[crAzerk]

Calling all aspiring composers /talented musicians / music lovers!


I am organising a MIDI composition contest!



Image taken from http://poetic-injustice.tumblr.com/


What?
Compose a 1 minute long musical piece using MIDI software (I.e. Anvil Studio(free download! Click here.))
There are no genre restrictions.


Prizes
Entries will be judged by subjective ratings by a panel of 5 judges
1st place - Up to $50
2nd place - Up to $20
3rd place - Up to $10
*All prizes are in SG Dollars*

+ [What do you mean up to?] +

Prize pool distribution will depend on number of contestants.
Below 5 participants - only 1st place gets a prize of $50
5-9 participants - 1st place gets $30, 2nd place gets $20
10 and above - 1st gets $25, 2nd gets $15, 3rd gets $10

How to submit?
Send your entry to diabteo@hotmail.com by 28th October! (deadline MAY be extended on request)
Important: Please only send in your raw format! (individual tracks still edittable with Anvil Studio)
*Dont convert into mp3 or anything.
This is so that I can verify you composed it.


Rules and Regulations
Please read this section thoroughly. By submitting your entry, you are acknowledging that you have read this thoroughly.

+ Show +

1) Files must be in a format still edittable by Anvil Studio (best if you use this program to compose) (I.e. Standard MIDI format (SMF))
2) Composition should be approximately between 0:45-1:00 and MUST NOT exceed 1 minute
3) The first 8 seconds of your composition should not contain more than 2 General MIDI (GM) instruments. Any subsequent GM instruments can come in after 8 seconds
3) You MUST use at least 2 GM instruments in your composition
4) A maximum of 5 GM instruments is allowed (All percussion instruments are considered as one instrument. E.g. Snare + hi hat + toms = 1 instrument)
5) GM Instruments 121-128 are NOT allowed to be used in your composition
6) Only ORIGINAL work is allowed. No blatant copying of existing work is allowed.
7) Multiple entries per person are allowed up to 3 per person, but each individual is only eligible for ONE prize. (e.g. even if you submit the 3 best pieces, you will only receive the '1st place' prize and the next best pieces will receive the 2nd/3rd prizes)
8) Prizes will be transferred via Paypal. For those in SG, a bank to bank transfer is possible.


By submitting your entry, you are handing over all your copyright privileges and permissions of your composition to me, inclusive of but not limited to : reproduction, transmission, modification and publishing.
(You WILL be credited if your piece is used, this just means I don't have to ask you to let me use it)


Any entries found to be violating any of the rules will be automatically disqualified. The organizer holds the right to modify the rules at any stage.

Prizes are great, task is easy. What are you waiting for? Start composing!

Feel free to leave any queries below!

Quick Comments

Nemo:

Very, very good idea !

[Bugalugs McScruffin]

Hmmm.... sounds interesting.

I may have to flex my creative music muscles. Not that I have many.

So basic gist is grab Anvil Studio and go nuts. Any particular reason that you can not have more than 2 GM instruments before 8 seconds?

I assume the restriction of not using GM Instruments 121-128 is to prevent trolling.

[crAzerk]

The idea is to encourage a build up rather than jump into it with 5 instruments at once. I may relax the 8second rule if requested but most pieces wont start off with 5 instruments anyway.

121-128 is just crap sounds like Clapping or something, not actual instruments

[Bugalugs McScruffin]

Yeah, 121-128 would be a waste in a song with limits like this.

It is generally better to build up from less to more, but I just found it interesting that you stipulated it.

I'll have a mess around with this over the weekend. See if I can come up with anything that doesn't sound atrocious.

Oh, and hey, I'm a Medivac.

[TABottles]

Can i use cubase 6? - midi keyboard?

I've got a bunch of Guitar Pro files already composed - im so excited for this! ♥♥♥

Quick Comments

TAminimat:

winner right here

[crAzerk]

@Bottles -
What's the file format?
Could you try downloading Anvil Studio and opening the file to see if the different tracks can be seen? That's the best way to check.

[TABottles]

http://soundcloud.com/ben_element/wo...rcraft/s-8Na3b

This piece is for sc2sea to embody the composers spirit, i'm not submitting it or anything just would like to share.

And yeah Crazerk ill just download the freeware and compose from there

Quick Comments

	Maynarde:	Catchy!
	nirvAnA:	bottles multi talented artist + composer!
	EscapisT:	:)
	MooZfY:	love the middle part LOL
	Nemo:	That's great !

[Maynarde]

@Bottles that's nice haha. I wish I had time to enter this man, making music is so fun

[TABottles]

Cheers Mate, glad you enjoyed it. Dance isn't my thing but since my recording software lacks ability to record I just compose dance to get decent at production. Still have a long way to go

[Maynarde]

Mine either. I'm a metal head, but dance stuff on midi is ez pz and fun to make.

[TABottles]

My thoughts exactly

[Bugalugs McScruffin]

crAzerk, you gonna link the submissions in this thread after judging?

[crAzerk]

NOTE:
I've just added 2 more points to the Rules and Regulations, basically mentioning how the prize money will reach you and adding a multiple entry clause. This clause may be removed (i.e. only single entries allowed) if we have too many participants or it causes any issues.

crAzerk, you gonna link the submissions in this thread after judging?

Yes, winning entries will be put up.


Atm considering redistributing prize pool just a little, may decide to just add on more $$ but we'll see.

[TABottles]

Hey crAzerk, i downloaded anvil studio and don't really like it. It feels clunky and hard to use. One problem I had with it is not being to make chords as the staff only allows one note to be played within the notes value. I think that's right. The harmonize feature bugged me as it's the only way I could construct chords and doesn't really have alot of accuracy to it.

Anyway for my submission can I use Guitar Pro 5? it's the same basic composition / MIDI program and if it doesn't have compatability with anvil studio would I be able to send away the exported midi file with attached screenshots of the piece? either that or i could stream it or something, you tube maybe?

[crAzerk]

You hold shift to make chords! So you basically hold shift while adding new notes and it adds as a chord.

It would be much preferred if you could use Anvil Studio to compose it (so as to produce a compatible file), but if you really hate it and want to use Guitar Pro 5 it's fine (I'd hate to restrict your expressiveness with a bad program! ), just do what you said, submit screenshots of the full song (i.e. can see all your notes on the scores) along with your file!


And if you do end up using GP5, are you able to save the file as .mid or .wav and see if this opens up in Anvil Studio?

[TABottles]

ahh GP5 works and is compatible with anvil, ill send them to you now. You can judge the first minutes of each song as one of them goes for 2mins. Choose your minute wisely. Alternatively I could cut them down but whatever right?

[crAzerk]

Replied your email regarding some rule violations

[TABottles]

I'll trim the fat no worries

[crAzerk]

haha ok

[aztecx]

I love chiptunes. I might compete? I've never made a song before though..

Someone has to write up a tutorial cus i have no idea wtf is going on in this program.