Maybe we could have metafilter music contests?

January 4, 2007 2:01 PM

When I was younger I entered a lot of bi-weekly music competitions. During the first week people would make songs using only a provided pack of samples. The people who entered would vote on the best ones the second week. It gave me a lot of practice, I met a lot of new people, and it was fun. How about something similar for MetaFilter Music?
posted by cmicali to MetaFilter Music at 2:01 PM (25 comments total)

I've done weekly and bi-weekly cover contest with friends - I'd definitely be interested in making something out of a pre-provided set of samples. I love hearing how far apart talented folk can make that kind of thing.
posted by god hates math at 2:17 PM on January 4, 2007

I'm not bi.
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 2:27 PM on January 4, 2007

Oops! Wrong thread!
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 2:29 PM on January 4, 2007

Sounds good to me. Although I understand the use of non-public-domain samples is kinda discouraged around here.
posted by Jimbob at 2:32 PM on January 4, 2007

I like mashing noises. Copyright-free or cleared samples, please.
posted by loquacious at 3:10 PM on January 4, 2007

I have never done it before (mashing noises), but would relish the opportunity to try. Another vote for copyright-free/cleared samples.
posted by carsonb at 4:04 PM on January 4, 2007

It sounds like fun but a lot of work to do every two weeks.

Instead of a regular thing, why not a one-off to see how it flies?
posted by lupus_yonderboy at 4:21 PM on January 4, 2007

I agree that this sounds fun, and agree that a one-off seems like the right way to start.

cmicali, would you be up to organizing a testbed? Get some samples organized, stick up a blog post with instructions/guidelines and links to the resources, say. Make another meta post when it's good to go, and interested musician types can commence mashin' up. Results posted to Music as they become available, tagged with something consistent ("mefimashup" or such).

If it catches on like crazy, Matt might support/integrate some aspects of it; if not, no damage done, no footprint on the site.
posted by cortex at 5:09 PM on January 4, 2007

We did this at em411.com (mixit), but now since the last site redesign it has moved to an offsite bulletin board. They are a friendly bunch if you want to join them.
posted by bigmusic at 6:49 PM on January 4, 2007

one-off? cmicali, hook it up. It definately sounds like fun!
posted by snsranch at 7:46 PM on January 4, 2007

I'd be more interested in a contest that gives composers a genre and theme, and challenges them to come up with an original composition.

Barring the release of a keyboard attachment, this will probably be the only time I'll ever post using my Wii. God, talk about time-consuming! Now excuse me while I go rest my carpal tunnels...
posted by The Confessor at 8:09 PM on January 4, 2007

I'd be more interested in a contest that gives composers a genre and theme, and challenges them to come up with an original composition.

Ooh, that'd be fun too.

*contemplates Mefi Music Blog*
posted by cortex at 8:18 PM on January 4, 2007

I'd be up for it.

You have my axe.
posted by drezdn at 8:37 PM on January 4, 2007

I prefer the genre/theme competition myself but that's even harder. However, I have a cool musical toy showing up tomorrow that should reactivate this machine for music production....
posted by lupus_yonderboy at 8:41 PM on January 4, 2007

Man, I need to figure out how to bump up from Amadeus and maybe figure out how to use the VST stuff I keep hearing about (does it need a midi-enabled keyboard or something?), so I can do stuff like this.
posted by klangklangston at 9:59 PM on January 4, 2007

I'd be interested if the samples are 1) captivating, and 2) are open source or cleared under CC or similar (example).
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 10:45 PM on January 4, 2007

I know little about making music, but I like messing around with noises, so I'd have a stab at it.
posted by MetaMonkey at 11:01 PM on January 4, 2007

I like more freeform stuff, mainly because I'm an editor and a DJ more than I'm a composer - but don't let me stop the many actual composers and songwriters here.

(The two "composed" tracks I have on music.metafilter are more process and listening than planning or intent, which isn't at all uncommon. I mean, I go in with an idea or concept but I'm just fiddling until I like what I hear.)

But give me either good single file multitracks with solid start/stop timing or at least a track with good tempo and loopability and I can chew that right up.

But I also like much more experimental or ambient stuff.

An upcoming project I want to do is multiple source recordings from various devices and in varying bit depths/sample rates, which would be composited by hand in a wave editor and/or sliced up and mashed and/or otherwise tweaked or something.

If anyone likes the sound of that let me know.
posted by loquacious at 11:19 PM on January 4, 2007

I'd be interested if the samples are 1) captivating

But Blazecock, even if they're not, you can mess with 'em until they are, right?

I know little about making music, but I like messing around with noises

Hey, MetaMonkey, these days it's all the same!

If anyone likes the sound of that let me know.

Nah, loquacious, nobody likes the sound of that... [JOKE!]

I think the MeFi-mashup idea is great: I'd be down for something like this.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 2:56 AM on January 5, 2007

Yeah I think bi-weekly would be too much, but we could do a one-off one at first to see how things go. I'll see if I can get a CC-friendly sample pack together and do a test run.

I think the sample-based (as opposed to theme-based) approach is more inclusive as it makes it easier for everyone to participate, regardless of their experience level.

loquacious - You should check out the stuff from Burial. In this review he says he makes everything by slicing sounds and putting them together in SoundForge, which just boggles the mind. 'Gutted' and 'Forgive' are incredible.
posted by cmicali at 4:33 AM on January 5, 2007

Zephyr, is that you?
posted by zsazsa at 6:04 AM on January 5, 2007

I'd be in for a one-off thing. I, too, think bi-weekly is a bit ambitious.
posted by sveskemus at 6:55 AM on January 5, 2007

I've never done any work with samples before, so this sounds like it could be fun. Count me in.
posted by InfidelZombie at 9:19 AM on January 5, 2007

Put in my vote for the genre/theme contest.
posted by Uncle Jimmy at 9:23 AM on January 5, 2007

The sample thing sounds like fun...count me in (time permitting.)
posted by malocchio at 5:06 PM on January 6, 2007