Mix Challenge

Hello and welcome to the Songwriting Competition 01 - September 2017


This is the introduction post, where we directly link to the challenge corresponding files (theme, submission information, sponsors) and start of the voting process. There will be no Round 2



Please take note of the following

• IMPORTANT: please use the following naming convention for your productions: SWC000_-_ArtistName_-_TrackName.wav/mp3

Also please take note of the following

• If you have an idea for future Songwriting Competition themes, please post them in the Gossip Thread.
• our Twitter account can be found via the handle @MixChallenge - throw us a Tweet and we add you to the participant lists
• our Facebook account doesn't have a handle yet, just follow the Facebook link
• you can now support us with a voluntary monthly donation on Patreon (this will mainly cover server and social media maintenance fees). Some interesting bonus perks await you there, and patrons get a special rank on the forum

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
Voting: Summarized entries and start of voting process
Results of the Songwriting Competition: Result and Winners announced

CURRENT CHALLENGE - GENERAL INFORMATION

Time Frame: Friday, 01st September 2017 to Sunday, 24st September 2017 (24 days)

Challenge submission will end on 24-09-2017, 11:59pm CEST/GMT+1 (Germany) - until further notice.

Want to find out if you're still within the deadline, please consult the following options:
The (new) Global Countdown on it's dedicated page or the countdown on the home page. You can also consult the World Clock at the top of the forum or alternatively the following tool - in this case please select "Berlin (Germany)" as location 1, and your location as location 2: Time and Date - World Clock Meeting Planner. We do post reminders via our Twitter account and Facebook page.



SONGWRITING THEME: Autumn of Rock / Metal

GENRE: can be anything Rock or Metal, with or without vocals.


A few word about this month's theme:

Staff (Mister Fox) wrote:I'd like to kick off the first Songwriting Competition with a rock/metal theme - with a tendency towards metal (if possible). Not only because Rock/Metal productions as of late were among the most active challenges we've had, but also in hindsight of the upcoming "Rocktober" and "Metal November".

Which brings me the one of the high stake's of this game round:
the winner (or one of them) will be selected for MC38 - Metal November!

So get your creative juices flowing, and create an outstanding production that can be anything from (Hard) Rock to Metal and any subgenres in between (can even be a Rock/Metal Ballads, if there are some shredding parts or screaming solos in between). Doesn't matter if it's with vocals or not (maybe we see more female vocalists?!). As long as there is a drumset, and some amped guitars in it. Even if it's a guitar on the more clean/crunch side.

Songwriting Add-On Rules:

• Rock or Metal genre doesn't matter
• You can use samples, virtual instruments or real instruments
• electric guitars and a drum set should be present
• try not to exceed 8 minutes of runtime, if you're mood to write a prog metal anthem (unless you're from Rush or Dream Theater!)
• It is recommended to not go higher than -14LUFS SLk (avg) or K-12v1 (avg) in terms of perceived loudness

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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

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

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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.



Rekkerd Sounds is kind enough 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/



Bjulin Waves is kind enough to donate 1 sound set of winners choice and one "Inspire Me" sound set of choice for the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place
License will turn into NFR
More info on Bjulin Waves: http://bjulin.de/



kv331 audio is kind enough give away a bundle of either SynthMaster 1+2 Bundle, or a freely selectable set of 3 SynthMaster Expansions (donations until Spring 2018)
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


MORE TO COME DURING THE COURSE OF THE COMPETITIONs...



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 soundsets), 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!

ok let´s rock

who is in?

I'm working on something, hope I have it ready for the 21st, or at least presentable.

A friendly reminder:
Including today, 14 days left to create your production

Work in progress...

How about mastering on the mix? I read the -14LUFS rule but can you just master the song and have it be -14LUFS? Not sure what the finished product is supposed to sound like honestly. Also...since this is a collaboration between 3 different mixers, can each one submit their own mix version of the same song. Lot's of differences in that going on. Example...3 different mixes of the same song.

Tbase2000 wrote: ↑

Sun Sep 17, 2017 23:14 CEST

How about mastering on the mix? I read the -14LUFS rule but can you just master the song and have it be -14LUFS? Not sure what the finished product is supposed to sound like honestly.

As per the rule set, there is no limit in terms of mixing and mastering. It can be an unfinished mix, it can be a fully polished production. Though ideally (this is a recommendation, looking at how the industry changes currently), you shouldn't shoot higher than -14LUFS avg (SLk) or -12dB RMS avg.

Tbase2000 wrote: ↑

Sun Sep 17, 2017 23:14 CEST

Also...since this is a collaboration between 3 different mixers, can each one submit their own mix version of the same song. Lot's of differences in that going on. Example...3 different mixes of the same song.

Wait, are you one of the people that came over from Indaba Music? If so, nice to see that.

Other than that... it's still a collaboration, and I'd rather see one entry of the same song than three with just different mixes (once more, see rule set). Granted, that wouldn't add to the participation counter. But let's be fair to everybody and not raise the chance of winning with the same entry yet different "mixes" (that'd be a Mix Challenge).

It might be different, if the arrangement would also be different. Though by that, I don't mean just an exchanged vocal or guitar track. More like half of the song being different. In this case however, we'd slowly go into Remix Challenge territory.


I'm aware that this might not be the answer you're looking for though.





A friendly reminder:
Including today, 7 days left to create your production (as of this moment, that's 6 days and about 8 hours).

This was a collaborative effort between myself and a handful of fellow mix engineers/musicians, and is our alt-rock/hard-rock submission named 'King of Ashes' for the SWC01

.wav

.mp3

Players:

Nige: (composer, guitars, backing vocals, additional keys, drum programming)
All (nige) preliminary guitar tracks and additional synth instrumentation written/performed within FL Studio 12
Guitar -Custom (self built) DC Tele esquire, played direct through Guitar Rig 5 pro, recto preset.
Mic -Shure SM58
Drums programmed using Steven Slate Drum EX

Jones Nelson: (main vocals, backing vocals, lyrics)
Sterling ST 55 Condenser Mic run through a 24 Bit Presonus FirePod using their internal pre-amps

Moa22: (additional rhythm guitars)
Guitar - Tokai Love Rock played direct through JCM 80o virtual amp

Tbase2000: (Bass guitar, backing vocals, additional synth)
Ibanez SDGR bass, Ampeg SVT Classic head, 8X10 cabinet.
Mic -AKG-c5600

If I've left anything out or need to adjust the submission please let me know, thanks.

Is Tbase2000 actually Tony or Jones? You two are collaborating, right? (again, you're coming from Indaba Music?)



Anyway - please keep it coming, people! I would love to see 5 entries with the first Competition
Still a bit more than 5 days left...