Thread: Guitar Showdown Anyone?

Well ranma187.. I downloaded it, but just could not get any sound out of it..

??

Originally Posted by Oneiro

Well ranma187.. I downloaded it, but just could not get any sound out of it..

??

I'm gettin sound

I'll try again..

Okay ranma.. I got sound.. nice growly tone.. although metal is not really my thing.. but good musicianship nonetheless.. well done!

But as far as originality goes, it's still pj's first that does it for me..

Originally Posted by Oneiro

I'll try again..

Okay ranma.. I got sound.. nice growly tone.. although metal is not really my thing.. but good musicianship nonetheless.. well done!

But as far as originality goes, it's still pj's first that does it for me..

Although it is important to remember (though you've probably voted by now?) that this week's contest is not based on originality.

Well.. I couldn't split the entries regarding musicianship.. so that's why I went for originality.

Originally Posted by Oneiro

Well.. I couldn't split the entries regarding musicianship.. so that's why I went for originality.

K.

...so what's the next task. :p

You know - Ranma's One Minute entry gave me an interesting idea...

How about a 30 second submission of anything - so long as it is complete? by that I mean not just a segment of something larger, but rather a complete composition, riff, progression, song, etc?

I think it would be a blast writing a 30 second composition. That guy who shows up in my sig every once in a while, Steve Poltz, released an entire album of 30 second songs, all composed for his phone answering machine. The album was reported to have been a favorite of Neil Young's.

It would sure cut down on the bandwidth problems for those with dialup!

180bpm... 90 beats to play with. Yeah!

Hey all -been away from DV for most of the weekend so I'm a bit behnd on the latest entries and scoop.

PJ: Awesome stuff man! The first one get's respect from me because jazz is just one of those things I just can't get a handle on - I just can't figure out what the structure of it is, what patterns make it 'jazz'. I spoke to a jazz piano player once who was playing some awesome stuff, and I asked him how one knows which chords to drop in where and after what and I couldn't really get a straight answer. I guess it's mostly improvisation and a knowledge of what something will sound like before you actually play it. I've composed some jazzy pieces in the past, but I have to admit that most of the structure was made up of 'happy accidents' and combinations that just happened to sound right.

As far as enjoyment, though, that second one really got me. I tend to enjoy pieces of that 'style' I guess. Not sure how to explain it, it's like where the instrument is playing all the parts (like an entire orchestra) - rhythm, melody, etc.

TJ's you can tell by all the open strings he strategically places all through his composition - that requires going wherever the notes are on the strings you aren't letting ring

Yup, if you're not carefull you'll end up with pretzel fingers! Fortunately, I capped the neck up somewhat high, so the frets were much closer. What - it's NOT cheating!! LOL!

Oneironaut: I can't watch YouTube stuff from work, but I'll check it out when I get home tonight for sure. It sounds like there's a bunch of stuff you incorporated in the piece. The pick squeal thing is something that you'll get the feel for- not necessarily something you have to think about. Sometimes it's a matter of adjusting how you hold the pick that can make a big difference.

Originally Posted by Oneironaut

What sucks is that, when I'd gotten the squeal right, I would mess up later in the song and have to start all over again.

LOL! Yup, happens with me too. It's like you're coming up to a specific part and you start getting nervous, so you focus on that one part coming up, then when you perform it you temporarily 'blank out' the following portion, then fuck up one of the easiest parts!

Ranma, no luck so far downloading yours. I'm wondering if it's being hosted on a site that's being blocked here at work. Will try again from home.

Originally Posted by pj

You know - Ranma's One Minute entry gave me an interesting idea...

How about a 30 second submission of anything - so long as it is complete? by that I mean not just a segment of something larger, but rather a complete composition, riff, progression, song, etc?

I think it would be a blast writing a 30 second composition. That guy who shows up in my sig every once in a while, Steve Poltz, released an entire album of 30 second songs, all composed for his phone answering machine. The album was reported to have been a favorite of Neil Young's.

It would sure cut down on the bandwidth problems for those with dialup!

180bpm... 90 beats to play with. Yeah!

Would it have to be an original piece...because I barely know anything about composition.

Originally Posted by pj

Oneironaut: I can't watch YouTube stuff from work, but I'll check it out when I get home tonight for sure. It sounds like there's a bunch of stuff you incorporated in the piece. The pick squeal thing is something that you'll get the feel for- not necessarily something you have to think about. Sometimes it's a matter of adjusting how you hold the pick that can make a big difference.

LOL! Yup, happens with me too. It's like you're coming up to a specific part and you start getting nervous, so you focus on that one part coming up, then when you perform it you temporarily 'blank out' the following portion, then fuck up one of the easiest parts!

Yeah, I've noticed that I seem to do the squeal a lot better when I just kind of do it, and not think about it. It just flows. But then, sometimes after I do it, I'm thinking "oh, shit, I did it!" and then my brain shuts down and, like you said, I screw up later. Lol. It sucks, but I'm getting a handle on it.

Originally Posted by Tornado Joe

. . . jazz is just one of those things I just can't get a handle on - I just can't figure out what the structure of it is, what patterns make it 'jazz'. I spoke to a jazz piano player once who was playing some awesome stuff, and I asked him how one knows which chords to drop in where and after what and I couldn't really get a straight answer. I guess it's mostly improvisation and a knowledge of what something will sound like before you actually play it.

Yeah - jazz is a lot of things, including staggeringly complicated. It is a language, and a difficult one.

I have aspired to playing jazz my whole life - been playing guitar since six years old... but only a couple years ago finally made the commitment to jazz. Not surprisingly, that commitment took me right back to the very basics of music theory and guitar - all stuff I thought I knew but didn't know at a conversational level.

It is a GREAT joy though! I can't tell you how it is re-inspired me in all the styles of playing I do and all the instruments I play. I'm still just barely competent at the Real Book chords... getting better every day. The improvisation side of things is the real kick, especially when you start getting into comping and chord-melody. If you have to think about what you're doing, you really can't do it - just like trying to think about every letter in every word as you are trying to do an extemporaneous speech - you'd be stymied. You have to KNOW all that shit, but you CANNOT be thinking about it at that level - which means knowing it just like you know any language you are fluent in.

I love jazz. Can you tell? I'm also really enjoying being a newbie at something like this at the ripe old age of 47.

Oh - and there are VERY standard harmonic cliches... there are just so many variations on them that it takes some effort to learn to hear them. That and most jazz standards change key centers every other bar or so...

Originally Posted by Oneironaut

Would it have to be an original piece...because I barely know anything about composition.

That's why I said a riff or progression - just a complete "idea".

Just tossing the idea out for discussion... don't want to come up with something everybody's not going to be up for.

Originally Posted by pj

That's why I said a riff or progression - just a complete "idea".

Just tossing the idea out for discussion... don't want to come up with something everybody's not going to be up for.

Ok.

Hi chaps..

So.. being fed up that you blokes are having all the fun, I'm gradually getting teched-up so that I can join in.. I've got my DI from amp to PC sorted out, but am finding Windows built-in Sound Recorder extremely limiting..as I'm sure you already know.

I googled for free sound recording suite downloads, and there are literally thousands of them.. so has anyone here got any recommendations for a free download..? My budget is tight, so if I can get a good free one, that would be great..

But also, if anyone has a recommendation for a cheapish recording suite, I'd like to hear about that also..

Thanks.

Check out Reaper - it's all the rage, and uncrippled demo.

http://www.reaper.fm/download.php

If you want to talk to a whole community of folk who have been switching over to it, check out AudioMinds.com

Audacity is a good one, too.

Thanks a lot pj and O..

pj? I think I have to learn to walk before I run.. so I've gone for Audacity, as well as the fact that it's free!

So.. what's the next task gonna be? 30 second composition?

Sounds good to me..

.. and O? If the composition part worries you, just jam for 30 secs.. I'd love to hear that.

Looking forward to it guys..

Originally Posted by Oneiro

Thanks a lot pj and O..

pj? I think I have to learn to walk before I run.. so I've gone for Audacity, as well as the fact that it's free!

Was going to mention that one. It's a solid recorder, but challenging if you want to multi-track. It is also a faboo editor.

So.. what's the next task gonna be? 30 second composition?

Sounds good to me..

.. and O? If the composition part worries you, just jam for 30 secs.. I'd love to hear that.

I would argue that a 30 second jam IS a composition. O - just break out some chops and arrange 30 seconds worth in a logical way.

I find that working with restrictions like this some times brings out some surprising twists and turns that we wouldn't be stumbling across with more freedom.

Its good to see things going well.

Don't forget who's in charge of this *shakes fists*

I will be sorting out this weeks challenge some time tonight.

Its a good one this week.

Too late - looks like Oneiro already took over.

Now you two will have to have a personal battle to sort this out. So... what'll it be? Acapella shred solos?

Fine then. I suppose Oneiro might as well own the competition then.

Originally Posted by Lucid Seeker

Fine then. I suppose Oneiro might as well own the competition then.

Hehe. I think he was joking, LS.

What did you have in mind for the competition? If you don't think you can do challenges, in the future, just let me know and I will fill in, but I'm not taking the competition away from you.

Hey LS? I don't wanna take over anything! As the instigator of this thread, I still look to you for sorting out the theme of the week.. I'm just an acolyte, man!

So LS.. what's it to be this week? (But I do like pj's 30 second suggestion).

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You guys do what you want, i've had enough of this stuff.