The "Desert Island Album" Game

[LMP]

the music will be evaluated i believe

like "Which list do you like better" and they mark on a poll?

or am I wrong?

 

[MrBrau1]

We can get YSI involved in this.

 

[hippy]

We can get YSI involved in this.

Exactly what I was thinking...

 

[LMP]

We can get YSI involved in this.

I like that

 

[Axver]

Will we have the option of making our mixes available for those that would like them or are we banking on people knowing these songs?

On the Mike Portnoy forums, it was basically assumed that people knew the stuff - no-one made their mixes available. However, I believe that you aren't allowed to share such material on those forums anyway, so had someone raised the point, it would've been moot anyway.

However, we CAN share the mixes here, so if it is possible, it'd be cool if people could upload their mixes a day before the poll so that people can download them and play. I understand this may not be possible if any entrant's on dial-up.

I'm definitely going to upload my mix, though. I'm confident that no-one here will even know half of the stuff I've included.

I have two different ideas for the format, and I'd like to hear feedback on what would be preferred.

Format #1: Everyone uploads their mixes before the start of the competition and either Liam or I will make a thread listing all of the sendspace/YSI/whatever links.

Format #2: Mixes will be uploaded a day before they are to compete and are linked in the thread for the previous poll. I'll explain this one with a few hypothetical rounds:

(THESE MATCH-UPS ARE FAKE!)

Round 0, 9 May: No poll, mixes by Liamcool and LemonMacPhisto.
Round 1, 10 May: Liamcool vs LemonMacPhisto poll; mixes by MacPhistoPT and MrBrau1.
Round 2, 11 May: MacPhistoPT vs MrBrau1 poll; mixes by inmyplace13 and LJT.
Round 3, 12 May: inmyplace13 vs LJT poll; mixes bla bla bla, you get the point.

Edit: Forgot to explain the logic behind this format. I figure it's better to make the mix available a day ahead as it gives people more time to download and listen to it. If they don't even see the poll until there's only an hour to go and the mix wasn't available earlier, they won't have time to download the ZIP and listen to the compilation before voting ends.

Format #2 was my initial idea, but I think I favour Format #1, especially if it's uploaded to one of those sites with more generous limits on who can download and how long it remains online.

 

[Axver]

And the vote is basically like a coin toss, correct? Or is the music gonna be evaluated? Of course, that would interfere with the whole subjectivity theory!

LemonMacPhisto's right. Once we have sixteen contestants, either Liam or I will randomly draw who goes against whom. In other words, if you enter, you could find yourself against any of the other 15. This means you don't know who you're against, whereas if you just competed against whoever signs up before/after you, you may know their taste and fix your list to try to make it more "popular" and win votes. We want genuine selections of great music and great variety. Plus, I think this way it just makes it more interesting.

So once we have the match-ups determined, I will make a poll for each round. Your mix's tracklisting and that of your opponent will be posted on the thread (and as discussed above, a ZIP file of the mix may be made available), and the poll will ask voters to select the mix they think is best. The poll will be open for 24 hours, and if you win, you progress to the next round to face the winner of another match-up, etc., etc. through to the grand final.

 

[namkcuR]

Does it matter if the mixes have a good flow to them or can they just be a hodgepodge of things with no real flow?

 

[liamcool]

If you like it, it doesn't matter. You can have a Britney Spears song followed by a Megadeth song for all the hell we care.

 

[Axver]

Of course, someone like me is going to vote on flow. Others may not. Remember, you're stuck on a desert island with 160 minutes of music: fill that 160 minutes in the best way you think you can.

My goal with my own mix was to make the best sounding compilation - both in terms of individual songs that stand alone with high quality, and in terms of two discs that sound excellent from start to finish, without jarring the listener with harsh changes. So I wasn't just going for my favourite songs; nor was I inserting songs simply for flow despite the fact they don't stand alone impressively. I sought a balance. I think I got it, but whether others do ...

 

[Axver]

Just a reminder, folks - there are four (maybe five) places left. First come, first served!

1). Liamcool
2). Axver
3). LJT
4). Miricale_Drug (?)
5). MacPhistoPT
6). hippy
7). Bono's shades
8). MrBrau1
9). LemonMacPhisto
10). Eliv8
11). namkcuR
12).
13). inmyplace13
14).
15).
16).

 

[LJT]

Of course, someone like me is going to vote on flow. Others may not. Remember, you're stuck on a desert island with 160 minutes of music: fill that 160 minutes in the best way you think you can.

My goal with my own mix was to make the best sounding compilation - both in terms of individual songs that stand alone with high quality, and in terms of two discs that sound excellent from start to finish, without jarring the listener with harsh changes. So I wasn't just going for my favourite songs; nor was I inserting songs simply for flow despite the fact they don't stand alone impressively. I sought a balance. I think I got it, but whether others do ...

No worries I try to do the same, I can't help, flow and mood is something i usually try to come up with in setlists...I usually also try to go for a build-up a crescendo as such to the more heavier rock songs or a decrescendo to more slow/acoustic songs.

Anyway it helps limit what I can pick...otherwise if you just throw everything in, you end up with too many choices to make for the playlist, at least the flow way you have an idea of what you need next.

 

[LMP]

I'd vote on flow too, it's just how I make mixes and stuff

and Side As and Bs

Ax: hmmm, interesting idea w/ the formats.

 

[Bono's shades]

I've never uploaded music to the Internet in my life and don't even have the faintest idea how to go about it.

Maybe I'd better withdraw and give someone who's not a technophobe a shot.

 

[LJT]

^ I don't think you have to worry...I think the general idea would be that we ourselves would upload our tracks via you send it..no worries about that its very easy, even if you have trouble one of us will likely help you out...then I imagine someone else will upload all the songs from all contestants to their own webspace...

So in other words I don't think you need to withdraw

 

[VertigoGal]

1). Liamcool
2). Axver
3). LJT
4). Miricale_Drug (?)
5). MacPhistoPT
6). hippy
7). Bono's shades
8). MrBrau1
9). LemonMacPhisto
10). Eliv8
11). namkcuR
12). VertigoGal
13). inmyplace13
14).
15).
16).

hopefully mine won't be too terrible

we do have a few days to compile it and send files, right? and do I need to zip the files b/c I'm not sure how to do that..

 

[LJT]

^yep plenty of time still..to zip files or compress them without any special program is easy...just put all the songs into one folder then right click on that folder and go to the 'send to' option which should display a menu of choices with one being 'compressed (zipped) folder'...use that one and it should create a zipped folder which you can upload via ysi or send space etc

 

[Axver]

I'm currently favouring one idea for sharing the tunes.

I think it would be good if we made a .com account specifically for this competition. You can upload files up to 60MB in size to , and the link remains active for up to 30 days after the last download. I don't know any other site with such a generous time limit. The only problem is that 60MB limit - I'm pretty sure our discs would be bigger than that, even if zipped. So that may mean using three zipped files.

For those who don't know how to do it, it's dead easy and we'll make a step-by-step guide. And if you're limited by technical constraints or slow Internet, surely someone here can help.

An upload is NOT required, by the way. Just thought I'd make that clear. Only do it if you want to. It will likely improve your chances of getting votes, especially if you are using a lot of obscure material.

 

[Axver]

we do have a few days to compile it and send files, right? and do I need to zip the files b/c I'm not sure how to do that..

You have until the 9th of May to send me (or Liam) your tracklisting, and you are not required to make a ZIP file. Having one will likely help your chances of getting votes, though.

If a lot of submissions are received early, I think we'll move forward the 9 May deadline so we can kick things off.

 

[hippy]

Okay... I'm working on my mix and reading over the posts...

Originally this was set up as two separate cds, right? Now that were posting the mixes, should we consider this as a complete 160 minute playlist instead?

This will make a difference in how I plan these discs

 

[pepokiss]

1). Liamcool
2). Axver
3). LJT
4). Miricale_Drug (?)
5). MacPhistoPT
6). hippy
7). Bono's shades
8). MrBrau1
9). LemonMacPhisto
10). Eliv8
11). namkcuR
12). VertigoGal
13). inmyplace13
14).
15).
16). pepokiss


yeah... I'm entering too... will make a pop-rock-heavy-whateever thing ... hey.. I'm loving it now

 

[LMP]

Okay... I'm working on my mix and reading over the posts...

Originally this was set up as two separate cds, right? Now that were posting the mixes, should we consider this as a complete 160 minute playlist instead?

This will make a difference in how I plan these discs

I made 2 playlists as if they were for 2 80 minute cds.

one big clusterfuck of a playlist would be too much IMO.

 

[hippy]

I made 2 playlists as if they were for 2 80 minute cds.

one big clusterfuck of a playlist would be too much IMO.

Cool. I was thinking the same thing




Side note: "clusterfuck" is a great word

 

[VertigoGal]

I'm nervous.

What if the kids don't like my mix?

 

[Eliv8]

Maybe I’m missing something but if you have 2 CD's per person per day then the 'judges' really don’t have much time to download and listen to the selections. I barely have time to listen to one full CD during the time it takes me to get to and from work let alone 4 to judge a contest. Maybe it should be just one CD or have a different round each week.
JMTC.

 

[hippy]

I'm currently favouring one idea for sharing the tunes.

I think it would be good if we made a .com account specifically for this competition. You can upload files up to 60MB in size to , and the link remains active for up to 30 days after the last download. I don't know any other site with such a generous time limit. The only problem is that 60MB limit - I'm pretty sure our discs would be bigger than that, even if zipped. So that may mean using three zipped files.

For those who don't know how to do it, it's dead easy and we'll make a step-by-step guide. And if you're limited by technical constraints or slow Internet, surely someone here can help.

An upload is NOT required, by the way. Just thought I'd make that clear. Only do it if you want to. It will likely improve your chances of getting votes, especially if you are using a lot of obscure material.

I like this idea. Anymore info about it?

 

[Axver]

Okay... I'm working on my mix and reading over the posts...

Originally this was set up as two separate cds, right? Now that were posting the mixes, should we consider this as a complete 160 minute playlist instead?

This will make a difference in how I plan these discs

It's still meant to be 2CDs. That won't change. The desert island has a CD player but no computer.

 

[Axver]

Maybe I’m missing something but if you have 2 CD's per person per day then the 'judges' really don’t have much time to download and listen to the selections. I barely have time to listen to one full CD during the time it takes me to get to and from work let alone 4 to judge a contest. Maybe it should be just one CD or have a different round each week.
JMTC.

That's why I proposed a "save file .com" account in an earlier post (I just realised the censor blanked that URL out from the earlier post).

If we all upload our compilations to that account before the competition's begun, then we can listen to them comfortably in advance.

Of course, if you know all of the material on someone's album, you wouldn't need to download it in the first place.

 

[Souly]

I'll give it a shot.

 

[Axver]

So that's:

1). Liamcool
2). Axver
3). LJT
4). Miricale_Drug (?)
5). MacPhistoPT
6). hippy
7). Bono's shades
8). MrBrau1
9). LemonMacPhisto
10). Eliv8
11). namkcuR
12). VertigoGal
13). inmyplace13
14). Souly
15).
16). pepokiss

Just one place left, folks! Or maybe two. Miricale_Drug, are you in or out?

 

[Miricale_Drug]

i'm in - i just haven't had time to send you a list of songs yet