Sounds of the Weak (new home recording site)

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solarminite

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Hi all,
I'm new here, but it seems the appropriate place to mention the home recording site/collective/podcast I started, soundsoftheweak.com

It is meant for individuals making home recordings looking for a push to do them more regularly at a modest level to a modest audience. The setup is that a different person gives an assignment each week and anyone participating takes a whack at it. Past examples have been to make a song using just 5 notes, to make a song dedicated to the Cosmos, to utilize a breakbeat, etc. We've been conducting this via group emails for the past year, and I finally got off my butt and opened it up via the site, since it has been so great that I wanted to share it with others.

There is no competitive edge to it: anyone who completes by the deadline gets their piece podcast. There are also no fees of any sort, as this is a not-for-profit endeavor.

Feel free to take a look. The first (online) assignment will be posted this Sunday, 11.2.08.

Cheers!
Spencer
 
Alarmclockrock is interesting - except it moves away from the original tone & then becomes just a manipulated sample.
You offer possibilities.
Why not post clip links to get some interest?
 
Good point. Here is the link to the audio rss feed. Archived examples are available there (8 so far out of more than 200 recordings from the group over the past year--with more to come, naturally)

soundsoftheweak.com/podcast.xml


As to the specifics of any one recording, being just the moderator I can't speak for the artist, but the example of alarmclockrock is a good example of the open nature to any given assignment. In this case it was to use field recordings as the backbone to the piece, and the fact that her piece doesn't smack of "field recording" (and, as you point out, has more of a feeling of a manipulated sample) doesn't, in my eyes at least, make the end result any less of a "success" as far as the assignment is concerned.

Which leads to one of the most significant points about the group, which could be a good or bad thing based on your perspective and what you're looking for: there is almost no system put in place for feedback. No community features on the site such as bulletin boards, comments, etc. No grading system. Somebody does the assignment or they don't. Achievement is solely judged by the individual. Each person chooses whether or not to include their email address in the podcast liner notes, which is the only way to receive feedback. In other words, it's a totally safe atmosphere for the which fits the mode of working for a home recording enthusiast, who is likely producing "modest" sounds and music. The main goal, as I pointed out earlier, is to provide a very basic outlet just so that person working from their basement or computer or whathaveyou with a feeling that what they are making is being heard and shared with people in the same boat as them.
 
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So it has been 2 weeks since going public, and although there has been a slow start (2-3 entries a week), steam is picking up. There is now a myspace page ( myspace.com/soundsoftheweak ) and facebook group with much interest, and a contact at NPR who I met recently was hoping to be able to do a story on the group.

I hope regulars here on the homerecording site will consider participating.

I look forward to hearing (and podcasting) you!
 
Not to sound condescending, but you'd probably be able to draw more people from HR to your site if you were more active on this site. You (and by extension your project) will have more credibility if people recognize you (or you at least have a high enough post count to post actual links :D )

That being said, I bookmarked the page. It's a neat idea, and I'll look into it.
 
Thanks Steve. I agree, but sadly I only discovered HR quite recently while researching like-minded sites as I was going public. I imagine I'll be here much more in the future, though.
 
Just a note to let any interested parties know the new assignment is up and quite approachable.

http://soundsoftheweak.com/

This week, the directive is quite open, with the only stipulation being that you must collaborate with another person. The weekly project has been going well thus far: I only hope more will participate to make it that much better.

Thanks.
 
...and another assignment.

This week: make a recording about your hometown. Due Sunday 12/14

Enjoy!
 
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