Early sign up thread for January challenge.

The January challenge will be on the theme of collaboration so our Dear Leader snsranch has asked me to open an early bird thread where we can raise our hands in the air and try to figure out who's going to collaborate with whom, and how the whole thing's gonna work.

Please post up if you have an idea for a collaboration, a skill to offer, a question, or anything else related to the challenge.

Several of us have collaborated in the past on various things so there's also some hive experience on how to make the whole thing work in practical terms, if you have questions about that.

posted by unSane (81 comments total)

I am really stoked about collaboration, and am certainly going to be reaching out for some help. I'd love to offer my banjo, guitar, or vocals for anyone who's interested.
posted by ORthey at 7:38 PM on November 6, 2010

I can offer vocals, drums, percussion, horn, trumpet, guitbass, basitar, effects, or production.
posted by askmeaboutLOOM at 8:15 PM on November 6, 2010

I have a couple of ideas for collabs, more of which later, but I can offer guitar (electric, acoustic, 12-string, a bit of bass), some keyboards (especially organ/piano), big massed vocal harmonies, and basically anything you can hear on any of my tracks, including the mixing/mastering.
posted by unSane at 8:33 PM on November 6, 2010

Oh, I forgot to mention theremin and, well...noise. If you want some kind of crazy, discordant noise, I'm your man.
posted by askmeaboutLOOM at 9:24 PM on November 6, 2010

I'm in. Will play anything you've ever heard me play, and possibly some things you've never heard me play. Production, too: I'd be keen on mixing/mastering anything that I'm part of.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 9:37 PM on November 6, 2010

Oh, and regarding this part of unSane's post:

try to figure out who's going to collaborate with whom

Can we put in requests? Make a proposition? If so, I'm thinking I'd like to do something this time around with umbú...
posted by flapjax at midnite at 9:40 PM on November 6, 2010

I'm in.

try to figure out who's going to collaborate with whom

Random draw, maybe?
posted by Karlos the Jackal at 12:30 AM on November 7, 2010

I have one idea for collaboration which I'm kind of interested in pursuing. Someone (ie me) supplies a rhythm track along with a chord progression (I'll put a pad on the rhythm track which won't be in the final mix) and then it gets sent out to the collaborators, each of whom adds a track -- instrumental, vocal, percussion, spoken word, whatever -- without hearing the tracks added by the other folk. It all gets sent back to me and I mix it. I would use a pretty simple progression that's easy to work with.

An alternative is to do the same thing in a wheel, so a track gets added, and it gets sent on to the next person, and finally ends up back at me to be mixed.
posted by unSane at 5:34 PM on November 7, 2010

Oh, yeah, and for my other collaboration idea I REALLY REALLY need a female vocalist.
posted by unSane at 5:44 PM on November 7, 2010

OK, one more collaboration idea. This one is entirely conceptual. Imagine a band called THE SLIMENERDS. Their debut single is FETID ANORAK. Execute.
posted by unSane at 6:07 PM on November 7, 2010

With that last comment unSane is gloriously living up to his user name.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 6:51 PM on November 7, 2010

When I mentioned this to some friends, their instant response was 'weren't you already in a band called the Slimenerds?'
posted by unSane at 6:54 PM on November 7, 2010

If so, I'm thinking I'd like to do something this time around with umbú...

Oh, yeah, and for my other collaboration idea I REALLY REALLY need a female vocalist.

See, specific requests like these I think are easier to deal with outside the confines of a challenge sort of thing. If you want to work with a certain person, it's easy enough to do so at any time (look here), but it'd be real tough for sns to make everyone happy if they're making requests. (It is of course up to sns if he wants to try!)

I have one idea for collaboration which I'm kind of interested in pursuing. [...]

We've done Exquisite Corpse-style stuff a few times before -- here and here and here. It is fun and I support the existence of more of it.
posted by Karlos the Jackal at 7:43 PM on November 7, 2010 [1 favorite]

See, specific requests like these I think are easier to deal with outside the confines of a challenge sort of thing. If you want to work with a certain person, it's easy enough to do so at any time (look here), but it'd be real tough for sns to make everyone happy if they're making requests. (It is of course up to sns if he wants to try!)

Yeah, I hear you, Karlos. Good point.

So, here's a suggestion: everyone who signs on as interested here in this thread gets their names written down on a piece of paper by snsranch. He throws these into a hat and starts drawing, coming up with collab partners. How's that sound?
posted by flapjax at midnite at 8:09 PM on November 7, 2010

How's that sound?

Random draw, yeah.
posted by Karlos the Jackal at 11:35 PM on November 7, 2010

Indeed, as Karlos said first, random draw! Hooray!

Whaddaya think, sns?
posted by flapjax at midnite at 12:23 AM on November 8, 2010

Agreed, random draw. Here's hoping for something completely off the wall! And of course, it wouldn't be terribly fair to pair us with someone we already collaborate with on a regular basis (say, man vs sun and me, or Mulp and reklus)
posted by askmeaboutLOOM at 12:29 AM on November 8, 2010

sounds good. So they're all 2-ways?
posted by unSane at 3:18 AM on November 8, 2010

Thanks Karlos and flapjax, that sounds like an excellent and exciting way of doing this. I'm going to be in the mix too, so I'll have my little ranch hands do the drawing.

I'll hold off on it to see if more folks show up. You guys let me know if you think of a certain time frame we should be on.

So they're all 2-ways? Yea, unSane, it sounds like pairs to me. Regarding your idea about the "round robin" really big collaboration, we've done some stuff like that in the past. After I feed my monkeys and whatnot, I'll dig up some links.
posted by snsranch at 4:13 PM on November 8, 2010

unSane, clearly, great minds think alike and thanks for firing up this post. Kick ass.
posted by snsranch at 6:09 PM on November 8, 2010

Well, maybe I should start a round-robin thread once I can post again.
posted by unSane at 6:39 PM on November 8, 2010

As for deadline I suggest have a cut-off for names of Dec 1, post another call just before the deadline, then do the draw immediately. That will give the pairs a month before the challenge opens and two months before it closes. I wonder whether we could prevail on the mods to publicise it somewhat to bring a few new people in?
posted by unSane at 6:41 PM on November 8, 2010

I'm in.

Chances are I won't have enough time in Dec-Jan to contribute something of my own, but I'll gladly add to someone else's song.
posted by micayetoca at 8:13 AM on November 9, 2010

I'm in for anything.
posted by cortex at 8:28 AM on November 9, 2010

I would like to be involved in this draw, yes please.
posted by Cantdosleepy at 9:23 AM on November 9, 2010

unSane, I'm down with that, sounds great. The best way to get an audience broader than MeFiMusic would probably be to take it to MetaTalk. Since the challenges are ongoing and continuous, I don't think I'll take this collaboration there.

While I'm yapping about it though, it's probably the best way to get your Big Ass Project fired up.
posted by snsranch at 3:35 PM on November 10, 2010

Since the challenges are ongoing and continuous, I don't think I'll take this collaboration there.

I think you should. A call for Mefites to collaborate with each other is something that deserves some more eyeballs than this is currently getting, IMO.
posted by Karlos the Jackal at 8:30 PM on November 10, 2010

Paging Cortex, but given some of the stuff that's been on MeTa recently I would have thought something like this would come as a welcome relief!
posted by unSane at 8:44 PM on November 10, 2010

Hi all...please count me in, too! I've been looking forward to participating in another challenge, and the extra time allowed for this one will definitely be a plus.
posted by rangefinder 1.4 at 12:36 AM on November 11, 2010

I too, would like to participate please.
posted by minifigs at 5:59 AM on November 11, 2010

I think a Metatalk post about fishing for non-Music-regulars to get involved in collaborations would be totally great, yeah. I don't know whether it'd be better to do it now or to hold off until we're closer to January, I guess talk amongst yourselves on that front, but the idea seems totally fine.
posted by cortex at 7:01 AM on November 11, 2010

I'm in, but only if the person I get paired with is okay with the name "Butter Sweat".
posted by Corduroy at 1:43 PM on November 11, 2010

Well, hell yea, then! A couple/few days prior to the drawing we'll have a MeTa Launch!
posted by snsranch at 2:24 PM on November 11, 2010

I want to do this. I don't know if I can make the time. But I want to do this. Ideally with someone I can collab with in person, but I'm flexible.
posted by davejay at 9:12 PM on November 11, 2010

I'll metaphorically chuck my car keys into the ashtray and await events. Happy to do anything legal. Or illegal if I'm honest (nice oxymoron there). The Gin Palace menu includes the chef's speciality: guitars of the acoustic or electric variety, 6 or 12 string, lovingly tuned and played to a nicety and all served on a floating bed of wonderousness with a garnish of your choice. Yum! Production, engineering and general technical fromage de la maison. No lead singing though. I'm afraid that's off.
posted by MajorDundee at 9:13 AM on November 12, 2010

Actually....I had two additional thoughts about this. I don't really expect either to meet with much enthusiasm, but here goes:

1.We did a great job of covering The Velvet Underground And Nico. It was loads of fun and a lot of people got involved. What about combining that with this challenge - obviously, a different album this time (Dark Side Of The Moon maybe?). It would kind of give a real focus to the collaborations. We could do the same thing we did last time - except sns would be pairing people up and allocating a track for them to tackle. And no complaining about being given "On The Run" or whatever crap track you wind up with. Luck of the draw. No offence to fans of "On The Run", obviously (raises eyes heavenwards)

2. Set aside the "single album" idea. Another idea is that in addition to each pair doing their own thing, everyone involved contributes to a version of this. sns or someone with a sonorous voice to act as compere. Could be really funny.

No? Oh, fuck you then......
posted by MajorDundee at 9:29 AM on November 12, 2010

Purple Rain FTW.
posted by unSane at 11:11 AM on November 12, 2010

Is this where I mention that I don't really like Prince's music?
posted by cortex at 11:31 AM on November 12, 2010

That raised a smile - I've never even heard of "It Takes A Nation etc". I never liked Prince much. The Cure - yes, maybe. So..........hhmmmm this is always the problem - finding something that the majority can agree on. Sticky Fingers? London Calling? The Kinks Are The Village Green Preservation Society? Hunky Dory? Aladdin Sane? The LA's? Electric Ladyland? Blood On The Tracks? Forever Now? Talk Talk Talk? Never Mind The Bollocks Here's The MeFites?

How about some kind of iconic compilation album like C86? Or a "greatest hits" - ABBA would be a cool challenge, for instance. Seriously - great melodies that could be recrafted in interesting new ways. Or ChangesOneBowie. Or.... The Best Of....X. With a compilation we get the variety but it's still coherently covering an album.

shrugs.....
posted by MajorDundee at 11:40 AM on November 12, 2010

actually I meant Forver Changes, although Forever Now is my favourite Furs album. I'll just slip in The Doors debut album as well.
posted by MajorDundee at 11:44 AM on November 12, 2010

Yeah, to be clear, I'll do whatever, I like a challenge even if the challenge is "re-record this thing you don't like."

I just may infuse it with seething resentment.
posted by cortex at 11:55 AM on November 12, 2010

seething resentment
That's a cool name for a label. All releases on red vinyl only, natch. And the roster has to be full of fey hippies called "Katy". Just to be ironic....er.....heh..
posted by MajorDundee at 12:09 PM on November 12, 2010

I loathe Prince but his songs are surprisingly malleable.
posted by unSane at 12:46 PM on November 12, 2010

That's a cool name for a label.

I'm pretty sure they released The Slimenerds first single, Fetid Anorak, op. cit.
posted by unSane at 12:48 PM on November 12, 2010

I'll give this round a bash.
posted by Zenabi at 1:43 PM on November 12, 2010

I'm pretty sure they released The Slimenerds first single, Fetid Anorak, op. cit.

Correct unSane - you'll recall it was featured on the Greasy Kagoul compilation album (cat. no. Hate 1). Which featured the such long-departed bands as Blaaartt (from Holland, if memory serves), Crud Bucket and The Hairdryers Of Montmartre. The latter of which I must admit to a modest connection with. Ahh, such days, such days....
posted by MajorDundee at 2:44 PM on November 12, 2010

I loathe Prince but his songs are surprisingly malleable.
The problem I have with Prince is that he's such an irritatingly pompous little twat that I can't get beyond that to his music. Naturally (and confidentially entre nous) I'm very close to signing him to Seething Resentment. First up is, aptly, a revision of Little Red Corvette with a jugband and barbershop backing. Fucking rocks man, I can tell you...
posted by MajorDundee at 2:59 PM on November 12, 2010

Okay, here's my Prince anecdote. Many years ago I was working in a TV production company in London, England. We were the first outfit in Britain to move our editing to non-linear (ie computers instead of tape-decks) and as a result we pretty much had a monopoly on editors who knew how to use the equipment.

So Prince decides to tour England, and to have some state-of-the-art multimedia backing which involves recording the concert live and then playing parts of it back on the fly. Or something. Anyway, the point is, he needs non-linear editors STAT, and naturally they call us to see who we can recommend.

However there's one stipulation. They have to be less than five feet tall, as he won't work with anyone taller than him.

I often wondered if this explained why he so often worked with female collaborators, since the only editors who were even in the ballpark were all women.
posted by unSane at 3:08 PM on November 12, 2010

For a future challenge, we could come up with a fictitious band, a fictitious album, and fictitious song titles and then assign one of those songs to each participant.

Fuck the future - let's do it now! That's a much better idea than covering an existing album. I'll start the ball rolling by christening the band Blaaarrtt. They're from Utrecht in the Netherlands. Already signed to Seething Resentment by unSane - he was high at the time (I may have to sack him - gets through shitloads of Charlie). The band currently is in the studio with legendary producer Joop Voormann and waiting for someone to name the album and the tracks they're about to record.....
posted by MajorDundee at 3:18 PM on November 12, 2010

They have to be less than five feet tall, as he won't work with anyone taller than him.
reminds me of a very non-PC gag someone told me today (no shit). Prince might not like it much.

Guy is driving up to a junction and accidentally rams the car in front up the arse.
The rammed driver gets out, understandably angry.
The rammed driver is a dwarf.
The dwarf stomps up to the car and bangs on the window.
Other driver rolls down the window.
Dwarf yells "I'M NOT HAPPY!!"
Other driver says "Ok, which one are you?"
Fight ensues.
posted by MajorDundee at 3:31 PM on November 12, 2010

A couple of people made it known in the announcement thread that they wanted to keep this challenge simple. Considering, though, that we have plenty of time and that we're going to put this out to MeTa and may have quite a few participants, it's perfectly reasonable to add another element to it. We might as well go all-out and have some fun with it!

I'd like some more suggestions for bands/albums/artists. If it was left totally up to, I'd go with Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass. Just kidding...please don't shoot me!!!!!
posted by snsranch at 3:31 PM on November 12, 2010

What on earth is going on in here? I am baffled by the idea that the "collaboration" challenge -- especially the first time we try it -- suddenly needs extra obligations heaped upon it, particularly when those obligations include, "oh, you're not allowed to do an original song." I am voting against!
posted by Karlos the Jackal at 3:32 PM on November 12, 2010

(On non-preview: not intended to be tetchy at sns, who has complete and final say, of course. But I do think the challenge should be nailed down before sign-ups happen.)
posted by Karlos the Jackal at 3:40 PM on November 12, 2010

What on earth is going on in here? Relax man. We're just fooling around. You know how these threads can take unexpected twists and turns. All part of the fun of MeFiMu. If the idea of having some kind of unifying theme underpinning the Jan challenge (be it a cover of an entire album, or a fictitious album or whatever) isn't a runner, no sweat. We have, as the song goes, all the time in the world.
posted by MajorDundee at 3:40 PM on November 12, 2010

Ha, I'm glad you showed up here Karlos! I've spent the last half hour debated whether I should MeMail you.

Honestly, I'm just going with the flow and can see both sides of the issue.

On one hand, this may be the first time collaborating for some people and it would be nice to have a very natural effort without any kind of constraints.

On the other hand this challenge already has the additional element of being assigned a partner and is, by group consensus, going to MeTa for additional players.

We seem to be having a snow-ball effect. Perhaps it's my fault for not just dictating stuff, but personally, while it may be a little time consuming, it's nice to see community effort and consensus.
posted by snsranch at 3:51 PM on November 12, 2010

I AM TOTALLY RELAXED
posted by Karlos the Jackal at 4:03 PM on November 12, 2010

Ah, Karlos!

And thanks, TWF!

Here's what we're gonna do.

1. We stick to the original plan for January. Drawing collaborative partners and submitting music of your choice.

2. February...?

3. For March, we have another collaborative effort focusing on a specific album, band or artist.

Please forgive me for waffling about like a bad politician, but here's my take on this: We're all musicians here, artists and expressive people. Everyone's ideas and opinions are important and valid (to me).

This reminds me of when I used to actually play in bands. You can't make everyone happy all the time. But we CAN here. So that's what we're doing! Cheers!
posted by snsranch at 4:44 PM on November 12, 2010 [2 favorites]

sns, I'm relieved to see that you have a much less autocratic style of managing the Challenge than that jerk that used to run things around here!

Really looking forward to these collabs, BTW.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 6:00 PM on November 12, 2010

February is, of course, RPM 2011, so we might have a challenge theme somehow related to that?
posted by askmeaboutLOOM at 7:42 PM on November 12, 2010

What is RPM 2011?
posted by unSane at 5:17 AM on November 13, 2010

An insane "write and record an album in one month" thing that they do in February.
posted by micayetoca at 5:38 AM on November 13, 2010

I have a possible idea for the February challenge. It's had a thumbs-up from unSane when hit upon in another thread. It's a collaboration of sorts where we each volunteer to produce/mix a track by someone else. So, for instance, Flapjax mixes a track by micayetoca, who mixes a track by unSane, who mixes a track by Flapjax - you get the idea. Could yield some interesting results. And kind of easy too because it could be an existing track. So there's no need to necessarily write and record something specifically for this challenge.
posted by MajorDundee at 11:05 AM on November 13, 2010

@Major I was thinking of taking 'producing' a bit further than that really -- suggestions for the arrangement etc etc -- much as a 'name' producer you paid good money for would do.
posted by unSane at 11:11 AM on November 13, 2010

Sure. Fine. I guess I was just thinking about something simple 'cause some of the other challenges around that time may be quite demanding logistically/organisationally, and people might think "great idea, but....fuck it, I'm beat".

I think we'd just say that if anyone wanted to add or subtract stuff to or from a multitrack, rearrange or whatever - go for it. Do as little or as much as you think it needs to produce something you like. Speed it up, slow it down, add a wobble-board and a brass band, whatever. Basically the artist hands over a multitrack and reinquishes control at that point.

Might be an added twist to upload the artist's original mix (assuming there is one and it's not already on the web somewhere) after the remix, so people can hear how things have changed. To make it even more of a challenge, the producer maybe doesn't get to hear a demo or anything before getting the multitrack - heh heh. I likee.
posted by MajorDundee at 11:39 AM on November 13, 2010

I would also like to participate... I have an idea... but ah how do I explain it. The collaboration I had in mind would be having a group of trained musicians playing on instruments they are unfamiliar with playing/writing for. I don't know if anyone is up for that? Either way count me in.
posted by ACair at 3:08 PM on November 13, 2010

flapjax, ZOMG! You were SUCH a fascist NAZI S.O.B.! Ha, just kidding. Seriously, though, I bet you would look great in some of those blousy pants and knee high jack-boots. You would look like one of those early film directors and might even start a new fashion thing in Jaypan. Ok, really seriously, drinking a toast to you RIGHT NOW, man!

Major D and unSane, you guys have some killer production skills and I can see how interesting that proposition is. Lemme give it some thought.

Major, have you tried out your MeMail?
posted by snsranch at 3:55 PM on November 13, 2010

I would also like to participate... I have an idea... but ah how do I explain it. The collaboration I had in mind would be having a group of trained musicians playing on instruments they are unfamiliar with playing/writing for

You mean, something like the Portsmouth Sinfonia?
posted by askmeaboutLOOM at 7:33 PM on November 13, 2010

I would also like to participate... I have an idea... but ah how do I explain it. The collaboration I had in mind would be having a group of trained musicians playing on instruments they are unfamiliar with playing/writing for

I think with us lot it'd be more like having a bunch of trained chimps...... eee eeeeeee eeeeeeeeeeee
posted by MajorDundee at 3:53 AM on November 14, 2010

Is this thread still alive/are you still looking for people who want to participate?

My resume, as it were:
GOOD at: elec./acous. guitar, bass, piano, drum samples, orch. samples, orch. composition and arranging
AVERAGE at: mixing, bass/tenor vocals, banjo
SHIT at (but will try my ass off because I own them): violin, trombone
posted by hanoixan at 1:28 PM on November 19, 2010

hanoixan, consider yourself enlisted!
posted by snsranch at 3:45 PM on November 19, 2010

A little bird tells me that Major Dundee will not be participating in this challenge (until further notice, anyway) so he probably shouldn't go in the draw.
posted by unSane at 9:20 PM on November 28, 2010

Whaaa? Dundee's disabled his account? Whaaa? Did something happen? Did I miss something? Whaaaa?
posted by flapjax at midnite at 10:41 PM on November 28, 2010

There was a minor contretemps in another thread (start here) but it was teacup stuff. The Major had a minor flameout and his comment was deleted and the next thing we knew he had disabled his account. It really wasn't serious -- I misread it all as elbow-in-the-ribs joshing -- but it turns out the Major didn't take it that way, at the time anway.

Zenabi and I have been in touch with him and we're all cool but he says the Major Dundee persona is no more. I think that little exchange was just the proximate cause... the disabling itself was a culmination of a simmering dissatisfaction with both music.mefi and his own musical direction, plus some other external stuff... all the stuff he'd been expressing in recent posts and tunes, in fact.

I sincerely hope the man behind the Major (Dundee was very much a construct) pops up here again; I'll definitely stay in touch with him and if anyone wishes me to forward a message I'm very happy to.
posted by unSane at 4:55 AM on November 29, 2010

Aw hell yeah, Major, I've got a message coming at you, via unSane, for sure. But let me just say to you here that, in my experience, misunderstanding people's intent on a text-based internet forum like this can certainly (does certainly) happen, and I hope that, considering this point, you'll rejoin us here soon, and resume sharing your music with us, as well as your enormously entertaining sense of humor, and spirit. We'll definitely miss you round here if you stay gone.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 5:21 AM on November 29, 2010

I'll join flapjax in that. If the Major reads this, or if anyone is in touch with him and can tell him, I'd like him to know that he is appreciated here, that in a short time he became a very cool part of the exchange here and his contributions - in every sense, not just musically- were very appreciated. For a while it even seemed like he was pushing the site against its own dwindling and inspired a few of us to come back to a more active participation. I hope you can come back, Major.
posted by micayetoca at 4:52 AM on November 30, 2010

Whoa, I didn't know flameouts happened in this neck of the woods! Well, I hope everyone's cool.

Also, I'm in for any of the ideas I think were floated above: random pairing, covering a song from an album, or mixing someone else's tracks.

I can offer: guitar (heavy, lead, or acoustic), vocals (melodic - but not with great intonation, or death metal style), and - like everyone else - fake drums and synths.
posted by ignignokt at 12:09 AM on December 2, 2010

Hi everyone, I'd like to start getting involved in mefi music.

I play bass and I've been working on my vocals for a few months. I've mostly been writing short little songs to practice mixing and arranging.
I have some simple rock type covers uploaded to youtube from when I was looking for a new gigging band to step into.

Anyway, please add me into the mix if anyone would like to collaborate with me.
posted by zephyr_words at 12:27 AM on December 9, 2010

I'm hoping we can add Major Dundee back into the mix now.
posted by unSane at 5:21 PM on December 9, 2010

Umm... if it's not too late... I am interested in this.

I can contribute saxophone (tenor or alto), piano, guitar, and glockenspiel. And I sing.
posted by baxter_ilion at 4:11 PM on December 11, 2010

Yeah, I'd like to see sns post this to MetaTalk and do the drawing soon after. Paging sns! sns to the black!
posted by Karlos the Jackal at 12:57 AM on December 12, 2010

The results are in.
posted by unSane at 10:24 PM on December 17, 2010