MegaSack DRAW - 6pm Christmas Eve - LIVE on our YouTube Channel
@guitarhero feel free to drop me something tomorrow or thu. The deadline was a) kinda tomorrow and b) completely arbitrary.
I wish I was good enough to participate in something like this ..... I can get my fingers to work (on my bass) to follow a tab now, as long as it's not too complex, but I still haven't put in the effort to learn any theory beyond basic major and minor scales and arpeggios, so being able to even identify what notes will work with a given key or chord let alone improvise around them is way out of my league.
I tried to follow that Rick Beato video a couple of pages back - I was 'yep, yep, yep......what? How did that follow ?' Must make the effort to see if he has some more basic ones, or any other resources you'd recommend?
Cheers guys for the bass info 🙂
@AdamT I had looked at Ibanez basses, I thought I was being a bit of a fanboi as I have two Ibanez electric guitars now and a few more RG's and an original yellow JEM back in the day 🙂
Edited to add, the SR305 is a 5 string? Much advantage going for a 5 string. Basically I want to play bass on my recordings rather than use a keyboard. Well thats initially what I want, I am sure I will want to actually learn to play better 🙂
Just sent poor Adam another attempt, the last I promise. I hope you haven't already spent time on the previous one, Adam (embarrassed smiley).
I tried to record the Bassbreaker really cooking but couldn't hear the backing track even with headphones on max so the latest effort is with a Bassbreaker 45 at about a third volume. Greenback cab, Maxon 808 and a Telecaster. Recorded with a Shure SM58 connected to a PA which adds a little reverb because I forgot to turn it off.
Junior's basses are long scale and mine short scale, Bazzer. I can't cover four frets without moving my hand on his. Try both.
I wish I was good enough to participate in something like this …
Give it a go at some point.
I'm pretty certain I'm not good enough but its going up later. I'm sure there'll be abuse/encouragement but heck I no more think I'm Hendrix than I think I'm Hans Rey, and that doesn't stop me riding my bikes.
The main thing about trying this is it makes me realise what I should be doing instead of just noodling the same clichés over and over again. I think I said earlier on this thread that I intend to put something up on a regular basis. I'm sure I'll get more advice and encouragement than putdowns.
@theotherjonv, go on.... Give it a go. I can always do a private render and send it to you.
but I don't even know what notes will work with those chord progressions (others than the notes in the chords)
as AdamT mentioned you'll get away with Am pentatonic - however this scale probably needs a health warning - far to easy to not progress past it as it will probably do 95% of what you want (yep, I know this from experience) 🙂
I'd also not worry too much about not being good enough, I'm far from professional (and far from good) but with supportive friends eventually got enough confidence to play live
Adam announced it as in Am and it only took a few seconds pentatonic noodling to confirm that worked so A C D E G. At various points to make it sad/bluesy I added F G# B. I might have bent to others but those were the ones I consciously added. Listen to my vid a couple of pages back and decide for yourself if they sound OK.
If you're playing bass you can use all the pentatonic notes A C D E G at pretty much any time
The fifth of the root notes will also usually work when that chord is being played, don't worry too much about all those m7b6(#11) if you're on bass 😉
A fifth = E
D fifth = A
E fifth = B
Try the 3rd and 6th too, and the octaves of notes. The third and fouth bars of my effort in the vid are a similar melody at different octaves.
And trust your ears, it's only a bum note if it sounds like a bum note. I'm intrigued to see what the others come up with.
Perhaps when we're all done composer Adam will tell us what he had in mind and explain it in terms of scales that leave us even more confused than his chord sequence. 😉
I have/had literally nothing in mind for the individual pieces or scales or anything. 😀 I love hearing the other parts and it's opened my mind a bit. Someone else suggested throwing in something slightly different to add to the challenge, hence the Eb thing in there. In the end I reckon you could probably play an Am pentatonic over the whole thing. This is a totally inclusive thing, so if you're even half thinking about it, then please have a go.
Having noodled around with it (badly) my tip would be that the Eb is the blues note in the Am blues scale. So one relatively easy option is to play Am pentatonic and throw in that blue note whenever you hear the funky chord. That gets some nice colour in there.
@AdamT, file hopefully knocking on your inbox now. Limited myself to an hour to record, improvised 5 or 6 takes, then comped the best bits from each. Hope this isn't considered cheating 😉
Yep. Got it @guitarhero. (Everyone... There's a reason he's called guitarhero! 😳)
Jesus. That’s making me feel better... ☹️
So even if it doesn't sound that great, I think it looks really pretty (see below). You each have a lovely colour assigned. I made Chipps brown....cos I'm a huge kid....and he's probably spent more of his life being brown than many of us :-).
Are there any last minute additions (cough @theotherjonv) I can pretty quickly whack stuff in now that it's all set up and very happy to do so.
So far I have:-
Bazzer - Orange
Edukator - Shocking!
Chipps - The brown sound
Superficial - Cyan
Guitarhero - Red
Yep. One from me... just really nervous about posting. Play live and it gets forgotten soon enough. This is for posterity.... 🤓
I can’t find the time midweek but if you can wait till this w/e?
Yep. Can wait until the weekend, no problem.
I'm going to try and get it done tonight. Note I represent that absolute bottom end of guitarists, we're here to make the rest of you look good 😉
Edukator – Shocking!
That bad... .
If I don't reply to critical posts when it goes up it's not because I'm sensitive/sulking, it's because I'll be down to unreliable 3G till Monday and perhaps beyond.
If I've already been sampled and re-mixed (due to not making mine long enough... :-)) does that make me ready for the Charts?
Signal chain for those after my 'amazing' brown tones... Homemade Cabronita into Samson USB speaker/interface things (rather good actually) via the Honk 'n' Drive amp on Garageband. The end...
So I am first and guitarhero is last, it must be in order of how good it is 😀
Wrong TomB- the guitarist Tom is @Tom-B I think! (I have 2 guitars but too rubbish for this project!)
I'm out. Just recorded a few bars and this is not the tune for me. I'm really struggling to come up with anything remotely tuneful.
I’m really struggling to come up with anything remotely tuneful.
I think that's the point, the chord sequence doesn't lend itself to anything joyfully tuneful (though I'm happy to be proved wrong by the other contributions).
I dived straight in with two slides to a flat note (F# where you'd expect a G) and then a bend to perhaps a bit beyond Eb then a penta run down being going flat again.
I've finally finished the refret on that old Sigma Martin. The nut's done properly but I hadn't got a saddle high enough in my box of bits so it buzzes at bit on E and e. The jumbo frets make it a lot easy to play, almost electric easy except beyond the 12th fret obviously. I quite like the sound of it, jangly rather than boomy like some dreadnaughts. Here she is:
The strings were taken off a shorter scale guitar about five years back and are rather rusty if they sound less than bright. Now I just need to sort out some electrics for her.
I'm without recording stuff currently....we're living in a motorhome.....stuff in various storage everywhere and no real idea where I'm going to locate a 'studio' yet as we've not got access to fast internet where we're parked!
Not the you're missing much, for someone that earns more from it for a living (or at least did) I'm awful 😂
I'll try and get involved in a future one....I've got loads of 'loops' that I can donate as backing tracks too.
I’ve finally finished the refret on that old Sigma Martin.
Sounds nice. Always good to rescue something and bring back to life. Try thin strips of kitchen foil under the bridge, always worked as an intermediate term bodge for me. Building up the base depth with epoxy can work too.
The ordering is pretty much as the parts arrived by the way, so don't read too much into that 😀. That said, some of them had bits that went nicely into little breakdown sections, so I might jiggle it around further with the addition of extra parts.
I completely missed this jam-by-proxy thing. Can I join? How do I get the audio over? Cheers.
Just had a happy hour or two adding a slightly more modest bass riff to the sequence, then a bit of a 6 string thing ... I might even try a few bars of bass solo tomorrow. Great fun!
@root-n-5th - if you look back a page, you should find @AdamT 's original backing track and his email address. If you get a move on, you should just be in time... 🙂
Thanks, got it. Although having a play around last night brought very little inspiration. Am pentatonic is all I can muster. I’ll see what happens tonight.
Just sent mine.....it was surprisingly stressful! I haven't recorded anything that other people might actually listen to for some time
Just sent mine…..it was surprisingly stressful!
I chickened out!
I'm not in that good a place at the moment but guitar is how I unwind. Throw a few chords into a looper or get a backing track and widdle happily over the the top. Really keen to show you all my squishes (like chops but duller) but I was just getting more and more on edge.
Working from home is bad. Stagefright* from home is horrendous. 🙁
* I'd have said performance anxiety but I couldn't handle the jokes. 🙂
I had two Barefaced cabs in to try out before Christmas - the 1x10 and the 1x12 and I was impressed enough I bought the 110... Great cab - and monster loud. Just the 1x10 cab and my 15W EVH lunchbox completely kept up with our loud and very active drummer. Really impressed... It's a BIG sound.
Guitar. It's the Barefaced Upsetter 110 - I think they do a similar sized bass cab too. The only issue is that it's so small, very few amp heads fit on top - and it's so low to the ground (not that it matters to the sound) that all the controls are way down there....
OK. Mutley and DaveB are in. I think I might be getting parts from @Scapegoat and @root-n-5th ?
Current roster is:-
Bazzer – Orange
Edukator – Shocking (Pink....for the avoidance of doubt 🙂 )!
Chipps – The brown sound
AdamT - Toxic lime
Superficial – Cyan
Guitarhero – Red
Mutley - Yellow
DaveB - Navy
Oh, thought I’d missed the deadline. I’d just been jamming along.
@Scapegoat....if you wanna record something then go for it! I can just about squeeze stuff in
Ok, give me an hour or so. What do you want, lead or bass? Crap at both so your call.....
Either is fine....both if you're able? It good to have some variation. 🙂
don't hang on for anything from me, I have been noodling (thanks Edukator for the tips) but nowhere near ready to commit yet - and that's before I even think of practicalities or recording it!
Next question, because my lad's switched options this year to music and trying to catch up. He's struggling with the circle of fifths. I've been reading and I get it on a maths basis as much as anything, but why? What 'use' is it in practical music making?
Hi all.
Count me out I’m afraid as I’m not going to have time. Sorry about that.
I was jamming around and nothing inspiring came out. Look forward to hearing it.
Cheers
Dropped the price of my Line6 DT25 in the classifieds to £325.
Also got a 3 month old TC Ditto X4 stereo dual loop looper in there for £115 posted.
Looking forward to hearing your guys tracks on the mixtape.
This stw mix track thing sounds great fun. Not going to add to it now but intrigued, maybe for a future thing.
Not sure how to record though, I have a Laney cub valve amp and we have a Behringer audio interface. I've never connected the two, but I'm guessing the best way is a mic on the amp speaker into the audio interface? Any suggestions for a non too expensive mic to do the job?
What Windows program is good for recording?
Amp sold elsewhere folks.
@supersessions9-2 The Cub doesn't look as though it has a line out so you'll need to mic it up. I've got a Behringer interface and it's been pretty good. Spend as much as you can on the mic but a Shure SM57 would be a good start. Reaper is excellent and very reasonably priced but try a few and see what suits you best
I used the W10 "enregistreur vocal" which translates to "vocal recorder". It's the one with a microphone symbol on my computer. There are expanding circles to indicate the record level (I wasted a lot of time till I realised this). When you hit the biggest circle occasionally it's about right. More and it compresses, less and it's too quiet (though Adam can fix that so I stayed on the quiet side).
The first effort I recorded was just the headphone out from the amp into the computer. It was OK. I persisted with recording the cab just to get closer to "my" sound.
My old Samsumg phone used to record sound really well, but the new Moto G (5S) doesn't have a dictophone app, I should perhaps download one to try.
If you have a laptop try the microphone/dictophone function on that.
Almost any mic you can find a way of plugging into your computer's mic socket will allow you to record. The quality and level might not be perfect but if you experiment with how far you put the mic from the cab and the volume you play at you should get something useable for this exercise.
If you want to record all sorts of different things I recommend a Zoom. It does everything from voice to a bass cab remarkably well - but junior has ours so I had to think of something else.
@mutley thanks for this, I've been researching since I posted and I found a recent you tube video about recording with a Laney cub. Seems the FX loop out is also a line out and can be connected directly into an audio interface.
So I have all the cables and kit already. I will have to have a tinker later this week.
@supersessions9-2 if you are using the FX loop out you will need an IR loader in the DAW to makeit sound like a speaker. Again there are loads out there but http://www.igniteamps.com/ do some great free stuff. I suggest in the DAW you have have input - TPA - NadIR as your signal chain. Select an IR that sounds good to you and off you go 🙂
Well, I've finally managed to make a bit of a noise that'll fill out a bit of the track. On its way Adam!
Fender Modern Player Jazz Bass if any one cares, bridge pickup backed off a bit to add a bit of treble, DI into a Scarlett Solo. Go easy on me.....my enthusiasm outweighs my ability by an order of magnitude!
Righto! As Scapegoat said. His bit is delivered and already in the track! That's the last bit now, so just the final mastering. I hate this bit cos you can end up tweaking it till the cows come home. I'm basically going to stop though as I've been trying to get it all balanced as I go along....I just need to commit! 👍
I can render out all the processed stems (pre master bus) if there are any budding mixers out there!?
Might even get it out tonight!!! (Including "video" 😀)
Next question, because my lad’s switched options this year to music and trying to catch up. He’s struggling with the circle of fifths. I’ve been reading and I get it on a maths basis as much as anything, but why? What ‘use’ is it in practical music making?
I’m not an expert in music theory but I’ll have a bash at answering this.
The way I think of it is that the circle is a way of organising several different music theory concepts into one reference tool. I'll start by saying I don't personally find it that useful as a reference tool since my brain isn't really wired that way, but understanding the circle has improved my music theory. Some people keep a printout in their guitar case.
(Image ripped off from this article which itself may be useful: https://www.classicfm.com/discover-music/music-theory/what-is-the-circle-of-fifths/ )
Refer to the diagram at each step. For each example, I'll use C major since it's the easy one and it's at the top.
1) Establishing what is the 'fifth' of your root:
At its most basic, it'll show you what the fifth of your root note is by looking at the letter clockwise. E.g. G is the fifth of C. It'll also work backwards, the fourth degree of your scale (F) is the letter anticlockwise. I don't find that useful per se but it raised an interesting concept for me; scales are not equally spaced and so they don't work the same counting forward as they do backwards. C is the fifth degree of the F (major scale), but F is the fourth degree of C major.
2) Parallel minor key
C major has a 'parallel' minor key which is the letter 'inside' your major letter. So C major --> Am. They both share all the same notes.
3) Chords in your key:
The six chords that fit neatly into your key are the 6 letters around your root. So for C major it's F C G (major, on the outside of the circle) and D A E (minor, on the inside).
4) It helps explain which keys have which accidentals (sharps or flats)
I'd always known from learning the piano as a kid that C major has no sharps, G major has one (F#), D major has two (F# and C#). I never knew beyond those, and I never thought there was any pattern to this - I just thought you had to memorise them. But as you move clockwise around the circle of fifths (C -> G -> D -> A), you gain a sharp accidental. If you go anticlockwise, you gain a flat note (until you get to the bottom (C flat Maj) when they 'cross over'.
5) Modes
You can also use the circle to identify the notes and chords within the more unusual scales and modes. This is getting fairly advanced and I have to say I only have a passing knowledge of this. But I know that for, say, myxolydian mode, you can select the notes / chords anticlockwise around your root. So for C myxolydian, your chords would be C, (then, going anticlockwise) F, Bb, along with their parallel minors (on the inner circle) Am Dm Gm.
Semi related: This video cropped up in my feed I thought it was a very good introduction to music theory. For anyone who wants to learn some theory, it's a great starting point.
Right then everyone. Here it is. Thanks to everyone involved and whoever it was who suggested doing it again. I really enjoyed putting it together and would happily do it again. Happy to answer questions on the process etc.
The video shows what's going on in the tool. Most of the tracks had some light compression and EQ on it. A few had some delay effects at the end etc. If you're really eagle-eyed you'll see some automated parameters....they have a red dot alongside them.
Here are the contributors. There are links to each part in the description so you can go straight to my bit and listen to it over and over again 🙂
Obviously, like and subscribe 😉
00:43 Bazzer
01:24 Edukator
02:24 Chipps
03:05 AdamT
03:45 Superficial
04:26 Scapegoat
04:45 Guitarhero
05:45 Mutley
06:47 DaveB
Awesome, really enjoyed listening to that and how people did different things.
Sounds great. It's amazing that given the same backing everyone has come up with something that is SO different. Well done to all participants and especially to @AdamT for putting this together.
Agreed, no right or wrong way , just each guitarist with their style and interpretation. The previous blues jam produced similar pieces but these contributions were much more varied, a good backing track then, Adam.
Yes thanks again to @AdamT for putting it all together.
I think its quite a good learning exercise too. Made me really think about it when doing my bit, but also listening to others makes me think what I could have done.
I hang around the tonal centre a little bit too much, where as others are bit more varied which is more interesting.
Also tones that sound good on their own don't necessarily translate into sounding good in a mix.
Thanks so much AdamT for pulling this together you’ve done an amazing job.
Fantastic stuff!
That is excellent, well done everyone! And thanks Adam for putting it together. Look forward to the next one
Really good stuff from everyone on there. I’ll play it a couple of more times while I’m working this morning and try to work out what folk are doing.
As said above so many different ideas. 👍🏼
Woohoo, that was fab! Thanks Adam and well done everyone else. Great to hear what a mix of tunes and tones and chops and feel there is here... Yay!
Great stuff everyone
Look forward to participation if there a next one
My submission would no doubt have been close to my 80s inspired jam on the early pages of this thread
I always end up sounding the same 🙂
This could be good if you have lots of time to waste in front of a computer tomorrow. working from home planned for tomorrow.
Some good names on there. Jon Gomm, Lari Basilio and Paul Gilbert are usually worth listening to.
https://tracking.andertons.co.uk/u/gm.php?prm=EhiknAPoWf_545596053_8633897_12873
@Superficial I just learnt more in your post about the circle then I have from various books, videos etc. over the years. Wow! Thanks.
Glad it was useful!
Thanks @AdamT for putting it all together. An interesting little project which I certainly enjoyed.
If you ever feel like moaning about the limitations of using Garageband, Ableton or whatever then check this out:
Nice link. I read a book "birth of loud" about fender and Les Paul, so knew about the tricks. Nice to have the audio linked next to the text though
Yep, he was pretty special and its good to hear the results alongside the wordage.
Lets hope Mickey Baker gets similar respect eventually.
Anyways, found a couple of scorching Jeff Beck things with a pair of great ladies singing. Always impressed by the way he fits in and doesn't need to overplay. Probably the most distinctive voice in rock guitar.
Love a bit of Jeff Beck. Saw a video of him doing 'People Get Ready'....can't remember whom was doing vox, but it was Brill.
Edit....it was that first video, it hadn't loaded when I first posted! One of my fav songs to play with a long time vocal collaborator of mine....never quite comes out like that though!
I love a bit of Jeff Beck as well 🙂
Been following Dave Simpson on YouTube for a while now, he posted a lesson yesterday so I'm trying to learn some blues. Have only practised for a few minutes as my hands are sore from work but hopefully be able to spend a bit more time tomorrow or Monday practising.
Yup, I love Dave Simpson. Top feller.
Really enjoying this thread with some great playing. Dave Simpson is a top guy puts out a lot of content. Another player who has blown me away is Chris Buck from Buck and Evans. Wow tone and feeling for days and never overplays anything he does.
Just put my TC Electronics Ditto X4 looper in the classifieds.
https://singletrackworld.com/classifieds/advert/tc-electronic-ditto-x4-looper/
If any of you fancied some online jamming then I can recommend using Ninjam/Jamtaba. It's pretty clever in that you don't have to have extreme low latency as it relies on having a repeating interval over say 16 bars. You would swear you were playing live...it works really well. The wikipedia entry below describes how it works.
Ninjam is integrated into Reaper DAW and other folk tend to use Jamtaba as a VST in whatever other DAW they're using. I just add the VST into my master channel, so I can route drum patterns, guitar or bass into it.
There are some amazing musicians on there. Why not give it a go. I tend to use "adz" as my username (there's no "login" as such...it's just a straight up plugin)
I'm just going in there now....since I'm very bored and it's a fantastic waste of time! 🙂
Wikipedia description
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ninjam
Link to jamtaba VST
https://jamtaba-music-web-site.appspot.com/
