Composition Challenge #1 "Malian Desert Blues"

TimmyO · January 2014

I avoid OT most of the time, probably not the only one

TTony · January 2014

I'll sort it in the morning, if that's still the agreed approach.

You'll need to keep the new sub-section busy though. If it goes dormant, it'll be culled.

(I didn't mean that to sound like a threat, btw! More an incitement for more ideas about doing proper stuff via the forum ... Maybe some collaborations could be kicked off?)

I'm also thinking that theFB funds should (at least) contribute towards prize costs, particularly if we can make the challenges popular. Though I'll run that past my fellow admins first.

Antique_Guitars · January 2014

TTony said:

I'll sort it in the morning, if that's still the agreed approach.

You'll need to keep the new sub-section busy though. If it goes dormant, it'll be culled.

(I didn't mean that to sound like a threat, btw! More an incitement for more ideas about doing proper stuff via the forum ... Maybe some collaborations could be kicked off?)

I'm also thinking that theFB funds should (at least) contribute towards prize costs, particularly if we can make the challenges popular. Though I'll run that past my fellow admins first.

Sounds good Captain

littlegreenman · January 2014

OK, I have my main riff and melody sorted. Just need to get the camel to join in now!

Antique_Guitars · January 2014

littlegreenman said:

OK, I have my main riff and melody sorted. Just need to get the camel to join in now!

excellent good job squire, remember you have a month less now then when it was first posted we are on a 3 month turnaround now.

littlegreenman · January 2014

That's OK, the other challenges I take part in are 2 weeks, and I usually end up doing it all in the last two days anyway

daveww · January 2014

Me too. I'm keen to have a go but whatever I do it won't take me long. I have the attention span of a goldfish.

ThePrettyDamned · January 2014

Never heard of the genre, but it'll be a laugh. I'll hopefully have a microphone in a month or so, so I'll start listening to some stuff tonight!

Antique_Guitars · January 2014

Some helpful vids

TTony · January 2014

Antique_Guitars said:

TTony said:

I'll sort it in the morning, if that's still the agreed approach.

You'll need to keep the new sub-section busy though. If it goes dormant, it'll be culled.

(I didn't mean that to sound like a threat, btw! More an incitement for more ideas about doing proper stuff via the forum ... Maybe some collaborations could be kicked off?)

I'm also thinking that theFB funds should (at least) contribute towards prize costs, particularly if we can make the challenges popular. Though I'll run that past my fellow admins first.

Sounds good Captain

@Antique_Guitars.

Done.

Now, use it or lose it ...

Antique_Guitars · January 2014

TTony said:

Antique_Guitars said:

TTony said:

I'll sort it in the morning, if that's still the agreed approach.

You'll need to keep the new sub-section busy though. If it goes dormant, it'll be culled.

(I didn't mean that to sound like a threat, btw! More an incitement for more ideas about doing proper stuff via the forum ... Maybe some collaborations could be kicked off?)

I'm also thinking that theFB funds should (at least) contribute towards prize costs, particularly if we can make the challenges popular. Though I'll run that past my fellow admins first.

Sounds good Captain

@Antique_Guitars.

Done.

Now, use it or lose it ...

I expect to see 300 music making threads by Fretwired in the next few days

Antique_Guitars · January 2014

Im hoping to see a few of the mods entering the competition!

steamabacus · January 2014

Sounds like a good idea. I'll try and come up with sometrhing.

(I have Off Topic 'silenced' so I've only just noticed this thread)

Fretwired · January 2014

Antique_Guitars said:

TTony said:

Antique_Guitars said:

TTony said:

I'll sort it in the morning, if that's still the agreed approach.

You'll need to keep the new sub-section busy though. If it goes dormant, it'll be culled.

(I didn't mean that to sound like a threat, btw! More an incitement for more ideas about doing proper stuff via the forum ... Maybe some collaborations could be kicked off?)

I'm also thinking that theFB funds should (at least) contribute towards prize costs, particularly if we can make the challenges popular. Though I'll run that past my fellow admins first.

Sounds good Captain

@Antique_Guitars.

Done.

Now, use it or lose it ...

I expect to see 300 music making threads by Fretwired in the next few days

I'll do my best .. maybe worth moving some of the other stuff like the backing tracks ... people seem to download them via the forum. Maybe the odd jam to pull people in for the main attraction of the big project.

axisus · January 2014

I have to admit that it's too narrow a remit for me to want to have a go. I'd prefer challenges that allow you to express your choice of style, for example, a set of chord changes that could be tackled in any genre one cares to try.

Antique_Guitars · January 2014

axisus said:

I have to admit that it's too narrow a remit for me to want to have a go. I'd prefer challenges that allow you to express your choice of style, for example, a set of chord changes that could be tackled in any genre one cares to try.

Well thats certainly something we can look at for a challenge later in the year, at the end of the day everyone feels comfotable doing different thing so over the course of the year we will attempt to do challenges that cater for these differences.

Antique_Guitars · January 2014

Maybe in the meantime if you have time you might like to contribute to the video intro music?

ThePrettyDamned · January 2014

Yeah, I think the challenges can cover anything - there will be folks who can apply for all of them, but I'll probably only manage a few because I'm a bit...Er.. Musically challenged

Which is fine by me. Variety is the spice of life and all that.

chrispy108 · January 2014

This one's not for me at all, I'm not up for learning a new style of music I don't like for an online challenge. I understand the idea to push people out of their comfort zones a bit, but this is too far.

I think you'd be better off doing a challenge every week or two, then maybe every quarter you could have a vote for which of those quarters entries were 'best', although tbh I'm not sure there needs to be a prize at all.

Also, wouldn't the entries be better off on Soundcloud? That way people can vote on their, and also comment directly on the entries, at specific points, which could lead to some really helpful feedback.

steamabacus · January 2014

My entry sent.

Antique_Guitars · January 2014

steamabacus said:

My entry sent.

Yep thank you first entry is in and it sounds great.

Antique_Guitars · January 2014

chrispy108 said:

This one's not for me at all, I'm not up for learning a new style of music I don't like for an online challenge. I understand the idea to push people out of their comfort zones a bit, but this is too far.

I think you'd be better off doing a challenge every week or two, then maybe every quarter you could have a vote for which of those quarters entries were 'best', although tbh I'm not sure there needs to be a prize at all.

Also, wouldn't the entries be better off on Soundcloud? That way people can vote on their, and also comment directly on the entries, at specific points, which could lead to some really helpful feedback.

Were taking it easy for now maybe the scope will change later on.

we coud possibly have a soundcloud page as well but at the moment we are tyring to reach out to people via youtube and get some more people joining the forum.

chrispy108 · January 2014

Not sure how Malian desert blues is 'taking it easy', or how successful it's going to be helping reach out.

As for Soundcloud vs Youtube, Soundcloud is where I look for music, Youtube is where I look for fail videos.

Antique_Guitars · January 2014

chrispy108 said:

Not sure how Malian desert blues is 'taking it easy', or how successful it's going to be helping reach out.

As for Soundcloud vs Youtube, Soundcloud is where I look for music, Youtube is where I look for fail videos.

Well everyone is different that is the problem, we shall just have to see what happens early days and all..............

steamabacus · January 2014

It doesn't have to be an authentic recreation of the style. Just 'inspired by' or 'a bit of the flavour of' Malian desert blues. Most people can play a bit of blues. Just try and stretch it a bit and see how much of that desert vibe you can drag in. Maybe find a suitable percussion loop and play something bluesy over that?
My piece was just done with a guitar and a looper. I'm a fan of Tinariwen but I haven't studied or analysed any specifics about the style. I doubt my effort would sound very authentic to a Tuareg.

daveww · January 2014

This one might help a bit

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRYi89cvr3w

Antique_Guitars · January 2014

I can't stress enough how open this challenge is, it really is not as strict as people think there is a lot of scope for experimentation. It is supposed to be in the "style of" which to be honest is so varied when you actually listen to the stuff that you could create so many different kinds of sounds.

Chuffola · January 2014

Hmmm... If it's that open, why be restrictive to the extent many feel is the case already.

I think, for the first challenge, a much more inclusive genre/ style might have been better. I look forward to listening to the entries but I'm afraid, in the words of Duncan from Dragons Den.... I'm oot!

Antique_Guitars · January 2014

Chuffola said:

Hmmm... If it's that open, why be restrictive to the extent many feel is the case already.

I think, for the first challenge, a much more inclusive genre/ style might have been better. I look forward to listening to the entries but I'm afraid, in the words of Duncan from Dragons Den.... I'm oot!

Got to have some boundaries plus its an attempt to avoid copying all the other music competitions out there, it is supposed to be a challenge. Might work might not we shall see, but don't fear the next challenge im sure will appeal to a broader range of peeps.

chrispy108 · January 2014

Fair enough, we obviously disagree, I just think you've missed an opportunity to really get something going.

If I'd have said "record at least two minutes of melodic death metal", people would be saying it was too closed, and they'd be right.

Whereas, if you said "record a 30 second bridge" as a starting point, then I could do a bit of melo-death, you could do a bit of malian blues, people could do some funk, others could do some 80s rock, and you'd have loads more entries, and maybe you'd build some momentum.

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Composition Challenge #1 "Malian Desert Blues"

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