First and foremost, please let me once more apologize for the severe delays. Due to personal reasons, certain things came to a grinding halt. I am slowly catching up, and I am sorry for the inconvenience.
Since I've been the "virtual client" this month, I wanted to add some final words to each production. As mentioned several times (and throughout the years), to me, everyone of you is a winner as you've stepped out of your comfort zone, experimented and joined such a game in the first place. I really hope to see all of you back in future Songwriting Games.
On to the feedback before I post the final results
VCA-089 - Universal Plan
Some final thoughts, since you already got extensive feedback for this creation. I still prefer some of the ideas from WIP1, but it's an overall very good production telling an own story. Some instruments still feel a bit too strong/bright. But this is of course a matter of preference. I hope you had fun with this competition.
canese - Into The Wrath Zone
I sadly couldn't give you feedback on your second WIP, which then turned into the final version. You definitely worked more on the mix, although the percussion work is now getting a bit lost, but the intro doesn't sound as fantasy like anymore (due to less effect usage). You went a tad more experimental with effects and modulation..It still has the "Into the Breach" feel, which I really like. This is a really good entry.
Personally I think the the percussion section is muddying things up, but it's not easy to have a certain "sound" while keeping things clear and separated. You have to cut corners somewhere. And mixing is always a matter of preference of course.
TrojakEW - Endless
I still think that the production is a bit on the "too short" side of things. But I still like the switch from ambient to "skirmish battle music". Even though the final violin melody caters a bit too strong to epic music. However, compared to WIP1, it is definitely more balanced and could easily be used in a game. Pity that it's just a 3min long production, I had this song looped for a long time.
Esteve Corbera - The Final Ascension
This track also went through various iterations, and the biggest point of criticism were the vocals. With the final version, the choir finally fits in better with the overall production. I might have still used a different reverb and/or EQ to place them better, but overall it's a drastic improvement. You can now also hear more details on small speakers (like the bass). I hope the interaction helped you improve your production in the long run.
Irion Da Ronin - Foreign Planet
You sadly didn't continue working on your entry. But considering how strong your initial presentation was, the rest would have really just been fine-tuning or making the song longer (and in this case, longer would have introduced a stronger "head cinema" situation for sure). I'm not going to lie, this track might work well if mixed in Binaural. I really hope you keep your productions as backups to maybe revisit them at a later point in time, just for these purposes. This is a very good candiate for such a project.
Welcome to the forum, I hope to hear more entries from you in future games.
becsei_gyorgy - Journey
You did some great work during your first WIP submissions. I still kind of miss the low frequency "feeling" (not rumble!) with the second half of the song, but overall... it's a good balanced mix now, and is a joy to listen to. Even though the intro still feels a bit dry - but this is of course a matter of preference. It is always a pleasure to listen to your ideas.
Shea - Cosmic Place
I am still sad that this entry never really saw any continuation. You (shea) sadly misunderstood what I meant with
"shooting past the concept", as in... you took it as complete failure, and then you... sadly just gave up.
Here is what I wrote again with my last feedback post. You have great ideas, you have a very interesting style in terms of songwriting. I really hope to see you join again in a future Songwriting Competition.
SoundBeing - Blackout of 2250
WIP2 sadly dropped quite late, so you didn't get more feedback anymore as part of the game. I'm still amazed with your sound design. Version two added even more crazy modulation on top, and you cleaned up some frequencies in the process (making things whole lot more crisp and aggressive). Still not a fan of the intro section, but you seem to have cut that down with WIP2. Definitely among the more creative entries this month.
I really hope to hear some more "risk taking" like this in the future. Most notably the "Community Scramble" game in January. Please keep it up!
Koekepan - Space Theme
Even though this saw a second WIP, which sadly changed a lot from the original presentation, I really hoped to see you go back to your production and fine-tune some more. Maybe even go back to the original idea. In case you didn't see it -
here is my feedback on your second entry. Maybe we'll hear more from you in a future Songwriting Competition, including joining the feedback/voting process.
Zack Simao - Space is the Place
It seems like you didn't go back to edit your production. But in case you didn't see my previous feedback, you can check it out
in this post.
Welcome to the forum!
SimaGT - Sharship of Glory
Thank you for taking a deep-dive into the provided audio demos (Stellaris and Endless Space). You fully understood the concept of this month's Songwriting Competition, although I must say that you could have still added some electronic percussion work (if you'd be selected as songwriter, I'd definitely ask to offer an "alternative" version for the game). Then again, you managed to create an interesting / ever-evolving production regardless. Poly Rhythm you say, did you use any specific tool for that? I think, the culprit would be Reaktor, as there are plenty of ensembles being able to offer such helpers. Either way, really interesting production that keeps one engaged, nice job.
The mix is really good on small speakers as well (although it could be a tiny bit brighter, as it feels a bit low-mid heavy in places on headphones with large drivers). You do hear some intricate details here and there, and in some places I just wish there was "more". Overall - I didn't know if I was listening to Stellaris, or the Map Screen from Mass Effect.
Very nice work!
AskAndy - Dark Light
While an interesting concept, it does feel really disjointed and chaotic. I can't really tell if this might work for a game in general (maybe in the 1990s DOS era). But sadly not for this particular Songwriting Competition I'm afraid (aka: it's not fitting the premise).
While SoundBeing and Koekepan were experimental with their entries, you're going more towards something that one would hear in a Platformer or "Search Action" (MetroidVania) game (example: Metroid or Carrion). The middle-section of your song actually works the best (starting 2:30 to about 4:20min), then the chaos sets in again.
Your mix does work well on small speakers, as in sound effects aren't too obnoxious. But I'd still loved to hear a more cohesive product, and maybe a different beat, or different ambience on the snare. Should we have another similar game in the future, I really highly recommend listening to the provided audio demos.
A Future In Noise - Dot
I am instantly reminded of two things with this production: video games from the late 1980s/early 1990s "still MIDI synth based music" days, "Space Quest" comes to mind, and good old point and click games from Lucas Arts. Does it fit the premise? Barely... it is very quirky for 4X Strategy. It would work well with the more comedy oriented "Star Control Origins". Still a nice attempt.
I have to listen to the production a couple more times to hear all details. But overall a good mix, although I'd have changed the bass a bit. It doesn't get fully lost on small speakers, but the balance is also not quite there.
For you as well - should we have another similar game in the future, I really highly recommend listening to the provided audio demos. This seems to be a recurring topic, as with every game you ask
"can this work, can that work". And I am investing a lot of time for finding examples for each SWC.
You have outstanding ideas - I would really see you play in the middle field ever so often.
satchboogie - Space and Time
Among the shortest production in this month's competition. And it does fit this month's premise - for the majority of the song at least. What doesn't really fit IMHO, are the drums at the end of the production, which also ends abruptly. So I take it as a WIP to find out "what works". But as you pointed out yourself, you started late into the month.
You do offer some very interesting ideas (I'm reminded of both "FTL" and "Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak" once the tablas set in, even though they're off-beat). I'd love to see you revisit the production at some point, overhaul your mix, maybe think of something different with the drums.
Can't say much more to the mix - to me this is clearly a WIP that sadly came in way too late.
You all did great by joining the game in the first place. And technically - I didn't need to cast a vote. But since this game was a bit different than usual, I think adding my own vote is offering an additional twist. And to make everything even more interesting, these votes will get multiplied by 1,5x (client privileges and all).
Want to know what the final results are - please read the follow-up post.
► Show Spoiler
01 (14 points) SimaGT
02 (13 points) TrojakEW
03 (12 points) IrionDaRonin
04 (11 points) canese
05 (10 points) becsei_gyorgy
06 (09 points) VCA-089
07 (08 points) satchboogie
08 (07 points) SoundBeing
09 (06 points) Esteve Corbera
10 (05 points) Shea
11 (04 points) A Future In Noise
12 (03 points) zack simano
13 (02 points) Koekepan
14 (01 points) AskAndy
The winners podium consists of:
But all other tracks were good too but there had to be only one winner.
