Mix Challenge

Hello and welcome to the Songwriting Competition 58 - June 2022


This is the introduction post, where we directly link to the challenge corresponding basics (theme and premise, submission information, sponsors) and start of the voting process.

Before you get started, please consult the official and very simple "Rules and Guidelines" (Rule Book - post #6) for the Songwriting Competition regarding principles of the game, it's engaging game mechanics (allowed editing/re-submission of your entry until the deadline has been reached) and upload/submission guidelines.

Read more about this month's competition further down below.




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 and Sponsors
Cheat Sheet: A couple of examples / audio demos for this month's challenge (limited if genre is "free to select")
Voting: Summarized entries and start of voting process
Results of the Songwriting Competition: Results of the Songwriting Competition

CURRENT CHALLENGE - GENERAL INFORMATION

Time Frame: Wednesday, 01st June 2022 to Friday, 24th June 2022 (24 days)

Challenge submission will end on 24-06-2022, 23:59 UTC+2/CEST (Germany) - until further notice.


Want to find out if you're still within the deadline, please consult the following options:
The Global Countdown on it's dedicated page or the countdown on the home page. There will also be short reminders on Social Media and on Discord.

Does the game time frame feel too long? Why not set a personal shorter one of 5-7 days absolute max to push yourself to focus on the essentials, then use the rest of the time to ask for feedback and possible refinements.



SONGWRITING THEME: "Late Spring Cleaning"
GENRE: Jazz (with a focus on more "chaotic" sub genres)



Image Source: Pexels, photo by cottonbro, released under Creative Commons CC0



A few word about this month's theme:

Staff (Mister Fox) wrote: Where did the time go? It's June already? The first month of Summer on the Northern Hemisphere, and so much happening. Like... the 8th Anniversary of the Mix Challenge audio community, various big music events (e.g. the NAMM Show, Glastonbury Festival, Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival), various astronomy events (a "super-moon" mid-month, meteor showers, etc), Fête de la Musique (World Music Day, 21st June) and the Summer Solstice / Midsummer Festivals.

So much to do still, so little time, chaos ensues. Time to do (very, very) last minute "Spring Cleaning", before Summer really kicks in the door and wants to grill us with it's cosmic rays.
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Your task for this Songwriting Competition:
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This month, the rules are simple, yet come with the usual twist. You can create a production in any sub-genre of "Jazz". However, it needs to be on the more "chaotic side of Jazz". That means, it can be (Nu) Funk, Fusion, Bebop even. The final production needs to give you a feeling of rush and hurry. Please also consult the audio examples below.


What I'd like to see/hear this month:
Jazz is an "umbrella term" in this case. You can go bonkers with a "Big Band Sound" if you want. You can have a modern jazz group with e-guitars and running bass lines from an upright double bass, you can go wild on the piano while the drummer in the background tries to provide a suitable shuffle. Or maybe spice up some things with a Vibraphone or even kitchen utensils and/or pots.

You decide which route this goes, and which energy will emanate from the song. As usual, vocals are optional. Though ideally, please keep things within the 10 minute mark.


Have fun!

Songwriting Rule Summary / Add-On Rules:

• create a production fitting to the given theme, genre and general premise
• you can use any tool that is at your disposal (samples, virtual instruments and/or real instruments)
• IMPORTANT: if you use non-licensed material (as in: non royalty free material from sample CDs, etc), give full credit to the source material
• for newcomers: no finished productions that have already been released outside of the time frame of the current Songwriting Competition (Spotify, iTunes, Bandcamp, etc), no cover versions or remixes, no ripped acapella's -- please only showcase your own content
• do not go higher than -14,0 LUFS ILk/-1,00 dBTP in terms of perceived loudness (mastering). Music doesn't have to be squashed to bits in order to be impactful
• name your files properly prior to uploading and make the production downloadable. If you opt to present your entry through SoundCloud, the forum can also convert your links into a Soundcloud player through the [soundcloud] BBCode from the text editor (orange square with a white cloud in it)
• ADD-ON RULES:
  • Filename Template: SWC000_ArtistName_TrackName.wav and/or .mp3 (please use it!)
  • <no add-on rules specified>

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Please take note of the official rules - they can be found at the following thread:
Songwriting Competition - Official Rules and Guidelines (most notably Rule Book - post #6)

Please address any OT question in the official Gossip thread:
Songwriting Competition - Gossip and Discussion

If you like what the Mix Challenge (community) has been doing in recent months:
Please consider supporting the project

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SPONSORS (Prizes):

Prizes for Songwriting Challenge 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.


RECURRING LICENSE SPONSORSHIP:


Cherry Audio is kind enough to give away one license of Voltage Modular Ignite, plus either a license of "Year One Collection" or "Year Two Collection"
License will turn into NFR
More info on Cherry Audio: https://cherryaudio.com



IK Multimedia is kind enough to give away one license of MODO BASS 2 to the winner
License will turn into NFR
More info on IK Multimedia: https://www.ikmultimedia.com



Musiclab is kind enough to donate any 1 guitar of your choice to the winner
License will turn into NFR
More info on Musiclab: https://www.musiclab.com



Tone2 is kind enough to donate a license of Saurus3 to the winner (until further notice)
License will turn into NFR
More info on Tone2: https://tone2.com



kv331 audio is kind enough to give away a bundle of either SynthMaster 1+2 Bundle, or a freely selectable set of 3 SynthMaster Expansions
License will not turn into NFR, you need to have a kv311 audio user account in order to pick up Expansions
More info on kv331 audio: https://www.kv331audio.com



JRR Sounds is kind enough to give away any-1 sound sets or sample set of winner's choice (exception: Bundles)
More info on JRR Sounds: https://www.jrrshop.com/jrr-sounds



Luftrum is kind enough to give away either a license of Lunaris, a license of Bioscape, or any two sound sets of winner's choice (exception: Bundles and Nano Electronics)
License will turn into NFR
More info on Luftrum: http://www.luftrum.com



Rekkerd Sounds is kind enough to give away 1 sound set of winners choice (exception: Krezie EDM and Neurofunk Vol. 1)
License will turn into NFR
More info on Rekkerd Sounds: http://sounds.rekkerd.org/



Ghostwave Audio (Vincent Bastiat) is kind enough to donate any 2 sound sets to the winner
License will turn into NFR
More info on Ghostwave Audio: http://ghostwaveaudio.com



Hollow Sun is kind to donate one license of "Music Laboratory Machines - The Suite I" to the winner
License will turn into NFR
More info on Hollow Sun: http://www.hollowsun.com



Hornet Plugins is kind enough to give away one license from the depicted tools (see image) to the winner
License will turn into NFR
More info on Hornet Plugins: http://www.hornetplugins.com



Sound / Graphic Designer, and honorary 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/





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 instruments, samples and sound sets), 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 or Facebook Page

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

AUDIO EXAMPLES:
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Articles and Info Pages:

A great starting point is the "Addendum"/Supplementary thread for the Songwriting Competition
Songwriting Competition - Addendum: Music Maps and BPM Charts

Additional Articles on Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jazz




Music examples (selection for inspiration, 08 videos):


Other Channels and videos to check out:

Rick Beato - The Bernard Purdie Interview: Steely Dan, Aretha Franklin & "The Purdie Shuffle" (2022)

Please also check out insaneintherainmusic, DiscoCactus and The Consouls -- three amazing conglomerates of musicians that not only do video game soundtrack covers. Bonus is the "Collective Cadenza", but it's been quiet around them for a couple of years now.
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Please also check in with the following threads in the the Gear Talk sub-forum, if you're on the look-out for new tools:
Places to fuel your GAS (Gear Acquisition Syndrome) (the starting point if you're in need of audio tools -- from free to affordable)

Also recommended to check out the following tools, if you're new to/need help with songwriting:
Plugin Boutique - Scaler 2 (highly recommended tool!)
Xfer Records - Cthulhu
CodeFN42 - Chordz (Transition is also recommended, if you want more experimental/generative MIDI, Free, Windows only)
W.A. Production - InstaChord and InstaScale
Fabrizio Poce / J74 - Progressive ("Max4Life" is needed, Ableton Live bound)


More tools of the trade (fitting to this month's theme/genre)


UPDATED: 31-MAY-2022 22:00 UTC+2, updated 01-JUN-2022 00:00 UTC+2

I am happy to announce the following sponsor for the Mix Challenge audio community



Musiclab is kind enough to donate any 1 guitar of your choice to the winner
License will turn into NFR
More info on Musiclab: https://www.musiclab.com



After being a month exclusive sponsor for SWC039 / November 2020, Musiclab renew their partnership and present a continuous deal for the Songwriting Competition.

A huge thank you goes to Musiclab for providing the licenses.

A friendly reminder:
Including today, 8 days left to submit your production.

So far, we sadly have 0 entries -- despite June being the "Make Music" celebration month.



If you want to access the extended game mechanics of the Songwriting Competition (asking for feedback during production), please try to release your first edits within the next 3 days to have enough time to get possible feedback (if needed/wanted) and continue to work on your song.

And to those sitting on the fence - please don't feel scared off and think "the bar is set too high, I will never make it" - maybe set yourself a private, was shorter deadline. Just make music, submit your entry, join the conversation. See where this goes. By joining, you're already a winner. The rest is bonus.

Mister Fox wrote: ↑

Tue May 31, 2022 20:48 CEST

This month, the rules are simple, yet come with the usual twist. You can create a production in any sub-genre of "Jazz". However, it needs to be on the more "chaotic side of Jazz". That means, it can be (Nu) Funk, Fusion, Bebop even. The final production needs to give you a feeling of rush and hurry. Please also consult the audio examples below.

Is that "chaotic" jazz official subgenre term, or does it in this context refer just to any not-so-structured multi-layered speedy jazz? Mr Google couldn't give me any relevant information what that could be. Some people may say that jazz is always chaotic, while other more educated jazz fanatics surely think that jazz is never chaotic.

For example, is hi-tempo (200 bpm) Benny Goodman / Charlie Christian style 40's jazz swing accepted subgenre for this months contest? At least those early "rocking" speedy swings offer feelings of rush and hurry.

I just want to find myself to be on the accepted genre, before I spend too many hours for the preparation of my submission.

Excellent question, @Olli H. This is why I posted audio examples.

Most of them are in the "Bebop" and "Big Band" section, which can feel "fast and chaotic" (listen to the Cuphead OST for example). Funny enough, that is exactly in the 1940's Jazz/Swing style (which The Benny Goodman Quartet kept up until way into the 1960s).

Hello,
here is my submission this month. Since I did not felt quite a bit of constraint in the task description, I wanted a fast-paced, big band-like thing and In addition to the jazzy elements, I also mixed folk, latin elements into it, only enhancing the chaoticity and giving the song a mix-like feel.
The song is built in an "onion-like", framed structure.
I also wanted to express the real chaos by mixing styles and key changes, little with chromatic solos. I only insisted on jazzy 2-5-1 progression in some parts.
The rush is expressed and helped by the fast 180 BPM.

Good evening everyone,
thanks for the interesting theme to be developed. I think spring cleaning is one of the most boring things that exists, so I tried to express this boredom in a rather boring and banal song. It consists of a short introduction, an AABA A (solo) AB and a short ending.
Since the spring cleaning activity also gets a little crazy, the solo is played by a slightly crazy kazoo.

For those interested, the chords are as follows:
A: Cm7 | | F7 | | Cm7 | | F7 | | Fm7 | | Bb7 | | Eb2 | | Fm7 | Bb7 |
B: EbMaj7 | | AbMaj7 | | EbMaj7 | Cm7 | Fm7 | Bb7sus | EbMaj7 | Cm7 | Dm7b5 | G7 | Cm9 | | Dm7b5 | G7 +

In terms of sound there is little to say, the piece is assumed to be performed live by a quartet (Bass, Drums, Guitar accompaniment and Guitar solo, and the Kazoo of course) in a rehearsal room.


Here is the WAV_44k_24 version:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1C_6mV9 ... sp=sharing

And here the MP3_320:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1FW_a-x ... sp=sharing

Any comments / suggestions are obviously welcome.

Goodbye!
GamaGama

Hello everyone,

this is my second submission for the songwriting challenge.



This time, I used my beloved 5-string Ibanez for some walking bass.

DAW: Ableton Live
I'm still new to this, but I learn a little more every time I open my DAW.

Drums: XLN Addictive Drums, "Ambiento" preset. I used some free midi files included with Addictive Drums.
In order to stay on the chaotic side, I used some non-swing-parts (around 1:25 and 2:10) and a Drum-and-bass-sample (around 1:55).

Snaps: Boz Digital Labs "Le Snappet".
For added chaos, I used them sometimes on the beat and off the beat.

Horns: Native Instruments "Session Horns Pro" ensemble and muted trumpet as solo instrument.
I would have liked a little less of the trumpet parts, but I feared the song might be too much on the traditional side without them.

Piano: Native Instruments "The Maverick"
I used Feelyoursound's "Sundog" to find some jazzy chords and edited the rhythms in Ableton live. The piano starts solo to create a false sense of rhythm at the start that gets corrected as soon as the drums set in.

Organ: air "DB-33"
I just installed it for this challlenge and really love that sound.

Bass: Ibanez Soundgear SR 505 (picture related), recorded through a Zoom H4nPro recorder
Virtual Bass Amp: Brainworx Ampeg SVT3Pro

I panned the instruments the way I would expect them to stand on a stage. Mixing and mastering will improve over the years, I hope.

The wav download is here:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1cbcxU3 ... sp=sharing