Songwriting contest?

[GasparXR]

I think it would be a really neat idea to gather the composers from around here and have a songwriting contest. Everyone outside the contest could vote for their favourite submission. Obviously this would require planning, like how long we accept submissions for, when and how, limitations on genre or length of song, etc. There's a lot of variables to work out. But would anyone be interested in having a contest like this?

[Adami]

Something tells me the song that sounds most like Steven Wilson will win.

[GasparXR]

Something tells me the song that sounds most like Steven Winson will win.

I wonder why

[robwebster]

We actually used to have this. DIY Song Roulette.

Round 1 - Open
https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=20011.msg750706#msg750706
https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=20200.msg761046#msg761046

Round 2 - Duets
https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=20223.msg762809#msg762809
https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=20378.msg769935#msg769935

Round 3 - Microsongs
https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=20403.msg771198#msg771198
https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=20647.msg783829#msg783829

Round 4 - Covers
https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=20648.msg783343#msg783343
https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=20989.msg797882#msg797882

Some properly stupendous compositions in there. Was a lot of fun while it lasted, but it tended to just be the composers listening and voting.

[jsem]

Yup, what rob said. It seemed like no one actually cared. But if someone wants to do organize this yet again, sign me up for it.

[robwebster]

Well, no-one's a little strong, I think the participants did! I was enjoying myself. And even if only the other few participants were listening, that was still a pretty cool thing.

Plus, even if nobody else ever listened to it ever, you'd sit down once a week and an hour later you'd have a song written and recorded. Might just be a first draft, but it was a neat little idea! I can't promise I'd participate again, but I'm glad it happened. If you could find enough composers, I reckon it'd be worth a stab.

[skydivingninja]

Yeah the DIY roulette was a lot of fun.  I'd love to try doing that again.  Even if it was just composers voting on it. 

Plus it gave birth to probably the first song I wrote that I was really truly proud of in the duets round.  I fleshed it out to use all four channels and it sounds even better now, so I owe the roulette a lot. 

[MoraWintersoul]

This honestly sounds awesome and I regret not being able to write songs for the millionth time in my life if you ever do it again, you have my votes.

[GasparXR]

Even if only the composers vote, it would work. If we're in it to write genuinely good music though, we should have at least a week or two for writing, followed by another week for recording/editing, barring those who can't record and just submit a midi or guitar pro file.

[skydivingninja]

This honestly sounds awesome and I regret not being able to write songs for the millionth time in my life if you ever do it again, you have my votes.

AND MY BOW

Even if only the composers vote, it would work. If we're in it to write genuinely good music though, we should have at least a week or two for writing, followed by another week for recording/editing, barring those who can't record and just submit a midi or guitar pro file.

Thats a long time between rounds though.  I liked giving everyone a few days to just cut out an hour of time and see what everyone came up with.  It made things interesting, as did the themed rounds.  It also puts everyone on a more-or-less equal playing field regarding writing.  Someone with a ton of free time could make something amazing, yes, but there are plenty of people who could make something more amazing but maybe their schedules don't leave them with a lot of time, etc. 

And if someone comes up with something they really like in that hour, there's no rule against working with it until its in the most polished state for their own pleasure. 

[GasparXR]

This honestly sounds awesome and I regret not being able to write songs for the millionth time in my life if you ever do it again, you have my votes.

AND MY BOW

Even if only the composers vote, it would work. If we're in it to write genuinely good music though, we should have at least a week or two for writing, followed by another week for recording/editing, barring those who can't record and just submit a midi or guitar pro file.

Thats a long time between rounds though.  I liked giving everyone a few days to just cut out an hour of time and see what everyone came up with.  It made things interesting, as did the themed rounds.  It also puts everyone on a more-or-less equal playing field regarding writing.  Someone with a ton of free time could make something amazing, yes, but there are plenty of people who could make something more amazing but maybe their schedules don't leave them with a lot of time, etc. 

And if someone comes up with something they really like in that hour, there's no rule against working with it until its in the most polished state for their own pleasure. 

Oh, rounds. I was speaking in terms of having just one round. But that works too.

[jsem]

But the time frame was like, it wasn't good in a way. You felt the pressure to put something out there quick, and the recording process then sucked... and the composition wasn't too good to begin with because you weren't properly inspired...etc.

For me, songwriting is just like - I spontaneously come up with ideas while sitting at the piano or by the guitar... and then I expand on it, etc.

[robwebster]

I don't know! I liked the urgency. I liked sitting down at my computer with a blank slate, knowing that an hour later I'd have some sort of song in front of me.

Silences the inner critic, is the thing. Give me a week and I'll sit around analysing each melody, and going "that's rubbish," and "you're not a real musician," and "everything you write is tat," before eventually packing the whole thing in with the logic that everyone else is better than me anyway. Give me an hour, though, and I'll knuckle down. I'm not going "is this Beethoven," I'm going "is this music?" Doesn't matter any more that it's not Muse, means I'll be happier to just write a brand new bit of robwebster.

And there's not the pressure of how brilliant everyone else is, either. If I know X brilliant musician has a week to write a new track, I won't be interested in contributing at all, cos what's the point? I could spend a month knocking out the kind of song that ClairvoyantCat, for instance, would be able to write in his sleep. If I know X brilliant musician has an hour, though, then hey! We're all working under tough circumstances. We're not aiming for genius any more - what we write is what we write.

[skydivingninja]

Silences the inner critic, is the thing. Give me a week and I'll sit around analysing each melody, and going "that's rubbish," and "you're not a real musician," and "everything you write is tat," before eventually packing the whole thing in with the logic that everyone else is better than me anyway. Give me an hour, though, and I'll knuckle down. I'm not going "is this Beethoven," I'm going "is this music?" Doesn't matter any more that it's not Muse, means I'll be happier to just write a brand new bit of robwebster.

And there's not the pressure of how brilliant everyone else is, either. If I know X brilliant musician has a week to write a new track, I won't be interested in contributing at all, cos what's the point? I could spend a month knocking out the kind of song that ClairvoyantCat, for instance, would be able to write in his sleep. If I know X brilliant musician has an hour, though, then hey! We're all working under tough circumstances. We're not aiming for genius any more - what we write is what we write.

All this, especially the bolded parts.  Stupid ClairvoyantCat, being good at music and shit. 

[Lucidity]

I love this idea! I'm only 14, but I composed and orchestrated two songs for my middle school band and did this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0C2KEvDLVg , so I may have qualifications. Jordan commented on it Do purely-piano compositions count, and can we use the melodies we make for other songs later in our lives?

[GasparXR]

I love this idea! I'm only 14, but I composed and orchestrated two songs for my middle school band and did this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0C2KEvDLVg , so I may have qualifications. Jordan commented on it Do purely-piano compositions count, and can we use the melodies we make for other songs later in our lives?

Absolutely, any sort of piece is welcome, and I don't see why we would want to prevent you from using your own composition elsewhere.

Wow! You're really talented for someone your age! I listened to the DT tribute and I love how you flow from one song to another. I'm checking out your original piece now.

[Lucidity]

I love this idea! I'm only 14, but I composed and orchestrated two songs for my middle school band and did this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0C2KEvDLVg , so I may have qualifications. Jordan commented on it Do purely-piano compositions count, and can we use the melodies we make for other songs later in our lives?

Absolutely, any sort of piece is welcome, and I don't see why we would want to prevent you from using your own composition elsewhere.

Wow! You're really talented for someone your age! I listened to the DT tribute and I love how you flow from one song to another. I'm checking out your original piece now.

Thanks so much, that really means a lot! A lot of the songs on my channel are outdated though, I'm thinking of getting new one. My videos are mostly a year old, and I'm leagues ahead of where I was at this point last year. I already have a song idea that I'd love use somewhere, and no better place than here. Are symphonic/orchestral songs welcome, and can they be played on a synthesized program (ie Finale 2012)?

[GasparXR]

I love this idea! I'm only 14, but I composed and orchestrated two songs for my middle school band and did this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0C2KEvDLVg , so I may have qualifications. Jordan commented on it Do purely-piano compositions count, and can we use the melodies we make for other songs later in our lives?

Absolutely, any sort of piece is welcome, and I don't see why we would want to prevent you from using your own composition elsewhere.

Wow! You're really talented for someone your age! I listened to the DT tribute and I love how you flow from one song to another. I'm checking out your original piece now.

Thanks so much, that really means a lot! A lot of the songs on my channel are outdated though, I'm thinking of getting new one. My videos are mostly a year old, and I'm leagues ahead of where I was at this point last year. I already have a song idea that I'd love use somewhere, and no better place than here. Are symphonic/orchestral songs welcome, and can they be played on a synthesized program (ie Finale 2012)?

Definitely, although we'll have to actually start organizing for the contest. I could probably start brainstorming the details tomorrow and officially start it in a few days.

[skydivingninja]

I'd post in general music.  Wider audience since this part of the forum usually doesn't get the most attention.

[GasparXR]

I'd post in general music.  Wider audience since this part of the forum usually doesn't get the most attention.

Good point. I'll note that.

[jsem]

We did have it in general music last time. People still didn't care.

[Elite]

I'd be up for it and would actually see if I can record something in time as well (I suck at deadlines).

[Scorpion]

I'd be up for it as well, though I've never really tried myself on what most people would call "songs" - I've mainly been writing for classical instruments, even if it is modern music.

[robwebster]

We did have it in general music last time. People still didn't care.

"Sunshine jsem," we call him.

[skydivingninja]

 

[jsem]

Just saying.