Recording Challenge #3 (Write a song in the ' Raga None' Scale)

[frank1985]

Thanks! They are samples of Indian instruments - played/triggered by midi in a sampler (Kontakt). Tanpuri, sitar, tabla, Santoor and some other instrument I don’t know the name of. Oh and a completely out of place analog string synth at the end of the track.

Cool,@frank1985 did you "play" or "write" them in to the composition?

Wrote them in, definitely lol....if i played them in it would sound a lot different i assure you, as I can't play keyboards. I just literally play-by-ear, build up loops, sequence, resequence etc.

Hey I don’t know if I’m too late to the party here but here’s an extended version of the raga piece that vomithatsteve was kind enough to share with you all https://soundcloud.com/fc1985/elephant-head-extended

Scale used is bharavi...quite an ‘erotic’ sounding scale, though also slightly ominous and dissonant with certain phrases.

More like a coke fueled jam session in parts though than an authentic raga

So that's what it's supposed to sound like

I've gotta admit, 13 minutes is a lot, so I skimmed. But the sounds are nice, and the playing is great. It sounds very authentic...do you compose in scales like this a lot? We're obviously out of our element with a scale like this but you seem comfortable with it.

Yeah it is a bit long and self indulgent, definitely.....that's the first time i've used this particular scale. I just like to take my time dialling in melodies that I like based on what sounds good to my ears.

Scale used is bharavi...

Can you clarify what that means? Wikipedia doesn't have an article on it.

It's a pretty common raga scale - they have a bunch of them but that seems to be a more 'accessible' one. I don't know the theory of it if that's what you meant, but you can generate the tuning with a piece of software called 'SCALA', and then import the tuning file into a microtunable instrument such as omnisphere, zebra, serum, FM8 etc. Also kontakt but you need to use the script editor. You can then play about on your midi controller, finding a bunch of notes that go well together and building some loops. If you use something like NI India for Kontakt the tuning presets are already built in so you don't have to faff about with importing the scala files.

[frank1985]

SCALA SETUP

The following setup instructions will apply to Windows; if you're on Mac follow the instructions here: http://www.huygens-fokker.org/scala/downloads.html

First you'll need to download this file for the software to work on windows: https://gtk-win.sourceforge.io/home/ind ... /Downloads

SCALA Download: http://www.huygens-fokker.org/software/Scala_Setup.exe

Now you need to install the scale archive to the scala subdirectory ("scl"): http://www.huygens-fokker.org/docs/scales.zip

Copied from the site;

The files will go to a subdirectory "scl" of the scala directory. The best way to unzip them is to do File:Import scales.zip in Scala since that takes care of the fact that they are stored in Windows text format (CR-LF).
Unix, Linux and MacOS X users: if you don't do it like that, you must unzip them with the -a (autoconvert) option. Right-click on the link and save it in the user or home directory. Go to Utilities and start Terminal, then navigate with cd if you saved it somewhere else and type: unzip -aa scales.zip

You can probably figure things out from there with youtube videos, google etc. but this link is very useful for identifying the file names of various scales from the directory, so you can perform a search in the file - open scale - scl folder window. http://www.huygens-fokker.org/docs/scalesdir.txt Press F3 to find the one you're after.

in this case the bhairavi scale is the file 'dudon_bhairavi.scl' ( file - open scale - scl )

Btw, from Options you'll need to set the frequency of your middle C, if you're using 440hz tuning like most you can leave it to the default 261.62hz. Then under Options > Synth you'll have to select the instrument you'll be loading the tuning file into.

[WhiskeyJack]

Very cool Frank. Pretty impressive. I keep wanting to dabble in midi and synths and stuff but never ever take the leap at all beyond ezdrummer.

I am confused now though after reading through the you made mention of the scale directory. Is that just a midi file of a set of particular scales? Do you import those or something and just call it a day? Where does your own creativity enter into it. Maybe i missed a step and also i am 100% ignorant to how a sacle dorectory, synths and all that stuff works.

[frank1985]

I’m not an expert in theory, but it’s just tuning, or intervallic information from a reference frequency. The common western tuning is equal temperment where the octave is divided up into 12 parts from a reference of 440hz = A. Different ethnic scales can be tuned from the same reference, but the intervals/ratios are different. These are mapped out across your midi keyboard / piano roll for you to mess around with. In my case I just choose one at random and ‘get a feel’ for it before building up some catchy loops to build the song around. So creativity comes into it, it’s just more premeditated than jamming things out live

[vomitHatSteve]

Alright!
Full mix draft 1!

I also double checked to make sure the vocals were kosher.

SpacePanopticon.mp3

[JD01]

Just listening in bed on earbuds... But it sounds like Regdar alright.

You did tune those ridiculously high vocals didn't you.
I'll have a listen later on reference cans.

[rayc]

Spacepanopticon - doesn't sound outside your usual oeuvre VHS.

[musicturtle]

Alright!
Full mix draft 1!

I also double checked to make sure the vocals were kosher.
SpacePanopticon.mp3

Yep, sounds like VHS to me. The breakdown section is really cool. Nothing like anything I would ever do, but I like it. Good way to work in some of those dissonant chords.

[musicturtle]

This one is giving me a hard time. Eventually I will work something out though, I hope.

[vomitHatSteve]

You did tune those ridiculously high vocals didn't you.

I considered it but ultimately didn't. I don't like tuning my vox, but I did struggle with those ones. That D5(?) is right about my limit.

Thanks folks! This was a fun one.

[JD01]

You did tune those ridiculously high vocals didn't you.

I considered it but ultimately didn't. I don't like tuning my vox, but I did struggle with those ones. That D5(?) is right about my limit.

Thanks folks! This was a fun one.

Lol.. E4 is my limit! I couldn't believe that you could reach them naturally, I assumed you'd just tunes them.
I'll have a proper listen when I get to the office tomorrow.

I did all the music for mine today, just need to work on the lyrics and vocal next week.

[frank1985]

I’m getting an error...did u take it down?

[vomitHatSteve]

I’m getting an error...did u take it down?

No, it's still there.

Had you not logged in yet when you tried to download it? I run into that occasionally.

[WhiskeyJack]

LOL ! I love it. Those high backing vocals were awesome. Everyone is doing a really great job of this challenge. Awesome work.

Mix wise something is sounds really muddy in the mix. IS there an acoustic guitar di'd into the left side? Or is it mic'd? Dropped tuned or something? It kind of gives me the willies. But this is a VHS joint so i need to let that factor into it. But as it is it is kind of in and out of the mix and not in a great way.

[vomitHatSteve]

The acoustic is a blend of two mics and a DI. It is drop-tuned, yes. D-standard (if you check the chord chart I posted earlier, that's the instrument I wrote it on.) Electric guitar is E-standard.

It's a song about a vampire escaping space jail, so getting the willies is on-brand! But the mix probably does need some fine-tuning.

[vomitHatSteve]

New mix:

SpacePanopticon.mp3

Mostly, I turned up the piano part of the bass, EQed the acoustic, and added a bunch of FX to the out of tune BGVox

[frank1985]

New mix: SpacePanopticon.mp3
Mostly, I turned up the piano part of the bass, EQed the acoustic, and added a bunch of FX to the out of tune BGVox

Really catchy, love it. And that mix sounds a lot better than the first one. Still kind of RAW but i like it that way. Have to say i was expecting a more traditional raga....i imagine in a buddist temple this would be a bit of a rude awakening

[Tadpui]

New mix: SpacePanopticon.mp3
Mostly, I turned up the piano part of the bass, EQed the acoustic, and added a bunch of FX to the out of tune BGVox

Nice one, Steve! I'm doing it a total disservice by listening on my Surface's speakers, but at least I can get the gist of it. I like the goofy rhythms towards the end. Honestly the mix translates pretty well to these sorry excuses for speakers, except the noisy rhythm element that goes throughout the song. I can't quite make out what it is through these speakers...like a chainsaw or lawnmower or something.

[vomitHatSteve]

Thanks guys.

Off the top of my head, some of the weird samples in this: a crosswalk that said "walk" and "wait" like a frog, slapping a stop sign, and other such strangeness.

[JD01]

Steve... this is just so fucking weird!
They're kind of all sorts of weird unrecognisable sounds in there.

I think its brilliant... either that or you're insane and its contagious.