Description

Are you a fan of videogame music? Perhaps specifically a big fan of RPG music? Then I suggest reading on!

This event is mainly aimed at the composers of RMN (at least to participate in the event as competitors) but even if you don't compose music yourself, you are welcomed and encouraged to participate by listening to the submissions and voting for a winner!

Now, if you're a composer yourself: have you tried your hand at composing music for RPGs before? Yes? Great! Participate and test your skills against the other composers of RMN in this friendly competition. Even if you don't have much experience composing music for RPGs you're more than welcome to, and encouraged to join in and in the process get some practice under your belt! (none of us is perfect, anyway.)




- The event is divided into 3 phases, each of which require a separate submission per participant.

- Each phase = one musical piece. Each phase has its own set of rules with regard to instrumentation and theme. The theme is announced by a neutral party at the beginning of each phase.

- Contestants will send the submissions to an appointed neutral RMN member in a PM and after the phase in question is over, the submissions will be posted anonymously, so that people can listen to them and vote for what they think sounds the best and fits best the given description and theme of the phase. (Please send your submissions privately via PM to kentona)


- Votes will be counted and published at end of each phase. The person to receive the most votes from all three phases wins.

- Each phase lasts approximately 2 weeks, so that even the busiest people will have a chance of finishing their pieces in time (hopefully.)




Phase 1: Simple
Simple is beautiful. You're required to create a piece matching the description of the theme using no more than 3 instruments (also means 3 layers/tracks). How well can you bring your instruments to life?
Starts 12/25/2011 06:00 PM
Ends 01/09/2012 05:59 PM

Phase 2: Orchestral
Orchestral music isn't a necessity for an RPG but it is very common in the genre and it is a good skill to be able to compose a piece that can be played by an orchestra.

How well can you harmonize multiple voices of different instruments?

The piece you create for the theme of phase 2 doesn't have to follow the professional principles of orchestration, but it's supposed to revolve around orchestral elements and utilize strings, brass and woodwind sections. Not necessarily all of them (though, variety in orchestration is encouraged), but it needs to have orchestral sections, instead of single instruments playing all the tracks.

There can be additional instruments, though modern orchestras already cover a lot of instruments these days. The focus of the theme should still be in orchestration, however.
Starts 01/11/2011 14:00 PM
Ends 01/25/2012 05:59 PM

Phase 3: Inspired
All of us have our own strengths and sometimes when moving out of the comfort zone we don't get to use them as well as we'd like.

In this phase you're free to use any kind of instrumentation and sources of sounds you wish.

If you felt you didn't get to do your own thing in the earlier phases, this is where you can go all-out, any way you please. Though the piece will still need to match the theme of the phase.
Starts 01/30/2011 16:00 PM
Ends 02/13/2012 05:59 PM



- Each piece needs to loop and the song has to last at least 1 minute before the loop point. Phase 2 and 3 pieces may need to last longer than 1 minute before the loop point. (If you're doing a rondo the loop point is naturally when you're repeating the entire cycle of sections)

- You have to demonstrate the loop point by including it in the song by inserting one or two sections that would follow it. If you have a separate intro in your song, your loop point could return the listener to the section following the intro, for example.

- It would be nice if you kept your track private until the voting is done so we'd get a fair competition.

- Audio formats accepted:
.wav
.mp3
.mid
I'd even say .flac and .ogg, but people need to be able to access your piece, so it would be best to go with the three mentioned above.


I hope I'm not asking too much from people with 3 songs. If you think 2 weeks per piece isn't enough time, let me know so we can arrange something else. The reason I thought 3 phases would be the best idea to go with is because people here have varying strengths, so with this it should stay fair and challenging to everyone.

I hope for lots of participants and followers! :)



Phase 1: Simple

The theme for Phase 1 of the RPG Music Challenge is Lava Temple.

Phase 2: Orchestral

The theme for Phase 2 of the RPG Music Challenge is Nostalgic Flashback Scene.

Phase 3: Inspired

The theme for Phase 3 of the RPG Music Challenge is VS Close Friend Battle Theme.
...or more specifically a battle theme when a player fights his/her closest ally.

Please send your submissions privately via PM to kentona


Phase 1: Simple
The entries for Phase 1 have been compiled and posted for listening! Please go here to see the discussion.

MIDI Format:
Entry 1: Dudesoft - Lava Temple
Entry 2: Muninn - Fire Born of Earth
Entry 3: synbi - Flame Fandango
Entry 4: MrChearlie - Journey Through The Burning Winds
Entry 5: Xcalnarok - Lava Temple
Entry 6: Theodoric - Sleeping Fire Temple
Entry 7: SDHawk - Temple of Pyre
Entry 8: moneymenace - Lava Temple

MP3 Format:
Entry 9: sameric - Agony

Entry 10: kentona - A Song of Lava and Fire

Entry 11: harmonic - Contest

Entry 12: LaMasquerade - Dragon's Lair

Entry 13: NewBlack - Ember Ritual

Entry 14: Swint - Fire Temple

Entry 15: Puppet_Master - Inside the Volcano

Entry 16: RolandMelvinZ - Lava Ruin

Entry 17: rickyleung90 - Lava Temple

Entry 18: geodude - Lava Temple

Entry 19: Jude - Lava Temple

Entry 20: _TilT_ - Lava Temple

Entry 21: Lana42 - Lava Temple

Entry 22: Paulman - Lava Temple

Entry 23: Tarranon - Lava Temple

Entry 24: emmych - Lava Temple

Entry 25: Scourge - Lava Temple

Entry 26: VGMusic_4_LIFE - Lava Temple

Entry 27: Wolfe - Igneous Bits

Entry 28: Ruunyth123 - Lava Temple

Entry 29: jasprelao - Shrine in a Volcano

Entry 30: Happy - Spirits of the Immortal Fire

Entry 31: theneonheart - You Kids Stay Off My Lava!

Entry 33: tgnemecek - Lava Theme

Entry 34: CastorOnline - Lava Temple


OGG Format:
Entry 32: Gamesfreak13563 - Fire in the Hole


Phase 2: Orchestral
The entries for Phase 2 have been compiled and posted for listening! Please go here to see the discussion.

MIDI Format:
Entry 1: Puppet_Master - Don't You Remember
Entry 2: Theodoric - Bring Back Memories
Entry 3: synbi - Nostalgic Theme
Entry 4: MrChearlie - Last Hour Memory
Entry 5: Xcalnarok - Nostalgic Flashback Scene

MP3 Format:
Entry 6: geodude - Memories

Entry 7: jasprelao - Melody of Memories

Entry 8: tgnemecek - Nostalgia

Entry 9: _TilT_ - Nostalgia

Entry 10: harmonic - Contest Phase 2

Entry 11: Paulman - Nostalgia

Entry 12: kentona - Mine Baby

Entry 13: VGMusic_4_LIFE - Memoir of a Fleeting Heart

Entry 14: LaMasquerade - March of Memories

Entry 15: Tarranon - Nost

Entry 16: RolandMelvinZ - Memorable Time

Entry 17: Muninn - Final Memory

Entry 18: Swint - Memories of Better Times

Entry 19: NewBlack - Nostalgia in Realtime

Entry 20: theneonheart - Reminisces Near Misses

Entry 21: Wolfe - Memories in Sepia

Entry 22: Happy - Nostalgia 0

Entry 23: Ruunyth123 - Memories on a Windy Hill

Entry 24: Link_2112 - Entry



Phase 3: Inspired
The entries for Phase 3 have been compiled and posted for listening! Please go here to see the discussion.

MIDI Format:
Entry 1: moneymenace - Battle of Regret
Entry 2: synbi - An Old Rival
Entry 3: Xcalnarok - Close Friend Battle Theme

OGG Format:
Entry 4: Cheveyo - Rainbow Rhapsody

MP3 Format:
Entry 5: jasprelao - Why She Has To Be You

Entry 6: Puppet_Master - We used to be bros, man, but then you were a dick so fuck you let's fight!

Entry 7: Swint - Vs Friend

Entry 8: Wolfe - Brotherly Betrayal

Entry 9: tgnemecek - Revenge

Entry 10: VGMusic_4_LIFE - Where Fates Collide

Entry 11: Tarranon - Friend vs

Entry 12: Paulman - Friend Battle

Entry 13: NewBlack - Final Battle Against Harmonic Part One - Confrontation

Entry 14: Happy - Final Battle Against Harmonic Part Two - Metamorphosis

Entry 15: harmonic - Super Duper Final Phase 3

Entry 16: KORA - Brother

Entry 17: MrChearlie - Blood of Heroes

Entry 18: Theodoric - Battle

Entry 19: kentona - Rough Criminal



Phase 1: Simple
Phase 1 voting is in! Here are the results:
Entry #1:Dudesoft - Lava Temple0 votes
Entry #2:Muninn - Fire Born of Earth0 votes
Entry #3:synbi - Flame Fandango0 votes
Entry #4:MrChearlie - Journey Through The Burning Winds1 votes
Entry #5:Xcalnarok - Lava Temple0 votes
Entry #6:Theodoric - Sleeping Fire Temple3 votes
Entry #7:SDHawk - Temple of Pyre0 votes
Entry #8:moneymenace - Lava Temple1 votes
Entry #9:sameric - Agony1 votes
Entry #10:kentona - A Song of Lava and Fire1 votes
Entry #11:harmonic - Contest9 votes**WINNER**
Entry #12:LaMasquerade - Dragon's Lair0 votes
Entry #13:NewBlack - Ember Ritual4 votes
Entry #14:Swint - Fire Temple0 votes
Entry #15:Puppet_Master - Inside the Volcano0 votes
Entry #16:RolandMelvinZ - Lava Ruin1 votes
Entry #17:rickyleung90 - Lava Temple1 votes
Entry #18:geodude - Lava Temple0 votes
Entry #19:Jude - Lava Temple0 votes
Entry #20:_TilT_ - Lava Temple1 votes
Entry #21:Lana42 - Lava Temple2 votes
Entry #22:Paulman - Lava Temple0 votes
Entry #23:Tarranon - Lava Temple0 votes
Entry #24:emmych - Lava Temple5 votes
Entry #25:Scourge - Lava Temple0 votes
Entry #26:VGMusic_4_LIFE - Lava Temple3 votes
Entry #27:Wolfe - Igneous Bits1 votes
Entry #28:Ruunyth123 - Lava Temple3 votes
Entry #29:jasprelao - Shrine in a Volcano0 votes
Entry #30:Happy - Spirits of the Immortal Fire0 votes
Entry #31:theneonheart - You Kids Stay Off My Lava!1 votes
Entry #32:Gamesfreak13563 - Fire in the Hole0 votes
Entry #33:tgnemecek - Lava Theme1 votes
Entry #34:CastorOnline - Lava Temple0 votes


Congratulations to Harmonic for being The Most Instrumental of Them All!

Phase 2: Orchestral
Phase 2 voting is in! Here are the results:
Entry #1:Puppet_Master - Don't You Remember0 votes
Entry #2:Theodoric - Bring Back Memories1 votes
Entry #3:synbi - Nostalgic Theme0 votes
Entry #4:MrChearlie - Last Hour Memory0 votes
Entry #5:Xcalnarok - Nostalgic Flashback Scene0 votes
Entry #6:geodude - Memories4 votes
Entry #7:jasprelao - Melody of Memories0 votes
Entry #8:tgnemecek - Nostalgia2 votes
Entry #9:_TilT_ - Nostalgia0 votes
Entry #10:harmonic - Contest Phase 29 votes**WINNER**
Entry #11:Paulman - Nostalgia0 votes
Entry #12:kentona - Mine Baby0 votes
Entry #13:VGMusic_4_LIFE - Memoir of a Fleeting Heart5 votes
Entry #14:LaMasquerade - March of Memories1 votes
Entry #15:Tarranon - Nost5 votes
Entry #16:RolandMelvinZ - Memorable Time3 votes
Entry #17:Muninn - Final Memory0 votes
Entry #18:Swint - Memories of Better Times1 votes
Entry #19:NewBlack - Nostalgia in Realtime1 votes
Entry #20:theneonheart - Reminisces Near Misses0 votes
Entry #21:Wolfe - Memories in Sepia3 votes
Entry #22:Happy - Nostalgia 00 votes
Entry #23:Ruunyth123 - Memories on a Windy Hill0 votes
Entry #24:Link_2112 - Entry0 votes


Congratulations to Harmonic (again) but this time for being The Most Orchestral of Them All!

Phase 3: Inspired
Phase 3 voting phase is completed, and we have a 2-way tie for first place!
Entry #1:moneymenace - Battle of Regret1 votes
Entry #2:synbi - An Old Rival0 votes
Entry #3:Xcalnarok - Close Friend Battle Theme2 votes
Entry #4:Cheveyo - Rainbow Rhapsody0 votes
Entry #5:jasprelao - Why She Has To Be You4 votes*** WINNER ***
Entry #6:Puppet_Master - We used to be bros, man, but then you were a dick so fuck you let's fight!1 votes
Entry #7:Swint - Vs Friend2 votes
Entry #8:Wolfe - Brotherly Betrayal0 votes
Entry #9:tgnemecek - Revenge4 votes*** WINNER ***
Entry #10:VGMusic_4_LIFE - Where Fates Collide2 votes
Entry #11:Tarranon - Friend vs3 votes
Entry #12:Paulman - Friend Battle0 votes
Entry #13:NewBlack - Final Battle Against Harmonic Part One - Confrontation1 votes
Entry #14:Happy - Final Battle Against Harmonic Part Two - Metamorphosis0 votes
Entry #15:harmonic - Super Duper Final Phase 33 votes
Entry #16:KORA - Brother0 votes
Entry #17:MrChearlie - Blood of Heroes0 votes
Entry #18:Theodoric - Battle1 votes
Entry #19:kentona - Rough Criminal0 votes


Congratulations jasprelao and tgnemecek for being the most inspired!


Grand Total
Here are the final vote tallies for the RPG Music Challenge:
harmonic :
21
VGMusic_4_LIFE :
10
Tarranon :
8
tgnemecek:
7
NewBlack :
6
emmych :
5
Theodoric :
5
geodude :
4
jasprelao :
4
RolandMelvinZ :
4
Wolfe :
4
Ruunyth123 :
3
Swint :
3
Lana42 :
2
moneymenace :
2
Xcalnarok :
2
_TilT_ :
1
kentona :
1
LaMasquerade :
1
MrChearlie :
1
Puppet_Master :
1
rickyleung90 :
1
sameric :
1
theneonheart :
1
CastorOnline:
0
Dudesoft :
0
Gamesfreak13563 :
0
Happy :
0
Jude :
0
Link_2112:
0
Muninn :
0
Paulman :
0
Scourge :
0
SDHawk :
0
synbi :
0


Congratulations to harmonic for being the most musical of them all!

Great work everyone! This contest had some amazing entries, and overall it was a huge success! It was a lot of fun participating, listening and voting, plus seeing just how talented the musicians here are was humbling. Amazing work everyone!

Registration

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Posts

I compose little duets and brass quintets at times (I'm a trombone player), but I think that I'm not good enough for this. The first and third phases seem fine, but I can see the second phase giving me a LOT of trouble, considering I've never composed for strings before, or percussion.
A few questions:
For Phase 1: Simple, does the entire drum kit count as 1 instrument? Or does each of the part of the drum (ie bass drum, snare, hi hat, crash, etc) each is consider 1 instrument?
Can we use songs that are already composed in the past as entries? If not, then can remixes of past songs be entries?
Can I submit .wma files? They are popular formats and can play on pretty much any music players.
Happy
Devil's in the details
5367
author=rickyleung90
A few questions:
For Phase 1: Simple, does the entire drum kit count as 1 instrument? Or does each of the part of the drum (ie bass drum, snare, hi hat, crash, etc) each is consider 1 instrument?
Can we use songs that are already composed in the past as entries? If not, then can remixes of past songs be entries?
Can I submit .wma files? They are popular formats and can play on pretty much any music players.

One percussion kit counts as one instrument, but it has to be possible to be played by one person. Like, if your kit has orchestral percussion and a basic drumkit in same, they'de be separate. This is simple, right?

Past compositions & remixes aren't allowed. This is a competition for original compositions.
If WMA can be played in RMN, I guess it's accepted, but is there no way for you to render to mp3 or wav or something?
Correct me if Im wrong. But is the admin of this event who knows what the themes will be not allowed to participate?
Happy
Devil's in the details
5367
author=rickyleung90
Correct me if Im wrong. But is the admin of this event who knows what the themes will be not allowed to participate?


I am one of the organizers of the event and no, I don't know the themes of the phases. As the first post says, a neutral party will announce them, the neutral party being a member called "rhyme."
Never compose any, but I'd like to try. ^^
By the way, today is the Boxing Day, right?
From where will the first theme be announced? At this page or elsewhere?
Happy
Devil's in the details
5367
You should see it on this page and today. Just once the right person logs in.


The theme for Phase 1 of the RPG Music Challenge is Lava Temple. Compose a piece that would fit this theme! Go!
Happy
Devil's in the details
5367
And I'd like to remind everyone to stick to rules of phase 1 while composing a theme for Lava Temple.

"Phase 1: Simple
Simple is beautiful. You're required to create a piece matching the description of the theme using no more than 3 instruments (also means 3 layers/tracks). How well can you bring your instruments to life?"

Good luck everyone!
Also, do background sound-effects as part of a song count as an instrument? Are we allowed to use more than three different instruments so long as only three are playing at any given time?
This was already asked and answered:

author=Happy
author=rickyleung90
A few questions:
For Phase 1: Simple, does the entire drum kit count as 1 instrument? Or does each of the part of the drum (ie bass drum, snare, hi hat, crash, etc) each is consider 1 instrument?
One percussion kit counts as one instrument, but it has to be possible to be played by one person. Like, if your kit has orchestral percussion and a basic drumkit in same, they'de be separate. This is simple, right?

author=Gamesfreak13563
Also, do background sound-effects as part of a song count as an instrument? Are we allowed to use more than three different instruments so long as only three are playing at any given time?

given that the objective is to KEEP IT SIMPLE. I would say just pick three instruments(piano, flute, percussion) and use ONLY THAT.

Theme's out :D Now I can get started! It's a good theme, much better than I was expecting.
Happy
Devil's in the details
5367
The first phase emphasizes simplicity, so you can't have more than 3 instruments/tracks/layers for the entire song. Ambience would need to be pretty static if included, and different sounding sound effects would count as different instruments.

The first phase is mostly about creating the song using 3 instruments only... You'll have plenty more in the later phases.
Just to ask for clarification, one could use chords on a piano and still have it count for only one instrument, but to do so with flutes would require using up multiple instrument allotments.

Is this correct?
Happy
Devil's in the details
5367
author=Muninn
Just to ask for clarification, one could use chords on a piano and still have it count for only one instrument, but to do so with flutes would require using up multiple instrument allotments.

Is this correct?


Yeah, you have to keep in mind what is possible for one instrument / person to play.

You could always say that a person can load his synthesizer up with multiple sounds, switch between them and it'd still count as one instrument, but that would pretty much make the rules of phase 1 meaningless, so don't do that.

Just think if your piece can be played by 3 people. If it can, you're safe and sound.
Scourge
I used to make games. I still do, but I used to too.
1605
Well, shoot. Went to start work on this and Finale crashed. :\
I guess I'll pull out until I can get it to work. I was really looking forward to doing this too, but I don't feel like learning a brand new program today.
Happy
Devil's in the details
5367
Well, you've got 2 weeks time! I hope you get it working. Remember to save often.