today we're celebrating the 5th Anniversary of the Mix Challenge.
Not only the game that started it all, but also the audio community as a whole.
Image Source: Jason Leung via Unsplash, released under Creative Commons CC0
It is somewhat hard to believe that the Mix Challenge started in June 2014 on KVR Audio, as a revival of a former mastering challenge. A lot has happened in the last 5 years - a dedicated page, over 50 mixing challenges, over 20 songwriting competitions - and many of them with a lot of ups and downs during/after the games. Despite the fact that our Song Pool is on a constant verge of running dry (making certain things a bit too suspenseful in places), the games keep on running and the community is still growing.
At this point I have to address a ginormous "thank you" to all the people, companies and communities that have been involved with the Mix Challenge in some shape or form throughout the years.
- Eric Dahlberg, CEO of JRR Shop - without Eric, the Mix Challenge wouldn't have existed. He revived an old game idea in 2014, and set the stage for years to come
- Satya Choudhury, CEO of satYatunes - Graphics and Sound Design - he created the original Mix Challenge logos, the first License Sponsor promo images and also handled the license distribution
- all of the Song Providers since 2014 - some of you are recurring clients and still reach out with new material. Without you, the game wouldn't exist and continue to run
- All of our License Sponsors - both former ones and current ones. Some of you have been with us since day 1 (especially Tone2 and Ghostwave Audio, not to mention Metric Halo and Acon Digital)
- All Mix Challenge Patrons - thank you for your generous donations in recent months (to keep the server up and running)
- Everyone that does regular shout outs on Social Media - most notably Seismic (please drop me a PM, you deserve a backer status at this point), Ronnie from Rekkerd, and Adam from Real Home Recording
- Cross references from various audio communities - like OC Remix, the One Synth Challenge, the KVR Audio Music Cafe Songwriting Competition, the Los Angeles Musicians Facebook group, the Songwriting and Music Production Facebook group, KNGI Network (NGI Radio Show), Real Home Recording Youtube channel, "We are the Music Makers" Reddit Page, etc
- not to mention everyone behind the scenes, that gave feedback and positive encouragement to keep on going (which really isn't easy sometimes)
Thank you ever so much for your continued support, for keeping the gears in motion, for spreading the word, for being more than generous with your donations. Without your help, the Mix Challenge audio community wouldn't be at the place where it is now.
So let us please raise our mugs and/or glasses with your favorite beverage in it, and let us praise (commemorate) this the game that started it all. Let us celebrate our small community.
Thank you so much.
May the "Mix Challenge" live long and keep on growing!
