Current Festivals

[64Guitars]

The festivals for March/April 2013 are...



DeadRockstarFest - Not just any dead rockstar. We'll only accept covers of songs by the following eight dead artists:

• Captain Beefheart
• Syd Barrett
• Kurt Cobain
• Phil Lynott
• Roy Orbison
• Sam Cooke
• Buddy Holly
• Marc Bolan

You can, of course, cover songs by the bands that the artists were in, but only songs on which they actually performed. For example, Syd Barrett was in Pink Floyd, but he only played on three of the songs from their second album, A Saucerful of Secrets, and is not on any of the subsequent albums. So don't submit Pink Floyd songs that Syd didn't play on. The same goes for the other artists in this fest, though they're not as likely to be absent from their band's recordings.




Not much to say about this one. Any music in a Jamaican style. You can choose from reggae, ska, rocksteady, mento, etc. See the Wikipedia page on the music of Jamaica:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jamaican_music

Can be covers or originals, as long as they're done in a Jamaican style.

[T.C. Elliott]

https://songcrafters.org/community/index.php?action=festival;sa=VarietyFest2

VarietyFest 2 - A sequel to our first VarietyFest from January/February 2012. This time round, we'll cover songs by the following six artists:

• Dire Straits
• XTC
• Aerosmith
• Mott the Hoople
• The Smiths
• Talking Heads

We'll also accept covers of songs by core members of those groups as solo acts. So you can cover Mark Knopfler, Andy Partridge, Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, Ian Hunter, Morrissey, David Byrne, etc.




https://songcrafters.org/community/index.php?action=festival;sa=VoiceFest

VoiceFest - No instruments. Only the human voice is allowed for making sounds. Doesn't necessarily have to have lyrics. Any vocal sounds can be used. And you're encouraged to use lots of overdubbing. Must be musical though, so no spoken word recordings unless they're accompanied by music produced vocally.

[64Guitars]

Thanks for posting the descriptions of the current (May/June 2013) festivals, T.C.  I forgot this time.

I've edited your post to expand on the descriptions.

[64Guitars]

The July/August 2013 festivals are:

SuggestFest - Post your suggestions of songs that you'd like to hear other Songcrafters members cover in the following topic:

https://songcrafters.org/community/index.php?topic=18828.0


Summer songs - See https://songcrafters.org/community/index.php?topic=7891.msg104172#msg104172

[64Guitars]

I've been remiss in keeping this topic up to date. Sorry about that.

The Sept/Oct 2013 festivals were:

A continuation of SuggestFest.

and BassFest - Songs made just with a bass (drums and vocals are optional). See this video for inspiration.

[64Guitars]

The Nov/Dec 2013 festivals are:

Lou Reed Fest - covers of songs by Lou Reed or Velvet Underground.

Alternate Tuning Fest - Songs played on a guitar or other stringed instrument with an alternate tuning.

[64Guitars]

YuleFest
starts today!

It's time, once again, for the annual Songcrafters YuleFest. Songs can be covers or originals with a Christmas theme. Submit your festival entry in the usual way.

[64Guitars]

The January/February 2014 festivals are:

Traditional Fest - covers of traditional songs (see next post for meaning of "traditional").

Drink Fest - original songs about drinking, or covers of songs about drinking.

[64Guitars]

I can't find a clear definition of "traditional music". Opinions vary widely. So, for the purposes of our festival, we'll use the official songwriter credits from record companies and music publishers. These can be found on record/CD covers, sheet music/music books, Wikipedia album track listings, etc. They are usually listed next to each song in brackets. If it says "(Trad.)" or "(Traditional)", then it qualifies for Traditional Fest. But if it shows a songwriter's name instead, then it does not qualify. For example, take a look at the track listing for Bob Dylan's debut album on Wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Dylan_(album)#Track_listing

The songs "In My Time of Dyin'", "Man of Constant Sorrow", "Pretty Peggy-O", "Gospel Plow", "Baby, Let Me Follow You Down", and "House of the Risin' Sun" would qualify for Traditional Fest but the rest of the songs on that album would not qualify.

Generally, the term "traditional" (as applied to songwriter credits) means that the origin of the song is unknown or uncertain. Sometimes the lyricist might be known but not the writer of the music, or vice-versa. For example, "Amazing Grace" qualifies as traditional even though it is known that the words were written by John Newton, because the origin of the music is uncertain.

Earlier, I posted a link to http://www.traditionalmusic.co.uk/. It's a good place to get ideas for songs to cover for Traditional Fest, but please don't assume that any song listed there qualifies for Traditional Fest. Many of the songs do not. So, if you find a song there that you'd like to cover, please first check the official songwriter credits on an album/CD, sheet music/music book, or Wikipedia track listing. If it says "Trad." or "Traditional", then it qualifies. But, if it shows one or more songwriter names instead, then it does not qualify for Traditional Fest.

[Hilary]

I've been learning Ae Fond Kiss, which by your definition doesn't qualify although the lyrics were written in 1791. It's not listed as anything in Wiki and I don't have the CD, sheet music etc. It seems crazy that this isn't allowed . . .

here's the Wiki link http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ae_Fond_Kiss

I've also been working on a parody of What shall we do with the drunken sailor? (a double fester) which has songwriter unknown but is not listed in Wiki as traditional (it's a shanty 1839) and so would not qualify as traditional.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drunken_Sailor

Wiki is only as reliable as those inputting the information.

I've really been looking forward to this Fest!