New Challenge: The Image Inspired Dare #1

[GaryG]

Ok, after talking it over with Chris, I'd like to kick off the inaugral "Image Inspired Dare"!

This is a challenge for everyone, unlike the "One Sample Dare" there are no restrictions on how you create your entry. Ambient guitarist? Modular hardware dabbler with a bulging Eurorack? Heck, even one of those weirdos with keyboards and synthesizers, all very much welcome in this challenge.

The rules are:

1. There are no restrictions as to how the track is created. All sound sources and processing methods are allowed as long as you have the rights to use them (ie. no sampling of copyrighted tracks, use only samples and recordings you've created or have the rights to etc).

2. The image is only an inspiration, you do not have to use it to generate any sounds (in an application such as Metasynth)

3. Time for submissions is 16 days, counted to midnight, UTC, of 16th day.

4. Submissions should be uploaded to place available for all AO members. Links should be posted in thread dedicated to given round. Please, do not use hosting with countdown, CAPTCHA and other obstacles.

5. Winner of contest is chosen by votes cast by AO members.

6. Winner of contest chooses the image for next contest. Photos, digital artwork, pencil sketches... All acceptable. The image can be hosted at Ambient Online or on a site such as Imgur if you feel a high quality copy is preferable.

7. Participants are encouraged to discuss their methods for the benefit of the community.


So, to kick things off, I submit this imposing image:




You have sixteen days...

[Synthetic Aurality]

Great idea! Time to do a little recording this weekend...

[Ahornberg]

It seems like I am the first here ...

https://soundcloud.com/ahornberg/medieval-alchemy


I used some samples I found on freesound.org:
Choir: Capella Ducis, 's-Hertogenbosch, the Netherlands recorded by user klankbeeld on freesound.org under CC (204923)
Bells: church bell in Sepurine, Croatia recorded by user sinewave1kHz on freesound.org under CC (207355)
Chant: Cathedral Monk Chant Gibberish By DST recorded by user Striderjapan on freesound.org under CC (141366, 141367, 141368)

All synths are Diva, I added some reverb and that's all.

so enjoy!

[Tuonela]

I thought it was a factory wall at first, Then I saw the stonework, thought it might be an old church or cathedral wall, perhaps one that had been recycled intro something more secular. So I fiddled with the idea that factories were the early Industrial Age's holy places, replacing the older places of worship, and that they too were now being supplanted by new technologies, which will one day be replaced, etc ad infinitum... not a blindingly novel idea but an enduring one.

As for technique - not much, just some bits of this and that, turned into drones with other bits nailed on. :biggrin:

https://soundcloud.com/tuonela-1/the-holy-ghosts-of-industry

[GaryG]

I thought it was a factory wall at first, Then I saw the stonework, thought it might be an old church or cathedral wall, perhaps one that had been recycled intro something more secular.

You're not a million miles away, I'll post some more pictures if anyone's interested (after the challenge so as not to muddy the waters/mess with anyone's inspiration).

[tonecarver]

Here's mine .. some free-form meandering (which is all I seem to be able to do these days ) The wall seems to me to have been there for a long time - it is only a remnant of the former building - through which many individual moments and experiences passed, each an untold story.

https://soundcloud.com/tonecarver/untold-stories


Wind noises - Soniccouture Geosonics
Glass tones - Impact Soundworks Emotional Mallets
Guitar Harmonics - Wave Factory Harmonix
Sitar - Omnisphere

Liberal use of EQ, Delay 8, 2C Audio Aether in the mix. Some EQ and compression on the main bus.

[Maharg]

https://soundcloud.com/graham-mcarthur/the-watch



My attempt is made of four tracks. Three from built in synths within Logic and 1 track made in Alchemy. Small uses of echo, reverb delay and EQ

[Synthetic Aurality]

Wow, great stuff!

I was busy prepping my album for release, so I'll compose something this week.

[Beneath A Tree That Died]

Hey all, here's my submission. Funny this contest/dare comes up as this method is one of the main techniques I use when writing music.

https://soundcloud.com/beneath-a-tree-that-died/iid-submission


Very minimal approach. Mainly because the image feels extremely minimal in my opinion. Only two tracks:

- Waldorf Blofeld
- Alchemy

The piece is also short, and bitter-sweet - trying to reflect upon the context of the image.

[davedorgan]

Aenigmatica Monolitus

I would love to know the history of this beast. A lot of different brick work. Definitely not in the US, because something that big and whitewashed would have a Past Blue Ribbon logo or something painted on it:razz: I can't quite tell, but I think this thing is on a hill overlooking a body of water. It would be cool to see a pic of this in the moonlight.

I, too, went with a more minimal approach, trying to capture the enigmatic nature of it more than the history.

https://soundcloud.com/davedorgan/aenigmatica-monolitus


I took a four bar synth line. Mixed it down and ran it through Ambient_v.3. Took that and created two different stretched segments in Audacity. That made the three main tracks used for this. The Ambient_v.3 track was played down a couple octaves to get the bell sounds. A fourth track Iris2 using a short clip of the Ambient_v.3 track and the fifth track used Kontakt 5 Player for the single tones.

[Ambient Mechanics]

We have until next Thursday, 28th..right?

[GaryG]

Aenigmatica Monolitus

I would love to know the history of this beast. A lot of different brick work. Definitely not in the US, because something that big and whitewashed would have a Past Blue Ribbon logo or something painted on it:razz: I can't quite tell, but I think this thing is on a hill overlooking a body of water. It would be cool to see a pic of this in the moonlight.

I'll post a pic from the other side after the competition closes along with what I know of it's history. It's in the UK, I was kind of surprised it wasn't covered in graffiti... ;)

We have until next Thursday, 28th..right?

Umm... (takes shoes and socks off to count...) yeah, midnight next Thursday UTC time.



Thanks for all your entries, really pleased this seems to be taking off.

[Ambient Mechanics]

Cheers..I'm a little late to the party, but I'll try and get something done for this on time.

[GaryG]

Just over 39 hours to get your entries in...

[GaryG]

Ok, the submission period is over.

Please vote for your favourites here: http://www.ambientonline.org/forum/s...-Dare-1-Voting

Thanks.