Tunecontest - 30th Jan to 6th Feb

Started by loominous, Fri 30/01/2004 02:25:11

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loominous

Presenting the theme of the week:



The goal: will be to compose a introtheme to one of the above pictures/characters. The actual characters mustn t be considered, just go with what looks fitting to the images above.

From the left we got Sherlock Holmes, turn of the century London, the middle Sam Spade, hardboiled noir detective, and to the right Dick Tracy, more cartoony/less serious version of Sam Spade.

Restrictions: The tune should get as close to 30 seconds as possible, the closer the better. Think of it as if you were assigned to actually write music for a TV-serie for one of these characters and 30 secs is the introlength you ll need to adapt to.

Judging: will be based on how well the tune describes one of the pics/chars (you must pick one of them and include what one you are submitting to), how strong the melody is, how close to 30 secs the entry is and lastly the arrangement.

Misc rules: Enter with as many entries as you like. Feel free to update your entries (with newer versions) as well, just be sure to point it out so I don t miss it.

Formats: Any compressed format at sizes below 3 mb.

Enjoy.
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Gregjazz

Wooh, this will be an awesome contest. Count me in!

Peter Thomas

This contest is a piece of genius!!

Me = entering!!
Peter: "Being faggy isn't bad!"
AGA: "Shush, FAG!"

Ghormak

#3
Excellent idea.

Here's my Sherlock Holmes theme.

http://www.agagames.com/ghormak/ghormak_sherlock.ogg

Mind if I take a shot at the other characters as well? I'm toying around with some music that might suit Dick Tracy well...
Achtung Franz! The comic

loominous

QuoteMind if I take a shot at the other characters as well?

Enter with as many entries as you like. Feel free to update your entries (with newer versions) as well, just be sure to point it out so I don t miss it.

Nice entry btw (perhaps could make it more dynamic (less static).
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Gregjazz

My entry:

http://www.sonic.net/~schlae/herculeaneffort/samspadetheme.mp3

Dig that electric sitar sound that was so popular back then.

Personally, I don't think we should be allowed to update our entries because we could be affected by other's entries and get ideas, etc. Maybe not. You're the judge, man.

loominous

QuotePersonally, I don't think we should be allowed to update our entries because we could be affected by other's entries and get ideas, etc.

What s the general opinion on the subject?
Looking for a writer

Ghormak

I think we're all gentlemen enough not to steal from each other, and even if there was theft, I can imagine it'd score negative points when it comes to judgement.

Very very nice song, Geoffkhan. It sounded exactly the way I imagined a Sam Spade theme would be like, and I would no doubt have tried something similar had I chosen Sam, heh.

And now... I made another tune. Dick Tracy this time. It turned out even cheesier than I thought it would, but I guess it's ok considering it's the first time I've ever tried to make something like this.

http://www.agagames.com/ghormak/ghormak_dicktracy.ogg
Achtung Franz! The comic

JimmyShelter

Quote from: Geoffkhan on Sat 31/01/2004 01:09:24
My entry:

http://www.sonic.net/~schlae/herculeaneffort/samspadetheme.mp3

Dig that electric sitar sound that was so popular back then.

Personally, I don't think we should be allowed to update our entries because we could be affected by other's entries and get ideas, etc. Maybe not. You're the judge, man.

I like it, but I'd replace the snare drum with a more jazzy snare sound, this one seems just too loud.

dr_dna


Ben

Here's my first entry:

Sam Spade

I'm working on a Dick Tracy theme too, but it's not sounding great  :P

Gregjazz

QuoteI like it, but I'd replace the snare drum with a more jazzy snare sound, this one seems just too loud.

The snare may seem a bit loud, but that's the way it is in those 'boom box jazz'-style tunes. The snare is from true big band jazz kit that I sampled myself. Maybe by the word 'jazzy' you are referring to a brush kit?

Maybe this sounds more like what you imagined:
http://www.sonic.net/~schlae/herculeaneffort/samspadetheme2.mp3

I love that electric sitar that was so popular in 50's-70's private eye movies. The trumpet (harmon mute) + flute melody doubling was also very characteristic of the 70's.

Ben

You have some really nice samples in your songs. Where did you get that flute and trumpet? They sound lots better than the crap I have to use  :P

Gregjazz

Ben: Most of the soundfonts I use I make myself. Mainly because it is hard to find 'realistic' sounds these days. The piano, for example, is sampled with a $10 mic from my piano on one of its 'need-tuning' days. I bought that brush drumset from Sonic Implants for about $10 also. The flute I used in this particular song is "Cam's Flute" -- by Campbell Barton.

Good sounds are important in songs, but equally important is their usage and the expression, like pitch bends and such. You really just have to listen to a lot of live music and CDs to get the hang of it.


Ben

Damien: You have a nice melody in that tune. I think it could use a bigger arrangement, though. It sounds kind of sparse right now.

Geoff: Yeah, arranging the notes to make them more realistic takes some time, but it's definitely worth it. I tried to do a bit of that with the trumpet in my Sam Spade theme, though it still sounds a little dodgy in places. I might work on it some more.

QuoteThe flute I used in this particular song is "Cam's Flute" -- by Campbell Barton.

I think I saw that one at Hammersound. One more thing to download  :P

Gregjazz

QuoteI think I saw that one at Hammersound. One more thing to download :P

Hmmm. I don't really think it's worth the download. I only used in my song because it had the most fitting tone for the song. So I mixed it in real low.

Ben

Well, I downloaded it anyway  :P. It's better than all the other flute samples I have. I also found some other soundfonts that are a big improvement from what I was using before.

Now here's my theme for Dick Tracy. It took me a while, but I finally got the it sounding the way I want it:

Dick Tracy

Gregjazz

#18
I like that 'frenzied' feel in your DT theme. Maybe I'll enter one of those too. :)

I've downloaded a lot of the free soundfonts out there, so if you want, I could send you a list of all the ones that are worth getting.

EDIT: Here's my Sherlock Holmes theme: http://www.sonic.net/~schlae/herculeaneffort/sherlockholmes.mp3

loominous

I m unable to access Ben s entries. Could anyone who s downloaded them host them for the rest of the day?

Will be judging in approx 12 hours.
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