REAPER Contest - December 2016 (RESULTS)

[Bass6]

Originally Posted by karbomusic

Ah, gotcha, yes. The competing entries become available when the voting phase starts. Then the entries and the projects are available when the winner is chosen.

Righty ho. Thanks man.
I wonder if there's a prize for coming last.....

[karbomusic]

Originally Posted by Bass6

Righty ho. Thanks man.
I wonder if there's a prize for coming last.....

I'll thumb wrestle you for it.

[Bass6]

Originally Posted by karbomusic

I'll thumb wrestle you for it.

Given where my thumb's been for most of the last six months, you may want to reconsider that....!

[lolilol1975]

Submitted !

Indeed with such good musicians and recording, it was easy to make something at least half decent.

[Fergler]

This tune is awesome. Initial mix done, very nice recording and I'm not finding much need for automation because they really balanced themselves well in the solos. Awesome!

[richie43]

Originally Posted by Fergler

This tune is awesome. Initial mix done, very nice recording and I'm not finding much need for automation because they really balanced themselves well in the solos. Awesome!

I was just logging in to post that I am tempted to submit a "faders up" mix and see how it fares..... Really well performed and well captured session.

[Tod]

Originally Posted by Fergler

This tune is awesome. Initial mix done, very nice recording and I'm not finding much need for automation because they really balanced themselves well in the solos. Awesome!

I agree, and I'm wondering how many are ready to submit?

I've basically got mine done and ready to go, but I'll probably hang on until near the end, just in case I come up with any more ideas.

So I propose a suggestion, what if we shorten this one up? I mean if everybody is ready to post, maybe we could do it now, or sooner than the posted times? I'm thinking it might be better to get it wrapped up before Xmas, since it is a much simpler mix.

As far as making everyone aware, maybe a post could be made in the General forum, "last call for alcohol", in case anybody else might be interested.

I guess I just don't see any reason to carry this on for a whole month, if in fact everybody's ready.

A word to you Dave, I don't know where you come up with these songs to mix, but I think you're doing a great job of it. I didn't participate in the first one, but I think they've all been at least a little bit different, if not a lot, and have been a challenge to everyone. Thank you.

[Tod]

Originally Posted by TonE

When do you know mixing is finished?
-well balanced, what is this? When is something well balanced? Balance between frequencies and space? Between instrument players?
How much loudness differences should be between players? How loud should be overhead drums compared to the most important element?

-most important element vs. overhead
-most important element vs. second most important element
-most important element vs. third most important element

1. most important element := A
2. 2nd most important element := B
3. 3rd most important element := C
4. overhead := O

Here we would have balance between 4 elements. How can everyone have same taste for this balance? What makes up this 'standard taste'? What if someone has another taste, like adding a ReaPitch somewhere, playing around with formants, using lfo tool? Forbidden?

Wow, heh heh, I'm not sure how to respond to you TonE, other than to say I'm certainly looking forward to your submission.

[karbomusic]

Originally Posted by Tod

I agree, and I'm wondering how many are ready to submit?

I haven't even downloaded the files yet, but I have a couple weeks so, I'll get to it eventually.

[germano]

Originally Posted by Tod

I guess I just don't see any reason to carry this on for a whole month, if in fact everybody's ready.

Some like me do not have much time and so I only do the work in rare time spaces. I remember that some mix were delivered on the limit last time.
I will most likely send my mix on the 20 or 21 of december.

[DaveKeehl]

Originally Posted by lolilol1975

Submitted !

can you please send me a wav (or flac) file and not a .opus?

[Tod]

Originally Posted by karbomusic

I haven't even downloaded the files yet, but I have a couple weeks so, I'll get to it eventually.

Originally Posted by germano

Some like me do not have much time and so I only do the work in rare time spaces. I remember that some mix were delivered on the limit last time.
I will most likely send my mix on the 20 or 21 of december.

Heh, heh, okay then, it's all fine and good with me.

[thunderbroom]

Originally Posted by Fergler

This tune is awesome. Initial mix done, very nice recording and I'm not finding much need for automation because they really balanced themselves well in the solos. Awesome!

Agreed. I think all I ended up automating,albeit sightly, were and of the parallel comp busses I had set up. Though there wasn't much need for them overall, as you said, having the ability to just barely duck or just barely bump up was all I really needed. And I figured I might as well put in the work to make me feel like I actually did something.

[DaveKeehl]

Originally Posted by Tod

A word to you Dave, I don't know where you come up with these songs to mix

Hi Tod I usually go to this website, but not always

[Lawrence]

Originally Posted by karbomusic

I haven't even downloaded the files yet, but I have a couple weeks so, I'll get to it eventually.

I put my mix on vacation for a week or three. I'll listen again before I submit and see if I still actually like it. Same as my normal path, the pause and return later for fresh context... just... "much" later.

I'll probably submit close to the deadline.

[Tod]

Originally Posted by DaveKeehl

Hi Tod I usually go to this website, but not always

Okay, thanks Dave, Heh heh, I could probably pick something out from there that I like, but I'm not going to do that, and I would not encourage anyone else to either. I think that would totally mess everything up. You've done good so far, so what ever you come up with is fine with me.

[DaveKeehl]

How are you guys doing?

[Fergler]

The hardest parts for me were the piano and trombone. The trombone solo was the only one that didn't balance for me, it's played light and inarticulately and there is no change in the bass. So that's a little hint for y'all, make of it what you will.

The drums were dead easy, I snapped up the snare and balanced the kick mics and compressed the bus, a little EQ on the overheads.

But this piano. I can't decide on a good balance of the two stereo mics or if I even want them at all. There are mono issues on both mics and together it's even worse, and I can't decide on panning it left with upright bass a little right or the opposite. The interesting thing is that if you pan it left, the high keys go far left and the lower keys more in the middle, but it sounds better if you narrow it out. Not the same on the right, I can allow more width for some reason if it's there. Interesting.

I also need to say I find the ride tick really distracting in the drums. But I gave up trying to soften it.

[thunderbroom]

Originally Posted by Fergler

The hardest parts for me were the piano and trombone. The trombone solo was the only one that didn't balance for me, it's played light and inarticulately and there is no change in the bass. So that's a little hint for y'all, make of it what you will.

The drums were dead easy, I snapped up the snare and balanced the kick mics and compressed the bus, a little EQ on the overheads.

But this piano. I can't decide on a good balance of the two stereo mics or if I even want them at all. There are mono issues on both mics and together it's even worse, and I can't decide on panning it left with upright bass a little right or the opposite. The interesting thing is that if you pan it left, the high keys go far left and the lower keys more in the middle, but it sounds better if you narrow it out. Not the same on the right, I can allow more width for some reason if it's there. Interesting.

I also need to say I find the ride tick really distracting in the drums. But I gave up trying to soften it.

I discovered a lot of the same. In the end, I decided to forego the stereo mic piano arrangements, and simply focus on it as a live performance. I "placed" each instrument where it made sense if I were facing the stage, watching a performance.\

You were dead on about the trombone too. I chose to solve all the solo sections via my buss sends; I set up my regular busses, as well as parallel busses; then I set up some very gentle automation for each of the parallel busses, essentially riding them so the solo at the time would stand out a bit, and the piano, and bass would gently "duck". I really struggled over two of the snare hits during the end drum solo bits. I had to make some specific EQ and level adjustments just so those two hits wouldn't put things in the red. Even with some leveller control, still got red. That was most troublesome for me.

I guess we'll see. It was cool to mix something slightly out of my comfort zone so we'll see what everyone thinks and how they decide to assess it.

[DaveKeehl]

Still 5 days left guys

[Tod]

Originally Posted by Fergler

The hardest parts for me were the piano and trombone. The trombone solo was the only one that didn't balance for me, it's played light and inarticulately and there is no change in the bass. So that's a little hint for y'all, make of it what you will.

The drums were dead easy, I snapped up the snare and balanced the kick mics and compressed the bus, a little EQ on the overheads.

Heh heh, I had the opposite experience, tweaking the drums was the hardest. Especially with my handicap, I can't hear anything above 5K at all and I'm down quite a bit at 4K. This time I had my wife and a good friend check it out and they think it's okay.

I'm ready to upload, but I've got to get my project file ready to go, I'm going to try doing that today.

[Tod]

Oops, I just caught this.

a master mix (limited to -0.2 dB and at -14 LUFS): WAV, 44.1 kHz

So instead of an mp3 you want a wav file? I assume either 16 or 24bit?

Also, it's going to be a pretty big file, my wave file is nearly 59M. Is this the link to send it to?

2) When you’ve mixed it send a zip file to reaper.contest@gmail.com with:

EDIT: Okay, I must be missing something, it won't work with the email?

[Lawrence]

I personally do think the 44/16 wav mix file requirement is kinda overkill for this. 320k mp3 would / should be enough. 192k might even be enough, but 320k would be a better quality standard for a minimum.

[zacki]

Originally Posted by Lawrence

I personally do think the 44/16 wav mix file requirement is kinda overkill for this. 320k mp3 would / should be enough. 192k might even be enough, but 320k would be a better quality standard for a minimum.

I think so, too.

OT: If someone wants to test the wonderful ABX tool from Forum user Clepsydrae, now's the time. He/She would be surprised at which bitrates below 192kbit/s a clearly/reproducable difference is noticeable.

[karbomusic]

Originally Posted by Tod

So instead of an mp3 you want a wav file? I assume either 16 or 24bit?

Originally Posted by Lawrence

I personally do think the 44/16 wav mix file requirement is kinda overkill for this. 320k mp3 would / should be enough. 192k might even be enough, but 320k would be a better quality standard for a minimum.

Just an FYI.. Not sure if you guys remember but there were a number of people commenting on the MP3s sounding different than the projects (and/or other MP3 related stuff) in the November contest. If memory serves that's why Dave changed to WAV for this contest.

[Lawrence]

I wasn't aware of that. Thanks Karbo.

[Tod]

Originally Posted by karbomusic

Just an FYI.. Not sure if you guys remember but there were a number of people commenting on the MP3s sounding different than the projects (and/or other MP3 related stuff) in the November contest. If memory serves that's why Dave changed to WAV for this contest.

Okay, so we need some input from our faithful leader, I'm sure he'll be around soon.

Incidentally, I really liked this music but most of all, I'm quite intrigued how Dave selects these pieces for the contests. I think he's doing a great job at this.

[karbomusic]

I could be wrong but it rings a bell anyway.

[Borodog]

Getting antsy to hear the other submissions.

[thunderbroom]

Originally Posted by Borodog

Getting antsy to hear the other submissions.

Me too!

[thunderbroom]

Originally Posted by Tod

Oops, I just caught this.



So instead of an mp3 you want a wav file? I assume either 16 or 24bit?

Also, it's going to be a pretty big file, my wave file is nearly 59M. Is this the link to send it to?



EDIT: Okay, I must be missing something, it won't work with the email?

Tod:

I had the same issue, and ended up using WeTransfer, which our fearless leader offered as an alternative to email OR sharing files within Google Drive. It seemed to work and I'm assuming he received it just fine.

[Tod]

Originally Posted by thunderbroom

Tod:

I had the same issue, and ended up using WeTransfer, which our fearless leader offered as an alternative to email OR sharing files within Google Drive. It seemed to work and I'm assuming he received it just fine.

Okay, thanks thunderbroom, I'll just use google drive.

[Fergler]

Ahah I should read better thanks Dave vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv

Email sent

[DaveKeehl]

suuuuup guys sorry if I haven't answered very quickly recently. I'm working very hard at a venue here in my town and I'm not always at home.

Regarding the WAV choice instead of MP3: Until last month I had said to send me a 320kps MP3, but a lot of people complained about it. That's why I decided to change the format. I'm aware of the file sizes though, maybe it's better to use FLACs from now on.

@Fergles: you can't upload your files in the submissions folder, I'll do it. Send your package to reaper.contest@gmail.com . If it's too big please use www.wetransfer.com

@Tod: Hey man I didn't quite understand what's your problem!

[Tod]

Originally Posted by DaveKeehl

@Tod: Hey man I didn't quite understand what's your problem!

Hopefully none, I set you an email this morning with a link to my files, let me know if you got it.

[DaveKeehl]

yep, got 'em (yours and Fergler's)

[DaveKeehl]

haha Tod I was taking a look at your session! I saw you use a Submaster VCA track... did you take inspiration from my submission back in October?

[Tod]

Originally Posted by DaveKeehl

haha Tod I was taking a look at your session! I saw you use a Submaster VCA track... did you take inspiration from my submission back in October?

Hey Dave, heh heh, no, I didn't really get a chance to check out the October projects.

Can you tell what I'm using it for, if you can, and it's for the same reasons you used yours, it's definitely a coincidence?

Basically I'm using it for a specific purpose, but I'm actually accomplishing two purposes with it and I'll explain it when we get to that point.

[thunderbroom]

Originally Posted by DaveKeehl

yep, got 'em (yours and Fergler's)

I assumed my WeTransfer went through fine, but just confirming you received mine as well (?).

[DaveKeehl]

Originally Posted by thunderbroom

I assumed my WeTransfer went through fine, but just confirming you received mine as well (?).

yeah sorry mate, I've recevied yours too but I forgot to let you know