Anti-EDM Bragging Rights Compo

Hey, everyone. Time to stretch your musical wings!

It has been said that Renoise is only created with EDM producers in mind. Well, I disagree, and I think that many of you do too.

Terms of the competition:

  • ​Renoise only.
    • Yes, you can create your own samples within Renoise.
    • Yes, you can use Renoise-supplied samples and instruments as long as they came with the software or downloaded from Backstage.
    • Yes, you can use Renoise plugins even if you wrote them yourself, because that’s a core Renoise feature.
    • Yes, you can use MIDI devices such as keyboards or pads in your composition process, but no external synths.
    • Sorry, no recorded samples this time. It’s all about what you could get from Backstage.
      • Exception: recorded vocals are OK, in case you want to do an aria or something.
      • Do not record external synths, sample movies or any other external sources. This is a vocals-only exception.
    • Sorry, no VST, no softsynths, nothing like that. Not in this compo.
    • Sure, use all the (Renoise) effects, modulations and sample editing you like.
    • Only Renoise for arranging, mastering, everything. Renoise is your synth, Renoise is your DAW, Renoise is everything.
  • No Oontz-Oontz-Oontz.
    • Nothing wrong with a kick, snare or other percussion. Use them if you want them!
    • Avoid a four-on-the-floor beat.
    • Bonus points for time signatures other than 4/4.
    • Bonus points for shifting time signatures.
    • Bonus points for latin grooves (cuban, brazilian, whatever)
    • Extra bragging rights for true cross rhythms as per african drumming.
    • Arhythmic ambient stuff is absolutely welcome. Take us away on your magic carpet of soft, fuzzy sounds!
    • ​Anything else other than EDM type stuff is fine. Metal, darkwave, folk, jazz, swing, ragtime, goth, whatever.
  • Musical complexity is good.
    • Theme and variations is cool.
    • Advancing themes is cool.
    • Close harmonies are very cool.
    • Fugue, sonata, son, raga … enliven our minds and our ears!
    • If you think you can do a good multi-movement work with Renoise, then feel free. Symphony, concerto, whatever floats your boat.
    • EPs which are musically linked so as to form coherent works also count.
  • Timeframe, judgement and outcome.
    • Start now. Like, immediately when this post goes up.
    • Closing: 31st of December, 2014, 23:59 Los Angeles time.
    • Yes, submissions accepted even if you did them before, or started them before the opening, as long as they conform to the rules.
    • I shall be the judge (no, I will not compete, that would not be fair).
    • If any members of the Renoise Team want to join me as judges, I would be happy to accept their votes as well but I don’t expect it.
    • To keep people honest, you must please provide your renoise source files so that we can confirm rules adherence, as far as reasonably possible.​
  • Procedures.
    • Submit by posting links (Bandcamp, Soundcloud, Dropbox, whatever) or content on this topic.
      • ​If you want to update a submission, just add another post with your new version linked.
    • I will listen to all submissions, and provide my verbal feedback to each submission in the topic as well.
    • I will judge the outcome based on musicality, musical sophistication and creative use of resources.
      • ​I will rank a top three.
      • ​I may also provide some honourable mentions. We’ll have to see what happens.
    • I’m broke. I can’t afford to give people prizes, all I have to offer is bragging rights. Sorry.
    • My final judgement will be made available by 15th of January 2015, 23:59 Los Angeles time. (Probably before then by a fair margin.)

Just thought it worth a mention:

Since we want to see Renoise songfiles, and we have that new song upload area on the forum, I’d like to encourage participants to use that.

And thank you to the devs for making that feature - it’s a great idea, and very relevant to the forum.

Just for clarification, does it fall within the rules to use instruments and/or samples that came from previous renoise releases that were not included in 3.0?

Just for clarification, does it fall within the rules to use instruments and/or samples that came from previous renoise releases that were not included in 3.0?

Yes, it does, although it would be sporting to list sources in your submission in that case.

Something like: Upright Bass from renoise 2.8 distribution pack XYZ.

what’s the policy on third-party impulse responses in the convoler? out of the question also?

what’s the policy on third-party impulse responses in the convoler? out of the question also?

Thumbs down, I’m afraid. The goal is to showcase what Renoise can do for you, using only Renoise and what the Renoise team has provided. The only exception here is recorded vocals, because Renoise doesn’t have a speech synthesis engine (but it can certainly apply effects to recorded vocals).

okay so i can record vocals but not other things

are you going to make me figure out how to use vocals as impulse responses
because i’ll fucking do it

I had never even considered that option.

But now that you’ve said it, I kind of want to see that.

Option B would, of course, be to write an Impulse Response Tool.

Just a reminder that we’re about two months out from the due date for this Compo.

No promises, but I’m trying to get together some kind of prize. If I can arrange something, I’ll post the information here.

One month to go.

Is there a new Vivaldi? A new Cage? A new Bach? A new Villa-Lobos?

I like these rules as a framework for inspiration. I’m not so sure about the “anti” theme though. That puts me off a bit…

(maybe it’s because I don’t live in the US, and old enough to remember the first wave of rave -> cue acid smiley :)).

Bottom line: challenging myself to produce something.

I like these rules as a framework for inspiration. I’m not so sure about the “anti” theme though. That puts me off a bit…
(maybe it’s because I don’t live in the US, and old enough to remember the first wave of rave → cue acid smiley :slight_smile: ).

Bottom line: challenging myself to produce something.

Yeah, I’m sorry about that. Poor phrasing on my part. I was trying to reach for a broader world, than the usual cliche that trackers are only good for laying down lots of Oontz-Oontz-Oontz, when in actual fact they’re very powerful, and Renoise has a good claim to be king of the trackers. (With all due respect to OpenMPT, Sunvox, Milky and so on…)

In fact, I’m old enough to remember when disco was a thing, and to recognise the tight links (musically) between what ABBA and the BeeGees were doing and what you might hear on a lot of modern dancefloors. Add some electronic flexibility, add the rhythmic influences of the caribbean, and you’re most of the way there.

So I’m not trying to look down my nose at neurostep or jungle or anything. Just looking for a different musical use of the tool.

Because Renoise is too powerful to be pigeonholed!

  • ​Renoise only.
  • Yes, you can create your own samples within Renoise.
  • Yes, you can use Renoise-supplied samples and instruments as long as they came with the software or downloaded from Backstage.
  • Yes, you can use Renoise plugins even if you wrote them yourself, because that’s a core Renoise feature.
  • Yes, you can use MIDI devices such as keyboards or pads in your composition process, but no external synths.
  • Sorry, no recorded samples this time. It’s all about what you could get from Backstage.
  • Exception: recorded vocals are OK, in case you want to do an aria or something.
  • Do not record external synths, sample movies or any other external sources. This is a vocals-only exception.
  • Sorry, no VST, no softsynths, nothing like that. Not in this compo.
  • Sure, use all the (Renoise) effects, modulations and sample editing you like.
  • Only Renoise for arranging, mastering, everything. Renoise is your synth, Renoise is your DAW, Renoise is everything.

What about tools? Like for example anything from

http://www.renoise.com/tools/tags/synthesis

Allowed?

Yes, tools are a core feature of Renoise. They are explicitly permitted. If you’re into ambient music, then a few of those tools make wonderful, rich synth noises.

Ten day countdown.

Are you miserably stuck between feuding relatives over the holiday season?

Did everyone leave you alone with your cats and a room full of electronics?

Have you had it with the hegemonic structures of coercive modernism, and want to strike back the only way you know how; with a gavotte?

Give us your inner rage, your cries for succour, and let us hear what Renoise lets you do.

Haven’t seen any submissions.

If you got confused and meant to submit something, let me know.

Either way, just to prove my point that Renoise goes far beyond oontz-oontz-oontz, here’s an upload:

http://forum.renoise.com/index.php/files/file/164-lamentforthelostxrns/

Elapsed time: two days.

Feel free to download, listen, and criticise.

SoundCloud - Hear the world’s sounds

XRNS available for lots of prize money / gear / software…

I am winning!

Not four to the floor (enough yet?)

Made with Renoise 3.0.1 and native built-in effects and only instruments and samples from the Renoise 3.0.1 library.

EatMe - Four That

(C) (P) 2015 EatMe

Nice work!

I like that you take the base of a latin rhythm - always a good time for a dance, even if the EDM producers of the world tend to skip it. I also like that you work with the key changes for progression, while keeping the rhythmic, almost percussive quality of the top line.

What particularly interests me is how you use automation rather than melodic progression to shape the song’s structure. Unfortunately that’s slightly counterbalanced by the repetitive shape of the content. It would be interesting to hear with an additional melody line which progresses over the top.

However, you have the bragging rights! First entry, and the deadline is well past.

Hey guys,

Just saw this thread. I generally operate under these restraints. This a track I made I’m probably going to put in my upcoming album next EP.

http://forum.renoise.com/index.php/files/file/301-renoise114/

https://soundcloud.com/kalelover69/renoise114