RPM Challenge 2018
DCMF is excited to invite you to participate in the RPM challenge in partnership with KIAC, North Klondyke Highway Music Society and this year, our dear friends at Music Yukon have joined the circus!
So what is RPM anyway? It stands for Record Per Month. It’s a 28-day endeavour to write and record an album of 10 songs or 35 minutes of original material during February, just because you can. It’s a creative challenge for people of all skill levels. It doesn’t matter if it’s your first time picking up an instrument or if you’re an established musician – it’s for you! Sound scary? We promise it’s not, though you’ll probably learn a lot about yourself and climb some pretty cool mountains in the process. The RPM Challenge is about creativity, pushing yourself even when you feel stuck, and MAKING something. It’s not about the “end product” (but to complete the challenge, you must complete and submit the album by March 1st) and it’s certainly not meant to be perfect though we have to say, some of our favourite records ever are RPM albums.
Participants can look forward to local events, but can also hang out online with RPMers from across the territory (and globe!) by joining the online conversation to participate in discussion groups, trade ideas, blog, add photos, and send messages to fellow RPMers during the challenge. Music-makers are searchable by location, so users can see who is already participating in their area, or be the first to sign up.
In Dawson you can look forward to weekly meetups and open jam sessions; a Songwriter’s Circle with Skye Wallace, Jim Bryson and Rob Dickson; We Rock! DC – a rock camp for adults brought to you by Yukon Girls Rock Camp!; admission to a NKHMS house show (hello opportunity to get inspired!); and of course, a listening party.
To stay connected with the fun, keep your eyes on RPM Challenge Yukon or follow DCMF, Music Yukon and KIAC online. And don’t forget the most important part – SIGN UP AT rpmchallenge.com. If you have any questions, give us a shout at info@dcmf.com or office@musicyukon.com
To recap:
- This will be fun!
- Ten songs or 35 minutes of recorded material.
- Recording can only be done in the month of February – no pre-recorded songs.
- All material must be previously unreleased, and we encourage you to write the material during February, too.
- Participating bands get their own page on the site, which you can blog to as much as you want. You also get access to the band-only discussion board, where you can swap ideas, resources, etc., and the ability to e-mail and private message with the other participants.
Write some instrumentals, split up the songwriting duties amongst band members, form an RPM side project, write songs on the piano or clarinet instead of your primary instrument, make that metal album you’ve always wanted to – buy a ukulele! Just do your best to make the best album you can. Be unafraid.