Frankensong 2020

Discuss the many little competitions/projects that spring up amongst the Song Fight community.
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BoffoYux
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Frankensong 2020

Post by BoffoYux »

This was posted after a 10 year break.
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This should be fun.
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Lunkhead
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Re: Frankensong 2020

Post by Lunkhead »

Should I know what Frankensong is? Is that this?

https://frankensong.tumblr.com/

Looks like maybe some FAWMers collaborating, like maybe exquisite corpse style?
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BoffoYux
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Re: Frankensong 2020

Post by BoffoYux »

Lunkhead wrote:
Thu Aug 27, 2020 10:32 am
Should I know what Frankensong is? Is that this?
https://frankensong.tumblr.com/
Looks like maybe some FAWMers collaborating, like maybe exquisite corpse style?
That's the original site. It was a mix of Master of Song Fu, FAWM, and other groups who weren't related
(or even knew each other well at the time - I think only 1 SpinTunes had happened before this project)

It's not quite exquisite corpse style, because you do a full track to the seed track, but leave space for the people who follow you to add to the song.
There's a lot of thinking going on, because you aren't collaborating as much as adding a piece to the puzzle for others to build upon, so you control the direction of where the song is headed and hand it off. But each artist adds a full length track with spaces that is later mixed together.

That can be a good thing or a bad thing. That's the fun of the experiment.

I'm betting this will happen sooner than later, and have finals around Halloween, which would be fitting. I offered to co-host the Listening Party.
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Re: Frankensong 2020

Post by Paco Del Stinko »

Hmm. I like this idea. At the start of the 90s, my then main musical partner and I passed a 4-track cassette back and forth, a week at a time, each doing a track blind to each other. Came out great, for the times. I'll keep an eye and see if time allows and they let me in.
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Re: Frankensong 2020

Post by Pigfarmer Jr »

Paco Del Stinko wrote:
Fri Aug 28, 2020 8:23 am
Hmm. I like this idea. At the start of the 90s, my then main musical partner and I passed a 4-track cassette back and forth, a week at a time, each doing a track blind to each other. Came out great, for the times. I'll keep an eye and see if time allows and they let me in.
FAWM and 50/90 users often have a 4-track collab challenge where four or so people do that exact thing. Someone lays something down then mails the tape to the next person etc., until the final mix is digitized and uploaded.

There have been several individual collaborations of taking turns adding a track in order to build a song. Amanda (of Evil Grin fame) and I did a track that way once.
Evil Grin bandcamp - Evil Grin spotify
T.C. Elliott bandcamp - T.C. Elliott spotify

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BoffoYux
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Re: Frankensong 2020

Post by BoffoYux »

Signups have started. Here's the post today at https://frankensong.tumblr.com/

Frankensong is back!
Nearly 10 years ago, we held the first Frankensong Challenge, where teams of songwriters created songs relay-style, adding one layer at a time to a rhythmic “seed track.” The resulting songs were all very different and fun!

After some prodding from past participant Tom Giarrosso, Frankensong host Charlie McCarron decided it was time to bring the challenge back from the dead for a special 10-ish year anniversary. What better time to do this virtual songwriting game than during a pandemic?

Sign up at: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIp ... Q/viewform by September 12, 2020.

Tom and Charlie will be hosting a Halloween Eve listening party on Friday, October 30 at 9pm Eastern / 8pm Central. Stay tuned here or on Facebook for the link.
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BoffoYux
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Re: Frankensong 2020

Post by BoffoYux »

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A reminder, Frankensong signups close on Saturday if you're interested. I've heard about 30+ have signed up so far, so there will be at least 6 teams.

I hope you can join in the fun! Fill out the form here.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIp ... Q/viewform
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Re: Frankensong 2020

Post by Sober »

Do we have a songfight team, or are we doing the randomly-assigned option?
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Re: Frankensong 2020

Post by BoffoYux »

There ended up being 10 teams signed up, including 3 of the original groups returning for another attempt.

Round one submissions started on Saturday, with the groups rotating each week until all the members have a track sent in. Then a week for mixing, and the listening party on Halloween.

Some of the people are a mix from everywhere. Some Spintunes, SongFirght, Nur Ein, 50/90, FAWM and others I see in a quick glance. I'll post the whole list in the next message, but the media enhanced page is here.

https://frankensong.tumblr.com/2020teams
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Re: Frankensong 2020

Post by BoffoYux »

Randomized Teams:

……………….
TEAM 1
……………….

Liam Moore
Liam’s out here makin music, go on n give him some love

Alex Sais
Focus on Hip-Hop/Pop/RnB production and recording. Intermediate piano and guitar player. But I love exploring different genres and finding a way to put my own spin on it.

Mandy Fassett

Mandy Fassett is a multi-instrumentalist and songwriter (violin, mandolin, cello, guitar) who performs and records with various musicians and groups based in the Twin Cities. Regular collaborators include Drew Peterson, Ghost Wagon, Blue Yodel No. 9, and Steve Noonan. Mandy has played at venues across the Midwest, and enjoys playing folk/bluegrass, jazz, pop, rock/alternative, and classical styles.

Stephen Motz

I’m an experimental producer who enjoys creating instrumental music that’s heavily influenced by jazz, funk, movies, and video games.

Stephanie Henry

Stephanie Henry is a classically trained pianist and composer from Minneapolis, MN. She has performed with classical and theatrical ensembles, as well as with rock bands. She composed original works for film, musical theater, orchestras, quartets, and solo piano. Her music has been applauded for its originality and charismatic charm.

……………….

TEAM 2

……………….

Scott Keever

Composer/musician - Mainly acoustic solo guitar. But also keys, bass, etc. Also work with beats and electronic textures.

Mick Bordet

Ever-present member of bands such as The Deserters, The Lunacy Board and Dreiviertel Drei, Mick occasionally pops his head out to join the occasional solo challenge, some of which have ended up on his albums “Oddities” and “Obscurities”. With his home studio space currently undergoing treatment for damp (and all the attendant jokes and friendly mockery that brings to mind), who can tell which instrument he’ll be able to extract from storage to graft onto this musical monstrosity. [hint: almost certainly not bass, guitar, keyboard or drums.]

Michael Mitsch

I have an Irish band that plays every style. Im recording a jazz album imminently, gathering musicians in NJ/NY. Sax,vocal,tin whistle,…
My wife is away in Ireland so I have some time.
Lyrics are an option maybe?

Steven Silverstein

Steven is a 24- hour, 7 day a week musician. He is always going, going, going. He works as a music director, pianist, vocal coach, composer and teacher in the U.S. and Europe. Steven has played keyboards in the pits of such Broadway shows as Blood Brothers, Swinging on A Star And Promises Promises. Steven holds an MA in Music Education from NYU and BA in Theater.

……………….

TEAM 3

……………….



Dan Wheeler

Piano player that started classical, branched out to funk jazz and latin, plays tenor sax, and writes music for film, high school jazz band, orchestra, and loves communicating emotional ideas.

Justice Eats Trees

Justice might be a person a mostly lives in Massachusetts. He used to make a song every day but now he mostly paints and does visual art stuff with 3D printers. Were he less sleepy and not writing this at the last minute, this bio would be better constructed and more informative but sadly this is not the reality where that happens. Do you know the world where it does? Call today!

Abstraction

I make the air wiggle for fun and sometimes profit.

Sober

Military veteran. Been writing and recording for about 20 years. Big Texas sound with influences all over the map.

Ex-Fiancée

musician and speechwriter. hates bios.
……………….

TEAM 4

……………….

Micah Sommersmith

Micah Sommersmith has been active in Song Fight, Nur Ein and SpinTunes, and in 2018 a series of fortuitous events gained him the title of SpinTunes 14 Champion. He is also a church musician, choral singer and composer. His main instrument is the accordion, and he has given programs tracing the history of the instrument across centuries and continents. Don’t worry though; he plays other instruments too.

Torsten Sammet

Acting and directing frequently, but a male nurse in real life

Kendra Zzyzwyck

Singer, bassist, and Glow Cloud who enjoys harmony and vanilla-scented candles.

Trevor Kupfer

Trevor has been a drummer since he bought a broke-down kit in seventh grade, appearing in various band iterations, the most prominent of which is Do It Yourself Daisy.

Matthew Thomas Davis

I grew up playing piano and switched to bass in middle school and went on to study jazz bass at California Institute of the Art in Southern California and graduated 2008. I’ve been a full-time musician most of the time since then touring the country, teaching private lessons and at music camps, working with arts organizations, performing regularly, and recording, mixing, and composing music. I love all types of music, but especially groovy Motown/soul/funk, some noisy experimental rock, and anything with improvisation.

……………….

TEAM 5

……………….

Flyaway Frost and the Magic Turtles

A concept synth pop band with a cast of ridiculous characters.


Zane McDaniel (Feral Parrot)

Aspiring bug guy from New Hampshire, I went to school for bass but gradually have become a lot more interested in making music that sounds like sad computers improvising. I’m into a bunch of stuff, though! Lately I’ve been learning mandolin and have been on a folk/bluegrass/traditional Italian kick, but also just got a Microfreak.

Sasha Rayl

Ya know, I make movies and was in a band pre Covid.

Patrick Yang

Piano Strings Chiptunes Random

Mark S. Meritt, a.k.a. The Offhand Band

Piano teacher, improv theatre musical director, all-request piano karaoke, developer of curricula for composition, improvisation, arranging, accompaniment. Professional ghostwriter and avocational writer of stories, songs, essays and other stuff. Working on personal growth, shadows, compassion, authenticity.

……………….

TEAM 6

……………….

Pat Hayes

Singer, Synths, Sound FX

Zak Rivers

Cellist, guitar, composer, photographer, filmmaker. Alumnus: Mankato State U, Mankato Symphony, Saint Paul Civic Symphony, Decadence Inc, Blue Ringers.

Alex Johnson

A guy that finds this interesting.

Sam Begich

Song-dabbler and noise maker living in Chicago.

Laura Scott

……………….

TEAM 7

……………….

Nick Syman

Nick Syman is a trombonist, composer and educator living in St. Paul, MN. He plays regularly with The Adam Meckler Orchestra, Maple & Beech, and leads the chamber ensemble, Northing.

Vic Wozniak

I play bass guitar.. and other instruments too!

Peter Yang

I’m a rather musical newbie but saw this challenge and thought it would be a fun change of pace. I play a little guitar and have wanted to practice getting into singing with silly and quirky voices. Lets make a monster!

Jackson LaBaugh

Jackson LaBaugh is an English Major and Music Minor in his junior year at BYU-I in Rexburg, Idaho. Jackson spends his free time writing music, climbing rocks, and brewing tea.

Michael J Winstanley

—————-

Existing teams:

……………….

TEAM 8 - Cleveland De-Composers Guild

……………….

Five composers in Northeast Ohio, all members of the Cleveland Composers Guild, hailing from far-flung places.

Matthew C. Saunders

Dr. Matthew C. Saundershas taught music from kindergarten to college in styles from madrigal to mariachi, and strives to make beautiful music for and with captivating people. He has loved, lost, and loved again; helped friends find salvation, and found it for himself as well; taught genius students, and learned from genius teachers. His dreams are to walk on Mars, hear a grand piano fall into an orchestra pit, make more people laugh than cry, and love his wife Becky passionately and forever. In the course of a long, love-filled, productive life, he wants to compose the Great American Symphony, ride the rails, hike the trails, read all of the good books, finally watch The Godfather, and storm the castles in the air. He will never write unlistenable music, stop stargazing or lose money in Vegas.

Dr. Saunders is Professor of Music and music department chair at Lakeland Community College, where he directs the Lakeland Civic Orchestra. He received degrees in music from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music and The Ohio State University. Dr. Saunders’ original compositions have been performed across the United States, and he received the 2007 Ruth Friscoe Prize for composition, was the Oklahoma Music Teachers Association 2011 Commissioned Composer, and is the recipient of five ASCAP Plus Awards. He is on the web at www.martiandances.com, but the physical Dr. Saunders lives in Willowick, Ohio with his wife Becky and their children Noah and Melia.

William Rayer

WILLIAM F. RAYER is a composer, trumpet player, author, and painter. He is a member of the Cleveland Composers Guild, ASCAP, and the International Trumpet Guild. His degrees include a B.A. in Music Education from Kent State University. and a M.A. degree in Music Composition from Cleveland State University. He has written many compositions which have been performed by area orchestras and bands including the Ohio Chamber Orchestra, Lakeland Civic Band, Lakeland Civic Orchestra, Lorain Civic Orchestra as well as local high schools and junior high schools. In the spring of 2007 the Lakeland Civic Orchestra premiered his work “ Pluto, Requiem For A Dead Planet ” inspired by a Newsweek article of the same name. In 2008, the Lorain Civic Orchestra premiered his work “ The Reach Beyond Tomorrow ”, an orchestral background to his book of the same name and “ Chaos Dreams ”, the Tone Poem written for his second novel called The Legacy of Pnomos. In 2012 he was commissioned to write a work called “ Celebration Overture ” for Symphony West Orchestra commemorating the Symphony’s 50th anniversary. For his latest two novels he has composed " The Lost Clan " and " The Watchers ". He performs regularly as the principle trumpet of the Lorain Civic Orchestra, and the Broadale Brass Sextet. He has completed four novels called The Reach Beyond Tomorrow and The Legacy of Pnomos , The Lost Clan and The Watchers , available at Lulu.com and Amazon.com.

Sebastian Birch

Scott Michal

Joseph Hollings


……………….

TEAM 9 - Donutworthy

……………….

picture yourself in a box full of donuts…tangerine frosting, marshmallow insides! somebody eats you, you’re screaming quite loudly—donuts w/ jelly inside!



Denise Hudson

Lately, Denise has been doing a LOT of theater, mostly improv and sketch and since COVID mostly with her troupes Amoeba and Pie Corner. Mysteriously, it is still quite true that she is often suspiciously not who she claims to be, onstage OR online. Certainly a jaunty bio will not help us reveal her essence now, but you posses one nonetheless.

Gray Porter

Multi-instrumentalist returning to recording after a few year hiatus where I learnt piano and practised singing. Slowly working on an album!

Amy Tant

Bryce Jensen

Joe Lamb


……………….

TEAM 10 - Atomic Werewolf Space Patrol

……………….

Gorbzilla (Dave Gorbe)

Gorbzilla make music. Gorbzilla teach music. Gorbzilla like music. Fire bad.

Tom Giarrosso

Jason P. Schumacher

Jason P. Schumacher is a Minnesota based filmmaker and visual artist. He owns and runs GreyDuck, an independent film production company.

Dr. Lindyke (Dave Leigh)

Dave manages the SpinTunes competiton, and writes songs for an audience of one.

Kevin Savino-Riker
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Paco Del Stinko
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Re: Frankensong 2020

Post by Paco Del Stinko »

Aw man, forgot all about this. Maybe if it's back next year or whenever. Have fun!
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BoffoYux
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Re: Frankensong 2020

Post by BoffoYux »

So far, all 10 teams have tracks in, so it's slightly different than the last one, in that Charlie isn't reviewing each individual track until the end.

I'm excited so many teams are participating.
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Re: Frankensong 2020

Post by BoffoYux »

Update -
This is the last week for team track creation. Then a week to mixdown with song due 10/25, and the Listening Party on Friday 10/30.
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Re: Frankensong 2020

Post by BoffoYux »

This was a fun challenge - 10 full songs and 5 videos in the finals. Here's the link to the Listening Party, and the lp is up on
https://frankensong.bandcamp.com/

(Starts at 16:20 in)

I'm still amazed all those songs had the same seed track. The seed is included as the last track on the album.
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