SONGWRITING COMPETITION - SWC061 September 2022 - Winners announced

[Olli H]

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New version uploaded, entire song (3:25). But it's still work in progess. viewtopic.php?p=13419#p13419

I don't know what changes you made or is it just my current listening mood, but this starts to sound pretty good now.

[Olli H]

Artist info:
Musician/Artist/Singer/Songwriter/Producer: David John
Country: South Africa
Primary Instrument: Vocals
Secondary Instruments: Piano, Acoustic Guitar

https://soundcloud.com/user-655396019/l ... al_sharing

Strong mood and great singing. You have a great potential in your voice.

It's not an easy task to create a song with so minimal accompaniment. But you made it and it works!

My only concern is the matching of the melody line and the rhythm of your lyrics in your verses. I wonder if you were to do just a bare melody line with a piano and without singing, it might end up being slightly different and more fluently flowing than your current version. As if in some parts of the verses the lyrics forces not so natural rhythm to the melody. And vice versa, in some parts you force a long note to some syllables where it might be more natural to sing a short syllable. The end result is that it's a bit difficult to remember the melody. It might be just minimal changes on those small details, and they could make a huge difference.

The main chorus melody and the lyrics match very well

[Olli H]

• Filename Template: SWC000_ArtistName_TrackName.wav and/or .mp3

Could this be "SWC000_ArtistName_TrackName_versionnumber.wav"

That added optional "_versionnumber" would make it easier to check if I have sent the latest version. And not the earlier version that happened to be with the exactly same file name.

And also that would ensure that the contestants would be listening to the latest version and not the earlier version that has stuck for example into the cache of the browser.

I guess that it wouldn't mess up with any current logics, if there happened to be the version number at the end of the file.

[Mister Fox]

This is what some of you nice folks are already doing. As in, adding a version number or "WIP", and then once the final version rolls around, you use use the regular filename template.

How you handle things is up to you. As long as I have access to one definite version to showcase in the end for the song collection post.

[A Future in Noise]

Hello Everyone

Listening with my ear buds and phone, the snare towards the end is too loud.

[Arelem]

Listening with my ear buds and phone, the snare towards the end is too loud.

Are you talking about the second chorus? It's just copy pasted from the first chorus. I'll have to look at the project, maybe there's some automation but I don't think there's anything like that on it.

[A Future in Noise]

Definitive version uploaded. Kick drum ”brighter” than before. It's hopefully possible to hear it even from small speakers. Used organ instead of choir/backing vocals in the second chorus. Didn't want the organ to just disappear after the second verse. I've also changed a couple of other things.

Also: Since I don't know exactly in what way Soundcloud processes files, and since I'm getting so tired of all strange messages, strangers liking my tracks immediately – even before anyone has listened – I uploaded to Gdrive, instead.

viewtopic.php?p=13419#p13419

[A Future in Noise]

Listening with my ear buds and phone, the snare towards the end is too loud.

Are you talking about the second chorus? It's just copy pasted from the first chorus. I'll have to look at the project, maybe there's some automation but I don't think there's anything like that on it.

With a pair of better headphones and a decent soundcard, the snare didn't become that dominant. But I still think it is a little too loud between 2:11 – 2:43. Even if it is equally loud all the way, the guitar solo is more quiet than the voice, so the snare becomes, IMO, too loud here. But you probably should take this with a grain of salt.

[Rich_Rath]

Aside from posting a reminder (incl. today, 9 days left for submissions), I need to step in for a moment to clarify some things.

Which brings me to the elephant in the room - as I've been forced to clean up this particular thread for 3 days now, even just saw yet another deleted post, and one reported post with actually a review of some sorts.

Hi everyone, and especially Mr. Fox. I am going to repost my comments now that I understand the rules. All of the confusion was my doing. I apologize for that and will briefly explain what happened for your edification and amusement as I had a real senior moment, which is not my usual.

The other day, I posted what I thought was a review. When I posted it, it gave back a message that my post had been reported by someone and that I better read the rules. So, I went and re-read the rules while suffering from a major toothache and not focusing well (extraction tomorrow!) and misread the rules, which I had understood rightly in the first place, to say we were not allowed to post about others until after the contest ended. I thought that doesn't help a lot, since the feedback would be more useful before the end date, but complied with my mistaken new notion of the rules and went back to remove all my posts. I thought this was weird because Olli had posted some feedback, but I saw he was a backer so I figured he must be an admin. After doing that, I went to report that I had re-mis-read the rules, clicking the same button and starting to type away. My toothache must have subsided enough that I saw I was actually reporting a post as containing pirated materials. Both times, I had hit the "report post" button instead of the "edit button!" Second time I caught it, but the first one, like a dog spooked by its own tail, set me off on the trail of screwups that led to Mr. Fox's post.

Sr. moment over, hope you are amused at my folly and I think I have the rules right now and have watched some other people add feedback, so I will listen anew and try again. And I know which button to press!

[Rich_Rath]

Hello Everyone,

This prompt is something I can relate to. Not due to my own struggles, but because of my wife. I wanted to write something in honor and support of her. Some of the lyrics are a bit on the nose but I didn't want to dance around the subject and address it head-on. There are still some metaphors and whatnot, but I wanted the song's subject matter to be clear. It took a lot of work, but I finally got my vocals to a place that I don't completely hate (I know I'm not a very good singer). Anyway, I hope you all like it!

Edit: I have updated the entry to a newer version. I processed the vocals in a way that lets them stand a bit more on their own. I feel that this version sounds much better and I'm hoping you all agree.

Aralem, Wow, this is such a huge upgrade! The verses come together now. I am not sure what you did since the first draft -- which I said reminded me of Iron Butterfly -- to the present version, which sounds totally up to date alternative edging into metal toward the end when you get things chugging and take a lead. The production is first class now.

Here is the one thing I would work on if this were me. The vocals at 1:16, 1:26, 2:50, and the last line sound out of key to me. The music doesn't change key, so either you want this to be a dissonant moment, or you could play around those lines with your pitch correction software if it allows shifts bigger than a semitone. Once I found a note I liked, I'd punch record just the phrase "know that I love you" with your real voice rather than the pitch correct if the pitch shifted one has artifacts.

And also, I said this in the deleted post, as someone with a sometimes disabling mental illness, having a supportive partner has made a huge difference in my quality of life, so I really appreciate your lyrics.