October Contest: Gossip

[Wopelka]

Cellphone most of the time. Android. Dolphin browser.

[Daniel Pompougnac]

And double posts only with your cellphone, I assume ?

[folderol]

Why all these annoying double posts?

If it makes you feel any better, I just got two notifications of your post

[Nickel Smith]

But you don't rank all the pieces (unless a given contest has 10 or fewer entries). If you vote for your top three, you're still ranking (someone still comes in last: number 3), and you're saying that you didn't find the rest of them worthy of one of those three spots.

Edit: I understand discomfort with ranking, I just don't see how going from a list of 10 to a list of 3 does anything about it.

Yes, you're still ranking with 1st, 2nd and 3rd. But it's more gentile to simply omit on the results of those who fall below. They will get their due commentary, which is important. But to have to vote for the bottom half feels like I'm sticking them with a dagger. I don't enjoy it.

And no one likes getting pinned to the bottom for all to see, and so it breeds motivations for retribution on those who cast those votes. It's just human nature. I'm not saying we're "catty" here but it is what it is. Give it a thought, Dan. What's the harm in trying it out for a while? People might like it better. Either way, I will still participate.

[folderol]

And no one likes getting pinned to the bottom for all to see, and so it breeds motivations for retribution on those who cast those votes. It's just human nature. I'm not saying we're "catty" here but it is what it is. Give it a thought, Dan. What's the harm in trying it out for a while? People might like it better. Either way, I will still participate.

As someone who's normal position is at the bottom of the list (and frequently outside it if there are more than 10 contributors) I totally disagree.
Good grief life is too short to be taken this seriously, let alone fun music contests.

Lighten up folks. Enjoy the challenge of the themes and have a friendly chat about who did what (if you have time). Let's not get into the 'no child can fail' mindset. That is the surest way to ensure everyone fails!

OK Rant over.

Not sure I can do rock this time round. Time and inspiration willing, I'll have a stab at it though.

[Mister Natural]

I cannot get ClaRago's piece to play - either direct download or on SoundCloud . . .

would love to hear it

[Wopelka]

Come on, people! Where are you? Where is the Rocker under cover hidden deep inside you? Let it bleed.

[D.H. Miltz]

But you don't rank all the pieces (unless a given contest has 10 or fewer entries). If you vote for your top three, you're still ranking (someone still comes in last: number 3), and you're saying that you didn't find the rest of them worthy of one of those three spots.

Edit: I understand discomfort with ranking, I just don't see how going from a list of 10 to a list of 3 does anything about it.

Yes, you're still ranking with 1st, 2nd and 3rd. But it's more gentile to simply omit on the results of those who fall below. They will get their due commentary, which is important. But to have to vote for the bottom half feels like I'm sticking them with a dagger. I don't enjoy it.

And no one likes getting pinned to the bottom for all to see, and so it breeds motivations for retribution on those who cast those votes. It's just human nature. I'm not saying we're "catty" here but it is what it is. Give it a thought, Dan. What's the harm in trying it out for a while? People might like it better. Either way, I will still participate.

Thanks. I see the point now. I don't have any plans to change the voting, but I will give it some thought.

[D.H. Miltz]

Speaking of changes: What does everyone/anyone think of the idea of only awarding prizes to the top three places and not continuing down the list anymore? This was suggested to me a while back, and I've been giving it more thought recently.

One possible benefit would be that I might be able to round up another donor or two if it weren't a given that they were on the hook every single month (or I might not be able to, I don't know, but it makes sense in principle).

On the other hand, I know when I first started participating in the contest, it was a nice surprise to be offered a prize when I was well down the list.

[D.H. Miltz]

Come on, people! Where are you? Where is the Rocker under cover hidden deep inside you? Let it bleed.

I don't know when I'll get it done, but I've got something mostly written, so unless something goes horribly wrong I'll be in this month, possibly with some bleeding.

[Mister Natural]

...What does everyone/anyone think of the idea of only awarding prizes to the top three places and not continuing down the list anymore?

cool with that

[ClaRago]

...What does everyone/anyone think of the idea of only awarding prizes to the top three places and not continuing down the list anymore?

cool with that

Me too.
No reason why my track could not be downloaded or listened to. Did you try again Mr N.?

[Wopelka]

...What does everyone/anyone think of the idea of only awarding prizes to the top three places and not continuing down the list anymore?

cool with that

Me too.

+1

[kryptonaut]

What does everyone/anyone think of the idea of only awarding prizes to the top three places and not continuing down the list anymore?
...
On the other hand, I know when I first started participating in the contest, it was a nice surprise to be offered a prize when I was well down the list.

It seems like a sensible way to proceed - even more so if there are more prize donors than at present. To keep the 'nice surprise' element, you could allow winners to opt out of a prize and have it pass down the line, but still only have three prizes (max.) awarded each month. So occasionally a 4th-or-lower placing would be rewarded if one or more people above them had opted out.

Come on, people! Where are you? Where is the Rocker under cover hidden deep inside you? Let it bleed.

After a bit of a hiatus I think I'll be entering this month

[skipscada]

Agree that prizes should be for top finishers only, and I say that as someone who's not likely to every finish top.

Also, on the few occasions I've participated, I've generally tended to finish near the bottom, and I don't mind at all. So give me no points or few points - no worries. For those who have trouble with the whole voting business ... it's not that I don't understand that you feel uncomfortable about it, but in life you have to learn to take (and give?) infinitely harder knocks than this. Perhaps this is a good chance to grow some immunity.

I started optimistically this month and made good progress with my composition, but then I got offered a shedload of work that I can't afford to turn down, and that will take practically all my time and energy in the coming weeks. That means I may not even find the time to make a complete track, let along recording and mixing it to a decent standard.