Welcome to the One Box Challenge. In brief, the One Box Challenge asks forum members to choose a single “box” to make a song on. The purpose of the challenge is to challenge yourself by using just one groovebox, just one sampler, just one synth to make your song. This won’t be a competition with a winner.
For now, we ask participants to sufficiently limit themselves. Choosing a single groovebox style sampler like an Electribe, Elektron is great. For more powerful samplers like new MPCs and Maschine/Maschine+ figure out some limitations on track count and FX, maybe a single synth for sounds or samples only. For people choosing their DAW we think that using just one or only a few instances of a single VST instrument and very limited mixer/arranger track count with limited fx is a good start. Likewise if one wanted to use a single hardware synth for all sounds you might choose a simple sampler or very limited DAW usage for arrangement. The idea is limits. If we feel we need specific limitations in the future we can have that conversation.
Master bus polishing is encouraged; via DAW or otherwise.
Often there will be a theme to guide the vibe, mood, structure or genre of the songs we make. For now, I want to run a challenge about every eight weeks. Many of us are quite busy and can only snag an a few hours here and there. The challenge here isn’t time but rather gear. Everyone should post their song along with a few words about what you did, how you did it, your inspirations, and stating your own imposed limitations.
It’s SICK so far, a fair bit like alchemy but deff seems more powerful. I’m most excited for being able to write scripts for it. I’ve been wanting to work on some generative stuff for some time.
As this isn’t going to be a competition style challenge, which is good, how about making it a learning and getting out of you comfort zone a bit challenge. Most of us tend to stay around our own genres and styles, which are all different. So collect these from the different participants, write them on slips of paper, put them in a box, and lucky dip them at the beginning of each new challenge.
You also mentioned “minimal” as a topic. This would actually be a good one to start off with, as this by it’s own design, is going to limit everyone to a degree.
Yes, good point but how would you go about it? I personally have absolutely no idea what makes a (for example) Psytrance or Deep House or whatever track “good” as I don’t listen to that kind of stuff at all. I probably couldn’t even tell the difference between those things…
So instead of a set “genre” there could rather be a more broad theme to keep the contributions a bit cohesive, like “steady 4/4 beat”, “between 80 and 100 bpm” or “no reverb or delay”.
Same as me, when it comes to IDM, DnB,Trap, or anything that ends in Core bar Hardcore House. That’s why it would be the different genres and styles of the people who are participating in the challenges. They are then there to guide those who don’t know.
I’m also down for ditching it. I feel like we can set rules for ourselves if we so desire on our own. I think the whole concept is already a good enough challenge and exercise as is.
