Microsoft revealed the limited edition Surface Music Kit when it announced its Surface 2 tablet, though the product has been difficult to come by, with Microsoft recently ending its contest that will distribute 500 copies of the music kit to winning contestants. Now another contest to obtain the kit, which includes the specialized Music Cover for Surface tablets, has launched – but some musical expertise is required.

The contest, hosted by the music collaboration website Indaba Music and sponsored by Microsoft, provides the opportunity to win a Surface Music Kit and Surface Pro 2 or Surface 2. To win the products, however, contestants will have to remix the Linkin Park and Steve Aoki song "A Light That Never Comes." Indaba provides all the stems for the song, and users have until Nov. 21 to submit their remixes using those song pieces.

One grand-prize winner will receive $2,500 along with a Surface Pro 2, Surface Music Kit, and have his or her remix featured on Xbox Music and an upcoming Linkin Park EP album; five runner-up winners will each receive $500 as well as a Surface 2 and Surface Remix Kit. Winners will be announced Dec. 10 based on a criteria of originality, creativity, concept and musicality, with Microsoft, Indaba Music, Linkin Park and Steve Aoki serving as judges. Three additional winners will be named by a popular vote on the Indaba Music website, winning a one-year membership to the community.

Microsoft has yet to announce how many Surface Music Kits it plans to manufacture, but so far it's given no indication the product will be sold at retail. The #SurfaceRemixProject website indicates that new remix opportunities to win the kit will be available every month for an unspecified amount of time.

Source: Indaba | Image via Microsoft