Mix Challenge

Hello, LXM here.

My experience from this month's competition - SWC071
I really enjoyed this simulation type of contest with a certain brief. With theme being about Cowboys in Space, it got even better.
I have also noticed that I should read through the 'rules' posts more thoroughly to make sure everything is in order.
So far, the feedbacks from other participants have been very genuine, in-depth and helpful.

My feedbacks

01. ARELEM - SUNDAY MORNING
Best slide guitars in the whole contest, I must say. The amps fit the cowboy theme perfectly.
I would've loved to hear more variations throughout the track and some elements to add the 'SPACE' theme into it.
Overall, a very solid Cowboy track with really really nice guitar sounds.

02. CANESE - <NO NAME>
I really love the long intro. The ambient elements throughout the track, and the strings in the later parts really captures the 'loneliness in space' theme. However, I felt some of the notes past the 4mins mark were a bit out of tune. And I would've loved to hear more western elements in it.
Overall, very nice ambience, very serious, like a space cowboy flying above a desert planet.

03. ESTEVE CORBERA - WESTERN ESPACIAL
I instantly fell in love with the ambient pads since the beginning. Somewhat similar to my intro, with the electric guitar strums over lush pad layers.
I love the reverbs used on the guitars. Those synth basses around 1:30 really added something too.This track would be perfect for an emotional/melancholic finale scene in the game.
Can't really think of anything I would've changed with this one. Superb!

04. DOC JON - A FIST FULL OF SPACE DOLLARS
The trumpets really pulled me in. After that, the composition is very catchy and upbeat. However, I'm not really sure if that matches with the 'semi-serious' tone in the brief. Sounds like a classic western music piece with very beautiful guitar riffs and slides. Would've loved to hear more 'space' elements in it though. Overall, a very well produced upbeat western track.

05. VCA-089 - THE WILD WASTELAND WORLD
Superb variations all through the full 5mins, which transitions nicely while staying true to the theme of Space Cowboys. My favourite part would be when the synth basses come in at 4:00. Really captures the sense of mystery and adventure. Would fit it really nicely in the game.
Overall, yeah, something I'd definitely use in a Space Western video game.

06. KUKOBASS - NEW FRONTIERS IN THE WEST
Interesting combination of synths and acoustic instruments. The drum + guitar groove captures the western vibe well but I personally found the synth to be a bit out of place and the arrangement a bit too static. Definitely a unique combo but I would've added a bit more reverbs on the synth for a more 'spacey' ambience. Overall, an interesting old school style track.

07. BLANG - A FISTFUL OF SPAGHETTI
Now that's a classic western intro. Guitar strums, pluckings, tubular bells and whistles, followed by strings and hard electric guitar notes. The melody sounds very heroic and bad*ss. Very nice buildup and transition to the 2:50 part. Definitely a track I'd use for a triumphant scene, after completion of a mission ett. Not much of 'space' elements in it but the rest is so well done. Overall, a super solid track with nice dynamics throughout.

08. KATHIMARU - DEADLANDS
First thing I noticed is how loud the bass is since the intro part. The guitar plucks sound overpowered by that bass. Nice vibey melody notes with a bit of tension. Would've loved to hear more variation throughout the track. Cool idea but a little bit too dry for my taste.
Overall, a type of track which could be used as a pause menu soundtrack.

09.JAN NOVAK (-DSF-) - DON'T LOOK BACK
Very nice brass/horns and strings since the early part, followed by a few flute motiffs. I really like the simple yet effective variations throughout the song. The guitar strums sound a bit too 'Plugin-ish' though. Would be perfect for a cool/calm intro track for the game. Solid Mix.
Overall, a simple yet solid track.

MY VOTES I had a very hard time choosing the top 5, to be honest. All of these tracks are amazing in their own ways. If I were in charge of picking soundtracks for the game, I'd probably pick all of these 5 and use them in different parts. Great work, fellow musicians!

Hello fellow musicians and writers,

it was a fun competition and the results are stunning. I think every song could be used by the developers in different parts of the game. I'm glad I did not listen to the other songs before uploading my own. Otherwise, I would have been too discouraged to take part in this month's competition.

What I learned this month:
Playing slide guitar is pretty hard, especially if you're lacking the right equipment. Nevertheless, the result has a roughness and dirtiness that I somehow like. I'd keep it that way, but would invest in more takes.
I wouldn't use the NI Strummed Acoustic guitar again for this song. It sounds too monotone for me. I'd either play the chords by hand or try out different virtual guitars for this.


Feedback
As always, my feedback is from a hobby musician's perspective; I have no real production experience besides what I learned in the last year by taking part here.


Arelem - Sunday Morning
The muted guitar rhythm and upright bass rhythm at the beginning sets an energetic mood and reminds me a little of Blondie's "One Way Or Another".
Great song, good choice and use of samples, not much to change. A little more variation in the rhythm along the song might improve it, but otherwise I would not know what to change.

Blang - A firstful of spaghetti
Great soundscape, reminds me very much of Ennio Morricone's soundtracks.
The guitars have a nice "twang", the whistle is wonderfully cliché and hits the "semi-serious-tone" on the spot.
Only the kick and snare at the ending sound a little too "straight" for my taste.
I like most, how the Orchestra and guitars compliment each other.

canese - untitled
Very atmospheric soundtrack with a lot of development throughout the song. I think the song structure is a little too complex: There are too many different parts, there is enough material for at least two songs. On the other hand, it does not get boring.
The sound of the guitar could be improved; it sounds more like a clavinet or harpsichord than a guitar. I like the motifs in the intro; later the melody becomes less memorable. My favourite part is the part starting around 3:35.
The end sounds cut off without being a good loop point.

DocJon - A Fistful of Space Dollars
The main melody reminds me of the soundtracks of Ennio Morricone. The guitars, especially the Dobros, and the banjo are great. The upright bass was a good choice, too and works very well for this song. I also like the whip crack and mouth harp samples a lot.
My main concern with this song is that the trumpet sounds somehow "too clean" for the given theme.
It is great how the melody of the trumpet gets picked up and repeated / answered by other instruments in the finale.

DSF aka Jan Nowak - Don't look back
I like the blues structure mixed with the orchestral soundtrack, it reminds me of film soundtracks. The strings / orchestral sounds are great. I like the exchange between the flute and orchestra.
A little too short, but loopable. And you could try to get it louder. I had to turn my system up, so I could get a proper listening to the song.

EsteveCorbera - Western Especial
A very atmospheric, very emotional soundtrack. It could be used for a sad or a calm scene in the game.
The delay on guitar and bass gives the song some rhythms that don't really fit in the quiet and relaxing atmosphere of the song. The vox/choir part feels a little random. I miss a reprise of the A-part of the song at the end. The song works well as a loop.

kathimaru - Deadlands
I like the sparse instrumentation, it gives the song an atmosphere of intimacy. The guitars have a nice "twang" to them and are my favourite part.
What I don't like so much are the kick and the tambourine: The kick is too boomy in my opinion and the tambourine sounds too close and too repetitive. I think a change here could make a good song into a great song.
The end is a good loop point but very sudden as an ending.

lxm.labxmusic - Fly with me
Very atmospheric, very cinematic.
It gets a little repetitive at 1:45 - 2:25; this part could be possibly improved by dialing down the string chords and pulling up the acoustic guitar over time.
Good choice of instruments: The acoustic guitar samples from Sampletank have a nice twang to them, and the orchestra stabs sounds really epic. I just miss some additional, non-staccato strings and maybe a counter-voice to the melody.

VCA-089 aka Infravolt - The Wild Wasteland World
Very atmospheric with more emphasis on the "space"-side of the theme.
The melody at the beginning lacks a memorable motif in my opinion (based on my test "can I whistle the melody the next day?"). The slides on guitar make it more interesting. But the marching drums don't fit really in.
Good choice of instruments and pads; I especially like the synth with the filter sweep in the part starting around 3:00, the guitars and the trumpet.
My favourite part is the part that starts around 4:00, it unites the space theme with the western part the best.
What disturbed me is the rhythmic noise; is it an artefact of an instrument or supposed to be a vinyl crackling?


My personal Top 5 this month are:

A friendly reminder:
We're in the final 24 hours to submit your feedback and cast your vote.


Please check post #039 regarding the feedback and voting mechanic. Please don't let yourself be put at a disadvantage by not participating (fully). The Songwriting Competition lives from the given feedback towards each other.

Outside feedback is welcome, of course.

Hello All,

I got a bit more experience with Real Guitar this month even though I didn't end up using it in my final song. I used to play guitar so I get frustrated by the limitations of the VSTs. Maybe I just need to break out the guitar and start playing again
This month, like most/all months, the judging was pretty difficult because everyone does such a great job. With that being said, take my feedback with a grain of salt. I try to look for things I might do differently or that stood out to me. And at the end of the day, it is all just my opinion anyway.

Feedback: Vote:

Hello, everyone! I want to apologize for not updating my submission in time. Currently, I'm on my last vacation day in Europe with my family. On my last day leaving my country, I finished the track with Mr. Fox's remarks but I got an error while exporting the track so I didn’t submit it. Nonetheless, I'm grateful that you still took the draft into account and provided me with valuable feedback.

Upon reviewing your comments, I agree with some of you who mentioned that the track has too many parts and that it might be better to split it into separate pieces. The last part, in particular, seems to stand out and shine on its own. The intro, on the other hand, feels too simple and somewhat boring. I recognize that there's room for improvement in the mixing aspect as well, especially concerning the low end, which lacks definition, and the drums, which could benefit from more care and attention.

I genuinely enjoyed this month's competition; the theme was fantastic, and I'm inspired by the incredible songs you all have created. Keep rocking, and I look forward to revising my song and submitting an improved version upon my return.

Feedback:
Vote:

This round has left me confused to say the least. It's either me, who incorrectly interpreted the initial post, or it's the other people doing their own thing. I can see that some of the contestants totally ignored some of the aspects of the initial post (is there somebody who downloaded that archive?). I know that everyone wants to make the music they like and also vote for it, but...

After all, I hope everyone enjoyed making music for this round anyway.

My feedback:
Voting:

It's the 02nd August 2023, 00:05 (UTC+2/CEST) - the Voting Period extension has officially ended.

Everyone has sent in feedback and cast a vote, we therefore have no disqualification.


Please no more changes to your feedback from this point forward.
I will post a final feedback and vote, plus the final results within 2-3 days. (this is not an automated process)


Please have an eye on this thread

I would like to apologize for the long radio silence. This has been a topic as of late (as in: life happens), and seems to always come to a head at the end of the Soundtrack based Songwriting Competitions (with simulating "client interaction").

Needless to say... I am more than happy with the results. Although I would also like to know, how many of you actually downloaded the "SWC071 Video Game Soundtrack Visuals Pack" (see post #002), looked at the material, and used it for additional inspiration. For me to gather feedback for future games on similar lines.



Feedback as "client":

As previously announced, I will give final feedback to everyone. Especially to those that didn't get any during the initial submission process. Aside from telling you, if you worked within the parameters of the brief, I will mostly focus on the technical aspects of the production. Things that might stick out and could be addressed, should you choose to get back to that song and work on it further.

And as much as I'd like to set all of you on a winners podium, I will only only cast a vote for the top 5 entries. However, as also mentioned, my votes will have a x2 modifier, which will definitely have an influence on the final result.


Let me please provide you with some additional feedback:
(participants in alphabetic order)




-dsf- (Jan Nowak) - Don't Look Back:

One of the entries that arrived late in the game, so "client feedback" wasn't possible anymore. Does it fit the brief? Barely, in my humble opinion... it feels more like a "Spy Thriller" inspired theme, trying to blend with "the wild west" by adding a c-flute and some guitars. The brass elements really lay it on thick here. Another thing that was overlooked with the brief, is the song length. Your entry is the shortest of all, not even reaching the requested 3:00 to 6:00 minute target.

A lot of focus should be put into an instrument balance in my opinion. Also, the age-old topic with RealGuitar... out of the box, it is "too boxy" sounding (look at the 400-600Hz range, and maybe roll off the high frequencies a bit), plus it could use some compression. Not only that... while the strumming works, the solo guitar melody is "all in" in terms of note attack... this makes things sound unrealistic and feels a bit out of place. If this is your first time using this VSTi, please do take a closer look at the tiered dynamic mechanic, and the Hammer On features.

Good start. Maybe try to join sooner the next time, to gather more feedback and/or have more time for mixing.



Arelem -- Sunday Morning:

You really set the bar high with the first entry of this Songwriting Competition. Although your song is built heavily around fixed loops that you only changed the pitch from. I kind of hoped, that the final version goes a step further with maybe altered pitch or melody line, but that didn't really happen.

Due to the same usage, this also nudged you into a certain sound niche that you can't easily address. For example: the slide guitars have a fixed room sound that you can only emphasize on (as in: add more - not less). With the back and forth of the percussion section, everything feels a tad jumpy and out of place. More so even with the final version than the initial one.

I must admit, it still made quite the impression, and it still fits a "bar fight" type of scenario.



Blang - A Fistful of Spaghetti:

Ah... the song that was heavily inspired by "Ennio Morricone", both in name and style. I still really love the twangy "Telecaster" type guitar tone - which really set the stage here.

The initial criticism was, that the instruments were washed out. The ending is definitely a tad better in terms of instrument balance. But somehow, this mix now feels more... flat and lifeless overall. I also can barely hear the upright bass on small speakers still. I might have probably treated the strings differently, bring out the string noises more, and maybe even added more volume movement for the instrument sections (virtual orchestra). Especially during the first half of the song.

On small speakers (with quite the wide stereo field, mind you), the mix also feels a bit centered. Totally different experience on headphones.



Canese - No Name:

It is such a pity that your last couple of entries were kind of stuck in this production limbo, and weirdly named as "WhatsApp Audio <date>.mp3". We sadly did not get a follow-up edit -- and this song had so much potential. So my initial feedback remains the same.

The song sadly cuts off, the balance of the instruments could be better, RealGuitar could definitely use a different EQ (maybe even compression) and the right trigger FX (for added realism). In retrospect, your song does have a sense of adventure, but it also feels more oriental inspired rather than "western". This is where I'd have loved to hear a finished / more fleshed out product.

Maybe with SWC072 and forward...



Doc Jon - A Fistful Of Space Dollars:

The song that was not only inspired by a famous "Spaghetti Western", but it also revived the spirit of old Steinberg Virtual Guitarist. While the overall balance is now a bit better, and the instruments now seem to have a similar space (reverb)... The synth brass still throws me for a loop... And what really stands out in this mix, are the sometimes loud drum stick hits, and some Dobro repeats. Could have been a loop issue, could have been something else - you get used to it after listening to the song on loop. It just feels a bit distracting on initial listening. The bass is now more noticeable on small speakers. I think you moved on to an upright bass instead of using an E-Bass.

I'm a bit sad on the sound effects. I mean, I get it. They were cheesy and a bit much. Yet, the task was to "propose a song", make an impression. There is also the topic of "game version" compared to "album versions". More and more official video game soundtracks actually go that route now. I'm being honest, the version with more prominent sound effects had a slight bit more charm in my opinion. If there was a request for a CD release, I'd maybe leave the sound effects in, but more subdued.



EsteveCorbera - WesternEspacial:

Everything is super loud now. I must admit, the "whistling" and the later choir "ha"'s are still distracting and out of place for this production... yet the biggest things that stand out here, are the clashing pads, guitars and synth bass line (especially the new one in the middle of the song around the 1:35min mark). I would really go into this mix, then heavily utilize EQs and various modulation tools as cleanup measures.

Overall... you created a song. That already makes you a winner in my book. However, this is only borderline covering the requests of the brief -- even after your edits. It does work in a more ambient setting, a "lonely starry night" for sure. And maybe this is your style -- but to me the continuous building dissonance is really not working for this song. Things build up just too much and turn into a cluster of clashing sounds. Also... the rare guitar bits just... cut off way too quickly in stark contrast to the ongoing pad sounds.



kathimaru - Deadlands:

The other entry that arrived late in the game, so "client feedback" wasn't possible anymore. It definitely gives a "Deadlands" type vibe with the Cajon, Tambourine and Clean E-Guitar. It fits the brief, and I like the simplistic approach, even if it's not as "evolving" as other entries. Although I am not that much of a fan of the muted chord strums. Sadly, the song also just... cuts off.

Mix wise, I'd change a couple of things. Maybe a bit less reverb for the clean guitar in the background (it's placed a bit too far in the back), while giving the choir just a touch more reverb. I would turn down the tambourine (it feels a bit overpowering, reducing by -1dB would already do a lot), also the muted strum guitars. And I can't shake the feeling, that the slide guitar could have had a bit... "more" (vibrato maybe, a previous comment on "more spring reverb" is also a possible option).

Overall, great first entry. I hope we will hear more from you in the future, no matter what it will be.



KukoBass - New Frontier In The West:

I think your approach to re-mix the whole song, with the "pink noise" approach backfired. Yes, the guitars are now more prominent. In cases even, too prominent. However, the mix is still all over the place. If not worse than before. The drum kit just... vanishes, the lead synth sticks out way too much and instruments just drop in and out. There is a certain coherence missing. The production sure is dynamic, yes... but not the dynamic you probably wanted to go for (crescendo / decrescendo). And while there is now an ending to the song, I'm not sure if the change of speed would work in this case.

I am so sorry - you had some interesting ideas here, although the lead synth feels like being played "out of time". However, the new mix is... not an improvement, despite it having more "slide guitars" to get that western feeling across. Adjustments based upon your existing mix would have been the better option.



lxm.labxmusic - Fly With Me:

While the brief mentioned, that the clients are not against "a modern flair with music", this final version still has an overly strong focus on "epic sound" with tacked on guitars and some western-style typical background instruments (flute). Yes, this entry is technically the "participant favorite" (it got the most points). However, if we're being honest, it's also quite generic. This song could just as well be placed in any recent indie strategy game (think "Into the Breach" by Ben Prunty), or as bog-standard "epic trailer" for a rogue-like game or what have you. Which is only topped by the trance-gated transition effect that are so common-place in movie trailers as of late.

It is a drastic improvement over the initial proposal however - it's longer, it has has a certain structure. Mix wise, the "focus" is too much on the epic drums (maybe a different drum kit would have balanced it out more) and the "action string" staccatos. I would maybe change the balance of certain instruments around, and maybe also feature that repeating flute in the background a bit more.

Overall - great production, but it also feels like "playing safe".



VCA - The Wild Wasteland World:

Drastic improvement on the vibrato handling of RealLPC, and I can now also hear the E-Bass on small speakers. I'm still not a fan of the quite intense and bright reverb. Especially for the snare drums (making them sound artificial). The intro section is also quite loud. Other than that, this is your typical style of songwriting, to have several sections to a song.

Interesting and quite experimental for an ambient or story section in the game (it does get the sense of "space" and "sci-fi wild west" across), but I'd really pull back on the reverb.




As others mentioned, finding a "Top 5" wasn't easy. Please don't feel bad, if "the client" didn't select you. You all created some interesting work this month. My focus will be on "initial impression", and "does this work nicely as a soundtrack?".

Ladies and Gentlemen, here are the results of Songwriting Competition 71

The winners podium consists of:

1. @Blang (56 pts)
2. @lxm.labxmusic (49 pts)
3. @Doc Jon (31 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 tie happened due to the offsets with the bonus point mechanic
  • EsteveCorbera acquired 12pts with the participation vote -- but didn't get 2pts from "the client vote" (resulting in 24pts)
  • Arelem acquired 10pts with the participation vote -- but scored 2pts bonus from "the client vote" (resulting in 24pts, else 22pts)
• 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: 08-AUG-2023, 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). An explanation on the bonus points and penalty points: As mentioned plenty of times, I'm strict on the filename template and therefore withdraw -1pt on the score sheet. Please see post #001. Affected users are @canese (second month in row, where not even the filename template is used - I adjusted this in the score sheet), and both @lxm.labxmusic and @-dsf- didn't pay full attention to the given template I unfortunately had to withdraw another -1pt from @-dsf-, since the song length was shorter than what was requested (see the brief on runtime). I did also withdraw -1pt from @-dsf-, because the request was to ideally post .wav files, and the provided song was in .flac. Unless the Google Drive was full, that is a different topic altogether (remember, you don't need to store stuff for forever, only for about two months for the game in question). However, the brief clearly stated "WAV preferred". Fine details were important this month. I did not withdraw points to those that went a bit off the mark on the desired song genre. The general idea was to learn how to interact with a possible paying client, and do the absolute A game to get a job. I did point out possible problems in the final feedback there are no other loss in points (penalty points). And I understand that not everyone is comfortable with writing feedback, especially our new users. Yet in order for this to be a learning experience, feedback other than "great work, I like the mix" could help participants improve with their skills. Something to consider for future participation. It is great to read however, that everyone went for acquiring full bonus points (feedback for everyone). The rest was down to fine detail (loudness specs). I am still considering just focusing on just providing one file format in the future (as in - the highest one). Providing multiple formats is a nice option. But engines these days can play back even WAV. I might update the rule book accordingly once I've made up my mind on this. And while we dropped back down to even 10 participants again, I am still happy to see all of you having fun with the offered themes and tasks. I hope to provide more interesting games in the coming months. You have all done a great job, please continue to spread the word. See you folks in the next game.

License selection:

We will now perform with the usual. Selecting of 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 (within 5 days). Once one company has been selected, it's out of the pool for the next person on the podium.



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 072 (August 2023) is still in full swing.
There is currently no entry.

Hello.
Thanks for your comments. They are always much appreciated. it's a great way to learn more.
Mister Fox, I downloaded the zip with the content, but it was not my greatest inspiration.

Thanks
Esteve