How about a music challenge?

There are weekly art challenges on the site, writing challenges, scripting challenges...are there ever any music challenges? If not, can we get one started at some point?

The code challenge was started by a normal member going "I'm going to start a code challenge" and the staff going "okay, we'll support this". So if you want to start a music challenge, start one, get people interested and if it gets some traction it may end up getting turned official.

Yeah please! I really want some music challenge. I support you.

Here is the idea for the music challenge:

Each month, those interested can enter a specific type of music theme (battle, town, etc.) chosen by a moderator, or a member. To make the challenge more interesting to members, perhaps the winning theme can then be accessible for members to use in their game (credited, of course).

That implies that the people who are not winning can't let their musics be assembled for anyone's game?

@TheGreenHorse

I don't see why you should reach that conclusion.  I think what is implied here is that the winning theme must be available.  Those that don't win have the choice.

I didn't know they did a writing challenge? Where's that?

Also, even tho I can't make music (yet), I support this idea.

The Weekly Art Challenge hits all forms of art, though, including music. Musicians have participated in the challenges plenty of times. The challenges are just that, though: challenges. It gives all artists stuff to do and work on. I personally like them as they put out a certain theme that demands completion by a set time...perfect for those of us who are preparing to enter the big scary world of industry artists! XD

I'm not knocking your idea, but I think the Weekly Art Challenge does well enough for musicians. Just my two-cents. =)

I second that motion. I can't make music either, but love the idea!

Also if there was a writing challenge I would love to see that brought back. More challenges and events would be great!

For those wondering, the writing challenge was Ideas In Ink.

Is it still active? Or was it discontinued?

I've participated in the Weekly Art Challenge with music numerous times and have been quite successful, too. I wouldn't necessarily mind a music challenge but there would need to be enough structural difference to create the incentive for me to participate in both. I work on music rather quickly (so I have noticed) so a music specific topic with a month window as suggested would not interfere with my other going-ons too much.

I guess a lot of people still believe that the Weekly Art Challenge is only for visual arts? But I've seen a lot of stuff there. Pixel art, digital art, traditional art, photography, music, poetry, and short stories. As long as the topic is appropriately worded (an issue I've brought up in the past and has since never been a problem) those challenges can be for just about anything you can think of. 

Though I will say that a music specific challenge would allow for us to shine more.

I guess. I'm torn.

@Clydous and Ms Littlefish: Thanks, I did not realize that the Weekly Art Challenge was open to music entries as well, so perhaps a separate music challenge isn't needed.

However, the idea of this challenge, music only, with a different RPG Maker category (Town, Scene, Battle, etc.) each month is sufficiently different to give it a shot. Having the winning entry available for all members to use in their game is a perk that should generate interest (but it is not a prerequisite for a music challenge).

I think we should leave this thread open for the rest of the month to see if any more people have interest/comments, and then we can start the official challenge next month.

@Sharm: Thank you for allowing this idea!

@ KingDanner, @animesock52: Thanks for your support! My keyboard had been in the closet nearly the entire year until I started composing again for my game.

I've participated on RMN Music Challenge at 2011 back then and it was fun. 

If you could attract people, it's definitely a good challenge. I'm looking forward for this.

And yes, once a month is enough since composing a music requires time

+1 for this idea.

I've said from the day i joined this site i would love to see a competition based on music and music only. 

Yes there is the weekly art challenge, but that's not good enough for me. 

It's most likely not good enough for any musician because the majority of the categories are focused around image art.

Here are a few of my ideas that i hope you can consider!

• Make it a 1 week period instead of a one month period. I personally can write a song in an hour if i have to, and that doesn't mean i'm skimping out on quality. If you're good at something, you don't need a lifetime to make it. But most of all, i would rather give the community 48 tracks per year, rather than 12. (Providing the perk is giving the winning track to the community)
• I don't agree with judges, but at the same time i don't agree with public voting.  but if I had to choose between a voting system, i would say pick an amount of judges, and i would also like to volunteer for a position in that.
• This regards my second idea, do the judges of this contest get to participate also? If they do, would it be better to have a set amount of people that can enter per week like a competition rather than a contest? Or maybe we could do a knockout style competition which would need further thought. Maybe even the public could choose which composers they would like to have compete against each other in a 1v1 styled Music Battle.
• The idea of this project wasn't mine, and i am truly greatful to the creator of this topic for bringing this to peoples attention, but i would like to organise this competition. I have the experience with video editting, video intros, i could introduce the composers with commentary, and relay their information via youtube video. I have had ideas for this sort of project for too long. I completely understand if saintivan would like to organize it otherwise. 

Thanks for reading :)

@DaveyBrite,

Thanks for weighing in. I am open to how the winner would be selected; we could have an open voting system like the Weekly Art Challenge, which I thought would be the best format, but I am open to the idea of a panel of judges if the community likes that idea better.

From the feedback to date, I don't think a knockout style would be needed initially, but if a lot of members wind up competing, that could work nicely.

As to whether the contest should be open to professional composers (those who earn money for their compositions), that would certainly make it more difficult for amateurs to have a chance at winning, but would probably make it more interesting to members, so it would be okay with me. 

For the amount of competitions, I still believe once monthly is the best format to garner the most interest...and it also gives amateurs more time to create and refine their compositions.

With regards to the actual organization, your interest and abilities are welcome.

I'm not the one for competitiveness when it comes to music seeing as these competitions add nothing on my portfolio but that doesn't mean I'm condemning the idea. I like that music is getting attention in a forum based heavily on the concept of interactive images. Here's my take on the aspects of music related competitions.
 
Judges:

• In all my years of being a professional musician, the second thing that irks me the most is when the Judges have little to no knowledge on music production. My idea would be to give the role of being judges to *professional* musicians. Not someone who loves listening to music, not someone who has 100,00 subs on YouTube for making music, but actual industry musicians who have years of experience and loads of technical know how. This is to ensure that only high quality products are made. 

Limitations on Creativity:

• I'm sure that anyone would agree that Creativity should be unbound, limitless, merely to the line drawn by the one who creates. Well, I don't. I am a firm believer that putting restrictions on creativity enhances creativity. It fosters a different approach on what should be done, pushing musicians out of their comfort zone in order to explore and expand their potential, making them better at what they do. However, the musician might feel uncomfortable, which is natural, in doing such, thus needing some way to encourage them to participate. As saintivan said, a piece for boss, town, inn is a good idea for limiting the creative aspect as each setting would suggest a specific genre.

Requirements for joining:

• To ensure that an "amateur's" musicality is known to all, I would suggest to limit participants to non-professionals only. By non-professionals, I mean non-industry musicians. Professionals are to be the judges. But there is the need of verifying whether or not a certain participant is non-industry or an "amateur" (I really dislike the word amateur since it sounds derogatory. I'm only using it for a lack of a better word). This exclusivity is not permanent though as professionals could participate only when the competition wants it. But this would make indirect assumptions in both the listeners and the judges, unconsciously generating expectations. Inclusivity is encouraged but hard to manage.

Time constraints:

• This is a good aspect of Limiting Creativity. Its practically self explanatory so I won't ramble on about this. But it'd be interesting to see a music challenge where you are to make something within a given number of hours. Not likely to happen, but interesting nonetheless.

I have more to share, actually, but until then, these are all that I would give for now. 

I would definitely take part in and even help organise a monthly music challenge.  I've been involved in the challenges on the Adventure Game Studio forums and on the TIGsource forums.

I like working under time constraints and other limitations every now and then, I find it pushes me out of my comfort zone and helps me come up with ideas I wouldn't have otherwise have had.

No experience on the coding section yet but I'd definitely support this.