Ableton Forum

A challenge for anyone out there.

Pick a song from a retro video game
recreate it in less then a few hours
upload it.

This took me about 3 hours

Anyone else going to try?

http://soundcloud.com/psychoactive-music/sonic-master

See how accurate you can get.

Sounds good man

Did you figure out/transcribe all the parts yourself or start from a base MIDI file and fill in the instrumentation?

I completed it all from scratch on a blank project. I listened through it a few times, figured out the bpm (150), picked out the layers I can hear. Put down a snare and kick duplicated it along the timeline for a beat. Started with the bass. onto the chords and so on. I used mainly analogue for the synths. Massiive for 1 or 2 things and nothing else really. No effects bar EQ's. And I did a quick as hell 10 minute master job

I'll put on a video of the original I used for AB comparison.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-78CMKME4o

You can hear, Not quite the exact same, but its not too far off.

Haha, nice going man! This is a fun challenge - I might take you up on that

- Alex

Do it man!

Or maybe pick another retro videogame track? We could end up with a little catalogue of recreated themes here.

It was fun, almost therapeutic. Very relaxing. Although at times it was challenging. Its like a musical puzzle.

Do you have a musical background in transcription, etc.?

I'm really impressed at how accurately you were able to get it all down, esp. in only 3 hours

No dude, I cant read music ive had no formal music education or anything of the kind.I'm a firm believer in teaching yourself something, its really the best way.Ive been teaching myself guitar since I was 11. I'm 23 now. last year I got into electronic music and bought ableton. Since then I have worked non stop, made all the sacrifices I need to, to learn this new art. I know for a fact that if you practice listening to sounds, trying to pick them out from a track, note by note, trial and error, again and again,and again, for years, Eventually you will train your ear. I really think it can be learned, If your prepared to never give up and put the hours in. This to me was like a warm up, a little technical exercise, And I recommend this kind of practice to everybody.

I know for a fact that if you practice listening to sounds, trying to pick them out from a track, note by note, trial and error, again and again,and again, for years, Eventually you will train your ear. I really think it can be learned

Hehe, yeah, I was pretty much asking if this is what you had done

I've been playing music for a long-ass time and I am still terrible at transcription and recognizing intervals, so whenever I see someone who's naturally good at it I'm just like "dang"