SynthMaster Song Contest with $2000 cash prize(s) + software licenses

[kv331]

Hi folks,

It's November already, so time for our annual SynthMaster Song Contest:

We have $2000 cash + software license prizes for the participants:

• 1st place: will receive $1000 cash + SynthMaster Everything Bundle Upgrade license.
• 2nd place: will receive $600 cash + SynthMaster Everything Bundle Upgrade license.
• 3rd place: will receive $400 cash + SynthMaster Everything Bundle Upgrade license.
• 4th-10th place: will receive SynthMaster Everything Bundle Upgrade license.
• Other participants: will receive 2 preset bank licenses for free.

The rules/conditions of the song contest are:

1. Any licensed user of SynthMaster, SynthMaster Player or SynthMaster Player for iPad can enter this contest. Users who don't have a license yet but would like to enter the contest can purchase a license for SynthMaster Player for $9 during KV331 Audio's 70% OFF sale event through November.

2. The song should be between 3 to 5 minutes.

3. External effects, vocals or drums can be used in the song. External instruments, synths, etc. are not allowed.

4. Presets from SynthMaster expansions or user presets can be used. Participants can request the two free preset banks they’d like to use in their song during the song contest period. Participants are encouraged to design their own presets as user presets will have certain weight during internal judge voting.

5. The song links should be submitted to KV331 Audio between December 1-December 18, after being uploaded to file sharing services like Dropbox or Google Drive. The song should be in 320kbits/sec, 44.1kHz stereo MP3 format. While submitting the song links, participants should also include the following information as well: Name of the DAW application, names of the presets used in their song. Users should use KV331 Audio’s ‘contact us’ page for submitting the necessary information.

6. All songs will be uploaded to a new playlist on KV331 Audio's SoundCloud channel and announced on their Facebook channel between December 12-December 18.

7. Public voting will take place on our SoundCloud and Facebook channels between December 12-December 26. There will also be a private judge voting. The judges will be determined by KV331 Audio internal team. The weight of public/private voting will be 30%/70%.

8. The top 10 results will be announced on January 2 and cash prizes will be paid immediately via PayPal or wire transfer.

9. User presets will be released as a public preset bank on KV331 Audio’s web site after the contest.

10. KV331 Audio might require the participants to submit their project files for the following purposes: a) to verify that the song has been created exclusively with SynthMaster, b) to create promotional content

Happy composing folks!

Bulent

[iPlogger]

I was wondering if this was going to happen again.

[wagtunes]

Well, I made the top 20 the last time around so maybe I can do better this time.

[Ridan]

Might actually give this one a shot this time.

[el-bo (formerly ebow)]

3. External effects, vocals or drums can be used in the song. External instruments, synths, etc. are not allowed.

I'm guessing guitar can also be used? Basically, anything can be used, with the caveat that all synth duties are given to Synthmaster...Right?

What if the effects totally change the character of the synth sound? (referencing a certain rule in a certain other contest)

Does the piece have to have been specifically composed for the contest?

Thanks

[kv331]

3. External effects, vocals or drums can be used in the song. External instruments, synths, etc. are not allowed.

I'm guessing guitar can also be used? Basically, anything can be used, with the caveat that all synth duties are given to Synthmaster...Right?

What if the effects totally change the character of the synth sound? (referencing a certain rule in a certain other contest)

Does the piece have to have been specifically composed for the contest?

Thanks

1. Guitar would be an external instrument, so not allowed.
2. Effects should be fine
3. The piece doesn't have to be specifically composed for the contest.

[el-bo (formerly ebow)]

3. External effects, vocals or drums can be used in the song. External instruments, synths, etc. are not allowed.

I'm guessing guitar can also be used? Basically, anything can be used, with the caveat that all synth duties are given to Synthmaster...Right?

What if the effects totally change the character of the synth sound? (referencing a certain rule in a certain other contest)

Does the piece have to have been specifically composed for the contest?

Thanks

1. Guitar would be an external instrument, so not allowed.
2. Effects should be fine
3. The piece doesn't have to be specifically composed for the contest.

Many thanks

[Examigan]

I just started a song for this last night. Hopefully if it is similar (in some ways) to the Synthmaster demo track I made a few years ago, then it might do ok.

[el-bo (formerly ebow)]

Why do I get the feeling I've already bought the player version?

Turns out I had bought the Ios version. Registered that last night, and have just bought the desktop 'player', so might give this contest a crack

[wagtunes]

This was my entry from last year.

https://soundcloud.com/steven-wagenheim ... ead-vocals

[3ee]

just for sake of clarification:

"3. External effects, vocals or drums can be used in the song. External instruments, synths, etc. are not allowed."

- speaking of drums, percussion (like a shaker or bongo loop etc) can also be added?
- what does "external effects" mean here? can we add SFX samples like whooshes, risers, crashes/hits/impacts etc?

[wagtunes]

just for sake of clarification:

"3. External effects, vocals or drums can be used in the song. External instruments, synths, etc. are not allowed."

- speaking of drums, percussion (like a shaker or bongo loop etc) can also be added?
- what does "external effects" mean here? can we add SFX samples like whooshes, risers, crashes/hits/impacts etc?

I would think that would come under the heading of ext synths. Thise aren't FX per say (chorus, delay, reverb, etc). Those are actual sounds.

But I'll let Bulent weigh in on this as it's his contest. If it was me, no, I wouldn't allow it because then you're adding "sounds" that could be made with Synthmaster but maybe not as good because they're not samples but actual synthesis.

Like I said, it's his call.

[3ee]

^ waiting for Bulent answer... and here's why I personally think he should allow adding SFX:

these are background, "part-linking" effects and part high-lighters, allowing them will not take time and focus away from what's really important... the song! There would be many main instruments played by SynthMaster anyway, so why make this contest also a conservative one like "OSC" ?!

either way, I'm still thinking to join!

[wagtunes]

^ waiting for Bulent answer... and here's why I personally think he should allow adding SFX:

these are background, "part-linking" effects and part high-lighters, allowing them will not take time and focus away from what's really important... the song! There would be many main instruments played by SynthMaster anyway, so why make this contest also a conservative one like "OSC" ?!

either way, I'm still thinking to join!

Because the idea is essentially to highlight the synth itself. That's why no guitars, no organs, no drums, etc. You could make the argument that you could use a guitar to plug it into 17 FX in order to get a "whooshing" sound and thus wouldn't actually be a guitar if it were used to get that particular sound to use as a sample.

By allowing actual "sound sources", because that's what they are, what's to stop somebody from recording all these different "sounds" and stringing them together in the song itself to create an actual soundscape that couldn't be possible with Synthmaster because of all the shifting timbers? Sure, lot of work, but technically could be done.

Where do you want to draw the line?

I'm totally against it. You want FX, make them with the synth. As it is, there are so many FX processors out there that you could literally turn Synthmaster into a completely different synth anyway. In fact, I think it's incredibly generous of Bulent to allow FX given Synthmaster has its own on board FX.

And given vocals are allowed, what's to stop somebody from taking a vocal track and run that through tons of FX, thus creating a totally different sound?

In short, don't you have enough creative freedom already?

[el-bo (formerly ebow)]

And given vocals are allowed, what's to stop somebody from taking a vocal track and run that through tons of FX, thus creating a totally different sound?

Nothing. It seems to be within the rules...As are drums

I'm guessing it's ok to use the ipad version also?