GT Solo Assignment - June 2008

Originally Posted by: light487Been working on my solo for this month. I have to admit that I am a little stuck on this one. I've found some decent mods to apply to my sound but coming up with enough solo material to make it less boring than it currently is, is the real challenge I am having. I should have something fairly decent done in the next couple of days...

I have been working on the solo also. I have to admit this one has been a little bit more difficult for me also. But I think I might be ready to record in a couple of days. I have been working on a couple of new runs that I have been practicing over and over to be able to get them down at the right speed. One of the challenges of this backing track for me has been that it is real busy with not much of a pause. At first I was frustrated and thought that there was just to much guitar in the backing track to be able to make a solo sound good. But now I realize I was just wanting it to be easier so I did not have to work at it. But in the long run I think this one might be a good learning experience for me like most of the others have been. Now lets hope I do not submit a total piece of junk after all of that. :)

Sorry....Newbie here....

What exactly is the GT Solo Assignment?
I'm going back to check through this thread & the old ones...but just thought I'd ask as well. :)

Don

Originally Posted by: ChipShankSorry....Newbie here....

What exactly is the GT Solo Assignment?
I'm going back to check through this thread & the old ones...but just thought I'd ask as well. :)

Don

Hi Don,
you can find the file at the beginning of this thread. The solo assignment is a backing track that is posted each month for anyone to experiment with, record/render to an mp3 and post to a hosted site, then post the link here for feedback.

Ah cool!
Thanks, I had found the file...just wasn't sure how the process worked, as far as recording & posting your experiments. Sounds like a cool idea though.

Thanks again,
Don

It's been a nightmare for me so far. First time I heard the track, I already had some riffs going in my head. Then, you've seen my probs with recording. The drums make me want to shred away (NOT my forte), and I want to keep the "panicky/rushed" feel going. But everytime I try to play over the BT, it's so far in the background, I find I'm really only playing with the drums. I just can't find a way to keep the BT level equal to my solo. Then my hands were cramping from trying to play too fast, so I tried slowing everything down by 1/2 (something you can do with Toneport's Gearbox, the player and modeler), and tried to find a theme to create. Messed around with harmonics, even worked out a few simple sweeps- another thing I've never really done. I'm playing mostly in...I guess you can call it Am and resolving down to B natural (there is a B in the bass, no?)- don't really know about what mode I'm in- I'm just playing what sounds right to me. Sometimes I throw an F natural, sometimes an F#. But everytime I go back to try to lay a track down, I can't get rid of the sonic vomit I uploaded, and I can't get it out of my head. I tend to space out when soloing, then I get these crazy ideas out of nowhere...for some reason, a U2 tune popped in my head, and you know the guitar player for them...Andy Summers (?)...I always liked his rhythm playing, so I started playing a fast frantic rhythm over the bass, something like an Em, Am, Bm- but since I couldn't really hear the bass well, I couldn't tell if I was harmonically correct.

ANYWAY, it's been challenging (aside from my recording problems)- I just love the drums, and at first I didn't like how it went straight into the tune without an intro, but that makes it all the more challenging. And the fact that the BT is relatively short, you have to say what you want in a small amount of time. I even tried playing against it with an acoustic, lol. I spent all of last week about 5 hrs. a night trying to get something decent out, but I decided to give it and my hands a rest. My fretting hand is cramped up like a claw, and my Ibanez is all out of tune. So maybe I'll go back to it by this weekend. Anyway, it's been fun as hell; it's been so long since I've played "with" anyone, I'd like to put up something half decent. "Sonic Vomit"- hey, I think I'll start a band called that.

Originally Posted by: FingerSpasmAt first I was frustrated and thought that there was just to much guitar in the backing track to be able to make a solo sound good. But now I realize I was just wanting it to be easier so I did not have to work at it. But in the long run I think this one might be a good learning experience for me like most of the others have been. Now lets hope I do not submit a total piece of junk after all of that. :)

Have I gone deaf? I don't hear anything in the background except for the bass and drums! There's guitar in the background??!!

Don't worry about junk, you obviously haven't heard what I uploaded :rolleyes:

hahahah "sonic vomit" ...thats a good one :)
Slim, if you say your having fun thats the main thing....5 hrs a night with cramped hands doesnt sound like much fun to me though :confused: I havent been able to do much with this track either, although i must admit ive been too busy this month to really focus on it.
Still time left, i may give it another go...

Originally Posted by: SilimtaoHave I gone deaf? I don't hear anything in the background except for the bass and drums! There's guitar in the background??!!

Don't worry about junk, you obviously haven't heard what I uploaded :rolleyes:

thats a rythym guitar not a bass

Originally Posted by: mpaqhahahah "sonic vomit" ...thats a good one :)
Slim, if you say your having fun thats the main thing....5 hrs a night with cramped hands doesnt sound like much fun to me though :confused: I havent been able to do much with this track either, although i must admit ive been too busy this month to really focus on it.
Still time left, i may give it another go...

LOL, well, every time I listen to what I uploaded...I wanna puke.

Actually, one night, along with messing around with the toneport, I spent over 10 hrs and was up until after 4 a.m. and had to go to work! I just think the BT really kicks butt. I've only recently really started to listen to shred/metal and learning to appreciate it more. Don't know if Light meant for it to be a metal tune, but the double-kicks just make it sound like it should be FAST! Thing is, I know I can play fast, but making it musical is a whole 'nother thing. I don't want to just be running scales.

In the last few months I've been a full access member here, I've noticed the same players do the assignment. I decided I should jump into the fray. I give you guys a lot of credit for having the stones to put up your music. I've always had a fear of playing in public. Well, time is kinda tight for me too, but I'm bent on getting something, anything up. Wow, it's the 25th already! Oh, well, if I get anything up, I know I'll get constructive criticism.

As for the rhythm guitar...I really only hear a bass line. My mother always told me I'd go deaf listening to rock! "Aural Constipation"- another band name.

note to self.........do not read Silimtao's posts while eating lunch! :)

Originally Posted by: mpaqnote to self.........do not read Silimtao's posts while eating lunch! :)

ha-ha! :eek: (I could come up with much worse, but I'll get bounced outta the forum...)

Originally Posted by: Silimtaoha-ha! :eek: (I could come up with much worse, but I'll get bounced outta the forum...)

so cmon buddy, post it up! We are all anxious to hear what you've put your heart and soul into (along with other various bodily functions) :eek:

Hi guys.

I wasn’t able to participate the last two months. ( I’ve been really busy )
But I am dying to record some music again.

I am looking forward to July’s Assignment.

Hey Light, I can make a backing track and have it ready this weekend.
Let me know and I’ll get started.



.

Equator - Yeh sure! That would be great! I've been so busy with moving house, I could use a hand with the BT. Go for it.

Originally Posted by: mpaqso cmon buddy, post it up! We are all anxious to hear what you've put your heart and soul into (along with other various bodily functions) :eek:

Go to the first page dude. I linked my 2nd attempt at recording to soundclick. Just do it on an empty stomach. Now you'll know why I call it Sonic Vomit! :eek: Don't blame me if you'll need an enema after hearing it... :eek:

I am making some coffee and then it is time to get out the stealthplug and double click on Reaper and see what I can do. I doubt I will get it finished tonight but I am hoping to get real close.

OK, this may be my final submission (I think). I had to switch to my Jackson Dinky because my Ibanez was so out of tune and I didn't want to take the time to mess with the string locks, etc. Not very interesting harmonically or in any other way. Only other excuse I have is I'm playing with 3 fingers cuz I jammed my damn pinky. Well, here it is. http://soundclick.com/share?songid=6671380 If I have the time, and if my pinky feels better, I think I'll give it one more shot. Otherwise, this is it.

At the very least, I think mpaq will like the pic :rolleyes:

Edit: This is a cleaner recording- yeah, one more take. This is the only one where everything doesn't sound over-driven, and my picking is cleaner. Some off notes, but whatever. Doesn't have the ambiance and sound I want (same guitar and modeling effects, so I don't know what gives), and there's at least one skip in the tune. Should I be deleting my other upload links? I don't want to spam the thread with a work in progress.

http://soundclick.com/share?songid=6671577

Here's my final choice- the one I originally chose:http://soundclick.com/share?songid=6674406

I picked it because I didn't like the bad note I played in what I thought was my final choice, and I feel the solo is in keeping with my feel for the fight or flight feel of the beat. The only change I made was adding a phaser effect using Audacity- it made the tune pan left and right, which added to my feel for the tune-frantic. I also like the abrupt ending. After the car-chase, it hits a wall or goes over a cliff. So this is FINAL (how many days are left?)

The pic is for mpaq :rolleyes:

Hey guys, anyone out there?

I deleted my last post cuz the phaser sound really sounded weird through my stereo system, so I'm deciding between the 2 in my last post.

I almost did not post this. I ran out of time and besides that it totally sucks. I hate to make excuses but this is a rough draft I recorded when trying to come up with ideas. So anyway here it is. I tried some tapping on this one and it is something I need lots of practice on as you will be able to tell. :o
I just never really seemed to be able to come up with anything for this one. I was psyched when I first heard the backing track and then when I tried to play over it.... Well you can hear the results. Very challenging for me.
GT Solo June