Scratch

Techno, I've updated the first post with two new songs of mine, plus a link to my edited G-Major duet ballad. Of course, you have heard the G-Major ballad already, but here are my two new songs:

- Untitled C-Major Song (DIY)
- Untitled Am Sad Song (DIY)

None of them are complete (the first one is merely just the intro and the first bits of the song), but I really like the second one. Any ideas of where I can progress from here on these two songs?

This now means I have seven new songs (and counting). :3 I keep coming up with tunes!

Hope you enjoy!

technoguyx wrote:

The C Major song sounds great so far. I would continue it by going back to something similar to the very first progression (C-Bb-F), perhaps the same melody in bars 2-9, then the drums and bass start playing in a standard rock rhythm with the same melody throughout. I might edit it a little when I have time.

The A Minor song sounds too much like your masterpiece, though I like this progression better. It even sounds like something that could follow the masterpiece. I always get the feeling an orchestra could accompany this kinda songs well (I said so when we were writing Gone, but I never did the arrangements), perhaps we could experiment with that one time, using a VST to synthetize the orchestra (Edirol Orchestral is a good one I know, but it's far away from free  )

I was just checking the G Major ballad yet again, and I'm starting to dislike the Cm-G interlude I wrote earlier for it. Actually, the melody I wrote for it, I think it doesn't sound good. I also think the last chorus before the female interlude could be repeated before said part.

Glad you like the C-Major song although it has hardly any progress so far. Feel free to make your own edits on the score. I didn't think much of it really. 

The progression of the Am song is indeed better than my 'masterpiece'. They are in the same key and have a different picking style, though arguably rather similar. This has a variation on the same chords for the chorus which I quite like, but I don't fancy merging it with the 'masterpiece' since that has a variant in the guitar fade-out. The drum work differs a lot, and the lead I've got in mind is nothing like the previous song.

But please do give your input on how we can make it sound more different. 

You're right; a lot of these kind of songs seem to be the kind for orchestral backing too. I've got that feeling myself as well. The basic components of a string quartet are found on Noteflight, so instead of going for some software that requires purchase, we could just notate in Noteflight. Sound a good idea?

Don't worry; your interlude sounds great to me! 

You really transformed the song I had in mind (a simple piano/acoustic ballad) into a song with some of our greatest variation yet. The finer edits (like the last one you suggested) can be added later. That does not sound too bad for me.

For now, I would appreciate it if you could suggest how I can progress on my two new songs. 

technoguyx wrote:

Thing is, the soundbanks for stringed instruments in Noteflight sound really fake and synthetized. Definitely not something I'd actually use in a recorded song.

I'm currently editing one of my own ideas, I'll work on other songs later. As you're online, I'll throw a link to it: here. Currently I only have a piano intro, with some violin (seemed appropiate to me).

That sounds all right at the moment, but obviously needs a bit more work. I could help you out with that if you want me to.

Synth orchestral backing is increasingly used, although not heard of some time back. I do agree when you say stringed instruments soundbanks sound synthesized, rather MIDI-ish. I understand you'd prefer to leave it out, and even I don't quite like the idea either. It may work in some songs though.

DIY wrote:

Techno, I've finished my Am Sad Song. I decided to keep it shorter than previously intended although it is still quite long. Do tell me what you think of it. 

Sounds good. The last bit of the guitar solo sounds odd, though. Maybe it's the "let vibrate" effect added, I still don't see why it's here.

I only have one of my lead tracks done (the first solo in my funky song), I'm still struggling with the other two solos.

The other two solos are another in the funky song, and the solo in the smooth song. I still haven't written one for your song.

Alright, techno; I amended the guitar solo and it sounds good now.

How are the solos coming along? Also, jslomba promised that he would record the drum tracks ages ago (nearly a month I believe). Do you reckon he is done? 

technoguyx wrote:

I guess he's the only one who can answer that, but we currently have tons of songs, so if his plan is to record them all it's obviously going to take a while.

I still got two solos to record, since I haven't recorded them these days I figured I'd upload the only one I currently have recorded. I gave you access to it in Soundcloud.

I also mentioned I'd give jslomba's second Untitled song a try, to see how it sounds in an electric guitar. Doesn't sound bad at all, here it is.

Yeah. Hopefully when he replies he'll have done a lot of songs.

I'll listen to jslomba's edited song and your solo.

Happy 1-Year Anniversary, guys! A quick trip to the first Frozen Coco topic revealed that Techno posted the thread on June 23rd. 

All4one wrote:

Happy 1-Year Anniversary, guys! A quick trip to the first Frozen Coco topic revealed that Techno posted the thread on June 23rd. 

Never thought about us having a year of trajectory already.    Indeed we have come really far, farther than pretty much any other attempt of a Scratch band so far. I thank you both for reminiding us of this date, and for your comments too. 

I have a take of the second solo of the funky song, but I think it has too many flaws for me to upload it.

EDIT: Here's a quick upload of the take of said solo. There's a pretty noticeable error in the part at around 0:09, just after the pinch harmonics. Other than that, it sounds pretty decent.

Last edited by technoguyx (2012-06-24 22:18:01)

I still want to correct that flaw, though.    Each take in each instrument should be as perfectly interpreted as possible if we want a good sounding song and album, after all. I'll most likely have time this Tuesday as my school is boycotting classes yet again (the student protests over here are still going pretty strong).

Against the education system, ideally we're aiming for a free, quality education system. I'm not much into the cause to be honest, so that's pretty much all I know