GFSA "Anything goes with a Twist" Challenge

Stoffeltoo

The time has come again, another challenge with a small twist.
The track(s)must be recorded on cell phone.

The first question is Why?

Guitarists without access to a home recording facility should be afforded the opportunity to enter their originals for this challenge.

Songs: Any Genre
Duration: 2 Minutes
Closing Date for entries: 13 August 2017 at 23h59
Please submit your MP3 format file with a title, a blurb and your name to stoffeltoo@gmail.com
Please make sure that the title of the mail contains "GFSA Challenge August 2017"

Below an example of a clip off YouTube of what can be done with a cell phone

Good Luck and have fun

V8

Sweeeeet,

I've done my last two entries with a cell phone and I still don't have my interface back, I'd have to use the ol' phone again anyways 8)

Was thinking it would nice to loop some bass the add some guitar over - are we going one track only or could we use a cellphone app to do some multi-tracking? There are some decent android apps : http://www.junauza.com/2014/09/best-android-apps-for-recording-and-editing-music-on-the-go.html. (No love for iPhone here ?)

Any genre and 2mins? Stoked!

Stoffeltoo

I have downloaded Bandlab from the playstore. Going to give it a try and see how it pans out.

wern101

Sounds doable!

Meron Rigas wrote: Sweeeeet,

I've done my last two entries with a cell phone and I still don't have my interface back, I'd have to use the ol' phone again anyways 8)

Was thinking it would nice to loop some bass the add some guitar over - are we going one track only or could we use a cellphone app to do some multi-tracking? There are some decent android apps : http://www.junauza.com/2014/09/best-android-apps-for-recording-and-editing-music-on-the-go.html. (No love for iPhone here ?)

Any genre and 2mins? Stoked!

Thanks Meron.

I also downloaded bandlab but the recording is shockingly poor! The normal voice recorder sounds better. Also downloaded pocketband, which seems good, but it has to have a constant data connection which is a bit irritating. Think the other option was a R95 Audio Evolution app that seems very nice.

Will try for this one. Will try...

V8

wern101 wrote: I also downloaded bandlab but the recording is shockingly poor! The normal voice recorder sounds better. Also downloaded pocketband, which seems good, but it has to have a constant data connection which is a bit irritating. Think the other option was a R95 Audio Evolution app that seems very nice.

Yeah, I saw that the link was a bit out of date (2014!), just downloaded n-track (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.openlabs.stagelight&hl=en). A very quick test got me two multi-tracked vocal takes - so it should do what I need, will only know once I've done a bit more playing around. Only objection to it is that it pushes in-app purchases. But it does look quite usable.

Having to learn a new interface though...argh.

If I was on iOs, I'd fork out the $ for garageband... 8)

wern101

Meron Rigas wrote:
wern101 wrote: I also downloaded bandlab but the recording is shockingly poor! The normal voice recorder sounds better. Also downloaded pocketband, which seems good, but it has to have a constant data connection which is a bit irritating. Think the other option was a R95 Audio Evolution app that seems very nice.
Yeah, I saw that the link was a bit out of date (2014!), just downloaded n-track (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.openlabs.stagelight&hl=en). A very quick test got me two multi-tracked vocal takes - so it should do what I need, will only know once I've done a bit more playing around. Only objection to it is that it pushes in-app purchases. But it does look quite usable.

Having to learn a new interface though...argh.

If I was on iOs, I'd fork out the $ for garageband... 8)

So that link took me to the 'Stagelight' app. Which, from first viewing and trying, is pretty good. I must admit the recording quality is very good. Much better then I expected. They do push in app purchases and you could, for example, only add 2 plugins to a track. All in all a good app, probably worth investing in the premium version.

What I struggle with is to do the drum track with the guitar already done. Soon as you add a new song you have to do the drumtrack first. If you do it later you actually can't do it while the other tracks are playing, which is a bit of a nuisance (Or I am just being stupid??). Also - have to use a 'stylus' type thingy as the various places to press with your finger are very small.

Will update, seems like this is going to work pretty well. ?

V8

wern101 wrote:
Meron Rigas wrote:
wern101 wrote: I also downloaded bandlab but the recording is shockingly poor! The normal voice recorder sounds better. Also downloaded pocketband, which seems good, but it has to have a constant data connection which is a bit irritating. Think the other option was a R95 Audio Evolution app that seems very nice.
just downloaded n-track (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.openlabs.stagelight&hl=en).
So that link took me to the 'Stagelight' app. Which, from first viewing and trying, is pretty good. I must admit the recording quality is very good. Much better then I expected. They do push in app purchases and you could, for example, only add 2 plugins to a track. All in all a good app, probably worth investing in the premium version.

What I struggle with is to do the drum track with the guitar already done. Soon as you add a new song you have to do the drumtrack first. If you do it later you actually can't do it while the other tracks are playing, which is a bit of a nuisance (Or I am just being stupid??). Also - have to use a 'stylus' type thingy as the various places to press with your finger are very small.

Will update, seems like this is going to work pretty well. ?

Umm, a bug DOH! from me. I've never looked at stagelight (ever), I have absolutely no idea how that link got there (aside from me being stoopid).

But if it works for you...win!

This is what I used (n-track) : https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ntrack.studio.demo&hl=en. Did a quik n nasty recording over the weekend. Started with a app drum track and added bass. Latency left me feeling a tiny bit sloppy, but the mic recording had the bass sounding pretty good. But when I added a second track with guitar while listening to drums and bass, it was a mess latency wise - nothing lined up as recorded (I'm sloppy player but not that bad...?).

This ain't gonna be easy. Just editing on a phone screen -when you know how easy it is in a regular DAW- is beyond frustrating >☹

Hasie

I am unable to find anything decent for Windows phone. And having the eyesight issue makes editing on that small screen impossible. So I think I'll do what I intended with "record it with a phone". Play & record, save as mp3, e-mail mp3, have a beer. Done.

domhatch

Hasie wrote: I am unable to find anything decent for Windows phone. And having the eyesight issue makes editing on that small screen impossible. So I think I'll do what I intended with "record it with a phone". Play & record, save as mp3, e-mail mp3, have a beer. Done.

:dance: :goodtimes: :goodtimes: :dance:

unfortunately, i don't think there's much in the way of this type of development being done for the windows os. however; i do stand under the correction tree, awaiting the pull of correctional gravity. on the upside, i think this is more along the lines of what stof had in mind when he set this challenge.

may the odds be ever in your favour
dh|

V8

domhatch wrote:
Hasie wrote: I am unable to find anything decent for Windows phone. And having the eyesight issue makes editing on that small screen impossible. So I think I'll do what I intended with "record it with a phone". Play & record, save as mp3, e-mail mp3, have a beer. Done.
on the upside, i think this is more along the lines of what stof had in mind when he set this challenge.

Yeaaahhh, I know I'm complicating things somewhat - but I have done the last two challenges on a cell phone, so for me, it's a useful exercise to check out the options of recording solely on a mobile device. (aside from getting a looper ?)

If one had a tablet, I can see editing being a lot easier.

wern101

Meron Rigas wrote:
This ain't gonna be easy. Just editing on a phone screen -when you know how easy it is in a regular DAW- is beyond frustrating >☹

Indeed... a stylus helps. Beyond frustrating is not really knowing too much about a DAW in the first place, and then having to figure out a cellphone one... A tablet would have been way better, but alas... rules are rules eh? ??? :?

Fortunately we have until the 13th. Fortunately its not a Friday.

Hasie wrote: Play & record, save as mp3, e-mail mp3, have a beer. Done.

Salut!

domhatch

Meron Rigas wrote: Yeaaahhh, I know I'm complicating things somewhat - but I have done the last two challenges on a cell phone, so for me, it's a useful exercise to check out the options of recording solely on a mobile device. (aside from getting a looper ?)

If one had a tablet, I can see editing being a lot easier.

oh, don't get me wrong. i've downloaded just about all the apps from this thread for evaluation. the wife is about to steal the imac for the family - and put it in direct access of everyone in the family, which means out of the study/sutdio - which is going to leave me sorely lacking in recording options. on the other hand, it may also simplify things up a lot. if she's going to steal the computer, i may have sufficient leverage for a new tablet...

?
dh|

Stoffeltoo

Good discussion going and enjoying the honest feedback from all on the different cell phone apps. I downloaded and tried them all. Latency is crap and recording levels even worse.
As was mentioned and intent of the original compo post. Record on a cell phone and anything goes with the intent of giving persons with no access to a DAW the opportunity to enter.

I am of the opinion that the intent of the competition is to attract attention to the entrants interpretation and use of guitar skills in a genre of choice with no limit to the number of instruments.

Cell phone recording has its own challenges but an essntial tool for capturing audio ideas. A bit of experimenting with the cell placement and surfaces may improve the result.

Some tips
Use ear phones when multi tracking on a recording app
When recording an acoustic, aim the mike at the 12th fret 30 cm away from fret board
When doing vocals about 200mm away from the mike should do.
Percussion requires a suspended mike to capture the upper frequencies

Lastly experiment. Making notes and use what suits your ear and intuition of what is right.

Good luck with the journey

Stoffeltoo

Tried band lab last night. Latency is terrible. Solved the problem by using a metronome and moving the tracks to the beat. Not an exact science but workable. Also found a way to export the clip without sacrificing added effects.
No real song structure as yet but working on it for the comp.

daveo1977

Hello Stoffeltoo!

Would I be able to enter if I recorded my track on my 1st gen Google Nexus tablet? I used the onboard mic into Easy Voice Recorder Pro.

Kind regards

Dave

warrenpridgeon

I've got a whacky idea which includes lego bits... HAHAHAHAHA.
I've got a plan on HOW I'm going to record stuff, now I just need to write something to record.

I will be experimenting with this shenanigans next week.
If I pull it off I will make a video also. hehehe.

Stoffeltoo

daveo1977 wrote: Hello Stoffeltoo!

Would I be able to enter if I recorded my track on my 1st gen Google Nexus tablet? I used the onboard mic into Easy Voice Recorder Pro.

Kind regards

Dave

No problem, android OS so should qualify.
The idea is to use your portable cellular or data device such as cell or tablet to do recording.

Stoffeltoo

First entry reveived! Got it DaveO1977 thanks.

studmissile

Hasie wrote: ........Play & record, save as mp3, e-mail mp3, have a beer. Done.

Snap! Mailed! Cheers!

Stoffeltoo

And I received it. Thanks Stud