So for the first patch contest I've chosen this classic film sequence:
You are invited to design a patch in some way inspired by the clip.
Patches could be polyphonic, mono, fx, arps, pads, drones etc. the only stipulation is that there is some kind of credible connection to the atmosphere and themes of the clip - so, say, a 'Mad-scientist Organ Stab', or a 'Van der Graaf Generator' patch, or a 'Vintage Orchestral Film Score' instrument, that kind of thing. (Something like, a Fender Rhodes emulation patch, no matter how well crafted, wouldn't really fit this brief.
) The rest of the rules, format closing date and other stuff:
PM submissions to me by midnight (00:00 GMT) Monday 13th July.
A maximum of two submissions per person (just in case anyone comes up with two patches that they really can't choose between, voting will still be on a patch by patch basis).
For illustrative or instructional purposes you can, if you want, include a supporting .mid file with your entry. This should play no longer than the length of the clip (32 seconds) and include just the patch(/patches). You can 'score' the clip if you want. That said, this is a patch contest not a film scoring task.
All of the patches will subsequently be made available to dl within one online folder.
There will then be an open public voting thread (probably of the format 'list the best 5 in order') and a separate discussion thread.
I'm hoping that initially the authorship of the patches can be kept under wraps - or at least people will dl and try out the patches before going to the discussion thread. If people then want to bask in the reflected glory or own up to their patches in the discussion thread that's fine.
Please try and think up a unique patchname (the pithier the pun the better!)- I'd rather not end up with a load of 'Patch Contest' patches.
If you want to include a description or instructions with the patch, do this within the patch info box that you see when saving a patch in Zebra - there will be an instruction within the voting thread to remind people to press 'info' when trying the patches.
To preserve anonymity don't 'initialize' your patch and also try to remember to delete your name from within the patch info.
If a patch uses the XY fields add a '+' to the end of the patchname e.g. 'Metrobot+'.
One last tip - try to ensure that your patch will not sound too loud or quiet in relation to other patches. I reckon that the best way to do this is to play it alongside a selection of Zebra's (Howard's) factory presets and do it by ear, not by looking at your DAW's output meter.
Good Luck!
EDIT: Urs has very kindly offered to give Alpha versions of his new 'Phase Distortion, Phase Modulation and FM, patched up with, uhm, *wires*' oscillator (an early prototype for the promised Berlin Modular) to the top 3 patches!
The deadline has been pushed back a week - it's now Monday the 20th (midnight GMT - or thereabouts)
