Mix Challenge on KVR Audio

[Compyfox]

Hello fellow users, how are you?

 

I'd like to point your attention towards an interesting challenge on the KVR Audio forum, called "Mix Challenge". Unlike known challenges here on OCR like DoD (Dwelling of Duels) or songwriting/remix competitions, the focus on this challenge is on mixing a song from scratch, within a certain given time frame (21 days, starting at the first day of the month). It's aimed to be a fun game, but with the twist of having a small learning curve (you get feedback from the song provider, you can read up on mixing techniques from other participants, you learn how to do proper gain staging, etc).

The Mix Challenge can be found on KVR Audio in the "Production Techniques" section, along with the rules/guidelines:
http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=62

We're (as of this moment) on the 17th month/song. And the current game (December 2015/January 2016 - Holiday Mix) is still running until 15th January 2015, 11:59pm CET/GMT+1.

If you're interested, I'd love to see you over on KVR Audio and join the fun. While visiting KVR Audio, you can also find the "One Synth Challenge" (in Instrument Section) and "Music Cafe Songwriting Competition" (in Music Cafe) - both are also very popular and long running games that challenge your songwriting skills. Please check them out as well.

 

 

However, I'm not only writing on OCR to point attention towards the contests/games, but as CTO/host of the Mix Challenge, I also have a request:

The challenge can not survive without people providing audio material to mix. As of this moment, we have two tracks in the queue for 2016 (one per month). Once this queue is used up, the challenge is over and can't continue. That will sadly be the case in April (we have a track for February and March, still working on getting new ones - but it's a very slow process).

So we're in desperate need of new audio material to mix. The genre is not really important - though we'd love to see more vocal work! Maybe also some modern DnB/Tech Step/Compextro and some Hip Hop/Trip Hop. As long as it's original productions (not game remixes) and you're not part of a royalty collection society. Here I hope to bring the OCR, the old ThaSauce "extended arm" (compos) and former VGMix Community back together. Especially since KVR Musicians seem to be very shy in terms of providing their material for the Mix Challenge.

If you want to know more about this, there is an official campaign thread, also on KVR Audio:
http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=443876

 

So yeah, that's about it. I'd love to see you over on KVR Audio and join the challenge. The more people, the more interesting things get.
If you got some questions, I try to answer them in here. But I'm way more active on KVR Audio these days.

If you want to follow us on Social Media, we're on Twitter (handle @MixChallenge).

Thanks for reading,

[Compyfox]

A small bump if you don't mind.

 

The Mix Challenge (formerly KVR Mix Challenge, we've gone more independent) started the new year with MC18, which offers an EBM / Electro track to mix for this month. You can find this game over on KVR Audio, in the production techniques sub-forum.

Since this is the regular run again, the challenge goes from 1st of the month, until the 21st of the month, with a possible second mix round. At the time of this post, that's still 2 weeks left to join until the first deadline.

The challenge also got a small face lift. The Twitter handle is now @MixChallenge

 

I'd love to see members of OCR, ThaSauce and (old) VGMix joining.
If you have questions, feel free to ask. Or get in touch with either Twitter or through KVR Audio.

 

Oh - and we're still (pretty much constantly) looking for new audio material to mix. Just follow the links in the first post.

Once more - thanks for reading.

[Brandon Strader]

Original songs are hard to make, then sending out the stems for it is basically giving away the copyright or ownership of the song... and not being able to monetize it? Not really something I'd contribute to, or have the time to mix someone else's song for free () but it's a cool idea anyway! 

[Compyfox]

Not everything is about money.
And we are in full agreement with the song provider what to do with the songs, etc.

Reasons/Bonus Info:

• the track is not registered with any tax/royalty collection service (which in turn wouldn't make this challenge possible as e.g. for Germany "streaming" of an own mix already results in huge fees - it's not covered by "fair use"). Youtube is a completely different topic / own world in itself
• the song provider has either of two scenarios, which is why he offered us the material in the first place: a ) he's stuck with mixing himself, so he's looking for help, b ) he/she is doing this for fun to see how this track could have turned into (or could still evolve)
• in some cases, the tracks were already released through either service (Bandcamp, SoundCloud, own CD release, etc), or are Creative Commons
• it's a win-win situation for everyone: For us as challenge hosts to continue this game // for the song provider to not only do a (free!!!) mass-engineer shootout for possible future collaborations, but also getting a different exposure to his/her material // for the mix participants a possible future mix deal with the song provider (a private thing), some additional experience due to a variety of genres to tackle (bonus: you can build yourself a portfolio this way!), but also the chance to win studio gear (software) -- you do not lose anything, other than "invested time"

 

The copyright and ownership is still on your end. We actually had professional singers and songwriters as song providers in recent years, and they had absolutely no problem with the challenge (actually the other way around - they did this for fun!). And as stated in the rules - the song provider still has the final word post challenge what is allowed to happen with the songs.

If you, as mix challenge participant, want to monetize the material to "earn something" out of it - you have to clear that with the song provider himself/herself.

 

There are more challenges/competitions on KVR Audio (a One Synth Challenge where you create a track with "one synth only", and a Songwriting Competition with a given theme similar to ThaSauce's Compos). We also had source material from these challenges already - which brings this post full circle - they did it for fun and/or curiosity - or just plain "lack" of mixing skills/knowledge and look for a different direction.

Honestly - I don't see a problem with such a challenge. There are hundreds of them, similar even, on the Internet. I just happen to be a longtime member of both communities. (and here I miss a shrug emoticon)