Libre Music Challenge #29: MDA Piano

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nyxeles
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Libre Music Challenge #29: MDA Piano

Post by nyxeles »

Welcome to the Libre Music Challenge #29, for the month of April 2024.

This is a friendly contest where we make music with free (libre) software exclusively. Everyone is welcome to join, at any skill level.
This is a place for learning and sharing knowledge, and an opportunity to explore creativity through limitation.
But most importantly, we just hope it inspires you to make some music!

The challenge for this month is to make a track with MDA Piano and ePiano.
Here they are, everyone's favourite piano plugins! For this month's challenge, you have to make a song with these iconic piano sounds. You can use one or the other plugin, or both! You can also use any other sound sources in addition to MDA Piano/ePiano, but the piano sounds must be a prominent feature of your song.

If your distro doesn't ship the MDA lv2 plugins, you might have to compile them from here: https://gitlab.com/drobilla/mda-lv2
There are a few other versions as well. See @SpotlightKid's excellent write-up if you'd like more info: https://collab.0x20.eu/s/p3HdMisHm (he also provides pre-built binaries for the vst2 and vst3 versions)
The original manuals for the plugins can be found here: https://web.archive.org/web/20220623205 ... aplugs.htm

You can use any DAW and any effect plugin, as long as everything is free software.

Happy music making!


Rules

Rules are the same as the previous challenges.

You can find them here for convenience: https://lmc.nyxkn.org/rules
Or here under version control: https://github.com/nyxkn/libre-music-ch ... a/rules.md

Links

Playlists and results of all the events: https://lmc.nyxkn.org/events

Join us on unfa's RocketChat/Discord server! We all hang out on #libre-music-challenge at https://chat.unfa.xyz

And if you'd like to stay up to date with future announcements, there's an RSS feed you can subscribe to: https://lmc.nyxkn.org/rss

Voting

Once the voting period starts, head on over to https://lmc.nyxkn.org/vote to enter your votes.

If you are a participant of this or any previous challenge, you can simply log in with your linuxmusicians username.

If you're not a participant but still want to vote, make your interest known and I'll enable an account for you.

Last edited by nyxeles on Sat Apr 06, 2024 2:04 pm, edited 6 times in total.
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SpotlightKid
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Re: Libre Music Challenge #29: MDA Piano

Post by SpotlightKid »

I started taking some notes on the MDA Piano/ePiano plugins: https://collab.0x20.eu/s/p3HdMisHm#

I will update these during the course of the month while I prepare and work on my submission.

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Re: Libre Music Challenge #29: MDA Piano

Post by miuzik »

I think that is necessary to add official link of the plugin in the announce. I can't find it. Where I can find lv2 or linux version of mda piano?

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Re: Libre Music Challenge #29: MDA Piano

Post by SpotlightKid »

That is exactly one of the reasons I posted a link to my notes above.

Have a look at them and if there is any info missing you'd like to know, give me a shout.

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Re: Libre Music Challenge #29: MDA Piano

Post by squidKid-deluxe »

nyxeles wrote: Wed Apr 03, 2024 1:28 pm

But most importantly, we just hope it inspires you to make some music!

The challenge for this month is to make a track with MDA Piano and ePiano.

Well, sure enough, you inspired me! :) I just discovered LMC yesterday, and today I made a short groove. This is really just a first draft, but it's also my first published original "song". I'm probably going to update it before the challenge ends, but I'm curious as to what you think of this. It lacks any kind of real Intro-Verse-Chorus-Verse-Outro, though.

Files are here. I haven't come up with a title yet.

Also, is using my hardware drum machine OK? The rules don't mention hardware audio sources.

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Re: Libre Music Challenge #29: MDA Piano

Post by SpotlightKid »

squidKid-deluxe wrote: Fri Apr 12, 2024 4:18 pm

Also, is using my hardware drum machine OK? The rules don't mention hardware audio sources.

Yes, any additional other audio sources are allowed in this one. Just any software should be free/libre open source.

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Re: Libre Music Challenge #29: MDA Piano

Post by SpotlightKid »

Hi squiqKid-deluce, welcome to the LMC!

We also have a discussion channel on unfa's rocket chat/discord server, if you want, come an join us there!

https://chat.unfa.xyz

squidKid-deluxe wrote: Fri Apr 12, 2024 4:18 pm

I just discovered LMC yesterday, and today I made a short groove. This is really just a first draft, but it's also my first published original "song". I'm probably going to update it before the challenge ends, but I'm curious as to what you think of this.

I had a listen and I have a few comments. I'm usually quite direct, but aim to help, so please take these as constructive criticism, not aimed at you, personally, but at your work:

  • Oh, it's "that" chord progression. 8) This is really cliched by now, IMHO, but world hits have been written using it, so what do I know ;)
  • For the melody, try to give it a rhythm and flow, which is a bit more detached from the rhythm of the accompaniment. E.g., hold some notes longer, or have little faster phrases then pause. In short, give it space to breathe. Also, try singing it and that will make it easier to hear what works and what not.
    Also, make it louder, and/or turn down the accompaniment while it's playing. It should be the main listening focus.
  • Try changing the bass notes from just playing the root not of the chord to something else, for example:
    • Alternating between the root and the fourth or fifth with a quarter note pulse.
    • Use the third, fifth or seventh of the chord instead of the root note.
    • Play it an octave lower.
    • Play in straight eighth notes, preferably using another sound, e.g. an electric bass or a synth sound. Instant 80s vibe :)
  • Add drums and percussion!
  • Add some structure and development to your song:
    • For example, add dynamics, by first playing softer for the first 8 bars, then louder.
    • Change accompaniment patterns, e.g. first play an eighth note pattern alternating between the third&fifth and the root note of the chord or an eighth-note arpeggio, then switch to a more complex / faster pattern for the chorus or second verse.
    • Build towards a climax at around two-thirds of the song length, e.g.
      • A bridge section, where you change the chords.
      • Or a drop, where you slow down and take out instruments and then build up again by adding more instruments again every bar or two, getting louder and/or faster until you hit the first beat of the last bar of the drop, then stop. And then play the chorus / main motive again on the next bar.
      • Or add more melodies, which layer or intertwine, then have them all sing/play in unison.
      • Or have a section, where you play the chords and bass in staccato, i.e. while the melody continues over it.

These are just some ideas, you don't have to use any of them, but they are techniques that usually work.

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Re: Libre Music Challenge #29: MDA Piano

Post by squidKid-deluxe »

Wow! Thanks for all of the feedback! I'll definitely be incorporating some of your ideas. As I said, this is my first original song, so I'm really grateful for feedback from a pro like you :D

As for audio sources, I'm also a computer programmer, and I have made a couple of custom synths, drum machines, and algorithmic music generators. Seeing as how these are my own software, do they count as free/libre or do I have to release them on github first? In general, is free but non-opensource software ok?

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Re: Libre Music Challenge #29: MDA Piano

Post by SpotlightKid »

squidKid-deluxe wrote: Sun Apr 14, 2024 2:53 pm

Seeing as how these are my own software, do they count as free/libre or do I have to release them on github first?

No, they have to be available for everyone to use.

There is a grey area here for things like patches in modular synths or DSP programming environments like Pure Data, Supercollider, JSFX, FAUST etc.
IMHO it's ok to use personal scripts/patches for these sort of things, which you created for the submission, but if they are created before and for general use, you should publish them too. But that's just my interpretation.

For example, I often use some of my own LV2 plugins, like StereoCrossDelay, CChorus or DFZitaRev1, but they're all available in my Github repos.

squidKid-deluxe wrote: Sun Apr 14, 2024 2:53 pm

In general, is free but non-opensource software ok?

No.

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Re: Libre Music Challenge #29: MDA Piano

Post by bsg75 »

Hi fellow contestants,

Here is my contribution to this month's Libre Music Challenge:
https://soundcloud.com/sg75_2/vaulting-velocities

The idea was to have some arp-alike ostinatos with shuffle and detune 🎹
Plugin discovery of this round: CombDistortion by Uhhyou 🤩

Made with Ardour and the following plugins:

Code: Select all

CNT | TYPE | NAME
  2 * LV2    LSP GOTT Compressor Stereo (by LSP LV2)
  2 * LV2    LSP Parametric Equalizer x16 MidSide (by LSP LV2)
  1 * LV2    MIDI Chromatic Transpose (by Robin Gareus)
  1 * LV2    x42-dpl - Digital Peak Limiter Stereo (by Robin Gareus)
  1 * LADSPA GLAME Butterworth Highpass (by Alexander Ehlert)
  2 * VST2   ADClip7 (by airwindows)
  1 * LV2    GxAmplifier-Stereo-X (by Guitarix team)
  1 * LV2    MIDI Key-Range Filter (by Robin Gareus)
  1 * LV2    LSP Multiband Limiter Stereo (by LSP LV2)
  1 * VST3   CombDistortion (by Uhhyou)
  1 * LV2    General MIDI Synth (by Robin Gareus)
  1 * LV2    DR-14 - Crest Factor Loudness Range Meter (Stereo) (by Robin Gareus)
  1 * LV2    Calf Vintage Delay (by Calf Studio Gear)
  3 * LV2    B.Schaffl (by Sven Jaehnichen)
  1 * LV2    ReFine (by Lkjb)
  2 * VST2   Galactic (by airwindows)
  1 * LV2    Luftikus (by Lkjb)
  1 * VST2   Crystal (by airwindows)
  1 * VST2   Wider (by airwindows)
  1 * LV2    LSP Parametric Equalizer x16 Mono (by LSP LV2)
  1 * LV2    MaPitchshift (by DISTRHO)
  5 * LV2    MDA ePiano (by David Robillard)
  1 * VST2   ToTape5 (by airwindows)
  7 * LV2    LSP Compressor Stereo (by LSP LV2)
  4 * LV2    MDA Piano (by David Robillard)
  1 * VST2   GlitchShifter (by airwindows)
  1 * LV2    Dragonfly Plate Reverb (by Michael Willis)
 12 * LV2    LSP Parametric Equalizer x16 Stereo (by LSP LV2)
  2 * LV2    LSP Sidechain Compressor Stereo (by LSP LV2)
  1 * LV2    LUFS Meter (by Klangfreund)
  1 * LV2    Calf Analyzer (by Calf Studio Gear)

Image

Session archive is here: https://sonnengesicht.de/sg75_-_Vaultin ... on-archive

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Re: Libre Music Challenge #29: MDA Piano

Post by Min »

Hi everyone,
I'm not very confident in my English, so please bear with me if my expression is a bit awkward.

Here is my submission for this month's Libre Music Challenge.
It's primarily composed using MDA Piano and ePiano, with additional clarinet and cello parts from VSCO CE.

The software used includes the following.

[DAW]
MusE (https://muse-sequencer.github.io)

[Instrument]
MDA ePiano (https://gitlab.com/drobilla/mda-lv2)
MDA Piano (https://gitlab.com/drobilla/mda-lv2)
Sfizz (https://sfz.tools/sfizz)

[FX]
Airwindows Verbity (https://www.airwindows.com/verbity/Verbity)
Guitarix Gxdigital delay (https://guitarix.org)
C*compressx2 (https://github.com/moddevices/caps-lv2)
CHOWTape Model (https://chowdsp.com/)
x42-eq (https://x42-plugins.com/x42)
x42-comp (https://x42-plugins.com/x42)
x42-dpl (https://x42-plugins.com/x42)

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Re: Libre Music Challenge #29: MDA Piano

Post by squidKid-deluxe »

Well, my update is here! It can be found in the same place on github. Huge thanks to @SpotlightKid for all his suggestions. I incorporated many of them, which greatly spiced up my track. Full details on plugins and other stuff are in the github readme. Feel free to ask if you have any questions or comments! :)

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Re: Libre Music Challenge #29: MDA Piano

Post by asublin »

My entry

Enjoy!

Last edited by asublin on Tue Apr 30, 2024 5:51 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Libre Music Challenge #29: MDA Piano

Post by squidKid-deluxe »

asublin wrote: Mon Apr 29, 2024 4:19 pm

My entry
...
Enjoy!

Wow! 👌 Beautiful piece, even if the sounds are simple. Really shows how even a simple piano with enough skill as a composer can produce an amazing song. Good work!

PS: Don't fret, everybody else, I'm working on your reviews. :wink:

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Re: Libre Music Challenge #29: MDA Piano

Post by peacefromtheruins »

Hello! Here is my submission.

Title: Peace From The Ruins - Heavy City Light
Plugins: MDA Piano, Vitalium (VST3), Geonkick (LV2), Calf Plugins
DAW: Ardour 8.4.0, here is the project archive.
How it was made:
I installed MDA plugins in one click on Manjaro (thanks to David Runge) and played with MDA Piano for hour or two on my old shaky midi-keyboard. I found that I love the sound of E4 note and decided to stem from it. I also liked G4 to F#4 transition and found some chord progressions in this scale (one sharp on F). I recorded some jazzy improvisations, then quantized them to fit the rhythm. I thought that my old synthwave-like bass preset made following some tutorial on YouTube for Vitalium fits the mood, though I had to adjust it a bit. While making the op. I had in mind a picture: a late night subway train, lights in the tunnel pass train windows and shadows rhythmically move (later I plan to make a visualization of this kind and post it on my youtube channel).

Also, it is the first time my younger brother suggested contributing to the composition! He wrote and recorded the last guitar part, which I then arranged to fit the track.

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