The Challenge 27/05/09 Voting

Renesongs

This weeks challenge was... [quote author=andrewjbryson link=action=profile;u=34 date=1243410229] The Topic for This Week "ViDeO GaMe bACkTrAX" Your interpretation of 80/ early 90's video game background music. Think Nintendo, Think SEGA, Think Atari or the original Arcade Coin Ups. Very wide range of sounds to go for : Action / RPG / Puzzle / Sports As long as you can have this in the background while the game is running... [/quote]

And here are the entries... [quote author=CDee link=action=profile;u=382 date=1243786573] Here's my entry for the "Computer Game Music" challenge. Imagine the start of the second stage boss level. Defeat the drones and then get to the boss! 2 tracks: Beginner class 1 guitar (Bought a cheap guitar from Cash Crusaders so I could enter the challenge. :-[ Stumbled upon a nice sound while trying to record with my laptop's built in mic >:( . Used reaper.) 1 synth (free vst downloaded from web) http://www.box.net/shared/pi8x0li20y [/quote]

[quote author=Viccy link=action=profile;u=755 date=1243970920] I came up with this (odd) piece. http://www.box.net/shared/k8gxgv8t1d [/quote]

[quote author=Squonk link=action=profile;u=298 date=1243973786] http://gfsa.s3.amazonaws.com/298/Squonk%20-%20Video%204%20Dex.mp3 Peavey T-60 through Zoom G2.1u into HP laptop Audacity Tweaked some free computer sounds [/quote]

[quote author=SpeedStar link=action=profile;u=1463 date=1243978288] Hi this is my first entry, The track is from Guille's Stage on the old arcade game "Street Fighter 2". I'm only playing for just over a year but I think I'll try and jump the gun for "advanced" catergory... and propbably get shot too. :-[ Anyway tracks used - CortKX5 Katana - Lead Guitar & Cubase frontman Piano Plugin. SonicBOOM! SonicBOOM! http://www.box.net/shared/3j4t4jnc33 Enjoy! [/quote]

[quote author=andrewjbryson link=action=profile;u=34 date=1244006448] http://www.box.net/shared/xkoegp69ks "Late 80's Video Game" 1x Standard MIDI Drums 1x Synth Bass 1x Ring Modulator Effect Guitar 1x Harmonizer Effect Guitar [/quote]

[quote author=Tailon. link=action=profile;u=360 date=1244006592] Heres my entry into this weeks challenge . little bluesy tune that would have worked nicely in leisure suite larry Recorded on my recently acquired squier strat , into a sd-1 . http://www.box.net/shared/4r0i5tvulf [/quote]

[quote author=mattayou link=action=profile;u=581 date=1244007629] Hi, here is my entry, [b]CAT JAM[/b]: http://gfsa.s3.amazonaws.com/581/cAt%20JAm.mp3 Used the following: Guitar 1 : Ibanez SA08LTD through Zoom G2.1U Guitar 2 : Epiphone Les Paul Standard through zoom G2.1u Zoom G2.1U backing soft percussion [/quote]

[quote author=Alan Ratcliffe link=action=profile;u=10 date=1244018934] http://www.ratcliffe.co.za/music/a-alan-junkyard_dogs.mp3 OR http://www.box.net/shared/g9fycu5fhr When I read the topic for this comp I immediately thought up a sidescroller game called "Junkyard Dogs". So I went with that and ended up having a lot of fun. Even threw in some of the cliched rock 'n roll that so many of the games of the '80s seemed to use shamelessly. :D Just drums and three guitars. The first half is just drums and a single guitar (with MIDI). From halfway, another guitar joins in to provide a bit of a "push", then becomes a harmony guitar for behind the solo at the end, which played by the third guitar. More details in a post later. [/quote]

[quote author=Guy Onraet link=action=profile;u=103 date=1244020961] here is my entry. I used EZ drummer Cocktail kit and 2 patches from guitar rig. http://www.box.net/shared/6g8s2ou904 [/quote]

[b]Remember 2 votes 1each for each category A and B. Voting ends Midnight on Tuesday[/b]

(old forum) Poll Results: ViDeO GaMe bACkTrAX ?

CDee (B): 2
Tailon (B): 6
Guy Onraet (B): 4
Squonk (B): 7
Mattayou (B): 5
Viccy (A): 3
SpeedStar (A): 2
Andrewjbryson (A): 13
Alan Ratcliffe (A): 13

Heath

some interesting entrys .... i can see EA knocking down the door for composers.

SpeedStar

I think I need lessons for Cubase LE

Spyke

Nice entries people! Well done.

AlanRatcliffe

When I read the topic for this comp I immediately thought up a sidescroller game called "Junkyard Dogs". So I went with that and ended up having a lot of fun. Even threw in some of the cliched rock 'n roll that so many of the games of the '80s seemed to use shamelessly. ?

Just drums and three guitars. The first half is just drums and a single guitar (with MIDI). From halfway, another guitar joins in to provide a bit of a "push", then becomes a harmony guitar for behind the solo at the end, which played by the third guitar.

Drums
I used an interesting "Trash" type drum kit in Toontrack EZDrummer, with all kinds of things like bicycle wheels and car hubcaps. Pretty straightforward drum rhythms otherwise. I kept the timing and dynamics pretty rigid to keep the machine-like element of a "good" video game theme.

Guitar one
I'm playing fingerstyle, with my thumb playing the bassline and first three fingers together playing the short, stabby chords. I used all three outputs from my Sanox guitar: The 13-pin drives a Roland GI-20 Guitar-MIDI, and I split the lower three strings into a Jazz bass sound (Edirol Super Quartet) and the top three strings three strings into a Hammond organ (Native Instruments B4). The piezo and magnetic pickup sounds are both straightforward. I dropped the bass sounds an octave and raised the Hammond an octave to get them out of the way of the guitar sound. The guitar bass line and the synth bass together give the bass sound an almost 8-string bass character which I like a lot - the bass is big and full while the guitar adds a bit of snap. The sound of the Hammond "locks" in with the guitar sound very well (as Hammonds tend to do).

Guitar two
Sanox again, bridge pickup mags only (DiM Air Zone). All harp harmonics (pinching the string between thumb and index finger) until it gets to the harmony, but wasn't trying to get pure harmonics, just add some overtones and movement by hitting random harmonics between the neck and bridge. I added a bit of phaser after the fact to accentuate the movement.

Guitar three
Strat neck pickup. Used a fuzz for distortion, but not so much that the guitar's character dissapeared (in other words distortion turned fairly far down). Then I set up an autofilter type effect (follows the playing dynamics) after the fuzz, setting the filter to somewhere between a band-pass and a high pass filter, with lots of resonance, so it sounds something like a cross between a wah and a phaser. Finally into a cranked Vox amp.

Mix
Game music needs to be compressed to make it stand out in noisy environments, so most tracks have some compression and I put a "Maximiser" (Waves L2) on the master buss. The piezo and magnetic pickup sounds are both panned left, while the Hammond is panned right and the bass is straight up the middle. I kept the bass and drum sounds without reverb to get them solid and fairly forward in the mix and only a bit on the guitar sounds to pull things together.

andrewjbryson

SpeedStar....

Impressive Solo for someone who has been playing for as short as you have....

Maybe the Violen background ?

AlanRatcliffe

@ Guy - did you want yours in the Advanced category? I see the filename is prefixed by an A...

AlanRatcliffe

Damn - some of these are good!

Guy-Onraet

Hmmm, i'm a competition noob, so maybe Rene wants to ease me into things lol. I'm not really bothered either way (took me about 25 minutes to write and record my entry this morning) so it's up to you. If you think it's unfair for me to be in the b category, feel free to change it - no probs. Very nice stuff from everyone else btw.

SpeedStar

Thanks Brys, need to work on rhythm though. Getting an electric violin soon, so I can start adding that in.

SpeedStar

Yo Mat
I thought CAT JAM was so catchy and gamey, Good Job!
Brys's tune was really funky and nostalgic.

mattayou

Shot Speedstar! I am listening to all the entries tonight-can't wait!

Wish i could blast them out at work, but unfortunately can't!

andrewjbryson

SpeedStar

I dig what you did...

Thats exactly why I chose this Topic = I wanted to be reminded of all the background /level music for the old classics...

On Street Fighter my 2 favourite's were Ryu / Guile 's level

kayDUB

Good stuff guys (and girl)!
My votes are in!

Squonk

Impressive entries, and everybody is included.

Will have to think long and hard before voting

AJB - brilliant , dig those snappy little licks towards the end
Alan - California games as well as the dogs, You hit it spot on
Guy - good stuff , loved the guitar effects and the tune, can see little blue people jumping
Speed - really good and as Andrew said "are you sure you have only been playing a year"
Cdee - amazing what you can achieve on holiday, reminds me of a ZX Spectrum game
Matt - cheesy 80's type tune and good harmonizing guitar
Viccy - amazing stuff , reflections of the Alahambra
Tailon - spot on, will have to come and watch you at open mic night.

Good stuff guys ?

mattayou

Well done everyone! My votes are in!

All brilliant. the only thing that swayed me was the fact that some sounded a bit more modern than 80's / early 90's, but wow, there is talent on this site!

AlanRatcliffe

AJB - Loved it. Right on theme and some awesome playing (as usual). Liked the ring mod guitar (echoes of Govan) and the fast little "snippits 'o shred". GM drums were a nice touch of authenticity. ? Great recording as always.

SpeedStar - Great playing! Only a pity the track is not your own composition.

Viccy - Lovely stuff. I loved the composition - very true to style and the square wave synth sound was very authentic. The guitar's tuning was a little off though.

Cdee - 10/10 for dedication! Buying a guitar and doing what you could with what you had. Simple, but effective. Loved the sweep and the percussive sound with modulated hiss - also very authentic.

Guy O - Great entry - especially for a recording dashed of on the morning of the deadline. I liked the tune and the filtered guitar sound - both perfect for the Smurf theme, IMO. Intro pad was a bit out of place though.

Mattayou - Right on track - slightly cheesy blues-based thing that is very reminiscent of many, many '80s games! Loved the twin guitar thing. Guitar tone wasn't to my taste, but not out of place.

Squonk - Really liked the sequenced synth and synth bass. Very impressive playing for the beginner's category and I liked it, but maybe a bit too much of a Fripp/Summers discordant solo for a commercial '80s game.

Tailon - Didn't have much exposure to Larry, but from what little I remember, you're well on track. Liked the fade in and ending. Guitar sound is a bit harsh in comparison to the mood of the piece though and there's one or two bits where the Rhodes piano jumps out a little loud.

CDee

Well, my motto is simple, if you don't have the talent at least have the dedication. :-[

Lethe

@ Viccy
Loved your entry!
Reminded my of Castlevania. Very cool!

Riaan

Great entries everyone. I wasn't able to finish mine before the deadline...next time!