Why, hello there. I am so happy to meet you!

Kookaburra said 1 month ago 2/8/2010 12:10:47 AM EDT

Our first audio contest.

Check it out.

Some very impressive talent on display.

Listen and vote!

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I did. I agree. I did.

Now what?

How long before the next contest? :D



ps. Really check out the contest please! You won't be disappointed.

I checked (and listened to some), but have no idea how to vote!

I saw it, but like MsgtBob, I have no idea how to vote!

It takes a while, listening to all the entries. But as was said, well worth the wait. There are some amazingly creative renditions, from rock to church orchestra. WOW!!!

This is going to be an interesting one to try and build a voting scale around. With possible entries ranging from musical scores to realistic sound recordings we may need a bit of guidance in what is considered good work.

In fact, it could be hard to vote on music entries. Most of us would use just a simple criterion: I like it, I don't like it.
I don't know how many people here can judge music basing on music theory (use of chords or instrumentation to match a mood and or situation).
I think some easy guidelines could be:
- of course, the quality of the track: if it sounds like a ringtone or there are background noises (it may happen if someone recorded him/herself with a bad mic or in a noisy place) that will affect the quality score;
- creativity: heavy use of loops may end in a boring, repetitive result;
- harmony of 'sources': composing is like photoshopping, you basically merge together different stuff (whether it's your own or someone else's) and, like a chop, that stuff has to be put together harmonically. This is the point of art, I guess. Also, like in this first contest, the work itself must fit a subject (the picture) so in this very case a foxtrot or a polka wouldn't be the most appropriate idea to go for;
- music theory: if you know it, you may use it. Do you think a B7#m would be more appropriate than that C? Did you agree with the use of strings and piano? You may vote basing on that too;
- personal taste: because the beauty lies inside the viewer (or listener).

Also, it could be good to give credit to others if you use their work (for instance some lines from Chopin or a drum beat downloaded from the internet).

My five cents. I studied music (and still play it) and had some composition experiences, so I thought this may help someone.

As this is new I suppose it's going to be a learning curve for everyone as to how to vote, but it is difficult trying to be fair. I have no clue as to how many of the pieces were 'original' (as in, composed/played by the entrant) and how many were samples mixed together. Fraxav has some good tips there

Finally something i can vote on while at work (as all images are fire-walled).
I just voted as to how the music made me feel, what images they made me think of and how appropriate they were to the theme photograph. I'm no musician but enjoy peoples creativity in all forms. I hope it continues.

Kookaburra said 1 month ago 2/8/2010 9:28:15 AM EDT

Thank you Fraxav for the voting hints!

I have been struggling with this too - I want to give them all 10s because it is ou first, but that is not fair to anyone.

Morporkian: Like with Effects, there is a balance between making your own and effectively using what you find. I don't know how that plays into voting. Several entries indicate they are original compositions. Maybe in the future we will run contests where it can only be an original composition or only sampled mixes.

Mostly, I am really excited about the number and quality of entries here. YAY WORTHIANS!!!

According to copyright laws, you can use the score (since it's already public domain) but not a recording, since it is yet protected. I did that at the H8H with the "La traviata" score.

I had to flag a couple of them because of floating text, sorry.

On another note: Great work all entrants. :)

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Sure, but I wasn't thinking to copyright but just to "honesty", as if you were illustrating the Mona Lisa you would say you were inspired by Leonardo's work, to let who is not into art know (like an entrant already did, giving some credit to Morricone).
Yet you may need to give credit to the author if you use some sound effect downloaded from a website, I don't know this.

Anytime! I really hope it helps.

I agree.

Wow. I'm still listening to entries and I'm looking forward to voting and handing out stars when this contest is over.

I just loved voting on all of these entries. I listened to most a number of times because I was noticing new detail each time.

What a talented bunch you are!

Just to add to the great comments by Fraxav, I am listening for a sense of whether the music matches the picture in mood or expands my understanding of the photo.

I am also listening for the depth of the music and its ability to move me. A really simple melody could lodge in my head where a full overture might slide in one ear and out the other. There is also how each person uses repetition and dynamics (loudness) as well as dissonance and harmony.

As a writer there is also a sense of "plot" to music for me. Does it leave me in a different place than where I started?

I am going to have fun voting this one. :)

I listened.
I voted.
I commented.
I loved it!
I should be working.

I totally agree. Dynamics are so important, especially when it comes to keyboards, flutes and strings! Those are the light and shadows, the gaussian blur of music.
I'm listening to some good works which don't deserve that 'flat' midi effect.
I understand it's not always possible to play from a keyboard though, and adding dynamics via software is not easy at all.

Isn't that already the basis of this contest?

"YOUR PIECE MUST BE COMPOSED FOR THIS CONTEST, although you may mix components you have done in the past."

I haven't voted yet, though I've listened to everything numerous times. There's SO much good stuff here. I never found the time to work on anything and I'm ashamed to say I missed out on this one. As a music fanatic I'm dying to vote on this though and it's really not easy.