SONGWRITING COMPETITION - SWC069 May 2023 - Winners announced

[FixInTheMix]

Hi everyone, here are my top 7 entries

► Show Spoiler

1 - "Womb" - becsei_gyorgy
2 - "One United Nation" - Doc Jon
3 - "Carnival" - ontrackp
4 - "Modular Art" - Mellow Browne
5 - "X" - Johnny11771
6 - "Swoon Waltz" - Crosshatched
7 - "Ride On" - VCA-089

Personally, I enjoyed this month's challenge as I don´t usually go for electronic-based songs, it gave me a chance to practice a little bit more on sound design, automation, and also resampling.
Furthermore, it made me realize how much one can make out of a synth, even a pretty limited one.
I know I rushed things in the end to meet the deadline but I´m still happy with the end result.

Now I´ll try to give feedback to all of the entries since it´s the main reason to participate in the first place.

► Show Spoiler

"Overlaps" - KukoBass

I see you restricted yourself to using only one synth, the same as I did, kudos to you for embracing limitations!
The main thing I think could be improved is to try to change the bass rhythm and/or articulation to better differentiate between sections as I think it gets too repetitive.

"Inside" - Arelem

Nice work with those glitchy vocals, you can hear there´s thought behind them.
This is really subjective but maybe it would be a good idea to add another element to the harmony besides the pads, something more rhythmic.

"Waves Are Moving Fast" - JeroenZuiderwijk

The vocals fit very well with the style of the track.
I think some more variation is needed for the lead synth for the repetitions, maybe parameter automation or changing the intervals slightly.
Also, although related to mixing, you could take advantage of the stereo width by hardpanning some elements.

"X" - Johnny11771

I love when the guitar solo hits, that´s my main critique: make it start sooner! I think the song needs a strong melodic instrument for the first half and it very well could be a guitar, maybe with less distortion to differentiate itself.

"Womb" - becsei_gyorgy

I'm not that familiar with this genre but I absolutely love the production, the sense of space, and the use of FX.
Honestly, there´s not a thing I would change, great work!

"ElectroFun" - EsteveCorbera
I enjoyed the intro and outro the most, I think the introduction of the pad sounds overpowers the rest a bit too much, completely subjective of course.

"Carnival" - ontrackp

Interesting concept, you don't need to read the name of the track to get a sense of what it goes for.
I specially enjoyed the drums processing at around 1:30

"One United Nation" - Doc Jon

I think this is the entry with the best structure overall, the arrangement and instruments change when it needs to, great lyrics as well!

"In Ryhthm" - Avinash

This is entirely subjective of course but I think a little bit more melody here and there would make it stand out as all the elements are nicely integrated, either that or maybe changing the harmony to an unused chord.

"Lickable Blotter Paper" - SoundBeing

Some parts reminded me of Home which I guess most of you would know, but if not check their most famous album "Odyssey".
You have a nice acoustic guitar! I would go for a less EQed version of it and keep its natural tone (maybe it's a mic issue, if that is the case I get it)

"Modular Art" - Mellow Browne

Personally, I really liked this track and I struggled with its final position on the podium.
I think the silence between the first and final sections is a little bit awkward and could be improved by a slight riser or automation to the last notes to better connect them.

"Ride On" - VCA-089

I like how you introduce each instrument and balance the levels of energy throughout the track.
You replicated the kind of "vintage" style of production very well.

"Swoon Waltz" - Crosshatched

This sounds a bit like something that Wendy Carlos would compose in the '70s (that´s a big compliment in case it´s not clear!)

"Give Me What I Need" - Canese

I think you made significantly clever use of a repeating chord progression by changing the harmonic rhythm often and kept interesd by introducing textural sounds.

Good luck to all participants and I'm eager to hear your feedback!

Cheers.

[JeroenZuiderwijk]

Good idea to dust off some old equipment. The PO14 Sub is so much fun to work with. The limitations are actualy a great inspiration. And it can sound so enormous for such a little device :-)
This month contest was a good opportunity to not only make some cool bassriffs but actually build a whole song around it. And I am glad I did. When I had the songstructure ready the melody and lyrics came naturally. Experimenting with guitar to make it sound like not a guitar was also very fun to try out. It gives an energy to te music that I really like.

This month a lot of interesting songs. I did managed to pick a top 7:

► Show Spoiler

1 Arelem
2 Doc Jon
3 Canese
4 Crosshatched
5 Johnny11771
6 OntrackP
7 Gyorgy Becsei

And here is my feedback to all the songs:

► Show Spoiler

KukoBass
I like the intro. You feel something is coming. Nice build up. The soundscape is interesting, it could use some more energy in my personal opinion. The synth theme fits the atmosphere of the song (mixwise….maybe could use some LPF to make it less sharp sounding compared tot he rest). The stereo panning is cool in the end. I hear a female vocal very soft in the background….I think if you had put more focus on that vocal (more upfront) the whole song would get an extra special vibe.

Arelem (1)
Very nice arrangement. I like the vocal. Can’t tell it is a male vocal….wtf?? Anyway. Near perfect production. I enjoyed listening to this song, for me the winner of this month! This you could play on the radio. If you ever decide to make this a drum and bass version….keep me informed …..I think that would really blow the roof off!

Johnny11771 (5)
Dark Wave synthpop! Or at least that is how I would categorize it. It definetely has got attitude! The guitarsolo in the end really rocks! Nice one. There is not really a defined songstructure… now it is mostly one big build up tot he end…..actually nothing wrong with that. Good one!

Gyorgy Becsei (7)
Some interesting non-conventional sounds you have made and arranged them in a way that actualy feels like it makes sense. With a bit more heavy kick this could be a relaxed techno song. I think that is the only thing that I would have liked more in this song….a bit more prominent kick.

Esteve Corbera
Not a bad song but I think the synth sounds are not interesting enough. Some more experimenting with sounds that fits the atmosphere you are trying to create can help to lift this song.

OntrackP (6)
Almost immersive audio that intro-bell sound. I like the chaotic layers that at first don’t feel like they don’t have a connection togehter but after a while seem to blend together. Still not something I would listen to on a lazy Sunday morning The middle part I like best (2 minutes 3 sec). Feels like a climax of the song.

Doc Jon (2)
One of my favorite songs this month! Funky, nice groove thanks to the rythm guitar. The vocal complements the music. The robotic voice is a nice touch! When at 2 minutes 58 the vocal comes back in it feels a bit underwhelming. Maybe I miss a strong kick, or a very small pauze (mute) to empesize the transition.

Avinash
What this needs in my opinion is a little more attitude. Some dirt to keep the listener focussed Give it some more foundation….heavy kick, over the top gated snare…, maybe some saturation on the bass...and I think this could be a bit more interesting to listen to. Just a thought…..

SoundBeing
This is a really nice vibe. It is the combination of the basic chord progression and the beat that works great. For me personally I think there are some elements that sound too ‘jumpy’. That is absolutely not a bad thing but I like the dreamy vibe and the high note synth theme is breaking that dreamy vibe a bit. Overall good production. Guitar also sounds really good!

Mellow Browne
Although the sounds are nice the song feels it doesn’t reach its full potential. Might be because there is too little variation in the elements, structure and melody.

VCVA 089
It is a long build up. Not a bad thing but I am feeling the ‘climax’ could come a bit earlier in the song. It is for me at 3 minutes 14 is where the energy finaly hits.

Crosshatched (4)
At first I was missing the drums, a groove or whatever…but when I listened more closely I realized this song is telling a story. And this needs to be listened to with full attention…eyes closed.

FixInTheMix
(edit 30/5) The synth sound feels a bit chaotic but I like the disco-vibe. Initialy I was missing song songstructure, but when I listen to this as a funky dance hit there is no need for more structure.

Canese (3)
Feels a bit classical, the sounds and the structure. With synth music all too often it tends to feel a bit like I’ve heard it all before but the sounds and chordprogression of this song are original, fit nice together. I like this one very much. So definitely in my top 3.

Cheers, Jeroen

[Arelem]

Hello All,

I tried to stick to more of the stock synths for most of the sounds because I tend to use 3rd party most of the time. There are some really good plug-ins included with FL Studio and I need to get more familiar with them. I also had a lot of fun messing with the vocals. I saw that someone had a hard time telling if it is male or female; in processing, I ended up making my voice sound very feminine, so I just went with it. (they are male originally BTW)

I tried to format my feedback in a way that made it easy to read but the text gets a little shuffled when it's in a spoil message so I removed that. It's still a little wonky, but hopefully you are all still able to make sense of it .

Feedback:

KukoBass – Good: thumpy kick, interesting bass synth, good background foley.
Areas to improve: lead synth has an interesting sound but what it’s playing is a little uninspired. The plucks and the bass overlap a bit too much
and muddy things up.
JereonZuiderwijk – Good: I like the way the vocals are processed and integrated, fits really well. Interesting glitch effects.
Areas to improve: The lead synth doesn’t really fit the vibe of the rest of the song to me.
Johnny11771 – Good: Strong 80s vibe. Groovy bass. Nice fills. Interesting breaks. Great guitar solo.
Areas to improve: First half of the song has no lead so it gets a bit repetitive.
Becsei gyorgy – Good: Good use of foley. Good groove overall and nice bass line. Good sound selection/sound design. Despite not having much of a
lead, the bass line really helps drive the track and keep the listener following along.
Areas to improve: Maybe not an improvement so much, but I’d like to see how this sounds with a clap added on the 2 and 4; at least in the
drops of the track.
EsteveCorbera – Good: Big ethereal soundscape of the pads and arps. Drums have some nice variations.
Areas to improve: The drums kind of get lost in the mix. Maybe either push them up in the mix or use some sidechain on the other elements.
The vocoded vocals are a bit too loud.
Ontrackp – Good: The track has a fun, eclectic quality to it. Good use of foley.
Areas to improve: The bells are a bit piercing. Crashes are too loud IMO. Same with the shrill synth that comes in around 1:40.
Doc Jon – Good: Fun synth bass. Good vocal processing. I like all the different parts that come and go throughout the track; keeps things fun and
interesting.
Areas to improve: Nit-picking here but the vocoded vocals are a little too aggressively modulated and could be a little more understandable.
Avinash – Good: Nice rhythm and very pleasant arps. I like the swelling pads and twinkle that followed it.
Areas to improve: Song does not change a whole lot throughout and gets a little boring.
SoundBeing – Good: Nice guitar playing. Nice big kick. Really like the change-up at around the 1:40 mark.
Areas to improve: The gated synth gets a little annoying after a while. The high-pitched arp at the end is a little piercing.
Mellow Browne – Good: Really like the static panning/gated effect. The main arp-y synth really glues everything together.
Areas to improve: I think the track would benefit from some much more present drums; the rest of the track has an almost epic feel to it but
it’s accompanied by comparatively wimpy drums.
VCA-089 – Good: Nice big kick and snare. The lead piano/synth has a really pleasant tone and is well-processed.
Areas to improve: The off-beat hi-hats were really distracting. The low end gets a bit muddy between the main bass and the lower arp-y
sounds.
Crosshatched – Good: Lead synth has really interesting articulations/modulations. Nice piano playing and processed well; it fits the track nicely.
Areas to improve: I did not care for the portion between transitions with the organs; things got a little messy there. Song ends a bit abruptly.
FixInTheMix – Good: Very groovy. Nice bass. Drums fit the track really well. Retro vibe with a modern twist. Interesting melody. Tom fills.
Areas to improve: Being a bit nit-picky, the arps at the end are a little much. They are mixed decently but they are pretty present a little too
constant to me. (I don’t think they are really necessary)
Canese – Good: Big epic-sounding drops. Interesting LFO’d synth. Nice piano
Areas to improve: Kick is lacking any punch; maybe process it differently or sidechain the other sounds to help it punch through more.
Additionally, I really think this is a great start but it is just lacking something to really make it stand out. I’m not sure what that is, but the
bones are there for a great track.

My vote:

► Show Spoiler

1st - FixInTheMix
2nd - Doc Jon
3rd - Becsei gyorgy
4th - Johnny11771
5th - Mellow Browne
6th - JereonZuiderwijk
7th - SoundBeing

[Crosshatched]

All right, my comments are as usual subjective. I can get impatient at waiting for the repetitions in EDM and I have heavy suspicions of artificial-sounding voices, and this might disadvantage electronic music. I do like synths and some degree of EDM, anyway. I basically like listening to songs on this site.

Here's the ranking:

► Show Spoiler

1 FixInTheMix
2 Johnny11771
3 becsei_gyorgy
4 VCA-089
5 canese
6 JeroenZuiderwijk
7 Doc Jon

Here are comments:

► Show Spoiler

KukoBass
The main synth can be casually sassy, even more so than the singer. I like the change in harmonies around 1:30, and the melody developing around 1:50, and the contrast between drums, the entrance of everything else.
I suppose 'overlaps' refers to your process.
I might be impatient at the repetition, though it's probably a matter of genre.
thumpy. shifty. rhythm.

Arelem
I like the keyboard melody. Lots of nice showy fades, electronic flutter, interesting how the piano and synth blend in or out. To be fair, the style is not my genre. I like when the electronic flutter enters the voice somewhat too, but likewise overly artificialized vocals are not really my genre.
Cute how the sound, despite the glitch-sounds, is rather uplifting, whereas the lyrics, when I could make them out, were more dissonant. Then the song's end calms down to the empty vacuum of nostalgia.

JeroenZuiderwijk
Really beep-ish sounds, but hey I like the sarcasm of the chords. Is it dissonance or harmony or what? I suppose it's something like 2-tone phones.
Why do I just like this so much.
Just a nice song with cool lyrics
For some reason, I'm fine with the vocal processing.
Cute non-ending.


Johnny11771
Overall, the effect is good and professional as far as I can tell (so maybe it has a high volume or something tricking me into liking it.) I do like some of the sounds more than others; the strings and 'ohs' are less convincing, but I like the synths and percussions and the fact that you used a woodwindy sound. I'm particularly excited by the guitar. I was somewhat impatient at the development, which might be my fault.

becsei_gyorgy
I particularly like the varied nature of the percussion, ambience, and the various synths highlighted above it all.
There's nice drama and variety, even though there isn't that much variety. The singing-like sounds are nice ambience rather than annoying, mostly.

esteve corbera
Sweeping intro. Nice wash altogether. It's cool how the melody can do so much without wandering too far, rather like a chant. I like some of the earcandy and how the mallet morphs into a synth and how everything is controlled. It's also interesting how 'e-lec-tro-fun' morphs from the robovoice into something more spoken. Honestly, the voices towards the end, since you can hear the expression and lilt to them, do have some interest. The early stages of the robo-voice were annoyingly hard to make out.

ontrackp -- use for comments; very distinctive and cool, but
This is often nifty, with all the sound effects, plain though the drums are. The harmony and the beats (aside from drums) are so cute and sarcastic. A 'carnival' indeed. Really, the shrill part at 1:40 might be too shrill. Cool drama at 2:00: I see, seems like a sequence to build up drama.

Doc Jon
Yes, this is nice. Is the early sound effect supposed to be paper shuffling, or tape winding? I particularly like the doubling on 'conversation', when the female comes in. I like the vocals a lot, not the robo voice, which I can't understand as well. I like the idea, except I would say going so far as 'mutual attraction' makes it sound like you are changing the subject.

avinash
I like the little fluttering pluck melody from the start. It might be just a little too fluttering and faint. Sure, it is probably meant as ambiance rather than melody... But it really is so pretty, all the harmony.

SoundBeing
I really like the percussion around 1:00. The guitar is a nice base. In general, your variety of instruments is cool, and I think they are well put together. Why is this Willy Wonka?

Mellow Browne:
Good development and atmosphere altogether. Nice shift at 1:58. This might be where the song becomes interesting. I like the woodwind-like sound, but probably just because I tend to. Still, perhaps the woodwind melody could be dropped so we just have the wash of other sounds. Eventually, when it repeats a lot, the woodwindy sound becomes annoying somehow. Pretty good dying out at the end.

VCA-089
Long intro. I guess that riser sounds kind of like wind coming in through the car windows. Beats and risers. Then harmony. Then melody. I think the introduction of the melody might change the mood somehow, or maybe it just makes the melody bloom. Like how the rhythm changes styles around. Is the soft sine-like melody just a little too recessed compared to the background, despite being higher? This is sweet, once it gets going. I do like the enveloping wind sounds in the piece. Somehow they help control the energy well.

FixInTheMix
This is very fun to listen to. It's such unabashed synths. Is that the aesthetic of Noisemaker? I think of videogames and Sonic especially, for whatever reason.
The contrast with the smoother, slower synths at 2:20 is also nice. And good fade out from that section, and reverb fadeout on the whole thing. (It reveals a new aspect of the sound.)

canese
Now this is a different opening, a different atmosphere. Cool. Synth to piano sound with eerie noise in the background. Like the texture of the synth sounds.

Here are notes about my submission:

► Show Spoiler

Crosshatched
Not sure of the placing of the piano and sometimes I'm annoyed at this 'I hear the action' or maybe a 'I hear two pianos a split-second off' sound to it. And the trio (part B) is still no good. Would quantizing be enough? Or a complete rewrite? I do like the synth melody (part A).
More collisions at the end.
Maybe the synths of the A', particularly melody, needs to change a bit more, for variety.

And apparently, I forgot to tell Cakewalk that I want it to record the instruments until they fade out, not just the instruments until the MIDI drops out. Probably I'll need to add a volume automation in order to determine the precise end of the song.

[JeroenZuiderwijk]

JeroenZuiderwijk
Really beep-ish sounds, but hey I like the sarcasm of the chords. Is it dissonance or harmony or what? I suppose it's something like 2-tone phones.
Why do I just like this so much.
Just a nice song with cool lyrics
For some reason, I'm fine with the vocal processing.
Cute non-ending.

Yes, you could say that there is some sarcasm in those chords/sounds. They are not even totally in tune and where obivously not meant to sound 'nice' ;-) I liked the rawness and imperfection of the dissonant sound and boldness of the feeling it gives to the song.

[KukoBass]

Hello all!

My experience this month:
I found it pretty difficult at first to abandon my usual approach (go to my favourite instruments, fiddle around on the keyboard and build the song up from there). I clicked through several synthesizers and their sounds but found this pretty uninspiring. This changed when I found the bass synth sound. I knew right away that I wanted to use this, and had fun building up a song around it.

Feedback: As always, take it with a grain of salt. I'm still in my first year of writing songs.

► Show Spoiler

Arelem - Inside:
What a chill track. I really like vocals, especially the stutter effect on the vocals and the melody of the voice parts. I think the song could be improved with a counter-melody in the instrumental part. The pumping effect on the background chords is a little too strong for my taste. All in all a great track.


Avinash Meeto - In Rhythm:
I think this song would be great at the end of the TV transmission of a sporting event. It reminds me of an 80s video game soundtrack. I think the song could be improved with a stronger B-Part. Considering the mix, I think the bass too much in foreground compared to the arps. But I like the movement of the bass in the part from 1:49 and the stereo movement in the arps.


BecseiGyorgy - Womb:
The heartbeatlike sound at the beginning is a cool idea. I like the choice of sounds for this project. It reminds me of the Jean-Michel Jarre "Electronica" project, where he works with different musicians and mixes their and his signature sounds. I also like the pulsating groove through the whole project. In regard to the mix, I would not know what to improve. Great work!


canese - Give me what I need
The song starts with a slow, dark intro that builds up expectations of some kind of drop. The second part beginning at 0:55 keeps the listener hanging; I would have expected that the sound would get wider and more orchestral. Maybe the drums could be a little louder in this part and the piano could be replaced by some synth. All in all, I like the mix. Especially the ducking of the synth at the end is well done without the overused pumping effect. I think that this song would work well as a soundtrack for a game or in the credits of a movie.


Crosshatched - Swoon Waltz
A very relaxed tune. The second part sounds very classical, like J. S. Bach wrote a menuett with chiptune sounds. The end comes a little sudden. I would have ended after the first chord or added a third chord, and would have faded out instead of cutting the chord off so suddenly (but that is just personal taste).
In regard to the mix, I find the delay at the ending (2:52) a little irritating, but all in all you give the instruments the space they need to shine.


Doc Jon - One United Nation:
How would you describe this style? Electronic Discofunk? Or just "80s done right"?
I like the vocoder effects, the lyrics, the lead sound and the rap part. The productions sounds very polished and I would not know what to improve in the mix. Very fun to listen to.


EsteveCorbera - Electro Fun:
The bassline sounds pretty random, but as soon as the swoosh sounds begin at 0:33, the song gets a very pleasant atmosphere. I think the melody could be improved with some more memorable motifs. The vocoder effect is very cool, the sounds are well selected. All in all, this song sounds like Kraftwerk had fun at an experimental session in the rehearsal studio.


FixInTheMix - Noisemaker:
Nice chord progression, solid groove, memorable motifs in the melody. Beautiful sounds, good B part, satisfying drop. The only thing that irritated me a little is that you seem to use too different reverb lengths on the different instruments. Otherwise, I would not know what could be improved.


Jeroen Zuiderwijk - Waves are moving fast:
This song has power! I'm not a fan of the raw beepy sound used for the techno chords, but I enjoyed the glitchy sound effect at 0:40. What I really like are the vocals. The beginning of the vocal part reminds me of The Prodigy. And I like how the vocals for the verse and the chorus are treated differently to get their own different sound. For my taste, the vocals are a little too far in the background; they should get the spotlight of the song.


Johnny11771 - X:
The first part of the song reminds me of the electronic music in the late 80s / early 90s.
I find the second hi-hat on the right starting at 0:09 irritating until the third hi-hat (or is it a shaker) sets in after the break at 1:06. I can't make out what the Vocoder says at 1:27. My favourite part is when the guitar solo begins. Unfortunately, you chose to fade the song out during the solo.


MellowBrowne - Modular Art:
Good atmosphere, but I think the song is really missing a freestyle rap to get it to the next level. The flute part is too long for my taste; I waited for a drop that didn't come (or not as expected). The B-Part don't seem to have a melodic connection to the first part.
The mix sounds very balanced and airy.


OnTrackP - Carnival:
The song sounds quite chaotic to me and doesn't seem to get a real grip until the brass part at 0:57. I like the part starting at 2:02, it sounds a little like early Pink Floyd.
The mix features some very sharp and unpleasant sounds, e.g. the bells at the beginning and the sound starting at 1:40.


SoundBeing aka SpeakerSonic - Lickable Blotter Paper:
The first part of the song sounds to me like someone plays chords in his living room to a recording of experimental electronic music, and reminded me of the beginning of "Whish you were here" by Pink Floyd, where a guitar plays over music on the radio. I like the part starting at 1:29/1:39 the best, because the guitar and the electronic sounds work better together than in the first part. I also enjoyed the stereo effects, e.g. at 2:06 - 2:08.


VCA-089 aka Infravolt - Ride On:
The song reminds me of the music in "Space Night", a series on German TV that I like a lot. The build-up is a little long and seems to belong to an entirely different song. I really like the part beginning at 1:04 and found myself humming the melody the other day. Maybe the swooshes are a bit loud, e.g. at 2:05 - 2:14, but all in all the mix is excellent. Especially the sense of space it creates in this song is amazing.

My Top 7

► Show Spoiler

1. BecseiGyorgy - Womb
2. FixInTheMix - Noisemaker
3. Doc Jon - One United Nation
4. VCA-089 - Ride On
5. Arelem - Inside
6. SoundBeing - Lickable Blotter Paper
7. EsteveCorbera - Electro Fun

[EsteveCorbera]

Good afternoon,

I enjoyed the challenge this month because I got to experiment with synths that I have in my arsenal that I've barely used.
I want to welcome the new additions and also say hello to the regulars.
It's great to be more participants this month.
As always very good level. Good job everyone.
I will give you some brief comments.

KukoBass__Overlaps
Interesting start. I like retro synth sounds. The mix seems right to me. The bass line seems to be separate from the melody. But in the end it all gets a bit repetitive. It would be necessary to introduce some other element that would arouse interest.

Arelem_Inside
Interesting voice treatment. good effects Although it is difficult to understand, it's applied effects are interesting. Maybe I would have given more prominence to the vocals, they sound too muffled. I like the piano melody, which is quite catchy. good mix

JeroenZuiderwijk__WavesAreMovingFast
Theme bonds built. The play you do with the voices, like a dialogue, is very good. Good effects with filters. I would say the same as the previous colleague, maybe the voices sound too muffled. A little more prominence would be needed. Good job.

Johnny11771 (j.kutkowski)-X-
It's more rock than electronic. The electric guitar sounds great, very powerful, but maybe not the best for the proposal of the month.
Maybe the other frequencies sound too bright?
Likewise, I really like the theme, it reminds me of soundtracks from the 90s.

becsei_gyorgy__Womb
It reminds me of the sound of Jean Michel Jarre's Electronica CD. Good selection of sounds and effects. The background vocals are really cool. As always, the workmanship and finishes are impeccable.
But this month it's missing something, I don't know, it's done as if on autopilot.

OnTrackP_Carnival
Interesting sounds chosen. Very original But they seem a bit dissonant and too chaotic. Maybe it's too innovative for me, which doesn't mean it's bad. The mix looks great to me.

Doc Jon__One United Nation
good topic Good start with reverse effects. Very well done voices. Very well harmonized. The rhythm is very cool. Masterful mix.
There are no defects to comment on or things to improve.

avinash__In Rhythm - avinashmeetoo
Welcome to the composition challenge. I like the sounds you chose. But the development of the theme lacks variation. After a while you wait for things to happen that don't end up happening.
Some of the percussive elements, I would have put some reverb on them to create more depth, but the mix is good.

SoundBeing Lickable Blotter Paper – SpeakerSonic
I like the melody you are drawing with the bass and the synthesizers. Great combination of strange sounds that come together in a good mix. The guitar is very cool.

MellowBrowne__ModularArt
For a subject made in a short time, the thing is not bad. Yes, it is noticeable that the thing does not have a defined purpose. The idea of putting two different pieces together is curious, but it doesn't look bad.
I like the honeyed melody of the middle part of the theme.

VCA-089__RideOn
Good sound effects, laughs, etc. Very good sound environments. Powerful beat that pairs well with delayed synth melodies. I think it lacks a slightly more defined purpose.
At times the beats seem out of tune with the song.

Crosshatched__Swoon_Waltz
I really like the atmosphere at the beginning and the end. What I don't understand is the middle part. It looks like it was added with cut and paste. Of the rest, I would highlight the sad or emotional melody that you draw and transport us to another world.
But what about the end? What happened?

FixInTheMix__Noisemaker
A song that could perhaps be defined as 70s disco?
I like the bass that accompanies the melody very well. The sounds sound very retro.
Maybe the theme is getting a little repetitive.

canese_give me what I need
This time I don't know what to tell you. Your topic didn't hook me. It's a good job, but something is missing. Or maybe read about the constant repetition of piano chords. I do not know. good mix

(translated with google)

► Show Spoiler

01 Johnny11771
02 becsei_gyorgy
03 Doc Jon
04 SoundBeing
05 avinash
06 Crosshatched
07 KukoBass

[becsei_gyorgy]

Hi,

It has been an interesting month too.
This was my third electronic song in a row in this competition - next time I'd change it up a bit
Unlike last month's song, I wanted to give more space to the individual sounds.
I wanted a cleaner, simpler, more minimal soundscape with 2-3 main sound only.
With fewer contending instruments present, I wanted to focus more on playing with space and depth.
Overall I'm happy with my session and the result, in the third month I'm getting into the routine of tuning the kick-bass, the perpetual sidechain etc.
It was a good practice.

It's especially nice to see so many songs in the competition, we have an extended TOP7, but unfortunately it didn't make it any easier to select the top songs and rank them.
Each song was a great match for the theme/genre of the month and each song in some way deserved a top ranking.

Here are my comments. I'm not going to over-praise the songs, but rather write down what I would change, which is of course a personal, subjective thing.

► Show Spoiler

KukoBass - Overlaps
I like the retro lead sound. But the vocal parts are very much in the background. In this song it would have been better if they were a bit more up front, as the synths create the atmosphere.
The synthesizer sound choices are good, the rhythmic pulsation of the song is good, but the arrangement and the arc of the song is not clear to me.

Arelem - Inside
I like the glitchy sounds.
Good song structure, interesting vocal melody. The piano seems a bit simple.
The phasey pad background on the other hand is too few in itself in my opinion (although sonically they are too much in the foreground), something is still missing between the background pad and the melody lines.

JeroenZuiderwijk - Waves Are Moving Fast
good rhythm, great vocals, I like the structure of the song.I am happy with the drums too.
what I would change: the background pad sound, and/or use a bit sharper lead sounds, more open filters (with automation). A bit dynamically monotone.

Johnny11771 - X
Very loud song. I like the retro sounds, the song has an interesting, pleasant atmosphere. The entrance of the guitars at the end is refreshing. The vocal-like (Oh) sound seems a bit overused after the first 1 minute. The first break should be followed by a change of an instrument. e.g. the great guitar.

EsteveCorbera - ElectroFun
I think you've exhausted the retro sounds - in a good way. I like the atmosphere. Good instruments and clever authentic effects. Vocal FX's are sometimes a bit loud. The end is pure kraftwerk style. Very nice.
The middle section is a bit long, there is not enough effect to make it varied, and it is a bit repetitive.

OnTrackP - Carnival
What a Circus! I enjoyed a lot.The LUFS is a bit loud but the middle part is loud in the song itself. The chaos is expressed quite well by the cacophony of instruments, it shouldn't be so much louder. The part after the middle loud part is my favourite, nice melody.
The intro sounds are too bright, sharp, but overall the sounds are good.
Interesting sounds, nice atmosphere, a lot of fun. Great work.

Doc Jon - One United Nation
I like the instrumentation, the vocals sit well on the mix.
Very nice song, little things I would change:
-It has a lot of different solo instrument parts but based on the same base. so the song seems a bit long, repetitive. Maybe you could vary a bit
-The vocoder part could be a bit clearer.
Overall nice melodies, good, balanced mix. Great work.

Avinash - In Rhythm
I like the intro, the melody, the structure and arrangement of the song is OK, the break from 1:49 is in the right place. I like the clean composition, good harmony, very pleasant background music. Very clean mixing, good rhythm changes in it.
It sounds simple, but the song does exactly what it needs to do, it sounds good to me.

Soundbeing - Lickable Blotter Paper
I like the guitar playing, good intro.
Good sound choices, effects sometimes a bit too washed out in the background; from 1:40 the arps are a bit sharp. I'm feeling very different reverbs, I'm feeling things a little bit scattered. That may have been the intention, but I think it would be better to make them a bit more compact.
Interesting, imaginative melodic motifs, the composition is pretty much fine, what I would do is a completely different mix with different accents and a common musical space.

Mellow Browne - Modular Art
Very good start, nice sounds, it grabs you right away. The beginning of the song builds up well, suggestive, interesting, I like the sharp, synthpop-like drums but the lead that enters at 0:48 could be more open, with more delay, and the whole beginning could have more play with the stereo image.
But the song starts very well anyway, could be an intro to a Depeche Mode concert around '86 (or before). The flute-like motif that enters after 1:20 reinforces this even more. I think it's a perfect start to a song and needs no vocals.
As good as the first part was, I was expecting a big catharsis after the well-constructed intro, which didn't happen. Unfortunately, I liked this one less. Melodically it didn't bring anything new, the clap was completely out of place for me, it didn't have the real climax (drop) that the great first part built up.

VCA-089 - Ride On
Overall good sounds, although the sweep effect is a bit much.
A bit the song arrangement is not consistent for me, the song seems too long, with relatively few variations.
A bit muted on the sweep would be great background music.
Anyway, I like the main drums, the choice of instruments, the bass, good sounds.

Crosshatched - Swoon Waltz
I really like the pleasant, calm atmosphere, the composition.
1:04- a bit of a renaissance feel, like old horns playing - old music in a new costume.Nice.
Although the composition is clever, I would have been more careful in my choice of sounds.
Not very good stereo image - mono compatibility(!)
Although the overall composition is good, sometimes it seems overquantized (e.g. 1:20-40), it would be better to have a bit more humanization, a bit more smooth play.
There is no need for a pause in the middle, the two parts could have been nicely connected.

FixInTheMix - Noisemaker
First of all, it's a very nice composition.
Amazing drums from TAL, punchy bass, good leads. Even though it's only one synth, all the sounds are just as good as they should be. I don't miss more bass, the drums don't seem to be a forced solution because of the single synth, they are very much in place. It's perfect.
The structure of the song is also exactly what it should be, and the mix is a perfect line in SPAN , very balanced.

canese - give me what I need
I like the mysterious intro, the dark opening. But feels a bit dark all the way through. The middle elements are a bit washed out.
The repetitive dominant instrumental chords often completely drown out the drums.
A well put together song, but the very repetitive chords would need punchier and sharper more playful percussive elements or some FX's for maintaining the interest, I don't know.
I feel it's a bit lacking and the mix isn't the right one either.

Votes:

► Show Spoiler

FixInTheMix - Noisemaker
OnTrackP - Carnival
Doc Jon - One United Nation
Mellow Browne - Modular Art
JeroenZuiderwijk - Waves Are Moving Fast
EsteveCorbera - ElectroFun
Avinash - In Rhythm

[Doc Jon]

Things I have learned during this month’s competition:
This month I got to grips with the Vocoder, something I have tended to avoid in the past because it sounds complicated with carriers and modulators etc and I would get confused as to how to set it up in my DAW to get any sound at all out of it!
I also learned that with the appropriate vocal processing I could produce something passable as a ‘rap’ for the middle eight of my track, first time I had ever tried this style and I will now be happy to try it again in the future

Feedback

► Show Spoiler

KukoBass
Overlaps
Well done for using only one VST, you certainly showed what Synthmaster is capable of producing with some authentic analog style sounds. I liked the lead sounds and the sprinkling of vocals worked well. I would have liked a little more variation in the bassline

Arelem
Inside
Very good. Lovely intro with a great build, in fact the whole arrangement was excellent. Nice piano motif. I thought the vocal processing sounded highly effective but would have liked a little more intelligibility with the words, perhaps a consequence of such extreme processing. Nice sub bass and a great mix too

JeroenZuiderwijk
Waves Are Moving Fast
Love it! This was definitely a track which grew on me more and more with each listen. I liked the way you combined elements of EDM, electro and chiptune. The vocal processing was highly effective although I would have liked the vocal to have been a little bit more forward in the mix which may have helped with making the words a little more clear. I absolutely loved the slightly dissonant lead with its clashing harmonies! Overall brilliant – this month’s fave track

Johnny11771
X
Some great 80’s sounds here, very authentically electronic. Nice bassline with the contrast of the different bass sounds. Good strong beat but I did find that the slightly ‘splashy’ snare sound became a bit too much by then end of the track and perhaps a more conventional less bright snare sound may have worked better. Guitar was a little too loud in the mix for my liking but there was no denying the skill of your playing is excellent. I thought the fade out came too soon and would have liked the guitar solo to go back into the main theme before the finish

Becsei_György
Womb
Very clever track, I loved the way you used the heart sounds to augment the beat. Lovely build in the intro with the gradual introduction of the instruments and I loved that guitar sound. Nice break at 1:54. Good use of the stereo field throughout, good choice of sounds and overall a great mix. Not much to change here in all honesty, maybe a powerful rocking guitar solo coming in at 2:52 perhaps!

EsteveCorbera
Electro Fun
Promising start with a good strong beat. Kudos for using a modular synth! Nice authentic 80s style bass but I felt that the timing of the bass could have been more tightly aligned to the beat. The vocoded stabs fitted in well with the feel of the track. Great expansive pads but the lead was bit too wandering for my taste and needed a stronger melody/hook.

Ontrackp
Carnival
Another very well constructed track. I can imagine this a soundtrack to Five Nights At Freddy’s, an authentically disturbing piece of fairground music, very clever. I liked the dissonance of the sounds and the creepy melodies. As others have said, some of the sounds needed taming a little as they were a little too piercing in the mix. I would have liked a definite end rather than a fade out, maybe with some suitably horiific noise stabs as I think this would have suited the style of the track better

Avinash
In Rhythm
A very competently put together track with some suitably authentic electronic sounds and a very good mix. I think the arrangement needed to develop more as the track progressed and I would have liked the introduction of some variation with even more new sounds and textures as it progressed beyond the 2:05 mark

SoundBeing
Lickable Blotter Paper
Great title! Nice guitar and good choice of percussion which fitted the overall feel of the track really well. I liked the theme that was introduced at 1:40 and thought that this could have been introduced even earlier in the arrangement and then made much bigger at the end with some additional synths doubling the main melody to give the track a suitable build to a grand finish

Mellow Browne
Modular Art
Nice feel to this track, kudos for using a modular synth and well done for putting together such a competent track in a short space of time. I liked the resonant kick sound and use of panned white noise, they suited the track well. I did like the contrast of the flute against the electronic background from 0:50 and would have liked this section to have extended longer maybe with introduction of a synth sound to mirror the flute line. Unexpected change at 1:54, very nice

VCA-089
Ride On
Another nice intro and some great 303 squelchy synth sounds with beautifully sounding analog percussion. Nice riser and change of style at 2:08. I thought the electric piano fitted in remarkably well with the track in the following section, however by this stage the riser sound was getting a little too intrusive and could have been pulled back a bit - although I did love the little flourish at 4:56

Crosshatched
Swoon Waltz
I liked the musical theme with that lovely musical motif in the opening section. It really conjured up the feeling of an electronic waltz very nicely. I was less keen on the section from 1:04 to 1:41 due to the fluid timing of the instruments which clearly would work well with orchestral instruments but did not really fit with the synth sounds. There is then a second of silence at 1:41 which interrupts the flow of the track as it cuts off the decay of the synth sound. We then return to the beautiful theme which continues until the end, when it is suddenly cut off very abruptly! Overall a nice piece of music that just needed a little more attention in the recording/editing to address the silence/cut off ending

FixInTheMix
Noisemaker
Funkaaayyy! What great sounds! That bass has to be the best I have heard in a long time! Soft intro then – boom, in it comes! I loved the feel to this track, funky and fresh. Great break in the middle and then 2:56 – wow! Extra kudos for doing all of this with just one synth. Good arrangement and great mix. Definitely needs vocals to really make this track shine even more but as it is - still great!

Canese
Give Me What I Need
Nice laid back feel to this track, I liked the intro with the reverse sounds merging into the main theme. What seems like deceptively a simple arrangement at first listen actually gets more complex with each repeated encounter and includes some well chosen piano chord progressions and incidental synth accompaniment. The drums suit the opening section but I would then have swapped to a more powerful and impactful kit from 0:55 onwards and then really let rip in the final section at 1:54. I can see this accompanying the slow motion victory walk of the hero at the end of a film, emerging from the smoke after dispatching all the bad guys

Voting

► Show Spoiler

1) JeroenZuiderwijk
2) FixInTheMix
3) Arelem
4) Becsei_György
5) Johnny11771
6) Ontrackp
7) Canese

[Mellow Browne]

Hey there,

What I learned this month:
I have a better understanding of my own emotional connection to music. And it is not always easy to give constructive feedback because music is so dependent on your preferences and expectations. Another difficulty is the language, this takes much more time and effort. I know, there are tools like translators and stuff, I still prefer to challenge myself by not using them. Writing is not speaking!

Feedback:

► Show Spoiler

KukoBass
I like the relaxed and chilled vibe, it sounds like background music for a pc game.
the sound selection is good, the instruments fit well together
the mix is balanced, nothing stands out
It is a boring entry, but on the good side of boring, nothing crazy happens but there is still some variety in this minimalistic setup
At one point you even changed the key, I think some more chord varitions could have bring a little more excitement.
In sum, a decent entry

Arelem
I like that stuttered kick and that riser fx intro
The sound selection is good, only the piano is a bit loud compared to the rest. It stands out too much for my taste although it is the main melody and I understand this decision.
The mix has power and density
I know, this is a good entry, but musicaly I don´t feel it, it has a very cheesy chord progression to my ears. Maybe it sounds too positive and happy, I really enjoy some tension in the chord progression like min9 or sus4.

JeroenZuiderwijk
This has quite some energy and a more chaotic theme.
I like the vocal fx and the overall sound selection, it gives it a certain retro I really like.
The cool thing is, you have a B part which brings some variation into this chaos.
I think the mix needs some minor gain staging adjustments, the arp bass is very prominent so it is a bit hard to really enjoy what is happening in the background. I can hear some kind of guitar/synth chord progression, but the bass is masking quite a bit.
Overall it is a good entry, but personally I don´t feel it, I´m missing this emotional connection to the key/scale/chord progressions.

Johnny11771
cool and nice retrov 80s vibe
Boxy snare sound and very wide in the stereo field (maybe you should check the phase or the stereo placement of the reverb send) which almost collapses in mono, prominent bass sound
good instrumentation and sound selection
I like the energy and the pace, the guitar sound is pretty cool and the solo is really tasty.
I think the mix needs some minor tweaks, that funky guitar has a weird effect on it which causes a slight pitch shift, seems to be like a wow/flutter effect or so.
Another thing is the gain staging of your mix, some things like the choir pad and the bass are very prominent. The mix is still very vivid and enjoyable.

Becsei_gyorgy
Congratulations to this wondeful piece of music.
Just one word: perfect!

EsteveCorbera
That drum groove is awesome, I really like it
I like the overall idea behind and the emotional direction of this entry and the harmonies, although this synth lead is very simple in its melody and repetitive just like the bass.
There are some interesting things happening in the background and it started very promising but after a minute or so it became boring.

ontrackp
What a wild ride this is. The sound selection and the story are pretty cool. I like the way you mixed the different emotions just like when you are on a thrill ride. This entry is very entertaining.
I think your entry could get that extra touch with proper gain staging, some elements like that trumpet synth are a bit far away in the mix and other elements like the horror synth at 01:38 are very loud compared to the rest.
Overall, very good work

Doc Jon
Nice turntable fx intro. I like the message and the lyrics.
Sound selection is really good, those congas and bongos fills are tasty.
Stylish synth lead solo and cool rap flow, nice singing.
I think the mix could need a little more low end, maybe by rising the bass volume fader or adding harmonics with distortion.
Good work overall, even though I don´t feel the „cheesy“ chord progression, but I can definitely hear the funk in it.

avinash
This is a simple but very effective entry. I really enjoy the chord structure and how you played everything around that synth arp. The verse part is very serious in its emotional storytelling and I really like how tension and release works here together getting more and more friendly until the end of the section and finally finding its resolution in the hook part. Very good entry.

SoundBeing
Great guitar sound and nice atmosphere and overall vibe.
I think the mix needs another revision, I feel a great disconnection between the elements. The guitar could be the main element with a nice wide stereo field. I think you just wanted to separate the guitars and the synth with hard L/R panning.
In sum, good work

VCA-089
Nice intro, I really like the vibe, the sound selection and the musical build up. This is some holiday music and brings very positive feelings.
The mix is well balanced and the energy is great.
Overall it is a pretty good and cool entry, the only thing I think you could have done better is that synth key solo part, it feels a bit „cheap“ and not that sophisticated.

Crosshatched
Interesting entry, sounds like some pc game music. It has a very dreamy atmosphere, the middle part has a certain baroque/medieval element. The sound scape is very beautiful and the sound selection is nice.
But I don´t consider this electronic music, this is more classical music to my ears.

FixInTheMix
Funky sound and good sound selection.
Nothing to complain here, very good entry.

Canese
I really like the vibe and the weird groove. It has some neo soul/lo-fi elements which I really enjoy and which gives me a strong emotional connection.
The mix is balanced but I feel there could be more oomph and low end information to get a more urban feel and drive.
Overall, very good work.

My voting:

► Show Spoiler

1st becsei_gyorgy
2nd Canese
3rd ontrackp
4th FixInTheMix
5th VCA-089
6th Doc Jon
7th avanish