The "Overview of Submissions" PDFs have been uploaded.
You can check them through the
upper post (post #132).
The Statistic Sheet is used to give an overview of all entries, and whether or not they are within given parameters (loudness, sampling rate, bitrate, proper filename). This is adding to the overall learning process of the "Mix(ing) Challenge". Please take note that creating this sheet is not a fully automated process. I am using Wavelab 10's "Batch Analysis" tool (EBU R-128 specs / equivalent to ITU-R BS.1770-4), but the overall layout and highlighting issues/mishaps, not to mention triple checking files and time stamps, is time consuming. If you do not find yourself on this list, please let me know.
Please keep in mind, your mix being "tagged disqualified",
does not mean "you're out of the game" (exceptions do apply). For more information on the Statistic Sheet and the "Wild Card" Mechanic, please consult the following addendum thread:
Mix Challenge - Addendum: Statistic Sheet and Wild Card Mechanic
Statistics Addendum:
| ⚠ | Moderation Message from Mister Fox | |
We have a disqualification rate of 23,75% for October 2023 (80 entries, 19 disqualifications, 1 "Out of Competition" submission not counting).
This is about 1/4th of all participants. Many of these disqualifications are due to carelessness errors: wrong bitrate, loudness specs, not allowed re-uploads, and not following the given file name template as mentioned in the provided "TL;DR Rules.txt" file.
On average (28 months of tracking), we currently have a disqualification rate of 26,00% (compared to last game's 26,08% avg), the rate is slightly declining again. The disqualification rate over the course of the last 12 games (December 2021 to October 2023) is about 25,04% (previously 25,32%), and is also on an slight decline.
I strongly recommend all participants to pay more attention to details in future games. |
A commentary on this month's entries:
I would once again like to extend a warm welcome to all new participants who have found their way into our little community. I don't know how you found our small place, but I do hope you enjoy your stay, had fun, and could learn something from this experience.
Unfortunately, creating the Statistic Sheets took longer than expected yet again. Apologies, I currently have very limited time.
The biggest standout to me this month, is using the correct filename template. It is true that the template changed early into the game (7th October). However, it's not like I've posted multiple times over, that there has been a change. Some of you actually adjusted the filename on your file space. Yet there still were things all over the place.
You will notice me introducing a new color on the Statistic Sheet: in the form of two shades of "purple".
The lighter shade is actually where I was very generous this month. I let both the original and the adjusted filename template count. The entries that used the old template, merely got a warning to please pay more attention to details. Those that got marked with a darker shade actually did not adhere to the template, or there was something else wrong (like: weird spaces, a hybrid of the old/adjusted template, etc). These entries have been "tagged disqualified".
This topic is the most frustrating one to me, as this results in a lot of extra work while creating the Statistic Sheet. Additionally, allowing the filename adjustment
has been an exception for both MC093 and MC094. If we are to continue this, then I have to triple check links once each game has ended, and that results in more time used for this investigation. The Mix Challenge isn't the only game where a certain filename template is mandatory. It is provided in multiple forms (yes, including the Mix Pack bundled "TL;DR Rules.txt" file). I've been talking about this since way before
October 2022.
Please - pay attention to detail!
The next topic is "Drum Sample Triggering / Replacement".
At least two users disqualified themselves with going that route (
@mvd83 and
@jinjer93). The Song Provider actually has the assumption that more participants went that route, but omitted it from the documentation. The
rules have been clear on that topic - this results in an instant "tagged disqualified". Which is even more baffling, considering that this month offered you access to the most clean drum recordings we've had access to in the over 9,5 years of doing mixing games. We never(!) have multi-tracks where drums have been recorded so bad, that you even need to go that route (an EQ and a compressor still goes a long way!).
Additionally, why did some users see a need to "remove" drum tracks (
@Kolvanna), or change the arrangement / feel of the song by adding content that wasn't there before (
@jinjer93 -- not only using drum samples, but adding a tambourine?! Did you even read the
rule book?). The "Mix(ing) Challenge" is not a "producer competition". Your task is to mix! And please let me not get started on a the handful of entries, that omitted either one of the bass tracks (it was mandatory to use both this month!).
Needless to say... as of this moment, that is not(!) a criteria for being "tagged OUT". But should you be selected for Mix Round 2, you need to correct these adjustments.
And finally... once more
the topic of "Song Length":
You will also notice that there are two shades of "yellow" on the Statistic Sheet. And not just a handful this time around like usual. I still understand that some of you "cut as close as possible" without leaving room for follow-up edits (fade in/out). Something I do not recommend (as mentioned in the
rule book).
Cutting the song "too short" results in various possible issues. For example: playback devices not responding well to the initial transient (same goes for follow-up editing, by the way). Or in case of this song once more, changing the feel of the song by "reducing" the fade out of the guitars at the end of the track. The original entry was listed as 2:55min. You can technically "cut" the length down to 2:53min. But after that, the changes are too drastic.
While "song length" is
not yet a criteria for disqualification (exceptions might apply in the future), this topic is something I need to bring up every month now as well. This is why the runtime of your mix is also listed on the Statistic Sheet. To see if your entry is at the same as the original mix (+-1 second tolerance). Keep this in mind for the future.
Other than that... I unfortunately had to pull out two participants from the game, due to re-uploading one's entry (those being:
@mvd83 and
@rijavia). These entries are "tagged OUT" and can not advance into the next Mix Round.
And while the "other issues" are the usual-usual "careless mistakes" (sampling rate, bitrate, loudness specs), I did notice that a lot of the entries might have actually been mixed "loud" (probably pre-mastered even), and then pulled down in loudness to adhere to the specs. My assumption comes from plenty of mixes that are around -19,0 LUFS ILk to -16,0 LUFS ILk, yet the transients to do not exceed -6,0 dBTP. This could result in a loss of dynamic and transients - which does give the production the "dynamic feel" to begin with. See
this video by Matt Mayfield from 2006. By the way, you can still utilize various
summing bus treatment to "glue things together", while not(!) having to "push for loudness" to be impactful (
do not trust the "wild west" of Youtube Tutorials that "mixing/mastering to -xyz LUFS is nonsense!", as if anything released between 1970s and early 2000s, with "reasonable loudness" due to medium limitations, never existed!). Just something I've noticed this month.
To close this out.
Both
@BenjiRage and I are happy to see this amount of participation. Although I am not a fan of having to extend the deadline for two games in row. Without the time extension, we would have reached about 51 participants. This isn't bad per se. However, this makes me question if people don't receive enough information on games (newsletter and social media). It also doesn't help, that most of the entries basically arrive during the final 48 hours.
This topic does have an effect on the yearly statistics of course, and is something for me to figure out over the course of the coming months.
If there will be future Mix(ing) Challenges, as our
Song Pool is empty! And no, this is not a
"but you always found a solution, Mister Fox" type of deal. There is legit nothing available for 2024. MC095 in December would be the last game as of this moment.
A huge thank you to everyone that invested time with this month's game. I hope you had fun.
See you in the next one.
.
I now (re-)open the field for everyone to give each other feedback (highly encouraged). This will be independent to the client feedback however. Though please note - criticism on the rule set and angry posts will be deleted without further notice.
Please watch this spot for the client feedback and Mix Round 2 participant announcement.
This will ideally happen sometime within the next 14 days (starting tomorrow).
We (as in: the Song Provider and I) will keep you updated, and of course send out appropriate reminder newsletters!
EDIT: 29-OCT-2023 13:35 UTC+1/CET - slight text corrections
The "Overview of Submissions" PDFs have been uploaded.
I now (re-)open the field for everyone to give each other feedback (highly encouraged). This will be independent to the client feedback however. Though please note - criticism on the rule set and angry posts will be deleted without further notice.
)
