Welcome to the biggest music contest in RPGamer history! The Splendid Performance Competition!

This competition is the competition to end all competitions. Containing 4 qualifying rounds leading up to one grand final round with a prize package for the winner of AT LEAST $150(US), and hopefully growing bigger(as more funding options appear). This competition will span out over the next 7 months leading all the way into the end of 2005. The format of Splendid performance is as follows.

After the four auditions stages are over, there will be a two week break while invitations are sent to the 3 top scoring artists from each round. The artists will have 10 days to respond, and if they do not, the invitation will be passed on the the next ranking artist for that round. The each invitation allows for one entry into the final round (Main Stage). The Main stage will have a theme, like the audition rounds, and a 5 week acceptance phase where submissions are accepted and then the final results will be unvieled the following week.

Below is a specific listing of important contest dates, and further down you will find the official contest rules. Should you have any questions, please email me at redbeastmage@rpgamer.com with :Splendid Performance: in the subject. Or ask your questions on the message boards(link above). I will be looking in both places to answer questions.

• Audition 1 - On the Keys: Begins(April 26, 2005). Submissions End(May 24, 2005 11:59PM, PST). Results(May 31, 2005).
• Audition 2 - In the Band: Begins(June 7, 2005). Submissions End(July 4, 2005, 11:59PM, PST). Results(July 12, 2005).
• Audition 3 - Around the Square: Begins(July 19, 2005). Submissions End(August 15, 2005 11:59PM, PST). Results(August 23, 2005).
• Audition 4: Begins(August 30, 2005). Submissions End(Septemeber 26, 2005 11:59PM, PST). Results(October 4, 2005).
• Main Stage: Begins(October 18, 2005). Submissions End(November 21, 20005 11:59PM, PST). Results(Novemeber 29, 2005).

• The purpose of this competition is to submit a remix of a song(or songs) from a game(or games) that falls under RPGamer's coverage guidelines and adheres to the guildlines of the theme presented in the round of competition it is submitted for.
• For equality in submission quality, I am requiring that all submissions be MP3, preferably with a bit rate of 192kbps. I feel this will allow for accurate judging of the quality of a piece, since all submissions will be on a level playing field.
• Submissions must include the following information: Name of artist. Name of song. Original song title(s) and game(s) in which it appears. A few brief words about your composition.
• The competition for each round beings and ends according to the listing above.
• The entries for the audition stages may be posted in the Sound Test weekly updates. The entries for the Main stage will NOT be put in the weekly updates.
• This prelimnary rounds (audition stages)competition is all non-staff members. No more then one entry per person, per round will be accepted. All entries are final once posted to the site. Those who score the amoung the top three submissions in an audition round will recieve an invitation to compete in the final round (main stage). Each invitation allows for one remix to be submitted in the final round.

• There will be three judges each qualifying round and five judges for the final round for this contest; Matthew 'Redbeastmage' Foster, Matthew 'Barieuph' Russo, and the third choosen from RPGamer staff. None of the judges will be permitted to take part in any round of the competition. The judging will be based on the categories below(exact scoreing % may change in final round).
  • Theme (10%) - The category ensures that the composition follows the theme of particuluar round of the contest. A 0 in this catagory implies that the mix completly ignores the theme of the competition stage it submitted in, and is ineligible for a prize or receiving an invitation to the final round(in the case of being during an audition stage).
  • Remix (30%) - The category encompasses how well the remix represents the original work(s). The piece should be strong enough that someone familiar with the original work recognizes the source material, but that it also strong enough to stand alone from the original.
  • Creativity (45%) - This category is a critique of the artists compositional decisions in the songs creation. What has been added to really breath life into the song? Does the song flow solidly from section to section, and stay fresh without becoming repetitive? Is this song enjoyable to listen?
  • Production (15%) - This category encompasses the technical qualities of the sound, including the quality of samples used, of any recording done, and of mixing and panning.

• The winner of each preliminary round (Audition stage) will recieve a RPG soundtrack of his/her choice (worth up to $40).
• The winner of the final round (Main stage) will recieve a prize of at least $150.
• The runner up in the final round (Main stage) will recieve a prize of at least $25(US) and a RPG soundtrack of his/her choice(worth up to $40).

Sound Test Curator -
Composer & Sound Engineer -
Music Submissions - music@rpgamer.com