How about a R3dias Patch challenge/contest ???

[axxim]

Hi all,

beeing the patch (sound) inquiry one of the frequent topics and having a lot of sound programmers at this forum, I would like to plant this idea (don't know if allredy done earlier here):

How about a patch/sound contest, where a specific sound is given with the task to synthesize it with the following headlines (TBC):

• + The idea is NOT to satisfy member X to get his deeply wanted sound like in video Y or the piece Z from group A
  + The target sound must not exclusively be "commercial". The idea is to create a challenge and unusual sounds could be the best challenge even if the result is not 100% due technical limitations
  + The challenge will be free for all R3/Radias users without obligation nor special reward (besides the admiration of the members?)
  + The aspirant results should be posted only as .mp3 so all can hear and judge/vote them avoiding possible "piracy", maybe with a predefined MIDI tune if the sound is for melodic purposes.
  + After contest, it is free to any user to post his patch
  + The winner is selected by votation (what are the poll limitations admins?)
  + The winner gets the right to set (or transfer to someone other) the target sound for the next competition

If the poll results are resonant, then I would try start one. Of course there are some aspects to define like hosting the sounds, contest duration, additional rules etc.
Any ideas or suggestions are welcome!
I can offer to host the competing sounds for the duration of the contest and make the start.

Please keep in mind that this should be just for fun and to expand our knowledge of synthesizing as well as its limitations. No stress!

EDIT: Here the Rules copied from a previous post:

• 1. I or someone else will setup a new post titled RPC#nnn-Submissions where each participant should submit his sample link with his comments only once. Comments or questions from other users should be made in this thread and not there. This is to maintain it easy for all others to have an overview of the submissions.
  
  2. Each submission points to a link where the SOUND made with the patch is hosted and NOT the PATCH itself! After the voting, each one is free to publish his own patch
  
  3. The sound shuld be in .mp3 format
  
  4. The patch should use max 2 timbres. This is to avoid disdavantages for R3 users
  
  5. The sound can be recorded with whatever device is possible but it should contain only the patch sound as it is delivered by the synth, without additional external (DAW) effects tracks or sounds unless otherwise specified.
  
  6. The task setter (in this first challenge: me) may post additionaly a basic MIDI file (Sequence) that is to be used with the patch to create the competing sound. This way, the playskills of each competitor will have less weight than the sound itself. Of course the use of whatewer modulation controllers will be free. If no MIDI-sequence is specified then each one goes his own way
  
  7. Filename: To ease administration and identification of the submissions, as well as the synth (radias/r3) used, the task setter will specify a NAME for the sound and patch (i.e. Train). Each competitor should name his sound like this: NAME_KorgForumUserName_Synth.mp3 (in the example train_axxim_radias.mp3)
  
  8. If a competitor wants to post his link/sound (advances) for comments or hints, he may do it in this or other threads and not in the submissions. If a competitor posts more than one link in the submissions, then only the first will be taken for voting
  
  9. Voting: will be done after the deadline by poll as far as it is possible (I dont know how much poll items is the limit). In case that poll limits are reached the first entries will be considered. I encourage all forum members to participate!
  
  10. Deadline: The challenge will be open for at least a week. (depending of the avalaibility of the task setter). After the deadline, the task setter (or someone he gets in charge for him) should set the poll.
  
  11. The winner will set up the next challenge or transfer it to someone of his preference.
  
  12. The task setter itself can/should post his own sample just for prove of its feasibility but shouldn't paticipate in the voting
  
  13. This is just the start. If someone has objections or additional suggestions please post it. My hope is that this will be fun and will encourage all to grow their capabilities and understanding of sound synthesis.

[axxim]

just want to add an important point:

to maintain fairnes due the technical "advantages" the Radias has against the R3 (i. e. 4 to 2 timbres, drum PCM) the patch should use no more than 2 trimbres and no drum PCMs.

Did I forgot another feature that should be disclosed?

[axxim]

The challenge has started here:

http://www.korgforums.com/forum/phpBB2/ ... hp?t=53701

Good luck!

[xmlguy]

I think I will write a patch that is 180 degrees out of sync with whatever patch others come up with. I will call it vuvuzela-cancellation.

[tpantano]

I think I will write a patch that is 180 degrees out of sync with whatever patch others come up with. I will call it vuvuzela-cancellation.

why don't they phase cancel soccer...

as a side note, I don't see why everyone's all up in vuvuzela's now, soccer's always had loud annoying trumpets in one form or another

[axxim]

I think I will write a patch that is 180 degrees out of sync with whatever patch others come up with. I will call it vuvuzela-cancellation.

good, this would be a good way to start your patch
But remember that initially only the sound will be posted, not the patch. So you have to start with audio samples to work against, an there allready are a lot of them.

I know it is harder to create a pacth you may dislike, but... it's the challenge!

can we count on you?

[xmlguy]

Do I have to simulate the obnoxious, drunk, frenzied sounds of fans too?

I think I'll wait for the challenge with a sound I want to hear. (No offense intended for the challenge itself). I live in a vuvuzela free - obnoxious noise pollution restricted zone. I fully expect some fans to get beaten to death with their own vuvuzelas, mark my words.

I might suggest some classic synth sounds on my list to do.

Here's four in a single track, Naked Eyes "I could show you how":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-I_C5eCiE8

The two patches in the intro, the bass, and the arpeggio with the filter sweep.

The classic "Always something there to remind me" has a lot of good synth patches:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LtPKa7MXLfA

[axxim]

hmmm... it seems I hit a neural switch with the task I selected.

The idea was to set something with a grade of difficulty but at the same time some freedom for imagination. Recreating a sound of this or that synth is the most common inquiry in these days. But wasn't the synth itself who was primary invented to recreate other sounds. How delighting it was years ago to listen those shore & gulls, wind & storm, thunder & rain of J.M. Jarre, the highway sounds of "Autobahn" from Kraftwerk or the sounds from Walter Carlos or Tomita or Tangerine or....

I just wanted to select something new, not done until now with the synth (AFAIK) for the first challenge.

Maybe you should do the patch, win the challenge and then you can determine the next sound for the challenge

[X-Trade]

I would rather have a contest where we are encouraged to come up with creative use of a certain unique feature of the engine - for example to create interesting patches based on VPM, or ring modulation, comb filter, or using the waveshaper in an interesting way. There could be more limitations on the kind of envelope - percussive/plucked or evolving.

It would be judged by a a 'panel of experts' giving points for interestingness.

Unfortunately, I expect Axxim, xmlguy, and myself would be the 'panelists', and undoubtedly tpantano would be the only entrant




To be fair, it sound sound like a good challenge and I will certainly try it - if I manage to get my Radias out of its flight case in time having just moved house.
But I would like to see some challenges that involve something more experimentally encouraging and wide-ranging than just emulating a particular sound, however obscure that sound is...
I fear we would get to the point where xmlguy would ask us to recreate the actual sound of the vacuum of space whilst still having both oscillator levels up.

[xmlguy]

Naw, my main goal of writing patches it to build sounds that I actually use. I always intend to end up with "a keeper". I'm very pragmatic and not esoteric in the least. I demand more of my own synth programming than I do of others, and I probably spend more time on a single patch than many people might believe. I've spent easily more than 40 hours tweaking a single patch, over time.

[TrrP]

I'm gonna try this tonight when I get home. It sounds quite fun. I personally like this idea because its very much open to creativity. And if you put your mind to it you can come up with a complicated patch. Two timbres eeh? Tough. Lets go for it! Zuid-Afrika hier kom ik

[axxim]

I would rather have a contest where we are encouraged to come up with creative use of a certain unique feature of the engine - for example to create interesting patches based on VPM, or ring modulation, comb filter, or using the waveshaper in an interesting way. There could be more limitations on the kind of envelope - percussive/plucked or evolving.
It would be judged by a a 'panel of experts' giving points for interestingness.

Unfortunately, I expect Axxim, xmlguy, and myself would be the 'panelists', and undoubtedly tpantano would be the only entrant

Now that is one point: My intention was to encourage a wide range of members to try sound programming.

Naw, my main goal of writing patches it to build sounds that I actually use. I always intend to end up with "a keeper". I'm very pragmatic and not esoteric in the least. I demand more of my own synth programming than I do of others, and I probably spend more time on a single patch than many people might believe. I've spent easily more than 40 hours tweaking a single patch, over time.

I know that. I have spent too a lot of time tweaking the vocoder patches to my satisfaction and I always find something to get polished again and again..

I think there are two basic kinds of sound programming:

one (lets call it emulation) is where you have fixed your goal or in other words, you know what your target is, and try to emulate it, which usually is the most used.

The other one is the experimental one, where you go and explore special features of a synth like the mentioned ringmod, vpm, comb, etc. and reach a point where the sound gives you an idea, you simply like it or it reminds you something which leads you to go further and maybe create an exceptional patch or what you call "a keeper"

Its like art painting, you get a motive and try to ressemble it or you go and make crazy figures which for the most may be ununderstandable

Whatever you like to do, I will always be open to attend.

And a word to that vacuum in space patch with al oscillators full turned on... very easy patch. Even the unavoidable vacuum cables for the audio outputs are shipped with each synth!

[tpantano]

Im on vacation atm so no r3, but id personally enjoy a competition based on creating a specific sound or type of sound or sound made with certain params thats musically useful. Recreating vuvus isnt that interesting to me. A contest based more on creativity than skill seems more fun.

Just my 2 cents.

[X-Trade]

Am I allows to base my submission partly on a patch I programmed about two years ago?
Its just that I already have a beautiful ocean ambience, just need to add the other bits to it.....

[axxim]

Of course you can. Coincidentally I had done this patch days before getting the challenge idea.
I think it is unavoidable for a synth fan to make such a sound when you remember those "old" synth records like J.M. Jarre's