Compo is a slang word for "composition competition" commonly used by the arrangement community. It is derrived from the demoscene competitions by the same name. Contrary to this, compos are less of a competition and more of an excerise in composition abilites. Each compo has it's own unique format and guidelines and while some are as short as 1 hour, others can last anywhere from a month, to a few months. It's important to remember that the primary purpose of compos are to hone your skills and abilites by working within, sometimes very constricting, guidelines. These techiniques have proven essential to the growth of countless musicians.

Remember: the only way to lose a compo, is to not participate.