VSE Challenge - CS_TBL, Instrument Panel & mcomeg WIN!!

[nathanscribe]

Well, as like so much else in life, I peaked early and fell over half way. Ah well...

Challenger was made with the following:

Bass - Yamaha CS-15
All Brass - Roland Juno-60
Strings - Ensoniq Mirage
Arpeg in middle section - Oberheim Matrix 6R
Drums - LinnDrum

I also used a gated 'verb on the Alesis Microverb IV for the kick, snare and toms, and accidentally put the arpeg through as well but didn't notice till I was realingning everything for another piece afterwards... the reverb on the Juno brass was Lexicon MPX1.

Glad a few of you liked it; I know it wasn't entirely cop-ish, but I was thinking along the lines of mid-80s vehicle/technology-based crimefighter, and wanted to tell a story in the music - general character-introduction at first, shots of the regulars - then an action sequence cut to show sopme bad guys getting down to business - then the last part has the good guys dragging the bad guys into jail accompanied by cheesy smiles and back-slapping.

And yes, if only I'd called it "Donald P Bellesario's Challenger", it would have made so much more sense...

Congrats to the winners though - and to those who didn't win, because there's some fun stuff here.

[Sir Ruff]

wow.. really impressive output-I have no doubt some of you are moonlighting as tv theme show producers!

as I bit of an anti-theme, I thought I'd post this link to a fictional soundtrack dj mix for the b-movie "Maniac Cop" ... suitably 80s and moody methinks!

Joe Hart "Maniac Cop" mix

(the tracklisting is posted on this page about half way down: http://www.tothebone.co.uk/mixes.htm)

[tallowwaters]

But Maniac Cop already had a badass Jay Chattaway OST.

[CS_TBL]

So.. next challenge?

[novielo]

So.. next challenge?

1 challange every 2 months is not that bad...

[Jack Spider]

I've moved this to the Listening Lounge and stickied it. As for a new challenge - start a thread up in Off Topic and thrash out some ideas!

[CS_TBL]

For sake of fun and discussion I've commented my own opinions on all the entries. I've taken the role of a director/producer and judged them for the purpose of being used for a real cop show. I've the impression some just wanted to make 'a' tune, rather than a tune for a cop show, tho I could be wrong here. What I do miss are the main themes, the themes you can hum, the themes that kids sing when playing cops outside (like we used to taaatatataaaa The A-Team tune when we were young). Aaanyway, for what it's worth, all imho, and 2ct:

Law and Disorder

Good intro, clear demonstration of the concept. The detuned sawtooth lead @ 0:51 spoils it a bit for me. The whole thing sounds timeless, but this lead makes it cheesy 80's. The narrative voice over could perhaps used some processing.

Pol4

Too experimental for my taste. I don't feel any connection with anything cop'ish.

The Night Shift

This being my thing, I'll only describe what my intentions were. Big neon-lighted city with skyscrapers 'n things, perhaps like Las Vegas, but less light. Everything at night. I used smooth/easy sounds like that sax and the muted trumpet to suggest the moody jazzy atmosphere of downtown nightlife.

I'm Taking You off the Case

The good: the background arrangement is meaty, reminds me slightly of Vangelis' more progressive tunes from the late 80's, and I could actually see this behind a cop show. The bad: there's nothing I remember apart from the sound image. No themes to memorize, zippo. Guitar gets a bit annoying and its notes are somewhat pointless.

The Rozzers

The more: retro-styled production. Could work as a comedy-cop theme. The less: I have the feeling I'm listening to a keyboard's arranger section where only the chords change. There's no clear theme I could detect.

The Erotic Couch

The up: production. The down: no clear theme, iyam.

Will Get 2 U

Too experimental to my taste.

Challenger

The green: from 0:22 it could be useful for a dated/cheesy cop show. The red: not much of a main theme, bass end could be more meaty.

Detective

Could be used for mystery shows like CSI, very decent production. Maybe not a standout theme, but for this particular musical genre it's about sound, less about theme.



Where're your comments?

[alfadawg01]

Law and Disorder

Good intro, clear demonstration of the concept. The detuned sawtooth lead @ 0:51 spoils it a bit for me. The whole thing sounds timeless, but this lead makes it cheesy 80's. The narrative voice over could perhaps used some processing.

As the perpetrator (petty criminal?) behind L&D I appreciate your comments as constructive and thoughtful. I did kinda like the lead sound, but I agree that it is not quite one with the atmosphere of the rest of the piece. It was a nod to VSE as the venue in which the song was being presented, so next time maybe I won't try to suck up to the moderator. A sax or a muted trumpet would probably have served the song better. I also couldn't agree more about the narrative voice and offer no excuses for dropping the ball there.

Thanks for your comments!

[novielo]

Will Get 2 U

Too experimental to my taste.

realy? i'm having a hard time with this kind of description lately. not that it gets me mad but i just wonder what makes my music that "experimental". i honestly do appreciate that you had a listen to it.

my idea of a cop them was something like this:
- the intro was a tortuous interpretation of the feeling of the song "sabotage" by the beasty boys, i always their videoclip was them dressed has policde officer
-the voice was because that's how i would imagine big brother talking to me, leaning everywhere just the law is.
- the kind of thicking clock was for the emergency the law has to be made.

i would also like to thank my voter (note that there's no "s" to voter )

[CS_TBL]

Well, it doesn't sound like cop/sleuth to me. The low voice makes it experimental, perhaps experimental could be a synonym for unnatural, and that's what you get with that low-pitched voice..