The Sound of the Future

Move over, American Idol (thank goodness that cheesefest has ended for another year). And somebody alert VH-1. The Laptop Battle has begun. Computer-savvy musicians gathered Dec. 9 in Seattle to launch a competition for one of the newest technological waves to hit the industry: the perfect combination of laptop wizardry and musical excellence.

Judged by a panel of five seasoned music industry heavyweights, the country’s finest techie musical artists will compete and be graded on stage presence, technical ability, and crowd response. The distinguished panel will then choose one contestant to move on to the next round, single elimination style.

The Battles, which must be 3 minutes long, allow technologically proficient musicians to showcase their mobile tech talents in a public forum, much like the popular “reality-TV” programs, in which contestants compete for the cash cow – in this case, free software and an all-expense-paid trip to Seattle to compete in the National Laptop Battle.

Contestants may use their laptop, one midi controller, and a soundcard to showcase their creative talents, and all gear must fit in a 2′ X 2′ square.

Laptop Battle is currently recruiting contestants for local battles in San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego, Las Vegas, Portland, Seattle, Minneapolis, Chicago, Detroit, Cleveland, Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Washington, Miami, Atlanta, Houston, Dallas, and New Orleans. Check it out: You or someone you know may be the next winner – in the “Best of Laptop Sound” category, of course.