One-Synth-Challenge: General discussion thread

[evo2slo]

How about no plugs at all. I know that quality would suffer (greatly) but if the idea of this contest is to purely show the capabilities and sounds of one synth, and to work within restrictions, then the purest contest would be one that did not allow for any external effects whatsoever. Built in effects from the synth itself only.

"Imagine there's no plug-ins
I wonder if you can
No eq or compression
Reverbs and delays banned
Imagine all the synths
Sounding like they really do
You might say I'm a dreamer..."

Or perhaps a system of bonus and penalty points. +10 points for any track using zero plug-ins. -1 point for each instance of any plug-in used. -5 points for each instance of a modulation effect.

Anyway, just thinking out loud... I'm really fine with things as they are now. But I do like the idea of a list of allowed plug-ins - would be very helpful for newcomers.

[MaxSynths]

@evo2slo:

The no effect idea makes a lot of sense IMO
The point system sucks a bit

The "Imagine 2k11" cover it's great

[V'ger]

"Imagine there's no plug-ins
I wonder if you can
No eq or compression
Reverbs and delays banned
Imagine all the synths
Sounding like they really do
You might say I'm a dreamer..."

Nice one..

That would of course make it very pure and put the challenge into challenge, but I fear the experience would suffer and with it the entrants as we've seen in the past when an effect were disallowed if the synth had it onboard and the onboard effects sucked..

The first thing I did when I had a chance to set the rules here was to abandon that and make all available, but obviously kept the modulation rule despite having campaigned for it to be dropped too..

[V'ger]

OK here is the rules poll about the questions raised so far. Last day of voting is 15th December (KVR time).

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/vie ... c6MQ#gid=0

If you want to change your vote after entering, just enter again but add something to show it in the 'KVR nick' text field (for example V'ger - changed vote).

[V'ger]

Oops, forgot the 'no' option to question 3, please re-vote if that was your preferred option.

[SJMmusic]

I voted:

1. Yes
2. No
3. Minimal (just so that it doesnt change the synth sound significantly, only the reverb or something like that)
4. No (as cool as the results could be - especially stuff like pitch shifting can manipulate the sound very much (I suppose that is meant by creative sampling, right? Because if it's only cutting and rearranging things...I don't know...))
5. Yes, list of allowed (We might just have a thread for plugin "submissions" this month and I'm sure we would have enough plugins in that list for next months challenge)
6. No (especially that +10 for an plugin-less track is too tempting But even if it was lower... I don't like the thought of sacrificing music just for the sake of getting more points)

However, I'd suggest making exceptions every few months or something like that: every second month you can use any effects you want to use and use creative sampling and 2 months later it's the opposite and you may use to effects at all - because running it alongside the "main" challenge would be too much work, wouldn't it?

[MaxSynths]

Voted:

1. Yes
2. No
3. No
4. No
5. Yes - a list of allowed plugins only
6. No

[V'ger]

Ha, just realized what a redundant and useless option the "Yes - lists of both allowed and disallowed plugins" is, lol. I wasn't thinking well there.

[IrionDaRonin]

1. Yes, as it was already when i came into OSC. So i'm accustomed to it.
2. No, the same as above, i'm nostalgic.
3. Moderate used, for example in a delay, you can still listen the original sound, and the echoes could be modulated.
4. Totally not, i would win every month since i know too many ways to make creative things with samples (Just kidding)
5. Yes, a list of allowed plugins only. (God, give me a hand)
6. Totally not, it would be a mess and too much time to set every month, to be honest. We have a life!

Have a good day

[JoeCat]

My vote is in - basically no mod effects, as it stands. But, I don't think like the idea of an "approved" list, mainly 'cause the Mac guys will likely suffer (not much out there to begin with!)

As for mods as part of an effect, I think people have to use honest judgment. For example, many reverbs have some modulation built in which is almost a necessity for a natural sound, but it is modulating the reverberations and is therefore not really a modulation of the sound source.

By and large though, I think the honor system works here - this is a good group and if someone is just here to catch the prize and save the money, it's a damn lot of work to win one of these - what's that gotta work out to an hour?

BTW - I do think we should allow host EQ, compression, and limiting. Most EQ color the sound very little, and compression can color the sound if used for that effect, so again it's a judgement call. But it does make things much easier - again, especially for us Mac guys (Logic's EQ being a great example as the curve shows up in the mixer). I often use Rough Rider as it's one of the only quality free compressors for the Mac, and it's very, very difficult to tame it so it does not color the sound. These are mix/mastering tools that, used appropriately, help production and I don't think using the host tools gives anyone much of a leg up, since virtually every host has reasonably solid plugs available.

[evo2slo]

I voted for all effects to be allowable and for the point system to be implemented. Wasn't thinking though about the work that would involve for Irion and V'ger... sorry guys!
I just changed my vote to no plugs at all! (but maybe a limiter on the main buss would be a good idea)

@JoeCat: I think an approved list would include the mac options as well. But yeah, I totally agree with you about host effects.

[Yeager]

My votes :

1/ Yes
2/ No
3/ Minimal use*
4/ No
5/ No
6/ No

I like to work as "pure" as I can, using EQ to highpass, to clean up the low end, and a compressor to get some punch and tame the peaks, if I could not get that from the synth.
And of course delay and a touch of reverb. This is how "I" see the challenge.
*But if the FX are part of your composition,(F.I. heavy modulated delays) then it's hard to get the sound you want without the use of your favorite FX, if it was not allowed.
The OSC is not fair to begin with , some people are able to use 83 synths, with CPU to spare, while others struggle to get 12 going without crackling, but I don't think that this matters, because in the end there is just one goal, make music, and have fun doing so.
So honestly I don't really mind what somebody else is using to make a track they love to make.
+1 use host EQ.
P.S Can we use the John Dahlbäck production pack ? They're all FREE AFAIK.

[MaxSynths]

P.S Can we use the John Dahlbäck production pack ? They're all FREE AFAIK.

[JJBiener]

Here are my responses (After changing them several times)

1. Yes
2. No
3. Minimal
4. No
5. No
6. No

[Acronym]

My vote goes for:

yes

no

no

no (no modulatian, no sampling, i still think if there is a freely use of modulation, it should also be allowed to sample)

yes

(If there will be a list of fixed plugins i would vote for these:
Audiocation - Compressor
GVST - GClip, GMax
Kjaerhus Audio - Classic Compressor, Classic Master Limiter, Classic Reverb
MeldaProductions - MEqualizer
RS-MET - EasyQ
V.O.S. - Baxter EQ, Density MK2, epicVerb, preFix)

yes
would be great