SONGWRITING COMPETITION - SWC090 February 2025 - Winners announced

[Mister Fox]

A friendly reminder:
We're in the final 24 hours to submit your production.


Please get your production ready and submitted (through the forum) today.

To make it easier for me to create the collection post, please update your initial post with the appropriate links (final version), or explicitly mark your entry as "final entry". Please also don't forget to make your files accessible to download. Thank you.



We currently have 05 entries so far (with one of them being in limbo)
In order to get our usual 3-position podium started, we need to reach / exceed 09 active entries.

Looking forward to more entries throughout the day.

[toadhjo]

I'm putting the finishing touches on a piece. I participated here about 5 years ago and I'm making a comeback *whoop whoop*. Seems like my old account was deactivated so I made a new one with the same name.

[toadhjo]

For this composition I found a two chord progression I liked and then built it up from there, while keeping the theme and example photo in mind. I think it resulted in a track with a cyberpunk vibe.

Produced in REAPER.

This track employs a wide selection of free and paid instruments. The main epiano is from UVI's Digital Synsations, while the main flute line is from Arturia's Mellotron emulation. I used three different basses -- a real 4-string Ibanez, Diamond Jazz Trio (Free), and Reaktor Monark. There are a bunch of other instruments tucked in there too -- AAS Player, Minibit, ANA 2, Arturia Buchla Easel, and a Schecter C-1 Classic guitar running through Helix Native.

For creative effects I used lots of United Plugins, SoundToys, Aberrant DSP, and AudioThing.

I won't document every instrument and effect here but if you have any particular questions I'd be happy to answer!

On the mastering chain I used JS:Saturation, FeenstaubTC, FeenstaubTX, Acon Digital Verberate, JS:ReEQ, TDR Slick EQ M, and TDR Limiter 6 GE.



Thank you for listening I look forward to listening to everyone else's entries!

[simiansoundlab]

Hey everyone! We're Simian Soundlab, a duo consisting of Steven (composer) and Valdy (sound engineer). Nice to meet you all!
This is our first time joining a songwriting contest (especially on this forum) so we're excited to learn both songwriting and audio production.

This track is titled "Mindless Void". We drew inspirations from the reference photos provided. We aimed to capture the unsettling transformation of the human mind under the weight of machines. It’s a theme that happens recently with AI stuff, but in this case it’s about something colder, raw, like touching a frozen pile of steel.

We use both FL Studio and Studio One to compose and process this track.

For the instruments;
Spitfire LABS free plugins:
- Astral Forms
- Obsolete Machines
- Foghorn, and
- Intimate Piano

FL Studio stock plugins such as Morphine, and some default Serum presets for the sequencers. Also used OsTirus (Bridge Arp).

Sample:
- What About Cinematic Tension & FX (Riser)
- Welcome To Loopcloud 2020 (Riser)

The kick and snare samples also come straight from FL itself. Also we decided to record some distorted guitar to add some texture in that particular frequency.

For the mix;
Studio One Native Plugins:
- Ampire
- Compressor
- Room Reverb
Analog Obsession:
- Britpressor
- BLENDEQ
- BUSTERse
- SSQ
- FetSnap
- MERICA
- Audiority Dr. Phase
- PSPaudioware PSP Chamber
Valhalla
- Supermassive
Fabfilter:
- Pro - Q2
- Pro - L2
- Pro - MB
- Saturn 2
Soundtoys:
- Radiator
- Decapitator
- Echoboy
- Crytalizer
- Panman
- Superplate
Plugin Alliance:
- Maag EQ4
- Shadow Hills M. Compressor
UAD:
- 1176 LN
- 1176AE
- LA-2A


Looking forward to hearing your thoughts on both the composition and mix!!

[VCA-089]

My submission: Hope Remains

WAV: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1VI_VKA ... sp=sharing
MP3: https://drive.google.com/file/d/11gB41H ... sp=sharing

"Our world has crumbled. Our lives are broken. Our past is just a pile of forgotten dreams, irrelevant ideals and obsolete idols. Our future is as uncertain as it could be. We are left on our own, trying to survive in this new world. The only thing that keeps us alive is a pale ghost of hope that still remains..."

Finally I'm back at writing new songs after a few months, and here is a good opportunity to implement some of my bass riffs I was improvising lately.

I decided to make a dark synthwave song with a strong soundtrack feel. It is supposed to be an opening and an end titles theme of an imaginary TV show that sets into a distant future in a post apocalyptic world.

Instruments & techniques:

1. The distorted bass is the foundation of this song. A PJ bass with flatwound strings played with a small pick, recorded on the neck pickup and processed with ToneLib "GFX" (Booster>Overdrive>Chorus>Amp). The bitcrusher adds a high frequency edge to the sound;
2. Additional layer of shimmer reverb added to the bass that fades in and out throughout the song;
3. The drums are samples from Oberheim DMX. Overdubbed with cymbals from SP1200;
4. Additional drum track is a processed loops from CR78 rhythm machine;
5. The bass synth is Cherry Audio "SEM". There is a lot of automation on this part, playing with settings and internal FX;
6. The synth pads, SFX, synth arp and high bells are coming from the "VirtualCZ" synthesizer;
7. The synth keys are "PG-8X".

► Show Spoiler

Recorded and edited in Reaper 7.27
Produced in FL Studio 21.2.2

Hardware:

Washburn Lyon LB40 Bass guitar

Generators:

x1 FPC
x1 Cherry Audio "SEM"
x1 Martin Lauders "PG-8X"
x6 Plugin Boutique "VirtualCZ"

EQ & Saturation:

x4 BPB "Dirty Filter"
x2 BPB "Saturator"
x8 FL Parametric EQ 2
x1 TDR "Nova"
x18 TDR & VoS "SlickEQ GE"

Dynamics:

x23 AdHd "Leveling Tool"
x2 D16 "Frontier"
x4 FL Balance
x1 FL Stereo Enhancer
x1 TDR "Kotelnikov"
x8 Thomas Mundt "LoudMax"

Delay & Reverb:

x6 Audiority "Xenoverb"
x9 FL Delay 3
x1 NUSofting "EchoBis"
x1 TAL Reverb-4
x2 u-He "ColourCopy"
x1 VoS "epicVerb"

Modulation:

x1 FL Frequency Shifter
x2 FL Hyper Chorus
x1 FL PanOMatic
x2 TAL-Chorus-LX

Processing:

x2 D16 "Decimort 2"
x1 ToneLib GFX
x2 Wavesfactory "Cassette"

Master Chain:

TDR "Nova"
Limiter №6 GE

Total:

x9 Generators
x105 Effects
x23 MIDI Patterns
x27 Mixer Tracks
x2 Audio Clips
x34 Automation Clips

[Elcubano]

Hi,
I didn’t have much time this month, so I’m posting at the last minute.
This month, I wrote an instrumental piece in a post-metal style, which I feel fits well with this challenge.
I aimed to depict the bleak future of a collapsing world.

► Show Spoiler

DAW : FL Studio
Drums: Addictive Drums 2 (kit studio rock)
Guitar used for recording: ESP LTD EC1007 for all clean, saturated, lead and solo guitar sound
Guitar clean / clean lead: plugin Neural dsp Archetype Plini X
Guitar Rythm/lead : plugin Neural dsp Archetype Gojira X
Guitar bass : bass LTD B104 and plugin neural dsp darkglass ultra
Synth : plugin Arturia mellotron (choir)
Mastering : Ozone11

[J.Ruegg]

Hi everyone, here is my entry: Desolation

Dropbox link to wav (200mb)
Dropbox link to mp3

A Drum and Bass track inspired by the pictures. I mostly took the more desolated looking ones, kinda imagining something post-apocaliptic, where the world is so chaotic that everything is uncertain.

Made in Bitwig 5.2.5

Most of the synth sounds were made with Arturia's Op-Xa, an emulation of the Oberheim Ob-Xa.
And most of the bass sounds were made with ZebraHZ, while some little snippets were made with U-He Bazille.

As for the drum sounds they came from varios sample packs (most from Black Octopus Sound), I added many effects here and there to get to a sound I was happy with.

For creative effects I used many KHs plugins (specially multipass & the compressor and stereo effects) Volcano 3, DS audio Tantra 2 and Cableguy's Shaperbox 3.

For mixing I used mostly Fabfilter, a lot of Devious Machine's Multiband X6 and Soothe 2 & Spiff.

For the final touches I added some ambience sounds from Luftrum's Bioscape and NI's Mysteria.

Looking at Pro-L2 in the master I should be at around -14.4 LUFS so hope to be ok with the loudness

[ThomC]

Hey everyone!

Here's my entry for this competition : https://drive.google.com/file/d/1sBr9rn ... sp=sharing

The whole idea of the song is that I imagined a couple having a last drive around town before the end of the world as a way to enjoy the memories they lived in their lives before the world disappears into chaos and flames. The ending could be interpreted as a new beginning, a last living flower that has found its way through the madness.

Hope you'll enjoy it!

VST Instruments Used

► Show Spoiler

- Westwood Novella Origin
- Westwood Novella Blackwater
- Strezov Afflatus Strings
- Sonokinetic Largo
- 8Dio Century Brass
- Soundiron Venus Choir
- Audio Imperia Nucleus
- Spitfire Audio Solo Strings
- Luftrum Bioscape
- NI West Africa
- Soundiron Swords To Plowshares
- NI Action Strikes
- Musio Drums of War
- UVI Beatbox Anthology
- Sonuscore The Orchestra Complete 3
- Spitfire Audio Albion Solstice
- UVI Toy Suite
- UVI World Suite
- Arturia Pigments
- NI Ashlight

Mixing Plugins Used

► Show Spoiler

- SSL Channel Strip 2
- Plugin Alliance Amek EQ 200
- UAD Oxide Tape
- Plugin Alliance Neold U2A
- Safari Pedals Rabbit Tape
- Meldaproduction MTurboComp
- WA Productions Helper Transient 2
- United Plugins Royal Compressor
- Overloud Gem Comp LA
- NoiseAsh Need 73
- Tone Empire Goliath V2
- Liquidsonics Seventh Heaven Pro
- UAD Pultec
- IK Multimedia ARC3
- Realphones
- Acustica Audio Magenta

[Mister Fox]

It is the 25th February 2025, 0:50 UTC+1/CET - this month's Songwriting Competition has official ended


STATISTICS:

• If I didn't miscount, we have 10 submissions this month (01 entry more than last month, and also 01 entry more than February 2024)
• We have 0 submissions after the deadline (as of 25-FEB-2025 00:50 UTC+1/CET)
• We have 0 submission that have been pushed to "Bonus Entries"
• We have 0 submissions that have been withdrawn mid game (therefore it can't count to the overall participation)
• The "staff balancing vote" add-on rule does not apply (special game mechanics do apply)
• "Sole Winners Podium" rule (equal or less than eight participants results in a single winner) does not apply (3-position Winners Podium)

How do we go from there?

Over the course of the next (hopefully) 24-48 hours (usually up to 6-12 hours maximum after the game has ended), I'll gather all links into one post and hot-link to that from the first post of the thread. Please, no more changes to your entries, but please do check your links that these entries are accessible and downloadable. We then perform with the final feedback and "public vote" system.


We have 10 official / still active participants. We are adapting the overhauled vote mechanic, as talked about in the following news blog:

Songwriting Competition - game mechanic changes: Voting Process (October 2022 Update)
(Info: I am aware that the Rule Book has not been properly updated yet. Time constraints, apologies for the inconvenience)


Summarized:

!

Bonus Info

Participants can (and must) vote for their Top 5 entries (tiered mechanic). You're furthermore asked to please reflect on your experience this month (2-3 paragraphs max), what you have learned, what you would like to do different in the future, etc. (personal growth) You are also asked to give feedback to at least five (number: 5) entries (tiered mechanic) -- things that stood out to you, providing some final thoughts and constructive feedback for possible improvements. This adds to the learning experience of our community. It is recommended that these entries are outside of your personal "top entry" voting. Have the chance to get additional bonus points if you decide to invest the time to provide more constructive feedback than the requested minimum. It must be more than just "nice production, please keep up the good work" however. This is to boost more interaction and can balance out your overall points on the score sheet. (get 1 point if you give constructive feedback to 01 to 02 more participants, get 2 points if you give helpful feedback for everyone, bonus entries not counting) The "Voting Process" mechanic is mandatory for all participants, and the only criteria to drop out of the game by not partaking. Please don't just collect feedback, and not give back to the community. The overall "Bonus Point" mechanic still applies. Please update your posts with proper production documentation, most notably regarding whom you have collaborated with (as in: proper credits -- not doing so will result in a 2pt deduction on the score sheet at the end of the game). Please also make your entries downloadable, or provide an additional download link if not existing already. You got until the voting period has ended. (please: no changes to the arrangement anymore) Please cast your vote (not the feedback) in collective form through the "spoiler text" bbcode (button on the WYSIWYG editor that features the orange triangle with an exclamation mark in it). Please use the forum username of the participant to make it easier during the score collection to address what vote belongs to whom. And please, have one post as final feedback and vote. Thank you.

.

⚠	Moderation Message from Mister Fox
	For transparency: The staff (Mister Fox) will not give feedback to all entries and/or cast a vote this month. (unless there is a tie that can not be broken otherwise)

Feedback from non-participants and/or collaborators is highly encouraged (voting not needed!). The same goes for entries after the deadline, or those that sadly do not count for the current running game (even if you've exceeded the deadline, why not post your entry regardless?). Musicians and Engineers are always after constructive criticism. This is what this forum is about.





Have some general feedback? Please provide that here:
Songwriting Competition - General Gossip Thread, or on Discord.



Please give me a moment to collect all entries.
Please make sure your files are accessible, and please have an eye on this thread!




EDIT: 25-FEB-2025 00:55 - initial post

[Mister Fox]

Let us kick off the VOTING PROCESS, which will end on Monday, 03-MAR-2025 23:59 UTC+1/CET latest.

(extended by 02 days due to February being the shortest month of the year)


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.


.

"Oblivion"

"Goosebumps"



WAV: Google Drive playback and download

"Futuritzacio"

"Alright"

WAV: Dropbox playback and download

"Analog Sun, Binary Dreams"

"Mindless Void"

"Hope Remains"

WAV: Google Drive playback and download
MP3: Google Drive playback and download

"Threshold of Collapse"

"Desolation"

WAV: Dropbox link to wav (200mb)
MP3: Dropbox link to mp3

"Last Drive Around Town"

WAV: Google Drive playback and download

.



WITHDRAWN (not participating - feel free to give feedback, but you sadly can not vote for these entries)


<no withdrawn entries>
.



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


<no bonus entries>
.



GAME MECHANIC SUMMARY:

► Show Spoiler

Please consult this news blog post regarding an overhaul to the voting mechanic. To make it simple for me for counting the votes - please use the forum usernames in your listing, not the song titles. Thank you!

Please also consult the previous post that features a summary for this month's mechanic (see "Bonus Info" in the red colored box).

New to the game and don't know how to give feedback efficiently? Check in with previous Songwriting Competitions.
.


This month's SWC participants giving feedback to each other is mandatory, it is the only criteria to drop out of the game by not partaking. Please also do not just collect feedback, and give nothing in return. The concept of the Songwriting Competition is interaction and "learning by doing". If you have collaborated with somebody, then only the one doing the main entry needs to give feedback and vote. Bonus feedback is always welcome. However, please be open minded, objective and constructive.


INFORMATION: If you have 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 (e.g. lossless format), 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 or on Discord.


Post updated: 25-FEB-2025 03:10 UTC+1/CET -- initial post