The Song Fight Bulletin Board

Welcome to the Nur Ein XVI!

How do you enter?
Submit an original song by May 16th at 11:59 PM(Eastern) that fits the following criteria

Title: Semiprecious
Challenge: Gradual emphasis of repetitions

Send your MP3 to nurein.sidefight@gmail.com

Good luck!

Could we maybe get some examples of songs that would pass the challenge, i.e. songs that feature "gradual emphasis of repetitions"? Like, I basically know what that means, semantically, but I'm not sure what the judges were thinking of. Some examples would be helpful. Thanks!

I think the idea is to see how y'all interpret the challenge. So, no. At least, not from me.

Pigfarmer Jr wrote: ↑

Wed May 12, 2021 5:51 pm

I think the idea is to see how y'all interpret the challenge. So, no. At least, not from me.

I see. So, that means there isn't just one correct interpretation of the challenge that I don't quite get. That's all I wanted to know. Thanks!

I can only speak for me, but there absolutely is NOT one way to interpret it. That's what I like about the challenge.

noma wrote: ↑

Wed May 12, 2021 9:41 am

Could we maybe get some examples of songs that would pass the challenge, i.e. songs that feature "gradual emphasis of repetitions"? Like, I basically know what that means, semantically, but I'm not sure what the judges were thinking of. Some examples would be helpful. Thanks!

I'm pretty sure the judges are looking for something like this:

Just give us a bit of your eurobeat - you'll be fine.

And you may be too recent to remember Sausage Boy. He is from Adelaide - so he is pretty easily impressed. A quick reference to a body in a shallow grave and a hand job in the Veale Gardens - he'll be eating out of your hands.

Pigfarmer Jr wrote: ↑

Wed May 12, 2021 6:48 pm

I can only speak for me, but there absolutely is NOT one way to interpret it. That's what I like about the challenge.

Yeah, I think the judges are mostly on the same page about that aspect of it this time. Can't speak for the other three, but we came to a consensus not to provide examples this time. Even me, and I normally love examples. We didn't discuss example songs in the private judges-only chat, either, other than to agree that we won't provide any.

I will say this. The challenge was not suggested by me this time around, and though I did think of a few songs by famous bands that might have fit the bill, I strongly suspect that the person who did suggest this challenge would actually hate every one of my potential example songs. I'll consider sharing the ones I thought of... once the deadline has passed.

This challenge is open ended, and all five judges are committed to listening to these songs with an open mind, so basically... Don't worry about it! If you approach this challenge in good faith, I can't imagine any of us will knock you for it. If that assurance isn't enough, I'll try to address any questions you might have, but remember that I don't speak for the whole panel.

Also, I might be in with a shadow entry. It's not progressing at the pace I'd like, so still a maybe. We'll see.

Round 0 Listening Party happens Monday 5/17 at 9pm EST. I'll be on vacation at a beach house, so who knows what mayhem and internet interruptions will occur!



https://youtu.be/MGWOQc7YQR0

Caravan Ray wrote: ↑

Thu May 13, 2021 4:17 am

I'm pretty sure the judges are looking for something like this:

Just give us a bit of your eurobeat - you'll be fine.

This song, opinions on quality put aside, in no way meets the non-optional challenge. Therefore, try again. I would suggest trying to write a good song that vaguely and "gradually" meets the challenge - otherwise enjoy round 0 as your endpoint.

j$

Welp, I submitted (as Virgo Power, my side "band" (haha it just me)). You've heard of Guy & Guitar, now get ready for Girl & Omnichord!

I actually cut stuff, instead of my usual method of piling on more crap until it's unlistenable! Yay! Still expect to get cut as my thing is definitely not for everyone. Well, I tried!

arby wrote: ↑

Sat May 15, 2021 9:58 pm

You've heard of Guy & Guitar, now get ready for Girl & Omnichord!

Followed by old man and "what does this button do"-core

I'm in

in with a hail mary and hoping to pass round 0 on the "not enough entries to eliminate this song" technicality.

apologies for the song, five years rusty and a decade of languishing makes one... return to a baseline of right proper sucking.

instrumental with spoken samples.

wombat!

GD's in.

I assumed that the subject/body/MP3 naming convention should be the same as for SF, if not I apologize.

I did same re: naming convention. I see some people providing liner notes - please say this isn't going to be point of judgment like last time...

I think I did about three times as many vocal takes on this song as I've ever done before. I'm also a little worried that my "emphasis of repetitions" may be too much on the subtle side. I cumulatively added instrumentation to each verse, but it doesn't sound that different. And the lyrics in the bridge were supposed to be reflect an increasing sense of mediocrity, but I'm not sure how apparent that is.

My emphasis of repetitions may be the least subtle thing ever recorded, so hopefully we balance out.

In.

In in in in in in in.

I'm in. I tried to use repetition in the concept of my story. Not sure how successful I've been with that though.

I'm in with a weird, kind of psychedelic song most of which I wrote in one day. Repetitions are in the lyric, gradually increasing towards the end, plus the "Oh, my semiprecious*" part at the end of the chorus gets repeated more often with each chorus (no repeat in the first chorus, one repeat in the second chorus, three repeats in the final one.)

* I had planned to go full Gollum with my vocal at some point in the song, but then I decided against it. After all, the title is Semiprecious, so half a Gollum is definitely enough.

Here is some cover art for semiprecious, if it isn't too late. And if one of them is near the correct size.

Thanks PFJ. That's a time-saver.