V8 I'm wondering if you all would like to revive the challenges

I think I would be in again. The last challenge was great fun and a good opportunity to practice playing and get some recording skills.
(Very short deadlines though, I hardly got the tracks ready in time for all 3 challenges xD)

V8 No topics yet - all idea's welcome.

After the Lockdown Challenge @Yeti suggested odd time signatures as challenge topic to get us out of the 4/4.

Meticus Very short deadlines though, I hardly got the tracks ready in time for all 3 challenges

Yeaaahhh, the week thing was just something fun for then. We'll got back to 3-5 weeks for the 'normal' challenges, whatever normal is these days.

Meticus @Yeti suggested odd time signatures as challenge topic to get us out of the 4/4.

Hmnmm, that will definitely be a challenge. Once upon a time I could do 3/4, 7/8, 12/8 and the last band had a few that I couldn't get (9/8, 15/8) - which was always amusing (for me, the rest of them...not so much).

hey Meron, @V8 Nice to have you back things got a bit lonely with u gone, i'm not going to lie Still yet to enter a challenge, but I really like them to see what everyone comes up with each time.

nick_D01 bit lonely with u gone, i'm not going to lie

Awww, - I'd say perhaps it got a bit boring?

Swell, let's try and crank up the fun. It's almost spring and I smell gigs around the corner!

My dudes, take it as a given that the next challenge will be "Off-time Time" and get yer brains a noodlin'

EZ, just do what mike does:

klaasvakie EZ, just do what mike does

You'd pick a polyrhythmic drummer... Having jammed with one (each limb doing something different), I can attest it to being no fun at all.

I was counting so hard, I couldn't play - which was an improvement to the music!

Anyhoo, the next challenge is up -> https://community.guitartalk.co.za/d/27478-the-guitartalk-off-time-time-challenge

V8 It might be nice to just have a initial "Run what ya brung" to share whatever you are working on during lockdown?

Of course that would also be very interesting to see what everyone has created during the time without challenging competitions

Meticus also be very interesting to see what everyone has created during the time

Well, you can always post it up or just win this one (again!) and that's our next topic?

V8 or just win this one (again!)

Well, I don't think that will happen again The approach to be the only one who submits something for all three sub-challenges won't work this time

V8 you can always post it up

Ok, then here some "projects" (or call it experiments) I spent my time with during the last weeks.

Short after the Lockdown Challenge it happended to be that the German medieval folk band Unvermeydbar called out a competition. The mission was to take their given 1 minute backing track and complete the song by adding one or more instrumental tracks, vocals or whatever. Somehow that seemed very familiar to me Prize was a Corona survival package. Feeling well prepared by weeks of GuitarTalk Lockdown Challenge experience I could not resist tootling something on my bagpipe and actually became one of the three winners

Here my contribution:

...and my prize

2nd one: A hobby musician who knows me from YouTube composed a short tune for me. At this time I just started learning to play the e-guitar since I bought my Ibanez. So I took this tune and accompanied it with my first learnt power chords:

The latest one is a short ballad I composed. I played it with by bagpipe, recorder and acoustic guitar:

Those are my recent recording creations (apart from countless bagpipe-only learning videos xD).
What did you do during the last time? Anyone else who wants to share something?

Meticus ...and my prize

Duuuude, that's sick! ️ - Very, very cool! Who knew your calling was medi-evil bagpipes.

We're gonna have to show you some palm muting to get your electric guit a little more 'metal'

What did I do during lockdown - exercised, a lot. And ate far too healthily. Thankfully we're done with that and I'm in the mood for music again.

wow dude, @Meticus you really put lockdown to good use, which is alot more than I can really say. well done on being one of the winners for the German band, really put your bagpiping to good use hope you snacking on the Haribo's also, what you've done with the composition featuring electric guitar is really cool also, considering you just been starting with it the ballad you've done is also nice as well. all in all a lockdown well spent

V8 Duuuude, that's sick! ️ - Very, very cool!

nick_D01 well done on being one of the winners

nick_D01 what you've done with the composition featuring electric guitar is really cool

nick_D01 the ballad you've done is also nice

Thank you very much

V8 We're gonna have to show you some palm muting to get your electric guit a little more 'metal'

For the first of the two guitar samples I muted the strings with my right hand, but I'm not sure if I got the right position ^^
And I have absolutely no idea how to setup the sound. There are buttons on the guitar, on the audio interface and on the virtual amp (ampLion Free). I always turn all buttons randomly until it sounds good Maybe there is also room for improvement

nick_D01 hope you snacking on the Haribo's

Oh yes They tried to flee, but no chance with their little "legs" xD

V8 What did I do during lockdown - exercised, a lot.

Then you are probably well prepared for the current competition
I'm currently practicing playing with the pick. My composition for the competition is finished already, but I'm too slow yet playing it at approptiate speed

Meticus Maybe there is also room for improvement

Heh, always is. That's likely why we music - guitar, bagpipes, etc...these are not natural instruments.

Natural meaning we actually have to sit and learn thew basics - most people can whistle, hum, sing, bang some drums but for the rest - you gotta sit n sweat.

Dialing in a chuggy guitar sound is half setup and half technique (imho), where the palm mutes, how much it mutes and how much effort you pick with is pretty important to what kinda muted 'chuggy-chug' sound you'll get it. It's mostly to taste...

I grew up on Metallica/Slayer/Pantera/Carcass so I crank the bass, treble and gain , cut the mids and then really lay into the strings with my picking hand (while muting just in front of the bridge saddles - the harder I pick the more I mute). Also the fretting hand does act like a noise gate - if I want more staccato mutes, I have to use the fretting hand to mute (like a bass player does when slapping - it's the same concept)

Meticus probably well prepared for the current competition

Ummmm....not sure about that. Perhaps, yes? But I do have a shuffle (12/8) in the bank. It's as natural as a 4/4 for me....I do believe my very first ever challenge entry was a shuffle (unintentionally, I only realized when composing for this challenge)

Cool, look forward to the entry!

Sounds great Meticus. I love that medieval vibe