Theme: The long Journey home

…The heroes kept on walking, the wind blowing restless. Soon the terrain changed. The sparse trees, which until then provided some kind of shelter, gave place to rocks. As they climbed the mountain the sun got hidden by deep clouds, and the wind changed to rain first and then to snow. The slowed down but never stoped. Every obstacle they overcame, they were not short of courage. Finally they reached the top of the mountains, stood there for only a brief moment, to catch their breathes and then took the path down, to the other side. At the bottom, the snow gave way to the everlasting greens and the familiar smell was reassuring enough. They were home!

• The theme for this month is "The long Journey Home". The title alone is rather abstract, but the accompanied text should provide further insight.
• The entries are anonymous. You will need to PM Nikolas, or e-mail at nikolasideris@yahoo.gr. Please make sure that your entry is anonymous (eg. no name, or nickname, or member nick on the title. Any simmilar titles in the tracks will be automatically altered slightly to avoid confusion.
• you may use any method of sending your entry, may it be your own ftp website, or yousendit, rapidshare, etc.
• The entries can be in mp3, ogg and midi format
• The competitions deadline is on Sunday 11th of May 23:59 London time. There will be absolutely no extensions under no circumstances, for no one, for no reason. One month and a week is more than enough time to deal with entering the competition.
• One entry per member
• You need to be a registered member in CGEmpire.com in order to take part on the competition. When you send your entry, note clearly what is your CGEmpire member name, in the PM, or e-mail you send.
• The entries will be posted as they are sent, anonymously.
• After the deadline a new thread will open and the secret, public voting, process will start. More details will be released when it’s time.
• Keep in mind that one rule that has been decided for the voting process is that all entrants who vote, will automatically receive a vote for their own entry.
• The CGEmpire team reserves the right to disqualify any entry, for any reason or cancel any event for any reason.
• Copyright remains to the creators of each entry, or whoever owns originally the rights.

• Bare the following suggestions very much in mind, please. None of these guidelines are strict and are provided only for fruther guidance of the entrants.
• The theme is provided so that the voters will know what they’re voting for. There is no rule as far as aesthetics go, but if you decide to post a trance track for the current theme, chances are that you won’t get many votes. Remember that the competition winner is voted by you, the public.
• There is no set/strict rule as far as the length of the entries go. But use some common sense. Unless you are possitive you can keep the interest high for 30 minutes, don’t post too long tracks. 2, 3 or even 4 minutes seems relatively safe and sane at the same time. Long tracks mean big files (which reduces the chance that people will download the track) and also means that there is a chance that some people simply won’t bother with your track.
• One entry per entrant. Of course, you can’t send 5 different mp3s to multiply your chances of winning by 5. Maybe you can paste the 5 mp3s into 1 file though? Nope! Sorry! Then what about double thematice entries, are these disqualified as well? No, definately not! In fact we’ve never disqualified any entries! But judging if something is one entry, or multiple entries pasted into one file, seems relatively easy! Again, if you make it and you are not disqualified then you are in the hands of the voters.
• The voters are the ultimate judges of your entry. Even if your entry bypasses all rules, and still is not disqualified, with your vote you can send a clear message to the entrant.
• It’s all about fun. It’s all about participating and being part of a friendly and wonderful community. It’s all about winning (wait… ). It’s all about making music, isn’t it?
• Sound effects are in fact allowed!

The Sponsor for the 15th CGEmpire Music Competition is none other than Eastwest/Quantum Leap!

Eastwest are cellebrating their 20th anniversary this year! Most of it’s titles are hugely sold throughout the world and their products have earned many awards over the years!

Recently they’ve launched their own player/sampler (PLAY) which is 64-bit. And they have also released 6 different products based on that platform.

One of these products is Stormdrum 2 - The next generation, which is the prize for the winner of the 15th CGEmpire Music Competition!

For more information, demos, videos and tutorials about SD2 please visit this page.

Stormdrum 2 retails at $495.

DO NOT SEND ANY EMAIL TO THE HOTMAIL ACCOUNT PLEASE!

I really hope I can participate this time around.

I’m excited

A $500 prize! That is fantastic! Mega Kudus to Nik and EastWest!

I’ve been and listened to some of the demo’s for StormDrum2 this evening and it sounds BRILLIANT!

And thank you to the EWQL crew for their support.

Wow, that’s some truly awesmoe work there Mr Nikolas, in terms of both the thematic and prize-al aspects!

I try my best Mr. Julio. And do make sure to participate this time, ok?

Competition trivia 1: I’m in Geneva right now, so I couldn’t make the EW banner you see up there. I asked a certain member in here to make the banner for me, and he came up with this amazing text for the banner: "The 15th CGEmpire Music Competition. Sponered by EW". I’m no longer the tpyo king in here.

*pukes*

HOLY.

CRAP.

Funny how the theme is almost completely opposite to the prize, I like that!

DaZ

DaZ, how is it possitive? I’m sure I can think 100s (!!!) of uses for percussion in a… heroic hourney of some tired heroes, which reach the top and then reach home, reach victory, etc…

For the record to anyone who has asked through e-mails, PMs, this forum, etc: We certainly don’t want to stop the competitions! We’re enjoying throwing them. Some times things get in the way. A banner missing for example (in this case I had agreed with EW 2 weeks ago and we were working towards the banner). The NAMM in the previous competition. Some other delay some times. While I’d like nothing else than to keep a dead strict timetable for the competitions, it’s not always possible. But this certainly does not mean that the competitions won’t continue. For future reference I’ve already discussed a few things with 2 companies, both really really hot atm. The one is releasing a new product really soon, thus, told me to wait, the other just started selling, so told me to wait. Both seem quite eager to sponsor the competitions, and in general all sponsors appear quite pleased with the competitions the quality of the entries and the whole situation.

Then again Steinberg appears quite stubborn, but then again, so am I!

I wonder how you managed to talk to all the heads of the company to get them to sponsor these fabuluos prizes. But anyway, it’s not really my business

I would like to know and learn how to do it too for my forum.

The prize is a huge real monster.

This secret goes from father to son, never on the net! It’s something that my father taught me, which he learned from his own father. I remember a story he told me about his own grandfather. Back in 1907, the new era had just started. Forums were filled with people back then and the companies were really eager for advertising space! Thus my great grand father came with the idea to sell traffic and get rewards… I follow the same idea pretty much!

Nuy001: I’m also looking forward to the entries. It’s been too long that we didn’t have pure orchestral entries, and it does seem that this theme could go well with such an aesthetic, or stylistic choice. Then again that’s just me…

Everybody: I sure hope nobody bought the great grandfather story, huh?

I’ve added a small guideline note in the first post. Go read it, although it’s not mighty important. Just covering all basses…

"Trade" secret huh? :P

Good theme for this one too, I think you can expect quite a few great entries!

Cheers,

- Matt

I expect more EW prize in the following competitions…

Don’t count on it.

Pano: Thanks buddy!

Could be pretty difficult to squeeze all the "scene changes" into a 3-minute track, though, so I think people will have to pick what they think is important.

The text is there to provide a bit further info about the "journey", and the type of music possibly. But no, to follow exactly what the text is providing is a tad difficult. It still is up to you though.

In this case, this is not the organiser speaking but Nikolas, the guy who will try to enter the competition, ok?

The long journey home is too… abstract. The text helped me put more images in my head and bring a general… form in the music. Even if it’s 1 minute or 3. There is no time limit, remember.

So, you get some tired heros. Heroic theme. They try hard, they climb the mountain, they battle obstacles, the wind, the snow, the harsh conditions… They reach the top, and then climb down to their home! Rise, fall, closure…

Does this make sense somehow? I mean it definately is rather cliché as far as "story" is concerned. What more cliché than a bunch of heroes making it to victory?

so it’s the feeling more than anything else.

At least for me!

I felt kind of stupid when I was trying to figure out how to transition from my marcato rain to my glockenspiel snow (kidding).

Now this seems a bit easier… and with a shot at winning nearly a $500 dollar prize which I’d probably end up purchasing anyway… count me in!

DaZ

DaZ

Alas I missed the last competition being very busy. But this time it would be such a real pity not to participate.

While I was working today, the door rang! "drrrrrrrrrrin"! Who could it be?

It was a guy from Fedex who delivered the following package:

hmm… what could this be, I wonder?

I think I’ll open it with a kitchen knife. Clumsy. I doubt there’s anything valuable in the box, so it won’t matter if I destroy it…

Ahhhh… It’s the SD2! The prize for this months competition! It makes sense after all!

But… who will win it, I ponder to myself. By chance I had printed a big question mark with me, so don’t look baffled!

____________________________________

Conclusion. Once the competition is over, I’m the one shipping the prize to the winner! No delays then!

(And you can see my grey hair as well as my wedding ring. This is a fine day for photography I reckon!

I wish…

Nikola…I always knew you were a cool shit.

Looking forward to the entries

DaZ

But I’m glad to see them received so well!

hehe!

Back to topic. Will anyone make the start with the entries? I’m really looking forward, even have ideas about my own entry, but no time atm to work on it!

Good luck to all! This looks like a very exciting competition, if I may repeat myself, again, and again, and again… :P

I guess people need more time. I for example can’t work since I’m doing performances now but shall start soon.

My entry is going to be really late, as I am struggling to make a good sound… I have a basic structure, but I am going to need all the time I can get…

Yes, about that, guys (and Maria, and Eve).

I’m sorry but the competition is cancelled. I just registered MY copy of SD2, so no need for anyone to enter!

(kidding of course).

Yes, I know that most entries will come towards the end. I’m also (if I manage to enter) will work on my entry toward May, rather than April, so… Just looking forward, that’s all!

Anyway I am looking forward for other people entries, I am very sure they will me great!

Yes, cool prize too!

IMO this is much better way of doing it, than e.g. with the Syrah-thing. Having a storyline to follow is really great, as limits, often result in more creative results than having nu limits at all.

And Nik, it’s absolutely stunning how much you look like your avatar in real-life - really convincing I must say

This competition sounds like a blast. I’ve thought about entering in the past but somehow never got around to it. I will this time though

Nikolas: Southall eh?
You are almost my neighbour I live just 5 min. walk from Homebase - I’m sure you know where that is.

Oh, btw. I’m Armadillo on soundsonline forum

no, not really. (boohoohoo).

But this is a tricky theme and I hope people are working on their entries. I know I am working towards my entry.

This competition sounds like a blast. I’ve thought about entering in the past but somehow never got around to it. I will this time though

Good luck and I hope you do, mate!

Nikolas: Southall eh?
You are almost my neighbour I live just 5 min. walk from Homebase - I’m sure you know where that is.

Oh, btw. I’m Armadillo on soundsonline forum

Yes, I know where you are. heh… How small the world is.

don’t send me any e-mail to my hotmail account! I’m having trouble!

This don’t belong here… But third time asking you! :P

I actually don’t know! I hope Andy or Chris catch this! (or maybe PM them? Or start a new thread about this?)

First entry has been posted, it’s wonderful, it feels like a full story. Every entry will be like this, I reckon!

Good luck to all! And start bringing in those entries, shall you?

*downloads it and listen to it*

Edit: Great music & great sound quality!

Ohmigoodgod! NOOOOOOO! How am I going to compete with this? (the fellow composer wondered…)

Oooo, I am sooo excited!!! Come on guys, post some more entries! Mine is on the way!

Ahhh or maybe I’ll try anyway.

Guys! If you want you can give me something and I can disqualify the entry you know! (of course I’m kidding).

I’m also working on my entry actually, for more than 2 weeks now, but I’m having a sort of a crisis! Just finished a few weeks ago something for my PhD and I’m pretty much blank so far… Review for the PhD is tomorrow, I’m quite nervous, and other than that I’m also working at my entry at the moment!

Here too - I can’t get rid of orchestration obstacles and more than a week has gone and I have only 2 minutes of poorly orchestrated piece…

I’m just getting into the spirit of the theme

We’re up to 3 entries and counting, I’m starting to feel a bit relaxed, that at least some entries came through. It’s been almost a month with no entries and now we’re 10 days from the deadline (which I won’t extend, I need to remind you).

Good luck all!

I’ve been slogging away at my entry. Mostly brief moments of inspiration on that one thus far. . . No more putting it off now that my remix for Encoder’s competition is sent off!

Joking of course…not…kidding…not….hahaha… joking joking…not…

Just losing my mind - seriously though I’m actually liking the pressure. Strict deadlines are good!

Get er done…

What I like about this competition is that it brings rather long-ish entries, not 1 minute ones, but 3-4 even 5 minutes, which is brilliant imho!

This time I think I might even post before AFTER the deadline (as opposed to all the other times)

That’s true. I reckon mine’ll be around 20 minutes, so you NEED to let me win, because nobody would seriously listen to 20 min. of music (sorry Wagner, not even you ).

Let’s change the rules, and let the longest piece win - THAT’s as objective as it gets

hahaha — Almost there buddy!! Might be in under the gun…not sure — will know sooooooon….few more long nights after regular work and little sleep should do it — ( beer) <<<madness

As for your entry…hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm I think it just may be one of those 6 - but do I really know - time will tell

I also agree…. I think it’s great that this competition pushes for a longer type of entry to help capture the spirit of the story/description.

@ Kadoswer:

LOL!!!!!!! When I hear the one track that is 20 minutes long I’ll know whose it is - But will I vote for it… hmmmmmmmmmmm beter be good - not just long.

Well…back to the grind….

Just tell us that you really have registered SD2 for yourself and the competition is meaningless. :P

BTW, there is 1 entry which has an extra long name. Extra extra long name! I e-mailed the creator to ask about it and he’s still not got back to me!

I got another entry which I’m listening right now and I will post it in 2 minutes! Some very very epic stuff! Extra epic! YAY!

PS: The entry has not been uploaded yet, by no means I am making fun of the entry!

I’ll still be listening to the entries and voting though.

And Rick, you do that man. Voting and listening is fine.