This document will tell you everything you need to know for the FINALS. Ensure that you read it carefully and refer to the FAQ before asking any questions. Make sure you also read all the rules as well. Please take time to read these criteria carefully. We would also recommend that you read the judging criteria thoroughly so you know what our judges are looking for.
Please note that you must submit THREE (3) performances. You must complete ALL of the tasks. Remember that your mentor can help and assist you! Good luck and pay close attention to the briefs.
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FINALS
Welcome to the FINALS!
There are THREE TASKS for this round. You MUST do ALL of them.There is a different cover art for each performance, ensure you use the correct one for the correct option.
These tasks are designed to take everything that ITM has taught you over the past three months and to show us how you have grown and evolved and become a better singer and performer. We have given you two weeks, but plan your time carefully.
Please note that we have altered the judging criteria for this final round. Please make note of this. It is in the Judging criteria section of this page.
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SONG#1 – THE JOURNEY
SONG BRIEF
The Journey – We would like you to put together a mashup of your song entries throughout this comp, which describes your journey to the finals!
- Must use at least 5 previously sung songs – no maximum, but all the songs you choose, you must have already sung either at audition, in a bonus, or in a round in this competition..
- Any backing track allowed, it doesn’t have to be a song you have already sung.
- Layers – UNLIMITED
- Judges will use a different scoring criteria for the mashups (see judging criteria)
- Put a song list in your songs description or comments.
ROUND CRITERIA
- You sing a song which fits the brief.
- You MUST sing a complete song NOT a clip.
- LAYERS
- Minimum – 5 (You + 4)
- Maximum – Unlimited
- HARMONY
- You MUST include at least 30 seconds of 3-Part Harmony
- Octaves DO NOT count as 3-part harmony for the purposes of this competition.
- This may be broken up into several sections, but the overall timing MUST amount to 30 seconds.
- You may sing any other harmonies.
- FX
- ALLOWED: ANY
- Lyrical Additions, Significant Lyric Changes, Medley’s, are NOT ALLOWED
- If you made lyrical changes or additions in your original entry, you MAY include these.
- Mashups are COMPULSORY
- Acapella is NOT ALLOWED
- You may sing a song you sang for an acapella round, but your entry must not be acapella.
- Video entries are NOT ALLOWED
- Pre-Recorded Backing Vocals on the backing track are NOT ALLOWED
- This includes any sound made by a human voice, including sampled sounds that have been heavily processed.
- If you are unsure, please ask your mentor for verification.
- You ARE ALLOWED to upload your own backing track to the smule songbook.
- You may use ANY backing track.
- You are NOT ALLOWED to open a Freestyle Track
- Your entry MUST be opened as a GROUP.
- Your entry MUST be at least 2 minutes long.
- Language: English ONLY
- You MUST use headphones
- You may play your own instruments on your entry but it will not be judged.
PLEASE NOTE: Neither Judges or Mentors can approve your chosen song is valid. It is YOUR responsibility to ensure your song fits the round.
[/et_pb_accordion_item][et_pb_accordion_item title=”BRIEF & CRITERIA SONG#2″ _builder_version=”3.26.7″ open=”off”]SONG#2 – ONE TAKE WONDER
SONG BRIEF
For this challenge you may choose any song you like, but you only get one shot at recording this. This is a technical challenge which will show us how well you can prepare a song for performance and deliver. Don’t leave this until the last minute.
- You only have 1 layer, and you will have to sing within a 10 minute window.
- You will need to give good notice to staff (via THIS FORM) that you would like to do your entry and arrange a mutual time to do your entry. You must provide a minimum of 24-hour notice of when you would like to sing, with a 1-2 hour requested window. This form will close 36 hours before the end of the round so we can accomodate all requests.
- You will be assigned a staff member who will open your song for you.
- You will need to add to the form an image of the selected version of your song you would like to do.
- Once the song is open, the staff member will make contact with you within the agreed-upon window, and when you notify them that you are ready, send the song. You will have 15 minutes from receipt to join the song.
- After you have performed you will need to provide the staff member with all the info to go in the songs description, the correct cover art and you MUST request for it be closed and made public before you submit. STAFF WILL NOT DO IT UNLESS YOU TELL THEM TO.
- You can submit the song anytime before the deadline.
- You have one attempt to complete this task.
ROUND CRITERIA
- You MAY SING ANY VERSION OF ANY SONG
- You MUST sing a complete song NOT a clip.
- LAYERS
- Only 1
- HARMONY
- No harmony requirement
- FX
- ALLOWED: Non-voice altering only (no POP FX or Grunge)
- Lyrical Additions, Significant Lyric Changes, Medley’s, are ALLOWED
- Mashups and Acapella is NOT ALLOWED
-
- For acapella entries, only sounds made by your mouth are allowed.
-
- Video entries are NOT ALLOWED
- Pre-Recorded Backing Vocals on the backing track are NOT ALLOWED
- This includes any sound made by a human voice, including sampled sounds that have been heavily processed.
- If you are unsure, please ask your mentor for verification.
- You ARE ALLOWED to upload your own backing track to the smule songbook.
- Your entry MUST be opened by a STAFF member
- Your entry MUST be at least 2.5 minutes long.
- Language: English ONLY
- You MUST use headphones
- You may play your own instruments on your entry but it will not be judged.
PLEASE NOTE: Neither Judges or Mentors can approve your chosen song is valid. It is YOUR responsibility to ensure your song fits the round.
[/et_pb_accordion_item][et_pb_accordion_item title=”BRIEF & CRITERIA SONG#3″ open=”off” _builder_version=”3.26.7″]SONG#3 – THE HARDEST SONG
SONG BRIEF
For this performance we want you sing one of the hardest songs written. The harder the better, it’s time to challenge yourself.
- Any version.
- No Mashups, or Medleys – anything else goes.
- A suggested list of hard songs is blow, but you can pick any song you like. The harder the song the better. Even though the songs in the list are all deemed ‘hard’ some ARE harder than others.
- Choosing a song that is not considered extremely difficult will result in low to 0 score in both song choice (demonstrating your ability to sing a difficult song) and adherence to brief (following the round instructions). Your objective is to swing for the fences, and show off that no song, no matter how difficult, scares you and you can nail anything.
- Layers – UNLIMITED
- Write the name of the Song (and artist) in your entries description.
Suggested songs
- Bohemian Rhapsody (Queen)
- Somebody to Love (Queen)
- Chandelier (Sia)
- Dream On (Aerosmith)
- Rap God (Eminem)
- Gunslinger (Avenged Sevenfold)
- Little Piece of Heaven (Avenged Sevenfold)
- Bother (Stone Sour)
- Through Glass (Stone Sour)
- Dead and Gone (T.I.)
- I’m Telling You, I’m not Going (Jennifer Hudson)
- Wuthering Heights (Kate Bush)
- Earth Song (Micahel Jackson)
- Not Getting Married Today (Company)
- Pagan Poetry (Bjork)
- Stone Cold (Demi Lovato)
- I Believe in a Thing Called Love (The Darkness)
- Lovin’ You (Minnie Riperton)
- I Will Always Love You (Whitney Houston)
- My All (Mariah Carey)
- Life on Mars (David Bowie)
- Natural Woman (Aretha Franklin)
- Unchained Melody (Righteous Brothers)
- Blown Away (Carrie Underwood)
- Independence Day (Martina McBride)
- To Where You Are (Josh Groban)
- Take A Piece of My Heart (Janis Joplin)
- Rolling In The Deep (Adele)
- Giants In The Sky (Into the Woods)
- Epiphany (Sweeney Todd)
- Green Finch and Linnet Bird (Sweeney Todd)
- The Phantom of the Opera
- Take On Me (A-Ha)
ROUND CRITERIA
- You sing a song which fits the brief.
- You MUST sing a complete song NOT a clip.
- LAYERS
- Minimum – 3 (You + 2)
- Maximum – Unlimited
- HARMONY
- You MUST include at least 30 seconds of 3-Part Harmony
- Octaves DO NOT count as 3-part harmony for the purposes of this competition.
- This may be broken up into several sections, but the overall timing MUST amount to 30 seconds.
- You may sing any other harmonies.
- FX
- ALLOWED: ANY
- Lyrical Additions, Significant Lyric Changes, are ALLOWED
- Mashups, Medley’s, and Acapella are NOT ALLOWED
- Video entries are NOT ALLOWED
- Pre-Recorded Backing Vocals on the backing track are NOT ALLOWED
- This includes any sound made by a human voice, including sampled sounds that have been heavily processed.
- If you are unsure, please ask your mentor for verification.
- You ARE ALLOWED to upload your own backing track to the smule songbook.
- You may use ANY backing track
- You are NOT ALLOWED to open a Freestyle Track
- Your entry MUST be opened as a GROUP.
- Your entry MUST be at least 2 minutes long.
- Language: English ONLY
- You MUST use headphones
- You may play your own instruments on your entry but it will not be judged.
PLEASE NOTE: Neither Judges or Mentors can approve your chosen song is valid. It is YOUR responsibility to ensure your song fits the round.
[/et_pb_accordion_item][et_pb_accordion_item title=”NON-VIP CONTESTANTS” _builder_version=”3.0.105″ open=”off”]It is not a requirement for this competition to have an active VIP status. If you are a non-vip user, please read the following information carefully.
- BEFORE YOU MESSAGE A MEMBER OF STAFF
Please take a SCREENSHOT of the version of the song you want them to open and give it to them. - PRACTICE SONGS
You may ask your MENTOR or the ADMIN assigned to your mentor room to open up to 3 practice songs for you to practice with. (these may be different songs) - FINAL RECORDING
When you are ready to record your final version you must message a Head Judge or Admin and ask them to open the chosen song for you at least 24 HOURS prior to the round deadline. This will be opened using the ITMOfficial Smule Account and you will be tagged in the description. - SUBMISSION
You will also need to ask them to close your song, make it public and tell them what to add to the description (e.g. hashtags etc) BEFORE the deadline (we recommend at least 8hrs prior). This is YOUR responsibility! Failure to do so will result in penalties and in some cases disqualification.
- Please remember people are in different time zones, and we all have busy lives, so they may not respond immediately. If you have not heard from your Mentor or Head Judge/Admin after 24 hours please message someone else.
- DO NOT LEAVE THIS UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE
Please note the changes to criteria for this round.
SONG 1 – MASHUP
SONG CHOICE (5)
- LYRICAL COHESION (2)
- Were the lyrics appropriate between each song? (e.g. same theme, words, telling a story)
- SONG COHESION (2)
- Did the songs fit together naturally without feeling forced and without tampering with the melody too much? (if they have changed the melody has it been done for creativity vs. just to make it fit?)
- DID THE SONG SUIT THE PERFORMER (set them up for success)? (1)
COMPLEXITY (5)
- In addition to what you are normally looking for, here is a description of a mashup which would score 5.
- 4 Part Harmony
- Ad-libs
- Background oohs/ahhs/motifs
- Inventive Overlapping of songs
- Intermingled Lyrics (lyrics are mashed as well)
- Melody changes
- Lyric Changes
- Ornaments and flourishes.
- All of the above should be executed well – e.g. if songs overlap they should still be clear.
- NOTE: using more than 5 songs should not count towards the complexity or creativity score. i.e. a 6 song mash meeting these criteria should not score more than a 5 song mash meeting these criteria.
ADHERENCE TO BRIEF (5)
- Does the song document their journey in the competition (tell any kind of story, or take you through their journey? Or does it seem haphazard?) (0-5)
SONG 2 – ONE TAKE WONDER
CREATIVITY
- 5 POINTS – Instrumentals filled appropriately, adlibs, ornaments, flourishes, runs, not present on the original song. Additions should flow naturally and be coherent with the song.
- 0 POINTS – melody of original song followed to the letter
TECHNICAL COMPLEXITY
- As you cannot use additional layers in this case, and we already capture difficulty in Song 3, there will be a default score of 5 for this song only. You’re welcome.
ADHERENCE TO BRIEF:
- Song has been well prepared and rehearsed (0-5pts)
SONG 3 – THE HARDEST SONG
ADHERENCE TO BRIEF
- Level of difficulty (we’ve provided a list to help) Harder the song, the more points they get. (5)
For the initial rounds you will be judged by TWO(2) Judges. In later rounds you may be judged by more than two judges. When you are judged by 4 or more judges, we will discount the highest score and lowest scores you receive.
SCORING IS NON-CUMULATIVE (i.e. the scores reset each round)
[/et_pb_accordion_item][et_pb_accordion_item title=”SUBMISSION GUIDELINES” _builder_version=”3.26.7″ open=”off”]- You MUST submit all songs BEFORE the DEADLINE
Songs should be submitted individually. We recommend submitting your songs as soon as they are ready! - HASHTAGS
Use the correct hashtags provided BELOW. You MUST have them in all your entry’s description.
#ITMS3
#ITMS3FINALS
#ITMS3FINALSTEAMNAME (e.g. #ITMS3FINALSDOYLE)
#Smule11 #Champions- You MUST include the correct hashtag for the song brief you are submitting in your entry’s decription e.g. #SONG1
- In order to be eligible for a PRIZE you MUST include the hashtag for your preferred FIRST PLACE prize. Either;
#ITMS3LONDON or #ITMS3SONG
If you do not include this on all of your entries you will not be eligible for a prize – there is no point penalty for not including it.
- COVER ART
You MUST use the cover art provided – this will be posted in an album in the main competition room/quiet room and is in this document. You must use the cover art that applies to the correct TASK! (Yes you will need to ask admin to add this to your TASK 1 entry)
- VERIFICATION LINK
No verification links are required this round.
- CLOSED & PUBLIC
Your entry MUST be closed and public BEFORE to uploading your screenshot. - SCREENSHOT
You MUST upload a screenshot of each of your closed and public songs to the album in your mentor room. Please ensure your screenshot shows your entries description. - SUBMISSION FORM
You can submit entries SEPARATELY. You must fill in the submission form for each entry.
You MUST complete the following submission form for this round: SUBMIT HERE
Please ensure your submission was successful via this link: TAP HERE TO CHECK
If you want critique for your song, make sure you select the correct option in the submission form. Please also provide a youtube or equivalent link to your original song. - DON’T CHANGE ANYTHING
Once you have submitted you CANNOT CHANGE ANYTHING. If you do then you will be disqualified. If you submit without closing your song please contact Admin BEFORE you close it or you will recieve a penalty!
- LOCKING IN
A member of the admin team will comment on your song once submitted to let you know that it has been accepted. Please be patient. If you submit with less than 24 hours left to go your song may not be commented on, but it will be considered locked from the point of submission. If your song is not locked, do not panic, as long as it is on the submission sheet.
Friday 29th November; 23:59 UK TIME
Late submissions will result in disqualification
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- – 5 points for not fulfilling any of the round criteria
- – 10 points for not following any of the submission guidelines
Penalties are applied before the average of your judges scores are found.
E.g (SUM(‘JUDGES_SCORES’))-PENALTIES)/’Number of Judges’=TOTAL SCORE
[/et_pb_accordion_item][et_pb_accordion_item title=”DISQUALIFICATION” _builder_version=”3.0.105″ open=”off”]The following will result in automatic disqualification.
- Late or non-existent submission
- Failure to submit via the SUBMISSION FORM
- Anyone else singing on your submission.
- Submitting a song opened prior to the release date of the round.
- Submitting a song you have previously sung in a Season 3 audition, bonus round, or round. (unless specified in the round requirements)
- Changing anything once the entry has been submitted
- Adding anyone to any chat room
- Removing anyone from any chat room
- Posting notes/polls etc in any chat room
- Deleting any notes or images from the chat rooms.
- Changing the settings of any chatroom
- Submitting an Original Song (unless specified in the round requirements)
- Submitting a song opened using freestyle (unless specified in a the round requirements)
- Leaving any of the required chat rooms.
- Repeatedly not following the rules of the chat room despite warnings.
- Using external audio processing equipment (e.g. reverb pedal)
- Breaking the RULES of the competition.
If you choose to receive critique on your song/performance, please don’t take anything personally. Whether your critique is full of praise or constructive it is only meant to help you improve and make you a better singer.
All scores and critiques are FINAL (except in the event of a genuine admin error – hey, we are human)
All scores and critiques are FINAL. If you are unhappy with your result, please feel free to PM one of the creative team. Foggy, Tink, Tiffany, Kirsty, Karlien, Sheree, or Sara.