Mix Challenge

Hello and welcome to the Mix Challenge 31 - April 2017


This is the introduction post, where we directly link to the challenge corresponding files (source files, submission information, sponsors), start of the evaluation process and the first post for re-submissions for Mix Round 2.



Welcome to our new home! It's nice to see you back. I hope you like it here.

We're kicking off this month with a another production by 7th Pyramid (thank you once again), that is gut-punching awesome. It's our first Drum and Bass track. The song is called "Aliens Bursting Uranus Pt.II". To make things more interesting, we have some very interesting add-on rules time time around.



Please take note of the following

• IMPORTANT: the forum design is still a Work-in-Progress. It doesn't have influence on the functionality of the forum though
• IMPORTANT: please take note that the rule set was slightly altered. It is now mandatory to provide WAV files (FLAC bar minimum on low internet bandwidth), files need to be accessible/downloadable, try to work within suitable work levels, document your edits (will be mandatory in the future) - we will now be more strict with enforcing the rules
• We're desperately looking for new source material for future Mix Challenges. Please follow our official campaign. No new tracks mean no more challenges! Please reach out!
• our Twitter Account can be found via the handle @MixChallenge - throw us a Tweet and we add you to the participant lists

This post will be updated with the corresponding links as we progress, and of course the suitable thread headlines. So please watch this spot:


Submission Period: General Information, Source Files, Sponsors
Mix Round 2: Global Feedback and Round 2 Participant Announcement
Results of the Mix Challenge 31: Winners announced

CURRENT CHALLENGE - GENERAL INFORMATION

Time Frame: Saturday, 01st April 2017 to Friday, 21st April 2017 (21 days)

Challenge submission will end on 21-04-2017, 11:59pm CEST/GMT+1 (Germany) - until further notice.
Want to find out if you're still within the deadline, please consult the Global Timer on the Mix Challenge home page or the World Clock at the top of the forum. We do post reminders via our Twitter account

Alternatively (especially for Mix Round 2), please consult the World Clock at the top of the forum or use the following tool and and select "Berlin (Germany)" as location 1, and your location as location 2:
http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/meeting.html



Song Provider: 7th Pyramid (Forum Profile)
Song Name and Length: Aliens Bursting Uranus Pt.II, 4:47min
Song Information: 177 bpm / Signature: 4/4, Key of Am (A min)
File Format: WAV, 44kHz, 24bit

GENRE: Drum & Bass / Techstep


Preview of the Song:
https://7thpyramid.bandcamp.com/album/a ... -ii-7th012


A word from the song provider:

7th Pyramid wrote:This track has been really hard for me to create, as well as mix, and that's why I thought about bringing it here.

I'd define it as bit aggressive and not melodic, with powerful drums but not very modern. I'd like it to sound dirty but not broken in the gritty parts and big and open in the "atmospheric" parts.

A few words by the Mix Challenge staff:

Staff (Mister Fox) wrote:This Drum & Bass track would definitely fit into the Techstep genre from the mid 2000's. Aggressive and gnarling bass synths, deep sub bass, smooth pads, yet gut punching percussion elements.

IMO the definite predecessor to modern "Complextro" and "Dub Step"... so treat it like that, with respect. Else it bites back - and it certainly can.

Hints from my side:
- experiment with side chaining (especially in the bass range!)
- transient designers on a snare might trigger the right buttons
- don't feel ashamed to use modulation effects
- a touch(!!) of additional "grit" (chaos) and "noise" can go a long way (even though this particular production already uses a lot of glitch effects)

Try to also remodel the filter automations on the beat section, but still add enough personal "flavor" to cut through the competition.

Have fun!

Please also consult the TXT files that are bundled in the source files package below. There you can find more information about the individual files and changes to the time signature.

Special Add-On Rules:

• try to create a mix that complements this production (in your own style)
• Clean / Alternative versions can be used if you need more flexibility over a certain sound (if present in this production)
• No rearrangement of the song structure, with the exception of the following add-on rules
• It is allowed to enhance (not replace!) the kick and snare with suitable tools and signal generators
• summing bus processing is allowed, as long as the dynamic range (average signal strength to maximum signal strength) doesn't suffer - use is artistically!
• try to not(!) pre-master the track (please no overuse of mix bus treatment)

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Source Files:

Main Mix Package - Mirror on the Mix Challenge Homepage (386,70 MB, LZMA compressed)


The provided files were packed as ZIP with LZMA compression.
File size extracted: 2574,77 MB, packed 386,70 MB (ZIP, LZMA)
In order to extract the files, we can recommend these programs:

Macintosh:
The Unarchiver - get it here

Windows:
7zip - Installation / Portable


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Please take note of the official rules - they can be found at the following thread:
Mix Challenge - Official Rules and Guidelines

Please address any OT question in the official Gossip thread:
Mix Challenge - Gossip and Discussion

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SPONSORS (Prizes):

Prizes for mix participants:

Note: All licenses are NFR (Not-For-Resale), except where noted.
Changes to available prices on short notice may be possible and will be announced separately.



Acon Digital is kind enough give away a single plugin of winner's choice.
License will turn into NFR
More info on Acon Digital: http://acondigital.com



Ghostwave Audio (Vincent Bastiat) is kind enough to donate MixRight (a Reaktor Ensemble) to the winner (until further notice)
License won't turn into NFR, you need Native Instruments Reaktor 5.8+ for this
More info on Ghostwave Audio: http://ghostwaveaudio.com/



Metric Halo will give away a single plugin of winner's choice.
License will turn into NFR
More info about Metric Halo: http://mhsecure.com/metric_halo/



Nyrv Systems offers AGENT incl. all currently available NyrvDevices and free update to at least v1.5 of winner's choice (until further notice)
License will turn into NFR
More info about Nyrv Systems: http://www.nyrvsystems.com/



Sound / Graphic Designer, and Mix Challenge staff satYatunes is donating one commercial product of winner's choice (until further notice)
More info on satYatune's page: http://www.satyatunes.com/



Tone2 is kind enough to donate either a bundle consisting of AkustiX Enhancer and WarmVerb, or a license of Ultraspace to the winner (until further notice)
License will turn into NFR
More info on Tone2: https://tone2.com



Two Notes Audio Engineering is kind enough to donate one license of Torpedo Wall of Sound III to the winner, loaded with 57 cabinets (equivalent to "Torpedo WoS II") (donation until Summer 2017)
License will not turn into NFR
More info on Two Notes: http://www.two-notes.com/en/



THANKS FOR THE DONATIONS!
And also a thank you to all former contributors as well.

If you want to sponsor content (please have a focus on mix plugins, bundles and the likes), please get in touch with the Mix Challenge staff.

Please spread the word of the challenge on social media.
For example with our dedicated Twitter Account: https://twitter.com/MixChallenge

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Good luck to all participants.
And most importantly, have fun!

The first friendly reminder of the new place:
Including today, 14 days left to submit your mix for Mix Round 1 of MC31

!	Bonus Info
	Did you know that pitching the main drum section ever so slightly is absolutely fine with the current challenge? One of the bigger focus this month should be on the sound design with the given tracks you have.

Hello my friends, very nice new place!

Nice style for this challenge too, i really enjoyed mixing this song.

I did not "play" a lot with the sound design and the many cool creative options such a track deserves, i chose "just" to mix because it was awesome as it was delivered. I tried to find my sweet spot between the clean and the dirt, but i know i will have a lot of tweaks to make if the gates of round 2 open...

No more talk, here are the links:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/hvfo108ivzchm ... 3.wav?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/4yme35iwwz3gl ... 3.mp3?dl=0

See you soon everybody.

Welcome to the new place kevin, and thank you for breaking the ice!

Hello all,

This track was a new genre for me. So I am very curious if I did right.
I did not use the preprocessed pad, I made my own version.

MP3: https://www.dropbox.com/s/wm83tj324zcoo ... c.mp3?dl=0
WAV: https://www.dropbox.com/s/87rd8qrqx57b1 ... c.wav?dl=0

This was a blast to mix (even though it scared me in the beginning)! My original goal was to just get it as big and clean as possible, but the deeper I got into it, the more I enjoyed it and the more ideas I got to tweak it to make it mine. I kept the intro idea but added some reverb automation to give it a bit more depth & motion. And I did a bit to the ending to make it more interesting than just a plain fade out - but keeping it well within the song's original style. I felt there needed to be something different when the snare came back in after the middle break, so I made the snare "BIG" with gated reverb. I also did some subtle tweaking throughout the song to hopefully add a bit of interest without anything sticking out. I hope you like my take on your song.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B0O6oz ... sp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B0O6oz ... sp=sharing

A friendly reminder:
Including today, 7 days left to submit your mix for Mix Round 1 of MC31

A friendly reminder:
Less than 72 hours left to submit your mix for Mix Round 1 of MC31

Time to start final checks and slowly get your submissions in

Hey

I kind of jumped a little too late for this one , but anyway here's my take for round 1, still got plenty of things to do in possible round2

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0ByEDP ... 01ELXZYQzQ
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0ByEDP ... GVERDBDR28