KVR :: Music Cafe » January Contest: Gossip [View Original Topic]
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D.H. Miltz - Tue Jan 01, 2013 3:07 am

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Gossip, gripes, queries, quarrels--here's where they go.

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evo2slo - Tue Jan 01, 2013 6:16 am

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Yay no more 192kbps limit!

Question about the compositions must be composed specifically for this contest rule:
I was thinking of using a track I recorded recently for the one synth challenge but reworking it and adding lyrics and other instrumentation for submission to this contest. I feel like it meets the composition rule in that the lyrics and arrangement will be written specifically for this contest, but parts of it such as the chord progression and synth parts have already been written.
Any thoughts on wether this would be an appropriate submission, or would it be disqualified?

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dark.nowhere - Tue Jan 01, 2013 11:32 am

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I'm not 100% clear on rule #6. If I used hardware to produce some tracks, does doing a mixdown in a software multitrack satisfy the rule? How about producing samples with VSTis, then using a hardware sampler? I'd rather satisfy it in spirit than just technically so if anyone can explain the rationale that might help.

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evo2slo - Tue Jan 01, 2013 2:59 pm

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My sense is that the rule is there to avoid someone just submitting a straight recording without doing any processing or mixing of the track. Hardware and outboard gear are totally fine to use as long as a certain amount of mixing and processing is done in a computer so it remains relevant to what KVR is all about - which is software plug-ins and hosts.
I think the spirit of the rule is just to maintain some consistency between the website and the contest entry's. To me the scenarios you described are totally in keeping with that.
But of course our benevolent dictator D.H. will straighten me out if I'm wrong with any of that.

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D.H. Miltz - Tue Jan 01, 2013 7:09 pm

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I think it would be okay, and it won't be disqualified. I'm pretty sure I remember one or two other times when someone mentioned they'd done something along those lines and I don't remember anyone having a problem with it.

Having said that, though, I'm open to arguments the other way (for future contests).

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D.H. Miltz - Tue Jan 01, 2013 7:14 pm

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@dark.nowhere: I think evo2slo's got it right. As long as you use some kind of audio software you meet the requirement. So either of your hypotheticals would be fine.

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dark.nowhere - Wed Jan 02, 2013 5:28 am

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Thanks guys.

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forw - Wed Jan 02, 2013 10:11 am

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hey guys,
I'm busy writing on a song, not sure if I'll use it for the
jan. competition. however it would be great if s.o. of you native english
speakers could check if s.th. sounds strange since I'm not 100% sure?!

thanks in advance!!
forw
---------------
here it is:

billie can't play a minor
doesn't know how to tune the strings
billie, the way you hold this mandoline
there's s.th. wrong the way you do

billie's in our band
billie's in our band

cause he's the only mandoline play in town

billie can't play d minor
has never learned to tune the strings
billie, the way you hold this mandoline
must really hurt your back

billie's in our band
billie's in our band

cause he's the only mandoline player in town

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evo2slo - Wed Jan 02, 2013 12:09 pm

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By 's.o.' do you mean 'some'?
By 's.th.' do you mean 'something'?

If it does mean 'something' then I think it works very well the way it's used.

Will you be playing mandolin on the track? I hope we get to hear it!

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forw - Wed Jan 02, 2013 12:17 pm

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s.o. = someone
s.th. = something

I was not sure about these lines in perticular, but seems fine then, thanks!!

billie, the way you hold this mandoline
there's s.th. wrong the way you do

billie, the way you hold this mandoline
must really hurt your back

I can't really play mandoline or guitar but ..hey! why not! I have an acoustic one in my room! good idea!!!!

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evo2slo - Wed Jan 02, 2013 12:35 pm

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Nice thing is the worse you play the better it will fit the song.

My first thought when reading the second line was that mandolins are so small and light, how could it hurt his back? Then I realized you meant that he must awkwardly hunch over it. Even if it's misunderstood I still think its funny.

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forw - Wed Jan 02, 2013 12:50 pm

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haha, yeah , true : )



yes, I had this in mind

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robojam - Wed Jan 02, 2013 1:00 pm

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Free for all eh? Might make it easier for me to participate this month.

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kryptonaut - Wed Jan 02, 2013 2:33 pm

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Nice idea



It sounds a bit unusual to me, ending with 'do' - it would sound more natural as something like:

There's s.th. wrong with the way you do it
or
There's s.th. wrong with what you're doing
or
There's s.th. wrong with what you do
or
There's s.th. wrong with how you do it
or you could say
There's s.th. wrong, the way you do it



Should be player

Hopefully that won't mess up your syllable count too much!
Looking forward to hearing it

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forw - Wed Jan 02, 2013 2:41 pm

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Ups, yes, was supposed be be player..
thanks alot for correcting the other sentence!

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Aziraphal - Fri Jan 04, 2013 2:36 am

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I hope to enter this month. I need some naughty Latin lyrics ... any suggestions?
Cheers Matt

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kryptonaut - Fri Jan 04, 2013 6:13 am

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Latin as in '¡Ay, caramba!', or as in 'Romani ite domum' ? Not that I could help much with either...

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evo2slo - Fri Jan 04, 2013 6:16 am

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'Semper ubi sub ubi' could be a good refrain.

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Aziraphal - Fri Jan 04, 2013 11:10 am

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The Latin of the gladiators, lions and orgies context, of course. Ahh those were the days.

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kryptonaut - Fri Jan 04, 2013 12:32 pm

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Check out the works of Roman poets Martial and Catullus - some of those were rather naughty. You can find the original Latin and various English translations on the internet, although not always on the same site.

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nahkaorava - Sat Jan 05, 2013 2:52 am

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Free for all... Too many options, hard to choose!

Btw, getting a new computer this month. Never been more excited about anything before! My old computer is really weak and total pain in the ass... Nerve racking to make music with that one, hopefully it gets better with the new one!

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ClaRago - Sat Jan 05, 2013 6:14 am

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You might find some inspiration in the life of Nero: SVETONI TRANQVILII VITA NERONIS.
I am really looking forward to the end result .

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forw - Sun Jan 06, 2013 4:35 am

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@broodkillphill: you need to use the URL BBcode, otherwise the soundcloudlink won't display as a playable file.

check this
http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=4835525#4835525

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broodkillphill - Sun Jan 06, 2013 8:45 pm

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lol got it.

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spirulence - Tue Jan 08, 2013 7:49 pm

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I was in the same boat this month!

I had just purchased a Mac Mini to use as a game development machine when I recalled that REAPER also comes in a Mac flavor - I set it up last night, and was surprised to find that I liked it. So I bought a couple of Linplug plugins, and transferred over a Waves license I had been planning to use on the dying laptop, and this contest piece just came rolling out. I am very pleased.

Also, Waves is doing a HUGE discount on their Renaissance bundle right now - $99 sale price vs. $350 MSRP. For somebody like me who has lived on free dynamics processors for almost as long as I've had this hobby, it's a big upgrade. RBass and RCompressor are new favorite plugins.


Land of Trees:
Not my cup of tea, but the contrast between sonorous strings and harsh digital noises is cool.

the promise:
Is that really 62 BPM? Sounds more like 92. When it gets going, I really like it. I didn't want it to be over.

Retrospective 2012:
More mathy than enjoyable for me. I fully expect that I will take time to figure out how you encoded those various things, though.


Edit: added some coloring

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ClaRago - Wed Jan 09, 2013 7:43 am

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My entry is in on the submissions page: « Roundabout Waltz » . I guess it is about the cycle of years & the various cycles of life, the sort of thing you are supposed to think about at the beginning of January .
Also a reminder that you should have as much fun as you can as long as it goes round. Because one day, it will stop.
There is a thought ( in the title) for Dave Brubeck (a master for turning waltzes, and everything else- including zwiefachers*-, into jazz masterpieces) who left us about a month ago.

I have been working on 3 or 4 drafts for this entry ( I really wanted to play the guitar for once but ended up with some sort of rather awkward patchwork- I will hopefully use some bits in the future) & strangely I am ending up submitting what was originally my least favourite theme. That leaves me with a few threads I can follow up now, contest free.

* edited following Mellotronaut's remark below.

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mellotronaut - Wed Jan 09, 2013 8:50 am

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very nice song, ClaRago!

it's not a Waltz though, but either a so called Zwiefacher, which alters fastly between 3/4 and 2/4. it is used mainly in Bavarian folk music.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zwiefacher
or simply a 5/4 rhythm.

cheers

mello

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Emerald Tablet - Wed Jan 09, 2013 9:00 am

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Thanks spirulance

Its 62 but i never care too much about bpm
62 is also 93 or 124 or 31 Bpm.
Its all just a matter of where you tap your feet.

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ClaRago - Wed Jan 09, 2013 9:26 am

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Thank you Mellotronaut for the piece of info, I sort of realised it was not a proper waltz as it was going poum-poum-poum poum-poum .
So the song is now called "Roundabout Zwiefacher" , I just hope nobody is going to turn up now telling me it is not a roundabout either but a whirligig !!!

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mellotronaut - Wed Jan 09, 2013 2:58 pm

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it is a ...







... hebble hubble bibblgig

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kryptonaut - Thu Jan 10, 2013 1:42 am

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Thanks for the comment. I should probably have said 'referenced' rather than 'encoded', some of the mappings are less rigorous than others!




Interesting to read about Zwiefacher rhythms, thanks for the link - must try that some time! But I can't hear ClaRago's entry as anything other than 3/4 time. Am I listening to it in the wrong way?

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mellotronaut - Thu Jan 10, 2013 3:14 am

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partly yes: try to dance a Waltz to it! you'll find 'one two one two three, one two one two three etc.'





maybe a good topic for next month's contest: ¡do the Zwiefacher!

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kryptonaut - Thu Jan 10, 2013 3:41 am

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Hmmm... what I hear is closer to 'ONE two AND three ONE TWO THREE', so still fitting into a 3/4 signature, and quite waltzable-to. The score linked from the Wikipedia Zwiefacher page is rather different: Schaufelstiel (pdf)

But yes, a Zwiefacher theme would be interesting

[Edit:] 'Golden Brown' by The Stranglers is something that I would say had 'Zwiefacher' sections to it. 1 2 3, 1 2 3, 1 2 3, 1 2, 1 2, ... I remember it being very hard to dance to when I was a student, but that may have been because of the beer

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ClaRago - Thu Jan 10, 2013 5:52 am

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Sorry for having started a "time signature war". It confirmed me however into getting serious with one of my new year's resolutions which is to take some music theory lessons .I am a bit embarrassed of not being able to confirm the signature of my own submission.

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kryptonaut - Thu Jan 10, 2013 6:29 am

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War? Nah, just a friendly discussion between a couple of 'nauts

Theory can be interesting, but knowing theory isn't essential to making good music. I suppose sometimes it might be useful when talking about it, though! Anyway, it's certainly not something to feel embarrassed about.

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mellotronaut - Thu Jan 10, 2013 6:56 am

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exactly. i love me some '-nauts'



that's it.

i agree mostly on 'Golden Brown', but there is also some ordinary 4/4 going on, imo.

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ClaRago - Thu Jan 10, 2013 7:48 am

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According to songfacts.com:
The intro (and the parts like it) sound like three bars of 3/4, then one of 4/4, with the rest just straight 3/4 like a waltz.
I do not know ,a great song anyway.

Kryptonaut , you actually attempted to dance to that tune? Did you waltz or did you zwiefach?

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mellotronaut - Thu Jan 10, 2013 8:13 am

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this means: onetwothreeonetwothreeonetwothreeonetwoonetwo (Zwiefacher) and then Waltz



well, he waltzed a nauty zwie

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kryptonaut - Thu Jan 10, 2013 8:25 am

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I think I lurched drunkenly from one foot to the other in a rhythmically complex and ever-changing pattern, probably completely unrelated to the song's time-signature.

Actually, on reflection I'm now wondering whether your song would be better described as 6/8...

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Mister Natural - Fri Jan 11, 2013 11:45 pm

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wrestling with a new piece this month & all I can say here is "arghhh !"

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ClaRago - Sat Jan 12, 2013 2:01 am

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Glad to see you back anyway. You still have a few days to sort it out.

@ ..nauts & co
This what my friend who is a piano & singing teacher had to say:

"I have just listened to the waltz and if I had to give it a time signature, I would have given it a compound duple time one ie 6/8. More a duple feel than triple, which is why I would not give it the traditional waltz time signature. "

I wish you all a good week end full of music , waltzing, lurching or whatever you feel like.

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mellotronaut - Sat Jan 12, 2013 3:32 am

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sounds like a compromise between the nauty boys

cheers

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Aziraphal - Sun Jan 13, 2013 4:19 am

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Yay, my wonderful family ran away to granma's and left me to record some epic (and very loud) choirs in peace. (neighbors' peace is another matter but I guess the walls are thick enough).

And never mind the latin bollocios, the ditty will now bear the catchy title of Triskaidekaphobia!

Cheers Matt

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Mister Natural - Mon Jan 14, 2013 5:31 pm

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I'm in !

I think my piece tells the story for me of a dis-quieting moon

comments appreciated on my SoundCloud page

peace

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Soughtafter Sounds - Tue Jan 15, 2013 9:44 am

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Thank you Irion Da Ronin for your comments it means a lot

With this being the first time in entering the competition, I would just like to say "Hi all" and happy to be part of the great & welcoming atmosphere on KVR.

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Zabrilla - Wed Jan 16, 2013 4:29 am

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Hi All, glad to join in this month, great fun reading through KVR, I really enjoyed listening to the other submissions, mine feels a little bit mainstream in comparison haha but there we go

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ClaRago - Wed Jan 16, 2013 7:26 am

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We are all fishes from different rivers & do not share the same mainstream. That's one of the great things about the KVR forums & contests which I have only really discovered very recently.I would probably not naturally listen to the kind of music you listen to & like to play & reciprocally. I enjoyed your track though, I only listened to it once this am but it sounded spacy & happy at the same time .There will be more tracks & hopefully all very varied from people with different backgrounds & tastes.And I will listen again to your entry.

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Zabrilla - Wed Jan 16, 2013 1:40 pm

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Thanks man and so very true. The power of the internet when at its best.

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Emerald Tablet - Fri Jan 18, 2013 3:43 am

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all tracks are lovely

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Mister Natural - Sat Jan 19, 2013 1:31 pm

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quick question - where on the planet is everyone from here ?

some have a location listed but many do not & this aspect of this music-forum facinates me

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D.H. Miltz - Sat Jan 19, 2013 5:30 pm

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Minnesota. (Just me, I mean, not everyone.)

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slartibartfast - Sat Jan 19, 2013 6:29 pm

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I'm from Magrathea, but currently residing in Perth, Western Australia....

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Mister Natural - Sat Jan 19, 2013 10:01 pm

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I'm in Michigan, a small town near Lake Michigan

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Hellfog - Sun Jan 20, 2013 2:12 am

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From Sweden.

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ClaRago - Sun Jan 20, 2013 3:56 am

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Mr Natural, I am a frog , born on the Atlantic coast near the Spanish border. I am now settled in Fontainebleau ,a small city in the middle of a big forest not far from Paris , after a few years spent in Morocco & the UK amongst other places. I miss the ocean very much so I might move again sometime. So Dan you are from "the little town that time forgot, and the decades cannot improve,".

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VicDiesel - Sun Jan 20, 2013 5:58 am

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From a small country by the North Sea, living in Austin TX.

Victor.

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Soughtafter Sounds - Sun Jan 20, 2013 12:41 pm

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I'm from the UK.

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D.H. Miltz - Sun Jan 20, 2013 4:47 pm

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Or thereabouts. I confess that I'm not a Keillor fan, though. I did, however, first hear one of my favorite poems through him (Writer's Almanac), so I'm grateful to him for that.

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ClaRago - Mon Jan 21, 2013 12:36 am

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Nice one ,thanks for the link. I eventually got bored with Keillor but he made me laugh quite a bit before it happened so I am grateful too.

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folderol - Mon Jan 21, 2013 11:06 am

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Quite a wide range of ideas this month. Real mixture of old new artists too. Could do with a few more entries of course

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ClaRago - Mon Jan 21, 2013 11:54 pm

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What is a old new artist ? What is the difference with a new old artist? Are there old old artists and new new artists then ?
Oh, you are an electronic engineer ! ! Must have something to do with some binary function we , 100% human beings, do not compute with our little brains.
Only joking

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bzur - Tue Jan 22, 2013 1:23 am

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Me too! Me too!

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ClaRago - Tue Jan 22, 2013 7:17 am

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Gosh, I'm surrounded!!

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bzur - Tue Jan 22, 2013 9:10 am

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Oh, don't worry, I'm a web developer now (or sort of).

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robojam - Tue Jan 22, 2013 9:20 am

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Didn't manage to get anything together this month, but I'll answer that question anyway (and try to get something completed next month).

I'm originally from Portsmouth in the UK, but lived in Perth in Australia for a while, then in New Hampshire in the US and currently in South Carolina (via North Carolina for a few years).

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folderol - Tue Jan 22, 2013 10:05 am

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That'll learn ya not to be a cheeky little munkee

Us inginears is a prol.. pro.. there's a lot of us about 'K.

Besides I'm only a part-time finngy these days and like wot I don't work all the time every day, I don't use all the keys on the kompooter all the time

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robojam - Tue Jan 22, 2013 10:15 am

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Oh and just to add - I studied EEE at college too.

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solidtrax - Tue Jan 22, 2013 10:45 am

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bzur, your submission this month is amazing, every time we listen to your music you inspire us! Our OSC37 track Are We Dreaming is an example of what happens when we make music that is inspired by your music!

Good luck in this competition!

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bzur - Tue Jan 22, 2013 1:44 pm

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Thank you, dear friends By the way, I recently watched the video with your track, it's really beautiful! Keep on the good work.

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Aziraphal - Wed Jan 23, 2013 3:24 pm

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The pocket country of Slovenia, that gave the world such exports as the band Laibach, Slavoj Žižek, arguably the most famous polka and this glorious Eurovision entry

Whee, I'm in

Cheers Matt

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Zabrilla - Wed Jan 23, 2013 3:50 pm

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Everyone here is from Liverpool, England....Wait, nope its only me. Sunny, Sunny Liverpool.

Load of inspirational music this month, really cool just to listen to all of the collective eclecticisms

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Shangsean - Wed Jan 23, 2013 4:54 pm

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I'm from Sydney, Australia, but I've been living in China(Shanghai) for about 9 years.

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Mister Natural - Wed Jan 23, 2013 5:15 pm

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^ BRILLIANT

as I mentioned; it's amazing that we're all making(beautiful) music with computers in all four corners of the globe !

peace

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peppy197 - Wed Jan 23, 2013 7:27 pm

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CAnada?

Nope

I come directly from what caused the Big Bang
But then, there is no "I"

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IrionDaRonin - Thu Jan 24, 2013 2:49 am

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Hi buddies.

Just wondering if i could upload the track in 320 kbps. There is no more rules about this?
And what will be the challenge the next month?

Have a nice day

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klawire - Thu Jan 24, 2013 2:58 am

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This is the first time I'm attending any competition on this site (only found it a month ago or so). Interesting to see what everyone's came up with!

The chilly Finland. There really are people from all around the world (Europe, Asia, Americas, Oceania) here!

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slartibartfast - Thu Jan 24, 2013 5:08 am

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...and other planets. Truly!

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slartibartfast - Thu Jan 24, 2013 6:08 am

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Things have been very quiet on the review front, so I will hopefully get things moving.

Note that these are personal opinions only. I have tried to be honest but constructive. Please don't take any criticism personally.

These reviews are in the order my mp3 player queued them up - I think in alphabetical order by track title. There is one .ogg submission that my mp3 player won't play, so I will tackle that separately. Only enough time to review the first 10 tracks. The remainder will follow in due course.

hellfog - Back and Forth
A wonderfully relaxed piece of classical guitar that is well played. The background pads blend beautifully, and the simply played piano adds variety and interest, while being in total keeping with the rest of the track. I really enjoy listening to this - again and again and again.

beanpole - Bedroom Angst
Nice intro, with well recorded acoustic guitars. This then leads into a well-structured pop song. The double-tracked vocals during the verse didn't quite work for me - I think I would have preferred a single well sung track - and the vocals were slightly muddy in the mix. The double tracking and octaving in the chorus does work really well though and creates the "lift" that you would expect. The lyrics are OK, although having a song about having difficulty writing a song is not particularly original and slightly twee. The snare and hats on the drums seem a little weak in the mix (for my taste), and the ending is pretty sudden. Overall though this is a very pleasant listen.

D.H. Miltz - Drift
Creative noodling with weird background noises - definitely unusual. While the laid-back guitar work fits the description of "drift", I found the background noises (the dog in particular) to be very distracting and I couldn't quite work out what the intent was in including them (other than to disturb the drifting). Another very sudden ending. Hard to work this one out, and I didn't really connect with it as a result.

bzur - Morning Bells
Great piano work in this one, with little trills and great dynamic variation and touch. The bells work in harmony with the piano nicely, and the other instrumentation is beautifully arranged and mixed. This is a piece that embraces you, destresses you and carries you away floating into another more relaxed world. I like the way it builds throughout, and then lets you down gently at the end. Simply great stuff.

Land of Trees - Broodkillphill
One of the more bizarre tracks this month - definitely creatively original. Sounds like a string ensemble got caught in a short-circuiting electrical cabinet on a space ship. It's not something that I would have queued up for repeated listening, but I could imagine this working as theme music for some cop show/thriller/urban drama with violence involved.....

Klawire - One Way Out
Interesting to see a number of orchestral tracks submitted this month - perhaps a potential theme for a future contest? This piece builds to a nice crescendo at the end, but in the early parts (up to about 1:20) is let down somewhat by string parts that aren't quite dramatic or emotive enough to carry the piece, and don't quite fit with the dramatic drum sounds that build behind it - and the guitar doesn't really fit in the mix either - particularly right at the start. From 1:20 onwards however, this is a really strong piece. The choir adds strength and humanity, and the faster string parts fit much more comfortably with the dramatic percussion. I could listen to those last 45 seconds over and over again....

shangsean - Pain
Another more experimental piece. It really is great to see the variety that this contest produces. I like the way this one builds, and then drops out about 1:40. There is an interesting blend of sounds and instruments. Not perhaps quite as painful as the title might suggest - for me it more brings out mental and visual images of slavery to the industrial era - a wasteland of large factories full of noise, smoke and dust - eventually collapsing into oblivion. Good stuff.

kryptonaut - Retrospective 2012
Full of luscious bass playing and polyrhythms, this one is definitely on continuous repeat. I love the way this starts out simply and builds in complexity and interest as it goes on before relaxing into the end. The contrapuntal keyboard sounds interplay wonderfully with each other - and that bass playing.....yum! A crisp clear mix with everything beautifully distinct. Masterful stuff.

ClaRago - Roundabout Waltz
When this first started I got all excited - let's have me some jaaaaaaazzz! Nice jazzy piano chords and complex jazzy drum rhythms hint at wonderfulness to come. However it turns out that this isn't quite as jazzy as I thought it would be. Sure there are some good jazz chords in here, but everything is QUANTISED - EEK! And there is too much "on the beat" playing towards the end - nowhere near enough complexity and syncopation. There is none of that improvisational jazzy feel. After a promising start, the drums (which otherwise are excellent) are overpowered by a repetive motif played on the ride cymbal that just ain't jazz. Very promising, but not quite there yet.

spirulence - Space Explorer
This has a cool groove to it, and a gorgeous sub bass. Well structured and interesting and with a good mix. I enjoy the laid back feel and the warm sounds that just beg you to close your eyes and drift away with the music. This stands up to repeated listening. Very enjoyable indeed.

My $0.02

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D.H. Miltz - Thu Jan 24, 2013 8:51 am

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Hi, Irion.

At least for now I've removed the 192 kbps rule, so you can indeed upload the track in 320 kbps.

I'll post next month's theme when I lock the submissions thread in about 18 hours.

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D.H. Miltz - Thu Jan 24, 2013 8:53 am

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Thanks for the review(s), slartibartfast.

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D.H. Miltz - Thu Jan 24, 2013 8:59 am

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Anyone having trouble due to the quality limit being lifted? If so, speak up.

I'm managing okay even with dial-up, so barring widespread complaints I think I'll keep the limit lifted (if theres's a month with a longer time limit as part of the theme the limit would probably be reinstated for that month). But it's still open for discussion.

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ClaRago - Thu Jan 24, 2013 9:34 am

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@Irion

VSTis used
·U-he Zebra 2

What a surprise !!!

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bzur - Thu Jan 24, 2013 9:53 am

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No problems here, just a request: is it possible to replace my 192Kbps entry with the 320Kbps version? At first I didn't read about the new rule, so I uploaded both versions on souncloud.

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bzur - Thu Jan 24, 2013 9:55 am

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Thanks for the nice feedback

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D.H. Miltz - Thu Jan 24, 2013 10:25 am

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Sure, that's fine.

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Hellfog - Thu Jan 24, 2013 11:43 am

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Thank You, glad you liked it.


Here a couple of more acoustic tracks, only acoustic guitar here.
https://soundcloud.com/psyerichybrid/sets/acoustic-116

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GMoneh - Thu Jan 24, 2013 3:37 pm

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Phew... barely made it... work has been crazy this past couple of months, but I figured I couldn't miss the first Free For All in the D.H. Miltz era, could I? (who knows when the next is gonna be )

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D.H. Miltz - Fri Jan 25, 2013 3:18 am

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Submissions thread is locked, voting thread is up.

For next month, a broadened version of a suggestion from kryptonaut:

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forw - Fri Jan 25, 2013 4:59 am

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@broodkillphill:
really nice string samples!! where are those from?

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klawire - Fri Jan 25, 2013 5:05 am

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Damn there are many submissions! Wish there were less so I'd have time to give detailed reviews, now I guess I can only place them in my order of preference and that's it...

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VicDiesel - Fri Jan 25, 2013 5:27 am

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Not really. In the past there have been months of 60 or so submissions.

The thing I was going to "Damn" about is the graphics talent. I'll have to supply a high quality visual on my submission next time.

Victor.

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GMoneh - Fri Jan 25, 2013 5:58 am

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Finally making my way through the gossip thread, and found your question...

I'm originally from Costa Rica, but for 15 years now living in North Carolina, USA.

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klawire - Fri Jan 25, 2013 6:18 am

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Ok, here's my review for my top ten submissions of this contest.

Bzur - La prima cosa che mi viene in mente (Morning bells): Absolutely beautiful in all levels. Just imagine what kind of impact this song would have if performed live in front of a live audience... Virtual instruments tend to sound a bit off in this kind of compositions, you've done a good job eliminating that feeling. Only the strings sound a little unrealistic, but it doesn't really detract from the overall experience. However, the song sounds too clean. You could add some hall noise or something, and add some timing errors to the instruments: not that much that you can hear them, but enough so you can feel them. Top-notch production. This song is clearly my favorite submission in this contest, could listen to it for hours.

GMoneh - The Darkness Before Dawn: Beautiful piano in the beginning, I could put it on repeat and just listen over and over again. Great production, melodies and chord progression. Still, would have preferred an acoustic version for more emotion. Maybe acoustic drums, piano, violin and a guitar... This song had the opportunity to be the best in my books, but it focused too much on repeating the themes established in the beginning. And while reading this comment, keep in mind, that the better the song, the more critical I tend to be about it.

Evo2slo - Closer to the Sun Part II - The Mission of Today: I really like the sound of this song. Good live singing with meaningful lyrics is always a plus in my eyes. Still, I fealt like the singer could have done a better job and given a more emotional performance. Now he sounds a bit cold. Otherwise liked the sound of the song, the guitar riffs and pretty much everything.

Hellfog - Back And Forth: Nice latino-style guitar playing combined with an interesting if a bit cliche chord and melody progression. Simply beautiful. Could have been even better with developing the theme further, given that the song only lasts a bit over 2 minutes.

Shangsean - PAIN: There's some inexplainable beauty in dark, texture and sound design based music. Brooding atmosphere, a sense of progression, good sound design, what's not to like!

Irion Da Ronin - Back to Childhood: Pleasant soundscape. The melodies sound a bit like Asian/Chinese/Japanese traditional music. Great work!

Aziraphal - Triskaidekaphobia: Definitely something different and fresh! Brings images from Eastern Europe to my mind. From 0:45 to 1:18 onwards like 80's song from Estonia.

Soughtafter Sounds - Mystic Chaos: Interesting melodies and harmonies, evolves nicely throughout the entire piece. Sounds a bit synthy, especially the string runs.

Slartibartfast - HNY: Pleasant sound and melodies. Very good production, could use some more variety.

VicDiesel - Third candle: Nice harmonies and there's just something awesome in live playing. Especially good considering the limitations the instrument choice brings into play. I spent some time deciding between this one and "The Sparkling Brook", in the end I chose "Third candle" as #10.

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kryptonaut - Fri Jan 25, 2013 8:11 am

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Thank you very much for the review! Very glad you enjoyed it

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slartibartfast - Fri Jan 25, 2013 11:41 pm

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Reviews part two.

spirulence & folderol - The Glass Mountain
Similar feel to spirulence's solo contribution. Calm and relaxing. Given the synthesised tones used for the rest of the track, the flute tone seems slightly out of place - the slightly distorted lead tone that replaces it is more in keeping with the feel of the rest of the track. Well produced and very pleasant listening.

Emerald Tablet - The Promise
Slightly retro and interesting sounds in this. Kind of like Jarre meets Kraftwerk. I particularly like the bass that comes in at about 0:33 - sounds like a cello through some sort of resonant filter - nice! Another chillax track - sounds as though most of us fell asleep on the couch after too much Christmas pudding....

Norf n Souf - The Sparkling Brook
Another pleasant easy-listening track. Not sure that all of the guitar/mandolin(?) playing is quite in time, and all of the instruments don't quite sit comfortably in the mix. This has a nice folk-y feel to it though. Good without having anything outstanding that grabs my attention.

VicDiesel - Third Candle
Certainly an interesting choice of instruments to write for. The timings and harmonies all work well. This has a slightly medieval religious feel, and I could imagine this being used as background music for a suitable documentary. Very different to other entries this month - which is always a good thing. Thanks for sharing this.

Aziraphal - Triskaidekaphobia
What an epic track - hard to believe that this is all put together by one person in less than a month - you not only have a lot of talent, but must have a lot of time on your hands. Those vocal tracks and harmonies on their own must have taken ages to record and mix. This is an awesome track on so many levels. The mix is superb, the orchestration perfect, the detailed fills in the drumming, the epic vocals, the lyrics. An outstanding concept brilliantly executed.

Mr Natural - Your Moon is but a Sliver
An unusual structure to this track, and you are never quite sure where this one is going. A pleasant guitar riff gets this going. Some great synth sounds and intricate drum patterns. The synth stabs are perhaps a little intrusive. Definitely alternative and original.

Laguna Rising - SteamWhat?!
Jazz Prog Rock? Nice guitar jamming over some very alternative jazz chord progressions. I am not sure that the lead guitar sits quite right in the mix in the first section, but feels more comfortable in the later sections when you bring in the double tracking with the synth. An enjoyable listen.

Zabrilla - 1000 Voices
When I read your intro to this track, my first thought was "Oh no, not another boring trance track". But this is far from being boring. I am not quite sure how you came to gave this track its title, but when I listen to this track the sounds evoke feelings of the loneliness of modern high-rise cities, their spiritual emptiness, even though everyone is rushing in fast motion, dashing to wherever knows, and for reasons that nobody really understands or cares about. A modern version of Philip Glass's sound track to Koyaanisqatsi perhaps? Thought provoking, emotionally engaging. Excellent.

Soughtaftersounds - Mystic Chaos
A wonderful piece of orchestral soundtrackery. A well composed and constructed piece, with excellent orchestration. Both halves of the piece are very good indeed. The piano flourishes in the second half are particularly notable. Some elements of the second half are reminiscent of Harry Potter - which can only be a good thing. This track left me begging for more.

Reviews of the last 8 entries still to come....

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Aziraphal - Sat Jan 26, 2013 12:47 am

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Many thanks for the listen Dunno much about Estonia in 80's but they had some cool Eurovision song entries the last few years



Scuse me while I blush .. very nice review It was mostly early morning sessions while the kids are blissfully asleep. A good thing about solo choir recording is not that many takes are needed since you can get away with more off-key singing

Cheers Matt

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bzur - Sat Jan 26, 2013 1:50 am

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Thanks for your vote and for your nice review: you pointed out some interesting ideas to improve the track. I really appreciate your suggestions

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Hellfog - Sat Jan 26, 2013 3:15 am

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Thank you for your review and your vote.

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Soughtafter Sounds - Sat Jan 26, 2013 5:21 am

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Thank you very much for the great review Slartibartfast,
It means a lot.

Warmest Regards
Grant.

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Zabrilla - Sat Jan 26, 2013 6:12 am

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Amazing review, thanks Its funny the feelings that you talk about, were some of what I was feeling about when I was composing the track. I was using my feelings about how I was trapped inside the daily working commuter 9-5 mundane job, spending hours in my car each day, spending all my money on petrol and screaming out in anger but no one listening or prepared to help. A situation that ultimately lead to me being on medication for Depression. I named the track 1000 voices based on the multitude of shouts and screams I used to do in my car, on my own, on my way to work. But also I had feelings of happiness as I am now feeling a lot better (medication and counselling) so I wanted to give the track an upbeat feel but tried not to take away my "voices".

Great review and thank you for sharing your thoughts on my track

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