Caribbean and Arabic melodies, together with the slide style guitar. A fun piece and certainly uplifting. I think the production needs improving (as, to my ears, it sounds very dated sonically), but a very interesting arrangement and a balanced mix.

Kukobass - Like the feel of this piece – the vocal effect works well. NI Mute Trumpet sounds great! I felt that maybe the piece could have ended a minute earlier, as, for me, there wasn’t enough to sustain my interest. Felt like something could have been removed prior to the drum ending? Just my 10 cents.

Dear David John – Reminded me a bit of Coldplay. Voice fairly similar in tone – very nice voice and the lines well sung, with great feeling. Nicely presented Backing vocals. Felt the tune would have benefited from more instrumentation, later on.

Esteve Corbera – Maybe I wasn’t in the right frame of mind, when I played this, as (apologies if it sounds rude) I felt the intro too bland to sustain my interest – things picked up a bit when the sampled voice came in. I know it is meant to be a meditative piece and I’m sure it is absolutely fine for that purposes – just trying to stay awake here! The mix was balanced enough. I wish you well.

Nano Cats – Kicks out of the speakers! I like the vocal production but find the tune a bit monotonous (sorry). The ‘shaker’ bit on vocal makes it seem like you don’t really believe your sentiments (to me) emotively. Best wishes.

Good luck everyone

[Rich_Rath]

Hello everyone!

This song by Nanocats is leaning more towards mental dis-ease rather than mental disease although there may be a more of a connection between the way we talk to ourselves internally and actual disease. But, we are not qualified to make any statements about those potentials.

Love the bounce and the upbeat hooky hook about something cognitively dissonant to the music... I smile at the lyrics, recognizing myself. Love it, was going to say something about a little variation, but you cover that on the final section and the repetition actually works in this case. I love the tone of the main synth and hope you'll post some production notes.