It's getting to that time of year again when people are asking, "when are the audio contests going to be held?". With the mention of audio contests comes the mention of the Newgrounds Audio Deathmatch, the Newgrounds Audio Underdogs contest, the Art-Inspired Music contest, the Newgrounds Music Triathlon... the list could go on, but I don't know what else is in store for us musicians this year.
The whole point of me writing this post, however, is not to state any chance of me taking part in any of these contests. (In fact, it's likely that I won't.) Rather, I want to encourage you folks to NEVER bring yourselves down. I suppose it's easy to help others with this, and not myself -- but a lot of us feel the same way. So let's encourage each other, instead of saying "no, there's no way in hell you or I could make this" for example.
Back in 2012 I took part in my first Audio Deathmatch, and my run there was one that surprised everyone present.
SERIOUSLY, HOW DO YOU WIN THIRD PLACE WITH THIS LOAD OF JUNK?
It's badly mixed, the mic quality is horrible, and at the best of times we'd probably get listener's fatigue. So what gives?
But that's my point -- you may not shine in one area, but you'll shine in another when it comes to music production. Never take yourself for granted, and don't let others do the same to you. Those closest to me keep reminding me of this, so it's only right that I should do the same. I didn't shine in mixing, but it seems the musicality of these pieces made up for it all.
As musicians, part of our work is to make the impossible possible. We manipulate sound waves in ways that perhaps others have not done before, or not attempted before. We live to prove critics and naysayers wrong. All those people who said that we wouldn't make it as musicians, we're engaging in this craft to prove them wrong. And perhaps, we might engage in experiments that result in pioneering works of art. Who knows what each musician can bring? People can hear talent and/or improvement and immediately sense it.
So if you are thinking of taking part in a contest, rule of thumb: do not be intimidated. If I had it in me to make the impossible possible with my run in the 2012 NGADM, why can't anyone else? You each stand as much of a chance as I did, even if scores and crowds of clamoring fans would like to think otherwise.
As I speak, two of my NGADM 2012 pieces are being remade -- Propter Te and Mio/Homura. The first is about 60% done, the other is about 40% done. A handful of people have asked for me to remake the other two submissions, Supplication and Asperges Me. I'll get to them in due course, I'm not sure when.
I'm still figuring out how to handle drums properly for Propter Te. There are times where I'm so disheartened and think that I'm one of the worst drummers there ever was. Now that probably isn't true, but it's what I've been made to think for many years. While I know that the drums for Propter Te can be reproduced by human hands, I'm struggling with it. Come Monday, I'd like to attempt to get it done......
