Why, hello there! Consider this newspost to be the premiere spot for useful info on the 2017 reboot of the Newgrounds Audio Deathmatch (NGADM)!
The AUDITIONS are over.
The ROUND OF 64 has come to a close.
The ROUND OF 32 is also done.
The ROUND OF 16 has wrapped up.
The QUARTERFINALS have ended.
The SEMIFINALS are complete.
The GRAND FINALE is finished at last.
The FINAL RESULTS are in!
Don't know what I'm talking about? Need a refresher? Read on!
RULES
The contest itself is split into two phases: the AUDITIONS phase and the TOURNAMENT phase. Each phase has its own separate rules, so make sure you read them all, because - plot twist - some things which are banned in one phase are totally okay in the other! Keep in mind that you're allowed to enter either solo or with a partner.
Rules for the AUDITIONS phase:
- You are allowed to post a track that you've made from scratch, or a track that you've made in the past.
- The audition track may be a cover/arrangement, but unless you're entering as a team, the track cannot be a collaborative effort.
- If you posted your audition track but change your mind and wish to change it, state CLEARLY in the thread.
- If you're entering as a team of two, your audition can be a collaborative effort between you and your collab partner, or a track made by either one of you individually.
- Auditions posted after the deadline will not be accepted unless it's for a ridiculously good reason.
Rules for the TOURNAMENT phase:
- Every track you make in the knockout tournament has to be made from scratch, by you, for the competition. No remixes, covers, arrangements, or revisiting old tracks. Having said that, you may ask someone to play an instrument and/or sing for you.*
- If you entered as a two-person team, then your round's submission can be a track by either one of you or a collaborative effort.
- Keep in mind that this is a MUSIC competition. We won't judge voice-acting, experimental noise, sound effects, or anything that doesn't count as music.
- If you finish a round's track early, you may start another one which you can use for the following round, assuming you make it through.
* A note on enlisting singers/instrument players: it's okay to do this, even if you didn't enter as a team! The ONLY rule is that ANY form of composition or production was made by you, and not the instrument player/singer you're working with. That means no asking for improvs and no giving creative freedom. If you have an instrumentalist or singer you plan on working with a lot for the competition, consider asking him or her to enter with you as a team.
GENERAL RULES:
- All tracks posted to the competition must be uploaded to Newgrounds. Audition tracks which aren't uploaded to Newgrounds are accepted ONLY on a case-by-case basis and require a valid reason.
- Keep any suggestions, complaints, and arguments strictly to PMs. DO NOT argue or complain about a judge's score, for example, in the contest thread. That includes anything from passive-aggressive remarks to butthurt rants. I cannot stress this enough. Let's keep it professional, folks!
- Use the NGADM threads to post your submissions, but you may also post any kind of discussion. That said, try to keep it NGADM-related or music-related. As we say every year, you can talk about how your cat bit your arse, which suddenly gave you inspiration to make the most amazing song ever, but you can't just talk about your cat, and you certainly can't talk about your arse.
- All Audio Portal rules apply, and all BBS rules apply. This should go without saying!
- This contest is tough! You're expected to crank out a new track within two weeks. We love the huge turnout we get each year in terms of participants, but if you can't keep up with the pace, consider backing out of this one. Walkovers and last-minute dropouts tend to happen no matter what, but we'd like to keep them at a minimum.
- Lastly, this contest is and always was a means to have some competitive fun, the key word being FUN! Do not enter it with the sole intent of winning; we encourage friendly discussion, posting reviews on each other's tracks, and good sportsmanship. However, that doesn't mean you have to go easy on the competition. This is called a Deathmatch for a reason. Put your game face on and give it everything you've got!
FAQ
Am I getting any reviews on my audition track?
Not necessarily. There are nearly 200 audition tracks and it's pretty much impossible to review them all. Some judges do post occasional reviews and may take polite requests, but don't count on it.
Am I getting any reviews on my competition track?
Yes, you'll be getting reviews from the judges for each competition track you make barring the audition. For the first round or two, however, you won't necessarily be getting a review from each judge, as the reviewing workload will be split.
Where will results be posted?
They'll be posted in a new thread for every round. You'll have a notification PM'd to you upon the publishing of any results that concern you.
When will results be posted?
Check the schedule below. The results thread can be posted ANY TIME during results day.
Will I get more/less marks for being in a team?
No, every competitor, whether in a team or solo, will be judged equally.
Can I submit a cover/arrangement?
Unless it's for the auditions, no you cannot.
Can I collaborate with someone else on a contest submission?
If you haven't entered as a team, then everything you make has to be done solo. The only exception we make is having singers or instrument players in your track. As long as you do ALL of the composition and production yourself, you are allowed to, say, send MIDI files to other people and have them play an instrument/sing for you.
Can I work on music for the contest before the contest starts?
No, every track has to be made within the 2-week period of the round it is in. However, if you finish your round track early, we permit starting to work on your next round's track.
Is there a maximum/minimum length requirement for the contest track?
No, but use your common sense! Anything too long will be harder to keep interesting and coherent/structured, and anything too short might not have enough memorable content in it.
Where do I post my round submission?
In the results thread of the previous round.
Who will be judging my submissions?
@ADR3-N (formerly EDM364)
What is the judging criteria for the music?
This is asked very frequently and it's a very hard question to answer since every judge is given free reign on how to judge the music. However, for general guidelines:
- Don't focus on just one or a bunch of areas of your track and neglect the rest. Judges will take into consideration everything, from mixing to mastering to melodies to harmonies to structure to transitions to everything in-between.
- Originality IS a factor we consider, just like any other positive factor of a piece of music.
- Make sure your track is one cohesive experience, has a suitable amount of content, and adequately maintains interest from start to finish. This means that "background music" that's 8 minutes long and only changes slightly once every 16 bars, 1-minute loops with little musical content and tracks that sounds like three different tracks or movements glued together all will have marks deducted.
- DO NOT blame any shortcoming of your track on the genre it's in. Comments like "This is House, obviously it will sound repetitive" or "This is Orchestral, it doesn't need good mixing" will get you nowhere. This competition receives submissions consisting of many different genres, and we try to remain as unbiased as possible, so we won't be turning a blind eye to any kind of shortcomings simply based upon the genre of a track.
- Remember that, first and foremost, this is a music competition. The less your track sounds like a piece of music, the lower your chances of success. Experimental noise, atonal ambience, voice-acting, sound effect compilations, etc... don't expect these to make it very high on a judge's score sheet.
PRIZES
— FIRST PLACE —
Newgrounds Supporter Upgrade
1st Place NGADM 2017 Forum Signature
$120 in Prize Money
VSCO 2 Orchestral Sample Library
£25 gift certificate for Kontakt Hub online store
First Pick from Gaming Pool
Frontpage Showcase
— SECOND PLACE —
Newgrounds Supporter Upgrade
2nd Place NGADM 2017 Forum Signature
$54 in Prize Money
£10 gift certificate for Kontakt Hub online store
Second Pick from Gaming Pool
Frontpage Showcase
— THIRD PLACE —
Newgrounds Supporter Upgrade
3rd Place NGADM 2017 Forum Signature
$25 in Prize Money
Third Pick from Gaming Pool
Frontpage Showcase
— FOURTH & FIFTH PLACE —
Newgrounds Supporter Upgrade
SCHEDULE
From start to finish, the entire contest runs for a full five (5) months:
May 28 through October 28, 2017.
Three weeks for Auditions, two weeks for each Knockout Round.
Each round is followed by one week of Judging.
AUDITIONS
Begin May 28, 2017
End June 18, 2017
Judging
Begins June 18, 2017
Ends June 25, 2017
ROUND OF 64
Begins June 25, 2017
Ends July 9, 2017
Judging
Begins July 9, 2017
Ends July 16, 2017
ROUND OF 32
Begins July 16, 2017
Ends July 30, 2017
Judging
Begins July 30, 2017
Ends August 7, 2017
ROUND OF 16
Begins August 7, 2017
Ends August 21, 2017
Judging
Begins August 21, 2017
Ends August 27, 2017
QUARTERFINALS
Begin August 27, 2017
End September 10, 2017
Judging
Begins September 10, 2017
Ends September 17, 2017
SEMIFINALS
Begin September 17, 2017
End October 1, 2017
Judging
Begins October 1, 2017
Ends October 8, 2017
GRAND FINALE
Begins October 8, 2017
Ends October 22, 2017
Judging
Begins October 22, 2017
Ends October 28, 2017
Timezone used is Newgrounds time: EDT (GMT -4)
All dates are inclusive. For example, if a deadline is on a Tuesday, then the actual deadline is Tuesday at Midnight EDT, meaning you have all of Tuesday to finish your submission.
Bosa
Everything looks great. Excited to hear some good music soon!
ChronoNomad
You know it!