Solo of the Month (SotM) #58 - Challenge

stratman3142

This is the 58th solo of the Month (SotM) Challenge.

The challenge is now open ends at midnight 24th March 2020. updated to 23rd April 2020.

This month's backing track is kindly provided by @Bellycaster. You can download it from Soundcloud below

https://soundcloud.com/thefretboard/sotm58-2020-03-synthier 

Record your solo over the top of it and then submit it (ideally in mp3 format) to solos@theFB.co.uk
Also, feel free to comment on how you approached the solo, which will add a bit more interest and maybe we can learn something from each other.

Discussion: Details below are provided by @Bellycaster. I'll also include a discussion of the track (provided by @Viz) in a subsequent post.

Title: Synthier

Tempo: 140 bpm (corrected previously stated tempo of 137)

Chords: 
Intro 
Bb/C (8X876X) x 2 hits

 
Main Section
D Maj to A min9(X05500) x 2 cycles
 
F Maj7, E min7, F Maj7, A Maj (X07650)
 
D maj to A min9 x 2 cycles
 
Bb Maj7, A min7, Bb Maj7, Bb/C
 
Resolves to D Maj.

The backing track has some headroom to add your solos. Add your solo and (as a guideline) try to avoid boosting the overall level beyond that if possible. That way the entries should be at roughly the same level and we won't get into loudness wars.

Voting will start soon after the submission deadline, with each voter selecting their 1st, 2nd and 3rd choice.

First choice gets 5 points - Second choice gets 3 points - Third choice gets 1 point

The order and scores of the top three entries will be announced soon after the voting ends.

No prizes. It's just for fun.

As people submit their entries, I'll post them below to hopefully promote some discussion on approaches used for the solo:

https://soundcloud.com/thefretboard/sets/sotm58-2020-03

stratman3142

@Bellycaster asked for some analysis of the track so I decided to ask an expert. 

The following analysis is very generously provided by @viz ;

The way to describe it would be that it’s in D major; however it’s peppered with borrowed chords; almost every chord is borrowed from D minor. That’s what makes this progression cool. 

The intro is a bVI / bVII compound chord, both elements of which are borrowed from D minor

Then it goes to the D (I chord) and that lovely Am (v chord), borrowed from D minor.

Then in the first “verse”, it’s F-Em-F-A, which is bIII, ii, bIII, V. The F is borrowed from D minor; the Em
works in D major AND D minor, and the V is actually consistent with D major (though minor keys do
often deploy a major V chord!)

The second verse is made up of the bVI, bVII, the compound of the two, and the v again - all borrowed
from D minor.

So the whole effect is that we have a piece that spends the majority of its time in D minor, however as
the tonic’s a D major, it’s in D major! So we get a thoughtful mood running all the way through the
piece, but is always lightened by that major tonic. 

(You could say it’s in D Mixolydian; this stops the bVII and v chords from being borrowed).

mudslide73

Very lovely - Thoughtful, hopeful and thrusting at the same time. It's so nice it's almost a shame to put guitars on. 

stratman3142

Done mine. It's in the playlist on the original post.

Modellista

An excellent track, this will take a lot of thought!

I'm getting 140bpm by the way.

stratman3142

Modellista said:

...I'm getting 140bpm by the way.

I believe you are correct. I'll edit the tempo stated in the original post.

Bellycaster

Glad you like the track, thanks guys! I have put in some Guitar in the backing track @mudslide73 although subtle, after all, it would be illegal not to 

Sorry about the BPM, I was messing around with it, trying to shorten it's duration. I think I did have it at 137 and then forgot I'd rounded it up to 140 (just checked)

You've set the standard there @stratman3142 I'm looking forward to hearing everyone's solos for this. I've done nowt as of yet 

Bellycaster

Regarding the track, I suppose it's just like me to come up with something that then perplexes me as to what Key it belongs in. Thanks to @viz for his marvellous musical Brain. 

I don't know if I originally intended it for a ROTM, I just had an idea and it was originally intended to be a more ballad like, clean Guitar tone with Keys melody until I went through a few Synth Sounds in HALion Sonic and found that particular one.

soma1975

Great track. Feel like it needs some out of the box thinking. 

Soz for ducking out last month. 

fastonebaz

Sent one in.

I was thinking of a keyboard vibe and found a octave pedal in my FX toolkit and compressed it with a slow release which overall made the old 6 string sound a bit like a keyboard.  So, i cranked it to 11 and went for it. 

stratman3142

fastonebaz said:

Sent one in.

That make two entries in the playlist in the original post.

Bellycaster

Sent mine in.

fastonebaz

@stratman3142 is my backing track too loud?  Sounds fine in my monitors but too loud in my tiny ear buds. 

stratman3142

Bellycaster said:

Sent mine in.

Added to playlist. That makes 3.

stratman3142

fastonebaz said:

@stratman3142 is my backing track too loud?  Sounds fine in my monitors but too loud in my tiny ear buds. 

Sounds OK on my system. It cuts through while allowing the backing track to be heard. But it's a personal taste thing. I generally prefer solos (and vocals) to cut through without being too loud, otherwise it weakens the overall power of the track. 

If you're not sure you can send a different mix.

Bellycaster

Just resent mine, I got Baz's bug and decided my Guitar is too high in the mix. Sorry for the inconvenience.

soma1975

Resent is a bit strong mate. it's great. 

stratman3142

Bellycaster said:

Just resent mine, I got Baz's bug and decided my Guitar is too high in the mix. Sorry for the inconvenience.

Playlist updated with latest version.

Bellycaster

soma1975 said:

Resent is a bit strong mate. it's great. 

Those pesky Hyphens (That I forgot)   

stratman3142

Any suggestions for next month's backing track? Or does anyone want to provide one?

Otherwise I might go with a backing track style similar to the one at the link below.
https://thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/comment/2464805/#Comment_2464805

fastonebaz

Something like Julie London's "Cry me a river"?