Mix Challenge - Gossip and Discussion

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Hello Fox.

I figured out what I was doing wrong with PM. I do occasionally check this page to see what's happening with the MC. Is it true you will delete the KVR pages relating to the MC? I guess I will have to bookmark your new webpage just in case.
ah böwakawa poussé poussé

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You understood most of this, yes.

I will gradually "remove" the Rules/Guideline/FAQ section, so that it's completely moved over to the new webpage (which takes time). Probably the same with the "Song Pool Campaign" as it sadly barely picks up any drive (already on the new page)

For the time being, I'll keep direct links to the challenge threads and might port them over in a short form (think of an info page, rather than a full discussion - as backup - still trying to figure out how to do/layout that). These Challenge threads won't be locked/deleted but could eventually land in the KVR Audio Forum Archives...


The idea is to indeed have a global starting point, which is the new webpage, and then go from there. As of this moment, the Challenges themselves are still on KVR Audio, and will stay unless the Mix Challenge is being kicked out or overly many voices are raised to go a different route (info: not happening so far)...



With that said - what are your thoughts on the Q's I just posted?
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Compyfox wrote: With that said - what are your thoughts on the Q's I just posted?
"1) what is your opinion on official merchandise?
And if you're interested, what would you like to see?"

Official merchandise. I am not sure what that is. Where is that page?




"2) should we branch out to Facebook?
I'd like to get an overview over how many of our users are on Twitter or Facebook exclusively."

If you have time to do it and if it would get the Mix Challenge more exposure, sure why not?
ah böwakawa poussé poussé

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Jorgeelalto wrote:And how do you get a professional mixer to do the judge of MC job?
I have seen a few people here offering their service for about 100 dollars. I presume they are professional mixers working for legit companies. I presume those people would donate their time to be judges on the Mix Challenge. It would give their companies exposure, and if they do a good job as judges, it would bring in traffic to their business?
ah böwakawa poussé poussé

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harryupbabble wrote:
Compyfox wrote: With that said - what are your thoughts on the Q's I just posted?
"1) what is your opinion on official merchandise?
And if you're interested, what would you like to see?"

Official merchandise. I am not sure what that is. Where is that page?
We don't have a merchandise page yet (hence the question).
Think: Coffe mugs, Mousepads, Shirts, Hoodies, Caps, Teddybears (no joke, some merch shops offer that!), stickers, etc



harryupbabble wrote:"2) should we branch out to Facebook?
I'd like to get an overview over how many of our users are on Twitter or Facebook exclusively."

If you have time to do it and if it would get the Mix Challenge more exposure, sure why not?
This is the question: would it offer us more exposure?
Because time-management is definitely a thing.



harryupbabble wrote:
Jorgeelalto wrote:And how do you get a professional mixer to do the judge of MC job?
I have seen a few people here offering their service for about 100 dollars. I presume they are professional mixers working for legit companies. I presume those people would donate their time to be judges on the Mix Challenge. It would give their companies exposure, and if they do a good job as judges, it would bring in traffic to their business?
This is an old question actually. Or rather an old topic (was already covered in the first 3-5 pages). We worked against that idea because:

a) this is extra funds for us to invest. Funds we don't have
b) this is a Mix Challenge, and mixing is subjective
c) since the first 3 challenges were "public vote" based, this turned into a lot of negative criticism that "users don't have any idea of judging a mix", and since it's a subjective matter we opted to ask the song providers to be "clients". They offer us a track to mix, they ultimately decide what they like sound/mix wise, they declare the winners
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In all seriousness, we do need feedback on the following...
Compyfox wrote:1) what is your opinion on official merchandise?
And if you're interested, what would you like to see?


2) should we branch out to Facebook?
I'd like to get an overview over how many of our users are on Twitter or Facebook exclusively.

On top of that:
3) Should we mention the Song Pool queue amount on Twitter/KVR, etc in the future?



We also need more content to mix!!!
The Song Pool currently has 2 tracks left in queue. At this stage, the Mix Challenge would end in December 2016.
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Compyfox wrote:In all seriousness, we do need feedback on the following...
Compyfox wrote:1) what is your opinion on official merchandise?
And if you're interested, what would you like to see?


2) should we branch out to Facebook?
I'd like to get an overview over how many of our users are on Twitter or Facebook exclusively.

On top of that:
3) Should we mention the Song Pool queue amount on Twitter/KVR, etc in the future?



We also need more content to mix!!!
The Song Pool currently has 2 tracks left in queue. At this stage, the Mix Challenge would end in December 2016.
1. Don't know if it'll be worth it. I suppose there is people like me that would only buy it if prices were more or less reasonable, but you would have to invest some money and I don't really know if it'll be back. If we had dozens of people just waiting to submit their track to be mixed, maybe it would be something to consider IMO.

2. I'm in Facebook and Twitter. Not really using Twitter now (I can't really discover good content I can't get by looking around the web). Facebook a little more, but if it'll be more work for you and you'll have to invest more than 10 minutes a day into it, I'd just forget it. I think it's a way too general to search for submitters and participants.

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I have no interest in 'merch', which may be a common feeling, though who knows? The problem is, a generic logo on random trash wouldn't hold any interest (i'm talking about the generic sites where they shop your logo onto pillows, hats, towels, toothbrush holders and what have you, so everybody's merch from that site looks the same). Cool designs on quality T shirts/hats or whatever would be more interesting, but hiring a graphic designer and custom making things like that? Probably more than you're looking to do.

Twitter/facebook wouldn't do anything for me, either. Not sure if it's worth the time. If I were to 'Like' or 'Follow' one, it would be facebook. I don't really know anyone that uses Twitter. I think the new website is a great step, and some word of mouth may help, as well as letting folks know it exists on other boards, if that's possible on the various audio forums (not taking anything away from KVR. It and GS are my top 2!).

I have piles of unreleased material, so I'll look into sending a song in for consideration.

I wish you guys the best of luck with this endeavor, and have been following the mix contests for some time now (only submitted to one so far).
:tu:
Chris H.

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If we run out of tracks for a segment of time, couldn't we just stick with cambridge multitrack (we can open another thread) so that we can keep learning/training while we wait for other submissions. Then we vote between partecipants.

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I was thinking about that too, mementus.

Taken from: The 'Mixing Secrets' Free Multitrack Download Library:
Frequently Asked Questions

"Can these multitracks be used for mix-off competitions?
Yes -- just as long as the competition isn't part of some commercial venture. Most normal forum-based mix-offs are fine, it's only things like official manufacturer/publisher-led mixing competitions that fall significantly outside the 'educational purposes' I agreed with the library contributors. If you're in any doubt, though, do please contact the relevant multitrack contributor directly via the web link accompanying their library listing -- again, the contributors are all reasonable people, and may well appreciate the additional exposure of featuring in a commercial competition. Bear in mind, too, that the artist in question may be eager to hear and comment on the different mixes, so dropping them a line to let them know that a mix-off is in progress would probably be appreciated anyway! "

Maybe some artists would agree to judge and we could keep the client based thing.

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Again (for the n-th time), this is not a simple task. And it wouldn't be the "Mix Challenge" anymore - as we'd take tracks from another "challenge" or already established "community" so to speak.

We rely on the interaction with the "virtual client". We ask them for permission, we ask them to answer questions during the curse of the challenge, do the evaluation/judging and declaring the winner. This is extra work with already established mix tracks that are possibly already released in some form via a label (emphasis: possibly) or similar. Then the time needed for them to join, etc.

In this case, we'd rather have something fresh.

On top of that, we got sponsored licenses by companies, so it would mean "commercial venture" to some, even though the focus of the Mix Challenge was always to learn new things, to gather connections, etc. It's really not that simple.



The only thing that annoys me big time, is that we have a thread in Music Cafe. I do bump this every now and then (in fact, i will do this in a minute). Each day we have 10-15 new tracks in the Music Cafe being like "I need help mixing". Then the Production Section is like "I need help with this mix" as well. The Mix Challenge at this point is far from being unknown. So why don't we get new material to mix? Should we really be more upfront, should "we" contact the people and not the other way around?

I mean - it's a win-win situation for everyone, and the only thing you have to invest... is a little bit of spare time.

We are working BTS to branch out further into the web. The new homepage was just the first step (although, 10 visits per day, with 40% from the same people, and 40% spammers, is not much). In fact, one of our MC regulars has reached out to REDDIT at this point (happened this weekend, already got one response), we still get retweeted from time to time via the Bedroom Producer Blog.

Hence the question "should we branch out to Facebook, would it make sense" (although I find Facebook to be super complicated and a mess to setup compared to Twitter, or writing a post at REDDIT).



The "Merchandise" would be a bonus thing to cover expenses for the server, maybe even give back to the workload of us hosts. And you could be a proud backer wearing a shirt or having a coffee mug.





Which is the reason why this discussion thread exists:
To talk about new ideas.

Instead we always seem to come back to the old debates.
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We want to give the priority to the mix challenge, not to substitute it.
But ok no problem I hope we won't run out of tracks.

It's not easy to find people willing to have a mix. Reasons:
most want to mix their own stuff;
most underestimate mixing;
most don't know how mixing works and they expect to have a full commercial finished product out of it;
most barely get the difference btw mix and mastering.

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Then I ask again:

Why ask for "mixing advise" if somebody is stuck, maybe even hands on help, if we basically offer that as part of a fun game?

The Challenge would take away the "underestimating task" of mixing, and the results are professional.
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:shrug: I don't know, I even would leave my song to you. It's a win-win situation.
Another reason: they may think their song is not so good for a challenge. Dunno <shrug>

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Every song is possible great for a Challenge.

We barely reject anything unless it's copyrighted material, or unfinished... this is why we ask for a demo mix, and do in-depth integrity checks.
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