I thought I'd ask here although it's a big off-topic, I figured at least some would have overlapping interests with me.

My wife and I wanted to go to a Comicon type event but I don't even know where to start looking. We are very into retro video games (we don't own any modern systems), sci fi (star wars/star trek) but not so much comics, so we were trying to figure out if there is something that encapsulates more than one of these things in the midwest area (we're in Chicago) or if Comicon would be of interest to us (knowing like nothing about comics). Googling gave me a bunch of obscure Chicago events that I'm not sure would even be worth going to...

Well said all.

I can totally relate. I used to do like acoustic/rock songwriting and after hearing certain releases in the 2000s I was like, "I can never measure up"...

...I think we all go through this from time to time. Now, when I get into that 'I'll never measure up' phase, I stop working on releases, and start learning stuff, I make tutorials, I experiment with making sounds. I'll be the first to admit I'm not terribly original. Most of the chip tunes I do is for game developers, they don't want anything that goes beyond what you heard in Megaman 2, although part of me wants to make something more unique. But I still feel happy when I make a song that sounds like one of my favorite childhood games, as long as that feeling is there, I will keep doing it, whether paid for it or just for fun.

Something I see a lot (not AS much with musicians) is someone arbitrarily decides "I'm gonna be a top chef" or "I'm gonna be a great photographer", "I'm a weightlifter now", "I'm gonna make my own random company" and they lose all sense of perspective about what they're doing, later they realize they are looking for outside validation on what they're doing, and when it doesn't come they don't know what to think.. I enjoy photography, but I don't post it anywhere, it's something I like but nothing I'll never be a master of and that's ok. Do something you love even if no one else cares. It's not a competition. I know this guy who makes fonts and art who also does chip tunes, it's interesting stuff, but he only posts it on his website, he felt like doing it, so he did it, is it the next big hit? No, but it was fun for him so that's something.

chunter wrote:
BeatScribe wrote:

I didn't write that...


But I agree, spewing out songs quickly usually means you're recycling...Lately, I'm trying to write with different time signatures, keys, and tempos just to get out of a rut..

PleaseLoseBattle wrote:
chunter wrote:

That's about how much time I like to put in too, though really it's just an hour or so per day for a week or two.

Otherwise, there's another thread about lamenting your own quality wink

That and man, if you come up with finished songs very fast, doesn't that make you more awesome smile ?
Personnally  I think I spend too much time on mine for a result that still doesn't satisfy me. Time and training, I guess.

For me, some songs just come together in like 10 minutes while others I struggle with for weeks. It depends on how your brain is working, what kind of song it is and probably a million other intangible factors. The songs I like best are usually the ones that spring into my head fully formed, usually at an inopportune time like when I'm in line at the store or doing dishes.

I probably put in 7-12 hours a week especially when I'm doing an OST. Songs take me between 3-6 hours, but many are just short loops for podcast intros and things like that, I don't consider them proper songs. The big orchestral pieces take me an upwards of 20 hours to put together, and I still feel I'm kind of a hack at those.

Would be a cool intro...

151

(13 replies, posted in Releases)

I like it!

Game is out here now on steam:
http://cheerfulghost.com/game/25575/starship-rubicon

[bandcamp]

1. Mission 1
2. Mission 2
3. Rescue
4. Mission 3
5. Boss Battle
6. Mission 4
7. Rescue (Inverse Phase NES Remix)
8. Mission 1 (Sleepytimejesse Remix)

The follow-up to Wick Studio's Rubicon features an all new soundtrack from Beatscribe including remastered versions of the original three tracks as well as several new songs for the expanded and more comprehensive Starship Rubicon. Featuring remixes from Inverse Phase and sleepytimejesse.

Rubicon was one of my first professional commissions from about 2 years ago. Since then, it has gathered enough of a cult following to merit an expansion release. Along with the game, we're releasing an album of the soundtrack. This album contains songs I composed over 10 years ago that I had never used until now. It's meant to capture lots of retro feelings mixed with modern sounds. Inverse Phase did an awesome NES remix and sleepytimejesse gave us a thumping remix of the main theme.

Check out the game here:

154

(5 replies, posted in Constructive Criticism)

Really nice, I like those arps, it was perfect to play in the background while I did some programming...kind of put me into a nice trance..

As for the compression, I found it hard to grasp at first, so maybe this will help:

https://beatscribe.wordpress.com/2014/0 … beginners/

DeerPresident wrote:

Threads like these are the reason I hang around here. I wish there was an outsider/batshitinsane music forum as active, passionate and driven to produce new art, as CM.O. Some netlabel should organize a compo based on this thread.


the shaggs, mentioned there, is a similarly twisted musical thing..


apparently their dad was told by a fortune teller his daughters would be in a famous band, so he was determined to make that happen regardless of their talent or even desire to do it... he booked them studio time and everything, but as you can hear, it's a chaotic and strange, drummer lives in a completely different space than the other two...someone called it "an accidental frank zappa tribute band".

Thanks for sharing that. It's amazing to me that all that sneaky stuff is true. I heard something similar abou when he did a phone interview. When they uproot y he and jandek can have the strangest show ever..id go..

sandneil wrote:

interesting! the music is kind of cool unlike jandek who is unlistenable (and i have a merzbow cd)

it reminds me of a friend's attempts to track down elusive french composers roger renaud and ted scotto
http://memorablebandname.com/roger-renaud/

you might also like wesley willis although he isn't exactly mysterious

I listen to it when programming it's kind of entrancing...will check that out!

sugar sk*-*lls wrote:

Free music ( as in free jazz) is awesome. Y bhekhirst is especially awesome, thanks for the link. Bookmarked.

Sun city girls should definitely be included in this thread. Their album torch of the mystic is really bad ass

. I never expected to see a Jandek reference on this site, sweet.  his album blue corpse is worth exploring-the vocal only albums are as well. I got to record with him once, on Halloween appropriately. 'Twas rad


This thread just got really interesting! I've never met anyone else who knows who he IS let alone has played with him!? What was that like I must know! His accompanied stuff is more conventional right? There aRe occasional moments in his music that capture something unique but it's hard for me to get Into the rest of it..

DeerPresident wrote:

I legit enjoy this kind of thing. It sounds like a warped lovechild of Sound of Animals Fighting and Wesley Willis. Also love the backstory, it makes the album even more interesting. Will check out Jandek for sure.


I love Wesely Willis!
Best lyric ever:
"Rock over London rock over Chicago Burger King is home of the whopper!"

I can't guarantee you won't regret checking out Jandek lol! Jandek remained an elusive strange character for years too until he finally came out and played some shows. He has more albums than most legacy bands, of course, how hard is it to make an album when you just bang an out of tune guitar and yell over it.

The mystery about this guy has always been interesting to me. A while back the outsider music forum had people like camping outside his house in Hyde Park (the address on the public copyright records) trying to find him. I wonder why this guy will think when he finds out all these random folks in another country love his obscure album. He must be pretty old (he sound old in the 1994 recordings already), we can only hope it'd make him happy. This is the kind of thing that needs a kickstarted documentary. I'd love to find out what happens with the letter they sent to him in Peru.

I am also curious if that's supposed to be a Meatloaf cover on the album....