the scent of holly
wisps of gently falling snow
christmas is coming

musicians gather
trenchcoats and fedoras donned
knuckles crack, let's rock

five years in a row
this event has taken place
the Secret Santa

you're assigned someone
read what they like and dislike
then make them a song

send your song to me
check forum on christmas day
find our special thread

presents delivered
there's a song for you as well!
receive and be merry

***

TRANSLATION: The Audio Secret Santa is simple. Everyone who signs up is put into a chain. You are given the name of the next person in the chain, and it's your job to read about what they like and dislike and make them an extra-special song that fits the description. On Christmas Day, everybody gets their musical gifts, including the one that someone made for you! It's a win-win for everyone.

Here are the four previous years' Secret Santas:
NGASS 2013
NGASS 2012
NGASS 2011
NGASS 2010

Sound interesting? The post right below this one explains what to do, step by step, in detail.

HOW IT WORKS
***
Here's the run-down if all goes smoothly:
What you're reading right now is the Sign-Up Thread. Post in this thread with a big, bold, clear message that you are joining, so there's no confusion. Then list a few things you like in a song. Bleepy chiptunes? Intense guitar riffs? Creepy death polka dubstep moombahton? This is very important, so the person making your gift knows exactly what you like.
When the sign-up period is over, I will put all of the names in a random sequence generator and arrange them into a giant chain.
(For example, if three people join, Person A will do Person B, Person B will do Person C, and Person C will do Person A.)
Then, using that list, I will PM all of you and tell you who you are making a gift for. I'll tell you what the person likes in a song, and you will get cracking on an audio masterpiece that fits the description.
When you're done, you will all host your files online and send the links back to me; I'll keep them in a folder.
On Christmas Day, you'll see a nice thread here in the forums where I will have all presents laid out nicely for you to claim. It will look something like this:
Person A: link (made by Person C)
Person B: link (made by Person A)
Person C: link (made by Person B)
Everybody will enjoy their presents and have a great Christmas!
***
Here are all of the dates involved: (Subject To Change!!)
-- Dec. 1: End of sign-up period. Shortly after that, you'll get the PM with your giftee. (I may extend this date.)
-- Dec. 23: SONGS DUE. Host them online and PM the link to me. Don't miss this date!
-- Dec. 25: Christmas day, everyone goes to pick up their presents!
***
There is no TL;DR in this thread. If you wish to participate, please read this entire post. This activity is very dependent on you and your ability to carry out the steps according to the dates listed above.
***
One last thing. Remember how I said to host your songs on a hosting site and PM it to me? I am not joking when I say that. Do not put your songs on the Audio Portal. Let's think about this for a minute. This is called -Secret- Santa, right? So if you post your songs on the Portal for all to see, before Christmas, doesn't that completely ruin the point of the whole thing?

I recommend you use this site for hosting your audio privately:
Instaudio private

Okay, that's all of it. Remember, if you die in the NG Audio Secret Santa, you die for real.

I wanna join!

I like bassy melodic drum and bass :)

I'm in! Anything with a 5/4 metre will do.

I want to do this, but I'm incapable of doing anything electronic which some people might like x_x

I have no problem with doing so, it's just that I don't want to disappoint anyone

I'm in

As for my musical preference, a sort of mix between electronic and orchestral, if that makes sense. It's a sort of an odd mix, I know, although as a better way of describing it, consider it as a way of using electronic sounds to sound musical and harmonic.

I know it's really vague and apologies to whoever gets me

Why not? Sign me up!

Elements that I like:

- Melodic guitar solos
- Banger beats
- Melbourne Bounce
- Orchestral instruments

Of course, I don't want ALL those elements in one track, but I wanted to list enough so no matter what type of producer you are, you can achieve the goal. I'm really not that picky - as long as it has some energy to it, and it sounds good, I'm happy!

Hell, why not? I'm in.

I personally would like either a feeling straight out of a smokey jazz bar, or out of one of Chopin's Nocturnes. or perhaps, a mix of the two. Contemporary stuff is really what I'm after. being different.

This sounds interesting. I'll give it a try!

At 11/25/13 08:47 PM, Luer wrote: This sounds interesting. I'll give it a try!

Tell us what you like in a song!

In other news... 10 people in the first few hours. Not bad at all! :)

At 11/25/13 09:14 PM, Stupor wrote:

At 11/25/13 08:47 PM, Luer wrote: This sounds interesting. I'll give it a try!

Tell us what you like in a song!

In other news... 10 people in the first few hours. Not bad at all! :)

Oh sorry! Anything with 8bit would be pretty cool. Doesn't matter what genre to be honest.

I'd love to join!

I'm a huge fan of The Black Mages (mainly the final fantasy VII stuff) so anything like that or even just a piano piece that either is funky with syncopation and extended chords..or a nice melodic piece too..

I really look forward to this project!

In on this as always.

I like electro house dubsteppy funk frenchness lepew,

and tool and primus and alice in chains! 90snya

I'm in! I think a nice 90's trance song would be cool.

When can we expect the PM's?

At 11/25/13 11:20 PM, Chongo wrote: When can we expect the PM's?

Check the second post - December 1st unless I extend the sign-up period

Make this a tentative entry, but count me in. I'll do the piece during whatever free time I'm expected to have this month.

I would like...

- A good melodic theme with variations, as the piece develops. Try making it something I can sing to.
- Varied chords. Not just the standard progressions you would expect to a melody you've written. HINT: Toy a little with inversions too.
- Some heartfelt piano-playing.
- Soft, heartfelt drumming in the background is OPTIONAL, but if you do manage to stuff it in, it'll be much appreciated!
- I'd expect a hybrid of sorts -- mostly chamber style/orchestral, but if you want to bring in electronic or rock influence, or if you want to mishmash the two, that's awesome.
- Something that spells joy, since it'll soon be Christmastide.

What I would not like --

- I completely stay away from hip-hop, rap and most contemporary forms of RNB. EXCEPTION TO THE RULE: somehow fusing this rap into your orchestral-electronic-rock mishmash and turning it into a spoof of hip-hop just like the one in Flight of the Conchords. That always makes me laugh. But otherwise.... no.

I seem to have laid down the law with this one... O_O All the best to you composers -- especially the one who's got my name down.

BIG, bold, clear: I'M IN!

If it sounds good, it's good enough for me. What I'd like to feel though:
-Funk
-Metal-rock stuff
-Orchestral

If you're not capable or don't feel like going for any of those, that's fine. NO DUBSTEP-BASSRAPE OR RAP -stuff though.

COUNT ME IN!

- Phoamzie

At 11/26/13 11:25 AM, headphoamz wrote: COUNT ME IN!

- Phoamzie

Oh and durp. I like any kind of music, except super screamo Pierce-The-Veil stuff.

This should be interesting.
I really would like to write for SourJovis or Nimble, but that’s highly unlikely to happen. Either way, should be a good learning experience if I have to cross genres.

For the one that will write for me:
• Structurally, a track that’s in an ABA or Rounded Binary form
• Implements a pure, twelve-tone scale for at least two measures anywhere in the piece. The piece should be tonal, but I would like to hear how you decide to mix the twelve-tone technique in there.
• A structure as I mentioned before, but first starts out reticent, slowly builds, climaxes three-quarters into the piece, and then comes to some resolution in the first theme.
• Bonus: write the piece in the color blue as if someone with synesthesia would be listening and that is what they would interpret it as. However, if you cannot find a Synesthete, then just do the first three points.
The track can be your choice to write in any style, and you can use any arrangement of instruments. Just concentrate on the structure and the technique that I mentioned.

I want to take part in this, but my schedule doesn't want me to.

DILEMMAAAAAAA.

I'm in!

gimme an experimental piece, no shorter than 3 minutes; the first half consisting of nothing but the ugliest, most disturbing noises that one could think of. then very gradually transition into the most beautiful, ethereal music ever. synthetic, organic, doesn't matter. but make sure that there's melodic and rhythmic merit, and not just some copout pad/soundscape surfing the whole time.

Then list a few things you like in a song. Bleepy chiptunes? Intense guitar riffs? Creepy death polka

Okay one last post because I'm dumb and don't read things.
I like any music, but my favorites include:

- classical, major scale melodies, with a warm piano lead
- electronic/experimental grunge with a heavy snare/clap noise
- anything with a cello pizzicato

I will be listening to my allocated composer's favorites to find out what they're into, as well!

Sounds good,

I want an Atonal pop tune

Ohh alright if all these great musicians are going to enter...

I'm in, and I would like:
* The song to be focused mostly on melody
* The song to be done in an unconventional genre (I'm thinking bossa nova, jazz, shoegaze, indietronica, stuff like that maybe? :3)

Darn it @Step you should just enter anyway. I would be happy to get a Step song with an hour of work. Plus, 1 hour of music work > no hours of music work.

hello

i like anything that doesn't sound like crap video game music
also no orchestral hans zimmer worship pls

last time i did this santa made me a really good song!

I'm in

I like basically everything haha I prefer EDM music but you can explore genres if you want!
Though nothing too hardcore :3

Oh and if you use Vocaloid, I will love you forever.

I wlll join!
I like songs that have catchy memorable melodies and make me feel nostalgic. I also like songs to have a good atmosphere and a soft conclusive ending.

Shit, Let's be Santa.
I'm down for some festive stuff, I already make birthday music for personal friends.

I am a big fan of many many different kinds of genres, but I especially like progressive stuff, in weird time signatures, changing moods and key signatures and the like. I also like big orchestral sort of stuff, stuff that has a lot going on.
The full version of Tubular Bells (1972) by Mike Oldfield is a perfect example.
I like both electronic music and acoustic music, but with Electronic music, I prefer listening music as opposed to dance music.
I have a general distaste in Pop, me no like.

Gee I hope I don't sound too bad, I will probably get picked to a do a complex thing for someone else here too with my Karma! XD
Nah I'm totally cool with that.

Super excited for the Santas of Secrets!~