GT Solo Assignment - July 2008

[equator]

Hi Guys.

This month we have a very straight forward backing track with a Latin flavor to it.

Tempo: 130 bpm
Key: D minor.
Chord Progression: Dm7.….Bbmaj7.…..A7.…../……
Panning: All the instruments are panned mostly to the sides so you can use the center.
[(50 - 100) % Left] and [(50 - 100) % Right] are also available.
Scales to use: Minor, Harmonic Minor, Minor Pentatonic.


Right click and Save as… (http://c.ilike.com/d/0000/243/0000243915.mp3?fn=Fredi%20Bravo-Latin%20Backing%20Track..mp3)


Have fun.
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[light487]

Hey.. thanks for that. I've just woken up from a huge night out so I'm feeling a bit sketchy right now.. hehe.. I can host the file on my web-server too if needed I have 1TB bandwidth per month allowance.. lol..

I'm still not quite ready to listen to a new track yet, still want to finish the June one first.

EDIT: I've downloaded and also hosting as well:

Right-Click and Save As... (http://music.lukeparsons.info/GuitarTricks/Fredi Bravo-Latin Backing Track..mp3)

[light487]

You sure it's D minor? I had a little fiddle with it this morning and when I tried playing a basic F Major scale over it to find all the notes I can use, it sounded wrong. I fiddled around some more and can't seem to find the Major key that it is relative to.. may be I just confused myself.

I did play the D minor pentatonic which sounded fine but I like to mix things up a little rather than stay in one spot, so I really like to know the Major scale as well.

Man.. my weather thing, on my computer, just updated and it's freezing point outside right now. 0 degrees C .. (-32 F) Brrrrrrr!

[equator]

Yeah, it's in the key of D minor.

The chord progression includes an A dominant 7 which allows you to resolve to the key center. ( Dm )

Because of the Dominant chord, the scale that best fits is the Harmonic minor.

But in Music Theory there is no " Harmonic minor key "...instead you place a minor key signature and the raised seventh appears as an accidental.

The F major scale that you were using has a natural C note, whereas the D Harmonic minor has a C#.

Most of the notes of the scale you were playing fit, just make sure to play the C# over the A7 chord.


.

[Silimtao]

Santana's in the house! Very nice equator!

[Silimtao]

I dunno why this has a major feel to it. Maybe cuz I'm still catching my breath from Light's track. And of course I'm having trouble with the Toneport- it may not be too late to trade it in for the stealthplug. I just can't find my groove on this yet.

I usually hear the minor triad in a Maj7 chord, but for some reason, it's feeling major to me right now.

[maestro shaz]

Hey guys...

I havent been on for a while....

I hope I can try to get something in for this month....

Cheers

[equator]

Hi guys.
I recorded my take yesterday and did the mixing job this morning.

The rhythm and the melodies take me in a journey back to South America, so I decided to title it
“The Traveler“

Gear: Fender Strat -> Line 6 Spider II 15 amp -> Xenyx 802 mixer -> laptop.


Right click on the link and Save as…

equator (http://c.ilike.com/d/0000/248/0000248523.mp3?fn=Fredi%20Bravo-The%20Traveler.mp3)


Enjoy. :)


.

[WrigglerUk]

Equator - Excellent track - really bouncy! Just had one listen to your take, nice one!

Only had half an hour to throw this together before I leave again... work work work!

Rough bit of classical nylon guitar - nothing to write home about, I may come back if I have time.

WrigglerUk (http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page_songInfo.cfm?bandID=665652&songID=6691800)

[equator]

WrigglerUk. Glad you liked the BT.
You did a good job in such a short time.
Your acoustic guitar sounds good too; maybe you should consider bringing the volume of the guitar track down just a bit, about (-0.8 dB).

Other than that, your take sounds pretty good.
Cheers. :)

[WrigglerUk]

Thanks for the kind words! I've reduced the level of the guitar track a little, not too sure if it's had the right effect or not, the original is still there for comparison.

WrigglerUk (quieter!) (http://soundclick.com/share?songid=6701219)

[mpaq]

Here's my July submission.....

mpaq July 08 (http://www.soundclick.com/bands/default.cfm?bandID=789879&content=music)

[equator]

WrigglerUk. That is a much better mix. :cool:

mpaq. I liked your tone choice a lot. Some cool ideas and panning experiments too.
Just two things that could be done to improve your take to make it sound better:

1. Making sure that the bended notes are bent to the right pitch.
2. To stress the correct notes so they match the chords being played in the backing. Make sense?

I hope you don’t take it in the wrong way bro. Just giving you my respectful opinion. :)


.

[mpaq]

WrigglerUk. That is a much better mix. :cool:

mpaq. I liked your tone choice a lot. Some cool ideas and panning experiments too.
Just two things that could be done to improve your take to make it sound better:

1. Making sure that the bended notes are bent to the right pitch.
2. To stress the correct notes so they match the chords being played in the backing. Make sense?

I hope you don’t take it in the wrong way bro. Just giving you my respectful opinion. :)


.

Absolutely no offence taken..thats why i post here. Thanks much for your helpful advice. Im still not at the stage where i am conciously applying any real degree of theory, i just play what comes to me. Im trying to train myself to transcribe but i get so little time to play, i find when i do i just want to have some fun. Discipline is tough, the theory part doesnt come naturally to me.....

[Silimtao]

I'm trying to get something out, but time has been really tough this month. I see someone used a nylon string- at first, I was thinking of using a steel string acoustic/electric, but that may seem like I'm stealing someone else's idea- I haven't listened to anyones work yet, as I don't want to be influenced. I'm just beginning to learn Ableton, but I may have to resort to Audacity again. There's been an incredible heat wave here in the northeast, and the necks on a couple of my guitars have warped, and I've been spending time adjust the truss rods and getting the intonation right again. Well, I have about 10 days. Hope to have something in. Great work on the BT equator!

[mpaq]

I'm trying to get something out, but time has been really tough this month. I see someone used a nylon string- at first, I was thinking of using a steel string acoustic/electric, but that may seem like I'm stealing someone else's idea- I haven't listened to anyones work yet, as I don't want to be influenced. I'm just beginning to learn Ableton, but I may have to resort to Audacity again. There's been an incredible heat wave here in the northeast, and the necks on a couple of my guitars have warped, and I've been spending time adjust the truss rods and getting the intonation right again. Well, I have about 10 days. Hope to have something in. Great work on the BT equator!

Go ahead and play whatever/however you want...the whole point of this thread is to share ideas, not claim them....nobody on here is that uptight.
I use Audacity as well, it works well for basic recording...I dont use any of the effects other than maybe the compressor, and its mp3 encoding never sounds right to me so I save as a wave file then import to Wavelab and then render to mp3. (both programs use the Lame encoder so im not sure why Audacity doesnt seem to sound as good with the equivalent settings). I also have Reaper but compared to Audacity its much more advanced and my older PC chokes on it.
I record my guitar straight into a POD, through a mixer to a 24 bit soundcard. Probably not the best setup, but it sounds pretty good, and is easy and hassle free.

[equator]

Hey Silimtao.
I know you will come up with something cool, man. Take your time and have fun recording. :)

I too was about to use my acoustic at first, but then I picked up my electric and I got some ideas and decided to record them right then and there.

I am not familiar with Ableton, but I’ve heard good things about it.
And yeah it’s been really hot here in MI too.

Thanks for the comments on the BT bro. :cool:

.

[Silimtao]

Go ahead and play whatever/however you want...the whole point of this thread is to share ideas, not claim them....nobody on here is that uptight.
I use Audacity as well, it works well for basic recording...I dont use any of the effects other than maybe the compressor, and its mp3 encoding never sounds right to me so I save as a wave file then import to Wavelab and then render to mp3. (both programs use the Lame encoder so im not sure why Audacity doesnt seem to sound as good with the equivalent settings). I also have Reaper but compared to Audacity its much more advanced and my older PC chokes on it.
I record my guitar straight into a POD, through a mixer to a 24 bit soundcard. Probably not the best setup, but it sounds pretty good, and is easy and hassle free.I hear ya mpaq. That's what's cool about this BT thread from the posts I've read- nobody's "competing" (I'd just drop out if that were to happen), and everyone gives helpful insight in the responses. I just wanted to be kinda "original" by using an acoustic, and when I saw someone post they used a nylon string, I couldn't help thinking..."ah, someone beat me to it"- not in a competitive way if you follow me. I doubt I'll be able to learn Ableton in time for me to get anything out. Just Audacity, my laptop and the Toneport which is giving me conniptions. Anyway, I have ideas in my head, but the heat has me worn out.

[Silimtao]

Thanks for the comments on the BT bro. :cool: . It was well deserved, dude. I still have the blues BT you were nice enough to send me- damn that AbMaj7 chord! I think I've been able to deal with the C# (key word is *think*, lol). Originally, I was thinking of giving my solo a flamenco kind of feel- and this is what I enjoy talking about: the thought processes the contributors were going through when they recorded their stuff. Like I said in the June BT assignment, I was thinking.."metal? FAST". That's why I was ripping away as fast as I could- actually, in one of my takes, I had a phaser effect going, and my son was saying "faster!" so I was ripping along at something like 600bpm- it might be on the soundclick site; I called it need4speed, w/out Light's BT, I just did it for my son. Anyway, right now, my mind is locked into an opening riff I've played enough times where I don't even know if it's harmonically correct anymore, lol. I'm still a play by the seat of your pants kind soloist anyway. But I know you have good ears, equator. Part of my solo is (I hope I'm not messing up anyone's head by saying this) always resolving to A natural for some reason. I know that A is the 5th of D-7, so if I keep resolving back to A, what mode am I in? I'm lousy at theory, but have been studying more. At first, I didn't know what the heck I was doing, all I know is that it *sounded* to my ears, "right". But when I was dissecting the theory behind it, all I could think was, "I keep coming back to A, am I "going modal? If so, what is it? Then that throws me off because I don't like to think too much. I was proud of myself when I figured out the harmonic minor thing on my own. So, right now, I THINK I know where my fingers should be going, but in the end, I'll do what I always do- just close my eyes and PLAY. That's what's so cool about this BT thing; no more jamming along with pre-recorded stuff. Again, great job on the BT, equator. Something so "simple", yet challenging at the same time. I like stuff like this because it challenges me as a player. It's all good. All you guys are great.

[Silimtao]

Absolutely no offence taken..thats why i post here. Thanks much for your helpful advice. Im still not at the stage where i am conciously applying any real degree of theory, i just play what comes to me. Im trying to train myself to transcribe but i get so little time to play, i find when i do i just want to have some fun. Discipline is tough, the theory part doesnt come naturally to me.....Damn, equator really has great ears. I can't wait to listen to your track mpaq- along with the others of course. But I'm curious about yours right now because I want to see if I can pick up what equator is talking about in your bend. I'd probably miss it, lol. Damn, I really want to play now, but I'm wilted from the heat, even with the a/c on. So I'm just gonna lay here, and maybe listen to the BT to see where my mind takes me.

[WrigglerUk]

I'm trying to get something out, but time has been really tough this month. I see someone used a nylon string- at first, I was thinking of using a steel string acoustic/electric, but that may seem like I'm stealing someone else's idea....

Do whatever you feel! I only used a classical because I felt like doing something a bit different for me, and anyway, I think there should be more acoustic contributions! :)

Look forward to hearing whatever you decide on...

[mpaq]

[QUOTE=Silimtao]Damn, equator really has great ears. I can't wait to listen to your track mpaq- along with the others of course. But I'm curious about yours right now because I want to see if I can pick up what equator is talking about in your bend. I'd probably miss it, lol. Damn, I really want to play now, but I'm wilted from the heat, even with the a/c on. So I'm just gonna lay here, and maybe listen to the BT to see where my mind takes me.[/QUOTE

You and I sound a lot alike in our approach...although I think you can play a lot faster than me. Hard to tell what your style is, i havent heard enough from you yet. Ive only been playing since last November, my wife and kids bought me an Epi Les Paul for my birthday...ive since picked up a Strat as well as ive recently been learning the blues and the Strat just gives me that tone....anyhow i think i have a good base to work from, everyone tells me the "feel" is the hardest part...to me its applying the theory. I'm a "show me" kinda guy. :)

[equator]

Thanks Silimtao.
Anytime you come across a maj7 chord; you can treat it as a simple major triad, and you won’t have any problems at all.
Once your ear is trained you will hear the seventh note, (same thing with notes in the extended chords) and you will be able to play cool licks over those chords, targeting their chord tones.

You are correct about A being the 5th in the Dm7 chord, so if you keep resolving back to it, that’s just fine; but, you are not in a different mode. If the backing chord was an Am7 instead of Dm7; then you would be in the A Phrygian Mode.

I like to program weird and out of the box chords in FL Studio and experiment playing different modes and scales over them. I guess you can say that’s my practicing and training.
But when it comes to recording I just play what sounds good to me.

Anyway, good luck and happy jamming, dude. :cool:

[Silimtao]

[QUOTE=Silimtao]Damn, equator really has great ears. I can't wait to listen to your track mpaq- along with the others of course. But I'm curious about yours right now because I want to see if I can pick up what equator is talking about in your bend. I'd probably miss it, lol. Damn, I really want to play now, but I'm wilted from the heat, even with the a/c on. So I'm just gonna lay here, and maybe listen to the BT to see where my mind takes me.[/QUOTE

You and I sound a lot alike in our approach...although I think you can play a lot faster than me. Hard to tell what your style is, i havent heard enough from you yet. Ive only been playing since last November, my wife and kids bought me an Epi Les Paul for my birthday...ive since picked up a Strat as well as ive recently been learning the blues and the Strat just gives me that tone....anyhow i think i have a good base to work from, everyone tells me the "feel" is the hardest part...to me its applying the theory. I'm a "show me" kinda guy. :)
You've only playing since last November? Cool! That means you have the addiction!. From what I've hear of your playing, I think you've come a long way in less than a year! Really, I think you've shown a lot of dedication, and should be proud of yourself. I especially give you a lot of credit for having the stones to put your music out there. I've always had a fear of playing in public. What makes this BT assignment so cool is, I'm going public, but I'm still anonymous, lol.

I don't know what my style is anymore. I'm really a blues/classic rock kind of guy. I wouldn't know a Metallica tune from a Britney Spears one, so metal is foreign to me. I started when I was 12, I'm 50 now, so do the math. But I haven't really played in over 10 yrs, but started again in Feb. of this year. Our approach may similar, but different. I can get the "feel" pretty easily, but I'm lousy in theory. I know that Equator and Light are pretty well grounded in theory, so I've been examining ways to get out of the box of diatonic, and that's where I have problems. I really don't like to "think". If you did a basic blues BT, I can just close my eyes and rip away, I'm not saying I'd necessarily play something good, but I know I wouldn't be thinking, "dorian? phyrgian, mixolydian?" I wouldn't be thinking at all. This is basically my approach- I'll listen to the BT, get the feel, ideas will start to flow. With only 2 mins. to play, it hard to set a theme (for me), then I start noodling around. With this month's track, I was thinking, what do I do with the C# in the A7 chord?- I *think* I've solved that situation, but I dunno. When it's time to lay down the track, I may have a rough idea of what I'm going to do, but, I forget everything, and just play. And this is where I almost got into a flame war with an instructor here. He basically was saying you need a plan so you can think ahead. I contended, that thinking gets in the way; as long as you're grounded in your mechanics, just stop thinking and PLAY. I was just offering up a different approach. Bottom line is, what is "right" is what works for YOU. We all have our own approach. I'm a self taught player (I don't count the years at Berklee; but I do wish I paid attention in theory class). So, I'm not "stuck" with rules per se, because I don't know them very well. That's good and bad. It's good because I'm already outside the box, so I let my ears be my guide. It's bad, well, because I've come full circle and now understand it's good to know music theory. But I'm not gonna sit here and say, ok, this month's track is in D-, that's Aeolian, so that's the 6th degree of F, so, so, so....SO WHAT! I'm not going to sit here and over-analyze something to the point where I'm forgetting the music. But that's just me. And as far as I'm concerned, when you're expressing yourself through music, you are putting YOU out there, not just random tones. Whether it's good or bad is subjective. Catch ya on the boards, and hopefully I can contribute something, but time has been really tight for me. :)

[Silimtao]

Thanks Silimtao.
Anytime you come across a maj7 chord; you can treat it as a simple major triad, and you won’t have any problems at all.
Once your ear is trained you will hear the seventh note, (same thing with notes in the extended chords) and you will be able to play cool licks over those chords, targeting their chord tones.

You are correct about A being the 5th in the Dm7 chord, so if you keep resolving back to it, that’s just fine; but, you are not in a different mode. If the backing chord was an Am7 instead of Dm7; then you would be in the A Phrygian Mode.

I like to program weird and out of the box chords in FL Studio and experiment playing different modes and scales over them. I guess you can say that’s my practicing and training.
But when it comes to recording I just play what sounds good to me.

Anyway, good luck and happy jamming, dude. :cool:
Thanks as always for your input equator. I don't have a guitar in my hand right now, and I''m took weak in theory to just fully understand what you're saying without either a guitar, or literally mapping out the music. But let me try: it would be phrygian if it were an A-7 because..A is the 3rd degree of the parent scale, F? Is that right?

As far as Maj7th chords, there is a minor triad in there no? Or am I really tone-deaf? Anyway, the only free time I'll have is this Saturday, so I really hope to get something in. Catch you later! :)

[Silimtao]

Do whatever you feel! I only used a classical because I felt like doing something a bit different for me, and anyway, I think there should be more acoustic contributions! :)

Look forward to hearing whatever you decide on...I hear ya, Wriggler. Initially, I was thinking of a classical guitar also...but I don't have one, lol. I have an Ovation electric/acoustic, but the neck or something needs to be adjusted because the action is about an inch off the fretboard. So I'm back to the electric, probably on one of my Strats. Funny thing about the Toneport- you can have the same modeling effects, but when I plug in any one of my Strats, the sound is absolutely different. It's maddening. I will have to use Audacity again, as I've had no time to learn Ableton, the recording software that came with the Toneport. Ever since my post prior to today, I haven't listened to the BT at all. I wanted to get rid of this riff in my head I couldn't shake. I'll see what I can come up with...so many guitars, too little time to play.... :rolleyes:

[equator]

Yeah, you are absolutely right. A Phrygian is relative to F major.
Thinking of the Phrygian Mode as the scale built on the 3rd degree of a major scale is one way of looking at things.
But, this practice often leads to people thinking that if they play the Fmaj chord, and they start on the 3rd degree of the scale, somehow they are playing in the A Phrygian Mode. That is not correct.
You need to play an Am or Am7 chord instead of the Fmaj chord.
I know what I’m talking about, trust me I’ve been there.

The best approach to understand Modes; in my opinion, is to look at them as separate scales, and learn their structure, intervallic construction and tonality.

For example: The structure of the Phrygian Mode is (1- b2-b3-4-5-b6-b7) and its tonality is minor because of the presence of the m3. The chord built on its first degree is a minor chord.
The Phrygian Mode is different from the Minor Scale in that the Phrygian Mode includes a very unusual m2 interval.
This is how I understand Modes and how I’ve been able to use them in real situations and not just in theory or on paper.

Regarding the Maj7 chords:
They are constructed with (1-3-5-7) and the intervals there are (P1-M3-P5-M7) if you take away the root note you end up with a root-less voicing which contains the same notes as a minor triad. (I did my time learning jazzology) :rolleyes:
Example.
Cmaj7= (C,E,G,B) take away the root and you have a root-less Cmaj7 (E,G,B).
The root-less voicing has the same notes as the Em chord.
If you play those notes and the rest of the band is playing a Cmaj7 chord; then you are playing a Cmaj7 chord as well even if you play (E,G,B).

However, if the band is playing an Em chord then you are playing Em too.
This is a compositional tool and should be analyzed in the context of the piece.

Sorry for the long post. Hope that answers your questions. :)

[mpaq]

[QUOTE=mpaq]
You've only playing since last November? Cool! That means you have the addiction!. From what I've hear of your playing, I think you've come a long way in less than a year! Really, I think you've shown a lot of dedication, and should be proud of yourself. I especially give you a lot of credit for having the stones to put your music out there. And as far as I'm concerned, when you're expressing yourself through music, you are putting YOU out there, not just random tones. Whether it's good or bad is subjective. Catch ya on the boards, and hopefully I can contribute something, but time has been really tight for me. :)

thanks Silim for your words of encouragement. At the end of the day, i try not to get too hung up on the theory part, i know that i could develop much faster if I focus on it, but i also know it is entirely possible to know very little theory and still play very well. Theres a guy on this board that is living proof of that, his handle is Superhuman...you should check out his stuff...a wickid player and totally by ear. If I could play like him i wouldnt give a rats ass that i couldnt understand a word of theory.

I even went out and bought "Music theory for Dummies" :) that helped, but I still dont think it is that easy to apply......i understand much of what i read, but applying it is another thing all together. I probably know a lot more than I give myself credit for, if i think back to a year ago i didnt even know there was more than one scale. :)

Bottom line, is you need to ensure you are enjoying it...so i keep jumping back and forth with the theory training. As soon as i get frustrated, i just forget about it for a few weeks, then come back to it. I know im probably risking developing bad habits but if it starts to become drudgery, then the whole point is lost. You are right, music should be fun and expressive...good or bad is subjective.

[mpaq]

Cmon guys lets hear those July submissions!!!!

[Silimtao]

I'd really love to, but right now, I've been pretty jammed up with other stuff. Haven't touched my guitar in 2 weeks. I don't want to miss the boat for submissions, but I know there's no way I can have something by tonight.

[mpaq]

I'd really love to, but right now, I've been pretty jammed up with other stuff. Haven't touched my guitar in 2 weeks. I don't want to miss the boat for submissions, but I know there's no way I can have something by tonight.

No biggie, im sure Light will leave the thread open till next week, im just surprised everyone seems to have dissappeared...everyones busy with summer vacations etc i suppose......

[Spedzar]

No biggie, im sure Light will leave the thread open till next week, im just surprised everyone seems to have dissappeared...everyones busy with summer vacations etc i suppose......

Well it's been pretty damn cold down here in Tasmania - middle of winter in the southern hemishphere...

I have a week off work and have just survived a set of 13 y/o twin girl's sleepover birthday party with 8 of their friends - whoahh...

Will try and get something done and posted tomorrow in a rush just for fun.

[equator]

I don’t know how long the thread will remain open. But it’ll be great to hear some more takes.
Come on guys, let’s hear some more cool solos. :)

[mpaq]

I have a fair number of backing tracks that ive collected over the past six months from various sites. Varying degrees of quality as would be expected but some are pretty good. Is the intent of this site to use only new homemade backing tracks for the assignments? I could always post one up if we need one...i also have some CD quality tracks that I may be able to rip and post (with permission from the artist).

[equator]

We have been using backing tracks made by GT members for the most part.
Only in two occasions we tried using outside BT’s and in both cases the tracks were of bad quality and one of them had bad language.

So, we thought it would be better if we use backing tracks made by GT members only.

If you think about it...
this is a good opportunity for us to learn or experiment
recording and programming our own backing tracks. :cool:

Everybody is welcome to submit a backing track for consideration.
Contact Light487, who is the person running the monthly assignments.

[Spedzar]

OK here's a quick go at July, done this afternoon. I apologize about the noise - amp mic'd up and was humming badly for some reason. And yes I admit it's a bit sloppy with a rapidly hewn main melody and mostly improv solos that are more shred than Santana but hey - a rush job apparently called for fast fingers. ;)

GT July 2008 (http://www.soundclick.com/bands/default.cfm?bandID=825030)

Now I'll have a listen to the others...

[equator]

Nice take Spedzar. Really enjoyed it. :cool:

[Spedzar]

Thanks Equator!

I liked your track a lot too. Very tasteful with a great feel and some cool highlight riffs. My pick so far, closely over mpaq but you have a real affinity and an obvious personal link with this song that shines through. Cheers mate. :)

[equator]

Yeah, I agree mpaq did a great job too.
Everybody adds their personal style and that is lots of fun.