Really Really Weird Remix Contest
The raw multitracks for The Simple Carnival's Really Really Weird are now online. Here's the original song if you're not familiar with it:
You can remix, mangle, and twist the tracks to this song to your heart's content. (The tracks are released under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 3.0 United States License.) Submit your final, under-5-minutes, 192 kbs mp3 file, and whoever makes the mix judged the "best" (whatever that means) by a panel of judges will win the grand prize...
The grand prize consists of a Simple Carnival t-shirt, a Girls Aliens Food CD, and one of the actual instruments I used on Really Really Weird: a circuit-bent Casio SK-1 sampler.
For those who are unfamiliar with the Casio SK-1, it is widely considered to be the holy grail of circuit bent electronic instruments. (And if you don't know what circuit bending is, here's an introduction.)
When you flip the switches and buttons that I've installed, the SK-1 can mangle and manipulate audio like nobody's business. Similar modified SK-1s go for upwards of $250 on eBay.
There will be three runner-ups. Each runner-up prize consists of a Simple Carnival t-shirt and a Girls Aliens Food CD.
Why are you doing this?
I've recorded nearly fifty songs as The Simple Carnival. And I've realized that I've only used my SK-1 for about four seconds on one song (Really Really Weird). So I want to donate the SK-1 to someone who will put it to better use than myself.
Also, have I mentioned that I have an album called Girls Aliens Food coming out on October 1st, 2008? This contest is admittedly one way to get the word out. I mean, why not? 
Do you (Jeff) pick the winners?
A panel of musical judges and I will rank the submissions. My vote counts just as much as the other judges, though I'll be the tiebreaker if necessary. Our votes will be kept confidential. Don't send us angry e-mails if you don't win anything. I would love to give SK-1s to everyone if I could -- in fact, that would make a great platform for a presidential candidate. Unfortunately, I have only one instrument to give away, so I ask that everyone who doesn't win something to please be a good sport. We still love you.
When's the deadline for submissions?
All submissions must be in by midnight EST on November 30, 2008. The winners should be announced (hopefully) a week or two after that. If we end up getting two billion submissions, it might take more time to listen to everything.
Who are the judges besides yourself?
They are (in alphabetical order):
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
Raoul De La Cruz from The French Toasts |
|
|
Because these terrific artists have generously volunteered their time, it's always possible that the demands of real life might interfere and take precedence over this contest. Judges may come and go as the contest progresses, but I really hope these folks stay.
How are the entries judged?
The four winning remixes will be determined by the highest scores from all eligible entries received according to the following criteria:
- "Enjoyableness" (how fun the remix is to listen to) - 40% of overall grade
- Creative Re-use and Transformation of Samples from the "Really Really Weird" original multitracks - 30% of overall grade
- Originality - 30% of overall grade
Can anybody submit a mix?
Yes, but anyone who was interviewed at my blog, Songs and Sonics, is not eligible to win. The judges are also not eligible to win. Also, only one mix can be submitted per person. Sorry.
What are you going to do with all of the remixes that you're probably going to get?
The remixes will be regularly rotated on this special MySpace page:
http://www.myspace.com/reallyreallyweirdremix
Bookmark that page, send a friend request, keep checking on it. Subscribe to that page's blog. Read the comments section. That's where most of the action should occur. Please keep the comments and the competition friendly; I don't want to turn this into a backstabbing Survivor-like excursion. It's only a toy keyboard, folks.
There is also the remote possibility that I'll release a CD-R/album download with some of the remixes on my Sundrift Records label; if this project moves forward and your mix is one of the ones selected, you'll be contacted for your permission for your mix to appear on the album. Be sure to read the Official Contest Rules for the specifics.
Can I use samples from other people's recordings in my remix?
Only if you have the legal permission to do so. If you're not sure, the rule of thumb is, commercial sample libraries: yes. James Brown records: no. Don't let the judges knock you out of the running because we identified some commercial CD snippet that you shouldn't be using.
But don't let that rule inhibit you from going wild with your remix. Record new parts if you want. Put the song in a different key. Change the tempo. Autotune the heck out of my voice, or remove my voice altogether. There is nothing to be gained by staying true to the original mix. We want to reward creativity. Just keep it clean and don't do anything that the copyright police would disapprove of.
Is the SK-1 in mint condition?
Not at all. There are scratches and sticker residue on this instrument. I bought it secondhand and never meant to give it away or make it look presentable. But it's a useful/functioning piece of gear, it makes terrifically weird noises, and it was used in a Simple Carnival song. What more could you want?
So how do I get started?
1. Be sure to read the Official Contest Rules.
2. Download the "Really Really Weird" multitrack files.
3. To understand how the multitrack files are constructed, read this helpful article.
4. When you're done with your remix, upload your contest submission.