Time for round #22 of the Fretboard Composition Challenge, courtesy of me and
@TTony
Every few months there'll be a composition challenge. It revolves around individuals or groups of forum members composing or covering songs based on a set of rules or guidelines laid out for that particular challenge.
No prizes for this challenge. It's just for fun, a spur to creating, sharing, discussing music/recording and learning. Plus a way of testing the water with your creations and getting some feedback.
GUIDELINES -THEME
For this challenge, entrants need to decide on their own theme and reflect that theme in the title of their composition. Your theme/title could be something straightforward such as "Disco Rock" or you might choose to go for something off-the-wall, such as "Music For Squawking Seagulls" (which was the first thing that came into my head because I hear them a lot now we've moved to Exmouth).
Give free rein to you imagination. People will vote as they wish but you might win more votes (for example from me) for a whacky theme/title that is reflected in your composition, especially if it's funny.
Picture: In addition to the music, try to create your own picture that relates to your selected theme/title. This isn't mandatory but, as a small incentive, those that provide a picture will be awarded a free point to add to their voting score. Note the picture can be anything from a hand drawn sketch, photo, photo edit or something generated in a graphics package.
We'll try the above approach to the theme in the hope of encouraging more entries, because some seem to struggle with a set theme. If it works out, we'll stick with this approach. It also saves me the effort or trying to come up with a theme that people can work with.
DATES AND VOTING
Fretboard Challenge #22 starts NOW! - Submission deadline - Midnight 31st May 2018
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 entry with the most points wins.
Voting ends 11.30pm 14th June 2018
The order and scores of the three people with the most votes will be announced soon after the voting ends.
SUBMISSION DETAILS
All recordings and pictures need to be sent via email to Compositions@theFB.co.uk
Songs to be submitted in mp3 format.
Pictures to be in jpg or png format.
It's not a competition.
Comments
Remember, it's easier to criticise than create!
You can identify the font. Search for 'identify font' in Google and you'll find a website that does it, which I once did. I'm away from home at the moment but I could tell you the font when I get back tomorrow.
Just for info, when I wanted to create a picture using 'theFretboard' logo text I found that a font called Dessau Medium was a good match.
I missed the last round of 'of the Month' rehearsing for, playing and then recovering from my first gig in 10 years.
Hope the gig went well. I need to get back into gigging.
“Theory is something that is written down after the music has been made so we can explain it to others”– Levi Clay
Hopefully I’ll get chance to do this one as I’ve not entered in ages, though thinking up my own theme rather than writing a song then fitting the theme to that, will be tricky. Therefore in true Citizen Kane style, I shall make my statement of principles now and hopefully I’ll be able to come up with something that fits it.
I’m a huge White Stripes fan, and Jack White has long regarded the number 3 as an important number, especially in the minimalist stakes – a chair needs three legs to stand up, triangles are a strong shape, songs need tune chords and rhythm etc etc. So my theme will hopefully be around the number three:
- Three tracks on Cubase - one track for drum machine, not sure if mono or stereo (as that may be cheating?). One track for instruments, probably guitar and keys at relevant parts in the song. One track for vocals.
- Will be in three time, simple triple time, 3/4, whatever you want to call it. Never written a song in three, only classical.
- If I can make it last three minutes exactly, even better (Will work it out with bpm etc).
- I might try to use only three chords, but it won’t be a 12 bar blues don’t worry!
I’ll be glad if I gain three points in total though…
soundcloud.com/thecolourbox-1
youtube.com/@TheColourboxMusic
I have literally recorded My Own Theme.
It's the theme tune for my soon to air on BBC prime time guitar-based chat and family light entertainment show - The Flying Pie Show. The considerable budget enabled a commission for Green Day to record it but they were unable to do it due to touring comments so I did it myself instead...
I've only mentioned seagulls once and there's no singing in German this time. All recorded through a Boss GT 100 into Reaper and the artwork was made using free to use images and Logopit plus app on my phone.
soundcloud.com/thecolourbox-1
youtube.com/@TheColourboxMusic
OK that's the first one in. Unlike the other challenges I won't be posting the entries until after the deadline on 31st May.
I thought I might stick with my original 'off the top of my head' theme mentioned in the OP, so I'm off to try and record some Seagulls. But that idea for a theme might change if I get stuck and inspiration doesn't strike.
I hope the seagulls provide sufficient inspiration. That sounds like a great idea.