winter contest - GOSSIP

[99]

Some really awesome tunes in here.. (Can I say that, "tunes" ?

[garret]

Thanks folks for the many votes, some high ones too. There were a lot of great tracks this month...

Garret - In a way I am glad you were tempted by the contest and gift us with a pure Garret tune. Smooth and filled with warmth and care. Great harmonies and just a most wonderful song

Thanks, mystahr, always happy to add to your collection.

Very 'natural' feeling with some really nice guitar sounds, great singing and perfect choice of accompaniment instruments. I'm not really sure of the melody part around 2:20, but aside from that it's an interesting listen with intricate melodies that not always do what you'd expect

I muffed the vocal at the start of the bridge, and never got around to re-recording... (we need a lazy emoticon) so I think that's part of the problem. And the chord progression there just barely holds together anyway... I can see how the melody might sound questionable... Glad you liked the tune.

like this one immensely, and i'm glad you've entered a contest again. fantastic chords, the way you open it up in the middle and the playing are just superb. wish i could carry a song like that. perfect.

Cheers, mate... from the sounds of your entry, I don't think you have much trouble carrying a tune..

3. Garret -Calling You- Man can you ever write! Excellent!

Thanks, Gordon! Means a lot coming from your jazz tasatic ears. I'm just faking it, don't know what I'm doing most of the time.

Wow, I hate this sort of music but I can't help but love this! The melodies are so catchy! And you can pull it off without sounding cheesy.

Winning over the folkie indie pop haters, one set of ears at a time. I cheeze.

07. Garret Gengler - Calling You : Very well produced. Vocals are great. Professionl arrangment.
When listening at for second time, I think I've placed it to far down on my list.

Thanks, sttjelle... your track was really something else, so I'm happy to hear you enjoyed mine.

-Garret

[mystahr]

Cool to see so many still reviewing this month; thanks for that. It's that part of the contests that makes it extra special.

As for the tarnce tip; like said before is the same here. There were just tracks that were better this month that pushed these tarnce out of my top ten.

Great month all together

[mystahr]

DJ Shadow look out

Something like this you mean?

[VitaminD]

which has made me wonder.. has there ever been a trance (not fusionpopexperimental with a trance lead but actual trance) song that has ranked highly in these contests?

Not to my memory. Actually, there tends to be so little "actual trance" submitted that statistically it isn't very likely from the start.

In fact, I think there was more tranceish stuff this month than the sum of all previous contests, if only because long-form electronic genres typically aren't heard here due to a 2 minute time limit.

I think you're right.. but I'm also thinking its because of the prejudice to the genre..

seems like anything equated to being commercialized instantly gets dismissed and joked about at kvr..

not that everything needs to be serious.. just that I can tell its not being respected by many here in the least.

It all makes me feel that if I had created a halfassed jazz, fusion, or guitarindienoise deal that I'd have ranked higher than any polished, refined, or dynamic sounding trance tune I could possibly pump out..

I must admit that I'm a "quirk-junkie". I like odd mixes of genres. I can respect purity, but it doesn't typically *move* me.

As such the most "polished, refined, or dynamic sounding trance tune" would likely strike me as being very professional, but ultimately disposable.

Of course, that's just my opinion. However, keeping in mind that the average KVR citizen likes more quirk that your average trance fan, who listens *exclusively* to trance (or so I'm led to believe), and it becomes evident that you're probably right: pushing trance on KVR is a losing proposition.

I dont understand your comments there.. would a polished, refined, or dynamic sounding jazz tune also be disposable to you too???

and either way it is fine and all is well with me... however, my quote thoughts were just something I've suspected from a little observation over the past few years with predominence of specific styles and ideals at kvr.

Again(and not applying any problem with this-its just how it is), I think it has something to do with the age group.. I see a lot of 60s and 70s artists and synths mentioned here and much less 90s to now. more shrugs hehe

which finally makes me wonder whats the point of entering? If the majority of the audience isnt enjoying my work, why bother releasing it to the public?

Because there's still the possibility of finding just *one* person out there who likes your stuff. Or there's the possibility that you'll get a comment or critique that sends you off happily creating in a direction that you never expected.

Bottom line is the contests here are half support-group, half peer-workshop.

well fair enough.. however when I personally release something, I'm typically releasing it as 'done' - regardless of if it has major flaws or not. It truely is to the best of my abilities with respect to the amount of time I had to work on it..

and with respect to my entry this time.. I suppose 2:18 is pretty short when others entered 5+ min tunes.. but I honestly dont believe it would have done much (if any) higher if I had fletched the song out another 3 or 4 minutes..

from time to time I listen to the top rated/reviewed songs at kvr that are loved, applauded, and cheered.. and on many of them I'm checking the id3 tag to make sure we're listening to the same songs its a different taste I suppose.

Thanks for the comments, markleford I really appreciate all of them and for you taking the time to respond.

I pretty sure I already knew most of what I initially wrote about before this contest (trance + kvr = waste of time).. it just so happened this was the final straw so-to-speak.. not upset, slightly bummed, but fine with it either way I just needed to whinge a bit - now im over it.

I think I'll just go hunting for other sites that respect/enjoy trance a little more.. instead of posting my songs here. I should have known better...

cheers!!

[kovacs]

I think I'll just go hunting for other sites that respect/enjoy trance a little more.. instead of posting my songs here. I should have known better...

LOL. Last month my HIGHLY INTELLIGENT and well-composed cover of the Pet Shop Boys' "It's a Sin" ruled the charts with zero votes although I did get a couple of favorable reviews. But mostly people just said "I hate Pet Shop Boys" or "I hate this style".

I admit to not fidning your track particularly exciting but that has nothing to do with "respect". All the great artists I listen to have songs which not everyone will like.

Like Markleford wrote, this is part support group/part workshop. Some of us spent time reviewing your piece and that's what MOST of the participants here (including me) can ever hope to get out of this, chartwise. I enter these contests because it gives me a firm deadline. Plus I also spend a lot of time listening and reviewing the songs. I learn a lot from that.

I usually make the "score list" but tend to hover close to the bottom.

[Sleek Month]

Sleek - oh my I love the verse. How many vocal takes is that?

Well, about a million takes, and I'm still not happy with it...

...but as for tracks, there's only four. Lead (low) vox X2, and a harmony that's also doubled.

I wanted it washy and indistinct. I still think of vocals as an effect or just another instrument, and I wanted those to be more pad-like than lead-like.

-S.

[Beardedone]

Nikp2000! Wow! Thanks so much for the number one vote. I am textless.

Cheers,
Gordon

[clueless]

@VitaminD

"Two roads diverged in a wood, and I -- I chose the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference."

I think that was Robert Frost?

[kovacs]

@VitaminD

"Two roads diverged in a wood, and I -- I chose the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference."

I think that was Robert Frost?

Doesn't it already say so in his signature?

[Beardedone]

Another number one from Duncaparsons! Thanks so much man!

And votes from Knockman and Garret! Thanks guys!

[Beardedone]

7. Beardedone - alright, after about 10 times though, I think I've almost got my brain around what you're doing in this. Your stuff always makes me happy, gordon... it's just you, doing your thing, like no one else can. And some wonderful hanging melody lines in this one... is that tublisax?

Garret! This is so satisfying to read. I figured that my track would turn some off just becasue it is so busy. But it really is what I get off on so, I decided to go with it - besides my symphonic stuff is not ready for prime time . The hanging melodies are what I did about alot of Jazz players where as much is implied and not played as is actually stated. I am thrilled that this came through.

Yes it is TubiLeSax. I still use it. I am not convinced that the Linplug version is significantly (i.e. $149) better so I will continue to stick with it.

Cheers,
Gordon

[You™]

7. Beardedone - alright, after about 10 times though, I think I've almost got my brain around what you're doing in this. Your stuff always makes me happy, gordon... it's just you, doing your thing, like no one else can. And some wonderful hanging melody lines in this one... is that tublisax?

Garret! This is so satisfying to read. I figured that my track would turn some off just becasue it is so busy. But it really is what I get off on so, I decided to go with it - besides my symphonic stuff is not ready for prime time . The hanging melodies are what I did about alot of Jazz players where as much is implied and not played as is actually stated. I am thrilled that this came through.

Now that is why it's worth posting songs. I love your stuff too Gordon. While individual songs may not always make my top 10 list for a particular contest, you have a consistantly original body of work that adds up to more than the sum of its parts.

[Beardedone]

Thanks George! I'm kvelling bigtime here.

[clueless]

@VitaminD

"Two roads diverged in a wood, and I -- I chose the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference."

I think that was Robert Frost?

Doesn't it already say so in his signature?