Solo of the Month (SotM) #102 - Challenge

stratman3142

The challenge is now open and ends at midnight 24th January 2024

Discussion:

Thanks to @susbemol for this backing track.

It's a bit of a tricky one

You can download the backing track from Soundcloud below:

https://soundcloud.com/thefretboard/sotm102-susbemol-vinnies-gaff?si=5f0c3a48eb604069a0a2c163603aa4c9&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing

Track Info:

https://i.imgur.com/NgMd83V.png

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.

There should be headroom to record your solo. Try to set a level without excessive master limiting, because we want to avoid 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/sotm102-2024-01?si=a4d044b532ae4021be6f7ff0e1aa62ed&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing

fastonebaz

Tricky indeed  I might have something at 11.59pm 24th Jan.   

DrCornelius

Blimey what a fantastic track - looking forward to seeing what the gang can do with that one !

susbemol

For anyone interested, there is a little ritardando in the penultimate bar with the BPM going from 115 down to 102. The last bar stays at 102.

If you think it could be of use, a REAPER project with the backing track and markers can be downloaded from here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1GGyz10zrPwXGTEE1WJllRhJEHFw-nvdT/view?usp=sharing

stratman3142

It's proving difficult for me to hear flowing melodies through this one. At the moment it just sounds like I'm stringing together a bunch of notes lifted from arpeggios. My imagination is too unsophisticated

susbemol

I'm certain that there are others here much more qualified than me to offer suggestions but something I find helpful is to try and feel the groove first, specially when it's odd. That is the most important thing to begin with and the reason I decided to include one way of counting the 7 beats in the intro (i.e. sub-dividing it as 1 2, 1 2, 1 2 3).

Once I'm getting comfortable with that, I like to try singing some ideas over it (without playing any other instruments). It's surprising how often this ends up taking me places that I might not have gone otherwise.

It is definitely worth thinking about how much space there is for the listener to digest what they have just heard you play. Miles Davis is credited with saying:  "It's not the notes you play, it's the notes you don't play." Sounds a bit cheesy but I think there probably is something in that for everyone, specially guitarists!

I hope people will manage to find creative ways to have fun with it, one way or another. I really didn't mean for it to be too difficult and definitely not off-putting.

stratman3142

@susbemol it's definitely not off-putting. I like a challenge. It's a fantastic backing track.

fastonebaz

I played all the notes on my guitar and haven't found one that fits yet.   Will keep trying   

maharg101

Oooh looking forward to hearing what people come up with for this one !

stratman3142

susbemol said:

...Once I'm getting comfortable with that, I like to try singing some ideas over it (without playing any other instruments). It's surprising how often this ends up taking me places that I might not have gone otherwise...

Lots of good advice @susbemol ;, which is what makes these challenges so worthwhile.

Picking up on the above point, I don't sing, but I hear/imagine stuff in my head without playing. But this backing track is a case of me not having the vocabulary and imagination to fully navigate the changes. Knowing your stuff from the early Reaper days, I think you've got the Jazz vocabulary to hear and imagine stuff through complex changes.

I'll aim to get by using a combination of theory plus trial and error, to extend what I'm capable of imagining. This one is probably going to be a 'monkeys and typewriters' approach for me

fastonebaz

I've got a work in progress underway now, just need to finalise it.  

fastonebaz

Sent one in.

fastonebaz

I struggled to find a scale mode or any licks that fitted so I focused on learning the chords and played along with those for a while to pick out some notes and working where I could create my own melody sections.  Then just went for it 100 times.

Was a single take.  Chain was:

Main solo:

> Feline Gothic Bridge pickup Bare Knuckle Emerald

> Bias FX2 > (Plexi + Greenback 25s and JCM800 + V30s) dual amps > EQ > Room Reverb

Fed to 2nd channel:

> offset by a few ms

> pan slightly right

> Disable reverb

> Aegean Pitchproof 5th harmony

Solo Bus:

> TDR Nova EQ

> TDR Kotelnikov Compression

Master:

> TDR Nova Dynamic compression

> TAL Reverb 4

> ReaLimiter

stratman3142

fastonebaz said:

Sent one in.

One from @fastonebaz in the playlist, who's set the bar somewhat high  

I think I might be limbo dancing under the bar on this one, rather than trying to get over it

digitalkettle

stratman3142 said:

fastonebaz said:

Sent one in.

One from @fastonebaz in the playlist, who's set the bar somewhat high  

I think I might be limbo dancing under the bar on this one, rather than trying to get over it

It's all gone a bit Fripp/Belew!

fastonebaz

stratman3142 said:

fastonebaz said:

Sent one in.

One from @fastonebaz in the playlist, who's set the bar somewhat high  

I think I might be limbo dancing under the bar on this one, rather than trying to get over it

I'm sure everyone will be along in a minute with some proper Jazzy funk playing  

I seem to recall @Rowby1 was a great Jazzer, maybe this would be a great track for them? 

flying_pie

I'm afraid I've got loads to do with the next cover challenge and riff of the month as a priority.... Yeah... That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it...

I might end up having a beer one night and submitting something dire but while I've happy writing riffs in 7/8 I can't get my head around that for solos. It's always been clear to me why Money and Them Bones switch to 4/4 for the guitar solos

Lewy

This is a great challenge and it’s certainly forcing me to be more compositional rather than blowing. I’ve got 6 bars sorted so far!

Rowby1

@fastonebaz not really a jazzer, most of my attempts at jazz involve me deciding which bum notes I can live with

I will have a listen later, see if I can get inspired this month. 

maharg101

Sent one in. P90s and a wah pedal. Took a lot of working out, and much trial and error, as this is definitely well outside of my comfort zone. Great track @susbemol !

I'm off to soak my fingertips in surgical spirit now

stratman3142

maharg101 said:

Sent one in...

Got it.

There might be a delay in uploading stuff until later in the week.