Voting for Solo of the Month (SotM) #97

stratman3142

Welcome to the voting thread for Solo of the Month (SotM) #97. Feel free to vote and comment in this thread.

Thanks to @fastonebaz ; for this backing track

Vote for your top 3 entries. If you're an entrant you can't vote for yourself.

1st choice gets 5 points

2nd choice gets 3 points

3rd choice gets 1 point

Voting will end at midnight 31st August 2023.

The top three will be announced after the voting closes. No prizes. It's just for fun.

You can find all the entries the playlist below:

https://soundcloud.com/thefretboard/sets/sotm97-2023-08?si=8610735d56414fb2810d18e22af7399c&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing

joeW

@digitalkettle 5 pts - made the tricky ending sound amazing 

@flying_pie  3pts - the break section was particularly well handled
@fastonebaz 1pts - excellent development and buildup but that crying bit was deeply unnerving 

the production levels of the entries was a not so gentle reminder that I need to work on mine.  
FWIW I was honking away on a big fat L5 with a .14 top e - so it did sound a bit odd esp when I tried a bend (which I never do for good reason).

digitalkettle

joeW said:

the production levels of the entries was a not so gentle reminder that I need to work on mine.  
FWIW I was honking away on a big fat L5 with a .14 top e - so it did sound a bit odd esp when I tried a bend (which I never do for good reason).

I did hear of an incident where a tanker drifted off its moorings while you were borrowing that top E string

I like to hear entries that are different to the norm...let's face it, most of us are rock-based: my entry this month had comp, two stages of gain, two delays, two reverbs...and there may have been an edit 3/4 of the way through

Keep 'em coming!

digitalkettle

5pts - @flying_pie - your kids were right Loved the tone/melody combo...big classic rock vibe with extra helpings of reverb that threatened to get out of control on more than one occasion (but didn't)
3pts - @Bellycaster - lightly overdriven tone...reminiscent of Wishbone Ash
1pt - @stratman3142 - got more and more engaged as the solo progressed...maybe the most 'digging in' I've heard from you

stratman3142

digitalkettle said:

1pt - @stratman3142 - got more and more engaged as the solo progressed...maybe the most 'digging in' I've heard from you

The effect I was going for was, to build to a climax and then lay back and have a cigarette (except I don't actually smoke)

joeW

digitalkettle said:

I did hear of an incident where a tanker drifted off its moorings while you were borrowing that top E string

I like to hear entries that are different to the norm...let's face it, most of use are rock-based: my entry this month had comp, two stages of gain, two delays, two reverbs...and there may have been an edit 3/4 of the way through

Keep 'em coming!

Out of curiosity- do you have this set up via a modeller or pedals or straight into a computer and effects via vsts?  

digitalkettle

joeW said:

digitalkettle said:

I did hear of an incident where a tanker drifted off its moorings while you were borrowing that top E string

I like to hear entries that are different to the norm...let's face it, most of use are rock-based: my entry this month had comp, two stages of gain, two delays, two reverbs...and there may have been an edit 3/4 of the way through

Keep 'em coming!

Out of curiosity- do you have this set up via a modeller or pedals or straight into a computer and effects via vsts?  

Sometimes, I will DI straight in and use one of the Neural DSP plugins that I've got.

This particular recording was through my 'messing about' pedalboard which features a Simplifier (actually the DLX version which is now in Classifieds). It's a full board of pedals, some upfront, and some running stereo in the Simplifier's effects loop. The output runs through a Boomerang Looper (which I probably should've removed before recording). So that whole setup is 
a bit more spontaneous with slightly more noise...and there's some tap tempo available but nothing is perfectly sync'd (which is probably a good thing).

Then there'll always be some mix effects in the DAW.

I never record using a real amp.

flying_pie

@joeW if you're interested here's my setup. In real life it's less complicated than when written down.

I essentially use a real amp but don't mic it up.

My pedalboard is a Boss GT100 in 4 cable method with a Victory Kraken pre-amp and a Mooer Radar IR loader pedal, which is the same as an amp with emulated out. I only use the GT for effects and have the amp sims turned off.

I use the GT100 as an interface via the USB. I have a selection of IRs in the Radar. Although it's easy to record a dry signal and reamp with this setup I prefer to have my intended recorded sound in place first.

There's EQ,  light reverb and often delay already in place in the GT but I might add more in REAPER for extra soul and talent. This month there was definitely extra reverb and delay

flying_pie

And here are my top 3. Hard to choose as always and any could have featured

5 points @digitalkettle - am I right in thinking that the fast section was perhaps inspired by a certain Marty Freedman solo in the same key? Great job all round

3 points @Bellycaster for a great large bird inspired tone and approach

1 point @fastonebaz - lovely melody and approach with the right amount of shed. Didn't need the crying gimmick and could have been higher in the list if that was omitted 

digitalkettle

flying_pie said:

...
5 points @digitalkettle - am I right in thinking that the fast section was perhaps inspired by a certain Marty Freedman solo in the same key?
... 

No actually...although I do like a 'quote' here and there
Which tune is that? I'll give it a listen.
Tbh, Chris Poland is my favourite Megadeth guy.

flying_pie

digitalkettle said:

flying_pie said:

...
5 points @digitalkettle - am I right in thinking that the fast section was perhaps inspired by a certain Marty Freedman solo in the same key?
... 

No actually...although I do like a 'quote' here and there
Which tune is that? I'll give it a listen.
Tbh, Chris Poland is my favourite Megadeth guy.

Tornado of Souls is the song in question. I thought that your fast part into the descending lick n the break was perhaps inspired by that solo.

And "quotes" are an essential part of any solo. I think it should be a prosecutable offence not to include one in any 'original" solo.

I only knowingly used one that was very subtle, short and from a different Pink Floyd song on the same album as the really famous one that fits this backing track

digitalkettle

flying_pie said:

digitalkettle said:

flying_pie said:

...
5 points @digitalkettle - am I right in thinking that the fast section was perhaps inspired by a certain Marty Freedman solo in the same key?
... 

No actually...although I do like a 'quote' here and there
Which tune is that? I'll give it a listen.
Tbh, Chris Poland is my favourite Megadeth guy.

Tornado of Souls is the song in question. I thought that your fast part into the descending lick n the break was perhaps inspired by that solo.

And "quotes" are an essential part of any solo. I think it should be a prosecutable offence not to include one in any 'original" solo.

I only knowingly used one that was very subtle, short and from a different Pink Floyd song on the same album as the really famous one that fits this backing track

Ah...that solo! I keep getting a feeling that I should have a go at it...bit chewy though

flying_pie

digitalkettle said:

flying_pie said:

Tornado of Souls is the song in question

Ah...that solo! I keep getting a feeling that I should have a go at it...bit chewy though

Yes. That solo.

Definitely one of those ones to put in the "maybe one day but not now as there are other things to do instead" folder

fastonebaz

In my head this backing tracking was about two people having an argument with a climax and then them staring quietly at the scene in the aftermath.

5pts @stratman3142 I found myself getting goosebumps the first listen through.  I felt there was a real passionate honesty in every note.

3pts @flying_pie very tasty phrasing and huge juicy wet tonez.

1pt @Bezzer I loved the mahoosive bend at 12s and i could visualise two people having a crazy unpredictable argument. 

Great playing by everyone  

fastonebaz

joeW said:

@digitalkettle 5 pts - made the tricky ending sound amazing 

@flying_pie  3pts - the break section was particularly well handled
@fastonebaz 1pts - excellent development and buildup but that crying bit was deeply unnerving 

the production levels of the entries was a not so gentle reminder that I need to work on mine.  
FWIW I was honking away on a big fat L5 with a .14 top e - so it did sound a bit odd esp when I tried a bend (which I never do for good reason).

I'm pleased with that.   I spent a while lining up where the Crying starting to make it most jarring.  Kept catching me out too when I listened back in the car as it gave me a brief icy blast of shock  

digitalkettle

fastonebaz said:

I'm pleased with that.   I spent a while lining up where the Crying starting to make it most jarring.  Kept catching me out too when I listened back in the car as it gave me a brief icy blast of shock  

Where did the recording come from?

stratman3142

fastonebaz said:

In my head this backing tracking was about two people having an argument with a climax and then them staring quietly at the scene in the aftermath...

Similar here, except I was thinking about sex

stratman3142

5 points : @flying_pie ;; : Epic, one might even say grandiose. I can imagine you standing on top of a castle, with a billowing cape, playing that solo.

3 points : @fastonebaz ;; : Has a bit of everything. melody, guitar harmonies, great build to shreddiness. Not sure about the crying bit, or did you hurt your fingers with all that shredding?

1 points : @digitalkettle ;; : Great ideas as usual. You create guitar textures and well as melodies. As always, you keep things interesting.

fastonebaz

digitalkettle said:

fastonebaz said:

I'm pleased with that.   I spent a while lining up where the Crying starting to make it most jarring.  Kept catching me out too when I listened back in the car as it gave me a brief icy blast of shock  

Where did the recording come from?

I just told my wife I was buying another guitar  

flying_pie

stratman3142 said:

5 points : @flying_pie ;;; : Epic, one might even say grandiose. I can imagine you standing on top of a castle, with a billowing cape, playing that solo.

Drat. I was going for standing atop of an epic, rugged natural rock formation wearing a sarong... Fail...

The less glamorous reality was sat on an IKEA stool in a shed wearing t-shirt and shorts, although the door was open and there probably was a gentle breeze

stratman3142

Voting closes tonight at midnight.