Headlights

Beat Battle entry for BB68 (thanks aRVEGA for starting samples)

Beat Battle 68 rules were:
-To create a track which shall make the listener feel a sense of lightness in mood  - happiness if you will. Joy. Laughter.
-The challenging part is the stems were all dark in atmosphere. They were in basically different keys. Only common factor was the BPM being set at 120.
-Use at least 3 samples recognizably
-Keep the track length between 3-5 minutes

**
In my track I had to experiment with shifting 3 main sample selection choices around into the same musical key to make sense, and try to make them feel happy (I landed at F Major).  I then pieced together a background synth from PhasePlant to tie the 3 sample selection sections of the track together and built out my idea of evoking that feeling of being a kid and watching cartoons and it making you feel happiness (even if there might be a subtle background of darkness like something isn't quite right).  The track builds with more and more fun toy/spring/pop/cartoon like samples through to the end.  (I used 6 samples from the pack)

Euphoric Innocence (BB68)

Beat Battle entry for BB72 (thanks @tim_spencer for starting samples and challenge)!

Beat Battle 72 rules were:
-Use Some Spring Reverb
-Use a spring based instrument (Jaw Harp samples were provided)
-Song should have recognizable “bounce”
-Song is mad enough or contains enough chocolate to get rabbit approval.

**
I made use of 16 samples in my track. My track hearkens back to Hip Hop soundscapes of old mixed with processed Jaw Harp samples, and is a tongue-in-cheek electronic/rap song about a sexy Easter Bunny.  Recording and processing original vocals took a lot more time than I expected, but I again learned a lot so I expect it will be easier in the future.

S.E.B.

S.E.B. (BB72)

Beat Battle entry for BB76 (thanks @sawron-2  for starting samples and challenge)!

Beat Battle 76 rules were: 
-Use at least 1 beat from the pack
-Try to make it tense and depicting a post-apocalyptic world, where zombie rabbits have taken over
-Must be posted with a rabbit picture

**
I made use of about 20 samples in my track. The battle host "Destructive Intent" is known for his excellent breakbeat songs, and he included a multitude of great breakbeat samples in the pack.  So I decided to try to use and layer as many together in a song that I could, and I managed to squeeze about 10-12 in here to form the beats.  I used a tweaked variety of other samples he had as well to create the tense atmosphere, and then augmented with some aggressive synth playing.  I polished it off with a simple vocal playing off the host’s name and the directions for the song, becoming the title of Destructive Reality.

Destructive Reality

Destructive Reality (BB76)

"...as I sit waiting in the coffee shop gazing out the window, my mind drifts away for a time... into its own world."

Distant Gaze

Trudging through the dark desert, overshadowed by oppressive storms and soaked with passing rains, the Sojourner looks up to catch a glimpse of the sun breaking through the clouds ahead…soon he will be free of this darkness…

Sojourner

Beat Battle entry for BB69 (thanks @Geoffrey-SmartPunk for the great guitar samples to build a track around)!

Lyrics: 
"We're running out of time 
tic toc tic toc tic toc tic toc 
Earth's heart slowing down won't .. be long now
Earth's… heart... won't .. be long now " 

I used 6 great guitar samples prominently in the track.

Beat Battle 69 rules were:  - Use at least 3 stems of the pack - Fuse/Blend two or more musical styles of your choice - Make a track between 2 and 5 minutes - Bonus: add a message of care for our planet in vocals if any

** My track builds upon a simple ambient drone and step sequenced progression, leaving space to highlight a few of the excellent guitar samples provided in the battle sample pack, including some vocals from SynthV. My focus was on really trying to smoothly blend in the rock element to make it fit into the ambient vibe while still providing strong drums and washy ambience throughout.

Out Of Time

Out Of Time (BB69)

This is the instrumental version of my "Out Of Time" track for BeatBattle 69 https://soundcloud.com/hazzmattpdx/out-of-time with the guitar samples provided in the battle pack by @Geoffrey-SmartPunk

Out Of Time - Instrumental

Out Of Time - Instrumental (BB69)

Beat Battle entry for BB70 (thanks @hc-urblitz for the prolific sample pack)!

BB70 rules were: 
-Make a song about Time somehow 
-At least 3 minutes long 
-Include tempo variations 
-Use at least 3 samples 
-Use at least a couple of seconds of audio from the "Hear me first instructions" sample

I used 9 samples from the packs in my song. 

My song is a journey about the cycles of time, and includes a multitude of quotes read by AI to provoke thought and consideration of lifecycles and time, and those are cited below:

Quotes: 
-Carl Sagan: 
"The nitrogen in our DNA, the calcium in our teeth, the iron in our blood, the carbon in our apple pies were made in the interiors of collapsing stars. We are made of starstuff."

-Neil deGrasse Tyson: 
"When we try to look farther into the universe we come to what appears to be the end of space but actually it’s the beginning of time."
"There's as many atoms in a single molecule of your DNA as there are stars in the typical galaxy. We are, each of us, a little universe."
"The most successful people recognize that in life they create their own love, they manufacture their own meaning, they generate their own motivation."

-Battlestar Galactica: 
"-I saw a star explode and send out the building blocks of the Universe. Other stars, other planets and eventually other life. A supernova! -"
"This has all happened before, and it will all happen again"

-2010: The Year We Make Contact: 
“My god! It’s full of stars!”

-Variation of poem by:  Clare Harner, The Gypsy, December 1934
"Do not stand at my grave and weep, I am not there, I do not sleep. 
I am a thousand winds that blow; I am the diamond glints on the snow. 
I am the sunlight on ripened grain; I am the gentle autumn's rain.
When you awaken in the morning's hush, I am the swift uplifting rush
Of quiet birds in circled flight. I am the soft star that shines at night. 
Do not stand at my grave and cry. I am not there; I did not die."

Cycles of Time

Cycles of Time (BB70)

Beat Battle entry for BB74 (thanks @alain-domagala for the great samples to build a track around)!

I used 12 samples prominently in the track.

Beat Battle 74 rules were: 
 -“Use what you like, transform as you wish”

** This was my 3rd restart at making a song for this battle (having some trouble deciding on how I wanted to use the French vocals and build on an idea). In this iteration I decided to to use the vocals more rhythmically and to practice playing with dynamics and peak volume a bit in this track. My goal was to have the song feel like it is pushing forward with joyful energy to a peaking crescendo and ending exhale!

With Open Arms

With Open Arms (À Bras Grands Ouverts) (BB74)

Beat Battle entry for BB80 (thanks @joerg-zimmermann-nagcp for the amazing samples to build a track around)!

I used 12 samples prominently in the track.

Beat Battle 80 rules were: 
“-An unknown virus from outer space has transformed the crew of the 'Pilgrim' into ravenous zombies. Now adrift in the vast expanse of space, the zombified crew aimlessly roam their spacecraft, driven by an otherworldly urge to feed on alien brains. 
-“ “Rules are simple: use at least 3 samples from the pack and create a song in whatever genre you deem fitting. Samples are mostly 120 BPM.”

** 
I intended to add a pad and synth on top of this bed track arrangement, but have run out of time. However, I think Joerg’s samples hold up pretty well on their own with just some layered drums!

“It's been hundreds of years since any communication was received from the Baychimo and even that was just some kind of garbled transmission about a “Pilgrim”…. the ship has been adrift in space all this time. We’ve travelled over 3 and half years in search of it, and today we’ve finally got our first glimpse of her. The ship is in pieces with strange damage to her hull. We’re gearing up to go inside now, who knows what we’ll find…”

Baychimo

Baychimo (BB80)

Beat Battle entry for BB83 (thanks @talotres for the challenge of just a vocal to start from)!

Beat Battle 83 rules were: 
-To make use of a 5 minute recording of the host’s daughter reading various numerology “facts” about the number “83”. The song could be anything but should incorporate some of the vocals in a prominent way.

** 
At one point in the Beat Battle thread he mentioned “Little Fluffy Clouds”, which reminded me of an old song by “the Orb” from the early 90’s. (Not sure if that’s what he meant, but that’s what I drew some inspiration from for this bouncy, reverby beat built around various snippets and rephrased segments of the vocals).

HazzMattPDX

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