KVR Audio

z.prime · Post by **z.prime** » Fri Apr 17, 2015 1:17 am

Anthony Newcomb wrote:
wagtunes wrote:
While I received one 5, several 4's and quite a few 3's, the number of 2's I got was off the charts and 4 people actually thought that my track was the most God awful thing on the planet and gave it a 1
How in the world are you able to see what people gave you in scoring numbers? Is there a link I'm not seeing somewhere? Although it's not really important for me to see, it would be interesting take a look

Bottom tab on the spreadsheet, you can see each individual vote.

SoundGoddess · Post by **SoundGoddess** » Fri Apr 17, 2015 1:22 am

H-man wrote:
SoundGoddess wrote:Well that sucks, I don't understand why my song was in the bottom 5.
I want to write something soothing and considerate here but it's all coming over clumsy so let me just say this,

1. Don't get too down, competition was pretty fierce this time ..this is your art and if you like it then it's good

2. There are plenty of people here in the OSC community that will help in whatever way they can. Perhaps contact a few of the OSCers for their opinion and comments. Feedback is important.

3. Do a collab

True, I agree that the competition was fierce this month. and I do feel proud of my song.

I'm definitely open to feedback/constructive criticism. I don't know anything about mixing/mastering yet, so even with help from a professional I still feel really clueless about what I'm doing.

As for collab, I'm open to collab with anyone who would like to. I have Bitwig, Reaper, FL, Massive, Arturia V-Collection, Synthmaster, and Hive.

I do have a grammy award winner telepathically encouraging me as a voice in my head, I guess as part of his spiritual outreach for aspiring musicians. He wants to mentor me and collaborate when my skills are honed, but I feel like I'm a long way away from producing music at his level. I believe it to be authentic, but I don't really know what to make of it. So I guess that softens the blow a bit.

z.prime · Post by **z.prime** » Fri Apr 17, 2015 1:25 am

Suppose I'll be the first to say: congrats Jasinski! Always with the beating me.

And a special congrats to H-Man, who churned out what I feel could have easily taken the top spot. Congrats to the others rounding up the top 5, and everyone who participated for such amazing tracks this month! Really a very special set of them, I think. Very high quality, a testament to what Synthmaster can do. Certainly this was a tough competition!

SoundGoddess · Post by **SoundGoddess** » Fri Apr 17, 2015 1:31 am

bjporter wrote:
SoundGoddess wrote:Well that sucks, I don't understand...
Would you mind if I PM'd you my thoughts on your track? When I started OSC it took me about 2 years to figure it out, so don't fret

Sure, I'd love to hear your thoughts. Thanks.

Parduz · Post by **Parduz** » Fri Apr 17, 2015 1:34 am

Well, Wagtunes, I can only talk for myself, but I'd like to say that my votes are never absolute, but relative. What I mean is that a 1 for me means that a song is the last I like of the group, not in the whole world, as a 5 means that it is one of the better of the pack, not the new "Thriller".

If you like, I can explain my reasoning behind the vote I gave you, either here or by PM, just for the pleasure to exchange impressions and talking about music (as I am a nobody in the music world, I don't have any real value to pass to you).

It saddens me to see so much frustration ;I think you should just enjoy the music you do, and take the voting as a indicator of how much your stuff is popular (that, as we know well, doesn't equate to quality).

z.prime · Post by **z.prime** » Fri Apr 17, 2015 1:39 am

As for the rankings, don't get down about them. It's hard to quantify what a 1 is. I definitely agree with Parduz... 1 doesn't mean an awful track, just relative to the others. For example, you might give everyone 1's and only the 4 best ones rank 5 to 2. Voting is sorta up in the air that way. There were very good tracks to compete with! Really, things could have swung in different directions easily. If you are looking to improve, take things one step at a time. Focus on one thing for the month... better EQ or better mixing. Watch some tutorials on that specific subject. Ask fellow OSCers for feedback or suggestions. Most of us are happy to help!

psmacmur · Post by **psmacmur** » Fri Apr 17, 2015 1:44 am

Congrats to all the winners in this impressive month!

Some great production advice in this thread.

@Tjgoa: if there's one thing I've learned from OSC, it's that SAMPLES ARE FOR CHUMPS

. Don't give in! Synths for the win!

@wagtunes: I came in DEAD LAST in my 2nd OSC and stuck around for at least a dozen since. Am still hoping to scrape together something in Dexed and will at least be back later in the year when life settles back down. The 'C' stands for Challenge and they aren't kidding. But, as this thread exemplifies, the community makes it worth it; addictive, even. I totally relate to your throwing-in-the-towel feelings, but we're up against a slate of world-class electronic musicians; it's bound to be hard. It's certainly made me a better producer... along with several others I've watched cut their teeth over the last 18 months or so. Let your ego go and stick it out, is what I'm trying to say.

wagtunes · Post by **wagtunes** » Fri Apr 17, 2015 1:51 am

Here's what I really don't get. This boggles my mind totally.

I won't mention names because I don't want to embarrass anybody but one person scored the following:

2 5's
10 4's
17 3's
14 2's
13 1's

Now this person actually finished with one more point than I did.

13 1's?

How can a track that gets 13 1's also get 12 scores above 3?

This is obviously a taste issue and has nothing to do with "quality" because you can't score like that and be that good and that bad at the same time.

Now I scored this person a 3. I felt it was an average track. I can't for the life of me see anybody giving that track a 1. And not 13 of them. That's insane.

So this has to be a taste issue. It can't be anything else.

But I'll tell you one thing. I think this person may have something that nobody else here has. Because if people can either love you or hate you that much, you're doing something right. You're making people feel strongly about your music. If everybody has just given this person all 3's it wouldn't have been as impressive. This vast range of voting is very telling.

My personal suggestion to this person is to tap into whatever it is that makes people feel so strongly (good or bad) about your music.

I'm going to actually listen to that track again to see if I can figure out such a vast range of votes. I mean that's almost a bell curve.

Amazing!

SoundGoddess · Post by **SoundGoddess** » Fri Apr 17, 2015 2:18 am

I'm sorry about getting so emotional over the scoring. I've just been feeling really vulnerable lately because my dad is on his deathbed and I don't know how to cope with it. So seeing that I scored so close to the bottom is kind of a blow to my self-esteem. I just should probably pick other ways to measure my success as a musician than how I did in a highly competitive contest. Just my dad thinks I should get off disability and get a regular job like everyone else, but I think that I should follow my passions instead of chasing money like I did for so many years with my business stuff. I just don't know how to bridge the gap between where I am now and where I want to be.

@wagtunes none of the people I gave 5's to even to made it to the top 10. So I'm guessing that my taste in music just doesn't align that well with popular opinion.

EDGEK8D · Post by **EDGEK8D** » Fri Apr 17, 2015 2:25 am

Congrats to the winners. Competition here is fierce. Lots of talent.

Wagtunes, nobody here is a pro. We are a bunch of amateurs. This is fun. Don't be upset. You clearly have a competitive spirit, which is great. You sound experienced but maybe "computer music" is new to you. It is different. As someone that uses a lot of hardware synths, its a different ballgame. Keep at it, it is not anout winning, but making something that you feel good bout.

I felt great about my song this month, but knew it wouldn't do great with such a slow tempo. That's cool, I just felt like doing something like that. I will do more. I took 2nd a while back, and TBH I thought it wasn't very good. I was shocked. Goes to show you what I know. I just really enjoy the exercise of "all one synth". It has made me better at synthesis and I feel very skilled at making drum sounds now.

I also find that only having one instrument makes me a better musician. I spend way too much time dicking around with sound design. My approach is minimalist. Some people say, "wow, spacious mix!" That's because I don't have fifty tracks and fx all over the place. That's just how I like it. Maybe some do also, maybe some think I'm lazy.

Someone said earlier, 100 hours on their song. I'm sorry but I think that is the wrong approach. You are better suited, and will improve your skills faster by writing ten songs spending ten hours on each. If its good, it happens quick and i finished my track for this contest in about 4 days, maybe 12 hours.

I'm not gonna give you platitudes. It's hard work to be decent. That's what I think of my stuff, decent. I've sat with my gear for about four hours a night almost every night for over two years now. I've studied and self taught music, sound design, mixing, and mastering. I'm distracted by a eurorack modular right now. I have about six other synths and an iMac full of software. I just love this stuff, but I have no delusions about being on a stage or making anything of this. It is just my favorite passtime, and I don't take it personally. I'm a doctor by day, a single father until my six year old goes to bed at 8pm, then its me and my synths. Life is good. My divorce was final last month after two years and an absurd amount of money lost. Hence the name, "Dissolution". I wrote the music the night before my trial started and finished the mixdown the night after it was all finished.

Keep at it man. If you value others opinions of you over your opinion of yourself, it makes life too damn hard. Just do you, and keep doing you. That is what attracts people I find. <hugz>

ontrackp · Post by **ontrackp** » Fri Apr 17, 2015 4:03 am

Congratulations to the winners!
and thanks to BJ for the great work running the show.

This was a great month with lots of really good tracks. It's really a pleasure to participate. For those of you who gave me high scores and nice comments - thanks very much!

H-man · Post by **H-man** » Fri Apr 17, 2015 5:14 am

Hi all,

Congratulations to Jasinski for yet another thoroughly deserved win!

Masterful work (and some pretty darn cool artwork too). To Z, congratz as well for another beautiful, mind-bogglingly detailed track, and thanks for kind words too

I appreciate your advice and encouragement greatly

and well done to Lemmike and Harthstein for your top five tracks.

Huge thanks to everyone for votes and for what were definitely some the best track-comments I have ever received. Really amps me up to try to improve

To Brian and the team from Kv331, thanks for making this whole thing possible. See you all soon

tatanka · Post by **tatanka** » Fri Apr 17, 2015 5:36 am

Congratulations to the winners, congratulations to all the great songs !

I must say I am happy with my voting, improved from last time and at least I am just now in the TOP 40

. I am really happy with all the people who liked my song apart from its unperfection based on my still very little knowledge compared to all the great artists in here.

I can understand the grief of evrybody who is not satisfied with his/her results but as someone posted before: voting is relativ, so that dont mean that the songs at the bottom of the voting are bad at all, just that the majority decides that the other songs are even better.

And after having now two votings to compare I just can say that I am really surprised how objectiv, comparable, fair and reasonable the voting is for me.

It was hard work for evry single point in the voting and that will be. I havent even begun to understand what that means in practical implementation for getting better for the next song, but thats o.k. for me.

The only thing that I feel is a little overwhelmed with all that knowledge and artistry in hear and so feeling realy small. Maybe better wait (a few lifes....) for next competition but on the other hand: where else you can get so much help offered freely and friendly ?

So,

to you all

SoundGoddess · Post by **SoundGoddess** » Fri Apr 17, 2015 5:40 am

your song was awesome, tatanka, good job with everything

mehum · Post by **mehum** » Fri Apr 17, 2015 5:42 am

Congratulations to the winners and thanks to everyone who listened and commented and rated my track high or low

To wagtunes and Soundgodess, please try and not be discouraged. See it first as a personal challenge and try to disregard the contest. If it gives any solace I enjoyed both of your tracks. They stood out in the flood of well made but forgettable EDM.
I can give you some further analysis in a PM if you're interested. Both of your tracks was rather unpolished and while I consider that may give them personality others may certainly score them lower for it.

Soundgodess, sorry about your father!

One Synth Challenge #73 special: Synthmaster (Jasinski wins!)