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Attention all Songwriters! IMSTA presents Summer of Songs (SoS) competition. In the month of June, July, and August we will host a monthly contest meant to be an organic outlet to your pent-up creative energy. As we continue to stay safe inside, we are challenged with both emotional and mental up’s & downs. These challenges inspire the most powerful music. Let us channel that inspiration into meaningful, clever, memorable songs that you could be internationally recognized for. Each month the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners will win new software & hardware production tools (courtesy of IMSTA Members). In September, the 1st place winners from all 3 rounds will challenge for the grand prize where the winner receives cash prize (courtesy of XCHANGE Market Corp.) along with hardware!

DATES AND DEADLINES

Submissions Open Deadline Theme
CLOSED MONDAY AUGUST 31, 2020 Behind The Mask



JUlY WINNER

1st Place: Farah Mitha

Song: Window of Hope



FARAH MITHA is an award-winning Soulful World Pop artist, singer and songwriter currently based in Los Angeles. Her songs are emotionally evocative and are designed to make you feel deeply and connect with the resonating lyrics and addictive melodies.

JUNE WINNER

1st Place: Kyle Wong & Carol Mak

Song: A 2020 Love Song



Carol & Kyle met while studying at the University of Toronto. After auditioning for the same A Cappella group, they realized they had a shared love for both singing and songwriting - this led to many sessions creating music together. Carol has a background in vocal arrangement and composition, while Kyle draws inspiration from K-pop and jazz harmony. Together, their music is tinged with influences from pop, jazz, and Rnb, while maintaining their own unique lyrical style.

Runner Up: Alex Leggett

Song: What A Year So Far



Alex Leggett is an independent artist from Gananoque, ON. Alex is an eclectic and prolific songwriter, known for his strong performances and passionate delivery. With over 500 performances under his belt and a large catalogue of originals, Alex often tours extensively to share his craft with the world. He recently toured 40 shows across Canada and the US.

What makes IMSTA Summer of Songs different from IMSTA Song Writing Competition?

  1. IMSTA Summer of Songs is hosted entirely online. IMSTA Song Writing Competition has two components, a combination of online submissions & in-person song reviews.
  2. IMSTA Summer of Songs has 3 rounds (June, July, August). IMSTA Song Writing Competition has 12 rounds, hosted at each location.
  3. IMSTA Summer of Songs is open to any music creator around the globe. IMSTA Song Writing Competition accepts and considered submissions by specific regions only.


GUIDELINES

  • Summer of Songs has 3 rounds: June, July, August.
  • Open to everyone except those affiliated with IMSTA.
  • Song must have lyrics and incorporate the theme of the month.
  • Song must not exceed 5 minutes and can be of any genre.
  • You are permitted to submit more than one song. 1st version of submitted song will be considered not versions submitted there after.
  • You must include a photo + short bio about yourself + updated contact information.
  • The software tools used in your submitted songs must be legally obtained (winners may be asked for proof of purchase).
  • Each month, IMSTA will announce on the theme here on website + e-newsletter.
  • If your song does not incorporate theme, it will not be considered.
  • At the end of Summer 2020, the 1st place winners will compete in the final round.
  • IMSTA will contact winners via e-mail.

COMPETITION RULES

  1. IMSTA Employees, Partners, Sponsors, their families, subsidiaries, and affiliates are not eligible to enter IMSTA SoS Competition.
  2. Each entry submitted to the IMSTA SoS Competition is $20.00 USD.
  3. Songs must be submitted through imsta.org.
  4. Each song must be entrant's original creation. Entries may have co-writer(s), but only one name must be designated per entry.
  5. Songs must not exceed 5 minutes in length.
  6. Songs will be judged based on melody, composition, originality, and lyrics (required).
  7. Prizes will be awarded to the Entrant even with multiple named authors; division of prize is responsibility of named winner. Division of prizes among co-entrants is the sole responsibility of winners and IMSTA shall have no liability for failure to divide prizes.
  8. Entry files must be uploaded as an MP3. IMSTA is not responsible for any corrupt files; they will be deleted and not considered.
  9. Submissions will not be accepted after deadline. No exceptions.
  10. All entries are final and irrevocable. No exceptions.
  11. By entering IMSTA SoS Competition 2020 - you hereby give consent to have your song and/or song link posted to the IMSTA website, social media platforms, or any equivalent streaming/distribution service where your works are available for promotional purposes only.
  12. Winner will be notified by email at the address provided and must sign and return an affidavit of eligibility/publicity release within specified date. The affidavit will state that the winner's song is an original work and that the winner holds all rights to the song.
  13. Winners will be asked to surrender proof that the composition was created with legal software. Songwriters using illegal software are not eligible to win the IMSTA SoS Competition 2020.
  14. Entrants must be at least 16 years of age to enter competition.
  15. You will be disqualified for; false registration, false claims, misrepresentation, or any other conduct deemed to be cheating by IMSTA.
  16. Each song submitted must consist entirely of the entrant’s original work. You will be disqualified for submitting any material for which you either do not solely own all worldwide copyright rights or have not obtained all necessary licenses in proper form.
  17. Closing and announcement dates for this Competition may change without notice to you. Such changes will be posted on imsta.org.
  18. Entering this Competition does not grant you any right or license to use any IMSTA material (i.e. logos, images, text, etc.), trademarks or other intellectual property of IMSTA for any purpose, without first obtaining IMSTA’s express written consent.
  19. The selection of winners by IMSTA and the judges are final and cannot be appealed.
  20. All entrants acknowledge as a condition of entry, that IMSTA has the right to publicize and broadcast any winner's name, character, likeness, voice, and all other matters incidental thereto.
  21. This Competition is void where prohibited.
  22. By entering this contest, you hereby give consent to the recording, broadcast, and promotion(s) of the reproduction(s) of the voice and music as part of the IMSTA SoS Competition 2020. You also understand and agree to receive no compensation for appearances and participation in the IMSTA SoS Competition or promotion(s) of your works.
  23. Artist's name and likeness may be used in advertising and promotional material for the IMSTA SoS Competition 2020, but not as an endorsement of any product or service.
  24. All rights in and to Artist's performance submitted to the IMSTA SoS Competition 2020 herein shall remain the sole property of the Artist and the rights granted herein are for broadcast and promotion only

If your submission earns a top-3 placement or an honorable distinction, you are eligible to win one of these amazing software or hardware prizes from one of our generous IMSTA Members & Sponsors.

Avid Pro Tools 12

64-bit industry-standard DAW that is the choice of professional music production and audio post studios. MIDI, Instrument and Video tracks, Cloud Collaboration, offline bounce, loop recording & track comping, extensive plug-support and more.

Steinberg Cubase 10

Powerful DAW with legions of fans. With its unrivaled range of flexible tools, you can create any kind of music quickly and intuitively. It comes packed with a wide range of virtual instruments, effects and thousands of sounds.

PreSonus Studio 26 USB

2x4 USB 2.0 bus-powered audio interface can record up to 24-bit, 192 kHz audio. Equipped with XMAX-L solid-state preamps and high-end converters, and Studio One® Artist DAW. Perfect for studio work of artists on the go.

Kali Audio IN-8

Innovative studio monitor combining the natural advantages of a 3-way design with hyper-realistic imaging of a co-axial mid-range and tweeter, it offers more transparency, lower distortion, and a sound stage that must be heard to be believed.

FL Studio 20 Producer

Popular DAW for creating current pop music styles. Compose, arrange, record, edit, mix, master professional quality music. Includes many virtual instruments, unique FX, superb editing and composing tools and FREE lifetime updates.

PreSonus Studio One Pro

Modern DAW with unlimited tracks, 64-bit processing, Plug-in Suite, Pitch Correction, Amp Modeling, Drag & Drop, Console Shaper, VCA Faders, Groups, Scratch Pads, Chord Track, Melodyne ARA integration, Mastering Tools and more.

IK Multimedia iRig Mic HD

USB Mic with high-quality 24-bit converters up to 96kHz, a low noise preamp, a high quality, gold-sputtered electret condenser capsule, and an onboard dedicated headphone output with volume control for direct monitoring!

Native Instruments A25

Premium 25-note controller with pre-mapped control for 100's of KOMPLETE & NKS plug-ins. Includes MASCHINE ESSEN, MONARK, SCARBEE MK I and more. Full integration with MASCHINE, Ableton, Cubase, Nuendo and more.

Bitwig Studio 3

Modular sound design DAW with hardware and touch integration. Streamline your creative process and quickly evolve your ideas into complete songs, tracks, and compositions. Record and arrange, improvise, and perform live.

Melodyne 5 Studio

Industry leading audio editing and tuning software for delivering the precise degree of perfection you need in your vocal and instrument tracks. Sibilance detection, ARA, DNA, Chord Tracks, Dynamics, and musically improved algorithms.

Reveal Sound Spire

Superlative EDM synthesizer utilizes multipurpose oscillators, filters, and effects units within a digital graphic interface. Spire combines elements from both Analog and software synthesizers. Huge 3rd party sound library available for expansion.

FabFilter Pro-Q 3

World-leading 24-band Dynamic EQ with high information GUI and sublime graphic controls. Spectrum Grab, Zero Latency, Linear Phase and Natural Phase modes, 8 Filters, EQ Match, Surround Support, Full Screen mode and much more.

ANTARES – AUTO TUNE

Auto-Tune Pro is the most complete and advanced edition of Auto-Tune. It includes Auto Mode, for real-time correction and effects, Graph Mode, for detailed pitch and time editing, and the Auto-Key plug-in for automatic key and scale detection.

SONNOX – DYNAMIC EQ

The Dynamic EQ introduces unique features such as the option to engage the effect by onset (transient) detection – very useful when working with drums and percussion. Additionally, mid-side processing can be used to enhance a vocal without affecting side-channel balance or to open up a mix by focusing low end energy in the centre.