August Contest: Gossip

[Scoops]

pheew,
for me this month's theme was very enjoyable how it was adapted by all here.
Great idea, so thank you, Scoops. What I also liked was that everyone had a movie in mind 'nd described it - so it's really authentic without having seen the movie.

cheers

Man I deleted the file, but the theme was (I think) Shrikant's idea. (Please correct me if I'm placing credit in the wrong place)

As far as the descriptions were concerned>>>>>+1

-Scps

[1-2-Many]

Right. Lesson learned: Go instrumental. Never use known parts, as it will attract people's ears to the wrong thing. Wait until voting is done to do reviews.

Your last "lesson learned" may be a bit tongue-in-cheek, but seriously I liked the candor of your reviews and it didn't influence my voting one bit (I'd hate to see people getting all kiss-ass for votes around here).

BTW Your entry ranked lower on my list due to the vocals being a bit grating and over the top (thought it could have been done in a smoother style)

[Sleek Month]

I get the distinct feeling people aren't familiar with the vocals on the early bond themes.

Grating and over-the-top were de riguer. I am half convinced Shirley Bassey and Tom Jones were trying to actually injure people on some of those.

[xh3rv]

I get the distinct feeling people aren't familiar with the vocals on the early bond themes.

Grating and over-the-top were de riguer. I am half convinced Shirley Bassey and Tom Jones were trying to actually injure people on some of those.

Over-the-top, I'll agree with; grating is not so clear to me. As objectively as I can do it, reasons your stuff sounds a little gritter:

In your track it sounds like you're stacking a lot of orchestral elements underneath your vocals and the guitar, the way this is done might be taking up some of the lower mid frequency range that I think your track's vocals are, in relative terms, missing. In their tracks orchestral elements come in and out a lot more.

You feature a guitar, their tracks featured brassier stuff - hard to say how much of a difference this makes, but it's significant.

Your reverb was too bright, maybe a bit long, and you sounded too close. Their reverbs really push them back 20-40 feet in the field of sound, and the other depth clues it gave were more subtle.

It's complicated to break down precisely, relatively their production seemed to pick up, accentuate, and respond well to variation in short passages or articulations they make - specifically with the vocals and also in broad terms. (I'd love to know how much of this is done after the rough tracks are recorded). So what your vocals are being compared to is a moving target.

There are some stylistic flourishes in their vocals that are just of a different era, I have to believe indicating they come from just a different domain of vocal styling. I thought you did pretty well to sort of vaguely suggest it without going right for it. When you're really pushing, though, it's just a different, somewhat harsher tone.

Overall I thought you did very well in suggesting an era. While in my opinion you didn't quite match Shirley Bassey or Tom Jones, you did recsll stuff contemporaneous with them, and technically the only fault I could argue is it's a bit to aggressive, bright, close. (Although musically I thought the melody was too clear ).

[Sleek Month]

[
Over-the-top, I'll agree with; grating is not so clear to me. As objectively as I can do it, reasons your stuff sounds a little gritter:

In your track it sounds like you're stacking a lot of orchestral elements underneath your vocals and the guitar, the way this is done might be taking up some of the lower mid frequency range that I think your track's vocals are, in relative terms, missing. In their tracks orchestral elements come in and out a lot more.

You feature a guitar, their tracks featured brassier stuff - hard to say how much of a difference this makes, but it's significant.

Your reverb was too bright, maybe a bit long, and you sounded too close. Their reverbs really push them back 20-40 feet in the field of sound, and the other depth clues it gave were more subtle.

LOL.

Okay, I'm going to chalk this up to:"My brain works differently".

Everything you point out is something I did on purpose. I severely band-limited the vocals to get an old-timey sound. I also did a vintage reverb trick, where you use it as an insert pre-compression, then really squash the vocal...the overall result is that when the voice stops, the 'verb blooms out all huge.

Thanks for the detailed analysis though. It's truly interesting to see/hear how your (my) perceptions differ from the norm...useful, too. It was exactly what I was looking for.

[DrApostropheX]

Right. Lesson learned: Go instrumental. Never use known parts, as it will attract people's ears to the wrong thing. Wait until voting is done to do reviews.

And remember, above all else, "Don't Let the Sleek Month Win". I miss Markleford. Where has he gone to?

[Sleek Month]

And remember, above all else, "Don't Let the Sleek Month Win". I miss Markleford. Where has he gone to?

I don't know. Most of the sorts that used to hang here are missing. I hope I am the herald for the return of the old guys.

I mean, it's gotten entirely too...nice. We need to get the people who can take the piss to come back.

[1-2-Many]

And remember, above all else, "Don't Let the Sleek Month Win". I miss Markleford. Where has he gone to?

I don't know. Most of the sorts that used to hang here are missing. I hope I am the herald for the return of the old guys.

I mean, it's gotten entirely too...nice. We need to get the people who can take the piss to come back.

Agreed! I've been joining in since 2004 BTW ... But likely ya'll don't realize this since it's one of my life curses to be easily overlooked/forgotten.

PS. Ever since Markleford did that song I've always remembered it (the main line) when I see your screenname.

[slartibartfast]

Agreed! I've been joining in since 2004 BTW ...

Me too - my first Contest was June 2004 - coincidentally another movie theme competition - although that one was a bit more specific - it had to be a Sci Fi movie theme. Sleek Month came third in that comp with one of my favourite tracks of his (I still listen to it occasionally) - Intergalactic Eye.

These days I don't have much time for music of any kind, let alone the time to put something together for these comps, but I still drop by for a browse once in a while to see what's up. Besides missing a few of the "characters" that used to frequent the comp, it seems that there aren't as many participating in the comps these days. Let's see what a Free for All brings - there are usually a few more entrants in those months. I may even try to find the time to participate myself - or perhaps even just listen and offer reviews.

And I am surprised that nobody has responded to offthewall's plea for a greater challenge. I will rise to the bait, and suggest that his personal challenge for September should be...... Tin Whistle Techno

[me109]

Well, after hardly missing a month for 3 years, I can't believe it's almost been a year since I did anything here. It's good to be back, even if it's just once in a while.

I still haven't gotten a real job and have been trying to make a go of my recording studio. We've only recorded two bands - well, 3, if you count the freebee. But what I'm getting a lot of is arrangements for singer/songwriters. There are a lot of people out there that have songs that range from really good to just a rough outline and you have to fill in most of the blanks yourself (in return for becoming a co-writer). But it's been really fulfilling, and I'm almost making a living at it. Actually, the hispanic market has responded best - well, that's where we did most of our advertising, also. The customers love the results - especially when I pitch and time correct the vocals.

It was a good contest, as usual. Lots of good music. If it hadn't been for the participation in this contest, I would never have been able to attempt the recording/arranging business.

Hail to my alma mater!

[DrApostropheX]

Looking at Markleford's site, it appears I've been doing this contest off and on since February, 2003. Wow. But yeah, I've been away for over a year and it definitely seems to be a lot more genteel around here.

Here's the problem: No one is showing out!

PS. Ever since Markleford did that song I've always remembered it (the main line) when I see <Sleek Month's> screenname.

Me too! Which is how I managed to pull it up so fast. Back in those days Sleek Month won EVERY STINKIN' CONTEST, which is why Markleford's song was so awesome.

[Sleek Month]

Looking at Markleford's site, it appears I've been doing this contest off and on since February, 2003. Wow. But yeah, I've been away for over a year and it definitely seems to be a lot more genteel around here.

Here's the problem: No one is showing out!

PS. Ever since Markleford did that song I've always remembered it (the main line) when I see <Sleek Month's> screenname.

Me too! Which is how I managed to pull it up so fast. Back in those days Sleek Month won EVERY STINKIN' CONTEST, which is why Markleford's song was so awesome.

...which is kinda funny, because when I joined in 2001, it seemed like Donkey Tugger won every contest!

Man, I hated that guy for a while

Even worse was the fact that he turned out to be a decent fella.

[DrApostropheX]

...which is kinda funny, because when I joined in 2001, it seemed like Donkey Tugger won every contest!

Man, I hated that guy for a while

Even worse was the fact that he turned out to be a decent fella.

And then for a while it was S.HUSHy... I thought halpz' stuff was hilarious, though.

[Echo Voodoo]

I still haven't gotten a real job and have been trying to make a go of my recording studio.

...and I'm almost making a living at it.

Good to see/hear you again! I was wondering how the studio was going - sorry to hear it's not paying all the bills yet, but glad to hear it is paying some of the bills. Best wishes with it.