Raptorman & Warp45 - The Word by NerdcoreVPC published on 2016-10-21T18:13:26Z ROUND 1 - Sincerity Vocalists: Write a sincere song. Throughout history music has been used in tandem as both an expression of passion and a way to communicate difficult messages. Many times throughout history, things that may not have been acceptable to say via spoken or written word—or may not have been as palatable or visible—have been communicated through music. Whether it was coded messages to help slaves navigate the Underground Railroad, the protest songs in the 1960s that helped change and shape the American culture, or a love song a young man wrote to propose marriage to the love of his life, music has been used to accomplish some very important things. This song should be important to you. It would be easy to go for the cheap laugh by planting your tongue firmly in you cheek and being ironically or satirically sincere, but that’s not what this challenge is about. One of the most vulnerable and challenging things to do as an artist (especially a musician) is to make art about something that you honestly value and care deeply about. Criticisms of these songs can feel very personal and more weighty than with other songs because of the gravity of the content. This song can be persuasive, defensive, accusatory, romantic, grateful, encouraging, heart-warming, hate-spewing, philosophical, political, spiritual, or epistemological; but the one thing it must be is sincere. Producers: Produce and mix this song in a way that is vocal-centric. Your task in this challenge is to craft a song that showcases not just the vocal track, but the lyrics of the song. Make sure your composition, arrangement, and mixing all serve to highlight the lyricism of the song. This could mean minimal instrumentation, breaks to highlight certain lines, dynamics that complement fluctuation of the vocalist’s lyrics and delivery. It does not mean simply making the vocal track louder.