Jason Freeman

Hope to see some wonderful submissions for this new competition created with Max/MSP/Jitter!

The first Guthman Musical Instrument Competition, presented by the Georgia Tech Center for Music Technology and Harmonix (makers of Rock Band) will award $10,000 in prizes to the best novel musical instruments as judged by a panel of experts from Harmonix, Wired, and Georgia Tech.

For more information and to submit your entry, visit:

Any new musical instrument is eligible for the competition. Instruments may generate sound acoustically or electronically, they may exist in physical or virtual manifestations, and they may be played by humans, robots, or computers. They may modify, improve, or extend existing instruments — including the human voice — or they may offer entirely new design paradigms. New instruments which cross over these categories or which defy any such categorization are also welcome.

Entrants must perform a musical work with their new instrument to demonstrate its musicality, design, and engineering features. Performances may include traditional acoustic and/or electronic instruments alongside the new instrument. They may also include multimedia elements such as video, animation, graphics, text, kinesthetics, hydraulics, dance, or acting. The performed work may be composed by anyone, including the entrant, or it may be an arrangement of an existing work. It may be in any musical style. The duration should be between 2 and 10 minutes. Entrants must be prepared to perform with their instrument at Georgia Tech on February 27th-28th, 2009.

Online applications will be accepted beginning on November 15, 2008. Applications must include:

    • A URL link to a video recording of the performance. Entrants may post their video on their own private web sites or on video sharing services such as YouTube. Videos must be in Flash or Quicktime formats.

    • A high-resolution photo of the instrument in JPEG or PNG format.

    • A statement (max 250 words) describing the instrument’s musicality, design, and engineering features.

    • A description and credits (max 150 words) for the musical work performed in the video.

    • A biography (max 250 words) of the entrant(s).

Applications are due online on Monday, January 5, 2009. The submission URL is 

Online applications will be accepted beginning on November 15, 2008. Applications must include:
	• A URL link to a video recording of the performance. Entrants may post their video on their own private web sites or on video sharing services such as YouTube. Videos must be in Flash or Quicktime formats.
	• A high-resolution photo of the instrument in JPEG or PNG format.
	• A statement (max 250 words) describing the instrument’s musicality, design, and engineering features.
	• A description and credits (max 150 words) for the musical work performed in the video.
	• A biography (max 250 words) of the entrant(s).

Applications are due online on Monday, January 5, 2009. The submission URL is http://gtcmt.gatech.edu/?p=662


[ot] Guthman Musical Instrument Competition