Telephone-style song creation

[thatguy]

So, I've been talking to some people on IRC about producing music together asynchronously over the internet. The analogy is the telephone game: everyone adds/tweaks something until the end.

This is just to gauge interest in doing this, I'm sure we can hammer out a protocol as to the specifics if people are interested.

Sound off!

[Dream]

I'm not promising any participation on my own part, but I have a very strong suggestion to start off: Just post something and see if anyone bites. Every single post in this thread that debates rules and guidelines, that discusses ideas and goals will alienate more people from the project. Just lash some music out there, and invite people to mess with it. Nothing gets people involved like someone just bloody well starting off. Nothing puts people off like a whole bunch of talk and no action.

[Ivor Zozz]

This is a great idea.

[BurningLed]

I'd hit it. With some funky remixes.

[tes]

It's possible you're talking about something slightly different, but there has been an attempt at collaboration before. It died, although it first looked like a good start.
Anyway, I'm enthusiastic about this and will see if I can contribute anything.

[thatguy]

I'm going to post about 2:00 worth of bass playing later in the week. I've got a fun riff, just need to set up a recording rig.

This almost seems like it'd be suited to some sort of system to manage forking/versioning. Will look into that.

[poxic]

I say let it fork away. When each tine has wound down, you can start all the versions at once and revel in the accidental orchestra.

My biggest challenge is the recording part. I should annoy a buddy one day and borrow some of his gear. I have no mics, though I could probably plug my keyboard into the computer and use a software recorder. It's kinda tinny and crappy without going through some tube, though.

/still tinny and crappy even with a tube, but warmer and less ... Roland-y

[Midnight]

i'll add.. looks like DRUMS, because everyone plays the bass.
or acoustic guitar.
or hell, even more bass.

[thatguy]

My current setup is my Ampeg and my Blue Snowball shoved in the closet, then running the chords under the door to actually play outside of the cramped closet.

[tes]

thatguy, are you still planning to upload a bass line? If not, I could record a tune (though I'm sure someone else could create something much better).

[InfamousAnarchist]

My current setup is my Ampeg and my Blue Snowball shoved in the closet, then running the chords under the door to actually play outside of the cramped closet.

Literally, I realized what you meant hours later as I was driving. "CORDS", the voice in my head yelled. I was imagining you either running MIDI cables underneath the door and sending chords via a computer/sequencer or yelling "C Minor! G Diminished!" at your closet.

I'm kind of a dick.

Also, I think this is a really cool idea, but I keep thinking that the idea is to create songs in the style of Lady Gaga's Telephone. "Let's see, there's an intro, then a verse, chorus, bridge-y bit, another verse, then a chorus" etc.

I'd be willing to add something to the telephone line. ("give me some time -- I'm living in siiiiiilence")

[thatguy]

Sorry everyone, RL happened.

It WILL go up later this week, and certainly feel free to upload anything you want for us to get at.

[tes]

I'll just pretend the thread wasn't inactive for three weeks.

This isn't an actual recording because the keyboard decided to stop working, but I think MIDI is okay too. It's not exciting, but it's loopable and the harmonies are quite simple: C - F - Am - Bdim. Have fun with it, everyone!

[giraffe man]

I'll try and add some electric guitar or banjo sometime.

[ongakujin]

I'll just pretend the thread wasn't inactive for three weeks.

This isn't an actual recording because the keyboard decided to stop working, but I think MIDI is okay too. It's not exciting, but it's loopable and the harmonies are quite simple: C - F - Am - Bdim. Have fun with it, everyone!

Ooh! Fun!

I definitely didn't expect a loop of pizzicato strings, and it's such a catchy little riff.

xkcd_loop_mixed.zip

(2.61 MiB) Downloaded 36 times

I played around with it for an hour or two and this is what happened. I made it in MadTracker, so in case any of you guys use that, I included a mt2 file in the attachment along with an mp3. This isn't really a complete song or anything, but if no one else has any contributions to this loop, I may have to steal it and make something more complete out of it. I'd hate to let it go to waste.

[Роберт]

I think since the thread was dead for a couple of months, then you came out with this, you win.

We should probably start over.

[ongakujin]

Haha, I know, I know. Like I said, couldn't let it go to waste.

[Dirk]

As for telephone style song creation... have you tried Ninjam?

[podbaydoor]

Downloaded it. Cute track! It's a shame the thread died, and I can't contribute because my composing ability is approximately 0% but maybe people will join in now that the thread is necro'd.

[Retne]

I think I have an idea on what I can add to that. Those synths are so old school made me laugh when they kicked in. Probably just been listening to too much EDM and it's coloring my synth preferences though. I'll take a swing at it when I get off work.

I think it might help to leave either midi and intended key of the song. It would probably also be helpful to leave the stems along with your final mixdown so that if someone wants to rework something or add a little reverb to your drums or something is able to without effecting the whole track.

@Dirk: I took "telephone style" to mean like the old childhood game. Where you whisper a line in someones ear and you repeat it down the line but always end up with something different than what you started with. Although ninjam does look mildly interesting.

[Retne]

OK I tried messing around with my idea and just scrapped it. Since I still wanted to add something to the thread I figured I would screw around w/ a couple VSTs and a 909 sample. This is what I ended up with. Not quite sure what key the lead is in but the pads are A minor to C major to F major to D minor. If anyone wants the midi files for it instead of my random lame synths let me know.

EDIT: I can also get you just the "lead" part of the synth and get the bass line on a seperate stem if someone wants it. I just didn't think to clone the synth and move to bass to a seperate track(also would have been a bit of a pain as I would have to dupe the effects but I'm willing to do it if ya ask ).