SONGWRITING COMPETITION - SWC068 April 2023 - Winners announced

[bedlamward]

The link is working, @bedlamward.
Please also update your post with additional documentation and make the file downloadable.

just noticed the song is not downloadable and greyed out options for public in soundcloud . i'll try again Ed

We're in the final 5 hours of submitting your entry, everyone.

[KukoBass]

Hello everybody,

My experience this month:
This month I learned that if you record live instruments, it would pay off not to rush the process to avoid record artifacts like fingers scratching on the strings, breathing, smacking, klicks, pops, dead notes and so on. Rushed recording equals long time editing which in this case I didn't have the time for.

Feedback
Just some subjective impressions by me. I'm for sure not an expert.

► Show Spoiler

aFutureInNoise "What is Expected From Me"
Powerfull bass! The instrumentation with bass, guitars and organs reminds me of 60s / 70s rock bands. I like the contrast between the (pretty dry) bass and the guitars with lots of reverb. What might give the song an extra kick is if you started the drums shortly after the bass intro and before the vocals set in.
The vocals are a little too "classic", too close to opera singing, for my taste. I wonder what the song would sound like if it was sung by someone like Roger Daltrey or Rod Steward. The song ends a little sudden after a beautiful solo. I think the chorus - or the bass intro - could have been repeated here one more time.
All in all a creative take on classic rock music. Well done!


Arelem "Gasoline"
This song has a Nu-Metall energy. The production sounds very professional, wide and spacey, although a little over the top. I would not know what to improve. Maybe vocals could vary a little more between the verse and the chorus. I like the rhythm change in the outro.
A very powerful production. I'm in awe.


JeroenZuiderwijk "A Night Together"
This entry reminds me of the golden age of prog rock and I like it a lot. I especially like the change of pace / rhythms within the song.
The vocals sound good and could be a little louder and in front of the mix for my taste. Also the kick drum could use a little more low end.
I'd love the song to be a little bit longer, with another epic guitar solo after the vocals and the vocal part repeated at the end.


DocJon "Maybe I'll send you a postcard"
I really like the lyrics and the programming of the vocals is pretty amazing. The staging of the different instruments and elements sounds very good. I would not know what to improve. This song does what it does very well!


MellowBrowne "Vacation"
A very relaxed and laidback tune. The instrumentation sounds a little dry to me; it might have room for some pad sounds?
The guitars at 1:32 and 1:53 could be a little more in the foreground. I like that the chord changes are a little pushed forward on the rhythm grid (e. g. at 2:22), it gives the song drive and grove.


EsteveCorbera "Postal de les vacances dels 80"
The wide soundscape and the instrumentation reminds me of 80s synthpop like Jean-Michel Jarre or Vangelis. The production sounds very professional.
My only issue with the song is that the melodies ripple along as if they lead to nowhere. They could benefit from some memorable and repeated motifs.


becseygyorgy "Postcards from around the world"
The beginning reminds me of Darude's Sandstorm with an added oriental flavour. I'll see you at the rave.
I can imagine the parts like different postcards, tied together by the bass. This song keeps the listener engaged and drawn in. Bonus points for the "welcome to mix-challenge"-part.


The Exponent "Reverie"
A dreamlike atmosphere. This tune reminds me of the demoscene (remember scene.org?) and would be great with a 3D visualization of the sounds.
The mix translates pretty well to the different listening environments (audified MixChecker). Great tune!


Bedlamward "Green"
This song hits hard and reminds me of songs by Peter Gabriel ("So"-era). The vocals could be more in foreground. The randomized ping pong effect on the vocals is fun. I also like the vocoder sounds very much. Very creative song!


canese "journey to the top"
A dreamlike relaxing soundsculpture. Some sounds in the beginning sound slightly detuned, but it only gives the song a certain lo-fi-vibe. I like this song a lot. It makes me feel a lot less stressed and that's what I needed somehow this month.

My Top 5

► Show Spoiler

1. canese "journey to the top"
2. becsey_gyorgy "Postcards from around the world"
3. The Exponent "Reverie"
4. Bedlamward "Green"
5. JeroenZuiderwijk "A Night Together"

[EsteveCorbera]

Good afternoon,

I enjoyed the challenge this month because I was able to keep evolving by testing new things and learning from your feedback.
But it seems he didn't participate this month. I don't have a single point. What a shame!!!
I will give you some brief comments.
As always a great level in all subjects. Good job everyone.
Starting from the same premises, very varied topics emerge. Generally very good level.
I make the final votes more on the level of taste preference because I find all the songs you present very well done.


A Future in Noise_Whats Expected From Me
Each with their own style. good song I like the mix of the voice, you gave it a good role. Good initial bass.
Maybe there are times when the voice can be tuned a little. But everything else is fine.


Arelem_Gasoline
Also your style. It is more difficult for me to be able to give you my opinion because this style does not stick to me. Good guitars, they have power. Maybe the vocals could be a little more up front.
Missing information in high bands.


JeroenZuiderwijk_All Night Together
good topic Well done mix. Good rhythms and good guitars. The voice is also good, but it gets too short, only in the final part. There is no voice in the other part of the song. The vinyl sound at the beginning and end sounds a bit forced.


Doc Jon_Maybe I'll Send You A Postcard
great song It's not super original, but it's immediately catchy. Very cool chorus. The voice is very well done. If you didn't say, I would have thought it was real.
I like retro sounds.
The theme at the end is a bit repetitive.


KukoBass_Postcards
The battery sounds a bit off. He sees them as stereo wide and lacks reverb or delays. Like some other fellow said, maybe the mix is too dry. I like the bass and the final trumpet gives it a very cool melancholic touch.


Mellow Browne_Vacation
Quiet topic. Pretty decent mix. Good guitars that come and go. Maybe it's a bit repetitive, maybe a voice is missing?


becsei_gyorgy_Postcards from around the World
Excellent work as always. Varied and original. I like this union of various styles, it's like a trip that you have visited several places and in each place there is a different music. Well done!!
Have you seen the HBO series, White lotus? There is a moment that reminds me of the tune from the second season.
I have few things to criticize. Towards the end, perhaps the rhythm ends up being heavy, too repetitive. But this is more the terrain of personal tastes.


The Exponent_Reverie
Interesting and promising start. This effect attracts attention immediately. I really like it when you put on the vintage synth sound. Good mix and very good sound environment. great job


Bedlamward_Green
Very powerful song. It sounds powerful from the beginning. At the mixing level, I would perhaps give more importance to the vocals. The voices passed by the vocoders are original. Maybe the rhythm could be varied, in the end it gets too repetitive.

canese_Journey to the top
great topic Great!!
Great initial atmosphere that creates a feeling of nostalgia or something.
Long and reverberating pads, but with movement. Very cool!!
I love this type of music, so it's very difficult for me to find things to change.
Just one thing, I wouldn't have added the beat at the end. I would leave it without, little your music was already very interesting and had power.

(translated with google)

► Show Spoiler

01 canese
02 The Exponent
03 becsei_gyorgy
04 Doc Jon
05 Mellow Browne

[A Future in Noise]

The instrumentation with bass, guitars and organs reminds me of 60s / 70s rock bands.

Of course, why would I like to play anything else?

[becsei_gyorgy]

Hi,
Another month has passed (the passage of time seems quite fast )
What have I learned this month?
I had a very difficult start this month, I couldn't really get going with the songwriting.
So the first exercise was to persevere.
My second exercise was the correct preparation of the kick-bass, which required a lot of patience from me, not really my favourite. But the melodies were a pleasant occupation, a real pleasure to work on.
Not specifically related to music writing, but the quick assembly and editing of the "videoclip" also was a real pleasure.

About the songs:

► Show Spoiler

a Future In Noise - What's Expected From Me
Nice instrumentation, nice mix, clean vocal but a little more subdued and less bold in the higher notes.
The vocals could use a little compression, and the volume jumps around (e.g. 2:11-: is much lower than before).
I really like the chorus part of the song, esp. the organ.
I get the overall feeling that the vocal parts (although clean and good sounding) are not good enough (melody, rhythm, lyrics) compared to the background music, which is great (esp. in chorus part).

Arelem - Gasoline
Nice vocals, nice rock style.
I like the way the guitars play, but they sound a bit thin for me. I would add more depth, a bit more crunchyness.
Especially in comparison to the very good distorted vocals, the guitars are a bit lacking in "hotness".
Overall a well put together song, I like its style

JeroenZuiderwijk - All Night Together
Nice starting, good guitar playing, nice melodies, but they seem to have forgotten to mix up the vocals at the beginning. The middle–low-mid is very empty, like a vocal track was left off .
Finally at 1:47 (quite late) the vocals come in, and this is where you really see how great this song is. Good vocal that fills the frequencies now, we're just starting to enjoy it all when... suddenly the song ends - after the first verse we would wait for the chorus, 2nd verse etc. but nothing.
(It's like an evil elf messed up the arrangement of the song, and then put back only one verse of vocal track, and that only at the end of the song. )
It's a shame, because it would have been a great song, the music is good, what we heard of the vocals is great, and together it's especially enjoyable. My biggest regret is this song this month, because it is very promising.

DocJon - Maybe I'll Send You A Postcard
Very smart choice of instruments, very authentic.
I remember when I wrote the first vocal melody in the Synth V editor, how impressed I was.
Listening to your song, I still have that feeling. It's quite amazing how much that technology has developed only in the last year, and it's scary to think what will happen in a year...
I like the melodies, the mix, great song overall.
And I especially liked that it's a finished song - in all sorts of ways.

KukoBass - Postcards
Starts with good chords, nice progression, I also like the guitar melody.
But the song is quite dark, there's no highs in the song. And unfortunately the vocals are completely different to the song, very loud, too many effects compared to the rest of the song, + too wide stereo image.
Overall, however, the mood of the song (I really like it), the melodies are captivating, nice composition.
It would be amazingly nice to hear the song in a final form, with better mixing, effects etc.

Mellow Browne - Vacation
Good instruments, good composition, a bit of background music feeling.
Every instrument does its job skillfully, plays pleasantly in a good rhythm and fits well together.
None of them do anything unexpected, the dynamics of the song don't change, it flows and flows. It is perfect for a background music, but a dynamic solo instrument or a dynamic vocal could shake it up a bit.

EsteveCorbera - Postal de les vacances dels 80
Good instrument choices, the drums come in at the right time, a bit ambient style, nice 80's.
The song is a constant movement, a constant development, but I miss the melodic handholds in it, the recurring melody that would grab me. Apart from that it's a nice song with a nice atmosphere.

The Exponent - Reverie
Very clever composition, the song develops well, it has a good arc.
The mix is clean, but also a little bright.
Unfortunately, working with only one synthesizer also has its drawbacks, the limitations of sounds and sound possibilities. Some sounds, the lows, the percussive elements would perhaps be even better with other instruments (or synths).
Overall excellent work of course. Great composition.

Bedlamward - Green
(Unfortunately it's a pity that you can't download the song.)
Overall nice melody, nice instruments just the mix maybe is not finished yet.
The vocoder part is nice but in general the vocals are very subdued, the synth bass is too loud.

Canese - Journey to the top
Calm intro, creates a good atmosphere.
The song develops well, emotional cinematic feeling.
The mix is a bit "washed out", there is too much in the middle (esp. too much low-mid), no highs, and the stereo image is not the best either.
I like the part when the drums also arrive, it's very effective.
Great emotional track, i like it very much.

Voting:
Voting was particularly difficult because of the wide variety of genres (apples and oranges again). Two songs stood out for me (they were my favourites), but I spent an unusual amount of time pondering and thinking about the rest of the order, because many of them deserved to make the top 5.

► Show Spoiler

DocJon - Maybe I'll Send You A Postcard
The Exponent - Reverie
KukoBass - Postcards
Canese - Journey to the top
EsteveCorbera - Postal de les vacances dels 80

[The Exponent]

The link is working, @bedlamward.
Please also update your post with additional documentation and make the file downloadable.

just noticed the song is not downloadable and greyed out options for public in soundcloud . i'll try again Ed

We're in the final 5 hours of submitting your entry, everyone.

Hi! I think you wanted to post something but somehow missed what you wanted to post.
Assuming it was an oversight, can you post what you wanted to post in your next post for this post card themed round?

[Mister Fox]

It's the 02nd May 2023, 00:50 (UTC+2/CEST) - the Voting Period has officially ended.

Sadly, not all participants have submitted final feedback, we would therefore have 2 disqualification.

I will send out another newsletter/message to those particular participants (@Arelem, @bedlamward), give you until the end of Tuesday, 02-MAY-2023 as per the rule book on the voting process ("overtime mechanic"). If there is feedback and a vote by the participant in question, only -5 points will be deducted from the scoresheet. Else, sadly a disqualification.

Once I have this feedback as well, I will post the results within 2-3 days and take "late feedback" into consideration.
(this is not an automated process)


The only disqualification criteria is by "not participating" with feedback at the end of the game. Time constraints can happen -- that is not that big of a deal. However, our community lives from interaction.

Everyone else, please no more changes to your vote. Thank you.


Please have an eye on this thread

[Arelem]

Hello All,

I spent a couple of hours listening and typing out my feedback but when I went to submit, I was met with a message about website maintenance and lost it all. I am not going to have time to go back through everything and provide feedback before the deadline so sorry everyone. Really tough month because everyone did great!

EDIT: I didn't intend to point blame or anything, I was just stating my circumstance. Anyway, I did cobble together at least some feedback. It's not quite as in-depth as my original feedback was but I hit the main points.

Feedback

► Show Spoiler

A Future In Noise – Sounds good. Maybe put some more distinction on the hook, is wasn’t initially sure if the song had a hook until I took a closer listen.

JeroenZuiderwijk– It sounds like the vocals were a bit of an after thought but I think this would really work if you went and re-structured it to feature the vocals in a more typical manner. The first half is fine as is but the back half makes me wish there was more of that.

Doc Jon – I know retro is in at the moment but I think it works best with pop when it is blended with modern styles/techniques otherwise it can just end up sounded dated. It’s ok as is but it does feel dated to me.

KukoBass – I’m not sure if there is anything specific I would change but given the slower tempo it might be beneficial to add some more variation to keep things interesting.

MellowBrowne – I really like this. I especially like that the drums keep either changing up or add/removing elements to keep things exciting. Everything is mixed well and fits the track really nicely.

EsteveCorbera – You definitely nailed the 80’s sound here. There isn’t much of a lead melody to keep the listener engaged though. You might try shortening the lead sections and allowing them to repeat so that it’s easier to follow along to.

Beccsei-gyorgy – I think it’s typical of songs of this genre but for me there isn’t really enough interesting elements to keep me interested. I don’t think there’s really anything to change to fix that because it fits the genre, but it could maybe have more of a lead melody to add some catchy-ness to it.

The Exponent – I really like it. I do think it could benefit from more in the sub frequency range. The bass is really only in the low to mid-lows. Maybe layer in a pure sub layer with the bass to give it more low end.

Bedlamward – There is definitely potential here. The vocals are a little quiet and clash a bit with the synths. You could use a EQ or multiband sidechain to carve out some room there. The rythum and lead synths have a good bit of overlap too which muddies things up. Maybe high/low cut them so that they sit better in the mix.

Canese – This is a nice ambient track. I really like it once it gets going but that takes until 3 minutes into a 4 minute track. Ambient music is fine but in a song contest it can be a little lacking compared to other entries (at least for me).

Vote

► Show Spoiler

1st Mellow Browne
2nd JeroenZuiderwijk
3rd A Future in Noise
4th Kukobass
5th Doc Jon

[Mister Fox]

The "maintenance" happened between 1:45 UTC+2/CEST and 2:35 UTC+2/CEST on 02-MAY-2022. I apologize for the inconvenience.

However, the feedback was supposed to be due on 01-MAY-2023. You still got 20 more hours for the "extended feedback". It would be nice to give at least some sort of words of encouragement. It's part of the Rule Book after all.

[Mister Fox]

It's the 03th May 2023, 03:25 (UTC+2/CEST) - the Voting Period extension has officially ended.

Unfortunately, still not everyone has sent in feedback and cast a vote. We therefore have (at least) 1 disqualification.


Please no more changes to your feedback from this point forward.
I will post the results within 2-3 days. (this is not an automated process)


Please have an eye on this thread