DSF Freeware VST Contest #3

[surefya]

I say Granulizer, nay

I'd like this to be more about synthesis then sampling (which the sample comp is for). So agree with paravrais, as less sampling as possible.

Although if you want us to make our percussion, ADSR would come in handy (didn't see one in the synth..or did i miss it?)

[3za]

Well, *personally*, I'd like to see the rules changed to no samplers whatsoever. This is VST contest right? Why not make it so that if people want to chop up and edit audio they have to make use of their DAWs native audio manipulation capabilities. That way there's a lot of pressure to only use the VST pack that's been provided.

Also, my vote should count as two because I set the VSTs for this comp :p

I feel the same about the sampler rule, and have said the same every comp.

But as the rules stand, the granulizer don't break them imo. All it does is cho,p pitch, and rearrange a sample, and that ain't against the rules...

I have been waiting for this, but don't think I will enter, because of FAWM

[JemGrover]

kill to birds with one stone? Have a FAWM/DSF comp all in one. Think that's how I'll manage it.

[3za]

kill to birds with one stone? Have a FAWM/DSF comp all in one. Think that's how I'll manage it.

I am not hardcore like that

I am a tad behind on FAWM, and need to catch up, learning new vst's won't help me. If I catch up I will be on this

[makemerich]

wat is the bpm of the loop

[apastrat]

makemerich,
104bpm


So little time, so much do to. Might get on this tho.

[alphacat]

So - the first submission has come in and it's sounding good. Can't wait to hear what the rest of you ninjas come up with...

[JemGrover]

Sheeet, only just downloading the pack now. Need to get a move on!

[alphacat]

Sheeet, only just downloading the pack now. Need to get a move on!

Yeah, me too. All I've done is mess with the drums a little and try to come up with some good patches for Gsinth2. I've got a shitload of notes though...

A couple things on my mind here also:

1) As regards the whole what can we use/not use thing: the point here is not to handicap everyone (or even view it that way) - the point is to have us make tunes with the same simple toolkit. If you look at it as a handicap, then you're always going to be handicapped by what you don't have, no matter who you are. Think of it as being handy-capable.

2) If you're having a hard time getting going, remember - the end-all be-all is still the song, so focus on that stuff first - instead of trying to come up with one cool lick through extensive FX automation and then use that over and over, or something like that.

Just my two cents.

[Radiant]

Well, *personally*, I'd like to see the rules changed to no samplers whatsoever. This is VST contest right? Why not make it so that if people want to chop up and edit audio they have to make use of their DAWs native audio manipulation capabilities. That way there's a lot of pressure to only use the VST pack that's been provided.

Also, my vote should count as two because I set the VSTs for this comp :p

Yeah, I'd like that too! I'm going to give it a look and maybe a shot if it doesn't feel impossible.

[paravrais]

1) As regards the whole what can we use/not use thing: the point here is not to handicap everyone (or even view it that way) - the point is to have us make tunes with the same simple toolkit. If you look at it as a handicap, then you're always going to be handicapped by what you don't have, no matter who you are. Think of it as being handy-capable.

That's er...still not an answer as to whether we are banning samplers this time around or not?

[sackley]

I'm gonna side on no samplers/granulizers. If you can't do it in your audio track sequencer, then too bad. Work by hand ftw.

Also pumped to see how you all mangle my break. (And hopefully the next break submission will be a lot nicer, as I've improved my knowledge of basic drum micing/recording-setup quite a bit...)

Glad to see this is still alive - props to Alpha

[surefya]

Also pumped to see how you all mangle my break.

Nice break, made some fine beats with it

[JemGrover]

1) As regards the whole what can we use/not use thing: the point here is not to handicap everyone (or even view it that way) - the point is to have us make tunes with the same simple toolkit. If you look at it as a handicap, then you're always going to be handicapped by what you don't have, no matter who you are. Think of it as being handy-capable.

That's er...still not an answer as to whether we are banning samplers this time around or not?

So does this mean, say, I couldn't bounce a short sine wave, then reload it in a fl sampler, then use the pitch envelope to turn it into a kick?

[sackley]

Also pumped to see how you all mangle my break.

Nice break, made some fine beats with it

This goes or anyone - If you use my breaks outside of the competition just PM me a link, as I'd love to hear.

[alphacat]

IMHO banning sampling is ridiculous.

Like I said, the point here is not to handicap everyone and go all Harrison Bergeron on it: the point is to give everyone the same basic toolkit.

For instance, this softsynth (Gsinth2) is monophonic and not poly; so you're saying that the only way I can get chords is to have 3 separate incidents of the softsynth open at the same time?

Seriously folks: sampling is a very basic part of most of our musical production process - the reason the question was contentious is because of the kind of sampling function being discussed (granular) which sometimes approaches re-synthesis from a sampled source, and that is definitely NOT kosher (as it wouldn't be if someone wanted to use Alchemy or Paulstretch.)

So in order to put this to rest, I'm gonna say to Wub and the rest of ya: no, you can't use fucking FL granulizer.

And just as a reminder...

1) Sounds can can only be made from the featured VSTi and breakbeat sample (percussion can be synthesized from the VSTi as well.) You may also record your own vocal content provided it's sung or spoken and not you making synth, bass, beatbox or other instrumental sounds. If a vocal sample is ID'd* as coming from existing media such as film, music, television, the submission will be disqualified.

2) The aforementioned provided sounds can be processed only using the provided DSP vst plug-ins. You can use your sampler to capture, stretch, re-pitch, reverse, or chop the samples, but using native DAW or sampler processing to do anything like bandpassing, phasing, flanging, chorusing, gating, compressing, reverb, delay, sample-based re-synthesis, etc. is not allowed *.

3) Song can be any style/genre; Song run time can be no more than 4 minutes (entries running over will not be included, period); two weeks deadline with 1 week of voting.

* Winner must be able to provide patch/screenshot/some sort of basic documentation for how sound were made if requested.

Now, the thing is: the rules are changeable. The winner can change things [within reason] - like Paravrais winning the last one and ditching the drum machine kit and multi-sample of the break for this one.

However, if there's no sampling, no drum one-shots even, then... this suddenly becomes a clusterfuck of people each with one arm tied behind their back trying to slap the shit out of each other.

It's prohibitive to less experienced producers (definitely the opposite of what I'd intended originally, which was to democratize it by all using the same basic tools); it introduces unnecessary limitations to your existing gear (mainly CPU usage) because you can't bounce shit down and resample it; and how the heck are we supposed to synthesize decent drum sounds from the VSTi if we can't use a sampling ADSR, stretch, and pitching capabilities?

And finally, I'm not sure I wanna listen to a whole string of songs made on nothing but VST's in all honesty. Something tells me it'll start to sound like video game music after a while...

[nowaysj]

Samplers are the basis of dance music. Y'all are high.

[nowaysj]

What do y'all think of the tools in this one? Loved the tools in the first one, minus that crappy synth.

[nowaysj]

Using the amp envelope on a sampler is okay?

[alphacat]

What do y'all think of the tools in this one? Loved the tools in the first one, minus that crappy synth.

I'm beginning to seriously like the Nyquist5EQ and Ariesverb - they'll definitely get used again by me for other stuff. The GVST plugs are fine for WYSIWYG freeware - they don't abnormally color anything, but they don't really inspire me either.

Using the amp envelope on a sampler is okay?

Yes, since it's not fundamentally altering something a la chorus or bitcrush or what have you, just making it louder.