Songwriting 101: Songwriting Contest

oooooh
first

I'll try this what could happen

sry for the double post, but are you going to have a little something to say about everyone's song, even if we don't even place, or would it be too time consuming for you to comment on each one?

Just one question. Should the song be recorded with real instruments or MIDI compositions can also compete?

fly fly fly wrote: sry for the double post, but are you going to have a little something to say about everyone's song, even if we don't even place, or would it be too time consuming for you to comment on each one?

If you would like for me to comment and give you advice, then just let me know when you submit your song. I'd be more than happy to do so =).

UNIe wrote: Just one question. Should the song be recorded with real instruments or MIDI compositions can also compete?

They can be MIDI compositions, but if you could submit the notation or "composition notes" with the song then that would be great also.

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I Look forward to hearing everyone's song!

-Kole

Kole* wrote: They can be MIDI compositions, but if you could submit the notation or "composition notes" with the song then that would be great also. -Kole

but this way i can create a song which is impossible to play

Reages wrote: Kole* wrote: They can be MIDI compositions, but if you could submit the notation or "composition notes" with the song then that would be great also. -Kole but this way i can create a song which is impossible to play

Very true, but just because it's impossible to play, that doesn't mean it's a great song.

Can i get the cash value of those prizes instead?

Hmmm this sounds really good I think I'll enter this.
Can musicians from overseas (Australia) enter as well?

StratoSlayer wrote: Hmmm this sounds really good I think I'll enter this. Can musicians from overseas (Australia) enter as well?

Absolutely! =)

Kole* wrote: StratoSlayer wrote: Hmmm this sounds really good I think I'll enter this. Can musicians from overseas (Australia) enter as well? Absolutely! =)

Even the Philippines.....?

I'll do my best to get something in. Does it matter on the quality of the recording?

Even the Philippines.....?

Yep anywhere in the world!

Feel bad inc. wrote: I'll do my best to get something in. Does it matter on the quality of the recording?

The Quality of the recording does not matter and will not be judged; only the quality of the Song.

what's the main thing you're looking for in your judging? if someone submits a happy jazz song that doesn't really have a bunch of emotion in it compared to a classical piece that actually moves you, is the jazz song not going to stand a chance? i wanna know what type of song i should go for here.

Glen'sHeroicAct wrote: what's the main thing you're looking for in your judging? if someone submits a happy jazz song that doesn't really have a bunch of emotion in it compared to a classical piece that actually moves you, is the jazz song not going to stand a chance? i wanna know what type of song i should go for here.

I'm only judging on how well you "the artist" gets your message across. Genre/Style make no difference and it doesn't matter if your message is "I'm Happy" or "End Drug Abuse."

Compose the song that you NEED to express.

Hi, can I send a Guitar Pro format archive, that's all, I'll do my bets and one more thing, is there a prob If I live in Mexico, that's all guys good luck everyone and cya next time

i have the perfect tune already made by yours truely(me) the name is up in the toss still... but its actually somewhat good! lol

You definitely given us all enough information to make our own complete songs know. I mean, now I know chords are diatonic in a major key, and I know I could look for lyrics in the newspaper! You should definitely be having a contest, on what is effectively your second video for song writing, your first 4 being sorry excuses for lessons.

can it just be lyrics?

I'm writing a song that would be perfect, Firestrings, take my idea, I KILL YOU!

Gorre wrote: can it just be lyrics?

For this contest I require a recording of some kind, however I'd be happy to look over your lyrics if you still want to send them.

We have nothing to loose guys!
Lmao.
Lame ass prizes.
Cash value of prizes, yes?

This sounds cool, I think I'll enter as well!

I don't understand one thing.... By definition, a song is a musical piece adapted for singing and instrumentals don't have singing. Just wondering.

I will enter!
If it can be midi... can i send you the guitar pro archive?
or i have to send the midi and the sheets separate?

can it be a song with lyrics in another language besides English?

something else... the composition must be in guitar?

Raven_Flight wrote: I will enter! If it can be midi... can i send you the guitar pro archive? or i have to send the midi and the sheets separate?

MIDI is fine, however Guitar Pro format is not (for this contest).

Darknives wrote: can it be a song with lyrics in another language besides English?

Yes, as long as you send me a lyric sheet translated to English.

Raven_Flight wrote: something else... the composition must be in guitar?

The Song/Composition can be for anything. Marimba, cowbell, wine glasses, etc.

This sounds good, but, I can generaly only play the guitar sections , so you'll be getting a MIDI format of the song. It'll probably have lyrics, but they won't be on the track, would you still want them?

I don't know how or have an opportunity to record my song. What can I do, if at all to enter this competition?

ShredderOmega wrote: This sounds good, but, I can generaly only play the guitar sections , so you'll be getting a MIDI format of the song. It'll probably have lyrics, but they won't be on the track, would you still want them?

Sure, go ahead and send the lyrics with your song.

TheAndster6 wrote: I don't know how or have an opportunity to record my song. What can I do, if at all to enter this competition?

Unfortunately, this competition requires a recording. However, there may be some competitions in the near future for lyrics only.

i'll try to do something... can it be in parts like a instrumental part then a lyrical part... unfortunately i dont have the technology to put them together

I was wondering if it can be a full band recording, me being the composer, arranger, vocalist, and guitar player, I just didnt play bass or drums in the track

TheAndster6 wrote: i'll try to do something... can it be in parts like a instrumental part then a lyrical part... unfortunately i dont have the technology to put them together

Unfortunately, it has to be a recording of everything together if it is a vocal song.

mdlarry7 wrote: I was wondering if it can be a full band recording, me being the composer, arranger, vocalist, and guitar player, I just didnt play bass or drums in the track

Sure, thats perfectly fine.

would you like us to give you a description of the song as well, or should we leave it up to your interpretation

mdlarry7 wrote: would you like us to give you a description of the song as well, or should we leave it up to your interpretation

A description would be nice, as I would like to know what you were thinking at the time when it was composed.

Kole* wrote: ShredderOmega wrote: This sounds good, but, I can generaly only play the guitar sections , so you'll be getting a MIDI format of the song. It'll probably have lyrics, but they won't be on the track, would you still want them? Sure, go ahead and send the lyrics with your song.

OK, all I have to do is finish them :p

By submitting the song, do we lose any credit and or rights to the song? Nothing against the competition, just making sure we don't get screwed somehow ha ha.

mushroomelphant wrote: By submitting the song, do we lose any credit and or rights to the song? Nothing against the competition, just making sure we don't get screwed somehow ha ha.

No not at all. You have full rights to your song and will loose nothing by entering this competition.

-Kole

I sent you a song!

Hey Kole.... Can I send video? Reply Plz!

FrogOrToad wrote: Hey Kole.... Can I send video? Reply Plz!

Yes a Video is fine. I prefer if you host it on your site or something like Youtube though and just send me the link.

K

I do think I shall be submitting a song of mine. I'm quite proud of my song "And Then They Were Rabbits". Hope you enjoy it, even if it doesn't win :P

kole- when do we find out the results?

winstack wrote: kole- when do we find out the results?

I will make a video a week after the deadline (August 2nd) announcing the results of the contest.

I have a song that we play in my band that is my best song, but we really don't have any money to record it. I have the guitar pro file which includes the bass and two guitars, which I wrote, would that be acceptable?

Its over. Now to see who will be victorious.

its very kool and stuff but i saw this too late... when there will be the second part of this ultra-mega-cool contest? because when i watched this vid of this contest i felt "wow i must make something for this" but then i saw its over =/

im sure i didn't win, but its been a week since the deadline?

winstack wrote: im sure i didn't win, but its been a week since the deadline?

Don't think that way, dude. I thought my song was decent. I don't know about winning, but I am proud of it. Be proud of yours too.

fly fly fly wrote: Don't think that way, dude. I thought my song was decent. I don't know about winning, but I am proud of it. Be proud of yours too.

I am proud, dude. I would like to hear your submission, if you care to let me hear it. I'll critique yours if you wanna critique mine? www.youtube.com/user/winstack The song I submitted was called 'Havoc'

im either: A. smoking crack
B. would like to be smoking crack
C. thinking kole is going by a tibetan calendar because its been 11 days and theres still nothing posted.
D. unable to find the 'results' post/page
suggestions? questions? comments?

winstack wrote: im either: A. smoking crack B. would like to be smoking crack C. thinking kole is going by a tibetan calendar because its been 11 days and theres still nothing posted. D. unable to find the 'results' post/page suggestions? questions? comments?

Yeah, it is getting annoying. But I hope he will put out the video this week. Maybe he got flooded with lots of submissions on the final day

winstack wrote: im either: A. smoking crack B. would like to be smoking crack C. thinking kole is going by a tibetan calendar because its been 11 days and theres still nothing posted. D. unable to find the 'results' post/page suggestions? questions? comments?

HAHAHA well put my amigo.

But yeah, me and a friend have been waiting a while, I wouldn't mind so much as long as he actually put up a post about how they were not in yet.

Im guessing there were a shit ton of submissions towards the end. but it would be neato to crown the king. flyx3 what did you think of my offer? Im not a professional songwriter or anything, but I like to think I have an ear for quality. or maybe i don't and my ego just needs a kick in the nuts. either way, i still love music.

UNIe wrote: Yeah, it is getting annoying. But I hope he will put out the video this week. Maybe he got flooded with lots of submissions on the final day

yeah I agree. Even though mine wasn't submitted last minute I bet there was a ton of people's who were.

Well there be another contest?
Because I noticed this one too late ^^

there is nothing professional about being two weeks late on contest results. What I would have done is post something along the lines of "Hey, im kole, sorry for keeping you all waiting, but i got flooded with submissions, or i had (insert difficult situation here) happen." you don't have to be up to the minute, but i think its rude to have a contest and then not deliver the results in a timely fashion, just an opinion.

winstack wrote: there is nothing professional about being two weeks late on contest results. What I would have done is post something along the lines of "Hey, im kole, sorry for keeping you all waiting, but i got flooded with submissions, or i had (insert difficult situation here) happen." you don't have to be up to the minute, but i think its rude to have a contest and then not deliver the results in a timely fashion, just an opinion.

Agreed.
He probably either received a lot of submissions and can't choose which ones he likes best or had some kind of more important business or a trip to somewhere, but it's not that hard to get to an internet source in two weeks and post some kind of elaboration. I'm still looking forward to the results, though.

i got an email about the results today so I assume that he will post a video soon. Runner up baby! "Twelve" is in my profile

cados121 wrote: i got an email about the results today so I assume that he will post a video soon. Runner up baby! "Twelve" is in my profile

Congratulations, man ;]

officially two weeks late. what a bunch of shit. congratulations UNIe on your song! I listened to it, it sounds good.

winstack wrote: officially two weeks late. what a bunch of shit. congratulations UNIe on your song! I listened to it, it sounds good.

Thanks ;] But I don't know if you listened to the one I sent to the contest. My song was "The Ways Of Nile", and I don't have that song in my profile, it's in a thread I created some time ago: http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/forum/showthread.php?t=647811

And yes, Kole has lost a ton of respect from me now. How couldn't he post some kind of elaboration about the delay is beyond me.

The Results are in and the video is now up. Sorry for the delay, but there were many many submissions I had to go through and a few personal things in my life which took up most of my time and delayed it further.

Also, there will be Contests like this in the near future.

Congratulations to the winners!

-Kole