Hey folks,

So I am active in a lot of Reddit music and music production-related subreddits, and a fair amount of them have "battle of the bands" type bi-weekly or monthly threads, where they match up teams of four or five members and each contributes either by playing an instrument, supplying vocals, taking responsibility over the production and/or mixdown, and I thought it would be really cool to get something like this up and running with the PG Music community.

I'm not really sure exactly how it would, so I'm soliciting both your overall opinion on having something like this, as well as suggestions regarding how it would go.

Some of the possible options of the top of my head:

a) Initial backing track cooked up in BiaB/RB is posted as an SGU, each member of each team, plays a live instrument over a range of bars. The selection of members could be comprised based on the instruments they play--for instance you would have a guitarist matched with a pianist, a horn player, and a vocalist or something else. Or maybe one of the members makes the backing track for other's to play over. At the end of the period, participants and/or forum members cast votes for the winning track.

b) As with the Xtra Style PAK contests, there would be separate genre categories that each team could be assigned (e.g. Rock, Hip Hop, Country, Jazz etc, maybe even a MIDI category!)

c) Some sort of randomized mixture of the above? I don't know, you tell me!


Your thoughts?

I think it's a great idea and will monitor the thread to see how it goes. It looks like it will be a fun challenge. As for me, I'll pass on the embarrassment of getting fired. I'm likely the last person on the forum you'd want playing live on your recordings.

Now, now, Charlie, I have no idea why a talented musician such as yourself would even say such a thing!

Regardless, and if you would be so kind, I am most eager to hear from a venerated veteran of the forums such as yourself how you think such a contest would be best structured vis a vis the demographics and talent pool here :-)

I think you are on the correct path regarding your three options you've laid out. There's a huge variety in talent and strengths as well as many, many multi-talented members. I see no need to start a new forum, just start a thread in one particular forum topic, announce it across the entire forum and retain all posts, comments, file attachments and such to that one thread.

Of course I am not so presumptuous as to suggest that this be given its own forum, lol. I'm just hoping that this thread gains some traction, and something comes of it in the near future :-)

Me too. I did not mean to say you to be presumptuous and I hope it catches on too. Good luck with the idea.

Sounds like fun, though I won't be able to participate long term.

I do have an .sgu though, and even a lyric (if needed) to contribute if it will help things get started. Just say, and I'll post link to a very rough mix. The piece hass sort of an uplifting soul/gospel feel with some room for big dynamic swings if taken to RB. The progression is strong, and it's fairly melodic just as it is. It's all RealTracks and Drums. As it is, it's only three minutes long.

Please do, Tangmo, the lyrics as well! I'll keep flogging this thing to see where we can go with it

https://soundcloud.com/user-47797156/as-you-go

As I said, a very rough mix, but apply a little imagination to it. Lyrics on the page. The first verse is kinda "generic" and I'm not tied to any of it. But it may work for a beginning.

I'll have to email an .sgu. PM me if wanted.

Oh I'm loving this, Tangmo! I will PM you my email address for the SGU :-)

So... some time back... in the Cakewalk forums of old.... we would do very similar things from time to time.

To start.... go to the SONGWRITING forum and make your request known there.

You could provide a lyric you have written and ask whoever is interested to write the music to make a song with the lyrics you gave.

I was in 2 such events. The many entries in those 2 events were widely diverse and interesting as well as being exceptionally well done.

Imogen Heap..... I know you're up to it

Imogen provided vocal stems and told anyone who wanted, to use them and provide the music for the song you hear. The results were all over the map musically. THis was one of the few jazz versions. Most were her style of techno.... some rock, and rap, and other things.... strange things.


Missing Person.... acoustic version

This is totally acoustic with only one exception.... the bass was a fretless upright acoustic bass sample played by a midi sequencer. Me and one other guy played and sang all the parts. 12 vocal tracks not counting the dobro, acoustic guitar, mandolin and fiddle. Sorry, I forgot, the fiddle was from a 3rd friend in Vermont. I had BB at the time but my friend in Atlanta insisted on live playing.

another option is to have a topic... or title, and let folks write their own song. Give 2 weeks or one month....from notification or have it finished and posted.

Virtual bands are a fun thing too. Use BB backing only where needed. This requires folks to have the ability to play something other than the radio.

The whole goal is to collaborate and take ones time to do things right. Post only when the song is "right" and is finished. I know we can work fast with BB... and yeah, I've done a song from start to finished in a few hours..... but in something like this.... slow down and have fun.

I like the idea. All you need to do is settle on the idea.... then post in the SONGWRITING forum and see who jumps in. It's fun to collaborate with others.