Nur Ein IX

[Niveous]

Spring is here and that means it's time for another edition of the Nur Ein!

Nur Ein IX!

Here's how it all works:

The Nur Ein is a 8 round song competition. In each round, the participants are given a song title and a mandatory challenge and are given 5 days in which to finish that song. Then this year's group of Nur Ein Judges (TBA) will listen to the songs and rate them from best to worst. Each round whittles down the field until we are left with only 1 competitor. Creativity x Skill x Time Management = Nur Ein!

This year's Nur Ein will start on April 14th with Round Zero. Round Zero is open to all who wish to take on the Nur Ein. The participants will have until Monday April 21st at 12:01AM (Eastern) to create a song from the title and complete the challenge. When a competitor completes a song, it is to be e-mailed to nurein.sidefight which is a gmail. The songs will then be posted at the Nur Ein website (http://sfbase.net/wiki/Nur_Ein). On the 21st & 22nd, the Judges will make their decisions and then the judges will cut down the field to 25. Then the next title and challenge is announced and the cycle begins again.

Here's the schedule:

Round 0:
April 14-20
Judging April 21-22
X bands, X-25 eliminations

Round 1:
April 21-27
Judging April 28-29
25 bands, 5 eliminations
Judges favorite gets immunity

Round 2:
April 28-May 4
Judging May 5-6
20 bands, 4 eliminations
Judges favorite gets immunity

Round 3:
May 5-May 11 (the guest round!)
Judging May 12-13
16 bands, 4 eliminations
Judges favorite gets immunity

Round 4:
May 12-18
Judging May 19-20
12 bands, 4 eliminations

Round 5:
May 19-25
Judging May 26-27
8 bands, 3 eliminations

Round 6:
May 26-June 1
Judging June 2-3
5 bands, 3 eliminations

Final Round:
June 2-8
Voting June 9-10
2 bands, 1 elimination

The final round is a battle between the two remaining competitors with the votes of the eliminated competitors and the Nur Ein Jury will choosing the winner.

The game is on. Nur Ein!

[Manhattan Glutton]

Again, please consider not counting judge time as part of the rounds, such that songs may be worked on on Monday and Tuesday.

[Paco Del Stinko]

I'm in. And I think things are fine as they are.

[Caravan Ray]

The Tydon Docks will be back

[Manhattan Glutton]

I'm in. And I think things are fine as they are.

Of course. Because you have no commitments that would get in the way of your basement dwelling.

[Manhattan Glutton]

In case it's unclear, my suggestion is to post the title while the judges are judging. Worst case scenario, you start a song and you're cut. Best case scenario, you procrastinate anyway.

Round 0:
April 16-20
Judging April 21-22
X bands, X-25 eliminations

Round 1:
April 21-27
Judging April 28-29
25 bands, 5 eliminations
Judges favorite gets immunity

Round 2:
April 28-May 4
Judging May 5-6
20 bands, 4 eliminations
Judges favorite gets immunity

Round 3:
May 5-May 11 (the guest round!)
Judging May 12-13
16 bands, 4 eliminations
Judges favorite gets immunity

Round 4:
May 12-18
Judging May 19-20
12 bands, 4 eliminations

Round 5:
May 19-25
Judging May 26-27
8 bands, 3 eliminations

Round 6:
May 26-June 1
Judging June 2-3
5 bands, 3 eliminations

Final Round:
June 2-8
Voting June 9-10
2 bands, 1 elimination

[Lunkhead]

It would definitely be awesome if the rounds really happen according to the initially posted schedule. That way people could factor Nur Ein into their existing life plans, rather than having to basically sequester themselves to their recording caves for two months. It really sucks when the judges are late with their rankings and the whole thing gets pushed back. I would rather start working on a song and then find out that I didn't qualify for the round, than have the whole thing derailed by judges being late.

Also it would be awesome if we could get some fresh blood for the judges. I'd love it if we could get some folks from outside the community and/or who have more "pedestrian" tastes to give us their opinions on the delightfully eclectic world of Nur Ein entries.

Also I may not actually participate this time, so, whatever.

[Niveous]

MG,
Your suggestion is under consideration.

LH,
I try to keep everything on schedule as best I can. Did we deviate that much last year?
The idea of bringing in more outsiders to the vote is intriguing and I'll consider that.

[Lunkhead]

Niv, I don't mean it as a criticism of your ability to keep things on schedule. But you can't control the judges' lives. Stuff comes up, they get delayed. I think in the past that lead to a delay in the start in the next round. It just doesn't seem to me like it's required to delay the next round, when the worst that can happen is a few people make songs who didn't "need" to. Seems not so bad since we're all doing this to make songs anyway.

Also, the thing for me about bring outsiders into the judging would be to try to find people who have more "normal"/top40 type tastes. People who listen to the radio, watch American Idol/The Voice, etc. So getting outsiders who are e.g. hardcore metalheads would maybe not match up with the intent I was trying to express. Just wanted to try to clarify.

[Paco Del Stinko]

Of course. Because you have no commitments that would get in the way of your basement dwelling.

Wrongo! I'm an up at 5 AM'er nowadays. And I seem to recall a photo of you and your new drum kit down by the water heater in your cellar. Hmm...

Lunkster has some very good points and ideas. And I hope he and Erin decide to enter this year. I'm going to have less time this year, but ya gotta do the EIN!

[Manhattan Glutton]

I'm just trying to plan my vacation. I have a lot of stuff going on, but I would like to participate again this year.

[glennny]

I second MGs proposition. (although I consider it my proposition that I make every year)
And even if we don't get the Monday and Tuesdays to work on it, if we got the new title on time regardless of the judgement that would be an improvement.

The judges were excellent last year about being on time.

Getting new judges would be nice. I don't know if they need to be more pedestrian, I don't know how you decide that either. Competing against JAN would be nice.

[Manhattan Glutton]

There must be some merit to the idea if Glen and I are agreeing.

[Caravan Ray]

In case it's unclear, my suggestion is to post the title while the judges are judging. Worst case scenario, you start a song and you're cut. Best case scenario, you procrastinate anyway.

That seems like a reasonable and fairly uncontroversial suggestion. May help out the judges too, if they have something on and have trouble hitting the deadline.

As MG says - Worst case scenario, you start a song and you're cut. Not the end of the world. You still get a new song out of it.

[Caravan Ray]

...actually - it might be cool if you deliberately posted every new title say, a day or so before the scores were due out. It would add just that little extra level of mental torture, as everyone starts thinking of a new song, while harbouring the doubt in the back of their mind that they may be wasting their time

[JonPorobil]

Have you got the jury decided upon this year? I'd like to volunteer my ear to judge this year, if you're in need of one.

[Billy's Little Trip]

And I seem to recall a photo of you and your new drum kit down by the water heater in your cellar

haha. water heater burn.

[furrypedro]

Again, please consider not counting judge time as part of the rounds, such that songs may be worked on on Monday and Tuesday.

I support this proposal.

[frankie big face]

This seems like an interesting idea. Perhaps I will give it a try.

[Niveous]

MG, we'll go with your proposal.

[furrypedro]

Mob rules!

[Manhattan Glutton]

Thanks. It's much appreciated, so that I can plan my life accordingly and still participate in the wonderful world of Nur Ein.

On a related note, I'm pretty close to having an automated database done for NE... we'll see if I can polish it up this year.