One Synth Challenge #91: Tyrell N6 v3 by u-he (Taron Wins!)

[JerGoertz]

don't want to appear mean and get some retribution next time!

Uh, also, for first timers like me, be aware that when the rules say "Once voting has ended, all votes will be published" they mean that all individual pairings of voters and vote assigned to a particular track will be published, with names . (I don't mean this as a criticism, I can understand why things might be set up this way, but it was quite unexpected to me until this comment made me go look, so I thought others might want the warning.)

I feel the policy of non-anonymous voting really puts a damper on objectivity, and opens the door for all sorts of nonsense we don't want here.

I hope the OSC organizers would reconsider.

[blob 59]

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[Wyrrdbryyngr]

I for one would love to see more criticism (but put them at the right spot in the song so we know what exactly you're referring to). I believe It's lacking because this contest is not anonymous. You can get slightly better scores simply by kissing ass, or lower your score by being too harsh before the voting starts. Also, there is a score breakdown at the end, so you can see who gave you what score. This discourages honesty as well (though it never stops me...).

I've been against this from the start. OSC should be anonymous until after the voting at least. Obviously, some people have very distinct styles, but I think the element not knowing would make this more fair and exciting overall.

[Wyrrdbryyngr]

123 is all notes off.

Weird, I must've done it to myself then.

[CymaticCreation]

Totally agree with everything Taron said. Was going to write something similar after finishing voting, especially about the volume knob. And I'm in a similar position: quieter track, very slight compression of around 2db, and limiting at - 0,3 and therefore seeming weaker and of lesser production.
The fact that my entry is long and slow to develop doesn't help either. But that's what I did the previous two times as well.

About the voting system - I tend to consider
1. Sound design
2. Composition
3. Production (don't respond well to maxed out tracks in order to impress)
4. And finally the way each of these things relate to one another.

Anyways, going back to listen to the entries at least 2 more times each.

PS: @Taron thanks for the reassuring and great comments mate, all i was going for you noticed.

[Taron]

Ah, man, my pleasure! ...you've put in some real piece of musical magic. The least one can do is acknowledge that! (...was just checking again , yes, 5pnts!)

[CymaticCreation]

thanks buddy, your track is already bookmarked here, and yes 5

[sfiks]

Here is my story:

Some years ago one of forum members by name Tom posted
a record of his solo trombone improvisation in a church.
He would play a phrase, listen to the loud returning echo
and construct a new phrase creating fantastic sound combinations.
It sounded like a duo or sometimes even a trio.
I liked the idea and that music very much.

Year later there was a forum thread dedicated to Tom.
In my sincere desire to say pleasant thing about his performance
I responded saying that he is very good -
"I once heard him playing with himself in a church..."

Tom's reply was "I don't dare make a comment about that one!
What an interesting combination of images..."

"One should exercise great caution and restraint when playing with one's self in church.
If heard, one could be discovered" - was reply of another member.

Since then I exercise great restraint when commenting

[Taron]

No, no, no, wait:

[opoint]

I agree with voting and POSTING anonymity, to really objectively evaluate tracks.
I noticed myself being influenced by strange things like, the soundcloud picture, the title of the song, whether the poster had one song or many on their soundcloud account, how many software synths they appear to already own.
It would also be nice if previous winners could not enter again, giving others a chance.
It seems some already have every synth and plugin under the sun and are some amazing producers.

In hindsight my track was crap and I want to cry, and feel terrible giving anyone a 1, sorry dudes. I thought of rating everything in 3 or above, but thought it would make sorting everything out more difficult. I feel guilty, ashamed, like a judgmental prick, feel...dirty.
Forgive me!

[Stollmeister]

I agree completely with Taron on the loudness. I punished a song this time which was very well produced, but which was just too overly squashed. I get ear fatigue.

I had no idea there was such stigma attached to voting 1. I just ranked the songs based on how good I thought they were. My least favorites got a 1. I didn't think such an approach would generate any drama, but perhaps I was naive.

[Taron]

You should really all take the drama out of the voting thing and stop being worried about yourself in that process. Just all be honest, be sincere and send out that energy so that we all can simply act that way. At the end reality will reveal itself, as pretty or as ugly as it might look, but it will do so for a reason. It is up to every single on of us to keep growing and make of what we learn something that will do us good. At the end, each one of us is a piece of universe, capable of speaking its truth and we get a chance to listen to what it has to say. Recognize that responsibility and enjoy it, too, because it's beautiful that we can do that: speak and be heard!

As for the prizes, it's so funny, when you think about it. All the free synths we learn about and then try out as well as all the free mastering tools we learn about as everyone writes down what they use, they spread out a buffet of greatness for serious music production, which only makes one ask: Why exactly do I have to buy something as long as it's "just a hobby" or a personal exploration?
By the time you get into really serious music production, you'll be able to afford to buy anything you wish, but on your way there, man...OSC shows you what you can have already and it's marvelous!
I've had more fun with those free synths than with any of the commercial synths I know, seriously. So...don't sweat the prizes. Just enjoy the ride!

[Frostline]

I for one would love to see more criticism (but put them at the right spot in the song so we know what exactly you're referring to).

100% agree.
Now don't get me wrong, I love when someone says they like what I did. But I am doing this to try and improve. Saying something is good, is nice. But saying something is bad, AND here is what you should have done to fix it is awesome.

[not directed at quoted person here]
Someone just plopping down a one for my first ever track without a single comment about it either good or bad teaches me nothing. All I get out of it is this person has the opinion my effort was crap.
If you are going to judge at maximum harshness another's effort at least have the fortitude to give a decent reason why. How else can one improve?
If my song sucks, say so. Tell me why. Post it in all caps if you want right on the SC page. And please give advice on how to improve so next month I hopefully won't be doing that which you found so distasteful. Otherwise it is probably going to be just as awful to you again next month.
I know my efforts are going to be bottom 25% for a long time and I never see my music reaching a top 5. There are just too many brilliant composers here. I am totally fine with that. I am doing this because I need the push of the deadline to ever 'finish' anything and I want to get better at it. I am not here to 'win'. So getting a low total score does not bother me. But a 1 with no known reasoning behind it just sucks.

[liqih]

This is not addressed to anyone but to everyone,
And it's not meant as anything more than a point of view on most of the chat of today here.
Revealing or irritating?
Amusing and warmly human!


"The power of scrambled quotes"

I feel the policy of non-anonymous voting really puts a damper on objectivity, and opens the door for all sorts of nonsense we don't want here.

I believe It's lacking because this contest is not anonymous. .

your track is already bookmarked here, and yes 5

I agree with voting and POSTING anonymity, to really objectively evaluate tracks.

You should really all take the drama out of the voting thing and stop being worried about yourself in that process.

you've put in some real piece of musical magic. The least one can do is acknowledge that! .... yes, 5pnts!

But a 1 with no known reasoning behind it just sucks.

. It is up to every single on of us to keep growing and make of what we learn something that will do us good.

the main trouble is from 1 to 2, or from 2 to 1

.What is the minimum it takes to get a 1?

Well, I've finally finished my voting. I gave out 7 5s this month.
Here they are. My personal favorite first...And now the rest of the 5s

I had no idea there was such stigma attached to voting 1

it's not music, just sounds - 1

For example, without normalization I suspect strategies that avoid the ends of the scale will lower your impact on the results

We're here to make music, or at least most of us, I gather, and this should never drop into the background for childish games.

Here we share a good deal of the same culture, but that's all.

Music is so many things

ps. I'd love to see this above like a game further scrambled, edited and elarged with other quotes you may wish to add or make your own set

[Wyrrdbryyngr]

@liqih - Bravo. That actually does a great job of condensing the many perspectives on the voting system here.

And yes, to echo other sentiments, if you're giving out 1's, have the decency to give some constructive criticism with it. It really does suck to not know why. Same goes for all the other numbers as well...