OSC15 - StringZ - Yeager Wins!!!

[Mike777]

5 Overture From a Marmite Field - OSCXV - Yeager
3 Strung Up - tattiemannie
2 "Waiting Room" by Dead Eddy
1 Io - V'ger

[glokraw]

Hi, the normal link to download the songs archive was not at the provided link.
When you forget to feed the chimps, they'll steal ALL of your songs to get even
But they forgot to eat the ones at the playlist link, so chimps don't rulz

[tattiemannie]

Hi, the normal link to download the songs archive was not at the provided link.

... Sorry Glockraw, I'm not sure what you mean ... the link on p1. of this thread has a link to the comp folder, and this link works fine. The first item in the folder is the zip file containing all the tracks. I've checked, and I dont see any problem. If you can access the playlist, then there should be no problem accessing the comp folder.

Anyway, Mike777, cheers for the votes .... 'bout time for another tally up

[tattiemannie]

OK, here's the scenario ....

1. (1.) Overture From a Marmite Field - Yeager ... 3, 2, 3, 5, 3, 5, 5, 5 = 31
2. (2.) Io - V'ger ... 1, 1, 5, 3, 5, 3, 1 = 19
3. (3.) Stringz Expressions - GilJ ... 5, 2, 2, 5 = 14
4= (4.) Freaks Of Nature - Mac of BIOnighT ... 3, 1, 1, 1, 2 = 8
4= (5=) Strung Up - Tattiemannie ... 5, 3 = 8
6= (5=) Jam in F Minor - mrblitz000 ... 2, 3 = 5
6= (8=) Waiting Room - objectman ... 2, 1, 2 = 5
8. (10.) Deofaropario - James0Tucson ... 1, 3 = 4
9. (7.) Complexity - HiEnergy ... 2, 1 = 3
10. (8=) Comfort Song - Dwsel ... 2
11= (11=) Underdog - mrblitz000 ... 0
11= (11=) No Stringz attached - HiEnergy ... 0


( Total Voters: 9, Total Votes: 99 )

Love it or hate it, 'Marmite' has stormed ahead to such an extent, that in terms of points, 3rd place is nearer to the bottom than the top Other than 'Marmite's' spectacular sprint, there is no change in the top 3 with 'Io' in 2nd, maintaining a small but healthy lead over 'Expressions' in 3rd.
It's too tight to call the rest of the way down, only 8 points seperating 4th to 12th place.
Highest climbers, each achieving a 2 place jump are 'Deoforopario' and 'Waiting' .... reinforcing perhaps that 4th place is gonna be fiercely contested.

... So keep 'em coming! ... long way to go! 5 days is a long time in OSC, and anything can happen!

[glokraw]

Hi, the normal link to download the songs archive was not at the provided link.

... Sorry Glockraw, I'm not sure what you mean ... the link on p1. of this thread has a link to the comp folder, and this link works fine. The first item in the folder is the zip file containing all the tracks. I've checked, and I dont see any problem. If you can access the playlist, then there should be no problem accessing the comp folder.

Anyway, Mike777, cheers for the votes .... 'bout time for another tally up

In case its not supposed to be this way, when the mouse pointer hovers on

'One Synth Challenge', it highlights, and the pointer changes indicating its a link,
but clicking it brings no response. Conversely, when the mouse hovers on the icon
just to the left of 'One Synth Challenge', it fails to highlite, the pointer
does not change, but clicking it opens the folder I think its still
monday on my planet. Its ALWAYS monday up here
Cheers. PS there is still time for bribery and corruption to move someone up a notch

[Mac of BIOnighT]

OK, time for me to finally vote - and boy, do I hate this part

I'd have never thought so many amazing pieces could be squeezed out of Stringz, the quality - from a strictly musical point of view - is simply shocking!
Being that my main parameter when voting, I was really desperate... how could I leave out so many jaw-droppingly beautiful tracks?
But in the end I had to select the four winners, so here we go:

5 points - Overture From a Marmite Field - Yeager (this guy is a freakin' genius)

3 points - Waiting Room - objectman (I can't even remember when the last time was that I heard a track with this deep and shattering intensity. It makes me scared, it makes me feel bad, and I helplessly cry every fu**ing time I listen to it)

2 points - Io - V'ger (I so wish this was a whole lot longer than it is, there's barely enough time to get into the mood, but boy, it's a space beauty)

1 - Stringz Expressions - GilJ (it may be the most commercial of the lot, but it's got something special that's hard to pinpoint, it just works)

I regret having to leave out all of the other tracks, especially Dwsel's (what a very nice track!) and James0Tucson's (just how the hell did you manage to get flute sounds out of this instrument?), congratulations to all!!

[tattiemannie]

Cool Mac ... cheers for the votes

[dwsel]

In case its not supposed to be this way, when the mouse pointer hovers on 'One Synth Challenge', it highlights, and the pointer changes indicating its a link, but clicking it brings no response. Conversely, when the mouse hovers on the icon just to the left of 'One Synth Challenge', it fails to highlite, the pointer does not change, but clicking it opens the folder

That is what happened for me too but only once. I was really wondering how did I get 'into insides of the *.zip file'. I thought that I just clicked accidentally something that I shouldn't Then I clicked again link on the front page of OSC thread to move to main folder, I clicked *.zip archive and I was moved onto download page as usual

Thank for helping me realize that it was not my mistake but rather their bug

[objectman]

Comforting Song
I love hearing familiar tunes done with a synth. In some cases, the synth can cheapen a tune, but in this case, I feel the higher arpeggiated noises - the ones which are getting kinda "dragged around" with the bassline - added something. Sparkle? I do however think it needs more change / movement throughout - maybe another instrument ("preset"?) solo? A counterpoint? (not sure if that's the word). Loved how it ended.

Complexity
Cool. Very Ennio Morricone. Liked the change of pace at 1:20 and again at 1:40 - kept me listening. Then the (almost) "Pachelbel's Canon in D minor" bit. And then a kind of "Puff the Magic Dragon" bit. If anything this suffers from being full of ideas. While I did like the changing nature of this piece, I'd like to have heard one idea explored more fully.

No StringZ Attached
Nice pace. Very unusual and lovely bassline here. I think that's why I think of Morricone when I hear your stuff Mr. HiEnergy. And the changing tune/s again. Is this symptomatic of an impatient musician? I really loved the horse-ridey pace of this and felt that both this tune and Complexity would work well in a Spaghetti Western.

Deofaropario
Breathy and atmospheric. You've really got an analoguey flute-ish sound here. It made me feel like there was a sailor playing a wooden flute under a streetlamp by the sea. This for me was the most atmospheric piece. And the heaving squeeze-box may have also encouraged my maritime ideas. However I felt this needed more variety or some kind of aural rest. Maybe drop the flute and let the squeeze-box and wind sounds blow on for a bit before maybe bringing it back again?

Jam in F Minor
Nicely played (or sequenced?). Very olde worlde early picture theatre feel. Brave that you stayed with that one sound. It's a very "different" sound that may not sit well in some ears, although I like it. I wanted it to evolve - maybe into a "real(er) piano" sound after some time. To give us some relief. Nicely experimental overall, but not sure if that particular sound should be used right throughout.

Underdog
I'm not sure if I liked this personally, but I do always appreciate stuff which is different. I wanted clean mid-rangey sounds to be mixed in with it. It still had a similar movie theatre feel to the previous piece. Loved the string solo at 2:20 - This is the kind of breakaway such a rough raspy sound needs. After 2:20 I felt you were just getting your strides on. Maybe it's an idea to start with the solo? It felt a bit long in the end, but I think it was the relentless sound - not so much the musicality (which I liked).

Overture in a Marmite Field
V.nice work. I loved this track - particularly the prog rocky intro. Sounds all sat well and happy with each other. A very accomplished piece with lovely arpeggios and a full body throughout. Where did you find the time? What a great piece.

Freaks of Nature
I liked this the best because it didn't remind me of anything in particular and yet it produced in me a very peculiar feeling. Tension? Apprehension? I actually emotionally felt ...something. It was like the theme from a thriller. Race against time? Very percussive and really stretched what I thought this synth could do. Nice to hear such experimenting while effortlessly pushing the envelope.

Io
Haunting. Beautiful, thoughtful. Gentle... Caring? And also nice to hear a piece as if played on a plucked instrument. And just as I was getting into it - it ended!!?  But I guess we all run out of time on these. This was the start of a very good part, but as you were getting the run up, I also wondered if the new rhythm wasn't living up to the expectations of such a sultry beginning. Did you bow out? Were you "quitting while you were ahead?" or is that all in my imagination?

Stringz Expressions
This is perhaps the best reworking of the synth in this OSC. You pretty much got a massive range of sounds out of this synth and I've no idea how you did it. Great sound design and a nice full track.

Strung Up
Very positive and uplifting. It felt like a BBC TV show intro. Loved the "rounds" musicality to this. Didn't want the Merry-go-round to stop. While it was a bit short, it was also nice and tight.

5 Freaks of Nature
3 Overture From a Marmite Field
2 Strung Up
1 Stringz Expressions

[V'ger]

Another last minute from me:

5 pts: Overture From a Marmite Field - Yeager
Nice composition with variation and stringz, both short and long,
and good production always helps.

3 pts: Stringz_Expressions - GilJ
Although impressed with getting percussion out of this which I didn't think possible, the stringz, tune and production wins.

2 pts: deofaropario - James0Tucson
Nice stringz and tune with a nice mystic feeling.

1 pt: No_StringZ_attached - HiEnergy
Nice melody and stringz.

[V'ger]

Io
Haunting. Beautiful, thoughtful. Gentle... Caring? And also nice to hear a piece as if played on a plucked instrument. And just as I was getting into it - it ended!!?  But I guess we all run out of time on these. This was the start of a very good part, but as you were getting the run up, I also wondered if the new rhythm wasn't living up to the expectations of such a sultry beginning. Did you bow out? Were you "quitting while you were ahead?" or is that all in my imagination?

Thanks for the comment and did indeed ran out of time yes.. I had the improv done early but was stumped for continuation so all I could do was flesh them out, but still too short so at the last minute went for something that I agree could have been something.

[Mac of BIOnighT]

Objectman, thanks for the vote and the very flattering comment!

[objectman]

Thanks Mac. I just saw that you also gave me some feedback which, weirdly, was very similar to the feedback I gave you. So maybe we're like-minded - musically at least. Or, maybe we're actually the same person. (bear with me...) This is a forum after all and I may just have multiple accounts to go with my multiple personality. Maybe - and there's only a very slim chance: Maybe the whole KVR forum consists of one mad genius musician with multiple logins and an impressive collection of VSTs. ;p

[dwsel]

Comforting Song
I love hearing familiar tunes done with a synth. In some cases, the synth can cheapen a tune, but in this case, I feel the higher arpeggiated noises - the ones which are getting kinda "dragged around" with the bassline - added something. Sparkle? I do however think it needs more change / movement throughout - maybe another instrument ("preset"?) solo? A counterpoint? (not sure if that's the word). Loved how it ended.

You're very right about that I was just about to variate more main line in a second verse and/or add another layer (some high pitched instrument sounding like flute or analog violin) because I felt that high pitched accompaniment takes too much space in the high frequency part of the spectrum. If I only had at that time 3h more for the task to complete it... Anyway cheers for review

[HiEnergy]

My vote:

Overture From a Marmite Field - Yeager : 5
Io - V'ger : 3
Comforting Song - dwsel : 2
Stringz Expressions - GilJ : 1