SONGWRITING COMPETITION - SWC086 October 2024 - Winners announced

[Mister Fox]

I'm quickly stepping in, before things go a bit haywire (even more than already).


General Thread Interaction:

Quoting a post is good and fine, but please keep it to the essentials. As in... one paragraph, or one sentence, or whatever fits the purpose. I am aware that this phpbb is not like your typical modern chat system or social media. Quoting a 500 words post to just answer with one sentence can get chaotic really quick and hard to read.



Feedback and Voting:

If you're new to the game, or haven't participated in quite a while, please take a look at the last three games ( SWC085, SWC084, SWC083) how this usually works.

Please post your feedback collected in one post, same goes for your vote. This has been all explained in detail with the preparation and statistics post above (and also the Rule Book).

You can still have a regular conversation in between the final feedback/vote posts -- but please, be reasonable.


Thank you.

[R0boooo]

Hello all,
just a few days left till the end of SWC086. Ive actually completed 5 of these and have never uploaded and submitted my ideas. Why, Im not sure, lol. Ive also completed this one and have been tweaking for over a week now. Guess im just a little scared of the comments or the issues I may be overlooking.

Been there, done that. I know exactly what you're talking about. On that basis, I have a feeling that there is a genuine artist inside of you that you are protecting too much. Don't starve him/her, just set him free and let him fly. Allow him to hear genuine comments from his peer group. He is sure to receive praise, criticism, encouragement and ideas for next steps. I'm sure the artist within you will later reward you handsomely if you allow him that vital nourishment.

Wow, Thank you, I appreciate that and except it. This is my 1st time posting so I think I need to pay more attention to the Time difference. I was looking at my time not thinking this may be going out of the country for submissions. Thanks for the kind words and words to live and compose by...

[Mellow Browne]

I edited my post with more information.

Nice track. Liked the feel, sounds, groove.

I like the drum programming, but I'd either really lean into the artificial drum thing by producing it in a way that makes it clear it's an intentional part of the sound, or if it's supposed to sound "real", then I think you need to find a better library or produce it in a more"live" manner.

Regardless, nice track.

Thanks for your feedback but I'm not sure if I understand you correctly.

Well, we all know this is just people with their opinions, and want to emphasize I like the drum programming/"playing". But, I find that sonically it's almost distracting from the track. If in my head I was writing this with "real acoustic" drums in my, I would at least eq them or something to make them support instead of stand out. Minimally tone-down the cymbals. If I wrote it with an electronic "drum machine" as my model, then I would choose one that has more of an obvious "this is a drum machine" vibe, something a little more obviously in the box.

Hope that makes sense?

Thanks. I think I understand now what you mean. Yes, all drum samples sound very "natural" like a real drum kit, however the programming is not so realistic at times. In hip hop, Rnb and neo soul music it is very common to mix these two things/elements, realistic drum sounds and for example MPC drum programming or some sort of sequencer. Listen to J Dilla and other famous producers, their influence is huge when it comes to drums in hip hop in general, they also influenced a lot of drummers (me included). You have in most cases (not so much in Lo-Fi jazzy hip hop) very prominent drums.

But there is also Gospel and Neo soul music like D'Angelo or more hip hop oriented sound like The Roots and they use real drummers with real acoustic sets which gives a slight different flavour.

I just wanted to add that "modern" sound to it because I think sampling is a very "classical" thing in hip hop which has a retro/old school vibe. This is the thing I enjoy so much about neo Soul music, it's the blend between old and new, some beats are really timeless (like in other genres of course).

[OlliH]

This month all the submissions were very good, and they were completely different from each other. It wasn’t easy task to choose top five. Had I done it after of before my coffee moment, the results could have been totally different.

It’s also pleasure to notice that talent is much higher nowadays than what it was some years ago when I was more active. It also makes me think ”who am I to comment these songs?” As all of you have reached a level that I won’t ever reach. But, as most of the songs in the world are made to be listened by normal people, I guess there’s some point to be able to hear subjective comments from some of them. But don’t take these comments too seriously. I wasn’t systematic, I just listened to your songs couple of times in a different days, and I let the thoughts wander freely to the paper. I didn’t read your explanations and I didn’t check if there was any discussions about your songs. So I may be repeating issues that some other have already taken up.

Nowadays it’s much more pleasant to write comments than a couple of years ago. I like the fact that one doesn’t have to rank a position to each and every song. It’s pleasure to pick 5 top places, but it was painful to define who’s going to be the last. This current system is nice.


Chasey24, Harvest Sunset
Excellent opening. I like that very much. Then comes something even better, but it happens to be very similar to the main hook and guitar line from Sting’s ”Fields of Cold”.
But when I listen to your work in other parts, its genre slides loosely and interestingly from one genre to another. In addition, you seem to have made some great and bold key modulations. In other words, you clearly know your stuff and you know how to dive deep into the sources of music. Furthermore, you have an ability develop different musical ideas wonderfully into your own coherent work. So, it's a shame that you accidentally happened to pick up the same string of notes to be the main hook of song that Sting had previously made into a mega-hit.

===============

Crispy, Flexing The Harvest
(This is a copy-paste of my previous comment.)
You must have been in your previous life Frank Farian.
Main riff is very cool.
All the variations of the main theme work very nicely.
Although I cannot show any exact weak point but somehow around 2/3 my attention seems to drop a little. I guess the final climax is missing. Maybe the slow part around 2:40 could bring a bigger change and clear new motif (now it's more like a moment of rest) and then explode into final chorus with a new drum groove. And to make it a big hit you may need a couple of Cariban ladies to do the singing part and dancing.
But overall: very well done. You surely have ear and talent for this genre.

(Some bonus points for the best explanation to connect the song and its unrelated name together.)

===============

Elcubano, season cycle
This is skilfully done composition for two guitars. You manage to describe how nature wakens up and blossoms. I like it.
Maybe the slow and bright down strum repeats too much. It’s maybe too bright, and it could be tamed a bit.
Then come interesting parts around 0.50. There’s some sort of mornings in the background. To me it sounds as if you’re describing how the ghosts of ancestors participate the life in an old country mansion.
The electric guitar comes in nicely. Soon after that brightness of acoustic guitars begins to bother me. As if it competes and tries to mask the electric guitar.
I like very much those rapid parts, for example 2.30.
Ghosts come back around 4.40. Now they are more scary.

===============

EsteveCorbera, Els Fruit De La Tardor
The start is great. It sounds to me like nature coming back to life in spring after winter. After this, the pads seem to tell about the unfurling growth of the plants. Nature begins to flourish.
This has a great down-to-earth vibe throughout. Overall, this composition feels to be like a precision tool that is made to tickle one special emotional area in mind.
Another alternative interpretation that came to my mind: The hot air balloon slowly rises from the ground to the heights. Until something happens and the ball starts to sink back down. Apparently no one was hurt.
I have a weak sense of synth sounds. I’m in a process where I try to learn how to make them and how to use them. So I have no expertise In that area. Usually, synth sounds feel foreign to me, but in this case I especially liked these sounds you have made.

===============

IkeHmope, Harvest Morning
(This is a copy-paste of my previous comment.)
Actually this song is very good. It's funny and simple, but musically it's not a joke at all. It's not easy to make simple songs with melody hooks that one can remember afterwards. This one really stuck to my brains. I have nothing to complain in melody lines, etc. So, when it comes to songwriting, I think you have done excellent job.

But when it comes to an arrangement, you could work more on that area or take the role of conductor. I'm pretty sure each instrument part on its own is fine as it is. But now when they're playing all together, it sounds like the Harvest Festival has hit midnight, and they're playing against each other.

Even though you have to pay for the whole band, that doesn't mean they all have to play at the same time. I would try to use the mute button and create separate areas where each instrument has its own place of dominance. If a horn has something nice to say in the background, don't cover it with other instruments. That way there would be more sonical variations, etc.

===============


KukoBass, Hope will grow
I really like those melody lines that you’ve created. What amazes me is it doesn’t bother me at all, that you stick to one instrument only to carry the message. The reason for this is probably the fact that melody line flows naturally, and it still contains in itself so different parts, that I don’t start to need for a new sound to carry the melody.
Those synths support nicely the melody.
Overall sound is a bit rough and crunchy and unfinished, but to me that’s probably the main reason I like it.
Very well done and exactly to my taste.

===============

MellowBrowne, NeoFunk
This is perhaps the most special creation of this competition. The job is always under control. The band plays well together, and each member knows its role. From this song glows strong artistic self-confidence. The groove is nicely restrained but extremely balanced and controlled.

The specialty of the sound is those out-of-tune feeling synths that sizzle metallically. They bother me a little. Somehow they are hard and cold. The groove itself is very smooth and minimal, so maybe that's also why I would like more softness in the overall sound. Now that metallic hiss somehow spreads, sticks and becomes part of the sound of other instruments as well.

So, as it is, that sound is a bit foreign to me. However, since the 1950s, the development of popular music has been based on the fact that the new generation creates something that the previous generation cannot understand. Perhaps these experiences of mine only prove that you are on the right track and know what you are doing. So I encourage you to follow your own instincts in this matter.


===============


PonySho, Growing Pains
You have proven to be very talented in what you do. Even if you do it quickly with your left hand, the result is extraordinary.

In this case you showed a bag full of interesting details and solutions to problems that that one wouldn’t even have to encounter if you’re in charge of the project. The groove is amazing and faultless all through the song. Transitions from part to another are great, etc. There’s not a detail that won’t work.

But oddly, what happened to me? I ended up listening to all those details and great changes, but in the end, I didn’t hear the song or feel human behind. I guess that’s a risk what might happen when you’re in hurry and you’re equipped with such an amazing multipurpose tool that you have.

So, my guess is: if you manage not to turn into ”AI music machine”, but instead let internal human growing pains be part of the music you make, soon you’ll hit the big time.


===============



ryanc, Law of the Harvest
(This is a copy-paste of my previous comment.)

You have a really beautiful and sympathetic song here. The melody line is absolutely top notch, and you sing it very sensitively. The guitar riff is absolutely perfect, simple but effective and supports the song. Very good potential to be this month's winner!

So, the songwriting part is superb, but I think you should do something to those drums. It feels like the drummer is playing without listening to the song. The drums don't have the same emotional sensitivity that you bring to this song. Is it too cold and he tries to warm himself by playing too loud? It's hard to tell what the problem is with a quick listening. Maybe if you could decrease the velocity levels a bit, it might give way to more sensitive drum sounds. Or is the problem in the groove of the drum. I'd definitely try some drum groove with ghost notes or something.


===============


ThomC, Stories of The Sky
This is interesting mixture of traditional country music and orchestral pop. I guess the one of first ones to do the same was Glen Campbell in 70’s. In his case he also added more complicated chord progressions. You have woven together more sort of old-time country melodies with orchestral elements.

I have listened quite much country and bluegrass music from 40’s to 70’s. I guess I was 12 years old when I bought Hank Williams’ yellow double album. It’s still one of the best albums I’ve heard. So, with that background, I think you surely know what you do. That is to say, I have nothing to guide you, but a lot to learn from you. Anyway, here’s some thoughts that came to my mind while listening to this song.

The guitar riff is just spot on.

I like the fact that intro presents the chorus indicatively. Overall this is well composed country song. Also other instruments know their exact places and roles.

I feel that verse goes well in its simplicity, or because of that. Orchestral elements go surprisingly well with traditional country accompaniment. Verse creates a looming tension that something is about to happen in chorus. Main issue for me with this song is that for some reason the chorus doesn’t deliver what I was expecting it to do. It’s missing the bonus zeal and energy that it needs to have after the verse. So, paradoxically, my disappointment was due to the fact that you had done your job so greatly from the intro to the beginning of chorus.

The orchestral instrumental ending was a big surprise to me. That orchestral feeling is a bit pompous after otherwise old time down to earth approach. I still don't know if it was a genius solution or a mood dropper. I guess I would have kept this as more traditional country.

I feel you’re have the needed talent, and you’re about to make something very interesting in your chosen path. Maybe this song was something you just had to do quickly away to give room and care for your forthcoming masterpiece.



VOTES

► Show Spoiler

While choosing the top five, I emphasized the fact that this is SONGwriting competition. So, I wanted it to be song, and I wanted it to have human touch. And of course I cannot help that my musical preferences affect my choices.

01 KukoBass
02 crispy
03 ryanc
04 ThomC
05 Ike H-mope

[Ike H-mope]

I just wanted to add that "modern" sound to it because I think sampling is a very "classical" thing in hip hop which has a retro/old school vibe. This is the thing I enjoy so much about neo Soul music, it's the blend between old and new, some beats are really timeless (like in other genres of course).

Sure, that all makes sense. I'm probably still traumatized that back in the day all I could afford was a Roland 505, which has that super-clean drum sound, when I really wanted an 808 or 909...

[Mellow Browne]

What I learned this month:
- How to add more realism to Modo Bass by playing ghost notes and other useful key switches
- How to add more realism to MusicLab guitars and how to use key switches for a more sophisticated overall performance

Edit: added reflections:
It wasn't the hardest thing to flip the sample and create different parts to be honest, the hard part was to create something around it that is "musical" in a way which supports the story. I wanted to avoid the typical hip hop standard loop beat with no variations from start to finish. I never learned how to play the guitar and I'm not so familiar with the different playing styles. In sum, I'm happy with my result this month and I really don't know what I could've done differently.

First of all, everybody did a great job, only really good entries this month. The level is really high and it was a pleasure to listen to all entries. Keep doing what you guys are doing!

Here is my feedback:

Elcubano
Nice simple guitar track with a warm vibe that fits the theme very well.
That greek vibe lets me think of a glass of wine.
The guitar playing is well performed and I like the lush sound of the reverb and delay.
I like the transition to the dissonance at the end which underlines the death of the plant.
The only thing I can say is that I hear mostly B or D as root notes if I’m not mistaken, I would like to hear more variety in the root note or maybe inverted chords or something.
In sum, nice job.

PonySho
Your entry is very groovy and funky with a great musical story. You created some nice transitions to the various parts and you implemented both catchy and dissonant themes/phrases with ease. Another nice thing is the mix of modern synth sounds with (what is that style) disco funk(?) sound.
The only thing I think which could be improved is the mix, but I just listened to the song on my studio speakers so I can tell for other systems. It seems a bit soft and the mix (at least on Soundcloud) is a bit low in volume. I’m not sure if you did this on purpose but the shaker @ 02:19 is slightly before the grid. This gives me the impression your entry doesn’t sound finish.
You still did a good job overall.

Chasey24
Nice modern pop sound with a warm country/western touch. I like the instrumentation, the sound choice and your song structure and I must say you implemented the usage of Scaler in a very musical and natural way. I use it myself a lot and it's one of my best friends.
Nothing to complain, I think you did a great job!

crispy
That drum groove is really simple but so nice and effective, especially that open hi hat.
The sound selection is very good, I really like those strings and that flute, those elements are the most powerful with the most swagger. Johnny is really flexing here!
Even though your entry has definitely the energy I’m still missing something. It could be the mix itself, it sounds a bit thin. You obviously implemented enough elements and instruments to give it a nice sound stage, but somehow this is not what I hear on my speakers. The separation is there but I’m missing some low end and oomph on that kick and base line.
In sum, nice job.

EsteveCorbera
Very dreamy and calm atmosphere with relaxing sounds. Your entry is just pure positive energy with no signs of clouds and stormy weather, a constant sunbeam on a specific spot. And this positivity grows even more throughout the composition. Even though there is no groove section one can hear a constant pulse of all instruments playing together. You just have such a unique style of making what you do and you are getting better and better at it. Keep pushing! Good job!

OlliH
Great guitar fx intro and nice song structure. Your chord progression definitely reflects the sad life of a vegetable. I was not expecting something „miserable“, so this was really surprising.
The singing is a bit strange, but maybe this is exactly what is needed there, I’m not sure.
I think everything is just well performed and you dig a good job.
I think the mix could be improved a bit, i can hear the bass distorting a bit and some elements are fighting in the 200-500 Hz and 2-4 kHz region.

ryanc
First of all, you have great voice with a nice texture, and only a few minor notes are a little bit off. So, if no autotune was used I must say you have very good pitch balance.
I’m not a specialist in this genre, but it gives me a certain country/western vibe. Very friendly and warm chords with a nice song structure.
The mix is a bit on the weaker side, it’s not horrible or so, it works like it is. It just sounds a bit like a demo mix, or even raw version, just the clean recordings.
Even thouhg it’s a softer song I wish I could hear more punch from the drums and deeper sound stage from front to back (think of delay or reverb).
In sum, you did a really nice job.

Ike H-Mope
This is a very funny entry, another one that surprises me. Even though I’m not a fan of AI-voice and voice synthesizer in general you implemented it very clever by putting it in this retro composition. The structure is very simple and easy but it works really good. The instrumentation is good but I personally don’t like that mono sound stage.
Good job!

KukoBass
I don’t know why but this entry sounds more on the melancholic side of music, so I think the title „Hope Will Grow“ fits 100%. There is this mood change in the different sections, from serious and focused to a bit loose and sad in the „chorus“. The crows in the background underlines the „dark“ mood even more.
The instrumentation is good, the only thing I find a bit annoying is the melody string on the left side. It gets a bit loud at times.
I think the mix is ok. Good job!

ThomC
Wow, this is really good, I like this. This sounds absolutely professional. Everything just fits perfectly together, an amazing overall performance and a nice song structure. And it fits the theme very well! The instrumentation, the groove, the vibe, very catchy.
I like the tone in your voice which I find very remarkable, you have a lot of character behind the mic. One of the best entries I've heard so far in this community! This is so inspiring. To be precise, your entry is in my top 2 entry ever!
Your mix goes definitely in the right direction and is already pretty solid together, it's like you said, it just needs some minor detail work but I'm sure this song is a banger!
Outstanding job!


Bonus entry:
R0boooo
Too bad you uploaded it so late. This is my absolute favourite entry ever in this community tbh, and even though lots of entries were pretty strong and on a very high level this month.
This is absolutely amazing and music I really enjoy. This is so inspiring, so professional, I don’t know what to say.
Everything is just so smooth, the instrumentation, the chords, the whistling, the percussion, the bass, the story telling. Wow!
The only negative thing I can say is maybe the mix/master, I think it could sound a little bit more open in the top end, it seems to be a bit on the darker side, at least on my speakers here. But we’re talking only about maybe 1 db of high shelf boost @ 4-5 kHz, still your entry sounds balanced, strong and very professional. I like the subtle low end and the sound stage.
I think you did an outstanding job! Bravo. Is it possible to download this song? Would love to learn from this masterpiece and analyse in detail what you've done there musically and how you implemented the instruments so smooth, this really blows my mind

Voting:

► Show Spoiler

1st ThomC
2nd Chasey24
3rd ryanc
4th crispy
5th OlliH

[ThomC]

Here's my feedback and votes, I'll do my best to be fair even if a big part of the appreciation of a piece of music is subjective.

1. El Cubano: Chouette de trouver un camarade français sur ce forum, je suis Belge I really liked the overall vibe of your track, great mood and progression. I didn't really need more chords as far as I'm concerned, I felt like the ambient nature of your composition kind of required that simplicity in the chord arrangement. I really liked the way the track went from a dreamy progressive mood to a dissonant feel towards the end. I really didn't expect the choir / spooky sounds at the end. I really like how you translated the idea of the seasons into music.

Improvements : There are two main things I can think about, the first is in the textures of the acoustic guitars, you actually pointed it out yourself in your notes. A lot of the time, acoustic guitars sound better mic'ed than recorded straight with the piezo sound. Even though, you mixed them well (you made them sound "glassy" more than "quacky" if that makes any sense. The main issue is that in the intro, the combination of acoustic guitars doesn't really work because of the similarity of their texture. The second thing to improve I thought about is in the rhythm of the guitar tracks, they could sometimes be performed a little tighter, not by much, but that would help a bit with the efficiency of the track.

Great job nonetheless, really enjoyed your track!

2. PonySho : I really liked how your track evolved from a dissonant nature in the verses and a more pop/disco/funk vibe in the choruses with a lyrical feeling in the melody, it's definitely something that could be sung. I love that you used Thorn as the main synthetic element of your track, there's a great variety of sounds in your track, it's great to know that that was achieved with a single synth. The bass track is really effective and you managed to get it to work well with the acoustic drums and electric guitars.

Improvements : I felt like some cymbals could have been added from one section to the track to another to accent the transitions. There's a clear verse / chorus / verse / chorus structure in your track so I feel like those could have been made a tiny bit clearer with percussive elements and / or a clear intention indicated by some of your harmonic elements that the song was going from one structure to the other.

Other than that, I enjoyed your track, somehow the disco/funk vibe with the glitchy effects gave me a steampunk Depeche Mode meets The Jackson 5 feeling. That's pretty original, well done!

3. Chasey24 : The main melody of your track reminded me of "Field of Gold" by Sting, but you took it to a different place as the song went. I like how the track went from a chilled out acoustic track with a simple theme, to a more evolved and cinematic climax towards the end with the strings arpeggios.

Improvements :

- Your track could have benefited from a bit more variety in your lead guitar tone from one section to the next, it helps identify the change of tone more clearly
- Some work can be done in terms of realism on the virtual instruments, the solo cello at the start could have clearer legato transitions and timbre changes from one velocity layer to the other, your drums could use some more grit / room mics to give them more depth and reverb, the strings arpeggios at the end around the 3:10 mark seem like they have been quantized and didn't rhythmically do what they were supposed to
- The arpeggiated acoustic guitar around the 1:10 could use some variation to it to give a more natural feel to it, if you're using Native Instruments' guitars, you can use both the pitch wheel and the modulation wheel to give some accents and timbral changes to the performance.

Here are some things I can think about for now . Other than that, I like where it's going, there are some cool ideas in there that can be taken further and can be enhanced through some detailed work in the arrangement. The "Fields of Gold" reference and the acoustic / orchestral vibe of the arrangement was well in line with the theme at hand, well done!

4. Crispy : This was definitely fun to listen to, great funky/disco vibe. I like the explanation on your post, great funny story
I think what I like the most in your track aside from the quirky arrangement and storyline is the fact that it's very well structured, it feels to mike like you have a background in electronic music, I kind of felt that in the way that you built the "arcs" of your tracks, the way the sections go from one cymbal swell to the other, sometimes with the high end of the track rolled off and... that fade out!

Improvements : I felt like the question / answer between the violins and the guitar at around the 55sec mark could be closer tonally, it feels to me (and I may be wrong) like the violins have built-in reverb in the patch, and it feels to me like those two instruments could benefit from sharing the same "room" tonally even if just a little bit. But this is more of a mixing tip than a songwriting one. I don't have much to say in terms of the songwriting per sen it feels to me like your idea was clear about what you wanted to achieve and that you went for it. Say hi to Johnny the farmer from me haha! :

5. Esteve Corbera : Your track is the perfect example on how one can achieve a beautiful arrangement with simple, and sometimes free tools. I really like the emotional quality of your track, I feel like it represents really well the complexity of the harvest. There's a great coherence between the synthetic and more acoustic elements. The really great thing is that not all acoustic instruments felt realistic at all times, but the beauty of the performance completely overuled all sense of analytical perspective on that end, that's a great achievement in my book. Kudos for this beautiful arrangement!

6. OlliH : Such a viby track! I love it, at first, I really didn't know where this was going to take me, and after listening to it I'm still not quite sure but it a good way! Paradoxically, there's a great sense of completion in the track in the way you scratched the guitar strings at the end. Your track is very cinematic, as in very very cinematic! Not necessarily in the choice of sounds, but in the theatrical way it goes from one section to the other, every passage has a visual identity to it, melodically, texturally... This could have easily be used as the OST for an animated movie. I love the choice of instruments, the structure and the chord progression. Everything is very tastefully made. Well done!!

May I ask what amps you used on your clean electric guitar at 00:40, what electric guitar did you use? I like the fact that you managed to get another guitar tone in the second electric guitar at 00:51 giving great variety to the guitar tone.

Improvements : Not much, I'd say, maybe some very small mixing adjustments, like at around 2min when the drums kick in, the dynamic change could be a tiny bit more enhanced and the drums could maybe have more texture to them, I own SSD too and the drums have a sound to them that's not always easy to get rid of.

Fantastic job on that track!

7. Ryanc : I like the way the drums and vocals remind me of 90s music, there's an "Extreme - More Than Words" feel to your song / the way you sing. I really like the progression of the song, the chorus has a hit song quality to it and it leads perfectly to the climax at the end. The lyrics are perfectly in tune with the theme and there's a great double meaning in the lines :
"And they say you reap what you sow
But no one ever warned me it would take so long to grow"

Very well written, sung, performed and composed, great job!

Improvements - Suggestions :

- At 1:53 that last chorus screams for a vocal harmony haha, it's not mandatory obviously, but it does call for that kind of thing
- Some strummed left & right acoustic guitars in the choruses could add more contrast to your track (or something similar. It feels to me like the elements of your mix are very often centered (the guitars) when they could be panned left and right to give more depth to the arrangement.
- This song, again, feels like a hit song to me. It reminds me of some great producers showing the cassette recording of a yet-to-be-superfamous track in their studio to tell the story of how the song became a supermega hit. What I'm saying is, that this is defnitely one to improve and take further, it sounds great!

8. IkeHmope : This is definitely an original idea! The medieval / chivalrous quality of the arrangement and songwriting is both fun and interesting. There are a few main things I can hear that could be improved : Your track was exported in mono, I don't know if that's voluntary, but I think it gets in the way of the appreciation of the recording. Also, the orchestral arrangement could be perfected in itself, in the place that every instrument occupies its own range, that's one of the trickiest part with orchestral arrangements.

9. Mellow Browne : I read your recording / composition process on your post, it's very interesting to see how you started from a loop to get to the final result, I really like the groovy feel of the whole track and the way you got to blend lo-fi harmonic elements with those punchy drums. I really like the sound of your kick, it has a warm saturated / vinyl quality that works perfectly with the arrangement. Well done!

Improvements : I could hear the usage of MODO Bass before reading your spoilers haha, MODO has a very specific tone in the higher velocities, the strings buzz quite a lot and they're instantly recognizable. It's not a huge deal, but don't hesitate to sometimes play with some of those lower velocities in order to get the strings less buzzy (or change the play style / mic position of the bass closer to the neck pickup instead of the bridge, that kind of thing...)

How did you get the kick to work with the bass? Anything particular you did on those two? They sound great!

10. Kukobass : Love how you managed to get such a great tone out of MODO Drums, they're not the easiest drums to work with, and I first thought they were real drums, congratulations on that! I really like how you arranged the hats of those drums, they definitely give something special to the groove of the track. I like the overall vibe of the track, but I feel like the sections could be contrasted a little more and some of the elements could be fine tuned rhythmically to sound tighter together.

11. Roboooo : I don't know how we are here with the use of strong language but sh*t man! This is definitely one of my favourites, if not my favourite. You'll have to come back in the next challenge! This is so inspiring, from the chord progression, to the choice of instruments, to the performance in itself, to the mix! I don't have anything to say in terms of improvements, this is perfect as it is . What reverbs did you use in your mix? Fantastic Job!

What I learned from the challenge :

- Composing in a very short time is beneficial to start something and finish an idea as far as I'm concerned
- Having too little time on the other end, doesn't allow you to mix properly and fine tune the details
- It may be easier to feel a strong emotion when the feeling is new, when the song has been rehearsed multiple times, you have to re-act the process of feeling the song
- Brass instruments can easily clash in the midrange with vocals, I did what I could with the little time I had, but it's the kind of thing where a good arrangement is the best mixing tool
- Adding rhythm variations (even small ones here and there) can add excitment to a song

► Show Spoiler

1. OlliH
2. EsteveCorbera
3. Ryanc
4. Crispy
5. ElCubano67

[Mister Fox]

Thank you for the feedback so far, everyone.


However, please do not forget your 2-3 paragraph long self reflection with your final feedback / vote post (you can edit this in until the voting time frame has ended). Things that you learned with this game, what you would improve on with your future productions, etc. I really don't want to withdraw bonus points at the end of the game.

Thank you.

[OlliH]

May I ask what amps you used on your clean electric guitar at 00:40, what electric guitar did you use? I like the fact that you managed to get another guitar tone in the second electric guitar at 00:51 giving great variety to the guitar tone.

I'm happy to answer all the questions. My guitar is made by a small one man company called HMS guitars (HMS = hand made stuff, hms-guitars.fi). Each guitar is different, but the main body is the same. My guitar happens to have tremolo bar and two mics: "Seymour Duncan Hot Tele Bridge STL-2 Guitar Pickup (single coil) and "Seymour Duncan Jazz Neck Black SH-2N Guitar Pickup (Humbucker"). These microphones, of course, are essential for the sound. With one switch I can get 5 different combinations. Just perfect for my preferences (50's and 60's rockabilly and country sounds) and good enough for other purposes.

I have also other guitars but they are normally too far (3 m behind my back) to use them, so I'm happy to use this one which I can reach without getting up. As I'm just testing ideas, I want to work quickly.

Open chords 0.40-
GUITAR directly in => EQ (bx_digital) => AMP (bx_rockrack with Clean Jazz amp) => REVERB (Tsar-1R) => Tremolo => DONE
It was late night when I played in those chords, so not to wake anyone, I played them very softly just with my thumb. Had it been a daytime I would have automatically used plectrum, and I would never had reach that same melancholy that's now in those chords.

First electric solo 0.50-
GUITAR directly in => CRUNCH (Devil-loc) => EQ (Nova GE) => AMP (bx_rockrack with Clean English 530 amp) => Vocal enhancer => REVERB (Tsar-1R) => DONE

Within those chains essential are only bx_rockrack and Devil-loc

I have quite many amp-plugins, and some of them may be better for certain purposes, but typically I just pick this one and dial in the sound that I'm after. If I need to add different colours, I have plenty of saturation plugins for that purpose, but normally I just put Devil-Loc in (couple of knobs, no thinking, done). It sort of speaks the same language as I do.

Thanks for the nice comments! I wasn't expecting any votes, as this month I chose to trod somewhat weirdo way.

[PonySho]

Song Feedback for All Submissions
What a great variety of submissions for this challenge! I enjoyed them all. Like others, It was difficult to give useful feedback because of my personal preferences. In an effort to step outside my own biases, I'm selecting the best songs based primarily on how much effort (I think) was put in to the composition and performance, and secondly, how appealing the song is. My feedback on the mix will be in terms of how well it delivers the songwriter's intentions and less getting into the weeds over frequency balance, compression and all that stuff (which I love but I feel is more appropriate for a mixing challenge).
Thank you to all who participated and made this another interesting challenge - I really do appreciate the efforts of all

Reflection
Being under time constraints always leaves me feeling like I need more time, as it did with this production.
It was fun creating an instrumental piece - I haven't done this for soooo long!
Upon reflection, the arrangement got a bit chaotic and distracting at points with too much going on with the arpeggio synths. If I had more time I would have added a little more percussion and revised the guitar solos. This piece of music was a very clean and tight production which is an area I don't work in that often. I'm going to losen up again for the next challenge.
Overall, I'm satisfied with the outcome and it was very satisfying to, again, finish a piece of music.
But the best part is...my wife likes it! So I'm all good

Votes

► Show Spoiler

1 - ThomC, Stories of the Sky
2 - Elcubano - Cycle of the Seasons
3 - OlliH - My Life from Seed to Vegetable
4 - ryanc - Law of the Harvest
5 - Crispy - Flexing the Harvest

Song Feedback

► Show Spoiler

Elcubano cycle of the seasons
I thought this was a beautiful predominantly guitar composition that built elegantly as the song developed. Bringing in the haunting/dissonant pads added a melancholy undertone. The short interlude at 1.42 was perfect...just when the music was starting becoming a bit repetitive...very well done. Directly after that at 2m the arrangement became brighter, as if the sun came out, then at 2.27 the excitement of spring/summer reminded me of new life/energy. The sombre vibe at 4.12 was really beautiful. It's clear that a lot of effort went into this composition. With its twists and turns and really great playing. I'd say this piece is a triumph that got better then more I listened. Thanks Elcubano
Likes: The effort, the composition, contrast of consonance and dissonance in chord and melody choices, twists and turns in the arrangement, dark and dissonant ending
Dislikes: The guitar tone was uncomfortably twangy
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Chasey24 Harvest sunset
The melody is very reminiscent of Sting's 'Fields of Gold.' Lots of instrumentation and interest in the song but I felt that the song could have benefited from more contrast in the arrangement. The middle-8 at 2.10 was perfectly timed. Overall, a pleasant composition but I found it hard to listen for the originality because so much of the melodic hook was similar to Sting's afore mentioned song. I appreciate the addition and effort of the acoustic guitar (a lot more effort in getting this right vs triggering midi instruments on a keyboard). If the quality of other productions was not so high for this challenge, this soung would have made it in my top 3.
Likes: Pleasant, nice arrangement, acoustic guitar, middle 8.
Dislikes: Similarity to to Fields of Gold, chord progression a little too predictable for my ears
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Crispy flexing the harvest
I really like the simplicity of this tune. The sparse instrumentation instrumentation gave a very punchy and clear soundscape to the production. The introduction/back story about the song made me laugh. I love disco. Bring back the flares! I heard some Boney-M flavours mixed with more modern dance influences. The dark filtered ending was
Likes: Sparse and punchy arrangement, fun.
Dislikes: I would have liked a middle-8 (bridge)

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EsteveCorbera Els Fruit De La Tardor
Another pleasant listening experience that to my ears, really did have a nature theme. The song seemed bright and uplifting, as if witnessing the birth of new life and growth. I don't know how I got that but I'd say it's a triumph to be able to deliver emotion in non-lyrical music. The strings did get a bit repetitive in the middle of the composition. I liked the small added fx and the varying in lead melody instrumentation. This kept it interesting.
Likes: Arrangement, emotion, big gong at end
Dislikes: String arrangement got a little repetitive in the middle of the song.
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OlliH My life from seed to vegetable
OK, first off, a funny title and an interesting song right from the start. The acoustic guitar was a pleasant addition. Lots of twists and turns in the chord progression. It seems like some effort went into this composition. I don't know why this song made me smile...it just seemed quirky and unexpected in a fun way. Was that a kazoo I heard? There were some pink panther moments then some haunted house vibes. Thanks! Great work.
Likes: Weird chord progressions and harmony interaction, sounds and fx, rocky outro, acoustic guitar, unexpectedness.
Dislikes: It felt a little too short at 2.56...I just wanted to hear more. The rocky part could have been a lot more energetic and convincing.

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ryanc Law of the harvest
I like this song. A clear and catchy vocal melody with instrumentation that builds the energy and interest as the song progresses. The song has a very listenable radio structure. I love the energy build at the middle 8 at 2.29s then the big drop after this. Somehow the song seemed too short in duration. I feel that some effort went into this...to write a song from scratch and play most of the instrumentation can be a lot more effort than knocking out midi notes on a keyboard. Certainly, it's more difficult to get a balanced mix when working with raw recordings vs making electronic music.
Likes: Songwriting, arrangement, structure, melody, lyrics.
Dislikes: the stop at 0.34s lost momentum. The snare choice seemed wrong and was distracting for me. The clicking of your hand against the body of the guitar was a bit out of time with the drums, giving quite a jarring feeling to the rhythm.

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Ike H-mope Harvest Morning
This was a fun submission, even though I didn't catch all of the vocals. Did you use a pitch shifter on your vocals or is that just your deep, rich vocal sound? Lots of work put into the orchestral arrangement. Nice work.
Likes: Unique sounding. Orchestral arrangement sounded very good. A serious-sounding production considering the 'Harvest' brief - that made me chuckle.
Dislikes: Too short at 1.36s. Vocals get masked by the music - it was difficult to hear the lyrics. Very mono-sounding mix that didn't have the expansiveness that I'd expect in an opera-style song with large orchestra.

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Mellow Browne Neo funk
Firstly, I could listen to this music style all day long...well I have for many years. This tune reminds me of one one of my fave bands DIG (directions in groove). This is an appealing mix of jazz and funk that kind of meanders...like a cool kid kicking cans along a city street hanging with friends. I like the bottom end...letting the bass extend below the high-passed kick drum (I know...said I wouldn't talk nerdy mix stuff) but this gives a nice warmth to the track.
Likes: balanced mix, chilled vibe, ear candy, no prominent topline which is perfect for this style
Dislikes: doesn't fit the brief challenge -nothing about 'Harvest' in the song or the title and almost like this song was perhaps picked from a bunch of previously finished productions (apologies - I'm almost certainly wrong about this claim). Random tom hit at the end of the song.

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KukoBass Hope will grow
A pleasant song with simple chord progression and melody. The keyboard melody felt like it was stuck in a crowd and didn't have the impact that a lead element needs in a mix. There was a pleasant arrangement of instrumentation in the song.
Likes: Crows, overall a pleasant listening experience.
Dislikes: Quiet main melody, loud strings at 1.55, simplistic progression was missing a bridge to break up the repetition, not enough contrast in the song structure.

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ThomC Stories of the sky
To my ears, there is significant effort put into the musical arrangement, lyric construction, recording and performance of this song. I take my hat off to you for the effort you've put in and what you've achieved! This song takes the listener somewhere.
Likes: the slide guitar, the lyrics, the chorus - the lead vocal/chord harmonisation is beautiful, the sparse verses leading to big choruses, the coda.
Dislikes: lead vocal wasn't prominent/clear enough in the mix to really deliver the message, lack of a middle 8 with a clear departure from the chorus melody, lack of melody in the string section near the end.