MIX CHALLENGE - MC19 March 2016 - Winners announced

[Compyfox]

Hello and welcome to the KVR Mix Challenge 19 - March 2016


This is the introduction post, where we directly link to the challenge corresponding files (source files, submission information, sponsors), start of the evaluation process and the first post for re-submissions for Mix Round 2.



Since we had a little bit of "rock focus" in recent months, let us dive a bit more into the Electronic Genre. The current challenge is a Deep House / 90ies House mix by 7th Pyramid.

The track was originally released as "^-^" on Bandcamp, and has been renamed into "Sonrisa Amplia". Now you have a chance to give this mix an overhaul!


Please take note of the following

• as of MC17, the rule set has been overhauled/simplified - please take note of them in the Rules and Guidelines thread.
• as you're probably noticed, the Mix Challenge sports a bit of a face lift. We now go by the name "Mix Challenge" only, the Twitter account name (Twitter handle) changed to just @MixChallenge as well
• a newsletter will be available in the imminent future (we'll inform you separately), it's planned to be sent out bi-monthly

Also Important:

• We're still looking for new source material for future Mix Challenges. Our pool is in constant fear of running dry. Please follow our official campaign for this in the Music Cafe. No new tracks, no more challenges!
• Please also spread the word on your preferred social media platform. Our Twitter Account is already a good start

This post will be updated with the corresponding links as we progress, and of course the suitable thread headlines. So please watch this spot:


Submission Period: General Information, Source Files, Sponsors
Mix Round 2: Global Feedback and Round 2 Participant Announcement
Results of the Mix Challenge 19: Winners announced

[Compyfox]

CURRENT CHALLENGE - GENERAL INFORMATION

Time Frame: Tuesday, 01st March 2016 to Monday, 21st March 2016 (21 days)

Challenge submission will end on 21-03-2016, 11:59pm CET/GMT+1 (Germany) - until further notice. If you want to find out when that is the case at your place, please use the following tool and and select "Berlin (Germany)" as location 1, and your location as location 2:
http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/meeting.html



Song Provider: 7th Pyramid (KVR Profile)
Song Name and Length: Sonrisa amplia, 5:18min
Song Information: 125 bpm, time signature 4/4, in E minor
File Format: WAV, 44kHz, 24bit

GENRE: Deep House / 90ies house


Preview of the Song:
https://7thpyramid.bandcamp.com/track/-

A word from the song provider:

With this song, I wanted to make a classic-style deep house track, with M1 pianos and fast attack and release strings, also from those 90s work-stations. I chose big and punchy percussion because I love a good rythmic base.

I would like you to be creative with the bass, and especially in the intro part, since in that part it's alone along with the kick. I would also like a touch of "analogueness", so it "sounds less digital" and more like if it was done 25 years ago.



- try to create a mix that sounds as if it's been
written in the mid 90ies, but further edited
in modern days (no over-compression!)
- be creative with the FX usage in the intro part
- no rearranging

A few words by the Mix Challenge staff:

I can't give and further recommendations other than listening to electronic music from the 90ies. As usual, Youtube might be of help.

Though what I do recommend is to take a closer look at the kick transients in the first bar of the song.

I also do recommend to render with at least one bar of silence in front, and up to two bars of silence at the end of the track to not mess with transients or fade outs

Please also consult the TXT files that are bundled in the source files package below. There you can find more information about the individual files and changes to the time signature.

Special Add-On Rules:

• try to create a mix that sounds as if it's been written in the mid 90ies, but further edited in modern days (in your own style, no over-compression!)
• creative effect usage allowed (be creative with the FX usage in the intro part)
• No rearrangement of the song structure
• No BPM changes
• try to not(!) pre-master the track (please no overuse of mix bus treatment)

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Source Files:

Main Mix Package - Mirror on Studio Compyfox (202,05MB, LZMA compressed)


The provided files were packed as ZIP with LZMA compression.
File size extracted: 1803 MB, packed 202,05 MB (ZIP, LZMA)
In order to extract the files, we can recommend these programs:

Macintosh:
The Unarchiver - get it here

Windows:
7zip - Installation, Portable


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Please take note of the official rules - they can be found at the following thread:
Mix Challenge - Official Rules and Guidelines

Please address any OT question in the official Gossip thread:
Mix Challenge - Gossip and Discussion

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SPONSORS (Prizes):

Prizes for mix participants:

Note: All licenses are NFR (Not-For-Resale), except where noted.
Changes to available prices on short notice may be possible and will be announced separately.



Acon Digital is kind enough give away a single plugin of winner's choice.
License will turn into NFR
More info on Acon Digital: http://acondigital.de



Ghostwave Audio (KVR User Karten) is kind enough to donate MixRight (a Reaktor Ensemble) to the winner (until further notice)
License won't turn into NFR, you need Native Instruments Reaktor 5.8+ for this
More info on Ghostwave Audio: http://ghostwaveaudio.com/



JRR Shop will give away a free copy of Audiffex/Audified STA Preamp (until further notice)
More info about the plugins on Audiffex (now known as Audified): http://shop.audified.com/
More info about the sponsor: http://www.jrrshop.com/



Metric Halo will give away a single plugin of winner's choice.
License will turn into NFR
More info about Metric Halo: http://mhsecure.com/metric_halo/



Nyrv Systems offers AGENT incl. all currently available NyrvDevices and free update to at least v1.5 of winner's choice (until further notice)
License will turn into NFR
More info about Nyrv Systems: http://www.nyrvsystems.com/



Sound and Graphic, KVR user and Mix Challenge staff satYatunes is donating one commercial product of winner's choice (until further notice)
More info on satYatune's page: http://www.satyatunes.com/



Tone2 is kind enough to donate either a bundle consisting of AkustiX Enhancer and WarmVerb, or a license of Ultraspace to the winner (until further notice)
License will turn into NFR
More info on Tone2: https://tone2.com



Two Notes Audio Engineering is kind enough to donate one license of Torpedo Wall of Sound III to the winner, loaded with 57 cabinets (equivalent to "Torpedo WoS II") (donation until Q1 2016)
License will not turn into NFR
More info on Two Notes: http://www.two-notes.com/en/



THANKS FOR THE DONATIONS!
And also a thank you to all former contributors as well.

If you want to sponsor content (please have a focus on mix plugins, bundles and the likes), please get in touch with the Mix Challenge staff.


Did you know that there are even more contests / competitions / challenges here on KVR Audio?

• One Synth Challenge (see stickies) - a demanding game where you have to use "one synth only", tweak it to your needs and write song with it (the OSC offered us a lot of songs in recent months!)
• Music Cafe (KVR, see stickies) - A thematic monthly competition. Use recording, real instruments, synths and samples.

Please spread the word of the challenge on social media.
For example with our dedicated Twitter Account: https://twitter.com/MixChallenge

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Good luck to all participants.
And most importantly, have fun!

[camsr]

Can the song provider upload a version without clipped sources? Main kick track in particular.

[Compyfox]

I check every file for integrity (including clipping).

If you think that the source material is clipping, then consider two things:
a) the source provider "wanted" this kind of sound
b) the source provider accessed a sample that was already processed this way

Yes, the kick drum "looks" clipped/distorted - so does the slow snare. In case of the M1 piano, I double checked if there was a rendering error. Turned out that the "sound" came like that directly from the sound set used. (I happen to have the same rompler, so I could easily confirm this)

Your concerns are appreciated. But I guess you just have to work with this.
It's part of the challenge.

[camsr]

I'm going to cut the kick from slow kick track and re-sequence it to the other part, I hope that's ok.

[Jorgeelalto]

Yep, I think the kick is very compressed. I got it from a drum loop, so it's already processed (but not enough :3).

[camsr]

Maybe you would be willing to replace it? I agree it is overprocessed.

[Jorgeelalto]

Maybe you would be willing to replace it? I agree it is overprocessed.

Maybe we could add a kick replacement rule this time to the challenge? I don't know. I suppose in the real life musicians and mixing engineers can have discrepancies - I like that kick for the song but you find it overprocessed. Maybe through heavy mixing processing you can change it enough (?).

[Compyfox]

If we introduce a new rule mid challenge, or exchange files, this would throw off a lot of people. And cause more issues than we really need.


It's part of the challenge to work with the material you've been given. May it be distorted already, pre-processed already, clipping, full of noise (i.e. 16bit source material, not properly rendered out), etc.

We try to simulate a real world scenario where things are not all roses. So you as participant have to work with it, and create the best results possible to you.


I'm sorry that this causes any inconvenience.

[camsr]

Maybe through heavy mixing processing you can change it enough (?).

There's quite a bit of grunge in the sample already. I made a few successful attempts at getting a "pro" quality from it, but this meant reducing the treble and emphasizing a pitch that didn't work for the harmony. Appearantly the beater sound of this kick sample comes much earlier than the bass, which was causing problems with compression. I am thinking to chop this portion off. I'm sure any sample could be "fixed" at the great expense of time and labor, unfortunately I too think this is not what the idea should be.

[camsr]

I was able to get a good result by chopping a bit off the front of the sample. I did have to use the non-clipped version though.

[Compyfox]

Even if it's "only been 5 days", I stick with what I said over and over:
This adds to the challenge.


Fix it, don't fix it. It's up to you and your personal mixing style.

But let's assume that you have contact to a client and ask him to "re-render" the files. Yet his/her answer is "I can't - because these files are xyz years old, and I don't have the project anymore". What would you do then? Would you simply refuse to mix it "just because"?

The same applies to your current try to "fix"/replace this sample. Would a complete redo if the sample really improve the overall production? Or is this "flawed character" exactly what this track is about?

Only you can decide, you have to find a solution that works best "for you". This is what makes you special, and why the client comes to you in the first place.



There was an interesting quote on the MixChallenge Feed (the people we follow) which fits really well in this case, it was:
“The most important thing in mixing and production is the decision making process” - Matthew Weiss

[camsr]

I think a lot of different kick drums could replace the provided ones. It's a truism of the genre.

[Compyfox]

But this is NOT the point of this challenge.


The point is:
- you work with the files that have been provided according to given rules
- you decide if the files need fixing or not
- you create a suitable mix out of them

[dadayance]

Hello to all
I can't attach the file.
What type of file needed?