Here I'd like you to write what do you think about the covers, songs, and remixes. It would be nice if we could to send here our new works (after the competition). The inspiration is known.

I very like the Mehdi's version of "Mystere. X", It' sounds like oryginal. It' s really proffesional. It's a pity that some covers are not in competition like Reap the Wild Wind which heard from here one month ago.

Bye

Do you mean Nige's version of Reap the Wild Wind? Yes, it's strange he didn't enter it (you there, Nige?! It's not too late since it was written before the deadline!). I can put it up if he gives permission and notes on the track.

Having some problems playing all the entries, am having to download them which is taking forever, but I will say that I thought Retrovox's Thin Wall was absolutely FAB, very authentic and really really good vocally and some class guitar. If the rest of the entries are of that standard Warren is in for a tad of a hard time with his judging!!!

Yes, it's very hard. I've listened to Mystere X, The Voice, New Europeans, The Thin Wall and We stand alone so far. And I think I'll have to vote for all with 10 points.... . <img border="0" title="" alt="[Cool]" src="cool.gif" />

Hi my music friends!

I really like all of the stuff - really fun this!!

Let´s have another competition soon again!!!

Or even better - let´s make one big band around the world!!!

All the best
Ole

MEE TOO! Just downloaded them all, and listened once - I like them all. Especially The Thin Wall by Retrovox sounds amazing "real" one. Good job!

Rate, PLEASE! At least all you who participate. I am going to give vote soon to everybody!!! It´s fun.

Cheers, ari

Hi to all competitors,

I've just spent a very pleasant lunch checking out your entries, thank you. Warren's in for some tough decisions.

Well done all concerned.
Danny.

Haven't seen Nige on here for ages. But his cover is still there; it's hosted on my webspace.
"Reap the Wild Wind" by Nige

I love that there are so many singers around here! I can't wait to listen to all entries, but I'll download them at a friend who has DSL. One song takes appr. 30 Minutes to load with my modem and my ****ty connection.

Of the "Best Cover" ones, I must say the standard was very high. I haven't heard a badly produced track yet. I hope no-one minds if I share my opinions...

Lament by SlyAndyTasak - I thought this would be better in the best remix/recover section as it was a new interpretation (and a good one!), not a note for note copy of the original - I really think its in the wrong section. Very interesting arrangement - well thought out, and I like it a lot. Good use of dynamics going into the chorus and well chosen sounds.

Lament by Mrs X - instrumentally I thought this was close to the original and a really good job on some of the sounds. I think its in the wrong key for the voice though - the voice is forced quite low and goes flat a lot as a consequence. I like the voice a lot though - would be worth hearing it on something in the right key.

New Europeans by Monument. Ooer, that Mike can sing a bit... Guitar sound is really good, arrangement is spot on. Piano part sounds great as do the bass and strings. The double bass drum hit sounds wrong on the middle bit but the drums are good on the whole. The screechy sqwawky synth line that comes before the "New Europeans" line doesn't screech and sqwawk much, but that's nit picking - this is really good and faithful overall.

The Voice by Monument. Ooer that Mike can sing a bit... Good drums (not sure about the syndrum sound though, it was quite high pitched and sounded like the Kelly Marie video I saw on VH1 the other day...). Strings to the fore on this and they sound great and authentic (no surprise bearing in mind the SS30 in use!). A good, driving version. The synth solo sounded like it was covered in fx and maybe could have been a bit less modern sounding, but that's only cos we're in the "most like the original" section... Monument will obviously be a good band to see live.

The Thin Wall - Retrovox. Recording level was quite low and flat which is a shame. This is the most faithful to the original in this section and must have taken a lot of time to get right. Get this decently produced and you'd be hard pushed to tell some sections of this from the original. The singer can really sing too. The low solo guitar in the right channel that leads from the chorus to the verses sounds like a keyboard which spoils it a bit, but the real guitar is spot on as are most of the keyboards - even the synth solo sounds authentically thin and unprocessed. The BVs could have done with more than 1 voice singing them...or doubling them up a bit. Otherwise, excellent. I wasn't expecting to hear anything that authentic.

We Stand Alone - Stealth. A modern sounding cover, this one. Like the vocals - they could have done with "letting go" (ie yelling a bit!) now and again, but the singer has a good voice. The drums were very machine like - on the snare rolls and fills especially - which spoiled things a bit. The heavy guitar sounds great, the lead guitar sound reminds me of The Fixx. The sync'ed oscillator sound on the solo is not 1 of my favourites (but that's just a personal thing).

There isn't 1 bad track in this section I don't reckon...

Hi Flip, You're comments are interesting to read. Sadly I haven't listened all yet so I'll not say anything by now.

But I've seen that a lot of songs are rated at 4.x or even lower. Hey, the scale goes up to 10!!!! I don't think that there's anything bad enough to be rated less than 5 or 6... .

MehdiT , my wery critical wife wants to say to you that she thinks your version of Mr.X with girl vocalist is magnificent. She thinks it is very stylish, nothing too much, nothing too little.

I must say I agree.

She just sitted here and listened all the entries with headphones. She says every one are great. But she rufusees to say anything about my version... :p

Flip: I just compared mine with the original, and...they're both in the same key!

Mrs. X

Flip:

Thanks a lot for the comments, really appreciate your feedback. It´s nice to know that other people like your music...I´m already looking foreward to the next competitions - thinks we´re all winners in here!

All the best
Ole

This troubles me a bit. Mine (rec level) is also noticeable lower than others (Please turn volume up a bit!! ) but I have checked carefully that my song goes to "peak" 0db. It stops just there.

I made my final equalisation with Sound Forge-program, what should be good. So it seems The Thin Wall and mine recording level is Ok. Also cheked it with Reason and Cubase. The recording level can´t be any higher. Not a single bit.

I opened couple track (entries) to Sound Forge, and they were way too loud. Levels (meters) went immediadly to red.

What do you think Flip, can the song be equalised a certain way that increasing level (volume) is possible?

I might quess, the problem in my case is that I notice that my amplifier´s (connected to computer) bass was turn to lowest positions and treble to highest (my 3 years old gremlin !!), so I mixed it too much base and too low high tones for the start.
Since I noticed that, I had to mix it allover again. I had to use same original, cause there were so many things I had done already to this version.

But my song is enough good you to get idea, I hope

Hey, I am just interested in technically these things. As I have said before, ALL THE ENTRIES ARE EXELLENT, and shows this forum is indeed the real treasure with talented people.

And thank you Flip for your very professional notes about entries in Best Cover Section. PLEASE, do the same on other categories as well.

Cheers, ari <img border="0" title="" alt="[Cool]" src="cool.gif" />

I think so too Nils. Everyone who took part, used hours of making song and boldly let them out to publics deserves already at least 5 and a hug!

I´ll give you that hug . I couldn´t rate anything under 6 thou! :p

Cheers, ari

Yeah, both of mine have been rated under 5 so far!!! I didn't think I sucked that badly, did I??

Mrs. X

Hi !
Thanks ARi (well, you and your wife).
Mrs X : i think flips sais that if the music was a few tones higher, it would fit your voice better, because now it forces you to go down too low for you and it is more difficult(mm, i have nothing to teach to anyone in this respect).
In the same time, just like it is, it is so cute, very charming :-)
Ole (and others), I noticed you asked me to make some comments, thanks for the honor, but I am not ready yet (haven't had the chance to listen to everything yet), I will re-listen tonight, but I am not good at criticisms.

Ari : a compressor. soundforge has something called wave booster (or something like that, wave-something in the tools or effects). may be you have it in your SF. it removes peaks and gives punch too basses and low-volumes (in general, you need a compressor or multiband compressor. No that hard to use. it just requires a few expriments).

I might have good news for the original track i submitted (well, another less dark-new-wave version). will keep the news for later, when i'm sure and if you are interesed.
all the best.
Mehdi (very buzy making music, again and again ;-) )

Oh! I'm sorry! I took it as if he said I was singing off-key!! )

...And I was wondering when I'd hear the word "cute" to describe my voice!! I was waiting for it...I was prepared! My voice doesn't record very well. I sound like I'm 12 (which I'm not! I'll be 32 next month!!)

Mrs. X

I have to concur with everyone that the standard is excellent. I'm getting very little work done today through listening to the tracks...

Flip - spot on with your observations...we've already been teasing Tommy (our drummer) about his 'Kelly Marie' drum sounds. He has promised to do better in future....

If I have to pick a favourite it would be Mehdi's 'Mystere X' - shades of 'Fade to Grey'...

When I listened first your version of Lament, I went directly to your profile to check out, how old this girl really is!

Your voice fits perfectly to Lament atmosphere...it´s so vunerable, sensitive, "cute"... it makes "Lament" to even more Lament, what it was originally, I think! I like intstrumentation a lot.

Yep. That´s it. I forgot that one. It was in my mind, it just disappeared. I just remembered one friend of mine (works in record company) told me once, every song needs some compression.

Hope you all find it enough good still.

All my love,
ari

Well, then you'll have found out that I turn 32 in exactly one month! It probably wouldn't surprise you either that I'm short too!! OK, I'm giving away too much of my identity!

Thanks for the compliment! "Vulnerable...sensitive..." ooh, I like that!

Mrs. X (Tee hee!)

Flip

Thanks for your comments matey.
We're quite happy with The Voice....apart from Tom's high-pitched bo bo simmons thingy....LOL, we were running out of time, we could have sampled one of the synths....it's a learning curve!

It sounds how you want it....it loses some of it's edge when it's converted to MP3

I used a Nord Lead 2 which i put through an old MXR Flanger....(Me ARP's in the menders at the mo along with the PPG as the top 3 keys on the Odyssey are goosed..I'll have it back for the live stuff soon)

Please remember guys the tracks were recorded LIVE in ONE take with no sequencers etc...only the vocals were done a couple of days later.

Hello again Chaps and Chapesses...

Well I'm glad I didn't upset anyone with my comments. I'll be happy to do the same for the other categories when I have the energy - I seem to have some flu-ey thing at the moment which is wearing me out.

Ole - I agree - knowing people like your stuff is a big thrill.

Ari - Mehdi said it all. Compression is the key. I'm not an expert on it though - I just tend to experiment and when I stop making a mess of the sound, I keep it...! I should write down ideal settings but I don't - so I never learn.

Mrs X - Mehdi called it right again - I just meant the song was too low for you. Its an easy mistake to make (and at least you can sing, I can't).

Sleepy - So its not a MIDI file then? Kid-ding... ;)If you really did record those tracks live in a single take then you have nothing to be ashamed of at all. The live thing will def be worth seeing (although how you can play anything with that gangrenous arm of yours I don't know... .

Of course Phil you are right I asked Cerise to move Lament to Section number 3 (Remix and cover with new sound)
Ceriseyou will get smaller file very soon.
And of course I'm waiting for RTWW version.

Bye

Aye...yer right there!

Originall posted by Flip Martian
Flip, if we'd built the things up do you think we would have left Kelly Marie in there ?

The only false part of our recording was Sleepy's left arm which has been replaced by a prosthetic since the original detached itself a couple of weeks after the photo was taken and was last seen being chased by Professor Quatermass and his team.

He also says that when he plays it with his left hand it feels like someone else...apparently...

I assume you did. That´s why they have this organic touch. Good. I love them both.

Okey, you pro(s). Is my entry ok without compression? Do you find it disturbing it is a bit more "silent" than other tracks. Is there point to compress it and sent it to Cerise again? Should I just leave it there like it is?

Please, be honest about this.

Cheers, ari

Chapette?



I agree as well! I find it very encouraging, and it makes doing things like this all the more worthwhile.



Well, I'm a female doing songs meant for male vocals. That is hard sometimes, depending on the song, but I'm sure there must be something better out there for me for next time. I have a few ideas in mind... Glad you enjoyed it though!

Mrs. X

Forgot to mention one thing...

I await your critique of "Just For A Moment!" No one's said a word yet, and that's a bit worrying! Was it that bad? I enjoyed the other remixes myself!

Get well soon, Flip!

Mrs. X

Don't do that. I've directed all my friends to the current section. They're not too bright, so they won't find it when moved elsewhere

I wanted to comment things when I downloaded all, but I'll do it now for the songs I have already listened to... .

The Ascent - Ari Leppa
This is the evidence that Ultravox' instrumentals even work with a modern sounddesign. I'm sure if You play this to someone who doesn't know the original, then he would doubtless think this has always been the original version. Okay, maybe he would ask about the voice and who would be the "most musical group live come across" .

Just for a moment - Mrs. X
Very ambient soundscape, could appear in a David Lynch-movie. I miss the piano part a bit though. And after "Silence" it doesn't run that smooth as the original, the "cut" is a bit hard. But then again it gives it something ..... searching the word..............I mean it sounds as if You (or the lyric's main character) really knew what You want.

Lament - SAT Project
It definitely has something very positive. It is 'Lament', but it doesn't lead into total darkness, there is a glimmer of hope.
I also love the "lounge-style" (I hope You know what I mean). And: You use an E-Bow there, don't You? Love that thing and must have one soon.... .
This version sounds very up-to-date, I bet it could be successful when released as a single!
Tasak: Your photos on the HP are very small. Any larger?

Lament - Mrs. X
The music and sounds are very close to the original ((((((but the drums are a bit too present for my taste)))))). As for the singing: it's a bit too deep for Midge also (e.g. "Rewind" DVD), so what??
Mrs. X, who did the backing vox? Was it also You?
Do You know Stina Nordenstam? If not, then take a listen to "Ask the Mountains" of Vangelis' CD "Voices". Your voice would really fit with that kind of music!! She has a similar clear voice. And she's not very tall also .

Mystere X - Mehdi Touzani
Wow!!! The music seems to be more or less the same as in Your former version, which was already very impressive. But this is just perfect!! The girl is not the same as in "Fade to Grey", is she ? This, too, might be successful if released now. Maybe when played in clubs. I also love the effects on her voice.
Eeeerm........by the way: she sounds as if she would look beautiful. Does she ?

New Europeans - Monument
This rocks! It's very close to the original and my legs won't stop shaking with the beat. Yeah, the drums in the slow part sometimes seem to be not quite "on the point", but I don't think that's an important fact.
Absolutely great!!

The Thin Wall - Retrovox
What can I say? Wow!!! Is it a formerly unknown mix of an Ultravox-version?? The voice is not the same, okay, but that's all, isn't it? Sadly the sound of this mp3 is a bit hollow/muffled. But that's only the mp3 I think.
By the way: who are You in the forum (nicknames)?

The Voice - Monument
Same as for "New Europeans": this rocks!!!!!!!! There was not such a great version since 1984!!! Can't wait to see You live. Hope this will happen one day.... .
Love the "collapsing" of the solo-synth after the piano-part, when it changes into white noise and the stops. Phantastic!
Is there clean guitar with wah-effect in the chorus?

We stand alone - Stealth
I can only say what has already been said: G.R.E.A.T.!!!!!! The way it is sung is very cool, the voice is great, guitar and synth work also. Absolutely GREAT! And I love that the songs ends the way the original begins.

How the hell should someone name "the best" one of those songs? I couldn't do that, they are all wonderful. I'll have to vote with 10 points quite often.

What music do You all do when You don't cover Ultravox? Would love to hear of those!

I find it interesting that there are so many really giftet musicians (and I mean musicians) here on the forum! Come on, let us hear You on radio!

I just tried quickly the thin wall in a compression unit and it didn't change the gain too much. Or it can do it but not without changing the bass/medium/treble balance, which change the sound of everything. I haven't really noticed anything bad in this track... sounds fine as it is, no ?

Nils : Mystere X is the same as my previous Mr X, it is only the equalisation/mix of the instruments which is different. Fleur is just like her voice tells you she is :-) (but i am going to disapoint you, she is married already :-)

The Ascent is my track!

cheers, ari

[/b]

Thanks, Nils! Since he's a big David Lynch fan, I think Mr. X will appreciate that comment! I wanted to make this remix as minimal as possible. My original thought was to do it à capella (with very little to no instrumentation whatsoever)! But Mr. X had this idea of making it sound very sort of atmospheric, and I wanted an eerie feel to go along with it. I think that was achieved! The "silence" bit was supposed to echo and fade into...silence. I think that was done well, for the most part. I do try to put a lot of emotion into my singing (since that's what I do best), and I think "Just For A Moment" was a good song to do that with.

[/b]

Ah, the drums... I tried to get the drums right, and I thought I'd come close. I didn't notice them being too loud or anything, but if they were...sorry! Drums are not my forté (sorry Warren!). I play keyboards/synths, am learning to create music on the PC (as I did with these songs) and I sing. I suppose I could get into drum machines and suchlike...

Backing vocals - the backing during the verses ("After all the pain/just to twist again" and "After all the pain/just to burn again") was done by my wonderful husband Mr. X as well as the "ohhh" at the very end of the song. I did the rest, since he didn't think he could do them himself.

No, I'm not familiar with Stina Nordenstam, but I'll have a listen to her singing sometime! I do like Vangelis' work.

I agree. As it has been said before, Warren definitely has his work cut out for him! (I'm at the edge of my seat already awaiting his input!)

Speaking for myself, as you will see in my notes for "Lament" when they go up, this is my first attempt at stuff like this. Mr. X has done instrumental re-creations of Depeche Mode tracks, and a few songs of his own, plus written lyrics for songs that I'm supposed to help with with the music for! (He's also asked me to write lyrics too.) Now that I've had some experience creating music, I could probably try and do my own material. After all...I've been wanting a career in music for the last 20 years!

Mrs. X

Hi all,

I really enjoyed listening to all of the entries.

Great to hear so many creative interpretations of good old Ultravox tracks.

Nils: Thank you for your nice view on my vocal on "We Stand Alone". For your information I had a cold when we recorded the vocal last friday so it could be better, but thats the name of the game

quote:
----------------------------------------------------------------------
What music do You all do when You don't cover Ultravox?
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Well, I have been making electronic music since I was 16, so that must be....eeh...wait a sec...hmmm...for 19 years now...my god

I have been participating in different projects but now I make music with Ole (more 80´s style)and I have my own project making dance/trance music. I actually released a single 3 years ago here in Denmark, which was a dance version of the theme for the series "Pursuaders".

Anyway, looking forward to hearing from Warren, I am glad I am not in his shoes when he has to pick the winners

Thanks Nils for your kind words about my entry for best remix The Ascent (without doubt).

By the way, I received CD´s you sent me. THANK YOU VERY MUCH! I have listen your own CD, and believe it or not, the first thing what popped to my mind was Bladerunner while I listened your first track "Entering to the city (?)"

After I continued, it was about halfway, I was thinking Vangelis´s Voices record. I was going to ask you: "Have you listened it a lot recently, or do ya like that record?"

Well, you answered already

I like that album a lot. I makes me relax.

Cheers, ari

Nils, thanks a lot for your comment.

Not exactly

Yeah, it's a very clever gizmo. Actually, the solo's doubled in octaves.

Should we start looking for a sponsor?

You mean those? - EDIT: http://www.tasak.internetdsl.pl/sat/pics/index.html They're quite big. Just click on the thumbnails.

Hi, funny thing, I just LOVE that track. It´s not so long time ago, when I sample it to Cubase and starded to make it more dance-version....

Like you entry too!! What more can I say, what haven´t been said before. :p

ari

Cheers, ari

Mehdi: Married? Well, nothing's perfect . Keep in touch with her, I would love to hear more collaborations of You both (I mean musical ).

Mrs. X: Ah, I see. Yes, that was achieved. It's a very strange sounding version. But it has to be, when it reminds me of Lynch... .
I'm no great fan of normal à capella, but when it comes to experiment with the voice then it can be great. At last Jarre's Zoolook is some kind of à capella, too, isn't it?
The drums in "Lament" are great, I just thought that this one sound (I don't know the word) is a bit too loud. You know, this "electronic open hi-hat". But how can I be a critic in case of drums? The drumtrack is always the one I have the largest problems with when I do a song.
Please keep us informed about Your further musical projects!
And by the way: check Your mailbox, you have just received an appr. 420kByte email.

Jesper: really, You had a cold? I don't hear that. But so Your vox is indeed "cool" . Did You play the guitar or Ole?
"The Persuaders", cool! I love the series (and of course Barry's music), the german dubbing was directed and translated by a genius named Rainer Brandt. He also spoke Danny Wilde and it was very funny! Critics say that it was even better than in the original.
Do You have a homepage?

Ari: Good to know that the CDs have arrived! Yes, Vangelis is propably my biggest influence. I'm sure it was "Dream" that made You think of "Voices"? It might remind of "Prelude".

Dr. Tasak: well, with "lounge style" I mean.......it's even hard to describe in german. And today seems to be my "day of lost words".... . Those wah wah effects, the way the drums sound, the clear soundscape of the song. Maybe anyone knows the word I'm searching for???
Of course You should start looking for a sponsor. No joke! Well, here are some guys in this forum who have the experiences with the music-industry. Maybe they take care??
The link to the pics says something like "forbidden"... .
EDIT: know it works, there was a full-stop at the end of the url that made it not working. Interesting pics, nice guitars! Who is who, by the way?

[/b]

You know, I just realised (and this is also in my notes about this song (are they up yet?)): Mr. X had the original idea for the instrumentation, and he's a Lynch fan. Coincidence? I'll have to ask him.



I'm not that familiar with Jean-Michel Jarre's work, sorry. À capella can sound really cool, I think, if you use great effects for the vocals, and maybe some other effects to go along with it as well. "Just For A Moment" might have worked out wonderfully like that, but I do like how it turned out with what instrumentation there is in there!

You might be talking about the splash cymbal. It was the closest thing I could find to use to simulate the sound I was trying to simulate (pardon the redundancies). I know what you mean about having problems with drum tracks. I was not looking forward to doing the drums to that song! I thought it was going to be a nightmare! But it worked out as well as it could, and I hope Warren will be forgiving.

Once Mr. X and I have completed some original work, I will pass them along! (Oooh, this gives me incentive to get working!) Maybe something might be eligible for the next "Best Original" competition! We shall see!

I have received your email, Nils, and responded to it! Thanks!

Mrs. X

hehehe, ok (will try tomorrow... )

That's right. I noticed it, too.

It's Sly and me in the pics; I play the guitars. They were taken in my room during the recording of the guitar tracks. It was a very short session - about 2 hours including setting up all the equipment

Sly - have moved Lament to Best remix category.

To all - apologies for not adding the track notes yet (including Forum member's names), had a tough day and am just finishing work (almost 1am!). I'll do it tomorrow.

Nils - do you have an email address for Nige? I'll try and contact him. Cheers!

OK, really going to bed now!

... Almost. Sly - your smaller version of Lament has been uploaded.

ROTFL!!!

Have just finished listening to all of the tracks, and I take my hat off to everyone who entered. Fantastic stuff It's obvious how much work has gone into all of the tracks. I don't want to post comments on each track individually as I really don't feel qualified to (I have a classical violin training but haven't played anything in years!). However I do have to say, Nils' "LGA" remix, that has a very lovely, haunting, "Twin Peaks" feel to it, so very different from the original but it really "works" for me!

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