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SONGWRITING COMPETITION - SWC072 August 2023 - Voting until 01-SEP-2023 23:59 UTC+2/CEST

Posted: Fri Sep 01, 2023 00:16 CEST
by Mister Fox
A friendly reminder:
We're in the final 24 hours to submit your feedback and cast your vote.


Please check post #027 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.

Re: SONGWRITING COMPETITION - SWC072 August 2023 - Voting until 01-SEP-2023 23:59 UTC+2/CEST

Posted: Fri Sep 01, 2023 06:04 CEST
by Arelem
Hello All,

For my song this go around, I experimented a bit with layering my vocals. A lot of times, I just double a single take, but I did a more monotone version underneath the main vocal. I actually really liked the effect this gave my vocal and it helped hide how bad of a performer I am =).

Feedback
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Vote
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Re: SONGWRITING COMPETITION - SWC072 August 2023 - Voting until 01-SEP-2023 23:59 UTC+2/CEST

Posted: Fri Sep 01, 2023 09:31 CEST
by satyatunes
Things I have learnt this month.:
- Never keep working on your track until the last moment :uhuhuh: Set a deadline and stick to it.
- Need to spend more time on mixing
- Mixing Orchestral sounds is hard :bang:
- BRSO Articulate - Those who use FL Studio might have heard / used this plugin. A great little plugin that helps automating the expression, dynamics, etc. for orchestral (and other) plugins.
- Dreamtonics Synthesizer V - Doc Jon used this for vocal. I was really surprised. Never heard of it before. I had a quick look at it. They have a free version so may be time to try it next.

My process:
I listened to all multiple times with critical ear so that I can gather some constructive feedback.
When it comes to voting, it is based on how much I enjoyed listening to the track.

FEEDBACK:
► Show Spoiler
VOTING:
► Show Spoiler
All the best to all participants.

Re: SONGWRITING COMPETITION - SWC072 August 2023 - Voting until 01-SEP-2023 23:59 UTC+2/CEST

Posted: Fri Sep 01, 2023 17:45 CEST
by EsteveCorbera
Good afternoon,

I like challenges like this month's, with an image and a lot of freedom to create.
The result of many of you has been creating a good soundtrack.
As for me, I had very little time because I had been without touching a computer for the whole month. To disconnect the mind. I decided to take advantage of an improvisation to work on it a little more.

As always very good level. Good job everyone.

I will give you some brief comments.

Arelem__Turbulence
A theme of your style. Powerful topic, as always.
good mix Good work with the voices, especially in the chorus, good effects but affect the intelligibility of the lyrics.
Maybe you need to go through the levels.

A Future In Noise_Get_a_Grip
Your style is also noticeable, like the previous colleague. It's okay to recognize each other's style.
I like the voices of the choir. you work well
I can't comment on the lyrics because my level of English doesn't allow me to.
The mix is also excellent.

Doc Jon__HeyKid
More electronic sound.
The work of the 'artificial voices' is incredible. I've never used these types of tools, so they seem like magic to me.
As always, excellent work. good mix Good instrumentation. Everything is very good. I wouldn't know what to improve.

Havol__MakeLoveNotWar
At the beginning you use a resource similar to my theme, with the sound effects, which evoke the music.
good ballad Fairly simple theme but well worked at the level of the instruments. Good guitars.
Maybe it gets a little heavy and repetitive, but that's a matter of taste.

KukoBass__CloudsOverHerrenhausen
The theme is slow to start as you use the same resource as me to start the theme with the sound effects.
I really like the very cinematic percussion. The guitar sounds pretty good too, but maybe I could add a bit more reverb to it.
The melody could be a little more developed.
Good work and correct mix.

Crosshatched__Pulverized
I like the improvisation of the piano, which accompanies the voice. Good job with the piano.
The voice is risky. Maybe the tone should be adjusted. I agree with my colleagues, the voice has too much prominence and the piano too little.

Koekepan_Skygaze
I personally like this style of music. It already predisposes me to good listening.
I like the sounds, how they come in, the atmosphere you create.
There are moments that seem to have changed or evolved, but no, the subject remains there. This is the only flaw I can find. But I love it!!

VCA-089__DarkOmen
Dude, your topic is immediately catchy. Are they from the 80s-90s??
I imagine a great soundtrack for an action movie. Guitars, vintage synths, wow!!
Good mix, good structure, all very well.
Very surprising ending!!

The Exponent__Fragments_of_Hope
Amazing ethnic sound. Very original in this challenge. Good cinematic atmosphere.
Very good orchestra.
Good mix and very exciting.
Few problems I find.

satyatunes__Mysterious_Cloud
Another very cinematic theme. Good effects and good orchestral sound.
It's a shame that it takes too long for the main part to arrive and that it ends so quickly.
Maybe I would have made the effects part shorter and developed the music part more.
Nice work too.


(translated with google)

This month is very difficult to choose. All the subjects are very good.
► Show Spoiler

Re: SONGWRITING COMPETITION - SWC072 August 2023 - Voting until 01-SEP-2023 23:59 UTC+2/CEST

Posted: Fri Sep 01, 2023 19:14 CEST
by VCA-089
The summer is ending and vacations are also coming to an end. I hope you enjoyed making music in this season as I did.

For this month's competition I just threw all the sounds I used to work with and tuned them to taste. The whole composition almost naturally bloomed out of small musical ideas. I kept adding layers and details until it become "full" to me. Sometimes this approach to making music works, sometimes not...

My feedback:
► Show Spoiler
Voting:
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Re: SONGWRITING COMPETITION - SWC072 August 2023 - Voting until 01-SEP-2023 23:59 UTC+2/CEST

Posted: Fri Sep 01, 2023 21:02 CEST
by The Exponent
Hey Guys,

It was a very intriguing theme this round and the way people composed with the theme or made adjustments to fit their composition to the theme, was very interesting. Kudos to everyone making an effort and submitting their tunes! As always, everyone has a different lens in how they compose music or how they assess others' work so there's often nothing objectively wrong in that. There is no right or wrong in art!

Personal Reflection/Lessons learnt:
► Show Spoiler
Subjective/Objective Feedback!
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Ranking (was very hard to determine the order this time):
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Reponses to some questions/feedback:
  • @satyatunes The piano is just the LABS piano with a high shelf and low cut. It's a really nice piano!
  • @Crosshatched There's actually a fade, bit I wanted it to swell and end abruptly. The last bit of the piano notes swelling was basically the last piano chord rendered and reversed. Maybe the outro could have been a bit longer, but oh well.
  • @VCA-089 I did clip the drums a bit manually to make them sound distorted. Trailer hits typically have a bit of distortion. But I agree, they could have been a little quieter.

Re: SONGWRITING COMPETITION - SWC072 August 2023 - Voting until 01-SEP-2023 23:59 UTC+2/CEST

Posted: Fri Sep 01, 2023 22:09 CEST
by KukoBass
Hello everybody,

I'm having a hard time voting this month because the songs are difficult to compare to each other. Having listened to the songs on repeat for the last days, I discovered a lot of nuances I like but have difficulties to describe. And I'm still not sure about my ranking while I type this, but a ranking has to be made before the end of the deadline. :whiteflag:

My experience this month:
The photo inspired me to try something cinematic, but I had trouble keeping it that way. In hindsight, I think I should have stuck with my initial idea.

I began with the rain sample, the deep brass and the deep strings and added the stringy chords on top of that. Somehow the pure cinematic approach did not keep the song interesting enough for me, so I started to set up a classical song structure (ABAB) and a more songlike instrumentation (e-piano, electric guitar, acoustic bass guitar). I thought about adding a C-Part and a more melodic string movement, but I felt the song was long enough as it is.

In terms of production, I feel stuck. I'm afraid I won't make much progress unless I start training my ears to hear what seems so obvious for the others but not for me.

My feedback:
As always, my comments are to be taken with a grain of salt, as they come from a hobby musician's perspective.
► Show Spoiler

My ranking from 1-5:
As said before, it was very difficult to get a ranking. At last, I preferred the cinematic pieces over the "classic" songs.
► Show Spoiler

SONGWRITING COMPETITION - SWC072 August 2023 - results in preparation

Posted: Fri Sep 01, 2023 22:47 CEST
by Mister Fox
It's the 01st September 2023, 22:45 (UTC+2/CEST) still - and it looks like, everyone has already posted their feedback and cast a vote. That means, the Voting Period has officially ended.

Since everyone has sent in feedback and cast a vote, we therefore have no disqualification.
But we do have some fluctuations with bonus points. :thinking:


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


Please have an eye on this thread :educate:

Re: SONGWRITING COMPETITION - SWC072 August 2023 - Voting until 01-SEP-2023 23:59 UTC+2/CEST

Posted: Sat Sep 02, 2023 08:38 CEST
by A Future in Noise
KukoBass wrote:
Fri Sep 01, 2023 22:09 CEST
The choir is great. How did you produce that?
It's me who sings two voices. (Or should I use the word 'parts'? I'm pretty sure 'Stimmen' is the correct word in German.) Then I used Elastique to raise both voices/Stimmen an octave (ie: I sang the first two parts one more time, before raising an octave, to create a more natural variation). A lot of EQ, panning, and then chorus-FX. Normally, no one is fooled by a man's voice raised 12 semitones – no one's gonna think it's a woman singing. But I've created a choir this way before, and it apparently seems to work.

Re: SONGWRITING COMPETITION - SWC072 August 2023 - Voting until 01-SEP-2023 23:59 UTC+2/CEST

Posted: Sat Sep 02, 2023 15:07 CEST
by KukoBass
A Future in Noise wrote:
Sat Sep 02, 2023 08:38 CEST
It's me who sings two voices. (Or should I use the word 'parts'? I'm pretty sure 'Stimmen' is the correct word in German.) Then I used Elastique to raise both voices/Stimmen an octave (ie: I sang the first two parts one more time, before raising an octave, to create a more natural variation). A lot of EQ, panning, and then chours-FX. Normally, no one is fooled by a man's voice raised 12 semitones – no one's gonna think it's a woman singing. But I've created a choir this way before, and it apparently seems to work.
It works really well in my opinion; it sounds like there are many more voices than there really are.
I'll try this technique for sure. Thank you for your answer!