Following another topic, I saw that many users want to progress in mixing and composing. So I had an idea for a collaborative work, a sort of game.
Things are organised in Sessions and Sections.
At the beginning, you start a Session with a .Caustic file, with a simple given theme, a single pattern on a single machine, with no automation. This have to be the intro and outro of your work. In the middle, there is place for your creativity!. When you have finished, you send back the Caustic file. This will be called a Section.
The next player will have two choices: He can append his works (his section) to yours on the same Caustic file, using the same sounds or adding some new sounds or machines if you let some free slots. Or he can start another Session with a new set of machines, with the same beginning rules (the same single pattern on a single machine). Session will be closed when no more things (sounds or... ideas) can be added.
Sections could be then mixed if needed a published as a Session (Maybe a set in a dedicated Soundcloud?). And Sessions can also be linked (in a meta-set?;-)
Hope this is clear enough...
I wil send a first try soon
Hmmmm, that's a nice idea...... kind of a "pass it on" kind of thing. This could yield some rather interesting results. This speaks again the idea of hosting Caustic Song files on this site or somewhere...
Yes, maybe for a first start we could use a blogspot or similar with a link on a Sticky here. I can start a blogspot if needed, with shared managements rights. I'm currently working on a little demo track that could make a starting point for a Session.
Overhauling my website is nearing the top of my to-do list.... I have a ton of space available, I may consider offering hosting of files and such too.... but probably not soon enough for this game just yet.... but it seems that project sharing is about to become a huge thing here very soon...
Ok, this is a first attempt.
https://sites.google.com/site/thecausticsessions/
There are 2 Caustic songs to download (one not yet released), this is just for testing purpose, not intented to be use in a future Session. I will upload a demo Session and some starter themes soon.
Ok Skarabee, I think I can see where this kind of project is going.... and I like it, because it will help many here learn alot of things that other users do, and can improve on mix and audio handling....
Ok, in the midst of dinner with my girlies, I sat down with one of your track offerings and played around with it a bit..... I'm kicking it back to you - - - -- HERE -- - - -
I'll look into adding some music content into a new section.... soon lol Update 11:06pm altered the Baroque track and edited the drum track and sounds....
I'll add an additional entry of a rather unconventional nature... I know there are some out here for an EIP twisted mess to Session with...
- - - -- Get the EIPStudiosOhio Sessions Project Track Setup #1 -- - - -
Kindest Regards for a fun project
EIPSO Thumbs Up
Nice sounds in your Session Project track. Really good sound design.
Have a look at the site. I have uploaded two files for a New Session. One is a complete track. The other is a Caustic file with only the first pattern of the song.
I think I will modify the rule a bit: No need to end the song with the same pattern, you can use another ending gimmik, but it must fit in a single pattern on a single machine. And the next player will take your ending pattern as a starting point for his Section. This is more "pass it on " style. But he can also use the starting pattern
Thank you for the edit on the Bach/Purcell/Nomi thing ;-)
I think that if participants in this project get their free DropBox account (2 gigs for free account) that should be plenty of space to store their Caustic Songs for sharing for session projects such as this. DB also works easily on mobile devices for those that are constantly on the go, like myself.... as my aim is to make my studio operations completely mobile.. but that's another story for another day lol.
This is gonna be fun.
I don't quite understand the rules. When you say create a session, how long of a session do we make, 4 bars, 8 bars ?? Do we add more machines or do we just work on one machine and change the patterns?
You can make your Section as long as you want, but it must start with the given pattern (a new one from a "starter" file, or the last leaved by the previous player). You have to end your section the same way, with the intro pattern or a new pattern (1 instrument on 1 machine, 1 to 8 meas) that can be used later for a new session. See the example here, I've updated the page and added some files and explanations. Sorry for my bad English...
And Welcome to the Sessions.
https://sites.google.com/site/thecausticsessions/caustic-files-library
See also the two Lozange Sessions on my Soundcloud.
A brief step-by-step tutorial, using the Lozange Session.
Basically, a Session is a Caustic file wich contains several sections made by differents players. Each player can compose only one section. Each section begin and finish with a single pattern on a single machine, used as a link/bridge between sections. Each player must start his work from the last pattern, without modifying the previous work. The first pattern is provided as a Starter idea. It can be reused inside the same Caustic file/Session or to open a new Session, if one is inspired but don't find enough place in the current Session.
Talking about Lozange:
First came the starter idea, a simple pattern, 4 notes on 1 bar, played on a PCMsynth with a preset called lozange pad. This is the Starter file. As the first player, I write my section, using this pattern as intro, loading sounds, writing others patterns, organizing all the stuff in a little 3 min piece, and closing this piece (section) with the same Lozange pattern, playing alone. For the next section, inside the same Caustic file, I take the role of the second player and add another section, continuying the song in another style. But the challenge is more difficult, because it must fit with the existing material and the first section should not be modified. Lots of places for new patterns, but no more free slots and few space for new samples on PCMsynth. So I used some automation trick to modify the sounds of the Subsynth, loaded some drumsamples in a PCM, and used the sustain of the piano as fake strings, cutting the attack. Thats were the use of a single patter as a link or bridge between two sections take sense. Musicallly, it it bring you back the theme for another inspired work, or it can provide a new idea for another Session. Technically, it will let place to recall some automation for the next section. A few measures shoud be ebough for that. And for the listener, it behave likes markers to separate the sections and the players.
For this second section, at the end, instead of the beginning pattern, I used another sequence of four notes on the Subsynth. I extracted this final pattern and put it in a new fresh empty Caustic file. This can be the starter for another Session ( I called this one Elipse, don't ask me why
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The follower has now three choice:
1: Continue inside the same Session, by adding a third section. This can be rather difficult without affecting the previous work. But here is the challenge. More sections, more players, more difficulties to find place and to add some fresh material. And you will have to use some tips and trick to add something interresting. The Session will be closed when no more things can be added, at least without loosing the listener
2: Start a new Lozange Session by using the provided Lozange Starter.
3: Start an Elipse Session from the Elipse Starter.
For the next Sessions, if any, I think it will be good to restrict the use of patterns, in order to leave some place and to organize a bit the common work. Each player could use only one pattern slot, A for the first section/player, B for the second, and so on. This will reduce the lenght of the session to 4 players (ABCD), but I think this is enough for a collaborative work. For now, we only have 6 machines in the rack, so we can't assign a fixed number of machines for each player, just counting on the fair-play to leave space, but soon, with the pattern automation and the new machines, this could be possible.
Let me know if you are interested by this or if I did it for nothing (well... for fun
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OK, that makes sense and is simpler than I thought it would be. We basically get free reign on what we add as long as it is either built from the starter pattern or if following someone else adding a new sound or pattern without affecting the previous work. This sounds fun!
Skarabee, your English is actually very good so there is no need to apologize! :)