Contest September: Gossip

[Hellfog]

Blues in Space this month theme.

[harvon]

The first blues is in, an infinite number of days before the current deadline.

[Konfusius]

I've posted my track, Got no Happy Home, I've never listened to space blues before, so that's my own interpretation of the "genre" without beeing influenced by existing space blues........

[Patrick9]

A fine start to the month Sir.

[peppy197]

.... days before the current deadline.

And when is this secret deadline ?

[harvon]

I've posted my track, Got no Happy Home, I've never listened to space blues before, so that's my own interpretation of the "genre" without beeing influenced by existing space blues........

I asked ChatGPT:

<< A hypothetical genre called "Space Blues" would likely combine the emotional depth and soulful expression of traditional blues with futuristic, ethereal, and cosmic soundscapes inspired by space exploration. Here are some characteristics that might define "Space Blues":
1. Instrumentation

Traditional Blues Elements: Core instruments like electric guitar, bass, harmonica, and drums would still be present, providing the familiar bluesy foundation.
Synths & Electronics: Synthesizers, ambient pads, and spacey sound effects (such as reverb-drenched sounds, pulsating waves, and celestial tones) would be added to evoke a cosmic atmosphere.
Unusual Instruments: Instruments like theremin or electronic wind instruments (EWIs) could be used to create eerie, floating sounds associated with outer space.

2. Vocal Style

Blues Vocals: Vocals would retain the raw, emotional quality typical of blues, often expressing themes of loneliness, longing, or existential contemplation.
Reverb & Effects: Vocals might be processed with heavy reverb, delays, or pitch modulation to give them a distant, otherworldly sound, as though echoing across vast cosmic spaces.
Harmonized Vocals: Layered or harmonized vocal lines might be used to create a chorus effect that evokes the vastness of space.

3. Rhythm & Tempo

Slow to Mid-Tempo: Much like traditional blues, Space Blues would often feature slow to mid-tempo rhythms, creating a contemplative or reflective mood.
Polyrhythms: There might be a blend of traditional blues rhythms with more complex or unusual time signatures inspired by progressive rock or electronic music, contributing to the alien or unfamiliar feel.
Floating Grooves: Drums might incorporate a subtle, syncopated groove with extended pauses or spaces between beats to create a sense of weightlessness or drifting.

4. Melody & Harmony

Blues Scales: Melodic lines would still draw heavily from the pentatonic and blues scales, but with more extended or dissonant notes to add a sense of mystery and ambiguity.
Spacey Intervals: Unconventional intervals (like tritones or augmented chords) could be used to reflect the vast and unpredictable nature of space.
Ambient Harmony: Chords might sustain longer with lingering atmospheric tones, giving the music an expansive, floating quality.

5. Themes & Lyrics

Cosmic Exploration: Lyrics might touch on themes of space travel, isolation in the cosmos, encounters with alien life, or the mysteries of the universe.
Existential Reflection: Much like traditional blues often reflects on human suffering and love, Space Blues could explore deeper existential questions about humanity's place in the universe, the passage of time, or the infinite and the unknown.
Sci-Fi Influences: Lyrics could draw from science fiction, mixing poetic descriptions of the cosmos with personal emotions, perhaps using metaphors like black holes or supernovas to represent personal experiences.

6. Tone & Atmosphere

Ethereal & Dreamlike: The overall tone would be introspective and atmospheric, creating a sense of floating in space or drifting through vast cosmic landscapes.
Melancholic, Yet Hopeful: Space Blues would retain the melancholic essence of traditional blues but might also contain a sense of wonder, curiosity, or awe at the universe.
Cinematic Sound: The genre might have a cinematic quality, combining sweeping soundscapes with intimate, emotional moments, similar to the way soundtracks often depict space exploration.

7. Fusion & Cross-Genre Elements

Ambient & Experimental: Influences from ambient, downtempo electronic music, or even post-rock could be present, with long, evolving soundscapes that mirror the vast, infinite expanse of space.
Jazz & Progressive Rock: Jazz influences (especially modal jazz) might appear, with free-form improvisation reflecting the unpredictability of the cosmos. Progressive rock elements could also lend complex, evolving song structures to the genre.

In summary, Space Blues would be an emotionally evocative genre that blends the deep soul of blues with the cosmic, otherworldly sounds of space, creating a unique fusion of the familiar and the futuristic. >>

[Konfusius]

@harvon : Thanks for posting, very interesting!

[Patrick9]

Wow! I'd Love to hear Chat GPT's latest album.

[harvon]

.... days before the current deadline.

And when is this secret deadline ?

Who knows until the Fog lifts

[The Noodlist]

I was opting for a traditional blues format but arrived at something different. Uploaded ASAP, didn't want to faff with it. Also, got some AI help with lyrics and vocals (Text to Speech)

Afterthought will rename the file correcdtly and edit the vocal sibilance.

[The Noodlist]

Spacegirl 2.jpgHere is mine, hot off the desk!
Even Spacegirls get the blues.
https://jmp.sh/bvV4pIIO

Any info on the creation process?

[Patrick9]

The image was made in an AI art programme called NightCafe. Using the song title as a prompt. The tune is based on a basic slow 12 bar sequence. The voice is me noodling around on the keyboard with Ethera, a Kontakt library. Harmonica and electric guitar I added and also used some of the voice takes for a bassy sound in a Theia patch and a Sax patch. The wizzy panning sound is from an Alchemy library. The whole was recorded into my current favourite DAW - Mixcraft

[peppy197]

.... days before the current deadline.

And when is this secret deadline ?

Who knows until the Fog lifts

Guess I wont make the deadline,,,,again

[folderol]

Not going to make it this month. Too busy with the latest Yoshimi release, and then going to SynthfestUK, and a few days after that I'll be off to Sonoj on Cologne.

[harvon]

Time to listen, time to vote over September heap is coming close.

What might be the next theme?