Today is the start of the Open Mic Songwriters Challenge Week 2 where one lucky winner gets a new guitar!
The Open Mic Songwriters Challenge Week 1 was a smashing success.
See who played week 1 here:
See Who Played Open Mic Songwriters Challenge Week 1 The Winner Gets A $599 Usd Guitar --- by @luzcypher
Open Mic Songwriters Challenge
Thanks to some generous sponsorship from @meno we are hosting the Open Mic Songwriters Challenge and the winner will win a free guitar with hard case.
Do you like to write songs?
Can you write a song a week for 8 weeks?
We will provide 8 different weekly themes
Enter the Open Mic Songwriters Challenge
Give a high five to @meno
Make some great music and you may win a new guitar!
This is the 2nd week in this 8-week challenge.
The theme for week 2 is:
Lost And Found
To enter week one you need to write a song that is about or involves the phrase lost and found.
It can be a metaphor or a lyric in the song as long as the song somehow relates to the theme lost and found
To qualify as an entry to this week's challenge all the rules listed below must be followed and it must be a new song written for specifically for this challenge.
The first tag of your post must be: openmic
The second tag of your post music be: openmicsongwriters
Recommended tags:
openmic openmicsongwriters music contest guitar
openmic openmicsongwriters music contest guitar
The deadline to submit your entry is Monday. 4th of December 2017. Please have the song posted by then so we have time to review them all.
@meno graciously offered to sponsor this fantastic, music-making, creativity-sparking, songwriting challenge by providing a new guitar with hard case to one, lucky winner!
The contest will run for 8-weeks and each week we will provide a theme. You will write a new song about or related to that theme.
This challenge will require you to write up to 8 new songs, one per week. This is the challenge.
We will provide the theme each week and make it a bit uncommon so songwriters will not be able to pull previously written songs from their repertoire.
They will actually have to write a song based on the theme we provide and have about a week to write each song.
So, are you up for the challenge? A shot to win that guitar?
Keep reading to discover how it works.
Open Mic Songwriters Challenge Rules
Following these rules is very important so your posts can get curated, upvoted, and seen by the Open Mic community.
The contest will run for 8 weeks. Each week will have a new theme. Songwriters will write one new song each week using the theme we provide.
Songwriters can join at any time, but the sooner you join the more points you'll accumulate, making your chances to win a little better.
Submit Original Music Written For This Challenge Only and related to each week's theme that we'll provide.
You can enter Steemit Open Mic and the Open Mic Songwriters Challenge with the same entry. Just say it is for both at the start of your video. Ad a link to your post to both contests.
No covers, no parodies, or no cover versions will be considered as a valid entry.
You can sing in any language but the lyrics must be posted on your post in the language it is sung in plus in English using Google Translate.
OpenMic Songwriters Challenge Week # (current week number) must be the start of the title of the post, this is key so that judges can easily find the entries.
You must say “OpenMic Songwriters Challenge Week #” at the beginning of your video so we know you are really playing live for us for this contest (Adding an edit to a prerecorded video just to add the words is not good enough. It must be said out loud by the person performing the song just prior to performing it. Recording the words and editing it to the beginning of a video still does not prove it was really you)
Live performances only. No studio recorded tracks.
openmic & openmicsongwriters should be your first and second tag respectively. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT
Add a link to your entry post to the comments of the contest post published by @luzcypher so we know you entered.
Lyrics must be included in your post If the song is sung in another language, the lyrics must be posted in both English and the language it is sung in.
Upvote the Open Mic Songwriters Challenge weekly post posted by @luzcypher
Give a high five to @meno because this is SO COOL!
All songs must be about the week’s theme, entries not related to the theme will not be considered as valid.
What About The Prizes?
All rules must be followed to qualify for the prize.
Winner of the contest takes home a brand new Grace Harbor Acoustic/Electric Guitar with a hard case. You can have a look and a listen to this beautiful guitar in this video.
Grace Harbor Guitars GHD-100CE
Related Posts
See Who Played Open Mic Songwriters Challenge Week 1 The Winner Gets A $599 USD Guitar --- by @luzcypher
Coming Soon Steemit Open Mic Songwriters Challenge And A Chance To Win A New Guitar Sponsored By Meno --- by @luzcypher
Here he is! You know I'm a big fan of your folky ramblings :D There's that accent twang again that I like!
love it man, nice folk song
Thank you, sir!
Yeah, I like these themes. Last week's entries were solid! I imagine this week's will bring back most of the same songwriters, along with many more. I'm rooting for the continued success of the #openmic and this new #openmicsongwriters challenge, grateful for the road that brings us here, singing.
We're having fun in this community for sure. Glad you're a big part of it. Loving your music each week.
Oh man, I really appreciate you for saying that. Great timing! Feels good to be seen. And to see signs of progress in myself and others.
I love watching everyone getting better at their craft each week
My entry for week #2 is a song called "Lost Until I Found You." I'm grateful for the invitation to create it, and the platform to share it, and the audience to hear it. Thank you.
https://steemit.com/openmic/@cabelindsay/steemit-open-mic-songwriters-challenge-week-2-lost-until-i-found-you-original-song
This is awesome. Your guitar playing has completely shocked, I'm not sure how your hand hasn't fallen off after that!
It is still monday, already your "lets see who plays" post is out there. I hope you still consider my entry!
https://steemit.com/openmic/@senzenfrenz/openmic-songwriters-challenge-week-2-lost-and-found-original-music-splitscreen-cello-multitracking-by-senzenfrenz
https://steemit.com/openmic/@chaifm/openmic-songwriters-challenge-week-2-or-lost-and-found-or-original
I am back.
This is really truly beautiful @chaifm. I'll definitely be following more of what you do
Nice voice, i love it.
Here's my entry folks!
https://steemit.com/openmic/@lk666/steemit-open-mic-songwriter-s-challenge-week-2-lose-yourself-find-the-truth
Enjoy!
That guitar melody is absolutely stunning. Pure talent yet again @lk666
Thank you!
so. fast. :O
Yeah, I generally can write lyrics in around 10 minutes and music in around 20. I did the music to this in 15 minutes.
Im too obsessive maybe. Im soinning on a tooic because i cant even start unless i had a unique idea
There's nothing wrong with being a perfectionist. I'm the opposite of one and I don't overthink most things but perhaps that's not a good thing LOL.
I may have missed the deadline, but here's a song anyway
What I sang about for week #2 .. Lost and Found ..
https://steemit.com/openmic/@afrao0/steemit-open-mic-songwriters-challenge-week-2-lost-and-found
It is just amazing how so many perspectives and thought poetry arises from just a few words... Thanks to the @openmic community, @meno and @luzcypher, for helping us expand our horizon with unique themes for every week. It helps me break my usual song-writing style and try new things. Certainly counts for something.
At the end of week 8, I am sure to have 8 new songs to produce and make something out of. Very excited to see what comes out of my mind.
Much Gratitude.
Keep bringing that passion, brother! It's priceless - it truly is... Take your time, and do what you do best! I'll be on the lookout... :-)
Hope this inspires people to write some songs. Seem to be working so far.
That's how I feel too, that at the end of it you'll have 8 solid songs to mess with.
One lucky winner goes with Grace Harbor Guitars GHD-100CE, yet all participants are winners because they got the talent!
Thank you @luzcypher for this great opportunity. I wish all participants well.
Writing and playing music is a gift to be shared for sure.
Thank @meno for supplying the guitar! Thanks, @meno!
@meno we thank you! You’re the best, it takes a truly giving heart to donate such valuable device for a contest.
wooahh I'm gonna find myself, I'm sure gonna get lost picking those words for a song with Lost and Found theme.. More amazing entries are coming, pretty sure!!
You better dig in deep, @g10a... The competition is stiff... No foolin' around here, brother... I'll be lookin' out for what you've got for us this week... Make it good!
I hope so sir,. this contest ain't easy for me plus musicians here are so clever and inspiring. Although any language is open but since I need to translate it when posting so better go for english, this makes me also like a crawling baby looking for those words to create the story of my song. damn Thanks for the encouragement as always sir.
Yay I found you! As I said last time, I love that positivity you constantly show on the steemit platform. Keeps everyone happy. And good job on your song this week!
ohh hi!! you are the sweetest! ♥ it really means a lot to me! i am happy that you have such sweet perception of me haha.. and that you liked my song! ♥
Wow you were fast this week, great song! Hope you had a good lunch ;) I'm still stuck on 1st verse. Maybe I have to start all over ;)
I always start with the chorus and then create the subject of the verses from there l... then lines.... pat pattison writing better lyrics helped me with that nut idk if you like outlining like i do
Sounds interesting, will look into that! He has a lot of free content on his web site!
That guy is great! I have that book, and Songwriting Without Boundaries. If you don't already know about it, it's a book of daily challenges for lyric writing, also by Pattison. It's like a gym for your lyrical muscles.
Nice. I went to A school where he works but never got to take a class. I never should have been in music ed should have been songwriting and performace and But such is life when we second guess ourselves
yeah, i got lucky i guess.. but i did struggle... it actually took me way longer to finish than the other one it's just that this time i already knew that on wednesday they would announce the next theme..therefore i was kind of ready lol.
I would start over too.. if i felt stuck ... but i guess we all have different processes so, maybe don't give up on it yet? anyway... i am sure you will figure it out!! and thanks! for hearing my song! really appreciate it! ♥ can't wait to hear yours once it's ready!
I liked your song n u r too adorable. Reminding me not to focus on points. I havent been in the open mic community. Idk that feeling u have.
ohh thanks! you are so sweet.
i can see music is important to you too. (it is very important to me) so having a space were i can share my stuff and grow as an artist by putting myself out there but also by exposing myself to other artists and interacting with them (people like you) it is all something that has great value to me. so yeah haha. I am loving it.
Así es una gran oportunidad en steemit, buena lyrica un abrazo
Muchisimas gracias!! ♥
There were a lot of obstacles for me this week but I soldiered on, so here is my entry for OpenMic Songwriters challenge Week 2 - Lost and Found
https://steemit.com/openmic/@geenaizzy/steemit-openmic-songwriters-challenge-week-2-lost-and-found
And the soothing voice is back! This is great @geenaizzy, well done! Lovely chord progression too!
Thank you so much, it makes me feel better about it as I was overthinking again. ;)
I love your sound, it reminds me a little bit of the REM band
Thank you, I love R.E.M.
'Sounds' pretty interesting.....
participating in the contest
Cool.
WOO YEAH! Lost and Found! nice theme. Im psyched for another week of incredible responses to this competition.... Last week was amazing!
There were 30 entries last week! Not bad
Thanks @luzcypher "lost and found" is a good challenge ... I'll see what I can come up with for you ... :-)
would you send it to europe if I win?
lol ..
Ask @meno. I believe he would send it to the courier of your choice and you would have to pay the rest from there, but ask him
heheh.. am just kidding :D
it's a beautiful piece though
I already have one :)
am glad you put something like this up!
I feel about 10 love songs coming on... I'll probably write one not gona lie haha ;)
LOL, go for it @jaybird! I'm loving your music, man. Cheers!
All you need is One/Love, @jaybird! I'll be lookin' for you, bro!
ahaha, Work on it commenced earlier today!
I'm actually trying to move away from the love song idea. We'll see what happens..So far It's going a pretty different way actually.
Different is good! Follow your muse, brother... It's the only way to go!
can someone clarify how the points work and how the songs are being rated?? i thought we were gonna get points. also.. monday>> thats less than a week :(
I've got a point system that I'm working from, but It's ultimately up to @meno (the sponsor) and the other judges if they wish to adopt it as a contest-wide standard for keeping track of where the leading top-5 entrants stand each week and how the top-5 are progressing from week to week.
I've also suggested some special measures beginning in week-5 so as to keep hope alive for new entrants who haven't had the chance to participate in the first half of the contest and/or for those who have but are not ranking within the standing top-5.
Again, these are just some suggestions that I've put forth, and we'll just have to see how the rest of the judging panel, host, and sponsor feel about it.
I'm certain once a system is agreed upon, that @meno or @luzcypher will drop a post to explain it. Thanks for asking though - it's a good question @limabeing...
Yes, the contest starts on Wednesday each week and entries in by the following Monday, We need a couple days to listen to them.
Here are the top 5 picks from different judges so far:
https://steemit.com/openmic/@meno/songwriters-challenge-week-1-my-top-5-entries
https://steemit.com/openmic/@passion-ground/official-open-mic-songwriters-challenge-passion-ground-s-top-5-entries-for-week-1
I just wanna know where i stand points wise and what the judges are looking for.
Hi @limabeing, quite similar to the Open-Mic, each judge has their own set of personal criteria that they employ to arrive at their respective top-5's each week. So to answer your question most directly, each judge is looking for something unique to their ear.
The beauty of such autonomy and diversity is that it brings a wide range of possibilities from the judging panel.
What's most interesting is when there is a commonality in selections amongst the judges. Such commonality means that an artist has touched the individual judges in a similar way - but perhaps for a multitude of different reasons. That's how winners are typically selected.
In the Open-Mic contest, after taking all of the judges picks into account, @luzycypher takes such commonalities into account prior to selecting the final winner for the week. In the Open-Mic contest, luzcy is the final arbiter in deciding who will place in any given week.
In slight contrast, the Songwriter Challenge has no such final arbiter or "decider" to render either a weekly or overall winner. As such, I've suggested a purely objective point system based upon each of the judges top-5 picks.
And as you might have guessed, there is no more of a fair and objective way to select weekly or overall winners than by the "commonality" of cumulative points accrued by a given entrant over the course of a given week and for the entire 8-week stretch as well.
Points are only awarded to those that reach the weekly top-5 from any of the judges. They maintain those points as the contest moves forward. If they make it into another of the judges top-5, more points will be added to their total and so on throughout the balance of the competition.
As mentioned in an earlier response, I've also suggested some special measures beginning in week-5 so as to keep hope alive for new entrants who haven't had the chance to participate in the first half of the contest and/or for those who have but are not ranking within the standing top-5.
Again, these are just some suggestions that I've put forth, and we'll just have to see how the rest of the judging panel @krystle, host @meno, and sponsor feel about it.
I hope that helps to answer the part of your question about points. Thanks!
Wow. So its purely subjective. To me thats not a songwriting contest and disturbs me. Also That means that the work ive done this week counts for nothing towards the guitar which was of course my main motivation for doing this. As u can tell in my recording its a pos. I hope that the judges reconsider this. Because if you have a point system based on agreed upon criteria its less subjective altogether
Performance 12345
Melody 12345
Lyrics 12345
Unique Use of theme 12345
Then tell everyone why the top 5 got these points and list the points for those not in the top 5 somewhere
For those coming in late, perhaps every other week their could be a bonus contrasting theme that if yiu also use that you get an extra 5 points.
By no means is it purely subjective, I use ALL of the above criteria you list and then some - (6 categories in total vs. your 4) in my personal scoring criteria @limabeing. So does @krystle, and so does @meno... All of us employ each of those categories and MORE!
However, there is simply no getting around some level of "subjectivity" even amidst the tightest of constraints scoring entrants amid very specific categories.
What you consider "a good performance" I may consider "fantastic."
What one may consider being simply "good" use of theme, melody, or lyrics, another may consider such "phenomenal."
I trust you get the honest and realistic nature of what judging is all about.
The performers and artists are not lifeless robots void of feelings and emotion - and nor are the judges. We're all simply human.
I trust that much you can agree with and understand.
At the end of the day, this is NOT the Olympics but rather a friendly competition amongst supportive artists seeking to challenge themselves and each other to better their crafts, develop friendships and collaborations, and most importantly, to have fun and to experience the joy that music brings to each and every one of us.
PS.
It would be overly cumbersome to track each and every entrant's point's (though I personally considered it) Ha!
After a great deal of realistic discussion, we've decided to only track those entrants who place within any given Top-5 list.
That's not to say, however, that there won't be incentives and realistic opportunities for someone to come from behind - or out of nowhere and begin "placing" - especially in the latter half of the contest... :-)
You articulate that really well @passion-ground.
To @limabeing (great handle, by the way) I understand your curiosity.
We want you to focus on writing, performing, and building connections with the community here. Let us worry about the judging details. Have fun.
hmmmm
SO.... REALLY ANNOYINGLY, I just posted this accidentally without finishing my post, I was TRYING to put the tags in when I pressed enter..... kind of annoying that steemit doesn't ask if your SURE y'know? Anyway, does this still count even though I don't have the openmicsongwriters hashtag or do I have to post again? https://steemit.com/openmic/@basilmarples/openmic-songwriters-challenge-week-2-lost-and-waiting Anyway, theres the link to my new song. I hope you guys enjoy it :) lots of love everyone x Basil
You can edit your post and add the tags. Nice song! Though the way you introduce your songs is nearly as entertaining as the songs themselves.
Ditto that, man!
First tag never changes.its dumbness
Well that's good to know. Guess I'll be extra careful with my first tag from now on!
ok thanks man! never tried that, I'll get on it! :)
lost and found! wait for it! i have time now! cheers!
You go for it, Jose! I'll be lookin' out for you, bro!
Amigos aquí les dejo mi composición original para esta segunda semana del concurso... ¡Saludos a todos!
https://steemit.com/openmic/@elisonr13/openmic-songwriters-challenge-week-2-perdida-y-encontrada-original-music
Here's my entry for week #2!
https://steemit.com/openmic/@swilkinstunes/openmic-songwriters-challenge-week-2-lost-and-found
Hello friends , this is my entry for this week! I hope you like it :)
https://steemit.com/openmic/@pechichemena/open-mic-songwriters-challenge-week-2-lost-and-found-navegante-original-song
Here it is!
https://steemit.com/openmic/@tfeldman/open-mic-song-writers-challenge-week-2-open-mic-week-62-original-blues-lost-and-found
https://steemit.com/openmic/@tarotbyfergus/openmic-songwriters-challenge-week-2-way-down-at-the-lost-and-found
My entry for week 2 a song entitled Game is Over:
https://steemit.com/openmic/@g10a/openmic-songwriters-challenge-week-2-game-is-over-or-original-composition-by-g10a-or-2017123t01722379z
Here's my entry!
https://steemit.com/openmic/@lucybanks/openmic-songwriters-challenge-week-2-lost-and-found
Awesomeness! That was a real treat. Thanks, @lucybanks
Ah cheers @luzcypher!
Here she is:
Enjoy!
https://steemit.com/openmic/@jaybird/steemit-open-mic-songwriter-s-challenge-week-2-don-t-wana-be-found-original-song
Dude, I'm jamming with you as I listen again.
Haha nice, makena video or something, wana hear those tasty licks
Muchachos! acá les traigo mi presentación. Les abrazo y celebro mucho estas iniciativas. Gracias al equipo #openmic y muchísimas gracias a @meno por motivarnos. Gracias @luzcypher La sola motivación, al menos en mi caso, ya se transforma en un premio. Ruego porque la disfruten https://steemit.com/openmic/@wilins/steemit-open-mic-semana-62-song-writers-challenge-week-2-original-song-perdidos-y-encontrados-lost-and-found
https://steemit.com/openmic/@onetruebrother/steemit-openmic-songwriters-challenge-week2-you-re-the-sun
Okay guys, time for some Unofficial “Amateur-Hour” antics to Get the Lead Out! I’m droppin’ this here because there are major props to all the songwriters within. Smile, live, laugh, love, and enjoy!
https://steemit.com/openmic/@passion-ground/unofficial-hopes-and-dreams-songs-from-the-attic-track-3-loft-music-original
https://steemit.com/openmic/@guitarlots/open-mic-songwriters-challenge-week-2-lost-and-found-original-song
Ante todo un cordial saludo, @luzcypher actualmente tengo una duda, para este concurso en particular es obligatorio la interpretación con un instrumento o igual se puede participar solo con cuerdas vocales? Buenas noches.
Dice en el post que puedes cantar acapella o cantar con una canción
Entendido... Muchas gracias.
Hello!
I'm sorry to be entering so late!!!
This is my entry for this opne mic weeks songwriters challenge!
https://steemit.com/openmic/@luisferchav/open-mic-songwriters-challenge-week-2-lost-and-found
Hi my post of the week
https://steemit.com/openmic/@hugo.exe/open-mic-songwriters-challenge-week-2-hyugo-lost-and-found-by-you