The Paul Bothner sponsored Challenge - May 2014

FruitarGeek · 2014-05-07T10:02:29+00:00

Paul Bothner Music is once again sponsoring this month's competition, and they are offering 3 sets of RotoSound strings for the winners of each category. Paul Bothner also have recording facilities at most of their stores should you require assistance in recording your entry. Contact your closest store to book or for more info. The challenge will be broken into 2 Categories. Category 1 - "Beginner - Intermediate" Category 2 - "Advanced - Professional" The Theme ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Axis of Awesome Four Chord Challenge Link : Any genre, any key - let's hear your four chord special. In the clip they make an example of pop songs that typically use the first major, the fourth major, the fith major and sixth minor chords in a given key. For example, in the key of C: C major (I), F major (IV), G major (V), A minor (vi) = I, IV, V, vi chord progression. There aren't a lot of ways you can arrange these four chords & that's were the challenge lies - show us your creativity using this 'limitation' E.g In the key of C - IV I V I (F major, C major, G major, C major) ends on a the familiar/happy I (C major) or IV I V vi (F Major, C Major, G Major, A minor) ends on the 'sadder' minor. Note : In Axis of Awesome they do mix it up a bit to make it work... --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- EMAIL me a link to your song AND an mp3 version of your song to rogowski.adrian@gmail.com before 09h00 the 26 May (Monday)

guitarboy2828

Ah man, this is such a hard topic, I wish we had other options! ? 8)

FruitarGeek

Paul E wrote Ah man, this is such a hard topic, I wish we had other options! ? 8)

ha ha, disqualified ?

V8

Eeek, allow me to take the blame for this month's topic.

When I was thinking through the Axis of Awesome topic, I was under the impression that it would be for Cat 1 (beginners/intermediate) entries and Manny's would be for advanced, so I thought it would be cool to figure out something approachable that would encourage everyone who entered in April to enter again and encourage more people to enter (WarrenPigeon & The Thunder that is Chocolate).

My thinking was that would have to translate across genre's (singer/songwriter, pop, rock, metal, punk, etc), had a compositional example (The songs showcased in Axis of Awesome) but had a limitation to encourage/showcase creative approach to the topic. And I wanted to learn something theory-wise too - hence my feeble/simplistic explanation... :-[

Alan Ratcliffe wrote Substitutions are fine IMO. In other words the D, Dsus4, Dadd9 and the like (AKA: finger wiggly variation things) all count as D.

+10

How people interpret this -I hope- is going to be very cool. When I play tested the idea, I came up with a few feels and hoped that someone would take a substitution approach, perhaps jazz it up ala Alvin Dyers - mainly so I can learn from their approach!

warrenpridgeon

V8 wrote Eeek, allow me to take the blame for this month's topic.

When I was thinking through the Axis of Awesome topic, I was under the impression that it would be for Cat 1 (beginners/intermediate) entries and Manny's would be for advanced, so I thought it would be cool to figure out something approachable that would encourage everyone who entered in April to enter again and encourage more people to enter (WarrenPigeon & The Thunder that is Chocolate).

My thinking was that would have to translate across genre's (singer/songwriter, pop, rock, metal, punk, etc), had a compositional example (The songs showcased in Axis of Awesome) but had a limitation to encourage/showcase creative approach to the topic. And I wanted to learn something theory-wise too - hence my feeble/simplistic explanation... :-[

Alan Ratcliffe wrote Substitutions are fine IMO. In other words the D, Dsus4, Dadd9 and the like (AKA: finger wiggly variation things) all count as D.
+10

How people interpret this -I hope- is going to be very cool. When I play tested the idea, I came up with a few feels and hoped that someone would take a substitution approach, perhaps jazz it up ala Alvin Dyers - mainly so I can learn from their approach!

No pressure eh ?

Now I'll HAVE to pull finger ... lol

Mixerboy

Finger Wiggly should become an official term

FruitarGeek

Ok, same prize as last month. Lotsa strings ?

DonovanB

I don't think I understand this, do you want an original 4-chorder or a mash-up of covers?

AlanRatcliffe

Original 4-chorder. Do your thing with the same sequence...

DonovanB

We've done this before. I guess a pearoast is out of the question. ?

AlanRatcliffe

Donovan Banks wrote We've done this before.

Yup. We often have to play the same three or four chords and try make them sound new. ?

nick_D01

deefstes wrote I'm confused ???

hey guys

pardon me for not being the sharpest tool in the shed ?, but I'm confused too. my understanding is there's only one theme, 'compose a song using only 4 chords', i don't understand what all this talk is about 3 themes?

doc-phil

There were initially two other themes which have been removed from the OP by public demand.

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk

deefstes

OK but I must confess that I am still confused. I'm happy that the three themes have been dropped but the one that we're going with still doesn't make perfect sense to me.

So we can use four chords (I, IV, V and vi) but we can choose any key and we can use any finger wiggly variationTM of any of these chords - which basically opens up a whole bunch of extra chords - so now it's not longer just four chords. I mean, you could wiggle a finger on an Emaj to drop the mediant (G#) by one half tone to turn it into an Em and there you have a new chord.

Could someone clarify this for me please? Or perhaps just specify which chords we can not use?

warrenpridgeon

deefstes wrote OK but I must confess that I am still confused. I'm happy that the three themes have been dropped but the one that we're going with still doesn't make perfect sense to me.

So we can use four chords (I, IV, V and vi) but we can choose any key and we can use any finger wiggly variationTM of any of these chords - which basically opens up a whole bunch of extra chords - so now it's not longer just four chords. I mean, you could wiggle a finger on an Emaj to drop the mediant (G#) by one half tone to turn it into an Em and there you have a new chord.

Could someone clarify this for me please? Or perhaps just specify which chords we can not use?

So... 4 Chords... Does the timing have to remain constant or can you vary the timing between chord changes or use only 3 chords in like a pre-chorus etc?

And then, sing or play melody over the chords?

AlanRatcliffe

Don't get caught up in the small details and don't overthink it. Interpret it freely - one of the great things about the comps (and music in general) is hearing everyone's different approach to the same theme (or chord sequence in this case). So take the sequence and do whatever you would usually do to make it your own. Experiment, play with it, have fun.

evolucian

Deef... you can use any chord you want to. But talk of mediants has to cease as that is big person talk. The only chords not allowed would be the one's you do not know about.

Take a good look at that theme and you'll see where those four chords come into play within the various songs. Like Alan says, don't get caught up in the small details... just do your thing.

Warren... if it sounds right to you once you've recorded it, then no one can argue about timing. And the line above would possibly answer your other question.

warrenpridgeon

evolucian wrote Deef... you can use any chord you want to. But talk of mediants has to cease as that is big person talk. The only chords not allowed would be the one's you do not know about.

Take a good look at that theme and you'll see where those four chords come into play within the various songs. Like Alan says, don't get caught up in the small details... just do your thing.

Warren... if it sounds right to you once you've recorded it, then no one can argue about timing. And the line above would possibly answer your other question.

Okie Dokie...
So I'll make a plan...I'll have exactly ONE day (and not the whole one) to do something... Preparing for an overseas trip which starts next weekend...

nick_D01

doc-phil wrote There were initially two other themes which have been removed from the OP by public demand.

hey doc-phil, thanks for the clarification

Wildaker

Lou Reed: "One chord is fine. Two chords is pushing it. Three chords and you're into jazz."

Do we really have to use ALL FOUR?

Actually, the amazing thing about the Four Chord Song is the use of the repeated I V vi IV ("pop-punk") progression, more than the song itself only having those four chords. Still, writing a sub-two-minute number with just those chords is a fun challenge!

warrenpridgeon

Theuns van Wyk wrote Hi guys. Just entered a GFSA competition/challenge for the first time.
As a drummer trying to learn guitar, the fact that I only know four chords really helped. So I went all out! ?
Cheers

I have to write some code for a web system I am currently working on and then I am going to try record something... I posted this -> http://www.guitarforum.co.za/youtube-guitar-videos/i-suck-the-importance-of-sucking-at-guitar/msg252955/?topicseen#msg252955

As some inspiration... lol

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