SONGWRITING COMPETITION - SWC083 July 2024 - Winners announced

[Chasey24]

I fixed the double underscore issue in my entry name.

[Chasey24]

I probably should have waited until autumn to submit an entry, as it seems I completely missed the theme for this one. Live and learn. I did learn that, going forward, it's probably best to start with a blank canvas, and not try to make chicken salad out of a cheeseburger. I just want to say, there are some OUTSTANDING entries that did hit the mark on the theme. I took Mr. Fox's advice and listened to each one with speakers, then again with headphones. Most entries sounded much better on headphones. Time to invest some energy on acoustic treatment in my bedroom studio. Without fail, all submissions provided for a pleasant listening experience.

Here's my observations and feedback:

► Show Spoiler

juhu - I liked the sounds of the instruments, especially the organ(which I could hear more clearly using headphones). All instrumentation fit together. The mix of the track is well done. It did remind me of walking down a city street. Even though it's for a game soundtrack, I felt it was a bit too repetitive, and could have used more themes and variations in the piano/bass areas. Overall, solid track.

MellowBrowne - Especially in the intro, the higher synth part is barely audible, perhaps on purpose? Really enjoy the bass sound, though. I felt myself waiting for something to happen while listening, but maybe that was your goal: more focus on gameplay than the distraction of the music. Very dark, but well done, mix-wise.

KukoBass - Very melodically interesting track, although a little short in length(not actual length). Meaning: when it ended, I found myself wanting to listen to more. I think it's a sign of a well-written piece of music. I personally didn't care for the bass sound, but it's more a matter of taste. I could hear each instrument clearly; good mix.

Doc Jon - I liked your interpretation of a fly-by of different sections of the city. Haunting and catchy melody with the harp. The percussion at 0:54 and other parts reminded me of a train running on a track. The "Transit" transitions were appropriate and not overdone-really good. I found your mix to be spot-on, although I personally would have had your piano drenched in reverb(I love to overdo reverb). Very solid entry.

Crosshatched - Very atmospheric and surreal track. Widely varied in texture and themes. I would like to see a different transition at 2:05 and again at 2:45, rather than a series of chord inversions. It seems a little narrow in the stereo field, but I could hear each instrument clearly.

TrojakEW - Dark and menacing with lots of variety of sounds throughout. There's a great amount of tension in this track. I feel it may be more appropriate for an action or horror game. I think your mix is great, as each element presented itself appropriately. I really enjoyed the string ostinato parts.

Elcubano - Very creative(synthwave-ish) take on the theme. Melody is catchy, and likeable. Even though it's a synth, it reminds me of an ambient-type guitar sound. The distortion beginning at 0:27(and most of the mix) may be intentional, but I think it would be better without it. Very enjoyable to listen to, otherwise. Solid entry.

EsteveCorbera - This track reminds me of an inner city, gritty crime drama soundtrack from the late 1950's - only a bit modernized. However, I think it fits the theme well. Your instruments are well-chosen, sound well together, and I think you did a great job with the trumpet compared to the first version. The UJAM Mellow sounds fantastic! Perhaps a slight boost to the bass would make it shine more?

FixInTheMix - First of all, I think I'd be fortunate to have a mix as good as yours after not having done a proper mix. This track would make a good game soundtrack, for sure. I like your use of arps and ostinatos. To my ears, the changes from major to mixolydian to minor sound good, and not out-of-place. I know you were pressed for time, but I would have liked to hear a bit more of this composition. Although, it flowed well from start to ending.

Here's my top Five:

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1. Doc Jon - City 17
2. FixInTheMix - Bright New Day
3. EsteveCorbera - Jazz A La Ciutat
4. KukoBass - Stadtentwickler
5. juhu - Sidewalk Mogul

[Elcubano]

I'd never composed with this kind of constraint before.
It was a challenge because I mainly play guitar, and it was the first time I'd done a track without guitar and in an electro style.
I tried to build a track around a central keyboard, gradually adding additional layers and different rhythmic elements with a drum sound reminiscent of the construction noises heard in some games.
I tried to adjust the mix according to Mister Fox's comments (panning, hi-hat, compression), but I think I made a compression error because the result is worse than the first mix (saturation appeared on the synths when the kick arrived...),
yet I thought I had reduced the compression well...I didn't listen to the headphones but with small monitor speakers...Big mistake!

My feedback:

► Show Spoiler

Juhu Sidewalk Mogul

Great jazzy atmosphere, I love it.
You can listen to it on repeat without it being annoying, which is perfect for a video game.
I find the mixing very balanced, and the instruments used are really top-notch, maybe the cymbals are too bright for my taste

Mellow Browne "We Run This Town"

Futuristic atmosphere that would fit well in a real-time strategy game like Starcraft.
I like the balance of the mix and its evolution. I like the sound of the big pads, but I would have preferred deeper, lower timpani sounds - that's just a personal taste.

KukoBass "Stadtentwickler"

Beautiful melodies that stay in your head, with a midi sound reminiscent of old-school video games.
I have the impression that there are some balance problems in the mix with certain instruments and that not all the instruments are perfectly aligned (drums / bass / piano).

Doc Jon "City 17"

Excellent production, I really like it.
The first chords at the beginning remind me a bit of Pink Floyd .
There is a lot of evolution and variation in the production, telling a real story. It's a significant work in terms of atmosphere and sound exploration. I'm very impressed.

Crosshatched "City Background"

Nice atmosphere, beautiful chords, with keyboard sounds that remind me of "midi" sounds from Zelda games.
It feels like it's missing a rhythmic base and additional instruments to complete the production. Some chords also sound a bit strange to me.

TrojakEW "Megacity Vibration"

Quite a dark and futuristic atmosphere, reminding me of sounds that would fit more in an ambiance or exploration game.
I love the sounds used; there's a lot of sound exploration work. Too bad some keyboards in certain spots are not perfectly aligned. Really impressed by the production!

Chasey24 "A Better Tomorrow"

Very catchy music, could be the theme song for an adventure game with a hero, very positive atmosphere.
Nice construction of the track with lots of melody and variation. Very creative. I like the drum sound a bit less—it seems too light, but that's my personal taste.

EsteveCorbera "Jazz A La Ciutat"

Jazzy atmosphere, I like the bass and drum rhythm section, which is very well done.
The trumpet and sax improvisation is interesting but too loud for my taste compared to the base of the track, and the placement of the improvisation seems off at times.


FixInTheMix "Bright New Day"

I like it a lot. The intro is magnificent with the arrival of each instrument.
The atmosphere would fit perfectly in a construction game. I like the continuous kick drum a bit less at the end.
Really impressive production.

My top 5:

► Show Spoiler

1- Doc Jon - "City 17"
2- FixInTheMix - "Bright New Day"
3- juhu - "Sidewalk Mogul"
4- TrojakEW - "Megacity Vibration"
5- Mellow Browne - "We Run This Town"

[Mellow Browne]

Some very good entries this month! Congratulations to everyone! And thanks to @Mr. Fox for the great feedback.

What I learned this month is the first idea is not always the best. Composing game music and not drifting into „epicness“ is a hard task for me. I need to learn more about this genre. I know, I had the drum hits a bit more upfront in the mix, I just wanted to give them some kind of space, maybe because I played the drums a lot recently.

Ok, so here is the feedback.

juhu:
cool piece of music, I like that funky vibe and that little musical twist before it gets back to the main „loop“. The sound selection is great, all instruments compliment each other well and it sounds like a band is playing. Maybe some velocity changes or changing a few notes here in there in the bassline/flute could push that feeling even further.
The mix is good and well balanced, each element has its own place. The only thing is I don’t see your entry fitting the year 2030 theme so much. I like your entry, it was fun to listen. Very good job!


KukoBass:
First few seconds sounds very cinematic then it changes to some synth pop vibe. The chord progression is catchy.
I find the shaker sounds and drum groove are clashing with very much with the overall rhythm.
Main lead sounds a bit cheap, and also that transition fx is not fitting the rest.
I understand, there is a B and C part, but that Bassline sounds really cheap and doesn’t fit to the rest of the instruments. Also, I find the drum groove to be out of place, it doesn’t fit the rest. Also, there are some timing issues overall (@ 01:17 drum fill) and sometimes in the main melody synth part.
Guitar reinforcing the melody is nice.
Mix could benefit from volume adjustments, there is some slight volume changes throughout the track and overall it sounds a bit flat and lifeless.
All in all, it is promising, but lacks that polish, in this form it sounds not finished to my ears.


DocJon:
Great intro, nice sounds selection and transition between the different sections. I like the odd rhythmic of the drum groove (is that ShaperBox/Halftime effect?).
Your entry sounds very cinematic and has a lot of emotional changes, from happy, industrial, dreamy to dark.
The only thing is the repeating harpsy melody, maybe altering a few notes here and there could add a bit more variety.
This is definitely some music I would enjoy while building my own city. Excellent job!


Crosshatched:
Intro sounds promising.
Piano sound is a bit cheap, maybe an octave lower in the register would give it more body and weight. ( wrong note happened @ 01:12?)
I like the different parts, but in that B part I hear some notes are clashing, c part sounds a bit „random“ music and diddeling on the keyboard with no clear structure.
To add more to the „story telling“ I would have added a few more instruments/elements to give it another layer. There are in fact only two instruments, the piano and that brass/horn lead if I hear correctly.
D part is musicaly in „nomansland“, the piano notes are very high and I have the impression you really tried to add something to it, but other than some chord changes nothing really happens, no new elements etc. Changing the horn/brass pad to another instrument in the different parts would create more variety. Overall, it sounds very promising but I think there is still some work to be done.


TrojakEW:
Nice atmosphere and sound selection. I like the tension and build up from start to end.
That deep horn hit sounds so nice! I have to critique here: it plays only the note A, would love to hear the impact from „resolving“ note F to have a slight alteration of the chord or even new chord to extend the progression and bring in a little twist. Also, I’m not sure if like that dotted? triplet groove of the constant string section @ 01.57. It definitely gives it an extra turn and makes it interesting.
Mix is well balanced, each element has its own place. But I have the impression it lacks a bit in the top end or adjusting the compressor settings could help to give it more openess. In sum, very good job!


Chasey24:
Instant good vibes on this one. Great composing and arrangement, nice sound selection.
This is a very good entry and fits the theme well. Piano could be more audible. Nothing else to complain about. Excellent job!


Elcubano:
Dreamy vibe, nice melody and great sound selection. The drum groove gives it the classic 80s/synthwave/pop feeling.
The concept is really great, the thing that bothers me a bit is the bassline. It’s not really the sound per se, it is more how it interacts with the rest, it sounds a bit too boring and like an arpeggio sequence. I would like to hear a more sophisticated bassline. A little drum fill @ 01:25 right before the drums come back would have been a great addition.
What I really like is that little twist @ 02:03, this adds something really nice to your entry.
Low end is a bit boomy and the overall sound is a bit harsh/clipped/saturated (audible @ 01:27).
In sum, your entry has a lot of potential. Good job.


EsteveCorbera:
Nice atmosphere and sound selection. I like the vibe, I think this is the best entry I’ve heard so far from you.
One thing that bothers me is the bass note @ 03:20, it doesn’t interact with the chord changes of the strings, this is why it clashes with the rest. Another thing is your „unusual“ way of writing drum parts, there is no clear path and therefore no structure. Sometimes the groove starts in the middle of a section and not from the 1. Would also like to hear more of that bass, I think it could be a bit louder in the mix. Overall, good entry.


FixInTheMix:
Classic city builder vibe. Great atmosphere and nice sound selection. I really like those strings and the deep piano.
Groovy little drum beat, the bassline and the percussion makes everything perfect. Great mix. Excellent arrangement and music writing.
Awesome entry!

And now the voting:

► Show Spoiler

1st) FixInTheMix
2nd) Chasey24
3rd) TrojakEW
4th) DocJon
5th) juhu

[KukoBass]

Hello everybody,

first and foremost, a big thank you to Mr. Fox for organizing this competition and taking so much time to simulate a developer-writer-interaction.

My experience this month:
I had not much time this month, so I only listened to one of the first audio examples, "Building" from the SimCity 3000 soundtrack, which is a pretty simple melody, accompanied by some arpeggios and instrumented with a few simple instruments. That is why I wanted to start the song with just a few, "classic" instruments (piano, acoustic guitar, cello). As the brief said, the presentation would run in 2030, I wanted to add some more "futuristic" synth sounds and used them for the melody and the bass.

In general, since April, I'm struggling as I have less and less time for music. On the other hand, I feel that I have to practice writing and producing more and more to make any progress.
I don't know how to solve this; I'm just glad I managed to write and put something out there.


My feedback:
As always, take my subjective criticisms with a grain of salt. I'm far from being an expert on anything, but the idea of the contest demands feedback anyway.

Chasey24 - A Better Tomorrow
I like this song, it has a great energy. I just feel it is a little too attention grabbing for a video game soundtrack. To me, it would be perfect as a score for the opening credits of a TV show.
I'd cut the first part of the intro (just the acoustic guitar and the strings) because it doesn't fit the style of the rest of the song and isn't really needed.
I really like the guitar melody, but to me, it seems the melody is off-key sometimes (eg. 0:48, 1:30, 2:18). At the bridge, (around 2:37) I like the first part, but I think the strings in the second part (around 2:53) don't fit the energy of the song.
The guitar melodies pass the "humming test", meaning I found myself humming them the day after I listened first to your song. Good work!

Crosshatched - City Background
The first part of the song would be great for a rain scene in the game. I like the swelling synth sounds in the part starting around 0:39.
Sadly, I feel that the part with the rhythmic piano chords (starting around 1:30) interrupts the mood and that the chosen chords sound a little random. I miss a harmonic idea connecting the chords. The second half of the song is missing some counter-melody or texture in the lower half of the frequency spectrum. I think you might have taken the deconstruction of melody a little too far in this part. All in all, not bad, but not a showcase soundtrack either.

DocJon - City 17
The swirly sounds at the beginning remind me of a computer startup sound. I like the stereophonic rhythmic synths in the part starting around 0:19, they remind me a little of Mike Oldfield. The mix sounds great and leaves every part its own space in the mix. I like that the main theme is repeated in different styles. The main motif passed the "humming test" easily. All in all, the concept of taking 16-bar-parts representing the different areas of the city is bold, very clever - and well executed.

Elcubano - Stranger City v2
I like the soundscape this song is building. It surely has the sci-fi-aspect of the city builder down.
The mix sounds very open to me, giving every instrument its own space. And it sounds good on (simulated) small speakers as well (checked with Audified Mix-Checker). I think this would work great as a game soundtrack for a game.

EsteveCorbera - Jazz A La Ciutat
I imagine a nighttime car drive though the city when I listen to this, much like the Hong-Kong-photo in the visuals-pack.
The bass and the drums work very well together, only the trumpet samples stick out a (very) little too much.
But I absolutely love the mood of this song, great work!

FixInTheMix - Bright New Day
This song reminds me somehow of Carl Orff. Maybe it is the slow melody with the faster instruments in the background. Anyhow, I like it.
The string arps and the pizzicato bass give the slow melody more drive. The mix sounds excellent to me, very much giving everything space.
I like the drums and percussion.
The melody did not pass the "humming test", but I think that is not a bad thing here. It is a beautiful melody, just a little too complex to hum it the day after. You can listen to it on repeat without getting bored, which is a main criterion for a game soundtrack. Beautifully done!

juhu - Sidewalk Mogul
The theme of this song has more a tv-show feeling, but I think I get what you were going for. Giving a nod to Quincy Jones, this would be perfect for the stage of the 70s in the game. The mix sounds good to me. I think the adittion of the tonewheel organ was a good idea and fills out some parts that would have been hollow otherwise. The song passes the humming test, and it has the cowbell! Great work!

MellowBrowne - We Run This Town
This song covers the sci-fi-aspect of the game and has a very dark and dystopian mood.
I like the instrumentation; only the taiko drums and timpani feel a little out of place. I like the muted horn section, it builds suspension.
The mix sounds good to me.
All in all a great song, but to me, it feels too dark for a city builder game. It would be great for a sci-fi game soundtrack.

TrojakEW - Mecacity Vibration
I like the soundscape with the "wooden rain column"-like sounds.
The chirping sounds in the quieter part and the splashing sounds in the louder part seem to grab too much attention for a game soundtrack in my opinion. Otherwise, the mix sounds good to me.
My main issue are the timing problems with the triplets in 4/4. Somehow, they sound a little off, a little delayed sometimes, especially around the 2:00 mark.
I think you nailed the concept of arps and ostinato representing building blocks. I imagine blocks falling from above like in Tetris, fitting in and building the city. Good work!


My TOP 5 for this month:
My main criteria was how well I could envision a building game while listening to the songs, but it's purely subjective.

► Show Spoiler

1. DocJon - City 17
2. EsteveCorbera - Jazz A La Ciutat
3. Elcubano - Stranger City v2
4. juhu - Sidewalk Mogul
5. FixInTheMix - Bright New Day

[EsteveCorbera]

Good night,

First of all thanks to Mister Fox for organizing this game and for giving us very valuable feedback. I've read them all while listening to the theme of each one so I can focus and learn more.
Personally, this month I wanted to do different things, which maybe didn't quite connect with the typical sound of a construction video game. But look, I felt like doing it that way.
Things I learned, as I told you, from some samples that were at 120 BPM I modified them with IrcamLab TS2 (which I now realize was not in the list of tools I used) and I left them at 90 BPM. I found that if I adjusted the tempo with Reason, they didn't sound good, so I processed them with the external tool TS2 which did it better. I also tweaked the notes of the samples, this time directly in Reason, to fit the project.

Thank you all for participating. It's a pleasure to enjoy such a variety of music.


Thanks.

I leave you comments about your work:


juhu – Sidewalk Mogul
Good approach to accompany a video game. I like the bass and the flute sounds great too, but I still feel like it sounds more distant than the rest of the instruments.
Maybe he needs a longer break to break the monotony. You made a good mix too.

MellowBrowne - WeRunThisTown
Composition appropriate to the topic of the month. I'm imagining myself playing and as time goes by and the game evolves, I'm busier and busier.
I like the part between 2:05-2:23 that goes up, makes an interesting crescendo. But then something is missing. You've created an expectation that unfortunately goes nowhere. I would suggest adding a more orchestral and melodic part at that point. good mix

KukoBass - Stadtentwickler_v3
Music that is also very good as an accompaniment to a video game.
The theme is cheerful and to a point retentive, in this aspect very well.
But I'm having sync issues with it. The synthesizer melody sometimes collides with the beats of the rhythms. As colleagues say, the sounds have too much MIDI reminiscence. By playing with speed you can create more life. Maybe the rhythm is a little poor, it lacks more elements.
The mixture can be worked a little more.

DocJon - City17
A great sonic journey. I love the opening harp, I miss it when you repeat the piano melody.
The transitions between fragments are too long and prominent, perhaps a bit distracting. But I guess you used them to highlight changes in the imaginary video game. So nothing to say against it. (Personally I see that I need to do tests with the BABY Audio Transit, which I haven't had time to look at too much yet).
I miss that the topic evolves more.

Crosshatched - City Background
Promising start, you immediately made me pay attention to see where it was evolving.
The sound of the pianos has a synthetic tail that I don't quite like.
Some notes seem out of scale to me. I couldn't tell you which ones, but it's a feeling I have.
It would be necessary to give it a little life with speed changes.

TrojakEW - MegacityVibration
Another theme that creates a spectacular sound environment. Also a very good mix.
I think it looks great as a complement to a video game. Nice feeling from MEGA, like the title of the track.
I don't have much to criticize or propose to improve, because I do everything very well.

Chasey24 – A Better Tomorrow
Powerful and cheerful theme. Maybe too much to accompany the video game, but it's not too bad.
I like guitars and their melody. But they need to be adjusted. Especially in the position, which is fluctuating, at times it seems as if they changed rooms, for example at minute 2:03 something strange happens. But other than that I like it and I think it's a good job.

Elcubano - Stranger City_v2
Good synthwave track, with a melody that ends up lingering. The constant arpeggio is fine, but maybe it gets a little tiring in the end. Spatial distribution is pretty good, maybe I would pull the hi-hat back a bit more. Good work and correct mix.

FixInTheMix - Bright New Day
Good start, catches my attention right away. I see the construction of the city at full speed, a building here, another there, going up quickly, cranes coming and going to another building. I like this guitar (or harp) that sounds a little distant and creates maximum interest. But too bad, when the real thing starts, it ends too soon. Ohhh, I would have liked a longer topic where you could have developed it more. At minute 2:44 I said NO, I don't want it to end already.
Very good work but the interesting part too short. good mix

(translated with google, sorry for the imperfections that the translation may contain)

► Show Spoiler

01 FixInTheMix - Bright New Day
02 TrojakEW - MegacityVibration
03 Elcubano - Stranger City_v2
04 KukoBass - Stadtentwickler_v3
05 DocJon - City17

[Crosshatched]

Perhaps I am posting this technically too late due to timezones. I came up with comments, which are more significant than my ranking. It might be better just to discard my piece and my ranking anyway, since my piece is... sort of annoying.

But regardless:

My comments on my process:

► Show Spoiler

I do like my harmonies.
I added a synth and realized it was too piercing once I used my speakers, after exporting (mixing with headphones.) I replaced the synth, but didn't keep good enough track of what I was doing, and the effect still seems like it can be too bright or piercing when taken through the wrong speakers. Regardless, I was not satisfied with instrumentation this time.

My comments on pieces:

► Show Spoiler

FixInTheMix -- bright new day
cool harmonies at :20,
the introduction of each new part is really fun, including the harmony guitar
pleasant
rhythm at :50 especially seems suitable for energy of traffic in the city
it's possible that at 1:20, the drums make the music too obtrusive. otherwise, there was already enough rhythm already anyway.
Altogether, I really like the song and it often makes a great deal of sense given the scenario.

Esteve Corbera -- JazzALaCiutat
I can see how this is urban and cityesque.
It's also rather fun. I'm not sure if it's game music, but it would probably work.
The first sax sounds less convincing than the other sax, somehow, on note changes.
Very cool, nice music and nice sounds, perhaps too epic for the game, however.
I am not sure I really appreciate the development after the first 2 minutes.

Elcubano -- Stranger City v2
This is pleasant music for a game, both chill and energizing. I think the overall composition.
In my sportapros, the drums sometimes sound too prominent, especially at e.g. 0:30 and 1:30. This might be recommended for certain types of music, but I think it would be distracting when playing a video game and might compete with sound effects.
Otherwise, the synths fit the video-game feel while sounding good.

Chasey24 A Better Tomorrow
Very fun. I really like this.
I enjoy the instrumentation, except it is probably too 'epic'... It is mostly convincing as videogame music, however, so perhaps I should let it work. Pauses increase effect but might add too much epicness for a game; some notes or riffs might repeat just a little too much. (actually, I am just saying that to say something.)
The VSTs and perhaps the mix could be improved or more vivid, but this is minor (and as I imply on another entry, it might not be ideal to be completely vivid, because we want to leave some space for sound effects and to think.)
Overall, I enjoy listening to this.

TrojakEW -- Megacity Vibration
Many of the percussion and sound effects, especially the hollow windy sound effects and liquid waves, do depict say the industrial part of the city. (Actually, the clicking sound is a bit distracting.)
Overall, this is very cool and clever.
However, it may be too 'epic' despite all the ambience. For that matter, it is very eerie and dramatic, sometimes creepy -- quite impressive.
The intro and outro in particularly are very impressive and epic... and possibly work against the them.
This really depicts the city well and is pretty great.

Doc Jon -- City 17
relaxing energizing opening,
perhaps rather like mine except effective
repetitiveness unfortunately might not blend in
industrial non-music interlude in the center -- since the piece already sounded industrial by this point, perhaps not entirely necessary -- good as drama, and the interlude is effective, but I am not sure if pausing the rhythm of the music around 1:50 is entirely useful in the game

that descending arpeggio near the end is witty.

KukoBass -- Stadtentwickler
Apparently, there's no fade-in.
I like the way the drums syncopate against the notes.
Bright, fun, not-overbearing instrumentation.
The flow and rhythm of this piece seems quite effective as the theme repeats.
The guitar entering around 1:50 might be quiet... but I don't trust my speakers or taste.

Mellow Browne -- We Run This Town
Interesting and cool intro. However, I am not totally convinced the vibes go with the game, though it does go with city building, and it can sometimes feel slow and repetitive (like in the opening) despite being too epic.
The ominous harmony and brass that does gradually build out feels all the more powerful due to its slowly-unfolding, underlying nature... except at the beginning, which is just too long. I wonder if the percussion is too much for me.

juhu -- Sidewalk Mogul
jazzy
Cool modulation around 1:40, and cadence around 3:01
Very confidently put together

I wonder if I would find this either too cool or too energetic to be listening to while playing the game on repeat.

would it be nice to have more theme?

My ranking from 1 to 5, which takes into consideration the prompt in addition to my preferences (basically I berate you all for being epic, even well-done.)

► Show Spoiler

FixInTheMix -- bright new day
KukoBass -- stadtentwickler
EsteveCorbera -- JazzALaCiutat
Elcubano67 -- Stranger City
Chasey24 -- A Better Tomorrow

[Mister Fox]

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


Please check post #044 regarding the feedback and voting mechanic. Giving feedback is mandatory (the only criteria to become disqualified). 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. Don't just "collect" and then move on - this is unfair to all other participants.

Outside feedback is welcome, of course.

[Doc Jon]

Things I have learned during this month’s competition:
This month I learned that Halion in Cubase is an undiscovered gem that I will certainly be using more in the future, it has some truly excellent synths contained within. I also learned how to use Baby Audio Transit for the first time in a track, it is a wild tool that is a lot of fun

Feedback

► Show Spoiler

juhu – Sidewalk Mogul
This would work well as background music for a city building game, the tune is catchy and doesn’t get distracting with repeat listens. I think as others have said, it just needs a bit more variation as it goes along to reflect different aspects of the gameplay to showcase the game as well as possible. Extra respect for your generous helping of cowbell!

Mellow Browne – We Run This Town
Some great computer game vibes with your choice of sounds, would definitely work well as background music for the proposed game. I like the way the track develops with new sounds and sections being introduced. I do like the synthesized percussive sounds but I am not so keen on the background drums which sound too ‘epic’ for my taste and detract from the rest of the track. Nevertheless a great effort, well done

kukobass - Stadtentwickler
Another piece that would work well as background music for a city building game. I like the variations in the percussion lines. The bass sound is great but for me the synth lead is too overpowering in the mix and tends to make the guitar sound too quiet in comparison. I would probably dial back the volume of the synth lead a bit to allow the other parts to compete better

Crosshatched – City Background
I like the intro which does have the feel of the opening to a computer game. Some of the more dissonant piano chord progressions are clever but I am not sure that they would work as computer game background music where you want everything to be natural and not to stand out too much to distract from playing. Overall it does need more variation both in terms of dynamics and different musical sections

TrojakEW – Megacity Vibration
Excellent intro with those lovely modulating synth sounds. The introduction of the percussion and the choice of sounds really does give the impression of watching construction taking place. The first half of the track works very well as background music then the boost at 2:00 comes at just the right time and has all the hallmarks of a great demo track spotlighting the features of the game with a dynamic finish. Great track, well done

Chasey24 – A Better Tomorrow
This is a great track with some great playing and a catchy tune. My only concern is that I am not sure it would work well as background music for a city building game – if anything it is too exciting, too dynamic and too distracting. It would be excellent as a pop song!

Elcubano – Stranger City
I think this would work well as the demo track accompanying the promotional video for the computer game, probably better as that kind of soundtrack rather than background music within the game itself. I like your choice of sounds and the tune itself is catchy so I think you have done a good job. The overall mix was quite compressed and I would have liked a little bit more dynamic variation throughout the track

Esteve Corbera – Jazz A La Cuitat
This is a very interesting track, it has a great jazzy improvisational feel and I did enjoy listening to it a lot. However I am not sure that it would work as music to accompany a computer game, it is too clever and would take too much attention away from the game itself. I would however listen to it in a smoky club late at night and enjoy it a lot!!

Fix In The Mix – Bright New Day
From the very first note this sounds like a great video game soundtrack and nails the brief for this month perfectly. The piano arps are really effective as are the strings when they appear and they both complement the guitar sound nicely. The tune is catchy and does not get distracting with repeat listens, you could happily have this playing in the background for long periods without it becoming intrusive. Arrangement and mix is very good, lots of space in the mix, well done

Voting

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1) TrojakEW
2) Fix In The Mix
3) Mellow Browne
4) Elcubano
5) juhu

[Mister Fox]

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