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Post by Steeyuv n Clayer on May 17, 2014 22:20:21 GMT
How about a thread where we can suggest challenges? It'll save Rob having to do all the work.
To start with, how about a Eurovision song? Rules: It doesn't have to be the UK's entry; the lyrics can't contain any recognisable English words, or indeed any recognisable words at all (though obviously it must have lyrics, duh); no accompanying video necessary, but if you do think of one you have to make the steadicam / jib shots / 2megawatt lighting stage available to everyone; no chord extensions (so minors OK, half-diminished at a push, but no #5#9s etc); and singers of every gender.
What do others think?
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Post by mikegosling on May 18, 2014 9:09:39 GMT
Good idea - only I don't know any bearded ladies to sing my entry!
This should be the task for next April / May.
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Post by Rob W on May 19, 2014 17:13:39 GMT
To quote the TV who won last Saturday, 'Together, we're unstoppable!!!'
I'd sing mine in French and call it 'Moi j'aime les confiture'
Mike's right, of course. Next year near Eurovision time.
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Post by timwarner on May 29, 2014 14:00:35 GMT
The technology we all use is very different. Is there a way we could equalise it more for a particular task? is poor technology helping (by hiding bad stuff) or hindering (producing an inferior overall result). It would be like one of those motor races where everyone has to use the same car.
I have no idea how this would work in practice.
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Karl
Junior Member
Posts: 72 
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Post by Karl on May 31, 2014 8:42:23 GMT
Here's a list of some task ideas I had (some of which Rob may already have on his list).
1. Same set of chords (possibly even in the same order?)
2. Limited instrumentation, e.g.. drums, bass, 1 guitar only, 1 vocal part only
3. Very limited instrumentation, e.g.. 1 instrument only, 1 vocal part only
4. Everyone records a cover of the same song (Rob to decide which song)
5. Everyone records a cover of the same song (vote for which song from a list of 5 chosen by Rob)
6. Write a song using a supplied drum track
7. Christmas song in December (could stipulate use / non-use of sleigh bells!)
8. Song structure is dictated and must run in a certain order, e.g. intro, verse 1, , bridge, chorus, verse 2, bridge, chorus, middle 8, instrumental, verse 3, bridge, chorus, chorus, outro (could even stipulate how many bars per section)
9. Free for all - anything goes! (as an antidote to task 8!)
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Post by Colin Steward on May 31, 2014 10:25:55 GMT
Was thinking last night, similar to Karl, everyone covers the same song (obviously not trying to copy the original faithfully). Would be interesting to hear different takes on it.
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Post by timwarner on May 31, 2014 13:36:22 GMT
Great set of suggestions from Karl, some similar to the list that Rob was working to originally. The one that really stands out for me is everyone using the same drum track. The least preferred is having no restrictions.
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Post by Rob W on Jun 2, 2014 14:01:29 GMT
Thank you for the suggestions, Karl. I had pencilled a few very similar ones for the coming months.
1. Same set of chords (possibly even in the same order?)
This one was going to be a 'chord restriction' task. IE only being allowed to use four chords. Chord variations could be used. I'll give more detail when this one goes live.
2. Limited instrumentation, e.g.. drums, bass, 1 guitar only, 1 vocal part only
You read my mind on this one.
3. Very limited instrumentation, e.g.. 1 instrument only, 1 vocal part only
As above but I hadn't really thought about paring it back so much. Great idea.
4. Everyone records a cover of the same song (Rob to decide which song)
5. Everyone records a cover of the same song (vote for which song from a list of 5 chosen by Rob)
These two would have been right at the top of my list in the past but I have to say I'm enjoying the challenge of composing as opposed to arranging. I'll absolutely listen to soundings but this (along with number 9) are my least favourite suggestions.)
6. Write a song using a supplied drum track
And I've got just the drum-track!!! Thank you, Karl. Cheque's in the post!!
7. Christmas song in December (could stipulate use / non-use of sleigh bells!)
This is already pencilled to be completed in November for voting during December.
8. Song structure is dictated and must run in a certain order, e.g. intro, verse 1, , bridge, chorus, verse 2, bridge, chorus, middle 8, instrumental, verse 3, bridge, chorus, chorus, outro (could even stipulate how many bars per section)
I wouldn't have thought of this mainly because all my songs seem to follow your structure!!
9. Free for all - anything goes! (as an antidote to task 8!)
This one is a problem for me. I need a deadline and I need to be guided/herded to the finishing line. Basically, I need to be told what to do. If you said to me 'Do you what you like' I'd probably do nothing at all!! I'd be interested to hear other opinions on this and the cover song debate.
Thank you again for the suggestions.
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Post by Mark S on Jun 2, 2014 15:10:38 GMT
How about an end of year, letting our hair down, group effort?
We draw lots (Code for Rob chooses) on which instrument we each have to use and we build up a track by passing it round and adding a part using our given instrument.
Could be a classic, or could be a classic cock up, but would be a laugh either way.
Ps - sorry no song from me last month and will probably struggle this month due to lack of time. So, based on that, how's everyone feel about issuing the brief 2 months ahead to give us, lightweight, working away from home all week, grabbing an hour or two in the studio now and then, thinking up semi plausible excuses for being crap at lyrics, types a bit more time to be spontaneously creative?
Thoughts?
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Post by timwarner on Jun 2, 2014 15:39:59 GMT
Same set of chords? I thought the challenge for July was just 4 chords. I've done a bit of fiddling and I've settled on some that I think will work. Is the task likely to change to a prescribed set of four chords?
As far as covering an existing song, why not choose one from a previous months contributions? I'm sure we'll have plenty of material to go at in a few months. It may be quite interesting to see if we've written 'songs' that can be rearranged or we've just written 'arrangements' than can only exist as they are. Think of what Joe Cocker did on 'with a little help from my friends' or what Bowie did with 'wild is the wind' for instance.
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Post by mikegosling on Jun 2, 2014 16:03:43 GMT
Cover version - I'm with Rob on this, I would rather that we wrote original songs at this
stage. Tim's suggestion of covering one of our own original songs would be an acceptable
compromise, but my preference is for new, original material. (Never was in a covers band
so probably explains my preference).
Karl's / Rob's suggestions for future tasks - Happy with the "restrictive" suggestions.
I think the 4 chord task should be one where the songwriters choose their own set of 4 chords.
(i.e., not have a fixed set of chords given out).
Mark's suggestion of collaborations - I like the idea of collaborating, I had a slightly different
idea on this theme. My alternative suggestion is that we pair up. The pairings would be randomly
determined and the the pair of songwriters would then work out between them who would do
what - e.g., say I was selected to work with Rob. We would have a chat / email conversation and
then (say) I would write some lyrics, Rob would then record some drums and bass, I would record
some guitars and then Rob would record a vocal. Obviously we would end up with less songs, but
it might be fun.
More suggestions to follow...
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Post by mikegosling on Jun 2, 2014 17:44:43 GMT
... a few ideas for future months:
1 Oblique Strategies: Brian Eno and Peter Schmidt created a set of strategy cards (back in the 70s)
which they used to help in the creative process. The idea was that if you reached a block
(or a "dilemma") in the process of writing or recording something you would got to the pack of "oblique
strategy" cards and draw one out at random and use whatever it said on the card to unblock your
creativity. An example of a card is: "Make an exhaustive list of everything you do might do and do the last thing
on the list". I have a set of these cards (Bev bought them as a present last month).
The idea would be that each songwriter chooses a card from the pack and has to use the idea on the card at
some point in the writing / recording process. If we had a get-together some time we could choose our cards then.
Otherwise, I could randomly pick out the cards and email you the contents of your card. You could decide to consult
the card only when you've reached a blockage ("dilemma") or you could just use it right from the start to kick off
the whole process.
2 Cut-up Month: Like William Burroughs / David Bowie we could create our text / lyrics by cutting up phrases and randomly pasting them together.
3 Symphonic Structure: Rather than have a pop song structure task, why don't we choose a classical structure (e.g., a symphonic structure) and write our "song" using that structure. Might be interesting to free ourselves from verse / chorus / verse / chorus / middle 8 etc. Might end up sounding like Bohemian Rhapsody! This task might appeal to the prog rockers who missed out on the genre task for this month.
4 Mash-up month: Inspired by the thought of "Progressive Country Rock", what about a task where each songwriter can choose their own genre, but it must be a mash up of two different genres (the more different the better!).
Hopefully it will inspire a whole new genre of music!
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Post by Rob W on Jun 2, 2014 20:41:38 GMT
There are some great ideas here and I'll respond in full later on but I particularly love Mark's idea of 'pass-the-musical-parcel'. That sounds as though it could either be really good or hilariously terrible.
More later.
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Post by timwarner on Jun 3, 2014 10:13:49 GMT
How about writing a song using a piece or art as inspiration? Could be an old classic we can all access on the web or something contemporary that gets emails to everybody. Using Karl for this may be a good idea.
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Post by Steeyuv n Clayer on Jun 3, 2014 11:41:36 GMT
Excellent idea Tim. How about the Venus de Milo? Then we could look forward to some headbanging piano.
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Karl
Junior Member
Posts: 72
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Post by Karl on Jun 3, 2014 18:12:47 GMT
I like Mark's idea - could be very interesting! And, as always, Mike is full of good ideas.
I'd be happy to help with Tim's art idea. I'm thinking a Hieronymus Bosch piece might pique Steeyuv n Clayer's interest!
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Post by Rob W on Jun 4, 2014 8:06:26 GMT
 I wasn't sure about the art one but having quickly searched for images from Hieronymus Bosch, I see what you mean. I attach one (hopefully) as a demo of the power of the picture!! |
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Post by Patrick on Jun 6, 2014 8:22:47 GMT
How about a waltz ?
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Post by Steeyuv n Clayer on Jun 6, 2014 17:29:35 GMT
Presumably you don't mean simply 'a tune in three time'?
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Post by Patrick on Jun 6, 2014 21:31:35 GMT
That's exactly what I mean Stevie boy
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Post by Steeyuv n Clayer on Jun 6, 2014 23:10:12 GMT
Phew! I was thinking Strauss, violins and treacle. Alright then, extending that idea, what about requiring that a song has to be in five or more? Mind you, that would be expected as part of the Prog Challenge.
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Post by Patrick on Jun 7, 2014 12:21:46 GMT
Indeed.
How about a song about a famous person ?
I'm thinking 'you're so vain' - Carly Simon, or starry starry night by Don McLean.
It could be part of a song cycle I'm planning about Stanley Matthews.
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Post by Colin Steward on Jun 7, 2014 13:06:56 GMT
Tim Minchin does a good one about the Pope!
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Post by timwarner on Jun 7, 2014 16:26:04 GMT
Patrick, are you suggesting we all do a song about any footballer who was a contemporary of Stanley Matthews?
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Post by Patrick on Jun 7, 2014 18:38:26 GMT
Patrick, are you suggesting we all do a song about any footballer who was a contemporary of Stanley Matthews? |
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Post by Patrick on Jun 7, 2014 18:40:09 GMT
Too tricky trying to find words that rhyme with Matthews
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Post by Steeyuv n Clayer on Jun 7, 2014 22:11:19 GMT
Ever since I've wanted/ To grow into a man / I've hoped to be a player like / My hero, Matthews, Stan
It can be done.
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Post by Patrick on Jun 7, 2014 22:15:56 GMT
There it is, you've got the chorus already !
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Post by Mark S on Jun 9, 2014 19:23:51 GMT
If we go with Mike's pairing up idea can I work with Colin on a remake of Tim Minchin's 'Pope Song', a true classic, even if not particularly 'radio friendly' :-)
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Post by Rob W on Jun 13, 2014 8:44:58 GMT
Following on from the idea of 'passing on' a song to another instrumentalist (a bit like Chinese whispers) and also following on from NOT getting to do a progressive rock song (no prizes for guessing which one I voted for), how about the idea that we produce an 'SWC concept' album?
My (un-thought-through) idea is that one person begins the 'story' with a song. The next month this is passed onto the next person and so on until we have at least 8 or 9 songs. The story would evolve as each person adds his/her track and they would be allowed to 'borrow' chord structures and melodies from other songs (I'm thinking of 'The Lamia' borrowing melody lines from 'The Lamb' halfway through the album 'The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway'. We could also (possibly) think about, once the concept is completed of composing an 'Overture' piece to begin the album, borrowing the most memorable themes - that last idea may be sh*t!
I think this would satisfy the desire of some of you to have a slightly more collaborative approach to songwriting and/or playing by getting others in the SWC to be instrumentalists on your song if required.
However, if this idea was seen to have 'legs', I think it would have to occur in addition to the SWC stuff.
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