TigSource Musical Challenge XLVI Voting!!!

Alright, poll above, feedback below. Thank you for all of the entries everyone, had a nice turnout this month and I genuinely enjoyed listening to every single one of these songs. Also, I've said this before, but don't take any of the critiques personally, most of us around here want to help each other and that's what I'm trying to do. I hope my opinion is in some way valuable to you, but it is after all, just my silly opinion. Hope you had fun!

Sam Oz | Aloha Beach

Since video is technically just a collection of pictures, I think it's cool that we allow this. Alright, so first off, your instrument choices are very appropriate for your chosen image(s). The drums, the handclaps, the ukelele, and I like your transition into the steel drums part. I think you need to work on the realism of your instruments. The transitions between ukelele chords are clearly samples - whether they're triggered with midi, I'm not sure, but it doesn't quite feel like an authentic guitar. Same goes for the classical guitar I hear, especially the faster moving parts. Excellent drum breakdown at 8:23. This is nitpicky but I think you have way too much reverb on your drum outro - you hear it ring for a long time after the last note, which isn't true to your Hawaiian aesthetic. But as far as letting the picture dictate your musical choices, I think you nailed it man! Très bien.

Cynicus | I'm Coming Home

I dig it. Gives me a Trent Reznor | Atticus Ross feel, which if you were trying to earn brownie points, congratulations, you did. I like the filters you've placed over the ringing synthy distortions. My one critique I have, your delayed guitar synth thing starting at 0:20. Every other instrument in your track has a LOT of energy, even the piano brings it, but that delayed guitar synth feels really flimsy next to all of that aggressive energy; I just think you could set the tone for your piece a little bit better with something that packs a bit more punch. Other than that, the scifi aspect of the painting is well-matched by your music and I think you did an excellent job here, really dig it!

d11ed | Miners After Work

I really like this one a lot. The tempo change is great, instrument choices are excellent....that accordian..... The overall tone of the piece matches the weather conditions and the mood of the characters in the painting. Only critiques I have, wish it was longer, and I think you should turn up the accordian in the mix, it's buried in the right side a bit. Are you hiding it because it's midi? Lovely work though d11ed.

Daniel Pellicer | Beware The Waves

Pretty cool that you went for something personal here with your dad's painting, sometimes the really personal stuff is hard to do, at least for me it is. Your piece gives me an RPG vibe and I have a feeling you've barely scratched the surface with what you can do here; like you could probably turn this into something grand in scale if you wanted. Anyway, your arrangement is very pleasing. I would say what I mentioned in Sam Oz's piece, I think some of your instruments could use some work on the realism, particularly the violin/viola solo instrument. Play with the fades and try and emulate a real player, if your sample utilizes expression (cc11), definitely play around with it. Piano sounds really good though Daniel, and your music certainly feels the painting; nice work.

Aamp | We Met Here Years Ago

First off, I really like your transitions at 0:51 and 1:45, it's refreshing to hear something not so formulaic. I also really enjoy your descending arpeggio bells, kinda makes the song for me. Your piece definitely matches in style to your description listed, but if I'm being honest, it doesn't quite feel like it matches the picture. The moody filters and overall vibe of the art create a tense feeling, and I don't really feel that in the music at all, but like I said, it matches your description very well. I just wish the picture informed the music more. Your mix sounds great and I don't think I'd adjust any of the instruments. Well done Aamp!

MattZ2007 | Meditations

This picture is really something man; stared at it for a long time. I like the eastern/fantasy vibe - very soothing, very thought-inducing, especially your choir pad melody. Your instrument choices are right on for it I think, especially the Koto-sounding instrument. The piece definitely feels like the art, and I can tell it was inspired by it. It puts me in the picture, which is what this contest was all about - and your arrangement is very tasteful. My only critiques, I wish it would either fade out slower, or end in a more subtle fashion. Most of this is Soundclouds fault and not yours, but the piece ends abruptly and then I hear whatever 'popular' bullshit over-compressed and over-normalized club beats Soundcloud wants me to hear, and it immediately takes me out of the nice soundscape you created for us. Anyway, apologies for that rant, it really has nothing to do with you. But I think if you let us hang out in the ending a bit longer, it would improve the piece a great deal : ) Enhancing the realism of your Koto would help a lot as well, but great job Matt, I really like this one.

giu926 | Little Heaven

Beautiful picture. The field recording(s) definitely put us in the environment, and it's obvious that the picture informed your decisions, which again, is what this contest was about. i.e. the rain, the bicycle noises, coughing, etc. I think you should develop your idea further. Right now it feels like a lot of sounds are competing for our attention and I'm not really sure, as a listener, what it is you're trying to draw our ears to. You've made good sonic selections, now help us feel the picture.

Thanks for the cool paintings everyone, happy voting!