Contests

Doujin, Game Music

Dwelling Of Duels 11/09: Ninja Gaiden Month Part Deux Results

December 13, 2009 | Audun Sorlie | 2 Comments Share this

Back in 2003, Dwelling of Duels (DoD) was created by a man nicknamed Crimson at the Minibosses message bords. Originally this contest was only meant for a select few members of that board in order to see which one of them were the most talented to end the bickering once and for all, but as the results came in, the general interest rose and it seemed it has struck a chord with the members of the community. It was soon developed into a more structured competition, where each month had different themes and guidelines, and a simple rule was applied: 1 live instrument required to enter.

Among these early themes were Ninja Gaiden. The game is for many one of the greatest NES series to be produced, and game music fans also hold it in high regard. This theme appeared in April of 2004 however, when DoD was still just a pooping infant, and surprisingly, only 1 entry was produced, Ryan8bit’s “Sinister Augury” featuring Pingosimon, which was by itself a worthy entry, but fans were obviously disappointed and wanted the theme to get a second chance. Well 5 years later, it got just that, as Ninja Gaiden Month part deux was unleashed upon us. And you’ll never guess who won this time.

Read the results after the jump! (more…)
Game Music

Contest: Reflect on Silent Hill, Win The Shattered Memories Soundtrack

December 7, 2009 | Jayson Napolitano | 17 Comments Share this

We’ve confirmed that Akira Yamaoka is gone, and while we’re all still wondering what will become of the Silent Hill series in his absence, Konami has generously sent us extra copies of the Silent Hill: Shattered Memories soundtrack to give away to you guys. As this will be the final Silent Hill soundtrack he writes as an employee of Konami, we thought it’d be a good time to reflect upon the Silent Hill franchise and what’s next in terms of the series in general and, more specifically, the direction of the game’s audio in the future.

We’re going to make this one easy and simply require that you comment on this post with your thoughts and predictions to enter. Just make it something thoughtful and more substantial than a few sentences. We’ll continue taking entries until December 21, 2009 at 11:59 PM PST, at which point we’ll pick two winners to receive a copy of the snazzy pre-order bonus. We’re looking forward to hearing your thoughts!
Game Music, Music Production

Audition + Musicshake Holiday Remix Contest Announced!

December 3, 2009 | Patrick Gann | 1 Comment Share this

A few months ago, we gave you our take on Redbana’s MMO rhythm game Audition. Hopefully some of you took interest and gave the game a try.

But whether you’re a huge fan of the game or not, if you have music remixing skills, you may want to check out this contest.

Basically, you take three Christmas/Holiday classics: Angels We Have Heard On High, Jingle Bells, and Deck the Halls. You mash ’em up. You add whatever original instruments or vocals you want to add. You get an account on Musicshake and post the song there. If people like your song more than anyone else, you could get your song featured in Audition! You can also win an iPod Shuffle and a couple of other nifty treats.

You have until December 21st to enter your remix. So put your Santa hat on, bust out whatever music-mixing software you have, and get to work!
Game Music

Subway Meditations Contest Winner

September 16, 2009 | Jayson Napolitano | 1 Comment Share this Subway Meditations Contest Winner

Alright, so we’ve finally selected a winner for our Subway Meditations contest. We were looking for the most entertaining photo of you meditating somewhere special, and we certainly had some interesting entries! The winner, however, was Robby H. with his above entry. He notes, “Sometimes when you need to really meditate only a cavernous bass drum will do. Oh, and a pair of Dr. Peepers goggles works wonders.” Congratulations! At least it’s not as creepy as the scenario that Patrick described in his review of the album.

I did want to give an honorable mention to Joecam, who always sends over hilarious entries. You can see his entry as well as a shot that I took in a polar bear den at Seaworld, demonstrating that I have no idea how to meditate. Check them out after the jump. (more…)
Game Music

Subway Meditations Giveaway Contest!

August 18, 2009 | Jayson Napolitano | 4 Comments Share this Subway Meditations Giveaway Contest!

Are you ready to lock yourselves in the bathroom, light some incense, and jump in the shower while listening to Subway Meditations? I certainly hope not, although that’s exactly what Patrick Gann did (or suggested?) in our review of Michael Bross’s Subway Meditations last month. I simply suggest sitting down and relaxing to the amazing musical ambiance that the CD provides.

Well, Mr. Bross was kind enough to give us an extra copy to give away to you guys. Hopefully you already bought the album, as I highly recommend doing so, but in case you hadn’t just yet, here’s your chance to win a free copy. All you have to do is send us a photo of yourself meditating somewhere special. What’s special, you ask? Whatever you want it to be. The entry that we find the most entertaining (again, we like humor) wins.

Send entries to [email protected] by 11:59pm PST on September 1, 2009 to be considered. Thanks, and good luck!
Game Music

Contest Winners: Say “Huelsbeck” For Symphonic Shades

June 22, 2009 | Jayson Napolitano | Comments Off on Contest Winners: Say “Huelsbeck” For Symphonic Shades Share this

I know it’s been awhile, but we did indeed have winners from our Symphonic Shades first print contest, and I wanted to share the results with you. First of all, congrats to our winners, Joe Cam and Pablo. Joe’s entry was just funny, while Pablo’s came complete with a story and post-processing that was most impressive. Regarding the other entries, keep in mind that when we say “entertaining,” that’s code for “don’t bore us,” as some of the entries were simple readings of the name without anything interesting.

Hit the jump to check out both winning entries as well as to read Pablo’s essay that accompanied his recording. (more…)
Game Music

Contest: Get Happy With The Let’s Tap Soundtrack (UPDATE)

June 16, 2009 | Jayson Napolitano | 5 Comments Share this

While the game is already out in Japan, it hits store shelves in the US tomorrow, and we’ve got the highly contagious soundtrack sitting here just for you. You may remember that Carl was very impressed with the blend of quirky electronic music and moving beats provided by members of Basiscape, SuperSweep and others, and now it’s your chance to add this disc to your collection.

So, it’s down to the same question once again: what do you have to do to win? Simple! Since Let’s Tap emphasizes simple gameplay and a retro visual style reminiscent of classic games, we’ve decided to go retro on you. Answer me these questions three, and we’ll pick a winner at random from the correct entries:

1. What was the first project Yuji Naka worked on at SEGA?
2. What system was this game created for?
3. What was Naka’s official role on the original Sonic the Hedgehog?

They may look difficult, but they’re really not. Trust me (try Google)! Send your entries to [email protected] by June 30 at 11:59PM PST. Good luck!

Are you looking forward to the game’s release tomorrow? Were you surprised to see such a diverse team of composers working on the music?