1st place
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● Soundium x Zoom - Open call
Vilnius - 2026
Field Recording Contest
One day, one city, eight producers. Three hours to record the city, three hours to turn those sounds - and nothing else - into a track.
How to enter(01) The format
Six hours, two halves
01
Theme reveal
You get the composition theme when you arrive. Nothing to prepare in advance - everyone starts from zero.
02
Record - 3 hours
Head into the city with your own rig and build a sample pack from scratch: traffic, rooms, machines, voices - whatever you can capture.
03
Compose - 3 hours
Back at SNDM, shape your recordings into an abstract composition on your own laptop and headphones.
(02) The one rule
If you didn't record it today, it's not in the track.
Your composition may only use sounds captured during the recording window. Process them however you like - chop them into drums, stretch, pitch, resample, mangle beyond recognition. What you can't do is reach for anything made earlier.
+ Fair game
- Any processing of your own recordings
- Percussion and instruments built from your recordings
- Your own recorder, mics, laptop and DAW
× Not allowed
- Sample packs, loops and one-shots
- Virtual instruments and synth presets
- Any audio recorded before contest day
Your gear
Everyone records and mixes on their own equipment - your recorder, your mics, your laptop. Use the setup you know best.
(03) Contest day
September 10
10:00
Doors + theme reveal
Meet at SNDM, get the brief and the composition theme.
Morning
Record the city
Three hours in the streets collecting your source material.
Afternoon
Compose at SNDM
Three hours to build your track from what you brought back.
18:00
Playback + winners
We listen to every track together and hand out the prizes.
(04) The prizes
Zoom gear for the podium
2nd place
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3rd place
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(05) How to enter
Eight spots. Applications open August 24.
Selection runs August 24-30. How to apply - and what to send us - will be announced here and on Soundium's channels.
Soundium x Zoom
Field Recording Contest - Vilnius 2026