RULES
- The primary focus of this contest will be on pieces of music comprised primarily of instruments that are used in an orchestral or symphonic setting.
- Synthetic instruments may be used, but cannot be the primary focus of the piece. Instruments that are synthetic and/or electronic in nature CAN NOT be continually used in a dominant manner. For example, one can use a violin plugin, or brass plugin, but not a theremin plugin. One can use an acoustic guitar plugin, but not an electric guitar plugin. One can use a bells plugin, but not an 8-bit plugin. Keep in mind that any of the aforementioned synthetic instruments can still be used in a supporting role. They just can't be the primary instrument of your entire submission, like you might hear in symphonic black metal.
- Realism of instruments won't be as important as arrangement. Meaning, if you have extremely realistic sounds, but just use the strings section and not much else, your song might not have as much a fighting chance as a less realistic-sounding submission that has more varied usage of orchestral instruments.
- Luis has mentioned that as an animator, it is sometimes easier to animate to music that has a mood change or an emotional change, such as:
Happy to sad
Scared to relieved
Stormy to sunny
You get the idea. Your chances of winning may improve if your song conveys a mood / emotional change.
- No piano-only songs, or any single-instrument pieces. Remember, the main focus of the contest is usage of an orchestra.
- Songs can be a maximum of 5 minutes. However, slightly longer songs may be taken into consideration and reviewed on a case-by-case basis. There will be no minimum time limit, but please, use your objectivity and common sense... "Does this track constitute a complete full-length song?"
- Collabs are not allowed at this time. Collaborative linking has not been implemented into the audio portal at this time, so it would be difficult to award prizes to a collab winner, for example.
- No copyrighted samples. This is rather obvious and self-explanatory. Be sure to also check the Rules for Submitting Audio to the Newgrounds Audio Portal.
- Voices can be used, provided that:
a) It is not sampled from copyrighted recordings.
b) It is 100% your own recording and creation.
c) You can ask another artist or group to provide vocals, as long as all material is newly created for your submission, and you provide the details of the vocalist(s), who they are.
- Submissions must not contain material offensive in nature.
- No covers. All melodies contained in your submission must be composed ENTIRELY by yourself.
- Songs must be NEWLY COMPOSED and created for this competition.
- Each competitor can submit only ONE song for this contest.
- Please submit your entry using your regular account, not an ALT.
- Have fun! Lots and LOTS and LOTS of fun!!!
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DATES & DEADLINES
From now until Wednesday February 15th 11:59 PM EST:
Submissions will be accepted
Sunday, February 19th:
The Top 8 finalists will be announced, and their submissions will be closely scrutinized by the finalists' judges.
Sunday, February 26th:
The Top 4 winners will be announced.
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AWARDS
- First of all, one of the submissions that place in the TOP 8 will be used in a collaborative project produced by none other than Luis!
1st Place: 50 USD Newgrounds Store credit & 25 vintage newgrounds stickers.
2nd Place: 40 USD Newgrounds Store credit & 25 vintage newgrounds stickers.
3rd Place: 30 USD Newgrounds Store credit & 25 vintage newgrounds stickers.
4th Place: 25 vintage newgrounds stickers.
- In addition, the Top 4 winners will be featured on the Newgrounds frontpage for a week and also receive MAC12 Winners' signatures.
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MAC12 - Jan/Feb Crewmembers and their positions:
TomFulp - Overlord and master. Also dispenses prizes.
WadeFulp - In charge of the flashlights.
Luis - Consumer of alcohol and drew the wonderful artwork above.
MaestroRage - Judge and rage-quitter.
DavidOrr - Judge! Orr else! (seewhatididthar?)
ProudAardvark - Judge and alpha Aardvark of the Aardvark herd.
LogicalDefiance - Illogical judging.
BrokenDeck - They found him in an alleyway.
RampantMusik - He's The Goddamn Batman.
SuperSteph54 - Never sleeps.
JebbaL - Provider of signatures.
Rucklo - Responsible for exploding fire extinguisher sound effects (also lieks Mudkips).
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Some of the past MACs:
MAC9 - March KID-SONG THEME a.k.a. "Who's your daddy?"
MAC9 - Valoltines
MAC8 - Claiming New Grounds
MAC8 - Flight in Freedom
MAC8 - Trembling Madness
MAC8 - Sorrowed Tears
MAC8 - Music to Motion
MAC8 - Pico Punchout!
MAC8 - Feb/March Pillars of Pico!
