Raw Riff of the Month (RRotM) #36 - Chat

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stratman3142stratman3142 Frets: 2177
edited May 2018 in Making Music
Here's the 36th RAW Riff of the Month (R http:// RotM) Challenge, being run by @stratman3142 and @TTony.

The challenge is now open, and remains open for submissions until 11:30pm on 23rd May 2018.

RAW Riff of the Month (RRotm) is different to the other (RotM) riff challenge because you are only allowed to submit a recording with one layer of guitar, but you can use standard guitar effects such as wah, distortion, delay, modulation etc. This is all about one amazing riff and nothing else. 

All you have to do is ...
Write a riff.
Record it with one layer of guitar (standard guitar effects are also permitted)
Keep it to a maximum of 50 seconds. This is about riffs, not songs.

Send your entry (as an mp3) to riffs@theFB.co.uk
Include your forum name in the email.


Voting will start soon after the submission deadline of 23rd May 2018, 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
Voting will end on 11.30pm 30th May 2018
The order and scores of the top three entries will be announced soon after the voting ends. If there are 8 or more entries, then the order and scores of those in the top half will be announced.

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.

https://soundcloud.com/thefretboard/sets/rrotm36-2018-05


It's not a competition.
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Comments

  • bingefellerbingefeller Frets: 5723
    Senticles!
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  • stratman3142stratman3142 Frets: 2177
    edited May 2018
    Senticles!

    Done mine as well, so there are two in the playlist in the original post. I couldn't think of a title so I quickly stole a title idea from the @bingefeller track.

    It's not a competition.
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  • flying_pieflying_pie Frets: 1806
    Sent with Uninspired title avoiding another date based pun 
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  • stratman3142stratman3142 Frets: 2177
    Sent with Uninspired title avoiding another date based pun 

    Added to playlist

    It's not a competition.
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  • bingefellerbingefeller Frets: 5723
    Sent with Uninspired title avoiding another date based pun 
    What date based puns?!!
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  • bingefellerbingefeller Frets: 5723
    How do you guys compose your riffs so they only last 50 seconds?  

    I had to re-record mine twice, with the tempo increasing each time, so it fitted into the 50 seconds.
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  • flying_pieflying_pie Frets: 1806
    How do you guys compose your riffs so they only last 50 seconds?  

    I had to re-record mine twice, with the tempo increasing each time, so it fitted into the 50 seconds.
    This is about a riff. It only needs a couple of playthroughs to get the idea of where it's going. I always try to remember that most great riffs are to the point and often established after a few bars. You don't need to listen 50 seconds of Back In Black to get the idea.

    It's hard because you feel you should to give riffs context. I find that tricker in ROTM than with the single track. 

    And if all else fails I just fade things out before 50 seconds regardless of what's happening. I could really have made mine shorter (and more inspired) but I just wanted to submit something as I've got lots to deal with this month. 

    BTW your riff is great. Instantly catchy. You could easily fade out around 30 secs as we've already "got it"
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  • steamabacussteamabacus Frets: 1258
    edited May 2018
    I generally just do a fade out too. I'm not sure I do much 'composing' either - I just sit down with a looper and see what comes out.

    When riff of the month first started it was 30 seconds and it was difficult to even get twice through a riff at the tempos I tend to play at (not as young as I was, haha) so it was increased to 50 seconds.
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  • bingefellerbingefeller Frets: 5723
    How do you guys compose your riffs so they only last 50 seconds?  

    I had to re-record mine twice, with the tempo increasing each time, so it fitted into the 50 seconds.
    This is about a riff. It only needs a couple of playthroughs to get the idea of where it's going. I always try to remember that most great riffs are to the point and often established after a few bars. You don't need to listen 50 seconds of Back In Black to get the idea.

    It's hard because you feel you should to give riffs context. I find that tricker in ROTM than with the single track. 

    And if all else fails I just fade things out before 50 seconds regardless of what's happening. I could really have made mine shorter (and more inspired) but I just wanted to submit something as I've got lots to deal with this month. 

    BTW your riff is great. Instantly catchy. You could easily fade out around 30 secs as we've already "got it"


    Thanks mate. 

    I've learnt something there - I was trying to compose my riffs to specifically fit in the 50 second time frame, now I can just play away and start fading out so it cuts off at 50 seconds.

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  • flying_pieflying_pie Frets: 1806
    I see. I hadn't considered the challenge of composing a 50 second riff. No wonder you were finding it tricky!

    FWIW 25 bars of 4/4 time at 120 bpm should work out as precisely 50 seconds if my maths are correct and you're not using reverb on the last beat. You could try that next month if you want... ;)
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  • steamabacussteamabacus Frets: 1258

    FWIW 25 bars of 4/4 time at 120 bpm should work out as precisely 50 seconds if my maths are correct and you're not using reverb on the last beat. You could try that next month if you want... ;)
    That's twice round a twelve-bar blues with a bar to spare. Almost a tune. ;)
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  • flying_pieflying_pie Frets: 1806
    @steamabacus 50 seconds is a whole Napalm Death album... 
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  • stratman3142stratman3142 Frets: 2177
    ...and one from @DulcetJones makes that 4 entries.

    It's not a competition.
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  • stratman3142stratman3142 Frets: 2177
     Last weekend before the challenge ends at 11:30pm on Wednesday 23rd May 2018.

    It's not a competition.
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  • stratman3142stratman3142 Frets: 2177
    Entry closes tonight at 11.30pm.
    It's not a competition.
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  • steamabacussteamabacus Frets: 1258
    Entered.
    :bz
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  • stratman3142stratman3142 Frets: 2177
    Entered.
    :bz
    Bringing it to 5 entries.

    Entry now closed.
    It's not a competition.
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