The Song Fight Bulletin Board

I was thinking of entering a Songfight sometime... that might fill some sleepless night
-bill

Is an act an act only if every member participates every week? Or can a rag-tag confederacy enter, so long as there is a clear leader? For instance, let's say that I start a band that includes me, Mike, and Amanda. Amanda and I are temporarily separated by physical distance, so she will serve only as a creative consultant, up until week three, when I will, from that point on, exploit her exceptional talent for bluegrass mandolin to win the hearts and minds of the great and honorable judges. Do the judges throw me out for adding a new band member? Mike is in another city as well. His 4-track exploded and he doesn't have an interface, so he can't record anything at all, for me, but he listens and helps produce songs from a distance. During round five, he is in town, so he sings the first verse, and plays the piano solo in our song. Is this cheating?

Although I like Mr. Ross Durand a whole Heck of a lot, and Mr. Big Face too for that matter, I think you should not listen to other competitors when it comes to the rules. You should listen to the judges.

as one of the 5 judges, i feel perfectly fine with a rag-tag confederacy entering. After all the WSA barely managed to have all 4 of us on every track we needed to last year, and during our immunity round entry neither Melvin nor myself made it on to the track. We were on the brink of having that happen a few times in the competition.

Ross said:

For any Nur Ein! Newcomers - you enter as an "act," and while sidemen (or women) are sometimes used, the act stays intact throughout the contest, in other words (unless a challenge said to) you don't create new collaboration groups in different rounds. I only mention it, because recently on songfight it seems that there are many collaborations that go on again and off again.

I don't think I completely agree with this. I personally don't mind guest artists along the way, as long as they are instruments and not really writers. For instance, Swillington provided another set of hands while performing the glass tracks on Whale, but i wrote and directed the chords.

I think if the cast is as consistent as the line-up throughout the Seamus Collective catalog it's fine.

I would like to see the same name of the entering act throughout the competition.

Just my opinions we'll see what The Lyricist, The Producer, The Singer, and Mr Cool think.

glennny wrote:Just my opinions we'll see what The Lyricist, The Producer, The Singer, and Mr Cool think.

I can't speak for The Lyricist, The Producer, or The Singer, but I tend to agree with Glen. I don't think core band members should change during the competition, but if you've got a friend who wants to lay down a solo or throw in some hand claps or help tweak the mix, I see no harm. That's how music is made in the real world. Use your own sense of decency and sportsmanship to figure out where to draw the line.

There just at least needs to be a core to it. Take for instance, Octothorpe. Spud is the core. Last Nur Ein, he did "Kick Start" minus Mad Dog. There was no uproar. That song also had Crash on it and she doesn't appear on all their songs. It was okay, there was no uproar. But like Melvin said "Use your own sense of decency and sportsmanship to figure out where to draw the line." If you feel like all you're doing is looking for a set of musical hitmen to do your job, then maybe you should reconsider. But if you're making a song and you've got a pal who you wanna put on the track, so be it. Just as long as there is a core. It shouldn't feel like you've started a new band every round.

I removed that Ross quote from the first post because there is no hard and fast rule on this nor do I feel there needs to be. "Use your own sense of decency and sportsmanship to figure out where to draw the line" is the best Nur Ein rule ever.

Niveous wrote:"Use your own sense of decency and sportsmanship

But I have no decency. And let's face it, my sportsmanship sailed shortly after I joined Song Fight. So it's really not fair to those that are brimming with decency and sportsmanship. Take Ross for instance. He goes out for a short power walk and he has to wear a headband just to keep the decency and sportsmanship out of his eyes. Whereas I couldn't produce a single drop of either if my life depended on it.

NUR EIN

Okay. "Use your own sense of decency and sportsmanship, except if you are BLT. We'll use the tazers for him."

Tazers? Nice! I usually have to pay extra for that.
NUR EIN

glennny wrote: Ross said:

For any Nur Ein! Newcomers - you enter as an "act," and while sidemen (or women) are sometimes used, the act stays intact throughout the contest, in other words (unless a challenge said to) you don't create new collaboration groups in different rounds. I only mention it, because recently on songfight it seems that there are many collaborations that go on again and off again.

I don't think I completely agree with this. I personally don't mind guest artists along the way, as long as they are instruments and not really writers. For instance, Swillington provided another set of hands while performing the glass tracks on Whale, but i wrote and directed the chords.

Sounds to me like we basically agree.

Alright, thanks. I suppose I've got my answer. I'm the core, some of my friends are band members and consultants, and participate when they can. I can basically guarantee that no one will even play on my tracks that I don't disclose up front as a member...unless I meet a really awesome keyboard player. Then you guys can stuff it, and listen to a bunch of badass organ solos until I get eliminated.

Niveous wrote:Use your own sense of decency and sportsmanship

If these are the rules, I may have a very good chance of wining this year.

Lord of Oats wrote:I'm the core, some of my friends are band members and consultants, and participate when they can.

Your bass player and drummer are now disqualified. I have been sleeping with them. They are in my band now.

Niveous wrote:The title and challenge for Round Zero will be announced on the forum on 4/15, most likely around midnight EST.

So that's, what, 9pm Pacific, tonight?!?! Holy crap, It's GO time!

Good luck, judges. Be concise, and imagine you're giving interviews to hostile Fox News reporters who're amped to the gills on PCP & steroids & that stuff the Umbrella Corporation zombifies people with, when you're trying to word things.

It helps.

I would just like to say I am pledging 50% less whine this year.

frankie big face wrote:I would just like to say I am pledging 50% less whine this year.

I would be glad to pick up the slack...

My Nur Ein's resolution this year is to get all my entries in on time.

SO what's the right thread to "subscribe topic" to get an auto update when the title is posted?

I have a couple of questions, sorry if these are answered elsewhere but I can't see where:

(1) What does "immunity" in round 1, 2 and 3 mean? Does that mean that these acts can't be eliminated later?

(2) Are the judges prohibited from entering? It seems to be double-dipping otherwise.

bambamoozle wrote:I have a couple of questions, sorry if these are answered elsewhere but I can't see where:

(1) What does "immunity" in round 1, 2 and 3 mean? Does that mean that these acts can't be eliminated later?

(2) Are the judges prohibited from entering? It seems to be double-dipping otherwise.

Immunity means that you don't have to make a song for the next round. (i,e. Win immunity in Round 3 and you don't have to write a song in round 4)

Judges are prohibited. The judges this year are last year's winners anyway.

You should just close the "songs, titles, results" threads for each NE4 round so only the mods and Admin can post in it. Because saying "no comments", I see that thread as a big red button that says "don't push."

.....it's just so tempting.

Hey Niv', for the naming scheme of future mp3s, what do you think about adding "ne" or "ne4" to the filenames?

'Cause weirdly enough, there's already a "rabidgarfunkel_st.mp3" (Songfight, Saving Throw) out there, heh.

Rabid Garfunkel wrote:Hey Niv', for the naming scheme of future mp3s, what do you think about adding "ne" or "ne4" to the filenames?

'Cause weirdly enough, there's already a "rabidgarfunkel_st.mp3" (Songfight, Saving Throw) out there, heh.

why not? I'll make specific naming conventions with the next round.

Don't forget to send me your pics!