Status Quo for the review thread (One Less reviews)

Discuss upcoming, current, and previous song fights.
User avatar
Rik
Karski
Posts: 72
Joined: Wed May 25, 2005 1:23 pm
Location: Wisconsin

Re: Drums

Post by Rik »

chuckstas wrote:I'm getting the impression that the drum kits I used on my drum programming in the previous songs sounded better and more realistic...
I reviewed your songs in the archive (good stuff I missed a couple of these fights), and I would have to say:
I Hate You: Drums stood out less in this song, but verse parts are pretty obvious.
Red Tide: Totally sounds like real drums (if no one is playing them) :)
Short Life: Most realistic drums, could have fooled me

I think One Less was more obvious because of the mix and where the drums came in.
You can listen, but you're not going to like it.
chuckstas
Karski
Posts: 53
Joined: Mon Jun 13, 2005 4:57 pm
Location: Lancaster

Thanks

Post by chuckstas »

Thanks for the feedback about the drums. I'm pretty limited in terms of my programming resources/abilities, so any advice helps. Right now I create patterns and sequence them on my Roland Fantom-S, and then I dump that sequence into Sonar 4 with MIDI sync. Then I go back and edit them and try to make them a little more "human" and varied. I'm looking to move to an all software setup, does anyone have any recommendations? I was thinking of coupling an M-Audio Trigger Finger to Native Instrument's Battery drum sampler. Does anyone have any experience with any of these products?
HeuristicsInc
Ibárruri
Posts: 5350
Joined: Sat Sep 25, 2004 6:14 pm
Instruments: Synths
Recording Method: Windows computer, Acid, Synths etc.
Submitting as: Heuristics Inc. (duh) + collabs
Pronouns: he/him
Location: Maryland USA
Contact:

Post by HeuristicsInc »

no time for reviews! fight time was too short.

favorites: future boy, bjam, kamakura, j$, chuck, hostess, hefty, abec
are also good: ross, id3, glenncase, gert, wayward, steve

gert's solo section is very nice. outro's too long tho. gets repetitive.

vote: future boy. it was my favorite!
however, since it's after 1, it might not count.
-bill
152612141617123326211316121416172329292119162316331829382412351416132117152332252921
http://heuristicsinc.com
Liner Notes
SF Lyric Ideas
User avatar
thehipcola
Niemöller
Posts: 1062
Joined: Sat Sep 25, 2004 10:51 am
Instruments: The things what make sounds.
Recording Method: LA610mk2 into UAD Apollo 8p into Cubase/LUNA/Reaper/Ableton/Reason/Maschine
Submitting as: thehipcolaredcargertFlamingTigershotpounderOGLawnDartsFussyBritchesGapingMaw
Location: Ottawa, Canada
Contact:

Post by thehipcola »

Thanks Bill...yah, between Des and Boltoph, I'm ashamed to call myself a guitarist. :) Those guys are pretty smokin' players. :)
shadowdog
A New Player
Posts: 16
Joined: Wed Mar 16, 2005 9:02 am

Post by shadowdog »

Wow, there's been a ton of great reviewers here :D so i think from what i've read the only thing that i would add is that Hostess Mostess and Future Boy struck me as some awesome production and vocals...

I dunno about anyone else but here in Texas we have to drive too far to get anywhere and the wife and kids are starting to request tunes from SF (tnx everyone for some sweet tunes, your work is appreciated)

PS: I don't play so can only listen
a winner never quits and a quiter never wins...
deshead
Orwell
Posts: 875
Joined: Tue Nov 16, 2004 2:44 am
Location: Toronto
Contact:

Post by deshead »

TheHipCola wrote: Those guys are pretty smokin' players. :)
It's all studio trickery, dude. I'm pretty sure Boltoph plays his guitar solos on kazoo, and just runs the track through Guitar Rig.
User avatar
Ross
Churchill
Posts: 2745
Joined: Sun Feb 27, 2005 3:27 pm
Instruments: Guitar, Vox, Bass, Tuned glasses, etc...
Recording Method: Logic on a Macbook.
Submitting as: Ross Durand
Location: Orange CA
Contact:

Post by Ross »

Future Boy wrote: did anybody other than remiss actually listen the lyrics?
I did! Loved the song - loved the take on the title. You got my vote.

Greetings from another universe :-)
"I don't like this song, but at least it's good." - veGetar Ianra Ge
http://www.rossdurandmusic.com
User avatar
mico saudad
Goldman
Posts: 522
Joined: Sun Sep 26, 2004 9:34 am
Location: San Francisco

Post by mico saudad »

Reviews continued...

<b>id3 tag</b> Ok. Bad input from keys to recorder. I can hear the next part come in at 0:54 even before it starts playing. Not really excited about the lyrics or the voice. The second piano is cute, but I can't get past the noise.

<b>Jay String</b> Ah fuzzless! Is this a Kompressor cover? This is actually pretty good, and I like the variations that occur but it needs more. I don't like how omnipresent the wall of electricity is. I think this song is also candy, which is fine, but it struck me to say so I guess that means I wished it wasn't pure candy.

<b>Kamakura</b> It's a little repetitive for my taste way before the switch at 1:37. That part is also a little overwhelmingly full of sound. I don't know how to suggest thinning it out without losing anything. 2:15-2:49 is even worse. I like the feel of the song I think you're going for, but I get the same feeling listening to this that I do listening to my own songs that I wished I had more time to work on.

<b>Marti Mar</b> Some parts of this are actually pretty nice: "I said no (no) but the force said yes (yes)" and the bell part just after. That was nice. Many of the rhymes are pretty loose though. Not bad. Some voices work for rap and others don't. I like your voice for rap. I think if you tightened up the rhymes and lyrics this could be greatly improved.

<b>Ross Durand</b> If I had a beer to clink I'd do it. The lyrics are classic country, after a couple more takes I think this could be polished into something pretty.

<b>Steve Durand</b> Great storyline and soundscape. Holy crap nice brass! Good my lord! The cheesy keys undercut that brilliance of the brass but I like its melody, I just wish it was as real sounding as the brass.

<b>Wayward Sway</b> Ouch that 7ped is killing me loudly with his song. This song if done differently could be pretty mellow and calming but it has a hard time getting there like this. Dr. Abcd prescribes another arrangement.

And I'm out.
User avatar
mico saudad
Goldman
Posts: 522
Joined: Sun Sep 26, 2004 9:34 am
Location: San Francisco

Post by mico saudad »

Future Boy wrote:did anybody other than remiss actually listen the lyrics?
Don't you hate it when you love your lyrics and you feel like they go unnoticed?
Steve Durand
Orwell
Posts: 779
Joined: Fri Apr 01, 2005 1:26 pm
Instruments: trumpet, trombone, sax, clarinet, flute, keyboards, banjo, guitar, bass, ukulele
Recording Method: SONAR 6, Dell Inspiron E1705, Edirol UA-25, Studio Projects B-1 Mic
Submitting as: Steve Durand, Elastic Waste Band
Location: Anaheim, CA

Post by Steve Durand »

abecedarian wrote:
<b>Steve Durand</b> The cheesy keys undercut that brilliance of the brass but I like its melody, I just wish it was as real sounding as the brass.
That cheesy sound is a real instrument. It's a Suzuki Melodion.

Steve
User avatar
mico saudad
Goldman
Posts: 522
Joined: Sun Sep 26, 2004 9:34 am
Location: San Francisco

Post by mico saudad »

sdurand wrote:
abecedarian wrote:
<b>Steve Durand</b> The cheesy keys undercut that brilliance of the brass but I like its melody, I just wish it was as real sounding as the brass.
That cheesy sound is a real instrument. It's a Suzuki Melodion.

Steve
I'm an ignorant and arrogant little bugger.

I guess I still think that the feel conjured up by the sound and style of the brass doesn't seem to match the tone of the melodion. I think the rest is so familiar a scene that the tone of the melodion just jerks me right out of the mood you're trying to create. The melody it plays is nice, though.
j$
Ibárruri
Posts: 5374
Joined: Sat Sep 25, 2004 11:33 am
Instruments: Bass, keyboards, singin', guitar
Submitting as: Johnny Cashpoint
Location: London, Engerllaaannnddd
Contact:

Post by j$ »

abecedarian wrote: I think this song is also candy, which is fine.
You mean apart from the lyric, which is about a man who chops off his ex-girlfriend's head and sleeps with it by his pillow? :)
Egg
Goldman
Posts: 510
Joined: Fri Apr 15, 2005 5:42 pm
Instruments: whistles and egg shakers
Recording Method: Cakewalk, Cubase, Audacity, Garageband
Submitting as: Phunt Your Friends
Location: Villemoustaussou, France
Contact:

Post by Egg »

deshead wrote:
TheHipCola wrote: Those guys are pretty smokin' players. :)
It's all studio trickery, dude. I'm pretty sure Boltoph plays his guitar solos on kazoo, and just runs the track through Guitar Rig.
I heard that too. Sometimes they just ran kazoo loops through it even.

This whole fight rocked pretty hard. There were a lot of strong entries and I enjoyed a good deal of fruit from a good deal of hard labor.

I especially liked some of the jangliness I got out of some of these tracks. There was a feeling where some songs were really moving around and doing fun stuff. I'll be less ambiguous if I give this whole fight another listen within the next week.
glug glug glug egg makes wine. You can make wine too.
User avatar
mico saudad
Goldman
Posts: 522
Joined: Sun Sep 26, 2004 9:34 am
Location: San Francisco

Post by mico saudad »

j$ wrote:
abecedarian wrote: I think this song is also candy, which is fine.
You mean apart from the lyric, which is about a man who chops off his ex-girlfriend's head and sleeps with it by his pillow? :)
Dark chocolate ;)
User avatar
Caravan Ray
bono
bono
Posts: 8738
Joined: Sat Sep 25, 2004 1:51 pm
Instruments: Penis
Recording Method: Garageband
Submitting as: Caravan Ray,G.O.R.T.E.C,Lyricburglar,The Thugs from the Scallop Industry
Location: Toowoomba, Queensland
Contact:

Post by Caravan Ray »

Sorry no full reviews, just a few comments:


CCMoose - I loved this - very Exile On Mainstreet-y

Dark Liberty - your're writing great songs but your vocals aren't selling it

The Good 'Ol Durand Boys - I totally loved both of these. Ross, your lyrics are excellent and Steve, Ennio Morrocone would be proud. (shit, I hope I got the names around the right way)

Kamakura - Excellent - I really liked this. Your lead vocals are great - but I must admit - I wouldn't mind having a crack at this one myself.


While both Durands are worthy of a vote - I don't want to promote sibling rivalry - so I'll vote for Kamakura
User avatar
Bjam
Niemöller
Posts: 1688
Joined: Mon Sep 27, 2004 3:24 pm
Instruments: Singin', Guitarin', Mandolinin'
Location: Atlanta, GA

Post by Bjam »

Good job Gert and Futureboy!

(Also ten votes for me? Whoa.)
Songfighter since back in the day.
User avatar
Leaf
Churchill
Posts: 2438
Joined: Sat Sep 25, 2004 2:19 pm
Instruments: Drums, guitar, bass, vocals.
Recording Method: Cubase
Submitting as: Leaf 62, Gert, Boon Liver, Leaf and Twig, Tom Skillman, A bunch of other stuff.
Location: Campbell River, B.C.
Contact:

Post by Leaf »

Merci Bjam!

Wow.. we didn't really expect to three-peat... so needless to say... we're pretty stoked. Some VERY good songs this week.. so great fight all!
Image
User avatar
Bjam
Niemöller
Posts: 1688
Joined: Mon Sep 27, 2004 3:24 pm
Instruments: Singin', Guitarin', Mandolinin'
Location: Atlanta, GA

Post by Bjam »

So how long before we all start hating Gert?
Songfighter since back in the day.
HeuristicsInc
Ibárruri
Posts: 5350
Joined: Sat Sep 25, 2004 6:14 pm
Instruments: Synths
Recording Method: Windows computer, Acid, Synths etc.
Submitting as: Heuristics Inc. (duh) + collabs
Pronouns: he/him
Location: Maryland USA
Contact:

Post by HeuristicsInc »

odd... 22 - 16 = 6. & "Gert has Eight More than Future Boy".
i guess more votes keep coming in after you tally the results?
also it should be "ekes" not "eeks" :) unless that's a pun of some sort... hmmm
congrats to the winners!
-bill
152612141617123326211316121416172329292119162316331829382412351416132117152332252921
http://heuristicsinc.com
Liner Notes
SF Lyric Ideas
User avatar
Future Boy
Attlee
Posts: 414
Joined: Mon Sep 27, 2004 7:55 am
Instruments: Keyboard, Vocals
Recording Method: Apollo Twin, Reaper, Rhodes, Casios
Submitting as: Future Boy
Pronouns: he/him
Location: Seattle, WA
Contact:

Post by Future Boy »

Wait, how many people are in Gert, and did they all vote for Gert? I demand vindication!!!

(or something)
New Album: Comes Apart | Missed Connections | With Johnny Cashpoint: A Maze of Death | modular synths on Youtube
gert
Karski
Posts: 62
Joined: Fri Jul 15, 2005 7:15 am

Post by gert »

In Gert there is only six. Gert is pleased by our third win in a row. Thanks to all who voted. If we all voted Gert then that would put us in a tie FB. Gert loves FB and his keytar. We could not make it four as it was too short a time span to make it work for this last fight, but we will be in for the next. Gert is very pleased.
User avatar
Leaf
Churchill
Posts: 2438
Joined: Sat Sep 25, 2004 2:19 pm
Instruments: Drums, guitar, bass, vocals.
Recording Method: Cubase
Submitting as: Leaf 62, Gert, Boon Liver, Leaf and Twig, Tom Skillman, A bunch of other stuff.
Location: Campbell River, B.C.
Contact:

Post by Leaf »

Bjam wrote:So how long before we all start hating Gert?

Well... that depends on who's teaching Math 11 this year... and who winds up in my chemistry class.
Image
Post Reply