One-Synth-Challenge 35: Diva - Voting and Results

[Doc Jon]

Sorry to remain OT but just had to say

Joe Cat - WOW TO THOSE WHITE TROUSERS!!

Great keyboard setup! I never made the jump to a DX7 though I still have my Casio CZ1 which was built like a tank and still works perfectly to this day (probably going on eBay later this year)

Mark Hollis - what a voice, coincidentally my wife gave me all the remastered Talk Talk albums on CD for Xmas and they are simply stunning. I'd forgotten just what a genius that man was

Jon

[Doc Jon]

I do have to ask one question though because it is really something that I do not understand and has been levied at me more times that I can count, retro. I just don't get it. Also, you really like the percussion? Being perfectly honest I felt that was the one of the weakest aspects of the track, minus the break depending on how you look at it.

Hi APZX

Retro mainly because of the sounds you used which sounded classic 70's/80's, the chord progressions, and the fact that it reminded me so much of what I tried and so dismally failed to produce on a crappy 4 track cassette machine many many years ago!

The percussion was great because it was different, again very much a 70's/80's sound which fitted with the rest of the track, slightly cheesy (and therefore a bold inclusion!) but it just worked brilliantly in my opinion

Look forward to more from you in future contests

Jon

[dave dove]

@uncleage

thankyou

yes the mix is a dogs dinner
i just threw something up at the last minute
and then had hard drive failure
so i couldn't go back to it...

although that said
mixing isn't my strong point

glad you liked it
there were some nice comments put on soundcloud
thanks to all

dave

[el-bo (formerly ebow)]

ok...so, here we go !!

as has been said, this has been pretty difficult...even as i write i have my top 5, but am unsure of the point allocation..let's see if i can get that sorted by the end of this

all of these are judged on composition, rather than technical aspects of recording and mixing...aside from not having any good monitoring feedback to judge, i kinda feel that not being a studio whizz shouldn't be a barrier to entry

the list has been getting smaller and smaller, updating playlists daily while i work on the land...what are left are the tunes that i never felt the need to fast-forward/skip, and stood the test of multiple plays

mawa - dance of the goblin....... - 5 points

haha, didn't really dig this at all for a while...thought it was too cheesy...then those pretty little melodies got right under my skin...really close call between this and the 2nd slot, but this just pips it to the post...nice

pocvecem - panta rhei -eternal flow..... - 4 points

this was another that wasn't an instant 'hit' with me...even now, as it starts, i'm not too sure...i think it's because it takes so long to open up...as it starts, i get itchy 'skip finger', but then before i know it i'm sucked into it....then the payoff...maybe it's better cuz it's such a long build, but i loves it anyway...i think there's still more room to build from the change but maybe it's just perfect as it is....sweet

aiyn - beautiful winter..... - 3 points

definitely needs to be shorter, or just more dynamic (or both), but this is a fantastic tune; a 'textbook' example of a style/era/genre that always hits the right buttons for me...thanks

joecat - diva rides alone..... - 2 points

as someone who finds music in 'odd' timings to feel more natural than the standard 4, i found a lot to like about this from the start....loved the whistling sound...loved that it evoked everything necessary to live up to it's title...loved how different it was...cheers

chacka - diving with a diva.... - 1 point

there's a fine line between dynamic and schizophrenic in composition...i still don't know where this sits on that line.....despite a couple of things that were almost-dealbreakers, i found the other stuff to be enjoyable enough to get past them....you also pulled 'best intro' outta the hat, and 0:14 (both chords and preset) were, for me, the highlight of this whole competition

you threw a lot at this, and a lot of it did stick but i think if it was a little more 'centred' it would have jumped further up the list


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honourable menions - EVERYBODY........seriously, well done to all

almost ran's :

solidtrax - lady from jupiter....firstly, i concur with the idea of a name change...though this is, indeed, a solid track, your artist name brings to mind crap karaoke backing tapes , something this certainly isn't

this was another contender for the prize that i eventually gave to aiyn..but really enjoyed this...loved the 'ppk' bleep lead...but agian, too long, with not enough change to hold interest

nimrod7 - unconditional feeling......really like this when it starts out, but also spends a long time never really getting anywhere...loved the sound of it, though, and could be worked into a really great track

bzur - divagation....pretty solid track....good sounds...liked the oriental feel to it (both sounds and melodies), but it just didn't grab me enough to get higher

IIrs - division.......great intro, really set the scene...fantastic 'teetering over the cliff' moment before a great drop...i haven't yet been exposed enough to the wobble to become tired of it, but in this case i think it pulled too much focus and the piece became less interesting for me after that...would love to see it develop further past this

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crying shame :

really wanted to mention that bjulin - scottish snowfalls would have been my number one choice, were it not for the 'marmite' of the music world - bagpipes...this tune was so beautiful till that point...i would love to have a version without the 'lead' line...i do know what the composer was going for, and i guess it served it's purpose, but it really aint my thing...sorry


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that's it...job done..hope to join at some other point...maybe i'll wait for a mac comp, or just try to get something going via 'parallels'....

not for february though..february is 'rpm' month...now THAT is a crazy deal...anybody heard of it, done it, up for it ??

[bzur]

1)Mawa - dance of the goblin - 5 pts
2)Doc Jon - Eleventh dimension - 4 pts
3)stonail - Mimosa Tree - 3 pts
4)pocvecem - panta rhei - The Eternal Flow - 2 pts
5)Irion Da Ronin - Beyond The Sight - 1 pt

[V'ger]

Puh, I actually landed on a list of 5 finally..
Felt really bad to cut some, was almost a coin toss the whole thing, in the end just had to choose the ones that I enjoyed listening to the most (closest to my musical street) even if some others might have been more cleverly done synth-wise..

I really think this is the best entries for a competition so far, and that's without me in it! Really enjoyed the songs, was a pleasure to run the playlist over and over. Have had some nice walks and drives with it in the portable.

5 pts: Aiyn - Beautiful Winter
Stonking good track that rivals or better many in my regular favourite playlist. Diva really shines with this uptempo song that works on all levels for me. Well done.

4 pts: Pocvecem - Panta Rhei
Real soulful number that seems made with feeling and you can't beat a strong melody and coherent parts, especially when the sounds fits so well. Was very close for top spot.

3 pts: IIRs - Division
Great intro, melody, sounds and production, but the dubstep bass wobbles seems a tad forced and takes away more than adds by not fitting entirely the nice mood set, no matter how cool the sound itself is and how well blended with the main theme it is. No wait, correction; the intro and melody are actually really great..

2 pts: FarleyCZ - New Girl In The Hood
This spoke to me from the first time I heard it. Really great vibe and right up my street musically. I have many similar things on my favorite playlist, stuff I rarely get tired of. Again the fashionable-yet-imo-already-slightly-cliche bass wobble, and although it's probably not fair to fault it for going against personal taste especially as many other things are which I don't mind, I still have to and is what pulled it down slightly..

1 pt: Solidtrax - Lady From Jupiter
Nicely made track with a good vibe and top sounds all round. Another playlist keeper but would have benefited with slightly more variation.

Honorable mention to Doc Jon for an awesome intro (why are always the intros the best?)

[FarleyCZ]

2 pts: FarleyCZ - New Girl In The Hood
This spoke to me from the first time I heard it. Really great vibe and right up my street musically. I have many similar things on my favorite playlist, stuff I rarely get tired of. Again the fashionable-yet-imo-already-slightly-cliche bass wobble, and although it's probably not fair to fault it for going against personal taste especially as many other things are which I don't mind, I still have to and is what pulled it down slightly..

I've got a point! THANKS! Didn't hope in it actually. I could have done much more. Especially to the melodies. But there was no time to all that loooong freezing and unfreezing. Examination time in school.
That's even the reason why I didn't vote yet. Not sure I make ti till tomorow. Anyway, great contest, guys!

[gorgorgathgorgorgor]

Gorgorgathgorgorgor's OSC 35 Votes

I think pints are more fun than points, so...

5 pints bzur - divagation
bzur strikes again! Just groovin' hard and won't let me go! love the time signatures morphing all the time. Your odd times never feel odd to me!

4 pints Bumtu - Rumpus
Dug this one from the start, great groove, nice drums (particularly the octobons at :57)

3 pints Ebow - a diva's winter daydream
cool drum sounds... cool electric guitar sound. Kind of a Buckaroo Bonsai feel at the end...

2 pints PocVecem - panta rhei-The Eternal Flow
Great job, perfect arrangement, engages all the way through, points fo sho

1 pints IIRs - Division
This one has been growing on me, very cool intro with the droning and melody and I love the overtones in the bass in the second part.

And the Honorables...

Chacka - Driving with a Diva
Nice, the intro grabs you without assaulting you. The solo is a bit crazy, but I like the train whistle that comes after it. Fun panning tricks too.

Aiyn - Beautiful Winter
This one sounds like a commuter train... The beat and tempo suggest a train and I can hear the screeching breaks at around 1:45 and at 5:30. very nice mix. rather long, but doesn't "feel" long.

Key88 - Beep Beep.
I agree.

Stonail - Mimosa Tree
Nice. I find myself on the edge of my seat waiting to hear each part develop... love the chill dub vibe. Very fluid arrangement.

dave dove - auld lang syne
I'm in a deep trance now...

evo2slo - Then I Lost Onassis
great stuff here, caught my ear the first time I heard it, and the themes keep me coming back.

JoeCat - Diva Rides Alone
Love the train sounds all over this one. Nice harmonica melody too. Cool retro brass... there should be points for this...and plenty of ear candy. Melody is catchy and my kind of thing. Really cool brass tones in there too. This really should have gotten some points, but hey, life is pain.

IrionDaRonin - Beyond the Sight
Absolute garbage from you as usual Irion. Seriously, I like this mood from you, very chill, very listenable, going in my playlist points or no points.

[gorgorgathgorgorgor]

Gorgorgathgorgorgor - Krampusnacht - Love what you did but for some reason all of the parts had a certain roundness (almost flat) sound to them that kept any of them from standing out. Overall I liked it though.

Ug I know. I re-mixed it once, but didn't really have enough time last month to do it right, or I would have re-mixed it six or seven more times. It was driving me MAD!!!

[pocvecem]

Hi Gorgor,
thanks for the two pints. Btw, i prefer lager.

Let's have one more and then we'll go!
http://s219.photobucket.com/albums/cc79 ... =ascending

@bzur: Five pints! Shall i help you with drinking?

[V'ger]

I've got a point!

Really surprised not more, but have a suspicion that the overly detuned lead in the second part was too 'tarncy' for some as I've noticed a lot of KVRers for some reason have it in for 'tarnce' which is strange when 80's synthpop is not scoffed at in the same way. Personally, the only thing that rescued that decade for me was Pink Floyd, Oldfield, Rush, Supertramp and indeed Talk Talk, Pocvecem, even with such an unlikely singer. 'Such a Shame' is great like you say, but there are others like 'It's my life' which were virtual anthems really.

Your band Falgares was not half bad Joe! The singer makes me think of a white Phil Lynott, but don't know what to make of the bowtar though..

[pocvecem]

@V'ger:
I grew up with my mother listening to Tubular Bells, Dark Side Of The Moon, Wish You Were Here, Tangerine Dream, King Crimson and Camel.
Hence my addiction to long evolving songs and soundscapes.

[IrionDaRonin]

1) Pocvecem - 5 Points
A precious track from my "big bruder" Pocvecem, everytime he does this kind of tracks, all i want to do is to be better in the future. Take my 5 points, very well deserved.
Maybe i have the same problem as Bzur with drinking, lol.
In my playlist.

2) Doc Jon - 4 Points
This is the Doc i like, the 80's electronic one. A typical very well made relaxing electronic track from him. In my playlist.

3) IIRS - 3 Points
Gritty and agressive DubStep track mixed with relaxing textures. I just love "weird" mixes, the hard with soft.

4) Aiyn - 2 Points
Well mastered trance track. I just love this kind of relaxing trance.

5) SolidTrax - 1 Point
Sticked to brain melody, nice groovy chords in a well mastered and quality track.

Special mentions to
Bzur, BJulin, Evo2slo, Yeager, Nimrod7, Stonail, Ebow, Chacka. All these have made a great quality job, sorry for run out of points, you all deserved more to be honest.

Very nice groovy and modern OSC this month, of course, as always full of talent and quality.
To the others, keep up the good work and never give up.

I'm sorry for not using the great amount of presets there were already in the next version, i could do something a bit better.

And sorry for not having much time to write more comments that i would like to do.
See you in another moment, now i must go to celebrate my birthday. 30 years!

Good luck and have a good day everyone guys

[evo2slo]

Thanks to those who have commented on or mentioned my track, really means a lot. This has been an amazing month of entries, and listening to what everyone has accomplished has been not only a pleasure, but also a great learning experience for me.

Bumtu - Rumpus (5 pts)
Killer bass riff. All the different sound fx/ear candy keep it interesting and textural, but not overly busy. Horns are out of this world. Nice offbeat percussion. Really enjoy the energy, liveliness, and originality of this track.

bzur - Divagation (4 pts)
Great lead melody. Outstanding mix. Really cool rhythmic patterns. Love that sudden transition into the break. The second half builds nicely on the first - really wonderful around the three minute mark when those electric strings come in and take it to another level.

PocVecem - panta rhei - The Eternal Flow (3 pts)
Excellent arrangement. Sounds and mix are topnotch. Great use of the stereo field, and some cool doppler effects. Love the haunting melody, and how it builds, changes, and comes back around again.

lirs - Division (2 pts)
This track really shines when played loud. The melodies in the first section are fantastic. Love the little details throughout the track, like the harps and pop before the massive bass comes in. Great effect when the various parts merge together in the final section. So distinct in sound and character yet they fit together like pieces in a puzzle.

Stonail - Mimosa Tree (1 pt)
Love the contrast between the silky smooth sounds and crisp percussion. Nice spacious mix. Lots going on but everything has it's place. The reggae-ish feel made me think how nice it would be to be in Jamaica right now.

Sorry to all the great tracks I left out. My five runners up were Bjulin, JoeCat, Doc Jon, Aiyn, and Chaka.

edit:
HAPPY BIRTHDAY IRION!!!

[alphuris]

4 points - 22: ALPHURIS - Devout

OMG, thank you for that typo!

Er, I don't follow you...what typo?

Kind of a joke since I've never gotten more than one point, yet.