Freesound Forums
The Continuum 2 dare (fork of Continuum1)
Started February 25th, 2012 · 32 replies · Latest reply by escortmarius 12 years, 8 months ago
Continuum2 Dare
So this is an attempt to fork AlienXXX' brilliant never ending dare, called The Continuum, which is located here http://www.freesound.org/forum/dare-the-community/32198/ i hope some of you will play along 
I figured that i would make it somewhat of the opposite of what AlienXXX did, and up till now i've just been waiting for the Continuum to grow into the "right" monster, that would offer a set of possibilities for this dare. I've found it in Puniho's excellent contribution, which you can fetch here http://www.freesound.org/people/Puniho/sounds/147521/.
The Continuum-2 dare rules:
-You may only add one layer when making your version, so that we leave room for others to contribute too.
-You can use what ever effects you want, but only on your own layer.
-Use what ever sound you want from freesound.
-Only use sounds from freesound
-Remember to atribute the file / files you've used
-There's no editing of the original track, which means that you only get to edit what you add your self.
-The original track (the one you have downloaded) have to be a part of your end result.
-Just to keep this to a manageable length, the time limit is 6.00 minutes
-You can use what ever platform to publish, if this turns from a soundscape into music somewhere down the line, we'd have to use soundcloud or what ever you feel most comfortable with. How ever,no matter where you choose to upload your contribution, remember to tag the soundfile with Continuum-2, so we don't mix the two continuums
-Remember to make the file downloadable.
-The time frame is the same as AlienXXX' original dare, 24 hours. Before editing, please leave a post in this thread, so everyone knows that it's your turn.
If you have any questions, please ask
As mentioned, here's the file we start with: http://www.freesound.org/people/Puniho/sounds/147521/
Have fun.
oooh fancy...
a have two clarification questions:
1) when you say no editing of the original, do you also mean no cutting of the track? Or more specifically, if someone wanted to just use the last two mins or the center section, would that be allowed?
2) I'm not sure I know what you mean by layer. And does the new layer have to come from the originating track, or is the point to add new things that compliment it as opposed to the recombination processes occurring in the original continuum?
funtimes!
jgeralyn wrote:
oooh fancy...a have two clarification questions:
1) when you say no editing of the original, do you also mean no cutting of the track? Or more specifically, if someone wanted to just use the last two mins or the center section, would that be allowed?
When i say no editing, i mean that each previous soundfile must be intact, just the way you download it. Sort of a buildingblock that you're allowed to put your own on top.
jgeralyn wrote:
2) I'm not sure I know what you mean by layer. And does the new layer have to come from the originating track, or is the point to add new things that compliment it as opposed to the recombination processes occurring in the original continuum?funtimes!
By layers i mean your contribution. Erm, lets take the buildingblock example again. The original soundfile is the first layer, and your idea of a contribution is the second. So when you're done, there should be two layers, the original and yours.
There's no problem cutting up/sampling/whatever the original layer and put it into your own, but you still have to leave the full original file in the mix. Where you put the original, is your choice.... it just have to be there, somewhere along the 6.00 minute time limit.
Of course you'll have to mix it together, and the volume (as in db) of the layers in the mix, is completely up to you, alas it would be the breaking the rules, if the original file is mixed out by turning down the volume of this layer.
And to further more confuse everybody, i think that "layers" would translate well into "tracks" 
Sorry for my poor english, when trying to explain 
tracks is actually better for me, just because of the software I use. just one more clarification can you add new material into the new layer/track or does it have to be all from the original?
also, were you going to do the first one? or do you mind if I take the first turn...
jgeralyn wrote:
tracks is actually better for me, just because of the software I use. just one more clarification can you add new material into the new layer/track or does it have to be all from the original?
You're allowed to use what ever sound you want, as long as it's from freesound
And of course cuts/bits/samples from the original.
jgeralyn wrote:
also, were you going to do the first one? or do you mind if I take the first turn...
I thought it would be most polite to let anyone but me, do the honour and start this
I will try and keep an eye on this thread so I can moderate samples when people submit them.
If you find that moderation of your file is taking too long, plase PM me...
... and a question...
Should people explain in the description of the sample they upload how they created their entry?
I mean... I know I will... but is it part of the rules, is it mandatory?
AlienXXX wrote:
I will try and keep an eye on this thread so I can moderate samples when people submit them.
If you find that moderation of your file is taking too long, plase PM me...
Thanks AlienXXX
AlienXXX wrote:
... and a question...
Should people explain in the description of the sample they upload how they created their entry?
I mean... I know I will... but is it part of the rules, is it mandatory?
It's not mandatory, just polite
Just uploaded with my new layer: http://www.freesound.org/people/jgeralyn/sounds/147679/
In addition to the original sound from Puniho (linked in the original post on this thread), I utilized this freesound sample from dobroide: http://www.freesound.org/people/dobroide/sounds/86960/
I maybe cheated a tiny bit in that I had made the shuffled version of Dobroide's Breakfast Bar sound months ago using a shuffle filter and some long echos in Metasynth. But I thought of that sound I had made the minute I heard Puniho's submission for the continuum dare, before the second branch. Something about the brightness of Puniho's track, despite its significant reverb, reminded me of the clattering utensils in my shuffled version of Dobroide's sound. TO integrate them into one sound better the little tone sections were made by splicing together tiny sections of the two tracks to harmonize.
All in all, I thought of this as a juxtoposition of daytime rhythms and nighttime rhythms.
jgeralyn wrote:
Just uploaded with my new layer: http://www.freesound.org/people/jgeralyn/sounds/147679/In addition to the original sound from Puniho (linked in the original post on this thread), I utilized this freesound sample from dobroide: http://www.freesound.org/people/dobroide/sounds/86960/
I maybe cheated a tiny bit in that I had made the shuffled version of Dobroide's Breakfast Bar sound months ago using a shuffle filter and some long echos in Metasynth. But I thought of that sound I had made the minute I heard Puniho's submission for the continuum dare, before the second branch. Something about the brightness of Puniho's track, despite its significant reverb, reminded me of the clattering utensils in my shuffled version of Dobroide's sound. TO integrate them into one sound better the little tone sections were made by splicing together tiny sections of the two tracks to harmonize.
All in all, I thought of this as a juxtoposition of daytime rhythms and nighttime rhythms.
That's an absolute brilliant atmosphere jgeralyn. I love the feeling of it, and the pictures it brings to my head
Puniho wrote:
So does the next person add another layer to jgeralyn's version? Which I like very much by the way!
Exactly
Well, seeing as no one else seems keen, I'd like to give this a go if I may. Just confused over one aspect of the concept though - you say teh original layer must be unedited and yet the max time limit is 6 minutes. THe original file isnt 6 minutes long... so if there is no editing it must surely remain the same length ... no..? Unless you tag a bit on at the end. But that doesnt sound very elegant.
Another problem..! jgeralyn's version has already set a precident of altering the origninal layer. While I dont have a problem with that, in fact I feel happier about being able to alter the original layer as there is nothing sacred or precious about it! But I'm unsure how to proceed. Another thought struck me was if layer upon layer is added without altering the underlying ones it's very soon going to result in a cacophoney of clipping! jgeralyn's is already clipping painfully at 1:45!
Adjusting the volume of the original track, in the mix, wouldn't be considered editing.
And you can place the original track within the 6.00 minute time span. It won't be considered editing either
I agree with Puniho in the sense that building layer upon layer without being able to remove anythi g it will become more and more difficult to mix - in theory, at the limit, we would end up with white noise.
Not to say that itwould not be interesting to try, to see how many layers we can build before white noise is all that you can perceive
Hum... i think i'll have to explain a little more then
I got the idea of this "dare" or what ever we can call it, when AlienXXX wrote about future collaboration dares. I'll just have to point out, that this not at all an attempt to steal this idea, but merely am attempt to see if people would find out how to not over edit / over fill, but rather if they would be gentle in their doings when having their turn with the soundfile they download.
Second thought about continuum 2, was to see just how many exciting soundscapes it would produce, before the inevitable would happen, as you point out, and it would turn into white noise.
But to avoid it turning into white noise too quickly, i added the rule about volumecontrol (adjusting the volume of the original track, in the mix), i just don't think i was clear enough in my pointing that out in particular. The volumecontrol gives an opportunity to use the original sound as a background track if necessary, while making ones own contribution in the foreground. I am aware of, that as we go further down the line, the various contributions may disappear because they're too low to be heard, but that's inside the rules.
But (and that's why i didn't call it "a neverending project") when the continuum 2 turns into white noise, we must admit that we had a little fun and hopefully have learned a thing or two
As for the time limit. It doesn't matter where the original sound is placed, as long as it's there, inside the 6.00 minutes.
I hope it clears up a few questions , if not, fire away!!
@Kyster
There is no need to 'explain'.
Every idea is a good idea, because from every idea that we put in practice we learn.
In particular, if the idea gets Freesounders to work together, it is certainly worth it.
So what if it ends like white noise? It will be fun to experiment and find out how many layers we can add before it does. Or maybe we can avoid it all together, by keeping the volume of the previous layer below a certain volume, maybe we will only get a background 'rumble' underneath the last layer in the foreground. I don't know. Let's try it!
Most importantly, as you say. This is a development of contribution skills. Learning not to 'over-edit' or 'chop away' is certainly a usefull skill for collaboration. Learn to build on top of what is already there.
I am interested in trying my hand at this, although right now I have a couple of other projects developing, so I may need to pass for a few days.