SCC #6 - FINAL ROUND RESULTS!! (AND THE WINNER IS...)

[Blue Badger]

Sounds like fun! I'll take #9.

[Riley]

3 - 4 or 9 for me... Even tho I am not the best, I need to start somewhere

[X]

Whoa. Look at the turnout! Didn't quite expect that. Looks like we're gonna need some more spots since we're already at 13, although it looks like somebody is trying to bump my spot... *eyes Darkstom*

@Lunar: Awe... Did you have to back out? I think that the reason he wanted this contest limited to MSGS was to try to level the playing people for people who don't happen to have better hardware/software. It's understandable and I'm afraid that I have to agree (even though I personally have better). I wish you would reconsider, but if you really don't, I'll understand.

What format will the videos be in, btw?

Hadn't thought of that. Now I'm curious as well, so ditto from me.

[Shock]

From what I could gather, the videos will be hosted on YouTube. Unless of course Anubis changed his mind.

Personally, the only thing I'm concerned with is participants who don't have a broadband connection - it might take quite a long time for them to download a video file... Hopefully everyone here has a fairly good connection... But who knows.

[X]

Eh? Didn't know about that Youtube bit. I don't remember that at all. Actually, going back I don't see it in the description either. That kinda bugs me. =/ But since I threw down already, I might as well stick with it.

I don't have the greatest connection in the world either, but that's what downloading videos is for anyway. Thank goodness for FLV codecs. Thanks Shock.

[Anubis]

EDIT: Okay, hm. It would have helped if I had read the entire first post before jumping in. Let me grill you here a sec...

What's the reason for accepting MIDIs instead of audio? I think entrants would better be responsible for recording their own tracks, then sending them to you to merge with the video. MSGS seems like such a bad idea... it sounds awful, and for people who'd like to show their videos around.. well, they won't be able to, without ridicule. I'm serious. That and it has latency, so for people who've closely synced their music to the video, well, that's going to be put into jeopardy.

As for the videos themselves, how will they be distributed and what format will they be in? I ask because, sequencers generally only support MPG, MOV and/or AVI (codec-dependant). Unless you weren't expecting users to open the videos in their sequencers, in which case, I strongly recommend you consider that, because that's generally how video scoring works.

I may or may not join, depends on what the deal is. *really doesn't want to be stuck writing music using the MSGS, as it feels like a huge waste*

Sorry for you Lunar, but I can't accept audio composition. I need to make the contest MIDI-based because we have to make sure everyone is able to participate. The best I can do is use the Yamaha XG Softsynth to record the tracks, but that's up to the contestants really. I know sometimes mine didn't sound like I would have wanted them to when transferring them from MSGS to XG, but that's the best quality we can have for MIDI that is available for most of the people here. Like in the Sample Pack Contest series, we cannot use any audio we already have: there has to be a limit somewhere, and this limit - in the example of the SPC - is the audio we make for the purpose of the contest itself. The same goes for this contest as well, but I'm afraid I don't have nearly enough time to find good videos AND distribute audio samples for every video...

What format will the videos be in, btw?

All the videos are going to be uploaded and played through Youtube. I think this is the best option so far, because everyone should be able to see the videos on YouTube (and the chances of there being codec issues with AVI, MPGs, etc. are bigger too).
At the end of the SCC, all the videos used throughout the contest will be made avaiilable for download in MPG format.

By the way, how much time will we have to compose in each stage?

5 days. If there is any problem I will PM the contestant(s) about it.

Thanks a lot also to everyone who have already subscribed! It's really pleasant to see some newcomers dive into this tournament!
Also, everyone, I have a question for you: Would you accept that your entries be recorded using the Yamaha XG SoftSynth instead of the MSGS wavetable synth?
I'll add a poll about this.

See ya!

[blue.nocturne]

I don't have XG, although I do have nice VSTs...

[Shock]

I don't have XG, although I do have nice VSTs...

We can provide that to you, at a very affordable price too. :p

Joking aside, though, if you really want to know what your track sounds like on an XG softsynth (if that's the option we do pick after all), I suppose you could ask for a copy of the MP3 which will be used for the video before it is combined with it, so you can tell Anubis whether or not you are satisfied with how it sounds.

[Willow]

...while I understand Lunar's grief, I also understand that the MSGS is the most accessible synth around. Not everyone has access to XG playback (like myself at the moment, for instance). Plus, if you've not made a MIDI with XG specifically in mind, your MIDI can often sounding like someone took a vinyl record speckled with bird feces and ran it backwards at 20 bpm. Okay, so maybe not that bad...or weird, but certainly with a lot of unintended consequences. At least with the MSGS you'll have some idea of just how bad it's going to sound before it's recorded...

You're going to have a hoot recording and syncing recordings with MIDIs that don't start immediately, btw. Havefungoodluckwiththat.

[ButzaW]

I voted against the use of XG here.
This contest is and always has been about having fun, much like an OHC (One-Hour-Contest).
We're talking about simple 30-second clips here, and I don't see a reason why we should not let everybody take part in this fun event.

Lunar, if you want to add these to a portfolio, you could spend the extra time of audio-izing the files once we finish the contest. You'll have half the work done already. Not that I'm telling you what to do or anything like that... I just feel that making this accessible to everybody is the most important thing here.

The old SCC contests were MIDI only as well, and I don't see why this one shouldn't be.

[Blitz Lunar]

Well I wasn't referring to XG specifically. That'd be one of the options. I just meant all-gear. I think it would produce much more interesting and varied results.

Sorry for you Lunar, but I can't accept audio composition. I need to make the contest MIDI-based because we have to make sure everyone is able to participate.

I think they'd still be able to, since you'll be recording midis. It'd just mean it'd be optional, as people could record their own stuff too. Though I guess it's unfair for those who don't have better equipment, and if you're tight for bandwidth then it'd be problematic.

Lunar, if you want to add these to a portfolio, you could spend the extra time of audio-izing the files once we finish the contest.

Except that, the source videos are going on to youtube/FLV format, meaning it won't be possible to import them into a sequencer, meaning that closely syncing sound is going to be a real pain, and the audio will definitely suffer as a result. In reality, it'd be much more than "changing a few sounds" to polish them up. Additionally, like I said, using a MIDI device with any latency (this includes SYXG50, MSGS, Roland VSC, WinGroove etc) will balls things up as far as synchronisation is concerned... and infact, having a third party record anything could jeopardise synchronisation too, since they'd need to leave just the right amount of silence at the start of the tracks (if there is any dead space), etc. It's all gotta be tight.

I'm all for fun. I'm not suggesting it be deadly serious at all (since when were the SPC contests like that?) I'm just concerned as the limitation seems kinda arbitrary and stifling rather than something fun. It's nice to have fun while achieving some great results too. But, yeah, I guess the decision has been made. I'll be interested to see how people get on.

At least with the MSGS you'll have some idea of just how bad it's going to sound before it's recorded...

lol. you know where you're at with Microsoft GS, you don't even need to get your hopes up

EDIT: just saw this

You're going to have a hoot recording and syncing recordings with MIDIs that don't start immediately, btw. Havefungoodluckwiththat.

yup. videos and audio need to start at the same time, and if there is any dead space at the beginning of the video, and you have audio latency, you are in trouble, especially if you don't have it within a controllable environment like a sequencer.

EDIT okay. I'll enter with the current rules. I'll probably have to convert the videos. I'll use my sound module too, and just accept that it'll be recorded in MS GS for the purposes of the contest. as for the poll, I don't think it's right to force SYXG either .

[X]

Sorry but I had to vote "no". While I personally probably wouldn't mind, it isn't very fair for those who wouldn't really have a clue beforehand, even if they have the power of veto after Anubis sends them back a recorded version.

To make it that much more rough, for people who don't have the support, arranging something to sound good on XG while using MSGS is akin to death since a lot of XG prepared stuff just kills the ears in MSGS.

[Anubis]

EDIT okay. I'll enter with the current rules. I'll probably have to convert the videos. I'll use my sound module too, and just accept that it'll be recorded in MS GS for the purposes of the contest. as for the poll, I don't think it's right to force SYXG either .

Hmm ok ....so what's your number?
Btw, at the end I'm gonna let people upload all the videos (from 4shared) in .mpg format so everything will be ok.

Also, I see that's we actually decided to not use the Syxg synth. Perfect then, we'll stay on MSGS.

[Blitz Lunar]

Oh whoops. I did say #4 but that's been taken while I fussed around. Gimme #14 plzz.

[X]

Hmm ok ....so what's your number?

You know a person could take that the wrong way.
(Sorry. I couldn't resist...)

Btw, at the end I'm gonna let people upload all the videos (from 4shared) in .mpg format so everything will be ok.

How's that supposed to work? We're syncing this stuff instead before submission now? (I'm assuming that's what this means.)

Oh, and btw, Darkstom hasn't been written in the lineup yet. He appeared to want a position so I just thought I should let you know (he just didn't know that already put in for the same number), though I might recommend PM'ing him with his new number.

Also, since I've never done one of the SCC's before, so are the the 1v1 matchups randomized after the full video/tunes are submiited? (I'd just assumed from the outset. Please let me know if I'm wrong.)