SOUND ON SOUND

[Dave B]

Ahh ... the summer is here. A time for relaxing in the sun, bar-b-q on the beach, spending time with the loved ones .... hell, I know.

So what better than to lock ourselves away in a dark, hot room with a bunch of unruly synths and make another track using just one of them? Go on - you know it's what you want to do really.

:D

So I hereby declare this Challenge 'Open'. I did contemplate waiting until September to kick it off (August being summer vac season), but I'm thinking that we can just run it a little longer and be a bit more relaxed this time. Plus, September seems to get busy as we try and get back into doing things and I think that a gentle bit of fun to keep the old musical grey cells ticking over might do us some good.

So, the plan is :

1. This week we can decide on a nice abstract 'theme' for the music. We can have things like 'light', 'hope' or 'extreme heat' (extreme ... not deep for obvious reasons). Suggestions?

2. Any synth, any synthesis, just one model - multi-tracked is fine, multiple instances is fine, and any additional resources (drum samples - too much synth percussion sets my teeth of edge) should be referenced in the submission. If you're using a modular, then a little bit more than 'my custom modular' would be welcome - a bit of a breakdown would be nice thanks

3. I vote we run this until Sunday 16th September. That gives us 6 clear weeks to fiddle about

4. Shhhh!!!! Don't tell a soul what you're using! It's more fun that way. Yes, certain people may use their preferred synth, but then the fun is in guessing which one it is.

5. Please use this thread (I'll ask the mods to sticky it) to let us know that you're taking part or for asking questions.

6. Once you are happy with your track, then please drop me a PM with a link to where I can download it and a little bit about the synth (+additional resources) used. The idea is that I build a playlist in Soundcloud and, once the deadline has passed, publish that. After a couple of days of listening, I'll put up some notes on the synths used. Then we (ok .. you ... I'm cheating) play 'pin the synth on the track'.

7. Effects / Processing. Last time, we said that that was fine and I'm all for that. If someone wants to swamp stuff in Eventide, then I say go for it. Last time, we were all fairly restrained and it seems that we mainly stuck to a little corrective eq and some reverb and delay.

8. After some guessing, I'll post the 'who done what' list and we can all 'ooh' and 'ahh' at each other's talent. Because we are pretty spiffy here

This is open to anyone - really anyone ... hell, last time, we even had a guitarist!! ;) So pitch in and have a laugh. The idea is to force us to use one particular synth to do everything we can hear in our heads and that's a good thing to do - it forces us to delve into the synth rather than just use a bunch of presets. I was really surprised by a couple of the last entries and they made me think again about certain bits of kit.

So let's get our thinking heads on. Theme? Chosen a synth yet? Want to stick to the obvious or go off the wall?

Exciting ... isn't it ..? :D

[Zukan]

Sounds brill! Nice one Dave.

[Ramirez]

I’m in!

[Wonks]

Even I may have a go.

[BillB]

Lovely - hope to find time to make some music in between repairing synths :headbang:

[Rich Hanson]

This may kick-start the creative juices, mine have been a bit stagnant of late.

[Jumpeyspyder]

Great -I'm in !
:)

[ManFromGlass]

Sorry, I'm a little slow this morning so -
You are talking honest to goodness real hardware synth? Not plugin?
But plugins are ok for verb and eq etc?

I assume guitar synth is ok ( :mrgreen: )

(Asking for the downtrodden) And wot about drummers? If it's an analogue contest are drum boxes allowed? I may have a percussion opus hiding inside me.

Either way sounds like great fun!

[Dave B]

MFG, anything goes. Hardware, software, plugin, pure analogue, S+S, additive, granular ... etc

The only restriction is that you use one synth for all the different sounds in your track, rather than reaching for something different / better / with a great handy preset you always go to ..

I only mention drum samples as it's a convenience that I like and I didn't want to put people off who don't want to spend a long time with creating percussion patches. By all means go ahead if that floats your boat - we had a few last time that literally used a single synth for everything and that was great. But I don't mind if someone also wants to fire up something more natural sounding for things that are hit.

As I said, it's more about having fun so take it as far as you feel comfortable with. If you want do an entire heavy metal track by insane processing of an old Fender Rhodes, then go for it! Likewise, an entire track in a Kronos and an analogue opus all on an Arp 2600 are equally valid. We're cool here.

Oh - and guitar synth got the 'man of the match' award last time! :) Very ok

[Folderol]

I should be in again. Although peeps know my synth of choice I'll try to use something different this time and see how it goes.
As for theme, what about a chillout one, sort of Lacy Days summer theme.

[Wonks]

But the closing date will be a week before the start of autumn, so maybe more mists and mellow fruitfulness etc?

[Dave B]

So how about : The Sun Sets on Summer?

It can be anything - the last big party of the season? the last romantic meal before the nightfall? Could be the oncoming autumn.

That should be vague enough I reckon.

Mind you, I'm more trying to focus on the theme and less on the idea that Folderol's suggestion _wasn't_ a typo .... :headbang:

:D

[Wonks]

Otherwise it's time to dig out those compromising pictures of Hugh again. ;)

[Folderol]

:lol: :blush: :shh:

[Rich Hanson]

Damn, I've already started and it really doesn't fit that theme! Back to the drawing board. :bouncy:

[PsiomeSend]

The theme of the heat is relevant. Farewell to summer. I think it will be interesting to convey feelings in music and synthesis.

[Dave B]

Remember, the sun going down is when many interesting things happen. Pick one. Pick many. Hell - I'm fine with a full 20minute opus... :)

[Wonks]

Triple album with big gatefold sleeve and a Roger Dean cover?

[garrettendi]

I'm up for this but not sure I'll have time to do it.

Can I put myself down as a "maybe"? Are all those who don't deliver shot, or just tarred and feathered?

[Dave B]

We're nice round here. No shootings or tarrings. And the things we do with chicken feathers are strictly private and off limits ... :D

Remember kids : the difference between kinky and perverted is the difference between a feather and a whole chicken.

:bouncy: