At 8/23/14 11:51 AM, JRob wrote:

At 8/22/14 10:50 AM, PeterSatera wrote:

At 8/22/14 09:59 AM, Troisnyx wrote: Three days to go till results are out, and I'm not quite looking forward to it...

1 out 4 chance. I don't like the odds...

The odds are...good

What, you think so?

At 8/23/14 08:16 AM, Sequenced wrote: you disappoint me step

saquencd pls

At 8/23/14 10:50 AM, Nimble wrote: I'm not even sure where my piece fell into category-wise.

Other, obviously :p.

I gave up on metal, in hope that one day I'll have the time and resources to get the satisfying production value and workflow I'd want when making it.

Metal is by far what I listen most to on a daily basis, but I'm very picky about production.

I love massive soundscapes.
I love groove. I love that "cosmic" vibe some modern metal bands have nowadays, with very echoey spacious lead guitars and gut-churningly-low riffs that sound like galaxies colliding.
I'm also pretty uptight about vocals, in that, if the screams start to sound like those screamo/emo bands, I stop stomaching it.
(I don't mind the most brutal of screams, at all, but there's a very specific register that, to my ears, is devoid of power instead of being the strong guttural roars a metal singer should [IMO] be aiming for).

Anyway, getting a good metal sound can be moderately easy.
Getting a fantastic, distinct metal sound is Damn Hard.

That's because you're working with real instruments (well, guitars,at least) and are aiming for sounds that are very mix-hostile.
Getting a sound to tear you a new one and sound very polished and well produced at the same time takes a sort of skill that's fairly under-appreciated.

That's why I get really excited when I see someone on NG (or in general) doing it particularly well.

Workflow is another issue. You're working with real instruments, so you have to be open to constantly switching between roles and be very comfortable with a segmented production process.

Metal bands get it done because there's multiple members and usually a different person taking care of the studio side.
A solo metal writer/recorder/producer will have a truckload of work to go through to produce a track.

I'd say metal is one of the hardest genres to excel at on your own, because you need both technical ability with a real instrument as well as great production/mixing/mastering skills within a genre that's very hard to get a top notch sound out of .

Workflow is another issue. You're working with real instruments, so you have to be open to constantly switching between roles and be very comfortable with a segmented production process.

Metal bands get it done because there's multiple members and usually a different person taking care of the studio side.
A solo metal writer/recorder/producer will have a truckload of work to go through to produce a track.

I'd say metal is one of the hardest genres to excel at on your own, because you need both technical ability with a real instrument as well as great production/mixing/mastering skills within a genre that's very hard to get a top notch sound out of .

I honestly don't think that metal is harder than any other genre per se, but the difficulty lies in knowing what sounds awesome, and what sounds like being a try-hard...but that's with anything. For me, I have all the equipment to play metal, and the knowledge to mix it up fairly well, but I find that I just can't bring myself to sing tough-guy BS with anything other than eye-rolling sarcasm. Which is why I always gravitate towards writing songs as subtle (or not-so-subtle) jokes. People can't make fun of me if I'm already making fun of myself!

At 8/23/14 07:57 PM, Ceevro wrote:

Workflow is another issue. You're working with real instruments, so you have to be open to constantly switching between roles and be very comfortable with a segmented production process.

Metal bands get it done because there's multiple members and usually a different person taking care of the studio side.
A solo metal writer/recorder/producer will have a truckload of work to go through to produce a track.

I'd say metal is one of the hardest genres to excel at on your own, because you need both technical ability with a real instrument as well as great production/mixing/mastering skills within a genre that's very hard to get a top notch sound out of .

I honestly don't think that metal is harder than any other genre per se, but the difficulty lies in knowing what sounds awesome, and what sounds like being a try-hard...but that's with anything. For me, I have all the equipment to play metal, and the knowledge to mix it up fairly well, but I find that I just can't bring myself to sing tough-guy BS with anything other than eye-rolling sarcasm. Which is why I always gravitate towards writing songs as subtle (or not-so-subtle) jokes. People can't make fun of me if I'm already making fun of myself!

Makes sense. Lyrical content in metal is a fragile thing, because it's hard to come off as genuine in emotion WHILE YOU'RE SCREAMING - YOUR GUUUUUUTS - INN THEEEE MIIIIICCCC *BREAK*! CHUG-CHUG-CHUG-CHUG-TWANG-TWANG

But I do think workflow in metal is less comfortable.

>Pick up guitar.
>Write a riff.
>Is this riff cool? I better add a beat to it so I can tell better.
>Put down guitar.
>Add a beat with Superior Drummer
>Nah. This is shit. Better start over.
...
...
...
9 hours later.
>Okay, now I have a song. Time to actually track the guitars for real after I've practiced the riffs to the point where I can play them impeccably.

Maybe I was doing it wrong.

At 8/23/14 08:01 AM, Step wrote: Techno/EDM/IDM: 25

nailed it lol

Someone is still zero-bombing some of the submissions, mine and Elitistinen's has dropped about a point in the last 2 days. And it's obviously someone with a high voting power and possibly using alts, since I checked to see how much influence my voting power had and it only raised it by about .09.

At 8/23/14 11:53 PM, JRob wrote: Someone is still zero-bombing some of the submissions

oh sorry i'll stop now

At 8/23/14 11:53 PM, JRob wrote: Someone is still zero-bombing some of the submissions, mine and Elitistinen's has dropped about a point in the last 2 days. And it's obviously someone with a high voting power and possibly using alts, since I checked to see how much influence my voting power had and it only raised it by about .09.

The great thing about NGADM is it's one of the very few places where zero-bombing is pointless, since the judges scores give a much better bearing on how good your song is. And judges don't zero-bomb (except midimachine)

At 8/24/14 12:14 AM, midimachine wrote:

At 8/23/14 11:53 PM, JRob wrote: Someone is still zero-bombing some of the submissions

oh sorry i'll stop now

This is funny because I wrote my last post without seeing this.

At 8/24/14 12:14 AM, midimachine wrote:

At 8/23/14 11:53 PM, JRob wrote: Someone is still zero-bombing some of the submissions

oh sorry i'll stop now

I kind of object to this.

All judges should have the same level of interaction with the contestants.

I would kindly request that the other judges analyze this situation and consider going on zerobombing sprees of their own to eliminate any potential sign of unequal treatment of contestants.

At 8/24/14 12:16 AM, johnfn wrote: The great thing about NGADM is it's one of the very few places where zero-bombing is pointless

Totally. Actually, it's always pointless.
I just zero-bombed you btw, hope you don't mind

At 8/24/14 12:40 AM, garlagan wrote:

At 8/24/14 12:16 AM, johnfn wrote: The great thing about NGADM is it's one of the very few places where zero-bombing is pointless

Totally. Actually, it's always pointless.
I just zero-bombed you btw, hope you don't mind

Dang, why can't someone zero-bomb my track?
I guess I'll just have to do it myself!

My tracks get zero-bombed all the time. I take it as a compliment.

At 8/24/14 12:54 AM, JacobCadmus wrote: My tracks get zero-bombed all the time. I take it as a compliment.

sure sign that more ears are listening...

btw, I just don't have enough voting power to lower mine. :(

At 8/24/14 12:55 AM, Phonometrologist wrote: sure sign that more ears are listening...

btw, I just don't have enough voting power to lower mine. :(

Not sure why you'd wanna do it yourself. I suppose I could zero-bomb yours for you, if you ask nicely.

Although my voting power isn't that great either...

At 8/24/14 01:09 AM, JacobCadmus wrote:

At 8/24/14 12:55 AM, Phonometrologist wrote: sure sign that more ears are listening...

btw, I just don't have enough voting power to lower mine. :(

Not sure why you'd wanna do it yourself. I suppose I could zero-bomb yours for you, if you ask nicely.

Although my voting power isn't that great either...

Just didn't want to feel left out is all ...
But really, just to make a point about how much it really doesn't matter, and so I zero-bombed myself

Welp, with Oceans Wide making it to Featured Audio, there's bound to be a fair amount of zero-bombing. We've been through this before.

At 8/24/14 12:14 AM, midimachine wrote:

At 8/23/14 11:53 PM, JRob wrote: Someone is still zero-bombing some of the submissions

oh sorry i'll stop now

Your voting power is too low for it to be you, unless you're using alts to supplement it

LunyAlex do you listen to Soilwork?
CHUG CHUG CHUG GROWL GROWL
*EPIC CHORUS*
CHUGCHUGaCHUG

At 8/24/14 03:11 AM, JRob wrote:

At 8/24/14 12:14 AM, midimachine wrote:

At 8/23/14 11:53 PM, JRob wrote: Someone is still zero-bombing some of the submissions

oh sorry i'll stop now

Your voting power is too low for it to be you, unless you're using alts to supplement it

yeah pimp is my alt

Getting towards the end of my judging now and I want to say that there have been some amazing things created for this contest and all the participants (at least as far as I know) are being so supportive of each other, I love it.
This is what a forum is about. This is what music should be about, always.
Keep it up guys.

LOL, this is my life almost everyday. Still trying to bring out an EP from 2 years ago.

At 8/23/14 08:41 PM, LunyAlex wrote: >Pick up guitar.
>Write a riff.
>Is this riff cool? I better add a beat to it so I can tell better.
>Put down guitar.
>Add a beat with Superior Drummer
>Nah. This is shit. Better start over.
...
...
...
9 hours later.
>Okay, now I have a song. Time to actually track the guitars for real after I've practiced the riffs to the point where I can play them impeccably.

At 8/24/14 07:07 AM, MetalRenard wrote: Getting towards the end of my judging now and I want to say that there have been some amazing things created for this contest and all the participants (at least as far as I know) are being so supportive of each other, I love it.
This is what a forum is about. This is what music should be about, always.
Keep it up guys.

Amen.

At 8/24/14 07:20 AM, PirateCrab wrote: LOL, this is my life almost everyday. Still trying to bring out an EP from 2 years ago.

At 8/23/14 08:41 PM, LunyAlex wrote: >Pick up guitar.
>Write a riff.
>Is this riff cool? I better add a beat to it so I can tell better.
>Put down guitar.
>Add a beat with Superior Drummer
>Nah. This is shit. Better start over.
...
...
...
9 hours later.
>Okay, now I have a song. Time to actually track the guitars for real after I've practiced the riffs to the point where I can play them impeccably.

Pretty much all I can do along those lines is stereotypical J-rock...... which, while I like it, gets stifling after a while.

All I can do when it comes to metal are the symphonic bits, and to a lesser degree, drums.

so after i beat acid paradox tomorrow

does that make me the better brostep producer

Pardon the double post but: @Step, I know the results are due tomorrow, and that you're likely the person to release them. Do you judges have a specific time on which the results will be out, by any chance?

Now I don't expect them to be at the crack of dawn or what have you, but a set time keeps us away from watching like a hawk for a new forum thread. In Britain alone we were waiting till 9:00 pm, and it was certainly later for you...

At 8/24/14 12:26 PM, Sequenced wrote: so after i beat acid paradox tomorrow

does that make me the better brostep producer

beat him at getting a low score u mean looooooool

At 8/24/14 12:28 PM, midimachine wrote:

At 8/24/14 12:26 PM, Sequenced wrote: so after i beat acid paradox tomorrow

does that make me the better brostep producer

beat him at getting a low score u mean looooooool

AH HA

ur just jealous i have a bigger penis and my gorgeous hair

At 8/24/14 12:28 PM, Troisnyx wrote: Pardon the double post but: @Step, I know the results are due tomorrow, and that you're likely the person to release them. Do you judges have a specific time on which the results will be out, by any chance?

Now I don't expect them to be at the crack of dawn or what have you, but a set time keeps us away from watching like a hawk for a new forum thread. In Britain alone we were waiting till 9:00 pm, and it was certainly later for you...

It's really tough to say. We've got judges from America, Australia and Europe, so the timezones really differ, and not all of us are done yet. On top of that, once we get all of the scores we need to input them into the spreadsheets, calculate the results, decide the pairings, write up the thread, format everything, proofread, prepare PM notifications, battle raccoons, etc. It's a lot of work! Having said that, I wouldn't expect the results early in the day since most judges use the final day to finish off their results. I know I have to - I'm writing reviews on each one and it's taking forever!

Keep in mind that the suspense is part of the competition though. Also, you'll get a PM when the results are out as per usual, so there's no need to murder the F5 button checking the forum!