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Music Contest #12 - Poll

Cast your vote on 1 entry (READ THE RULES below before voting)

  • Brambleclaw - Cybernetic Journey

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Jackyy.BaDitO2 - 80s Hero

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    16
  • Poll closed .
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art by: Michal Kváč
artstation: https://www.artstation.com/artwork/aRODnR

Synthwave

Participants were to create a music piece in the style of Synthwave. Knight Rider needed a song to listen to on his journey. The day was quickly saved!
Click to see more explanations for Synthwave.




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  • Each user can only vote once in the poll.
  • You cannot vote for yourself. If a voter has the same IP as the author then the vote will not be counted and it may result in the disqualification of the entry.
  • You cannot create multiple accounts to vote for an entry in the poll. If a voter has been found to be using multiple accounts none of the voters votes will count in the final result.
  • You cannot bribe users for votes. Contestants who break this rule will be disqualified and given negative reputation.
  • Judges cannot vote!


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  • 1st place: 40 reputation points
  • 2nd place: 25 reputation points
  • 3rd place: 15 reputation points
  • Entry: 5 reputation points
  • Judge: 5 reputation points
The three winning teams will receive an award icon, representing the winning entry.​


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Thanks to deepstrasz for compiling and uploading the video


NameEntry
Brambleclaw Cybernetic Journey
Calciumcarbonat Synth Wave
deepstrasz Aimless
Donut78 Cruisin' on Starlight
enzo2090 Pure Mind
GhostOfPast Synthtide
Hakren Traveling Dreams
Its Ryan Boi Star Gazers
Jackyy.BaDitO2 80s Hero

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  • AditTechno
  • NightStalker



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Theme

How well does it demonstrate the feeling of the theme


/15


Creativity/Originality

How original is the piece? How creative are you with the theme/instruments/etc.
/10



Production

Basically, how well does it flow? Are accents used to good effect? Do overall levels make sense? etc.


/10



Composition
How well is it composed? Do the key changes make sense?/15


/50





  • Judgement: 70%
  • Poll: 30%
FinalScore = (30*Reached_Votes/POSSIBLE_VOTES) + (70*JudgeScore/100)

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The poll shall begin on 9th August 2019 and conclude on 22nd August 2019 GMT (day is included).
 

deepstrasz

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you could do one yourself and I'd attach it to the post ;]
Sure but I thought the wait was also for this. I don't know if I can do it until Sunday. I need a transparent version of "Hiveworkshop Music Contest #12 - Synthwave" words/letters.

One vote is kind of killer.

Please link to the contest page.

EDIT: never mind the transparent stuff. I got it from the contest page.
 

deepstrasz

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Level 68
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Brambleclaw's Cybernetic Journey: I'm getting AditTechno vibes listening to this. It's more atmospheric, outer space oriented. The ending is a bit abrupt maybe because it was intended to loop. Not saying it might not fit some synthwave oriented scenes but I'd see it more on something less broader like Blade Runner. Neat use of volume increase and reduction/fading. Could have had more stereophonic FX/panning.

deepstrasz's aimless: It's kind of steady. The listener gets the idea halfway through only to get more of the same. Panning and FX present. The sounding is unrefined. It doesn't really offer any atmosphere to delve into. The bass shouts for attention, the kick drum being too short to wave. In terms of following the theme, how does it, maybe in some low volume instrument?

Calciumcarbonat's Hive Wave: An energetic and concise composition, however quite too short that it gives the feeling of being unfinisehd. The ending is abrupt, possibly with the intention of the song to loop. Right on track, though too evident. It has atmosphere, nice use of synth fading and resurfacing. The percussion could have used more work to be less repetitive.

Donut78's Cruisin' on Starlight: For me, it's too much talking and not singing. Would work well over a video or as a radio story but as music, I prefer singing or just instruments. Some synths are too loud. Nice work on the percussion. A downside is that it's only two chords. Atmospheric synths, FX and all, well orchestrated, panning too and fading at the end. There's an issue with the latter that instead of the song finishing with decreasing volume, at one point some sort of phonograph quality sound can be heard until the composition stops. Obviously fits the theme in a cliche manner.

enzo2090's Pure Mind: Atmospheric, escaping the confines of the theme turning into a synthwave ballad. The bass and kick drums make their presence well known although the percussion isn't impressive but just does its job. There's left-right/right-left sound moving behaviour, volume fading. What you've used as a bridge could have been the chorus and the bridge something else, implying that the composition has its monotony dose.

GhostOfPast's Synthtide: There are interesting ideas therein. I feel it belongs more to retro-gaming genre than the required one. But let's not limit ourselves and mix (in this case, racing) games with synthwave. It has plenty of goodie FX, volume manipulations although some instruments are too loud. Towards the last part, it kind of sounds like you've tested some new plugins instead of actually playing or creating a melodic line. The end is abrupt. Seems more complex than the other compositions in structure.

Hakren's Traveling Dreams: Good use of instrument panning. Has a retro game vibe. The depicted mood ranges from chill to melancholic. In essence it's kind of short especially when the last part is another copy of the first ambiance one. Ends dully, at least the piano type FX does.

ItsRyanBoi's Star Gazers: Combines synthwave with techno/house. Generally it needs chord progression as it plays too long on the same mood and bass line. That or at least more stuff going on, shutting some instruments bringing others, adding upon. The percussion could have led the flow. Some parts of the composition sound familiar.

Jackyy.BaDitO2's 80s Hero: We'll call it synthwave due to the drums and that it uses synthesizers. The sounding is classical-Baroque music. The melodic line is too familiar, like that of many compositions during those times, Johann Sebastian Bach's too. Generally, most songs reminisce of something but this one is in your face. You should have left more time for the cymbal at the end to fade.

I would have to go with enzo2090's since it's one of the most original stuff here.
I like most of them and will listen to them regularly as I do with the ones of the previous contests.
 
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id ather have Donut win then deepstarz because i dont know about the drum set for his song, it's not centred.


(If your wondering why, it's because I like to have MY beats centred when i am listening to songs.)
 
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Glad to see so many entries! I would vote for @Donut78 's entry if the poll was still able to be voted on (someone add me in, I honestly did listen to all of them). Here are some comments:
  • Bramble: Simple and solid. Nothing really stuck out to me positive or negative.

  • Calcium: The swung hi-hat hits really threw me off with this one. It seemed to clash rhythmically with the other things you were going for. The parts that didn't have that were driving and interesting, though.

  • deep: By the time I got to the end of this words like "haunting" and "creepy" came to mind (in a way I enjoyed). I'm not sure much changed during the song but that feeling definitely grew on me and was not there at the beginning. It's plodding and methodical but pleasing. Sounds like you used some of the sound effects oracles in the Destiny universe. Your melodies are rhythmic and interesting, though some of the later ones could have had more 'flair' to them as they were kind of empty.

  • Donut: Really channeling the TWRP voiceover in this one! This song nailed the theme. Awesome to here some narration and words in a hive contest song! Great build-down in the middle to chill things out without losing energy. Sound effects on point too. I actually smiled a ton listening to this, fucking loved it!

  • enzo: You have some of the more organic sounding melodies of all the entries, which I presume comes because you were actually playing them on a midi keyboard? I think they could have been more rhythmic, though; the long tones kinda get old after a while. You captured the 80s 'gritty VHS' sound amazingly well (kudos!) but I found it kind of distracting to have the melodies and chordal synths constantly pitchbending. It's a cool effect, just my opinion and taste, and I think overall it was well done and someone listening less critically wouldn't be distracted.

  • Ghost: Synthpop + video game music? Coulda stuck with that feel a bit more. Those triangle/saw synths at the start set a great background sound but the foreground synth being such a pure sine stuck out a lot and didn't mesh. I didn't feel the different sections had much continuity between them and the transitions seemed somewhat abrupt. Also I think the mix could have been better so your percussion didn't get lost in the synths.

  • Hakren: Your melodies are strong and organic but I found the song kinda bland/boring/uninteresting. Production quality seemed good but nothing really caught my attention. It just kinda... happened.

  • Ryan: Woah quite a start! This one seemed to hit the synthwave feel pretty square on the head too. You have great backing synths/bass and a good driving rhythm! I felt like I wanted more of something somehow, though; perhaps a narration or some vocals like Donut's entry would have put this over the top. I think trying to shape the song a little bit to give it ups/downs places of tension and release, etc. would really help this because your actual production is amazing and the composition of the parts was great.

  • Jackyy: This needed better balancing/mixing to bring out the individual parts and not let what was loudest dominate. I enjoy the juxtaposition of the triumphant-ish cycle of 4ths B section with the more melancholy A section because it evokes the "80's Hero" name. I'm not sure why specifically but this one strikes me as 'less' synthwave-y than others? I think it's an atmosphere thing. It's almost like synthwave + bach fugues. Synthfuge? Synthbach?

We'll call it synthwave due to the drums and that it uses synthesizers. The sounding is classical-Baroque music. The melodic line is too familiar, like that of many compositions during those times, Johann Sebastian Bach's too. Generally, most songs reminisce of something but this one is in your face.
I intentionally wrote all of my commentary before reading anything you wrote. We had the same thought here!
 
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Damn, got swamped with work so never got to vote. But if I had a choice, I would be going with Donuts. Can't really say anything specific. But the song compilation has been part of my work music, running on repeat for hours since they were posted - and every time Donuts song starts I feel myself slightly more uplifted and I sometimes repeat it an extra time or two. So yea, purely on my subjective idea from that, he would have gotten the vote. I love the voice overlay and the glittering joy in it.

That said, Hakrens also have a wiff of that sweet joy, but with more of a life isn't always sunshine feel.
 
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Glad to see so many entries! I would vote for @Donut78 's entry if the poll was still able to be voted on (someone add me in, I honestly did listen to all of them). Here are some comments:eek:n. It just kinda... happened.
  • Ryan: Woah quite a start! This one seemed to hit the synthwave feel pretty square on the head too. You have great backing synths/bass and a good driving rhythm! I felt like I wanted more of something somehow, though; perhaps a narration or some vocals like Donut's entry would have put this over the top. I think trying to shape the song a little bit to give it ups/downs places of tension and release, etc. would really help this because your actual production is amazing and the composition of the parts was great.

I also wanted vocals honestly, but I posted the track very last minuet, and wasn't able to go to the studio and record something for the track. As for the "wanting more of something", I was supposed to add a change in the middle that would add that needed variation. However considering how busy I was at the time, I just wasn't able to. SO I just focused on making a song that would pass well as a "finished product as an actual song". The mixing and mastering plus a stupidly catchy main melody was the focal point of the track. If I actually had more time then it would have turned out perfect. All in all I think it turned out well, and it's something I can easily go back to and enjoy.

Thanks,
ItsRyanBoi
 
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