Said the Gramophone

hey!

a big fan from your blog from Barcelona.

With some friends we are going to make a contest about counting how many times is a word repeat in a song... For example you take the song of PARLOVR- pen to paper and people has to count how many times they repeat the word around or nights or something like this... It's funny if the song repeats lots of times one word.

it's just an idea... :)

Facebook is always in the news these days (as is Twitter) - so how about asking for the best "status" message for a band/artist.

Example:

Bonnie Prince Billy is 'thinking how much further can he push the boundaries'

Now, that is not a winner, but you get the idea....

BMR

draw a song contest.

you pick a song, and your readers send in drawn interpretations.

Another video contest!

How about a "bad Said the Gramophone" contest in the trad. of bad Hemingway,bad Faulkner, bad Cormac McCarthy, etc.? Readers submit overwrought StG-style blogthoughts to accompany songs they're listening to... with hilarious results!

I had a similar thought to BMR: Pick a particular song and people could post a creative tweet to you about it. Possibly in 'bad Said the Gramophone' style.

Recipe (or meal) inspired by a song.

I like Peter's suggestion about the recipes!
You can also go with something simple, like posting a picture to a particular song...kinda like what you guys are already doing, except having it as a contest makes for even more interesting pictures.

Other brainstormings:
-Pick a youtube video that captures the mood of a given song.
-You can post a song, and have the readers decide what news item that song would be appropriate music for (stampede in Indian temple: Scattered Pearls by Casiotone...yikes! now I feel bad, but you get the idea.)

Mix tape contest. People have, let's say a 10 song max where they have to put together a sweet ass mix with a theme of some sort. To make it additionally artistic you could have it that they also have to design a cover for their mix. You guys choose your top whatever and then there's a vote.

Hi from Seattle!

I really like the idea of drawing illustrations and the idea of making a mix tape-- what about combining them?

Perhaps, there could be two stages: in the first stage you submit a thematic EP mix tape (5 or even 3 songs or less to be easy to listen thoroughly) and then, once those are posted, you must provide (an) illustration(s) for another person's tape? The winner would then be chosen by the best overall pair of tape and art...

Yea! I'm excited for whatever it is...

instead of "draw a song," how about a "song a song" contest? either cover or interpret a tune, or write and record a song that draws another. i suggest a no remixes rule.

Thank you all for the wonderful ideas so far. Please keep them coming!

For this specific purpose, we're trying to think of concept contests that make it EASY and pretty quick to enter. Original songs, videos, all that stuff is great - but if it takes more than a couple of minutes, it's probably not right for what we're tryin' to brainstorm about right this sec. Sorry to be so mysterious!

You could have people write the story of the Gramophone, its origin if you will.

How about a contest where Lyrics are posted and then people use them in a song. It could show how everyone has a different interpretation and then you guys could vote on which you like best. cheers.

I like the idea of an original song, but I think it would much more interesting to combine original song with original video, so its at least a little more in-depth than just popping out a song or a quick vid piece. Make a song, and then a video for it; that's my vote.

I like the idea of an original song, but I think it would much more interesting to combine original song with original video, so its at least a little more in-depth than just popping out a song or a quick vid piece. Make a song, and then a video for it; that's my vote.

Eh-- I didn't realize original stuff would be out of the question... Maybe I'll do another one, but I don't think I'll be interested in this one.

Blerg. Yeah, I think I'm out for this one too. Good luck to everyone!

something simple, eh? how about you post a picture and we find a song to go with it.

Bouncing off the mixtape idea, how about a mini-mini-mix? The best ones have a good flow from song to song, so the contest could be to see who can pick two songs that best sandwich a song you guys pick - or vice versa, where we pick the filling?

Mebbe you get great A&R bloke to listen to 20 seconds of songs (that readers post) and ones you/he like best (top 5 mebber) get cash to make an album/EP/single. Or everyone votes and he knows people are gonnae buy it. They gotta do original artwork too mebbe. And limit to 100 copies each.

Or ask us to think up a competition.

It'll be soooo meta.

What about a contest where readers re-do album covers of existing albums? Together we could fix a lot of mistakes.

SWEDE an album cover

A "Best Distance From A Song" contest-how far can you get while listening to a song (by foot, by bike, by car, by plane, you get the idea) -- but it's not just how far, it's how good how far.That is, why it was a good trip...

Hey, the video competition was pretty sweet.

Why not another iteration of that, perhaps a more defined theme...

Whatever it should be - there should be some product generated by the effort, not chance or whim, but drawing from the actual skill represented here

Have you already done (and/or wearied of) the 6-word story thing? How about summing up a song or StG post in haiku or limerick form?

Actually, my favorite idea so far is the one where we write faux-Gramophone posts.

Imagine you are listening to the ubiquitous undiscovered band. Imagine they have only made one or a couple of tracks available to listen, before their debut EP/LP is released.

Now imagine that band has become famous - we're back in payolla era radio land, and your once undiscovered band has become a worldwide phenomenon on the strength of that one track you've heard. The direction of their career, and the order of their operations have been changed forever by the concept, mode, and delivery of this one mere track.

Finally, imagine your band (yes, they're yours now!) is touring in response to the success of their EP/LP, which is purely on the strength of their one track that you've heard. Imagine you are promoting this band by creating a concert poster, but you need to use visual cues in the same vernacular that your mainstream audience will understand - that is the vernacular of the one song your band has released. Conjure a venue, date, and lineup, and promote a real band and a real song and a real concept in a concert poster!

It's been a little while since I've made it back here, but thanks once again for the blog, guys!

Contest: Best Track #9

Explanation: Contestants submit the ninth track from any album (or mix-tape).

Example:
Shelter From the Storm, by Bob Dylan, on Blood on the Tracks

or

Some People Ride the Wave, by Devendra Banhart, on Cripple Crow.

Alternatively: Best Title Track.

Explanation: Contestants submit tracks that bear the same name as the album (or mix-tape) on which they appear.

Example:
Classy Entertainment, by Jumbling Towers, on Classy Entertainment

or

In the Aeroplane Over the Sea, by Neutral Milk Hotel, on In the Aeroplane Over the Sea.

proposal #2:
the date/length contest...
On March 15th, propose best song that's 3:15.
For April 27th, it'd be a song that's 4:27.

yeh pretty muchs been mentioned but yeh.. you should get people to take photos to a song you pick, then compare and pick the picture that fits the atmosphere/lyrics/ theme of the music most. i reckon it would be fun.