We have always heard string instruments, specially in movies and tv series and we all like string sounds in a form or another. About strings, I mean bowed instruments like violin, viola, cello and so on.
I still remember, long time ago, the time when I didn't like symphony music at all but loved all sort of synthesized string sounds and electronic music... But then I soon realized that to my surprise it was all about the way how they are being played, the style and genre. It was just because of the style that was annoying me and didn't offer the "my cup of tea". The real turning point was maybe the composer of LOTR trilogy; howard Shore... as soon as I saw the Fellowship of the ring, I truely realized that I really like string sounds so much.
"Wow, so beautiful music... there must be some electronic sounds. Uh, no??? Damn. How can this be, I like pure symphony music.. didn't I hate it?"
And now here I am, listening all kind of music, electronic or not...
I think it's enough about the story of mine... now let me explain the rules and the theme of the contest:
1. The main approach into contest theme is soundtrack. Each competitor must introduce us some specific story, situation or just feeling and make the song as a soundtrack for it.
2. The song that each competitor make, should have string sound(s) as essential. It does not matter whether the string(s) of the song is made purely with, covering whole song or is just the "climax" part of it. As long as the string sound is more or less the essential part of song, it's valid. Also I am not restricting the genre.
I must point out that this contest IS NOT about "who's got the most expensive, most realistic and best string samples". Any string sound is valid... it may be sampled, emulated, totally synthesized or even real acoustic instrument. I accept even synthesized "pad" sounds as strings. I am not restricting it too much. Even though if you are in a situation that you "accidently" made a great soundtrack although the strings are maybe not the main role of it, I'll accept it.
What matters in this contest is the expression of the strings and the soundtrack itself, how well it describes the images you gave us and how well the sounds sits in a mix.
As a hint, it may be easier if you would use the situation or feeling that you are experienced or familiar with and use it as an inspiration. If you want, you could tell us something from real life. Also you could introduce us, for example, a painting, a picture, a photo or even a video clip helping you for the inspiration of the story and soundtrack.
If needed, I can postpone the deadline a week maximum.
And now I am pronouncing the contest to begin. May the inspiration be with you! ;)
As my favourite artist said: "What makes a violin is a violin player, not the violin itself"
Adagio for Strings based on Anton Bruckner structures: Scene Eternal ocean and a ship that glides through the ice...
http://spectrum.agsarchives.com/music/eternal_ocean.mp3
www.nikolas-sideris.com/stuff/superabimus.mp3
Not an entry! But I found a way to share it with you guys! :=
I'm not sure if i'm going to be able to finish my piece so i'll post what I have and edit it later if I can find the time.
Anyways, I had this whole concept about about a Sci-Fi universe. There's a trader colony on a satellite in between galaxies. Space pirates were trafficking humans and discovered that one of their cargo was pregnant. It's pretty difficult to sell a pregnant slave so they abandon her at the satellite station when they stop for fuel and supplies. She is taken in by some type of faith/religious thing and they nurse and care for her. She dies during birth and the child is left orphaned on the windowless station. The people that helped his mother try to raise him but he is continually getting into trouble. At some point he runs away, get's into trouble and taken in by the authorities. They put him into foster care with a horrible family until finally they find adoptive parents for him. He's actually excited at the prospect of having a normal life. He get's taken onto a space ship to fly him to his new home. Along the way he see's space for the first time. That's where the song come's in.
He's staring at a planet, nose pressed against the window, stars and nebulas in the background; the planet is orange and green and more beautiful than he imagined. There are two moons, one peeking out from behind the giant planet, the other looks like it's only a few feet away. As he stares in wonder something suddenly blocks the view from the observation window- but for only for the briefest of moments. It shocks the boy, he focuses his eyes looking for what it could have been... and he see's them. They're nearly impossible to see against the black of space but he notices the glint from their windows. Space pirates. He looks around to see if anyone else noticed what had just happened. People were milling about, minding their own business. Children were chasing each other.
He looks back. The pirates are zipping off in different directions. The boy knows that an attack is imminent and he's not sure what to do.
The concepts I was playing with were to musically meld wonder, maybe a bit of innocence with fear and then finally resolve.
Enough said this is what I have so far:
http://www.box.net/shared/gvpsaolxyf
As it stands I have some pizzicato/staccato/arpeggio... I have no idea what the terminology is- sampled violins that are DRIPPING with FX, at the beginning. A cello (chello?) droning in the background, lot's of timpani's kicks, sine waves, and brass and also some Japanese percussion things, and wood blocks. And that's it so far.
I want to add some violins building suspense in the background with some more staccato (I really need to learn how to describe what i'm hearing in my head...) type violins, while some sweeping, epic, deep cello-y things pulse- with the timpani's just marching away, slowly and slowly gaining tempo...
But of course- I always dream bigger than I can produce so... feel free to modify the crap that I have so far, if I don't get it done.
Quote from: Nikolas on Mon 11/10/2010 20:42:43
www.nikolas-sideris.com/stuff/superabimus.mp3
Not an entry! But I found a way to share it with you guys! :=
Why not an entry Niko? I think that sounds awesome!
Quote from: Questionable on Mon 11/10/2010 22:08:40
Why not an entry Niko? I think that sounds awesome!
I think it is unfair because of my musical background at first, but mainly because this was written earlier this year, with tons of time and effort in development (ergo even more time).
Thank you though! :)
PS. your entry is great thus far, although as you say the strings are drowned in fx... But still a great entry thus far!
This is one called Chasing Fireflies.
http://www.mediafire.com/?v8xnxa7sqp4ex04
It starts out with a a starless dusk sky and slowly pans down to a neighborhood. It slowly focuses a house on the edge of some woods, and then into the back yard. You see two children playing, a girl and a boy. (0:33)
A firefly appears and circles them, bobbing lazily around them. (1:06) It floats into the woods. The kids watch it for a moment and then run into the woods after it. (1:40)
They come across a clearing with the firefly in the center and just as they reach it it vanishes. (2:13)
Suddenly, the ground around them begins to light up. (2:15) It's a circle of tiny lights that beings to expand more and more until the entire clearing is full of light.
The lights, thousands and thousands of fireflies begin to take flight. (2:49) The children watch in amazement. They begin laughing and spinning with their eyes closed and hands outstretched in the sea of tiny twinkling lights.
Just as suddenly as it started, the lights go out. (3:23) The children open their eyes and they are alone in the clearing except for the single firefly. The sky is now full of stars. The firefly bobs once and then flies up into the sky as a new star appears. (3:43)
Hope you like it. :)
No more competitors? Come on... ::)
re:
Do acoustic guitars count as strings? ;)
Quote from: Phemar on Thu 21/10/2010 20:55:56
Do acoustic guitars count as strings? ;)
Eh, I think not in the sense that he was referring to. Don't make me whip out the classical!
Quote from: Phemar on Thu 21/10/2010 20:55:56
Do acoustic guitars count as strings? ;)
Well, I think I clearly stated that by strings I referred to bowed string instruments, not plucked string instruments... unless you want to try experimenting how guitar sounds when bowed ;D
P.S. Now if anyone wants, I can postpone the deadline.
No need to postpone, I'll have an entry in before the 25th!
Quote from: Phemar on Sat 23/10/2010 08:31:06
No need to postpone, I'll have an entry in before the 25th!
I am now postponing it already, waiting for your song now ::)
Sorry, I'm running a bit late! It's done, I just need to upload it. I'll have it done when I come home from college today, so a few hours if that's okay? Thanks!
Edit:
Here we go! (http://www.mediafire.com/?o49ow6wdaurrb2r) Sorry about it being in MIDI, but I don't have any good string VSTs or anything.
(btw I wrote this about breaking up with my gf, which happened a few weeks ago. Walked in on her and another guy :/ Women, who needs 'em haha?)
Thanks Phemar.
Now if anyone wants to join within last minutes, go ahead, send reply or PM me and I'll promise the extra week... but otherwise, I'll do the "judgement" in Thursday 28th. Tomorrow I am maybe too busy so I am not ending the contest right away now yet.
Quote from: Phemar on Tue 26/10/2010 05:39:00
Sorry, I'm running a bit late! It's done, I just need to upload it. I'll have it done when I come home from college today, so a few hours if that's okay? Thanks!
Edit:
Here we go! (http://www.mediafire.com/?o49ow6wdaurrb2r) Sorry about it being in MIDI, but I don't have any good string VSTs or anything.
(btw I wrote this about breaking up with my gf, which happened a few weeks ago. Walked in on her and another guy :/ Women, who needs 'em haha?)
YO, That mediafire link is setting off my virus shield. You wanna check that out?
Quote from: Kabukibear on Tue 26/10/2010 16:33:38
Quote from: Phemar on Tue 26/10/2010 05:39:00
Sorry, I'm running a bit late! It's done, I just need to upload it. I'll have it done when I come home from college today, so a few hours if that's okay? Thanks!
Edit:
Here we go! (http://www.mediafire.com/?o49ow6wdaurrb2r) Sorry about it being in MIDI, but I don't have any good string VSTs or anything.
(btw I wrote this about breaking up with my gf, which happened a few weeks ago. Walked in on her and another guy :/ Women, who needs 'em haha?)
YO, That mediafire link is setting off my virus shield. You wanna check that out?
I am pro at computer security but didn't find any danger about that site... and midi was downloaded with no problems.
Ignore your virus shield then. It's just a MIDI file.
edit: nevermind I got it.
Sorry guys. Didn't mean to be this busy!
I'll do the reviews and the judge sooner or later. 8)
OK. Finally here I am, "examining" your songs carefully. I must apology if I am too rude. I am very demanding about music besides just my own taste and this is my very first time doing this. ;)
Le Woltaire's Eternal Ocean:
Very nice, but somehow it left me cold or... what's the word for it... undistinguished. Maybe it's because of static samples, the sounds aren't mixing good enough (unpolished?) or perhaps it's just overlong. I give it 6/10
Phemar's umm.. "breaking up song":
Because of your sadness, I'll give you special treat for your comfort and I enchanced your midi file by ranning it thru 2 different GeneralMidi banks of my synths but don't get too excited as I didn't affect to song in any way except different samples. Please enjoy. I'll delete these files within a week. ;)
http://www.dmelody.com/music/Other%20Creators/AnalogGuy/tunecomp1.mp3
http://www.dmelody.com/music/Other%20Creators/AnalogGuy/tunecomp2.mp3
Cool. I surprised to hear overdriven guitar between strings but maybe that's supposed to describe how this "macho" guy appears and "hijacks" your GF? And was that last note in the end of song just accident or supposed to be there? It sounds very much like last shouting of despair after GF is finally gone. The song is nice and fitted pretty well to the "images" but after all it left me a bit cold as well. I give you 7/10
Questionable's "Space Cinematica":
Well, I forgot that Pizzicato is plucked but it's totally OK... if you think not, then I'll say that the chords of pad sound in the beginning is acceptable as string type sound :D
Very interesting song... and of course the story as well. I loved the tension the tempo and specially those drums gave and great fades between sections. The moment of "attack" made me literally jump because I used headphones! ;D
You made pretty effective song, congraz! I give it 8/10
Kabukibear's Chasing fireflies:
LOL. I didn't expect to have so "exact" timing sync to the story as you gave ;D
One word says it all: Fabulous! I loved everything. The frolicsome arpeggios, pizzicatos, the moments of play and childlike amazements. Nostalgic, I dare to say! Just wonderful! The song gives me very warm feeling. Awesome climax here... just perfect. In the end I really could see the sky full of stars. I give you 9/10
The "Guest competitor's" "Super abimus":
The song is very nice. Lovely "unstable" violins and they sounds very familiar to me, what gear did you use? The song really gives me creeps! This song didn't left me cold (excluding my cold blood!) but it's just getting a bit repetive and I feel a bit cliché regarding to song. Very good job after all. I would give it 8/10 but because of missing images, I'll left 7,5/10 ;)
Why you think it would be unfair even with musical background? I doubt that. For example, I do not have any musical background at all and I am totally self-taught up to this day. But you see, even with musical background, you didn't win this contest! :P
So finally I am pronouncing Kabukibear to be winner of the tune contest!!!
Congratulations!!!!
(http://chicagofree.info/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/fireworks4.jpg)
Awesome! Thanks so much! It was a lot of fun!