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Thanks to @Yeti, we've our second challenge of 2019...someone win one so he doesn't have to do the next one too! ?

The Guitar Talk Folk Music Challenge!

? Entries Close: Sunday, 14th April, 23:59PM

?Rules: Only one rule, no more than three (3) minutes in length. The rest I'm going to leave it open to interpretation - we can debate covers - though I reckon we'd rather hear originals?

To encourage more peeps - we'll have two voting groups - One for Home Studio recordings (mutl tracked, etc...) and the other for field recordings (cellphone recordings or other handheld device).

And yes, vocals are welcome!

Collaborations are strongly encouraged, either with a fellow GuitarTalk member or friends/family/etc...

⁉How To Enter: Record your entry, sign up or log in to SoundCloud, post it there. Then grab the SoundCloud link and reply here with the link pasted in your reply.

?Prizes: The fame and glory of winning a GuitarTalk challlenge. And the dubious distinction of choosing the next challenge.

Anyone can enter this competition. You just need a guitar and a phone. But any other recording equipment is fine too.

I need to properly figure out what folk music is, and then try to find the time for this one. Been ages since I entered.

Afrikaans ok? ?

  • V8 likes this.
  • V8 and RCVN replied to this.

    wern101 Afrikaans ok? ?

    Absolutely! ?

    wern101 I need to properly figure out what folk music is

    I honestly have no clue what the criteria are for folk music! It's up there with classical music on my "list of things I don't do" ?.

    At a guess: Acoustic instruments + vocals, about a topic like peace or the good ol days?

    Bonus points if you've got a mandolin or a washtub bass ?

        I've always thought of folk music as the music people have always played for themselves... distinct from anything academic and not striving for any particularly artistic.
        Very much more about sitting around a pub/fire/worksite and making music to pass the time and entertain yourselves than giving an out and out performance.

        wern101

        I tried figuring it out yesterday.

        Few take aways:

        • Should be easy to remember and sing along to.
        • Catchy Melody.
        • Mumford and Sons
        • Acoustic Instruments

          V8 peace or the good ol days

          Erm....no. Ok maybe....

          RCVN Mumford and Sons

          Right. No pressure then.

          RCVN Acoustic Instruments

          That much I can do ?

                  Yeti Very much more about sitting around a pub/fire/worksite and making music to pass the time and entertain yourselves than giving an out and out performance.

                  See now this makes sense. I have a few songs I have been meaning to polish up and record. And I think I have just the one for this....

                  But Its a flippen tough month with work. I really really hope I get time.

                    How's the progress going?

                    Ps. How does singing work? I think I might be out of tune, but can't find a tuner..

                    RCVN How does singing work? I think I might be out of tune, but can't find a tuner..

                    I should be the last person trying to answer this...

                    I can only really sing in unison with whatever I'm playing on guitar (E.g. playing a G and then singing in pitch with that note). Harmony, (or harmonizing) would be singing a 3rd or 5th (note) relative to that root note you'd be playing.

                    I'd heartily recommend learning a song that you know well - I started with nursery rhymes (come to think of it, that's about as far as I got). Row yer boat is useful, because it uses most of the major scale.

                        RCVN so you joke about the tuner but I've given vocal coaching doing just that. I got the lady to play a note on her guitar then match it with her voice using the tuner to ahem fine tune. After a few weeks she could hear when she was off the note and correct it herself... Which frankly is half of singing.

                        • RCVN replied to this.

                            Yeti Haha damn, I've joked around with a tuner in that way, but never thought it might actually help in any way

                              RCVN How's the progress going?

                              What progress? (facepalm)

                              Have a song. Needs to be refined. Looking for inspiration.

                                  if anyone is thinking of doing an entry featuring some traditional 'folk' instruments: banjo, mandolin, harp, bouzouki, oud. that would be really interesting ?

                                    5 days later

                                    Ok.... erm.... more difficult than I thought. Thinking of doing a cover. Would that be allowed?

                                    Seperate Note - I just found this:

                                    wern101 Thinking of doing a cover. Would that be allowed?

                                    Sure, go for it. I've got no objections to covers for this challenge.

                                        18 days later

                                        Shit, I need to write a song

                                          Looks like I'll be missing this one. Between losing my voice and my audio interface giving up the ghost I've been out of action for the last couple of weeks and now I have house guests who will be around for the rest of the weekend. :/