Frustrated software designers, angry DJs, glue-addled loop kids: now is your chance to shine. This is the “Code Monkey” remix contest, in which you are all invited to use the source tracks from Jonathan Coulton’s internet hit Code Monkey (download the original HERE) to create something new and awesome. “Code Monkey,” as you well know, was song #29 in the astounding 52-song smorgasbord that was Thing a Week. As you are also no doubt aware, volumes three and four of this collection will be out on CD, right about the time this contest ends, just in time for Christmas. This is not a coincidence.

First, let’s just be legal about everything. All of Jonathan Coulton’s music is released under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike license, so anyone in the world is entitled to use pieces of it in a new work provided they 1) do not profit from it, 2) credit Jonathan Coulton, and 3) release the new work under the same Creative Commons license (for more about Creative Commons, check out CreativeCommons.org). All entries in this contest will automatically have this license, so when you’re choosing other source material, please don’t use anything you don’t own or aren’t allowed to use under this license.

Other than that, whatever you like. Maybe a nice jazzy thing in 5/4, or perhaps a huge orchestral soundscape that you can dance to. Where does Code Monkey lead you?

Below is a zipfile containing all the tracks from the original recording, for the most part without effects (don’t judge). The tempo is 160, and all the loops should lock to a grid quite nicely. There is plenty of great stuff that you can use in your remix over at ccMixter, a huge database of Creative Commons licensed loops, beats and vocals (just make sure their CC license is compatible with the Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike license). Lots of music software like Soundtrack, GarageBand, Acid, Ableton Live, come with royalty-free loops that you can use. And of course you can always add stuff that you record. Bagpipes, anyone? Please?

• DOWNLOAD SOURCE FILE (zip, 8.61 MB)

We have traveled the world in search of the people most qualified to judge your entries, or at least we have gone through our rolodexes and called in some favors. Either way, here are the people who will be listening to the remixes and picking the winners (more judges will be added to the list as we go along, including a “mystery judge” whose very presence is even more mysterious than that of your average mystery person).

• Jesse Thorn, Host of The Sound Of Young America
• Jackson Publick & Doc Hammer, of The Venture Bros.
• Mark Jannot, Editor-in-Chief of Popular Science
• Paul and Storm, Professional Singing Persons
• Brad Sucks, a One Man Band
• John Hodgman, raconteur, humorist, and man amongst men
• Dana Snyder, Actor and Aqua Teen Hunger Force‘s Master Shake

The very best of the best will receive the first ever box set of Jonathan Coulton’s Thing a Week project, 52 songs written and recorded weekly over one year on 4 CDs, all in some kind of fancy case. These box sets will be numbered and signed, and the winner will receive #1. We’ll also be choosing 4 runners up, who will get #2-#5. These will be worth a lot of money someday, and you will all be rich. That’s a promise.

Submit your remix at any time, but we’ll stop accepting entries at MIDNIGHT on Friday, December 8th. Please send your entries in MP3 format (at least 128k) to:

…with “Code Monkey Remix” in the subject line (BE SURE TO ATTACH YOUR REMIXED VERSION OF CODE MONKEY). If you have file hosting ability, you can send in a link (or use a file service like YouSendIt or Rapidshare). Be sure your entry includes your mailing address, so we know where to send your prize if you’re amongst the lucky winners. Speaking of which, the winners will be announced on Friday, December 16th.

Good luck and get mixing!

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