Vote for the Orchestration Challenge 9!

[Leaf]

Yep, it's over, though we already have a post-vote

Lol.
It was you.

I think they are all four great, number one made me say wow when I clicked on it, think I can even guess who did number two and I like everything that composer writes very much. Number three had me tapping my foot, a job well done on that one for sure, but agree with GeorgeSands that number four is extra special. I think it's a hit that will be on every jazz and easy listening radio station in the world. Those thirds and whatever else they were way up on the top end of the Steinway sound heavenly and that sax! These folks here have quite a gift for music and I would love to know all about these four works, if the composers would like to share their secrets and advise.

[Cobalt Katze]

Just wanted to mention that they're all amazing entries However, I voted on number 4 (before the deadline!) because I think it used the coolest chords possible for every note of the melody I wrote. To hear something that I deemed completely abstract and semi-tonal suddenly become this loungy jazz wonder totally blew me away

[ptmcgraw]

Terrific stuff!

I really like the challenges, and I hope they continue. It is so awesome that we have forums like this to share our music and have FUN!

[Richard N.]

Well I suppose I'd better 'fess up to being responsible for Entry#4

Thank you Leaf, Leif and George for boosting my ego somewhat and make me walk with a spring in my step with your generous comments

Leaf - as you've asked for some "insight" into my entry, I've copied below the info that I PM'd George...

I used Sonar 4 Producer; GPO "full strings sus & short" as a pad, Steinway piano duo1 & duo2; JABB Fretted Bass 2, Fusion Drum Kit and GM Fusion Drum Kit, and Tenor Sax 2. The reverb was the Sonitus reverb that ships with Sonar. No other software was used.

All of the parts were played into Sonar in real time with a small amount of piano roll and controller editing afterwards (I was short of time and wasn't able to tidy up a lot of things that I should have done). The only exception to this was the drum tracks which I recorded 4 measure phrases, tidied them up and then looped them for the duration of the piece - again had time permitted I would have added variation to these homemade loops.

As regards the actual orchestration - my first task in all of these challenges is to sit at the piano and establish a chord structure to fit the tune. This process often also fixes the tempo and style of the piece. I usually try to incorporate chords with "jazz extensions" with a chromatically moving fundamental.

I then play the piece through a few times to try ti identify any "cliche'd" or "uncomfortable" chord changes.

Then, I have to decide a specific enemble or band that I could imagine actually performing the piece - be it live or a studio recording. On this one I ended up thinking along the lines of a David Sanborn (sax player) studio recording - hence the string pads and high levels of reverb

Once I have all of the above, I get recording, re-recording and often rewriting the chord sequence and instrumentation.

I've put links below to 4 or 5 different versions of this track that show it's transition from original concept to the "finished " version posted for the challenge.

www.stradjazz.com/GeorgeSands/1.mp3
www.stradjazz.com/GeorgeSands/2.mp3
www.stradjazz.com/GeorgeSands/3.mp3
www.stradjazz.com/GeorgeSands/4.mp3
www.stradjazz.com/GeorgeSands/5.mp3
www.stradjazz.com/GeorgeSands/6.mp3

_______________________________________

Thanks for another great challenge, and some very generous comments

[wrayer]

Ok, I am the silly guy who did number 3. I liked number 4 though - pretty sad when you like someone elses over your own. Good job Richard. And I really thought the other's were well done also.

[Coriolano]

Here is #1. First, congrats to the winner. Very good job there. Nice harmonic approach (I always got surprised by jazz music). And the rendering it's also very good. Good job also to the other entrants, so interesting views of the melody.
Well, I didn't spend much time with my entry. I always quit before I finish these challenges (I wrote for other 2 or 3 but never finished to post them).
So this time I decided to participate even if the entry was not very elaborate. I think I took very "literally" the theme (I thought it was required that way). Then I discovered the rules, saying you can change it to your taste (maybe it should be good idea to require the theme "as is" at least once in the track)
And, definetively, recording is not my speciality Still much to learn...
By the way, thanks for listening and contributing to this challenge

[Coriolano]

Ok, I am the silly guy who did number 3. I liked number 4 though - pretty sad when you like someone elses over your own. Good job Richard. And I really thought the other's were well done also.

I like many others works over mine. That's the way for learning But your works will always be yours

[Leaf]

Well I suppose I'd better 'fess up to being responsible for Entry#4

Thank you Leaf, Leif and George for boosting my ego somewhat and make me walk with a spring in my step with your generous comments

Leaf - as you've asked for some "insight" into my entry, I've copied below the info that I PM'd George...

I used Sonar 4 Producer; GPO "full strings sus & short" as a pad, Steinway piano duo1 & duo2; JABB Fretted Bass 2, Fusion Drum Kit and GM Fusion Drum Kit, and Tenor Sax 2. The reverb was the Sonitus reverb that ships with Sonar. No other software was used.

All of the parts were played into Sonar in real time with a small amount of piano roll and controller editing afterwards (I was short of time and wasn't able to tidy up a lot of things that I should have done). The only exception to this was the drum tracks which I recorded 4 measure phrases, tidied them up and then looped them for the duration of the piece - again had time permitted I would have added variation to these homemade loops.

As regards the actual orchestration - my first task in all of these challenges is to sit at the piano and establish a chord structure to fit the tune. This process often also fixes the tempo and style of the piece. I usually try to incorporate chords with "jazz extensions" with a chromatically moving fundamental.

I then play the piece through a few times to try ti identify any "cliche'd" or "uncomfortable" chord changes.

Then, I have to decide a specific enemble or band that I could imagine actually performing the piece - be it live or a studio recording. On this one I ended up thinking along the lines of a David Sanborn (sax player) studio recording - hence the string pads and high levels of reverb

Once I have all of the above, I get recording, re-recording and often rewriting the chord sequence and instrumentation.

I've put links below to 4 or 5 different versions of this track that show it's transition from original concept to the "finished " version posted for the challenge.

www.stradjazz.com/GeorgeSands/1.mp3
www.stradjazz.com/GeorgeSands/2.mp3
www.stradjazz.com/GeorgeSands/3.mp3
www.stradjazz.com/GeorgeSands/4.mp3
www.stradjazz.com/GeorgeSands/5.mp3
www.stradjazz.com/GeorgeSands/6.mp3

_______________________________________

Thanks for another great challenge, and some very generous comments

Thanks for the info Richard, and those mp3s of the the song during it's construction, very interesting and insightful. Congrats to you, Coriolano, wrayer and #2, and thanks to all four for such great music.

David

[Richard N.]

So ......

Shall we crack on with Challenge 10 ?

With the group buy, there should be lots of people out there with new Garritan libraries with a bit of free time over christmas to get creating

I'm happy submit the Challenge 10 theme, but the official result was a tie between me and Corialano, so I don't want to go treading on anyone's toes?

I'm thinking it might be cool to take the theme back in to the mainstream field to encourage as many people as possible to enter.

Sean - what do you think?

[Cobalt Katze]

Psh, my melody was plenty mainstream

I mean uh... go ahead

I get to enter one this time! Yaay..