SONGWRITING COMPETITION - SWC086 October 2024 - Winners announced

[Ike H-mope]

@Chasey24

It's good that you're open to so much constructive criticism. But, don't go too far in looking down at what you did.

First of all -- While My Guitar Gently Weeps, 25 or 6 to 4 and that Green Day song; Chopin and Could it be Magic by Barry Mannilow (I love this song) ,Beethoven and that Elvis hit. Decades of "heads" in jazz. And, as Stravinsky said, good composers borrow, great composers steal.

For strings, just google species counterpoint and voice leading. It's the basis of all good arranging, regardless of the genre.

Clearly you're critically listening in a good way. Just keep getting rid of the things you don't like and replacing them with things you do like. Trial and error, googling and self-learing, patronizing advice in public forums, you'll figure it out.

[ThomC]

ThomC - Stories of the Sky: Wow! If you can put something like this together in less than a day, I'd shudder to think what you could do with 24 days! Excellent song. Very good lyrics. Fantastic composition. Vocals are very well mixed with the background harmonies pleasing to the ear. 30 minutes of my mixing wouldn't be more than an EQ or two on a track. Great, efficient piece of music.

Thanks a lot for your words and vote! I read your self-critique as well and it's great to see that you're open to get better and to learn. I'm here exactly for the same thing, writing with a deadline is a challenging thing and even more so when the theme or suggested instrumentation doesn't really match what we usually do. Learning step by step and to correct detail after detail can be a constructive approach, sometimes small adjustments can go a long way, and that's certainly true when it comes to making music with virtual instruments.

Hoping to see you on the next challenge! Thanks again for your support and for sharing your music

[ThomC]

ThomC - Stories of the Sky
Very cool country song! I really like that simple yet catchy acoustic guitar riff. The chorus is fantastic and I really appreciate the structure of the song. That instrumental chorus following the second chorus fits in so well. There's some great lyrical work here as well - some thought provoking images there: the surface of the Earth as a page in which we write our stories; the time before us as a crop ready to harvest and enjoy, or to neglect and let it rot and go to waste. Good stuff! However, I feel that parts of the melody in the verse could be refined, particularly in the first half ("so many...found"). It feels a little disjointed, which isn't an objectively bad creative choice and, in fact I like the way it feels in the second half of the verse - it has a way of drawing your attention to the lyrics in a way a more smooth and predictable melody wouldn't accomplish. This also is reflected in the way the word "Harvest" doesn't quite sit right in the second verse, with the accent being on "-vest" when that word is naturally spoken with the accent on the first syllable. If you experimented a little more with those lines, I'm sure you'd find a little more natural rhythm and melody for them. The only other input I have is I think the introduction may be too long. The first verse doesn't begin until 0:40 which may cause some listeners to lose interest. Overall a great song!
[/spoil]

Thank you for the very constructive comments, I agree with everything you said. I think that overall some vocal editing would've helped the track, I didn't have time to edit anything so the vocal was pretty much one take without corrections as far as I can remember. Stressing the second syllable of the word "harvest" kind of relates to something that I do front time to time that sometimes works and sometimes doesn't when I want to have a word work with the groove I'm working on. In this case, I also agree with you, it sounds unnatural but again, I had too little time to re-record another take.

When it comes to the intro, my intention was to leave it as is regarding the length, but I didn't manage to translate my idea into the mix with the little time I had. The brass section should be very forward at that one moment and the listener should be able to hear the proximity of the brass instruments as well as the melody played by the cornet. The drums are in the forefront of the premix I shared as my entry and they don't allow for the melodic line to push through, because of that, I think it all kind of falls flat. But I'll get another mix done soon I think

Thanks again for your words, I really loved your entry!

[KukoBass]

My experience this month:
Creativity can't be forced. I got a new job and had little time to work on this project; I listened to it really often and got only to add little things at a time. I knew where I wanted to go with the lyrics and the vocals, but could not write them and get them done before the deadline. Therefore, I was really unsure if I should upload the song in its current state, but I am happy that I did because of the awesome and helpful feedback I got from all of you. You probably have no idea how much that means to me.

A big thank you to Mr. Fox for organizing and maintaining all of this!

My feedback:
I'm in no way an expert on songwriting or mixing, so please don't take my feedback too seriously.

► Show Spoiler

Chasey24 - Harvest Sunset
I like the instrumentation. The guitars sound pretty good. Especially the call and response between the two guitars at the beginning and at the end with the flageolet tones are great. It reminds me of Sting in a pleasant way.
What puzzles me is that it seems to build up energy until around 1:28 and then, when I'd expect the song to go into the chorus and get even more epic, it kind of loses the energy and dials back the energy. Also, I'd like the strings to be more lush, more like a pad and not with so many fast notes.
The mix sounds good to me. Maybe the plug pattern guitar starting around 1:06 could be dialled back a little, pushed a little more to the background. All in all, a beautiful song that fits the theme well.


Crispy - Flexing The Harvest
I like the "in your face" drums, and the synthwave sound. Disco strings! Nice bass sound. It really captures that seventies feeling with a little modern twist. Not what I expected to hear on a "Harvest"-themed contest, but it makes me want to move with the music.
The mix sounds very clear to me. Nice work!


Elcubano - Cycle of Seasons
The guitar sounds pretty good, very close, very natural. It reminds me of the music of John Fahey.
The ambience samples in the first and last part are a little irritating, as they don't really fit the harmony and take away attention from the guitars. I'd rather replace them with wind or sea sounds or some kind of pad synth sound that is in tune with the guitars.
The mix sounds good to me.
I like this music a lot.


EsteveCorbera - Els Fruit De La Tardor
Very calming and relaxing. I like the orchestration with classical and synth elements. I can imagine this song as a musical background for a timelapse film of a plant growing.
The mix is good although it could play more with the stereo field.
All in all, a beautiful and relaxing experience.


Ike H-mope - Harvest Morning
This sounds like a crossover of a musical and Carl Orff's "Carmina Burana". I like the originallity of the song and the call and response between the lower and higher strings.
In the mix I noticed that in the part starting around 0:40, the vocals are a little drowning in the strings movement. The vocals are in the same frequency range as the lower strings. Giving each instrument a space in the stereo field and maybe some ducking would have helped.


Mellow Browne - Neo Funk
Funky with a hint of melancholy. I really like the instumentation of this. IMHO, you did really good with creating different parts from the original sample.
Somehow, I picture a gap between buildings, where grass and perhaps some crop is growing in an urban area.
The mix seems to be a little boomy, but overall sounds good to me.


OlliH - My life from seed to vegetable
I really like the sound of your guitars. It reminds me of some "space guitar" instrumental bands in the 60s. It blends very well with the other instruments. The different parts are fun to listen to, and the song surprises me with taking a different turn than I expected.
The mix sounds good to me. I especially like how the different instruments are placed in the stereo field.


ryanc - Law of the Harvest
I like the "classical" structure of the song, the lyrics and the vocals. And the melody passes the "humming test", meaning, it is so memorable that I can find myself humming it the next day after listening to it.
The mix sounds a little dry in the beginning and the vocals get a little drowned under the electric guitar after the solo, but all in all, it sounds good.


ThomC - Stories of the Sky
This song has a nice folky feeling to it. I like how the song slowly builds up, like sun rising over a field. And the vocal harmonies are simply beautiful.
I like that you added the brass; it gives the song a unique appeal.
The mix sounds good to me.


PonySho - Growing Pains
This instrumental song reminds me a little of an 80s fusion jazz band mixed with some more modern elements. The bassline starting around 1:30 reminds me a little of the grove of Bill Wither's "A lovely day", but in the context of your song it sounds totally different and does its own thing. I especially like the part starting around 1:55.
The mix sounds professional to me.

My vote:
Once more, it was difficult to rank the songs, because there weren't any weak ones.

► Show Spoiler

1. Elcubano - Cycle of Seasons
2. ryanc - Law of the Harvest
3. Chasey24 - Harvest Sunset
4, ThomC - Stories of the Sky
5. EsteveCorbera - Els Fruit De La Tardor

[Mister Fox]

It's the 02nd November 2024, 7:45 (UTC+2/CEST) - the Voting Period has officially ended.

All participants have submitted final feedback, we therefore have 0 disqualification.


Please no more changes to your feedback from this point forward.
I will post the results within 3-4 workdays. (this is not an automated process)


Please have an eye on this thread

[Mister Fox]

Ladies and Gentlemen, here are the results of Songwriting Competition 085

The winners podium consists of:

1. @ThomC (48 pts)
2. @Elcubano (36 pts)
3. @ryanc (35 pts)

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

<4 participant rule is not in use (staff comments and votes, my vote would count as bonus)
We have 0 disqualifications (due to lack of feedback / a final vote)
We have 0 withdrawn entries (but counts as submission within the deadline, yet couldn't be voted for)
We have several users still in the game that tied

• The following ties on the chart happened due to various reasons
  • crispy -- participation vote is 13pts -- the tie with Ike H-mope resulted due to losing out on various bonus points (resulting in 18pts)
  • Ike H-mope -- participation vote is 6pts -- the participant has all bonus points otherwise (resulting in 18pts)
  • PonySho -- participation vote is 6pts, the tie with EsteveCorbera resulted due to losing out on bonus points (resulting in 17pts)
  • EsteveCorbera -- participation vote is 5pts -- the participant has all bonus points otherwise (resulting in 17pts)
• no (more) users that tied

"Sole (License) Winner" rule does not apply - 3-position Winners Podium (>= 9 participants prior to the deadline)


STATISTICS SHEET:
Overview of Submissions (PDF - updated: 02-NOV-2024, full sheet)

!

Bonus Info

Short info: I am using Wavelab 10 for batch analysis, then I manually port the CSV export to a Microsoft Excel/Open Office Calc sheet with custom layout (this is not an automated process). As pointed out in this post from SWC047 / July 2021, Wavelab has different tolerances for dBTP max analysis compared to tools like iZotope RX, Youlean Loudness Meter, NUGEN Audio VisLM, etc. To find a common ground, I've implemented "allowed tolerances" (just like with the Mix Challenge). These are based upon allowed offsets mentioned in the white papers for EBU R128 and ITU-R BS.1770-4. Since no measurement tool is the same, to be on the save side, please export at -14,1 LUFS ILk max, and -1,1 dBTP max. As usual, I did list/analyze alternative releases (MP3s and FLAC). If you've submitted your entry in multiple file formats, the statistic sheet will focus on the uncompressed material first (WAV), then FLAC, then MP3. The higher the quality, the less possible loss on bonus points for "Loudness Specs" due to offsets introduced by a used CODEC. In this case, FLAC and MP3 are merely for information purposes.

Here are the results as chart in image form:



Thank you so much for your participation.

⚠	Moderation Message from Mister Fox
	INFORMATION: As of January 2023, I am adapting the same voting mechanic as most other International Songwriting Competitions utilize. Nearly all of these games use(d) a 01 to 05 points system (top 5 entries) in some shape or form. The main difference to our game: these ones don't offer bonus points or penalty points, neither are they tiered (depending on the participant amount). I hope to get that properly sorted out in form of an extensive Rule Book update in the foreseeable future (serious apologies for the waiting time - there are only so many hours in the day). Breaking up a tie: There was no unbreakable tie that needed to be addressed. The fall-back mechanics were used. An explanation on the bonus points and penalty points: Due to exceeding the loudness specs, the following users could not acquire all 4pts bonus -- @Chasey24, @crispy, @ryanc, @ThomC and @R0boooo exceeded the maximum signal strength of -1,00 dBTP. @Elcubano should please have an eye on future exports. I sadly had to withdraw 1pts bonus from @crispy, @PonySho, @ryanc and @ThomC for not using the filename template properly. Please check your white spaces and double-underscores in the future. Although in fairness to @R0boooo -- the filename for the file I have on my HDD is different, because of the tool I used to download the entry - but there are still white spaces in the filename. Only 1pt bonus for giving feedback could be awarded to @crispy - feedback was only given to 7 out of 10 other participants still in the game despite saying otherwise. I sadly had to withdraw 1pt bonus from @crispy and @OlliH for not reflecting on the experience this month. And I kindly ask @Ike H-mope to maybe invest more time for feedback in a future game, as this was mostly just "sounds good" and nothing more. I sadly also had to withdraw 2pts bonus from @crispy for not (re-)posting feedback in a collective manner. I am aware that the big Rule Book is in dire need of an overhaul. However the summarized guidelines in post #071 have been fairly clear on this topic and I kindly asked to have a collective post. It was not easy and quite time-consuming to wade through the pages of comments to find out what was actually feedback and what was a follow-up comment. For transparency purposes -- I focused on all feedback posts between the Song Collection post (post #073), and closing the Feedback and Voting process with with the last forum post (post #125). Feedback prior to the Song Collection post unfortunately does not count as "final feedback". I hope you all had fun and learned something new in the process. I hope to see even more participants in future games, which only adds to the learning aspect of our small community. See you folks in the next game.

License selection:

We will now perform with the usual. Selecting of licenses is handled in public. In order of the winners podium (top spot to lowest), and only if you want to, please select one license/company out of the pool 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 (within 5 days of this post). Once one company has been selected, it's out of the pool for the next person on the podium.

Since SWC084 has a 3-position Winner's Podium, we can also continue to test a possible new game mechanic that offers "low placed participants" a chance to pick up a bonus license - if somebody from the Winners Podium passes on a selection. You can read more about this in SWC083 - post #067. The follow-up post will have an adjustment to that concept.

!	Bonus Info
	As part of a new collaboration with Hornet Plugins, you are allowed to select either 2 plugins at a maximum value of 20 EUR MSRP for both, or one individual plugin of choice from the whole available plugin range (bundles are exempt). Due to time constraints, I could not make a bigger announcement about this yet. Apologies for the inconvenience.

I re-open the field for talking some more about each others' productions. If things drift a bit too off-topic, please use the General Gossip thread, or Discord.



See you in in the next challenge!



Songwriting Competition 087 (November 2024) has just started.
The theme is called "Strings attached", the genre is free to select (with a focus on guitars). So far there have been 0 entries.

See you there as well.

[Mister Fox]

A continuation of the "Passing on Bonus Licenses" mechanic...

We've been testing this mechanic since SWC083. So far, this concept has been taken well. However, I think we can still fine-tune some things to make it more interesting and fair for everyone. One of the ideas was to "pass on to the 'runner ups' first". Great thinking, yet with a small participation amount this can also feel less fair to the lowest spots. And sometimes, a bonus license can be the right boost to elevate a production.

I would like to propose the following:

⚠	Moderation Message from Mister Fox
	INFORMATION: Starting with SWC083 - and depending on how many bonus licenses have been picked - I am now putting "passed on" license selections back into the pool and make a possible selection available for "low positioned participants". Mechanic Idea: This mechanic will be available with a 3-position (or higher) Winners Podium. This mechanic will now be tiered Tier 01 (9 to 15 participants) - the Winners Podium has 3 positions. Each passed on license will be added into a drawing pool (remaining participants), and additional winners will be selected at random Tier 02 (16 participants or more) - the Winners Podium will change from 3 to 5 positions. Each passed on license will be offered to up-to two (number: 2) "runner-ups" (position 6 and 7). Should these participants also pass on selecting something, then this passed on license will be added into a drawing pool (remaining participants), and additional winners will be selected at random. The draw is carried out using a tool such as the "Wheel of Names". Each participant is placed 5 times on the wheel and the wheel is spun 5 times. The winner of the bonus license is determined on the last spin. Once the "Podium" decided which route to go, participants in lower positions can decide upfront if they want to "pass on" a license. If this has been made clear before a draw is being done, this particular participant will not be added to the "wheel". if a randomly drawn participant also does not want to pick up a license, the "passed on" license will not be put back into the drawing pool (the offer can only be passed on once). This is to prevent an endless "draw", as this is an additional courtesy. Fine-tuning to this particular idea can still happen with future games.

We're all here to learn, grow from the experience, and spread positivity...
If this updated idea is well received, this might become a regular bonus mechanic for future games.

Let's experiment some further - until the game in January, I'd say.

[ThomC]

Wow! That's awesome! Thank you very much for your votes and for your feedback everyone, I had a tremendous time doing this and I love the vibe on this forum, can't wait for the other challenges!

@Mister Fox I'll choose Lunaris 2 by Luftrum if that's possible. Thank you for your time and generosity and thanks to the partners!

[Chasey24]

Congratulations to the winners, as well as all participants this month. I really enjoyed listening to everyone's creative submissions! All the feedback received was incredibly helpful to me - thanks everyone! Special thanks to Mr. Fox for doing such a great job on this competition. Already working hard on November's submission-should have a rough draft by tomorrow. Have a great weekend!

[Elcubano]

Hello, Congratulations to @ThomC and @ryanc . Thanks for your votes and comments.
It's really cool to hear all this music. Great concept, thanks to @Mister Fox !
if possible, I'll choose Musiclab as prize