Tunecontest - 30th Jan to 6th Feb

loominous · Fri 30/01/2004 02:25:11

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.

Gregjazz · Fri 30/01/2004 04:28:26

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

Peter Thomas · Fri 30/01/2004 09:06:27

This contest is a piece of genius!!

Me = entering!!

Ghormak · Fri 30/01/2004 19:26:26

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...

loominous · Fri 30/01/2004 21:19:36

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).

Gregjazz · 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.

loominous · Sat 31/01/2004 02:42:34

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?

Ghormak · Sat 31/01/2004 02:50:00

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

JimmyShelter · Sat 31/01/2004 10:31:12

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 · Sat 31/01/2004 13:27:49

damn you guys are good 8)

Ben · Sat 31/01/2004 22:47:30

Here's my first entry:

Sam Spade

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

Gregjazz · Sun 01/02/2004 02:15:13

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 · Sun 01/02/2004 03:28:08

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

Gregjazz · Sun 01/02/2004 04:43:55

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.

Damien · Sun 01/02/2004 20:28:29

My entry:
Dick Tracy

Ben · Sun 01/02/2004 23:09:33

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

Gregjazz · Mon 02/02/2004 00:26:48

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

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 · Mon 02/02/2004 02:43:01

Well, I downloaded it anyway

. 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 · Mon 02/02/2004 04:50:57

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 · Fri 06/02/2004 13:07:26

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.

Ghormak · Fri 06/02/2004 14:38:01

Right here, loominous: http://www.agagames.com/ghormak/temp/tunes

Awesome tunes everybody. I'm enjoying every second of every one.

JimmyShelter · Fri 06/02/2004 14:58:27

Quote from: Geoffkhan on Sun 01/02/2004 02:15:13
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 was referring to the brush kit.

I'm not very into jazz, so the few songs I heard define jazz for me and a brush kit is one of the main things then.

I do like this version better!

Ben · Fri 06/02/2004 15:25:37

Ooh.. Thanks, Ghormak. I think anonymizer has been giving a lot of people trouble lately. That's what I get for using free stuff

JimmyShelter · Fri 06/02/2004 15:40:29

Quote from: Geoffkhan on Mon 02/02/2004 04:50:57
EDIT: Here's my Sherlock Holmes theme: http://www.sonic.net/~schlae/herculeaneffort/sherlockholmes.mp3

Nice one. Maybe a bit to cliche mystery theme, but that style isn't cliche for nothing, it really does sound mysterious.

Peter Thomas · Fri 06/02/2004 21:49:23

Okay - this first part of my post is completely off topic, but it got me so mad, and I can't be bothered starting another thread in General..... *sigh*

Our family was meant to get Broadband in mid-december, right, so we telephoned the lovely people Telstra (I don't think they trade in America, so for all you USA people, Telstra is Australia's largest communication company), and made an appointment. And then they cancelled it for no reason. So a week later (when we found out they cancelled) we booked another one. And then they cancelled THAT too...!! And this has been going on right up til six days ago, when they stopped us from accessing the internet altogether.... and their reason was because we were getting broadband, but we weren't being quick enough about it!! ARGH!!! So my mum phoned them up, started abusing them like any normal person who has been waiting for service for three months would, and in the end they told us they would reconnect us to the internet, and they will come out on Tuesday to finish the broadband installation!! how crappy can one company get?? So now, I'm finally back on the net, just in time to post my midi!! YAY!!!

It's the cartoony dick tracy one.... in case you couldn't tell from the title

http://www.2dadventure.com/ags/cartoon_dick_tracy2.mid

All fixied up now

Go and enjoy it.....

Edit: Oh, yes..... and it's 31 seconds long......

JimmyShelter · Fri 06/02/2004 21:55:17

Don't ISPs suck. :

You link isn't working for me, maybe if you remove the ( ) from the filename the url will work correctly?

MadReizka · Fri 06/02/2004 21:57:46

Do you play the instruments by your self or use computer? If computer, could you tell me what is the program called. I am currently trying to find a program to compose music.

Currenty using Reason.

Gregjazz · Fri 06/02/2004 22:10:33

Peter Thomas, you used the same chord progression I did! (Fm, Eb, Db, C, repeat)

Was this intentional?

Peter Thomas · Fri 06/02/2004 22:15:42

Geoff!!

Sorry, it wasn't intentional, in fact, even if I wanted to I couldn't...... I've been off the net for over a week, so I haven't been able to log on and check out what other people have done. I've just been working on it while I sit at home waiting for Telstra (grrr) to call.

Although it DOES prove what a cool chord progression it is....

JimmyShelter · Fri 06/02/2004 23:07:13

Doesn't 'Hit the road jack' have the same progression?

Peter Thomas · Fri 06/02/2004 23:08:30

Correction, Geoff... I just kinda agreed with you without checking!!

My chord prog is actually: Fm, Ab, Bbm, Fm (repeat)

Sorry for the double post, but people always miss the edits, don't they!!

loominous · Sat 07/02/2004 00:21:08

Results

As I stated in the competitiondescription the entries was judged based on:

(i) How well the tune describes the character / picture
(ii) How strong the melody is
(iii) How close to 30 seconds it is
(iv) The quality of the arrangement

Of the total of 9 entries, here re the top 5:

(The names are hidden, you will have to highlight the text in order to see them)

5th Place

Odd tune with a memorable melody. The lacking arrangement drags this otherwise fine entry down to a fifth place:

Spoiler

Dick Tracy theme by Damien

[close]

4th Place

With a rich and heavy arrangement it describes the foggy streets of London at the turn of the century well. The melody not being the most memorable and a general lack of dynamics drops this entry a few placements:

Spoiler

Sherlock Holmes theme by Ghormak

[close]

3rd Place

Overall a very fine, welldescribing entry but unfortunatly lacking a memorable melody:

Spoiler

Dick Tracy theme by Ghormak

[close]

2nd Place

The style and arrangement of this entry, as well as the excellent flutecountermelody gives it this high placement and would be competing with the #1 position if the melody had been stronger.

Spoiler

Dick Tracy theme by Ben

[close]

1st Place

With an excellent melody, arrangement and midiprogramming the clearcut winner of the week is

Spoiler

Sam Spade theme #2 by Geoffkhan

[close]

As Ghormak said the standard this week has been very high the number of entries impressive; well done everyone.

Peter Thomas · Sat 07/02/2004 01:46:33

Geoff definitely deserved to win this one. His Sam Spade theme ate my shorts!!

not literally, you know.... that would be kinda embarrassing...

Ben · Sat 07/02/2004 01:57:31

Congrats, Geoff! I thought both of your Sam Spade themes were great. Good judging on Loom's part

I was really impressed with all the entries this week. We don't usually see this many, and I'm glad to see there was excellent quality to match the big turnout.

Gregjazz · Sat 07/02/2004 02:15:33

Quote from: Peter Thomas on Sat 07/02/2004 01:46:33
Geoff definitely deserved to win this one. His Sam Spade theme ate my shorts!!

not literally, you know.... that would be kinda embarrassing...

Aw, I thought your entry was good. In fact, I was worried it would win!

I checked the chord progression, and you are indeed correct, it is Fm, Ab, Bbm, Fm. I was just fooled by the bass line.

Thanks, and I'll go start the next contest as soon as possible!

Tunecontest - 30th Jan to 6th Feb

dr_dna