LC's Poetry and Song Contest [Discussion Thread]

[Kindling]

Do words have to be involved, or can the piece be entirely instrumental?

[Ishmayl-Retired]

That's a nice epic piece, Scholar. I would love to read more about him - do you have any non-song related material on Roland?

[Lmns Crn]

Do words have to be involved, or can the piece be entirely instrumental?

Song lyrics are fine by themselves (melodies and other musical data aren't necessary).

...

Any ancillary material (musical recordings, musical notation, artwork, et cetera) will not be considered and will not affect the contest's results.

Basically, do not submit a recording, and do not send musical notation. Those things are not eligible for judging. With this in mind, I think it would be rather difficult (though not necessarily impossible) to craft an effective wordless entry.

Of course, if you have great setting-related instrumental music, I (and others) would definitely like to hear it. It just doesn't fit the parameters of this contest.

[SilvercatMoonpaw]

Can we submit an entry if we don't actually have a world written up for it but it's still in-world?  I have a short song I once came up with that I consider in-world, but not actually having a world written out anywhere.

[Lmns Crn]

Can we submit an entry if we don't actually have a world written up for it but it's still in-world?  I have a short song I once came up with that I consider in-world, but not actually having a world written out anywhere.

Go for it.

[Lmns Crn]

[ic]TWO entries! Ah, ah, ah![/ic]

[SilvercatMoonpaw]

Okay, my entry "Come walk the Long, Long Road" is up.  I should note that I didn't write it as it would sound when sung because I don't know how to portray that in writing.  Also if it ever gets chosen there won't need to be a musical accompaniment, it's a solo voice piece.

[Lmns Crn]

I should note that I didn't write it as it would sound when sung because I don't know how to portray that in writing.

I saw it before your edit, actually, and I thought the way it was written got the point across pretty well.

[SilvercatMoonpaw]

I saw it before your edit, actually, and I thought the way it was written got the point across pretty well.

There were some others I didn't write that first time, such as each long being drawn out some.

I could try it again if you think it comes across.

[Lmns Crn]

Up to you, really.

[Kindling]

Basically, do not submit a recording, and do not send musical notation. Those things are not eligible for judging. With this in mind, I think it would be rather difficult (though not necessarily impossible) to craft an effective wordless entry.

Of course, if you have great setting-related instrumental music, I (and others) would definitely like to hear it. It just doesn't fit the parameters of this contest.

Oh. I misunderstood. I'm not in, then. Wah.

[SilvercatMoonpaw]

Oh. I misunderstood. I'm not in, then. Wah.

You could always submit it to the "entries that didn't make it" thread.

[Polycarp]

A jaunty tune of the Clockwork Jungle has been posted.  Only drawback is that it's got a lot of slang - but that's how shanties go.

[spoiler=In case you care]
The song is from khauta (hot air balloon) merchant fliers on the Black Circle, a trade route.

kite - A device used to steer a khauta, handled by a tack-master.
paint the black - To make a full circuit of the Black Circle route.  Fliers customarily paint their balloons with one black line or circle for each complete circuit they've made.
flash in a rainless sky - Lightning without any clouds or rain is often a clue that storm-wyrms, deadly aerial predators, are about.
Cat's Eye wall - The "Forest Walls" of the City of Orpiment (sometimes called "the Cat's Eye"), huge centuries-old constructions.
hoist up my bones - Dead Gheen are traditionally placed on a platform in the forest canopy where their flesh is eaten by aerial predators.
charter - A navigator (who reads the charts).
Wine-Blood Sea - The Sea of Netai; "wine-blood" is a fairly offensive slur referring to Umbril, who inhabit the Netai, and are seen as stereotypically unlikely to dance or to express much glee.
stones - "Stones" is short for "brimstones," slang referring to greenhorns on the route (because they stink, and their craft "drop like stones").
white cliffs - Huge clouds of steam formed by rainstorms over lava fields.
dip my tail - A sign of respect among Gheen.
Grey-thorn scale - "Scale" is a moderately offensive slur for an Iskite.  Greythorn is an Iskite city on the Black Circle.[/spoiler]

[Lmns Crn]

Delightful.

[Matt Larkin (author)]

- Your submission must be new. Don't post something you've got laying around already. I want to put everybody on an even footing, without giving an advantage to people who already have tons of in-world poetry stashed on a hard drive or a website. Honor system, folks.

x. I was all about to submit my Echoes of Dreams opening before I re-read the contest rules.

Maybe I'll get around to doing something for Eschaton or Eclipse.

Another cool contest might be for people to write song lyrics for other's settings.