Voting For Composition Challenge 31

stratman3142

This is the combined Voting and Discussion thread.

Please use this thread to cast your votes for your favourite entries to Fretboard Composition Challenge

VOTING AND DATES

Voting System - voters can pick their favourite entries.

First choice gets 5 points - Second choice gets 3 points - Third choice gets 1 point

The entry with the most points wins.

Simply post in this thread your top three choices for winner in order, 1st choice first etc etc. 

(Note for Entrants of the competition: Self Voting is not allowed)

Voting ends midnight 23rd March 2021, and the results will be announced shortly after.

No prizes, it's just for fun.

PLAYLIST

Below is the playlist of entries:

https://soundcloud.com/thefretboard/sets/composition-challenge-31

Springywheel

Cool entries, I enjoyed them all, but these are my top 3...

5 pts - @Snap ;;;;;;;; I like the driving beat of the drums (particularly the snare sample) and how the track takes its time to build up.
3 pts - @stratman3142 ;;;;;;;; Great intro leading up to the main theme. Boss-level solo to carry the track. 
1 pt -  @BahHumbug Totally chill; I love the melodies + the effect you're using on the guitar (sounds like it's being doubled by an analogue synth?) 

Snap

5pts @stratman3142 - has to get top marks for the ocarina and Jaw Harp alone! Great guitar work, and tone, too
3pts @Springywheel just a cool vibe and a good resolution towards the end
1pt @fretmeister a bit of a Crazy Horse vibe going on here, but with better bass playing ace stuff

Habanero

5pts @fretmeister - epic with great pacing and light and dark - found myself humming the chorus whilst filling the dishwasher

3pts @stratman3142 - great playing and sound quality - reminds me of the '80s Shrapnel records

1pt @MagicPigDetective - love the grunge feel - you should definitely add some angry vocals

Snags

I'm going to have to stop voting on these, because they always all have so much merit, but in different ways. However ...

5pts - @Snap ;

3pts - @stratman3142 ;

1pt - @fretmeister ;

Enjoyed all of them though, and @MagicPigDetective you need to put some vocals on that track, would make it proper Bush/Puddle Of Mud-tastic.

MagicPigDetective

They’re all very good. I’m very impressed by the production, my entry is positively rough demo-like in comparison. Any tips on production/mixing welcome, I think the drums could be louder for starters. It was a one-take solo, I could have spent hours crafting the perfect solo but just kept it in for the spontaneity value. I was using Reaper, Ezdrummer and HX Stomp for the first time, there's hell of a lot to learn. And yes it’s crying out for vocals, I’m not much of a singer though.

5pts @fretmeister ;;
3pts @Springywheel ;;
1pts @Habanero ;;

Springywheel

MagicPigDetective said:

 Any tips on production/mixing welcome, I think the drums could be louder for starters. 

The guitar tones are awesome. Like you say the drums could be a little louder. Snare sounds a bit flabby...needs more 'snap'. To my ears anyway. More highs to the hats/cymbals (shelve 8khz onwards). More distinction between kick n bass. It sometimes helps to boost 60-80hz on the kick and attenuate that on the bass, then boost 100-140hz on the bass and attenuate that on the kick.  You have to sweep around to find the best freqs to boost. 

fretmeister

I should have been working - but I've spent the afternoon listening to them all a couple of times.

5 Points to @Habanero Loved it. Funny, has a relatable story (I like that in lyrics) and I love Curry to the point where the work should always have a capital letter. Hail Curry! Humour should be in more songs.

3 points: @MagicPigDetective Really close between this and 1st place. It does need vocals (get it done man - none of us on here are Pavarotti) but the feel, the grindy tight sloppiness is just ace. Loved the solo near the end - a proper thick and chewy approach that has more life than any widdle fest. I want to hear this again when it has some vox. Of if you like, if you write them I'll try and sing them for you if you aren't put off by my singing.

1 point: @Snap Quite unusual. A bit like Vangelis had dirty shenanigans with Nine Inch Nails for the early part of the tune. 2nd part of the intro when the drums turned up was excellent. I went back to the beginning to hear it again before listening to the rest. 

MagicPigDetective

Springywheel said:

MagicPigDetective said:

 Any tips on production/mixing welcome, I think the drums could be louder for starters. 

The guitar tones are awesome. Like you say the drums could be a little louder. Snare sounds a bit flabby...needs more 'snap'. To my ears anyway. More highs to the hats/cymbals (shelve 8khz onwards). More distinction between kick n bass. It sometimes helps to boost 60-80hz on the kick and attenuate that on the bass, then boost 100-140hz on the bass and attenuate that on the kick.  You have to sweep around to find the best freqs to boost. 

On adjusting frequencies, would it be a case of having each drum component as a separate track on Reaper when exporting from EzDrummer? As opposed to the drums all being on one track, as I did. Then using a plug in or an editor to change the frequencies of each track Reaper? Or can it be done on EzDrummer itself before laying it down in Reaper? You can change the snare pitch etc and there's a mixer. This is all new to me. 


@fretmeister ;; I'll see what I can do about a vocal........

Springywheel

MagicPigDetective said:

Springywheel said:

MagicPigDetective said:

 Any tips on production/mixing welcome, I think the drums could be louder for starters. 

The guitar tones are awesome. Like you say the drums could be a little louder. Snare sounds a bit flabby...needs more 'snap'. To my ears anyway. More highs to the hats/cymbals (shelve 8khz onwards). More distinction between kick n bass. It sometimes helps to boost 60-80hz on the kick and attenuate that on the bass, then boost 100-140hz on the bass and attenuate that on the kick.  You have to sweep around to find the best freqs to boost. 

On adjusting frequencies, would it be a case of having each drum component as a separate track on Reaper when exporting from EzDrummer? As opposed to the drums all being on one track, as I did. Then using a plug in or an editor to change the frequencies of each track Reaper? Or can it be done on EzDrummer itself before laying it down in Reaper? You can change the snare pitch etc and there's a mixer. This is all new to me. 


@fretmeister ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;; I'll see what I can do about a vocal........

Yeah that’s right...you’d route the kick, snare, hats, and OHs to separate channels in reaper for processing. I don’t use that DAW, but to see how it’s done, do a search for Ezdrummer Reaper Multitracking. You can’t set EQ from within EZD but you can add compression (via the ‘Dynamics’ knob). Basically all I do in EZD is set levels, pan, and maybe tune the snare; dynamics processing and EQ is always done from within my DAW mixer

stratman3142

A nice variety of styles. Good entries all round and hard to choose.

5 points : @Snap : Slow build, pulsing bass leading to aggressive drums. Dark and menacing. Would suit an epic sci-fi film.

3 points : @Springywheel : Spacey. A floating feel with inventive drums that avoid an obvious groove. 

1 point : @BahHumbug : A laidback chilled out style. Nice and sparse. Creates a good understated atmosphere.

 

stratman3142

Voting closes tomorrow (23rd March 2021) at midnight.

BahHumbug

Hmmm, difficult to choose, but:

5 points: @Springywheel , cos I like that sort of thing

3 points: @fretmeister , well written, and kudos for vocal-ing

1 point: @stratman3142, very well put together and played.  A bit of humour too

stratman3142

Voting closed.