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Paul Bothner Music is once again sponsoring this month's competition, and they are offering 2 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 3 Categories.
Category 1 - Beginner
Category 2 - Intermediate
Category 3 - Advanced

If you are unsure as to what category you fall in, please message me or Alan and we'll help you decide. But in general, Beginners are those that are still new to guitaring, and novice to recording, if you don't know what a plugin is, then you are definitely a Beginner ?
Intermediate's are those that have been playing perhaps for a few years, they could be in a cover band if they wanted to. They know a bit more on recording, maybe using free software such as Reaper etc. They really are the players that are not beginners, but not classified as Advanced/Session Muso's.
Advanced - You've been playing for many a year, you comfortable with a range of styles, or you are quite an expert in your style. You know how this recording thing works. You'll know for sure if you are in this category.

*Of course these are rough guidelines. Some players progress through these 'ranks' much faster than others. Use your discretion.

You are also encouraged to write a little blurb/description of your entry i.e. what gear you used, what was the inspiration behind the track, how long it took you etc. You get the idea

The Theme

"Backwards"

This could be interpreted as backwards-masked guitars or vocals, it could mean taking a common chord structure and reversing it, or it could be interpreted in many other ways...

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Submit all entries on or before 23 July at 9:00. Entries must be submitted via EMAIL
Send the following:
1. An mp3 of your song
2. A link to your song
3. Your username on the forum
4. What category you wish to enter into.

Send to: [email]rogowski.adrian@gmail.com [/email]

    Nice, this one's pretty interesting
      I've been called backwards before, so anything I submit will be valid. Hehe.

      this should be interesting!
        warrenpridgeon wrote: I've been called backwards before, so anything I submit will be valid. Hehe.

        this should be interesting!
        Just like you warren I can also just submit anything I have recorded! ?
          I've promised myself I'll get an entry in this month.
            Already shoveling some fresh coal into GarageBand...
              I'm thinking of trying to record a song with lyrics and have the song be something about backwards...

              Reversed vocals would be cool...

              My head is spinning. Eish.
                Off the top of my head (and giving away some of my ideas as I'm nice):

                1. "Backwards" drum beats (a la Stewart Copeland). Kick drums where you expect snares and vice versa...

                2. Backwards instrument parts where you:
                a) record a solo and just simply reverse it, hoping for the best (a la most pop bands in the '60s).

                b) record your backing tracks, reverse them and record a guitar solo forwards. Then reverse everything again so the solo is now backwards but perfectly in time (a la King Crimson).

                c) Record a guitar part normally then spend some serious time chopping it up note for note, so all the notes stay in their original places but are reversed (a la Michael Hedges)

                d) Record your solo normally then reverse everything and learn how to play the solo you recorded backwards. Then record your backwards solo. Then reverse everything again. (a la Steve Vai)

                3. Backwards effects:
                a) Use reverse delays and reverb patches.

                b) Reverse everything, apply reverb or delay and print it. Then reverse everything again and your delays and reverbs are not only backwards, but they happen before the sound that created them. (a la Jethro Tull)


                ... some 'o this stuff was actually easier with tape, but it's all still do-able.
                  Alan Ratcliffe wrote: ... some 'o this stuff was actually easier with tape, but it's all still do-able.
                  MOST of it was easier with tape! Actually, I think most 60s stuff was more b) than a), simply because you just flipped the multitrack tape over and so got the (backwards-masked) backing track coming through playback as you played your solo forwards. You could even do this with a cassette-based PortaStudio, although head alignment tended to be something of an issue, leading to some quite interesting crosstalk...
                    I'm taking the whole "play what you want, then reverse it, then learn the reversed part and record that, then reverse that so it sounds like what you originally had but with that reversed sound/effect to it".

                    Some of the other suggestions are good to, something to maybe think of adding.
                      Sjeeesh..... Looks like more of a recording/technical skills challenge than a playing skills challenge this month ???
                        chris77 wrote: Sjeeesh..... Looks like more of a recording/technical skills challenge than a playing skills challenge this month ???
                        A good backwards solo is as much of a playing challenge as a technical one!

                        But there are plenty of other ways of doing "backwards" that don't involve technical trickery—the first challenge is coming up with an inventive interpretation of the idea; then you can hurl your playing skills at it, yeah?

                          • [deleted]

                          • Post #15
                          Makes me think of this...Bach was a sneaky bugger...

                          www.youtube.com/watch?v=xUHQ2ybTejU

                          He also had a technique for converting text into music. Not quite sure how, but apparently he liked to use religious texts and chants. Kind of the opposite of playing rock music backwards then.
                            chris77 wrote: Sjeeesh..... Looks like more of a recording/technical skills challenge than a playing skills challenge this month ???
                            As with all good one-word challenges, I think it's a good ideas challenge. Gives you the opportunity to think creatively and try find a unique approach. Could be as complex as some of the above suggestions, it could also be as simple as reversing a common chord sequence. I naturally come up with the technical stuff, 'cos that's my forte. A serious player might mess around with inversions, a lyricist might mess around with wordplay, etc...
                            Viccy wrote: Makes me think of this...Bach was a sneaky bugger...

                            Indeed. He was also the church organist and often got into trouble for "sprucing up" the staid classics in ways to keep himself interested. ?

                              • [deleted]

                              • Post #17
                              Ja, he was in trouble a lot, but it seems like that would have been inevitable in those days. In order to qualify for the job he really wanted he'd have to marry his boss's daughter, kind of unreasonable. I'd also start getting a bit grumpy under those conditions.
                                Alan Ratcliffe wrote: Off the top of my head (and giving away some of my ideas as I'm nice):

                                1. "Backwards" drum beats (a la Stewart Copeland). Kick drums where you expect snares and vice versa...

                                2. Backwards instrument parts where you:
                                a) record a solo and just simply reverse it, hoping for the best (a la most pop bands in the '60s).

                                b) record your backing tracks, reverse them and record a guitar solo forwards. Then reverse everything again so the solo is now backwards but perfectly in time (a la King Crimson).

                                c) Record a guitar part normally then spend some serious time chopping it up note for note, so all the notes stay in their original places but are reversed (a la Michael Hedges)

                                d) Record your solo normally then reverse everything and learn how to play the solo you recorded backwards. Then record your backwards solo. Then reverse everything again. (a la Steve Vai)

                                3. Backwards effects:
                                a) Use reverse delays and reverb patches.

                                b) Reverse everything, apply reverb or delay and print it. Then reverse everything again and your delays and reverbs are not only backwards, but they happen before the sound that created them. (a la Jethro Tull)


                                ... some 'o this stuff was actually easier with tape, but it's all still do-able.
                                Thanks for the ideas 8)
                                I am working on a few ideas (mentally for now cos I am always super busy with "life").
                                  I went for option 2, play a guitar part, reverse it and hope for the best. Quite pleased with the result. I think for this challenge, messing around with reverbs and delays is essential.

                                  Even if a whole track or instrument is not reversed, play around with individual parts of a track or instrument - i.e. add long reverb tails to a snare hit, reverse it, and place the reversed version immediately before the forwards version (oldest trick in the book). You can do that with almost anything... reverse the overheads in your drum track for interesting effect.

                                  Example of reversed 'verbed snare: (Jump to 0:40)

                                  =

                                  Yes employed the 'reverse tape effect' using a reversed minor chord played on grand piano in Roundabout:

                                  =
                                    my wife's been kicking my ass forever. new machine i haven't recorded on yet, unplayed guitars, unused lyrics lying around all over the place... definitely about time i got into a new challenge. so interesting this one, and i think i have the inkling of what may just turn out to be an idea.

                                    thanks for the throw-our-ways alan et al, i may just have to borrow some from all y'all, too

                                    good luck all
                                    dh|