The 4 hour challenge.

Post by **rktic** » Thu May 04, 2017 3:48 pm

This one is for everybody struggling with making music for whatever reason.

As posted in Stacies thread - make a track under these constraints:

- 135 BPM
- max 10 individual tracks
- distortion on *every* track (you decide the amount, but it should be audible)
- no reverbs
- no delays
- timebox: 4 hours

Focus on having something recorded after the timebox ends. Then share your experiences, or the finished track if you will, here. Promise: you'll learn something.

Post by **Stace** » Thu May 04, 2017 4:29 pm

Thanks for this Ronnie! This will be first thing to do when I open Ableton!

I needed this.

tsaro · Post by **tsaro** » Thu May 04, 2017 4:45 pm

Actually did something similar when I downloaded this pack a yesterday:
http://rekkerd.org/wolfpack-free-akai-a ... lescience/

Threw this together yesterday in half an hour or so(and it shows) 8 tracks, and distortion on everything, often a couple stacked together......

It's 132 BPM and I did use reverb, so it doesn't really fit the challenge, but I think I'm not gonna touch this ever again

edit: who the fuck is cal atron and why does my link point to that track instead

even soundcloud thinks it's shit apparently. Maybe this works: https://soundcloud.com/vo0doo/rhythm-wolf

Squill · Post by **Squill** » Thu May 04, 2017 5:00 pm

Game. Doing the challenge on Sunday when I get some free time.

totalcult · Post by **totalcult** » Fri May 05, 2017 3:07 pm

I didn't have 4 hours, but I did this on my lunch break today (probably about an hour and a half).

I'm not even remotely happy with the outcome, but here is is for science:
https://soundcloud.com/gamma_freq/challenged/s-XJ6p1
(I had my markers set wrong, so please don't feel you have to listen to the 2 minutes of silence at the end - it's not part of the tune.)

Things I learned:
- I really badly miss reverb and delay when they are denied me
- I definitely prefer a lower tempo than 135
- A 606 kick drum makes a really great bass tone when it's distorted right - this is the main thing I'm taking away from the experience. Will definitely use this in something in the future

Mattias · Post by **Mattias** » Fri May 05, 2017 4:09 pm

Good going folks, keep em coming.

Post by **rktic** » Fri May 05, 2017 4:25 pm

totalcult wrote:I'm not even remotely happy with the outcome...

I think you're overlooking something important.

totalcult · Post by **totalcult** » Fri May 05, 2017 4:53 pm

rktic wrote:
totalcult wrote:I'm not even remotely happy with the outcome...
I think you're overlooking something important.

Yeah, I could have ohrasedit better. I'm not happy with the track as it stands. But I definitely didn't mean to imply the exercise wasn't useful. I learned loads from doing it and it challenged me to think and work in different ways.

Post by **rktic** » Fri May 05, 2017 4:59 pm

totalcult wrote:
rktic wrote:
totalcult wrote:I'm not even remotely happy with the outcome...
I think you're overlooking something important.
Yeah, I could have ohrasedit better. I'm not happy with the track as it stands. But I definitely didn't mean to imply the exercise wasn't useful. I learned loads from doing it and it challenged me to think and work in different ways.

You wrote it took you 1 1/2 hours - what makes you excuse twice for the outcome already?

No need to answer - but, you know, think about it.

SigEnt · Post by **SigEnt** » Fri May 05, 2017 6:54 pm

awesome idea - gonna have a crack over the weekend - don't think I have ever made a track without using verb'

Post by **jordanneke** » Fri May 05, 2017 8:43 pm

Yo fam,

Decided to take Ronnie up on his challenge innit. Don't get your hopes up before listening though.

The mixing isn't as good as I would normally like, nor was the arrangement , but I have to admit it was a lot of fun. Maybe I won't rely so much on reverb for building tension. Much can be achieved with filter and volume control.

Prophän · Post by **Prophän** » Sat May 06, 2017 12:01 am

Okay tried it with a chrono, I hope your ears are ready for the masterpiece I made ,guess i'm not the best at working under constraints and pressure

dubdub · Post by **dubdub** » Sat May 06, 2017 12:03 am

jordanneke wrote:Yo fam,

Decided to take Ronnie up on his challenge innit. Don't get your hopes up before listening though.

The mixing isn't as good as I would normally like, nor was the arrangement , but I have to admit it was a lot of fun. Maybe I won't rely so much on reverb for building tension. Much can be achieved with filter and volume control.

Nice bass! I like the sequence but I think it could be developed with a few more notes.

Just got finished doing my track, I'm uploading tommorow. God damnit, I was trying to get some work done and then I saw the challenge and couldn't resist. At least it's capped at four hours

man from yellow · Post by **man from yellow** » Sat May 06, 2017 12:53 am

Alright, here goes:

I learnt I'm slow as fuck

Nice challenge though, forced me to stop the endless fiddling.

Huck Farper · Post by **Huck Farper** » Sat May 06, 2017 9:49 am

er ears...

dubdub · Post by **dubdub** » Sat May 06, 2017 11:47 am

Here's mine, I don't think i've really learned anything but I haven't done one of these classic sequencer-style Steve Stoll style tracks in a while so this was fun to do

intrusav · Post by **intrusav** » Sat May 06, 2017 2:38 pm

Good stuff dubdub!

Out of interest, how are you guys breaking down the 4 hours?
How long selecting sounds, exploring rhythms and melodies, applying fx, arranging, mixing, etc?

I know everyone is going to have their own way of working and some will be more efficient in certain areas than others, but would be interested to hear about it.

Root · Post by **Root** » Sat May 06, 2017 4:52 pm

Took me 2,5 hours and brought me a lot of fun. 135 BPM is damn fast. What did i learn? Maybe that i should use more distortion. And it's kinda good not to think too long and just go for it.

Dubdub, nice one!

innovine · Post by **innovine** » Mon May 08, 2017 8:11 am

I sat down to try this challenge, but I got a really good groove on and ended up doing a 4-hour live set instead. So, thanks for the inspiration, and I'll probably try the single track challenge next weekend instead.

Post by **Stace** » Mon May 08, 2017 2:14 pm

I started this at lunch, so did 40 mins on it. It already sounds more techno than anything I have made in a long time

(I don't know how that will translate with I put it on the monitors though)

Thank you Ronnie

Looking forward to having a listen to the other tracks when I get home

subsekt

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