FruitarGeek
This month's theme is a heavy/rocked up take on swing/boogie.
An example:
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PM me your entries before 09h00 on 24 March
doc-phil
Very interesting ?
Being restricted to 4 tracks (although I'm sure some of us stretch that rule slightly) might be difficult as this will certainly require some double bass/trumpet and/or other big band instruments.
I normally just confine myself to 4 instruments (i.e. guitar, bass, drums and one spare for whatever is necessary) as I find it artificial to restrict the entry to tracks since my drums might end up being 16 tracks in itself.
Might I suggest that we be restricted to, say, 6 instruments?
Mixerboy
Might I suggest no restrictions and just let rip, I didn't know it was only supposed to be 4 instruments so that kind of put's quite a limit on the whole thing, still doable though if you do the brass and whatnot with guitars instead of the real thing, might turn out pretty interesting.
V8
doc-phil wrote:
Very interesting ?
Being restricted to 4 tracks (although I'm sure some of us stretch that rule slightly) might be difficult as this will certainly require some double bass/trumpet and/or other big band instruments.
Yeah, cool challenge idea Mixerboy - Do I hear some of the influence that spawned your Agter elke prawn entry?
There was a brief discussion on the number of instruments in a challenge a few months ago - I've interpreted it occasioanlly as "four tracks playing at any one time" - instead of four tracks only. Remembering that vocals are unlimited, maybe this one I'd be tempted to Beardyman (scat/beatbox) the bass and perhaps a few other bits, freeing up tracks for things that I wanted to use a 'real' instrument. This (I'd hope) would be credited as a creative solution to the challenge of composing a entry (given the limitations) - opposed to unleashing the Broomstick bass vst with a swing pattern?
Just my 2c :-\
G-Man
V8 wrote:
doc-phil wrote:
Very interesting ?
Being restricted to 4 tracks (although I'm sure some of us stretch that rule slightly) might be difficult as this will certainly require some double bass/trumpet and/or other big band instruments.
Yeah, cool challenge idea Mixerboy - Do I hear some of the influence that spawned your Agter elke prawn entry?
There was a brief discussion on the number of instruments in a challenge a few months ago - I've interpreted it occasioanlly as "four tracks playing at any one time" - instead of four tracks only. Remembering that vocals are unlimited, maybe this one I'd be tempted to Beardyman (scat/beatbox) the bass and perhaps a few other bits, freeing up tracks for things that I wanted to use a 'real' instrument. This (I'd hope) would be credited as a creative solution to the challenge of composing a entry (given the limitations) - opposed to unleashing the Broomstick bass vst with a swing pattern?
Just my 2c :-\
I've just always used 4 tracks because I thought everyone else was :/
FruitarGeek
Ya my take on the 4 tracks was to pretend a band was playing. So if for example you have 2 guitars, bass and drums, and then you want some keys (the 5th instrument) I will then take one guitar away and have guitar, bass, keys and drums. cause in a band sense, its very possible to have someone swap over to keys.
AlanRatcliffe
Great challenge.
The track/instrument limitation was designed to level the playing field between the guys with recording chops and those without, to keep the recordings simpler. Otherwise the recording guys will win every time. There are ways around it, but it forces you to be more creative with what you have. Personally, it helps me limit myself from creating the 96 track layered monstrosities that I'm prone to spending my life producing.
With a style of music like swing, yeah, that limit needs to be raised or lifted.
DrGonzo
Even just one or 2 more tracks, for swing instruments, would be best.
Lets face it, with a swing band, there will never be 4 people/ instruments on stage, so its not quite right/possible to just have 4 tracks.
AlanRatcliffe
OK. I'm gonna make an executive decision here and say EIGHT Instruments/tracks max.
Stoffeltoo
Will only two tracks also do? ?
AlanRatcliffe
Stoffeltoo wrote:
Will only two tracks also do? ?
Sure. If you can pull it off, why not? I've done a few comps where I limit myself to one or two tracks.
FruitarGeek
Alan Ratcliffe wrote:
Stoffeltoo wrote:
Will only two tracks also do? ?
Sure. If you can pull it off, why not? I've done a few comps where I limit myself to one or two tracks.
Alan, for the delay comp didn't you only use one track? That was absolutely amazing
AlanRatcliffe
Adrian Rogowski wrote:
Alan, for the delay comp didn't you only use one track? That was absolutely amazing
This one? Yup - lots of effects always help. ? Guitarsynth too. There was an earlier "The Edge" type comp that was also solo/delay guitar.
Off the top of my head,
Industrial and
Open Tuned were also solos. I often throw in multiple sounds from one guitar take to help sidestep the four instrument limit - a good example being the
Video Game Theme, where acoustic and electric rhythm guitars, bass and hammond were all coming from one guitar. ? Drums and two melody/harmony guitars rounded it out to the requisite four tracks.
PeteM
Here's a quintet swing band and could have been a quartet because there are two rhythm guitars.
It doesn't have to be a big band to swing.
AlanRatcliffe
Speaking Django, here's a great heavy take on his Minor Swing:
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FruitarGeek
Hope you all gots your entries done!
Mixerboy
Leaving it until the last minute 8)
G-Man
not entering. Good luck to everyone though.
Highway-Chile
Hey all. I just wanted to pop in and mention that you all really outdid yourselves last comp-the alternative one. The entries were exceptionally stellar. Good luck on this new one...the rocked out swing. It's a cool challenge, as was the Woodstock one! I would have really liked to enter that one and also the rocked out swing....but I have too much going on in my life. This is unusual for me because up to a couple/three years ago my music took precedence and I was a heavy, heavy practice freak and always recording. Nothing would stop me doing these things.
Since 2010 I have had some serious injuries at work: a neck injury resulting in a two level spine fusion surgery that put me off work for 2 and 1/2 years. Then I got back in Jan '13 and in April some guy I was helping screwed up and the result for me was a partially amputated right thumb, from the nail bed forward. More time off work-no guitar playing for a long time. I finally got back to work again last August and my absolute focus has been work, work work to stop the financial death spiral and the resulting hemorrhage to my savings. Then in Dec my best friend in all the world, who lived in Florida and who I knew since high school days in Durban......(Westville Boys High).......well, he died while vacationing in SA, on Christmas eve. This guy was probably the finest drummer and guitar player to come out of SA. That's right. Fame escaped him or you would know of him. I miss the guy and that sucked a lot out of me. Then 4 weeks ago...... ?..... ?..... I had a little mini stroke, a TIA.... and the whole right side of my body is affected.......but I can still play :dance:. As if that is not enough....a week after that, an old Vietnamese man drove right across 3 lanes and directly across my path and the impact totaled my Dodge Durango when I unavoidably T-Boned him. His van was braaaaand new... only days old. Messed up!!! Serves him right the old bugger! So I had to shop for a car....a process I hate with a passion. Bought a 2013 Ford Flex SE......nice car, I'm digging it. Tons of room. After all the BS was over and the car was mine....that was at least an upswing. Now I'm afraid to park it in public parking areas, in case some doofus opens their door and dings my nice paint. ?
Anyhoo.......I'm not complaining and certainly not looking for sympathy. Just explaining why I am not participating on the forum or entering the comps is all. As for recording..... going in the studio has lost it's allure for me for a while....since I'm so beat from work when I get home. I get up at 4:30 am and get home after 7pm. We work 12 plus hour days. Sometimes calls get pushed, especially as the week progresses.... to say 11am by Friday. So I'll leave at 9am and I might only get home around 2am. I've been running on 5-6 hrs of sleep, for a very long time. The money is good.....but the long hours suck! If my call times stay early.....I can go a whole week and hardly see my kids at all until the weekend.
Incidentally! I like where the challenges are going. I think track counts and instruments and even track lengths should be lifted and the deal should be wide open. The way around this would be to have a winner in each category A, I and B....which is really how it should be. The trick there is getting entrants to be honest about their skill level. The topic should be set by the administrator and the "prize" should just be the win itself and getting into the Hall Of Fame. Or if the topic choosing is not always done by admin.....it could rotate.....(A) winner picks....next comp (I) winner picks and next (B) winner picks..etc.
I think though....speaking for myself......of course...... that the advanced person who has gone to the expense of getting the best gear and lot's of add on's and soft instruments etc......is going to want to use them and to not be allowed is stifling. 1 minute limits are stifling. I know the argument is for it not putting the I and B guys out the picture, who don't have the ability or the gear. But if you give the challenge a winner in each category that solves this issue. Just something to think about. And as you know.......just the mere fact of having the gear or software etc, does not guarantee someone a win...regardless of all the bells and whistles. You still have to write something that voters like.
BTW......the results being hidden to all until all votes are in is brilliant. I called for that before. It stops voter games and levels things a bit. Great idea!
FruitarGeek
Highway Chile. Thanks for the heads up. You have been sorely missed - your entrires always set the bar to a high level and forces us (especially me) to bring my A-game. I do understand your reasons for not entering - you need to get things right on that side first - but I do hope to see you again?
Also, thanks for the suggestions. They are absolutely great. On that note, I would like to say that there are definitely changes happening. I'm not going to give anything away, but lets just say I'm talking to people ? You'll all be excited when it happens.
