The Challenge 12/04/2010 Please Vote !

Renesongs

This week we have a lot to listen to in the [b]One Chord[/b] Challenge

[quote author=Giggsy link=action=profile;u=1295 date=1271361400] Here's my early entry for the beginners category - the chord: Am http://www.box.net/shared/0775bz9io3 I would probably describe it as my take on Kasabian if they only ever learnt A Minor. [/quote]

[quote author=X-rated Bob link=action=profile;u=411 date=1271592718] My entry is at http://www.box.net/shared/fzub1kvdip This is for the beginner's category. It's called El Doon. The piece is built around a E-major chord. I tuned the 4th string up a tone. The guitar is my Smoothtalker, fed through a Line-6 Modulation Modeler set to a Univibe effect. The pickup turned out to be a bit hot and was pushing the recording software into clipping territory, but the slight distortion created adds a bit of warmth to the sound. [/quote]

[quote author=Riaan link=action=profile;u=72 date=1271464366] Ok, so here's my entry for this week: I'll stick to the advanced category. The link is: http://www.box.net/shared/b71jrjf354 I used a D major chord, and all the notes played are in the key of D major (I hope!). There are four guitar parts, all done on my Strat with Guitar Rig. Bass done with Dimension Pro throught Guitar Rig, and Session Drummer for the drums.
My approach to the one chord tune was to use an offbeat rythm and delays to prevent monotony...hope it worked! We'll see how it goes... ::) [/quote]

[quote author=Viccy link=action=profile;u=755 date=1271525745] Here's my entry. I chose the chord of E7 flattened 13th. A category please.
http://www.box.net/shared/soijhjbtl6 [/quote]

[quote author=Squonk link=action=profile;u=298 date=1271610512] http://www.box.net/shared/eagz4chth0 Advanced Category Takamine,Peavey,Zoom G2.1u,HP Laptop, Audacity, Fingers Very low volume and bad quality sound due to last minute formatting and reloading laptop D Chord, in facy nothing more than F#, D, A in the whole recording [/quote]

[quote author=PeteM link=action=profile;u=1544 date=1271611255] Here's this week's entry. One nylon guitar - no overdubs. Used two tracks to create stereo effect. http://www.box.net/shared/y7e7mbxymq [/quote]

[quote author=Donovan Banks link=action=profile;u=1474 date=1271668459] Here's my one chord entry http://www.box.net/shared/6t908am4sp Used my Les Paul, tuned to DADADF# with some delay, Guitar Simulator and stereo pre-amps on the GT8. playing with my slide as well. [/quote]

[quote author=dee link=action=profile;u=278 date=1271670172] Hi there, my entry for the weekly competition. I reckon you can group it in the advanced category. Bit of rock in A major. Two guitars in three parts and drums, all based on the standard A major chord. Main rhythm, lead lines and outro on a Fender Stratocaster, solo and secondary rythm on a Vintage V100. Recorded with Guitar Rig 3 and Reaper. http://www.box.net/shared/9oukgzdz7k [/quote]

[quote author=andrewjbryson link=action=profile;u=34 date=1271675689] "With Lydian in Mind" http://www.box.net/shared/zo6g1xhzlz Ibanez RGA121 Prestige - Air Norton (in single coil mode) [/quote]

(old forum) Poll Results: One Chord

Giggsy (B): 1
X-rated Bob (B): 15
Riaan (A): 0
Viccy (A): 6
Squonk (A): 1
PeteM (A): 6
Donovan Banks (A): 5
Dee (A): 1
Andrewjbryson (A): 6

[deleted]

Okay, so I'll start from the top.
Giggsy, very nice variety of sounds, spiced it up a lot, but you ended on the fourth, which isn't in the chord, but I don't know if we are allowed to use the scale as well, so I'll just be confused then. I like the ending though.

Bob, very nice song, clearly you used notes outside of the E major chord, also the fourth I noticed, in the bass line, but yet again, not clear on what the rules are.

Riaan, nice beat, consistant use of the Dmaj chord in the background, but the scale doesn't always go with it, because the melody resolves onto a discordant note every now and then. As a whole it's not bad though, but just thought you could have chopped up the scale a bit more.

Squonk, clearly the word diversity got through. I had the same idea with using contrasting themes. Could have played around for a bit longer though.

PeteM, only in one take, nice. You do use the sixth in your drone at one point, but it was a beautifull song.

Donovan, nice watery song, very relaxing.

Dee, gee, what a lot of rock you have in you.

AJB, as always so much goes into your songs, lovely mood changes and a good balance (not recording wise, but song wise). I would have enjoyed a bit more diversity in the use of the chord.

Phew, guess you can tell who the eager beaver is.

DonovanB

This is going to be tough. How do we decide who used one chord better?

I like the nylon work by Pete and Viccy. Both recordings are very clear and the technique shines through wonderfully.

Andrew, yours is very jazzy I like it a lot.

Bob, yours is great! I love the groove.

I'm going to have to listen again tomorrow before voting. So much of quality goodness...

Bob-Dubery

Viccy wrote: Bob, very nice song, clearly you used notes outside of the E major chord, also the fourth I noticed, in the bass line, but yet again, not clear on what the rules are.

That makes two of us. It's actually in the key of A which gives me the flat 7. Other than I use 3rd, 4th and 5th,

Bob-Dubery

Wow! Some very interesting entries here. Alan's nomination was very clever because it's forced the participants away from a particular style and posed a different challenge.

Viccy, I like your recording a lot. I assume this is with the microphone that you bought recently. A lovely sound. What is the instrument?

Riaan

Great stuff everyone. It's really hard to choose, it would have been easier if the single instrument tunes were in a category of their own, but I guess we have to finally settle on one winner. Tough, really! But great stuff all around. Thanks also for the comments, I always learn from it ?

Bob-Dubery

I was impressed by the way some entries managed to take an idea and develop it in a satisfying way within the constraints of this competion - IE within a minute. I thought Viccy's and Don's entries were particularly strong in this regard.

Giggsy.... there is something out of whack with your entry. Maybe the recording software you used has misaligned the tracks because there are some timing problems. It's a pity because you have some good ideas there, but the timing blapses ruin the effect.

guitarboy2828

Oh my word.. Amazing work guys.. Really impressed, NO idea how i'm going to pick here..

[deleted]

It's actually in the key of A which gives me the flat 7. Other than I use 3rd, 4th and 5th,

I take that to be the chord of A7 sus 4. Adding the extra two notes gives you a pentatonic scale of sorts which a lot easier to work with ( that's what I ended up doing too). With the flattened 6th/13th I imply the scale of Amin and the Mixolydian mode.

What is the instrument?

A Juanita (pronounced Gwaneeeta....with the accent of Speedy Gonzales)

Renesongs

Tough choice between AJB and Don . AJB your entry is excellent as always, got that Vai/Zappa cosmic feel down well. Don - deep south Cajun voodoo. The type of sound that stirs my bones and makes me want to moan the blues like I was back from the dead.

Bob-Dubery

Viccy wrote:
It's actually in the key of A which gives me the flat 7. Other than I use 3rd, 4th and 5th,
I take that to be the chord of A7 sus 4. Adding the extra two notes gives you a pentatonic scale of sorts which a lot easier to work with ( that's what I ended up doing too). With the flattened 6th/13th I imply the scale of Amin and the Mixolydian mode.

Well I never played a C... don't think I even played a C#. So it could still be A major. The notes I played (not in the order I played them) were E, G#, A, B, D so as I understand it that could be A major as well.

The challenge from Alan was a bit ...err... fuzzy. I hope I construed it in the right spirit.

I thought of nominating something like an E13, but that would have been being smart after the event.

[deleted]

E, G#, A, B, D

That gives you E7sus4.

Conrad

I love entries by Viccy, Bob and Andrew for the same reason: It shows a great understanding of harmony.

Viccy managed to create intermittent tension in a carefree sound. Great understanding of harmony and clever composition.
Bob managed to stack notes in a sensible, easy listening way.
Andrew used Lydian in a masterful way and really stuck to just one chord on the rhythm guitar. There is incredible precision and understanding there.

Conrad

X-rated Bob wrote: Wow! Some very interesting entries here. Alan's nomination was very clever because it's forced the participants away from a particular style and posed a different challenge.

Viccy, I like your recording a lot. I assume this is with the microphone that you bought recently. A lovely sound. What is the instrument?

Yeah what the hell was that? It sounded awesome!

[deleted]

Yeah what the hell was that? It sounded awesome!

Thank you very much! It was my "Gwaneeeta" with the usual SE 1A mic. I'm not joking, Juanita is the brand name of my guitar. My Dad boutgh it for R20 when he was 21.

aja

Wooooo this is more exciting than elections or idols haha

Conrad

@Pete: I only gave you proper listen now. That was really extremely well done. Did so much with so little and great harmony. Hope you read this.

Bob-Dubery

Viccy wrote:
E, G#, A, B, D
That gives you E7sus4.

OK... now I'm confused (this happens fairly frequently). How can it be a suspended chord if it's got a third in it?

Not trying to pick your argument apart, just trying to learn something.

PeteM

X-rated Bob wrote:
Viccy wrote:
E, G#, A, B, D
That gives you E7sus4.
OK... now I'm confused (this happens fairly frequently). How can it be a suspended chord if it's got a third in it?

Not trying to pick your argument apart, just trying to learn something.

I would call it an E11 in that case

Riaan

I would call it an E11 in that case

If you guys are confused, what hope do I have in ever getting to grips with chord theory... ???