SONGWRITING COMPETITION - SWC032 April 2020 - Winners announced

[TrojakEW]

As always some basic statistics included for each track.
---------------------------------------
GmfSongs - Shadow to a Stone

Track have good mood and vocals fits nicely. Like the change at 1:54 because otherwise track feel repetitive. There are nice expressive parts here and there and overall instruments sounds organic but that kick and snare are bad choice. Same sound for both whole time, no changes whatsoever, no dynamics (machine gun - example at 3:48). It really breaks the organic and "live" feel of the track.

Good stage. Everything have it own place. Mix is not bad but feels hollow with loss of clarity because low frequencies dominate there and mids are somehow weak. Also it have kind of distorted sound here and there maybe because of overall loudness and clipping introduced.

Statistics:
Max momentary loudness -7,5 LUFS
Max short-term loudness -8,5 LUFS
Integrated loudness -10,9 LUFS
Loudness range 5,1 LU
True peak L +0.47dB (77 samples clipped)
True peak R +0.70dB (72 samples clipped)
DC offset L -0.102% (-89.8dB)
DC offset R -0.094% (-60.5dB)

---------------------------------------
J I L L I A M (Richard Watashi) - Deprivator

Interesting approach to composition with some nice sounds but problem is that track have really unfinished feel. It sounds most like just basic idea that was abandoned and it ends in drawer. There is potential there but even that abrupt end proves that you do not finish your idea. Do not run from unfinished track. Take your time.

Mix lacks some power. Most problematic is mono compatibility. It sound really different in mono and phase correlation meter shows mostly negative values.

Statistics:
Max momentary loudness -10,7 LUFS
Max short-term loudness -12,8 LUFS
Integrated loudness -16,4 LUFS
Loudness range 15,4 LU
True peak L -4.02dB
True peak R -1.54dB
DC offset L -0.001% (-105.6dB)
DC offset R -0.001% (-105.1dB)

---------------------------------------
gruskada - Parallel For

Sounds like pure synthwave track. I like composition but first half sounds little weaker. Second part stating at 1:20 is better. That lead that feels little like it had been played on guitar (I like that style). Not fan of synth toms but it is purely personal preference. Overall nice theme and especially that epiano at the end but....

Mix sound tonally balanced. Stage is not bad but it sound cluttered. You have also some phase issues. It looks like it was cause by that kind of doubletracking effect used on synth but also because of ping pong like delay on bass. It looks most phasing issues are in low spectrum up to 800Hz. Even 100Hz and below is too wide. There is no need to have such stereo image on low frequencies. Some instruments lose power when played in mono especially that epiano and that lead. So mono playback as whole is very different from stereo version.

Statistics:
Max momentary loudness -8,4 LUFS
Max short-term loudness -11,3 LUFS
Integrated loudness -14,6 LUFS
Loudness range 4,8 LU
True peak L -1.01dB
True peak R -1.01dB
DC offset L -0.030% (-70.5dB)
DC offset R -0.248% (-52.1dB)

---------------------------------------
becsei_gyorgy - SOS Space Cowboy

Composition is nice. It have kind of old school tracker music feel. Theme or melody in some parts is bit of cheese or too much disco style. This doesn't much fit that image of story you posted. The vocal that start at 1:10 make it better but that disco rhythm at back still break that expression added. Breaks and changes are nice but again that same disco rhythm that is present whole time at background glue all those parts too much and make them sound similar. Even that drum sound and pattern is pure disco music. You should stick to what you like to do and make track around it and not to force yourself to do something you do not like. It looks like you were trying too much to do something different and you forget about yourself.

Mix is tonally balanced. Some sounds stick out too much. They are audible louder then rest of song, like those lasers, raiser and other fx. You also have some stereo phasing issues. It looks like those problems reside between 700 and 1400Hz.

Statistics:
Max momentary loudness -9,2 LUFS
Max short-term loudness -9,9 LUFS
Integrated loudness -13,8 LUFS
Loudness range 4,6 LU
True peak L +0.06dB (17 samples clipped)
True peak R +0.06dB (7 samples clipped)
DC offset L 0% (-126.4dB)
DC offset R 0% (-116.3dB)

---------------------------------------
Olli H - Red-Haired Stranger

Track have Dire Straits vibe and feel. Composition looks and feels good. It have nice live feel and vocals fit nicely but about vocal will talk down more. Regarding melody, even your track doesn't have that easy to remember part. I played it more then 20 times and still do not know what is main theme here. There is chorus that repeat two times, few other parts that have similar feel but you do not have that easy to remember melody you are talking. Track is good but....

Why only mp3? Mix is tonally balanced. There is nice stage and instruments are placed nicely. Now back to vocal. It feels dry compared to the rest. Also it feels little buried between the rest of instruments.

Statistics (mp3):
Max momentary loudness -8,6 LUFS
Max short-term loudness -10,0 LUFS
Integrated loudness -14,2 LUFS
Loudness range 5,3 LU
True peak L -0.74dB
True peak R -0.88dB
DC offset L +0% (-116.7dB)
DC offset R +0% (-116.1dB)

---------------------------------------
Doc Jon - Everything Will Be Alright

Now another disco type rhythm track. I like when different styles and instruments used in different styles are combined to make something interesting but here I do not like that distorted guitar here. Most of the track have as I said that disco feel but that guitar is trying to sound different. It almost like it scream heeeelp. I think using some synth instead will fit better. Vocals sound good and fit that mood. Nice intro and I like the change starting at 0:50 up to 1:22 but even here is the same drum pattern as it is whole time in whole track. Also do not miss my rant at the bottom of my post before voting.

Mix sounds nice and clear. Stage is defined but it sounds the position is kind of limited. So something play in center (drums, bass) and something on side (vocals, guitar, plucky stuff). Some instruments and sounds fly from left to right. There is no real positioning on stage here. Loudness is a lot of better then in previous round.

Statistics:
Max momentary loudness -8,8 LUFS
Max short-trem loudness -11,4 LUFS
Integrated loudness -13,8 LUFS
Loudness range 3,8 LU
True peak L -0.73dB
True peak R -0.73dB
DC offset L +0.001% (-105.5dB)
DC offset R +0.001% (-102.1dB)
---------------------------------------
Caught with Candy - Missing Pieces

Track just start out of nowhere. Where is intro or some kind of gentle introduction what will come? Otherwise composition is good. Simple theme but good. Voice fits nicely here. Now where is the end? Fade out? I would welcome some real ending here. So points down for intro and that end and also some because of my rant at the bottom of my post before voting

Mix sound good but I miss some air here. Maybe it is because you give us only compressed mp3 version. So it doesn't make sense to analyze it more with just mp3.

Statistics(mp3):
Max momentary loudness -9,2 LUFS
Max short-term loudness -10,3 LUFS
Integrated loudness -13,4 LUFS
Loudness range 5,0 LU
True peak L +0.15dB (6 samples clipped)
True peak R +0.18dB (5 samples clipped)
DC offset L +0% (-113.5dB)
DC offset R +0% (-120.2dB)

---------------------------------------
Green-Dog - Trap and Trigger

Composition feel kind of rigid. I like the change at 1:30 but then it again change at 2:05 to very similar feel from first part. So track have four part where 2 and 2 are same. It even feel like verse 1 - chorus - verse 1 - chorus. Vocal is very nice but the music itself do not add more power and expression to it. So for me music do not support vocal it is quite opposite.

Mix is weak. Spectrum shows something in low frequency range but it is not audible. Stage is well, strange. Everything feels and sound like its coming from center, only that some instruments have more reverb and some are totally dry. For example kick and that ear piercing hihat are dry, vocal have light reverb and rest is drowned in reverb and it sounds like it is coming from another room.

This track is really opposite from the great track you made in previous round. This one sounds like it was made by someone else and not you.

Statistics:
Max momentary loudness -10,8 LUFS
Max short-term loudness -11,8 LUFS
Integrated loudness -14,7 LUFS
Loudness range 3,3 LU
True peak L -1.16dB
True peak R -1.09dB
DC offset L 0% (-114.0dB)
DC offset R 0% (-105.5dB)

---------------------------------------

For all

First I want to apologize if any of my comments feels rude. I just expressing myself and my point of view. Sometimes it is hard for me the right words since I'm not native English speaker so it may cause some misunderstandings. What I think about all tracks from technical and also other aspect I have mentioned for everyone in comments above. Rest bellow is again my personal view "rant" so please do not take it as sort of attack or anything bad.

start of rant:
Voting is something I do really hate. Usually I vote based on overall quality of track so I take all aspects and compare them. But this time I will do something different. It is because most of track here sounds too common. With common I mean music that you hear everywhere and everyday no matter how you are trying to avoid it. You are just force to listen because it is popular among homo sapiens and it is played everywhere. It almost feels like pop pandemics. Even the sweetest cake will taste bad when you have too much of it and you are forced to eat even you are full. This month theme is Together At Home (let's be creative). What I do not see and hear there is let's be creative. It almost feels like the most of tracks are just copy of some existing tracks and styles. I do not hear much creativity here (hate me all you want) but it feels more like imitation. So I decide to vote based on fact if there is any attempt to add something new or different (even craziness or chaos) and interesting to track while I forget about everything else. Even with this in my mind it is hard to decide because as I said that all tracks sounds very consumer like stock footage. Again sorry for such a words but this is best I can explain and I feel it is needed to define how or why I voted like this because it may not really work together with my comments on each track.
End of Rant.

► Show Spoiler

01 (8 points) becsei_gyorgy - SOS Space Cowboy
02 (7 points) J I L L I A M (Richard Watashi) - Deprivator
03 (6 points) GmfSongs - Shadow to a Stone
04 (5 points) Doc Jon - Everything Will Be Alright
05 (4 points) Olli H - Red-Haired Stranger
06 (3 points) gruskada - Parallel For
07 (2 points) Caught with Candy - Missing Pieces
08 (1 points) Green-Dog - Trap and Trigger

[gruskada]

You have also some phase issues. It looks like it was cause by that kind of doubletracking effect used on synth but also because of ping pong like delay on bass. It looks most phasing issues are in low spectrum up to 800Hz. Even 100Hz and below is too wide.

I basically took a synth bass preset and ran it through the sequencer. It already had all of the stereo effects built in, and also some high frequencies. I tried automating the EQ when the other instruments came in, but then the whole thing sounded flat. I guess I should have removed the stereo effects, but recreate them for the high frequencies? Or maybe switch off stereo altogether when the other instruments came in?

That lead that feels little like it had been played on guitar

If your talking about the solo-type part, it was, in my head I wanted to inject my personal style more, and wasn't feeling it on the keyboard. So I composed a solo with a guitar in mind in my head, then figured out the notes on the keyboard. The solo is supposed to represent the pain and suffering (THAT fits with my style ) from the virus, and the rest of the song is being as hopeful as possible.

As far as your creativity rant, I hear you. I took more to heart the "challenge yourself" part of the contest description, but yeah, I was going for pure 80's to a fault.

[Richard Watashi]

Endicott Dread - Shadow To A Stone:
I quite enjoyed it and, i think it has a complex instrumentation. I am not such a fan of your vocals, i hope you are not hurt. It is just not my style of a voice. Anyway, great work.

Becsei Gyorgy - Space Cowboy:
Nice retro sounds. Loving the flat bass line and the melodies quite absorbed me. Though i am not much a fan of this genre.

Missing Pieces - Caught With Candy:
This is a nice and happy song. Quite catchy for me. But too Popy formy taste. Anyway - well done.

DoctorJon - Everything Will Be Allright:
Interesting and dreamy atmosphere. It sounds like a movie soundtrack for a film from 199-something. Again, too popy for my taste.. Sorry guys. But great job.

Green Dog - Trapp And Trigger:
This is another nice tune. I stop talking about how anti-popy is my taste, and will focus on other things from now. The vocal are nice, somewhat funny.

Gruskada - Parallel For:
These pads are so thick that it sounds dope. Too happy for my taste now, i guess. But very nice. THe guitar solos are kinda Pink-Floyidish - i mean it goood.

Oli H. - Corona Blues:
It is just a fact, that i never liestened to country and or blues. BUt it is great within the genre, i think. And well produced.

TrojakEW - Brand New World:
Yea, it has your classical sound. SHarp and polished and spacey. Very film-score - like and, not that faaaar away for my taste.

Dream TIme - Floods of Spirit:
I checked - quite complex instrumentation and the sound is nicely polished. Sounds peacefull.

► Show Spoiler

8 points/1st Place: TrojakEW - Brand New World
7 points/2nd Place: Endicott Dread - Shadow To A Stone
6 Points/3rd Place: Missing Peaces - Caught With Candy
5 Points/4th Place: Becsei Gyorgy - Space Cowboysr
4 Points/5th Place: Green DOg - Trap And Trigger
3 Points/6th Place: Gruskada - Parallel For
2 Points/7th Place: Doctor John -Everything Will Be Alright
1 Points/8th Place: Oli H. - Corona Blues

[GmfSongs]

Jilliam - Deprivator
This took me on a journey as music should.
I enjoyed the evolution. The build, dynamics and the hook.
This works as a song without lyrics or an unsampled vox, and it’s missing nothing because it’s leading you the whole way.
I’d be grooving to this in a club if the bottom end propelled it.
I hope you finish it....


TrojakEW - Brand_New_World
Gave me a Grace Jones/Trevor Horn vibe off the bat. Very promising intro.
Then it came across less like a song than a deliverance of themes. Felt less like a story than ruminations.
Like a long introspective to something else that didn’t arrive. A few drum mutes might help the dynamics here and there. Mutes are your friend.


gruskada - ParallelFor
Simmons fills!
Felt more 80’s film background. A little self indulgent, which is fine for what it is.
Not sure all those sounds work well as a whole, but that’s my aesthetic. I didn’t really feel any emotional connection.


becsei_gyorgy - Space Cowboy
Got bogged down for me after the first cycle. Perhaps the lack of vocals didn’t hold my interest - but that really shouldn’t be the case. I think it’s more a matter of not feeling an emotional pull from the melodies. Please keep working on it though...


OlliH - Red-Haired-Stranger
Excellent arrangement. Elements play well together.
This made me feel something. That’s the goal here right?
Leonard Cohen 80’s vibes big time. Kudos.
Love that pluck verse synth.
The elements work sonically and musically. Automating as in ducking the parts would go a long way to keeping the focus on the lead vocal.
Instead of the electric guit power chord In the chorus, I’d have BG’s singing an answer part to ‘waiting’ there. Waiting - waiting.
Vocal needs to sit up and carry this bitch. Last verses didn’t have the same verve.


DocJon - EverythingWillBeAlright
Cool.
Dig the chord changes. Feels like a song.
Mix wise - try the bass synth up a a bit to drive the groove a little more. It’s a great line. It’s a hook.
High pad in pre verse to lift it a bit. Can you add a higher harmony in the chorus? Or some female ‘ahh’ BG’s to lift and contrast the chorus a bit to mirror the vibe and message there.
I think you could get this to the next level with a bit brasher, confident male vocal delivery. Expression is your friend.
Google prosody.
Dug the arrangement.
Extra points to being topical!!


CaughtWithCandy - MissingPieces
Dig the guitar and vox counterpoint between verses. Try bringing up the vocals in that section, it might feel right.

The lead vox could sit in the mix better with a little more compression. There are intonation issues...
Love that’s there is energy here - a few of the guitar elements are coming across as washed out though. The have similar attack transients to the keys. Maybe try drying up the outro guitar or playing it an octave down to give a little more urgency to the groove? The elements there don’t mesh great.
There’s great potential here though, re-record the vocals. Tweak the arrangement. Have someone mix it for you.


Green-Dog - trap_and_trigger

Excessive 80’s verb. Check!
That said. The vocal could drive this if it were a bit more upfront and drier in the soundscape. I’m thinking Peaches or Yeah yeah yeahs or Blondie. That kind of urgency.
Great guitar hook. Maybe go for 16ths on the hat in that section to propel it...
I’d try trimming off the last 4 bars of that section as well to accentuate the flow of the song.
Tweak the arrangement.
New strings are so worth it.

► Show Spoiler

8 OlliH - Red-Haired-Stranger
7 Green-Dog - trap_and_trigger
6 DocJon - EverythingWillBeAlright
5 Jilliam - Deprivator
4 CaughtWithCandy - MissingPieces
3 TrojakEW - Brand_New_World
2 becsei_gyorgy - Space Cowboy
1 gruskada - ParallelFor

As to my entry - glad everyone hates the drums! As I drummer I always despised machine gun rolls. Haha.
For this exercise I picked a handful of random 80’s midi drum files and played the effected bass to them in one take. Every thing else was subsequently built off that aesthetic and feel.
So songwriters, here’s a question- do you typically keep your song’s original inspiration/muse, or chuck it?
Do you bend it or break it?

[becsei_gyorgy]

I prefer not to write anything here.

[Richard Watashi]

Guys, if you are curious to check - i have slightly extended it - it is not a competition-version off course, but i leave it here in a spoiler. I have other projects i'd rather work more than this one, anyway:

► Show Spoiler

[Mister Fox]

I completely forgot to post a reminder yesterday, but...

We're within the final 24hours to submit your feedback and cast your vote.

[Mister Fox]

It's the 02nd May 2020, 4:30 (UTC+2/CEST) - the Voting Period has officially ended.

All participants have submitted feedback and cast their vote, we therefore have zero disqualifications due to lack of participation.


I will post the results shortly (as in - within the next 72 hours), please have an eye on this thread.
(this is not an automated process)

[Mister Fox]

Ladies and Gentlemen, here are the results of Songwriting Competition 32

The winners podium consists of:

1. @Doc Jon (65 pts)
2. @Green-Dog (63 pts)
3. @becsei_gyorgy (60 pts)

Apologies for the waiting time, this is not an automated process.

<4 participant rule is not in use (staff comments and votes)
We have 0 disqualifications
We have 0 votes after the deadline
We have 4 users that tied

• becsei_gyorgy has 1x10pts, 2x9pts -- GmfSongs has 0x10pts, 2x9pts -- becsei_gyorgy therefore scores higher
• gruskada has 1x10pt, 0x9pt -- J I L L I A M has 0x10pt, 1x9pt -- gruskada therefore scores higher

"Sole (License) Winner" rule does not apply - 3-position Winners Podium



Here are the results as chart in image form:




Thank you so much for your participation.



License selection:

We'll now perform with the usual. Selecting licenses is handled in public. Please select one license/company out of the pool (in order of the winners podium) and mention it in this thread, then (important) please get in touch with me (via PM) with your full name, email address and your license selection.

As usual - you're not forced to pick up anything. You can pass and therefore offer more to select for the next person in line (if there is a spot existing / not available for "sole winner" mechanic). Just let all participants/winners/the staff know in a timely manner.



Feedback about the "Songwriting Competition" is welcome (please do so here).



See you in in the next challenge!

[Mister Fox]

Since I couldn't really sleep, I made good on time and posted the results early this month. Please don't get used to that - I just needed something to calm down my mind.



A couple of things that stood out to me:

It is (sadly still) a recurring issue that we have entries where the filenames do not(!) match up with the usernames. For example: JILLIAM opted for the "username" Richard Watashi with his file download. GmfSongs goes by Endicott Dread on Soundcloud, yet the Dropbox filename used GmfSongs (as stated in the Rules and Guidelines), while the actual SoundCloud filename was just the songname. In this case, it was sadly a simple careless mistake.

This puts me (and in the future, maybe somebody that is taking care of this) in a very difficult situation. With 9 entries, this is still somewhat manageable. Although I had to do a couple of double takes. But if we exceed 15 entries, and everyone uses different names for an upload than the username, plus people using different names than the username in the votes, then this turns into chaos really quick. This was really frustrating for me in March.

There are two solutions: 1) either use your forum username for the uploaded files, or 2) if you want your username changed, just let me know via PM and I'll handle that.



Another thing that stood out, was the fact that songs can't be downloaded. Of course you can provide an additional MP3 as download, but it is also clearly stated that you should make all your files downloadable. Yes, even from SoundCloud.

In case of "A Future in Noise", who is listed under the "bonus entries", the download would be possible - but only if you have Kompoz account. As per the rule book, that is a knock-out criterion (disqualifier).



Due to this, I've sadly had to remove some points, which in nearly all cases of "tied users" would have resulted in a higher score. It's sometimes the one single point that makes all the difference. I've overlooked that J I L L I A M technically only used one synthesizer in his production, but "two" overall (even if it was the same synthesizer).

In summary - I've removed one 1 point each for "file consistency" from

• Caught with Candy -- the Soundcloud link wasn't downloadable (else it would have been 56pts)
• GmfSongs -- the Soundcloud download wasn't properly named (else it would have been 61pts, and therefore 3rd place)
• J I L L I A M -- the filename didn't match with the username (else it would have been 42pts)

I do understand possible emerging frustrations due to this - but in fairness to everyone, I have to uphold the rules. (sorry! )
Please be a bit more attentive next time.



What does make me really happy however:

This month we have feedback and votes from everyone. In some cases very detailed even. And we also had continued discussions on production improvements. This is what I'd love to see for all Songwriting Competitions. Great job! Please keep it up


Thank you for participating, see you in in the next challenge!