This document will tell you everything you need to know for Round 7. 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 the new deadline and altered schedule of the competition!
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RAPAPELLA – A capella Rapping
You will probably be looking at this brief and cursing Foggy (even Foggy is cursing Foggy at this point). Just remember that everyone is in the same boat here, and that this round is meant to challenge and stretch you!
So for this round, you will need to choose a song which has RAPPING in it. (No original rapping, please). You will then need to create an A capella performance of this song.
- You will open your song using the Blank Track on the ITMOffical Smule Account.
- You may only use your voice on this – no clapping or sound from any other body part, please.
- It is not required to beatbox – unless you want to of course.
- Your final performance must include;
- At least 2 minutes of rapping
- At least 1 minute of singing
- Neither must be continuous and may be broken up into smaller sections
- Rapping and singing may overlap
- You may change the original tempo (speed of the song)
We are not looking for you to recreate the original note for note, we want you to put your creative spin on this and make something new. We have included an example at the end of the round information.
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ALTERNATIVE (EASY) ROUND
If the thought of this round completely daunts you and you are running from the hills never to return then keep reading!
We are allowing you an alternative easier option for this round. If you don’t want to tackle Rap AND Acapella together, you can choose to do an acapella performance of any song, OR perform any song which originally has rapping in it.
If you choose either of these options you will not be eligible for consideration for star entries OR innovation points.
If you choose the A capella only option;
- you may choose ANY song
- You must add the #acapellaonly to your song’s description.
If you choose the RAPPING only option
- you may do any song that originally includes at least 2 minutes of rapping and 1 minute of singing
- You must use the ORIGINAL backing track at the ORIGINAL tempo;
- you may not use an alternative version,
- you may use an original version in a different key.
- You must add the hashtag #rappingonly to your songs description
ROUND CRITERIA
- You MUST 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 20 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 20 seconds.
- You may sing any other harmonies.
- FX
- ALLOWED: None, Polish, Studio, Superstudio, Indie, SF Opera, Spotlight, Hype, Grunge
- NOT ALLOWED: Magic, Pop, Super Pop, Double You, Stardust, Super Harmony
- ALLOWED: None, Polish, Studio, Superstudio, Indie, SF Opera, Spotlight, Hype, Grunge
- Lyrical Additions, Significant Lyric Changes, Medley’s, and Mashups are NOT ALLOWED
- Acapella is 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 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
We have a detailed Judging Criteria, this will not change without notice for the duration of the competition. Any changes will be posted each round in this box.
PLEASE NOTE: There are changes to the adherence to brief criteria from this round onwards.
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)
32 contestants will go through to the Quarter-Finals
[/et_pb_accordion_item][et_pb_accordion_item title=”SUBMISSION GUIDELINES” _builder_version=”3.0.105″ open=”off”]- You MUST submit BEFORE the DEADLINE
- HASHTAGS
Use the correct hashtags provided BELOW. You MUST have them in all your entry’s description.
#ITMS3
#ITMS3R7
#ITMS3R7TEAMNAME (e.g. #ITMS3R7ZIMMER)
#Smule11 #Champions - 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. - VERIFICATION LINK
No verification link is required this round.
- CLOSED & PUBLIC
Your entry MUST be closed and public BEFORE to uploading your screenshot. - SCREENSHOT
You MUST upload a screenshot of your closed and public song to the album in your mentor room. Please ensure your screenshot shows your entries description. - SUBMISSION FORM
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.
Sunday 20th October; 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.