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Many of today's best CDs are created totally outside the recording industry—played, recorded, produced, packaged, released, and sold by the artists themselves. These enterprising musicians are taking advantage of ever-cheaper and ever-better technological tools to create CDs that hold their own against the biggest-budget studio extravaganzas, and they're enjoying complete creative freedom along the way. There's a price for this freedom, though: as an individual artist with a homegrown label, it ain't easy to be heard above the din of some 30,000 CDs released each year. In recognition of the superb quality of today's self-released CDs, and the obstacles they face in getting heard, Acoustic Guitar is embarking on a year-long quest to find and spotlight the best artist-made CDs. From now until September 1, 2000, we'll be accepting entries as detailed below, and in each of ten issues starting with May 2000, we'll feature a stellar CD along with the story of how it was made. Sweetwater Sound, experts in recording gear and music technology, will also present all the winners with a real boost for their next CD projects: a $1,000 certificate from the Sweetwater equipment directory, which offers the full range of recording gear and music technology. Here's how the whole thing works. Qualifications To qualify for this contest, all recordings must be: Full-length CDs (no cassettes), released no earlier than January 1,
1999 Contest not open to employees of String Letter Publishing or sponsoring companies. Deadlines Winners will be picked over the course of a year, so entries can be received any time up through September 1, 2000. If you'd like confirmation that your package arrived, enclose a self-addressed, stamped postcard with something to the effect of "Yes, my CD arrived safely" written on the back. Sorry, but we won't be able to give any further status reports on submissions, so save your calls (we'd rather spend our time listening to your CDs!). The ten winners will be notified individually, then posted on the Web site and published in the magazine between May 2000 and March 2001. Judging The primary judges are the Acoustic Guitar editors, joined by guest judges who will be announced along with the winners. We'll be evaluating the quality and originality of the CDs from all angles: the music itself, the recording, and the packaging and presentation. We'll also take into account the description of how the CD was made, favoring recordings with interesting background stories as well as good music. Finally, over the course of the year we'll be looking for a variety of playing and recording styles. Prizes Each winner will receive a $1,000 CERTIFICATE (list price) from Sweetwater Sound, redeemable for the purchase of anything in Sweetwater's extensive equipment directory of recording and music gear.
Entry Form All entries must be accompanied by the official Homegrown CD Awards entry form. Download the form here as an Acrobat file. To use an Adobe Acrobat .PDF file you must have the free Adobe Acrobat Reader. Get it here.
Print the entry form on your ink-jet or laser printer, fill it out completely, and mail it to Acoustic Guitar along with your final CD. If you'd prefer
to receive the entry form by snail mail, send a self-addressed, stamped
envelope to: Homegrown CD
Awards Entry Form Check out the Homegrown Award winners so far. Thanks for entering, and check back here for contest updates!
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