Hello all
I had a try at doing this too 
submitted a couple of days ago, but always love a bit of precious feedback, so please do - bit of a beginner, lots to learn, help much appreciated! Thanks!
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Here’s my entry: Pretty much all instruments were made using FL Studio’s Patcher, which operates a bit like a modular synth rack for VSTS, and to save on processing power, were later consolidated to audio tracks when they were finished, so, I don’t remember every library I used. But, from Crow Hill, I used Pocket Strings, Circuit Drums, Vaults Rhythm Machine, and Cosmos. However, Cosmos was only in there to use it’s volume to trigger a controller that would modulate the filter cutoff of a synth, Most synths were from Arturia Analog Labs or Mini V
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Here is a tutorial video on how Christian would approach the challenge:
We’ve extended the closing date for entries to give everyone a chance of entering. In the interest of fairness, anyone who submitted entries before Christian made his tutorial can submit again if they wish.
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Thanks for the hints and tips.
In the video Christian mentioned there was an issue with the submission form. I tried uploading with a zip attachment, and again a few days later with just a weblink, but have never received any confirmation anything was received.
Perhaps I got it wrong, but thought the new upload procedure was going to send a recevied email?
Thanks!
Yes - it was a smashing video, thank you crow hill
I didn’t have any trouble with attaching the weblink (I did need to refresh the form to stop it asking for both uploads) and the form went to the “thank you for submitting” stage, but I did get the impression there might be a confirmation email from that too - nothing here either if that’s any help to anyone?
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The video helped me get the scope into perspective. Thing is, I have again discovered that while I’m reasonable with the verbal and foley, my mind is struggling to get a full score. I am beginning to think I’m too much of a single note musician (I am only really competent with flute, whistles, harmonica, and bodhran) and getting a good chordal structure that will please the powers that be may be beyond me. I’m still trying, but…
this month’s cue tube film is rather good if you fancied a change? I’m thinking bodhran and folk for a section of it… historical drama, good inspiring notes… bit of fun?? have a lovely Sunday!
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I hadn’t checked it out yet, but I am going to at least have something for this one.
Thing is, once I understood that we could go after the vox as well, it was just a few hours and I had it all run through 10 & 1073, added the foley, and exported it as a new base. But everything I come up with now still seems just as lost as before… it’s notes and octaves, with just a few chords and a modal change to fit the mood. I wind up feeling (and being drawn to) the siren call of the lone notes on the wind and not the full orchestra in a hall. It all feeds the imposter syndrome that’s been haunting me of late.
Have a grand rest of your weekend as well.
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Hope it’s not too cheeky a request, but perhaps once the competition is closed would it be okay if you could upload your re-mastered speech here (all of your piece if you’re happy to)?? I would love to have the opportunity to learn more about how to improve recorded speech and being able to compare the two would be so useful
Not sure it will help, but I put the new base out to youtube unlisted. This is the link if you want to hear what I did (maybe it will help, maybe not): https://youtu.be/3LA1onQOQPo
(edit, added:) Fyi, general notes on what I did are in the description.
Gosh that’s everso generous Pat, thank you so much!! I’ll not change my submission - I did my best but it was hopeless! - but I will learn so much from this, thank you so much for your time!
Hmmm, I don’t really care if you change your submission (I would probably feel flattered to an extent). The audio in it isn’t perfect standalone, but even so, it wouldn’t matter to me if someone wanted to use the ideas.
I’m much more stuck on the bedding… well when I can get away.
Hi guys,
Great work everyone really liked everyone’s contributions. Don’t think needs anything else, Which is lucky. Sorry guys I have to withdraw from this project.
I was cleaning my Japanese kitchen knife the other day and managed to cut into right hand and fingers. I got stitches and will be fine, but I can’t really play with it. True the drums could have just been programed, but it doesn’t sound right to me.
Apologies for not letting everyone know sooner. Anyhow don’t want to district from the sterling work work everyone has done and look forward to hearing the final version!
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Hey Cats, that’s not a problem at all. Sounds pretty nasty with a sharp knife like that! Hopefully your hands heals soon.
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Sorry to hear of your injury Cats. I understand even though I was really looking forward to hearing your contribution. Your main priority at this moment is to just get yourself healed, ok buddy.
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Hi - hope you’ve found some scraps of time for your music I was thinking about what you said about chords and it got me thinking… I listen and analyse and write now in block chords mostly because that’s sort of the most used shorthand, but if you look from a different perspective, the best and most inventive and sonically satisfying chord progressions I think come from thinking of each note alone and how they interact with each other - this gives you better part writing, counter melodies, pedals, leading notes, modulations… all the things that elevate a piece harmonically to being something special… they’re just single lines interacting with each other… it struck me playing Bach’s prelude no.1 (from the 48 preludes and fugues) the other day, and while I was listening to the penguin cafe orchestra ‘music for a found harmonium’ too (downloaded the new vaults!)… and then I started hearing it everywhere… tbh I think both these pieces would make great underscore as I understand it… so perhaps you’re actually on exactly the right track with your single lines?? Thank you for prompting me to a different line of thought - I love this forum for that!!!
Hi Simon.
Just two questions as this is my first CH scoring to film challenge.
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LUFS Delivery. I see the original video is at -22.8 INT LUFS (on YouTube ‘Stats for Nerds’). I understand the industry normally uses -23 so is there a max loudness for submission to these challenges?
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Timecode. Should out entry have our DAW generated timecode visible in the film?
Bob
Thank you, Ros. I had never thought of it quite like that. I really appreciate you giving me that encouragement and the time you took to make sure I understood what you meant. Now, if I can just keep MBH healthy enough to sit back down at the DAW box, I’ll look at it again. 
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Thank you for making me think about it!! and for the brilliant advice re the voiceover!
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Well, here is my entry: https://youtu.be/o-nZhqQf_As
(edit: added) @Curtis_Berry gave me an idea to post my details as well, so here is the processing prior to writing the music bedding:
The two vox stems were first processed in izotope’s RX10. I used the de ess, then manually pulled the breaths, buzz, and an “ahh”. I also manually compressed several plosives, fricatives, and other exaggerated points. I then normalized each significant piece to -1 db. The results were pulled into cubase and processed through the Lindell 80 plugin (from plugin alliance) to take advantage of the Neve 1073 preamp and eq emulation. I used that to eq and saturate his voice, added a little compression, and, where he is reading the text, I used the 1073 eq to strip some of his low end.
The keystrokes are a recording of me banging away on the keyboard. I normalized a portion of the recording in RX10 and then used that in cubase as an instrument. With layering, the instrument allowed me to create a bit more of that old keyboard sound. I then used the same 1073 preamp emulation to give it a little saturation.
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