This is the combined Voting and Discussion thread.
Thanks to all that entered the competition.
Please use this thread to cast your votes for your favourite entries to Fretboard Challenge #23
VOTING AND DATES
Voting System - voters can pick their top 3 favourite entries.
First choice gets 5 points - Second choice gets 3 points - Third choice gets 1 point
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 11.30pm 14th September 2018, and the top three will be announced shortly after.
REMINDER OF GUIDELINES
The theme for this challenge is "Sounds Of The Summer".
Interpret the theme as you wish. For example (as a couple of pointers), it could be summery sounding piece of music or you could include sounds related to the summer. The main thing is to get as many entrants as possible, so don't get too hung up on the theme if it's giving you problems. You might get a few more votes if your piece has some sort of link to the theme, but I think most people vote for the music anyway.
Each entrant has also provided a picture, which becomes a bit bigger if you click on the individual track in the Soundcloud playlist.
It's not a competition.
Comments
https://www.studiowear.co.uk/ -
https://twitter.com/spark240
Facebook - m.me/studiowear.co.uk
Reddit r/newmusicreview
Loving the other entries, I think I have my favourite but they are all terrific so won't vote yet as I want to listen again a few times
soundcloud.com/thecolourbox-1
youtube.com/@TheColourboxMusic
5 - @thecolourbox - really nice tune & melody, not sure where the Summer bit comes in !....
3 - @Fretwired - Good mix, cool guitar work.
1 - @stratman - Summer holiday meets Madonna !...
Good work people.
https://www.studiowear.co.uk/ -
https://twitter.com/spark240
Facebook - m.me/studiowear.co.uk
Reddit r/newmusicreview
Pretentious
soundcloud.com/thecolourbox-1
youtube.com/@TheColourboxMusic
3 Points - @spark240 - Cool Allman Brothers vibe.
1 Point - @thecolourbox - While I was waiting for some guitar I kind of bonded with the song.
“Theory is something that is written down after the music has been made so we can explain it to others”– Levi Clay
3 @spark240 - uplifting jangly guitar
1 @stratman3142 - nice chilled Mediterranean groove.
enjoyed listening to all of these this morning!..
Method:
Piano is one of the acoustic piano models on my Yamaha MX49 keyboard, recorded through the USB interface into Cubase. Recorded stereo as I think it does some stereo wizardry in that the higher notes are louder on the right side, and lower notes louder on the left, like an actual piano. Reverb was from the MX49, but turned up a touch.
Intro (and last few chords) was done without metronome to give a more expressive feel to it. The rest was done with metronome as my solo timing is abysmal. Only did two takes of the piano.
Vocals were through my TC Voicelive as usual, on a Led Zep Whole Lotta Love preset. Recorded mono over a quick mixdown of the piano in Audacity, as I struggle with recording into Cubase (technical issues). Did about three takes of the main bit, settled on the 2nd one as that used a pop filter.
Tried to add more instruments (wanted xylophone to play the intro tune, mellotron strings or organ on the 2nd verse and chorus etc) but it just wouldn't fit. Probably because the piano was stereo and filled a lot of space maybe? So I just eq-ed the piano bass heavy and took a bit of bass of my voice.
Inspiration:
Lyrically it's basically about me fessing something up to my missus last summer, and pretty much just wanting to end everything there and then. Not nice. The link with summer being that whilst it was summertime and I like this time of year normally, I was feeling very cold and very much in a dark season mentally. Happy to say that has since passed somewhat.
Musically, the first bit I had in my head was the "summer on my mind" bit, though I've later realised it's rather similar to the pre chorus of James Bay's Let It Go. Style-wise I wanted it to kind of sound like if Thom Yorke did a John Lennon cover.
The original words were "The sun doesn't shine when you're singing too high or too low", and other such crap just to get the tune nailed. I wanted to practice singing high and breathing quieter, so I deliberately used a vocal fx preset with a long reverb to force me to not snip between phrases to remove breathing as the reverb would just cut off.
soundcloud.com/thecolourbox-1
youtube.com/@TheColourboxMusic
5 points for @thecolourbox - great song. The arrangement works really well with your voice
3 points for @Fretwired - I enjoyed that a lot although I appear to have ended up buying a timeshare in the Algarve while listening
1 point for @stratman3142 - nice uplifting summer holiday number with shameless plagiarism (watch you don't end up in court alongside the bbc)
5 points @Fretwired images of lazy summer beach holidays
3 points @DulcetJones the sounds created images of heat waves rising from the road
1 point @spark240 a very summery sounding piece and my favourite, when considered just as a piece of music
Special mention to @thecolourbox for a great song, but the summer sound wasn't obvious enough for me. I'm probably too insensitive to see it.
Remember, it's easier to criticise than create!
Remember, it's easier to criticise than create!
@stratman 5 points. You had me at the ice cream van theme, genius
@spark240 3 points. Sounds like an outside festival song, like it
@fretwired 1 point. Liked the production
But @DulcetJones I really liked your's too so tough decision who to give points to
soundcloud.com/thecolourbox-1
youtube.com/@TheColourboxMusic
soundcloud.com/thecolourbox-1
youtube.com/@TheColourboxMusic
Remember, it's easier to criticise than create!