The Instrumental Soloing Contest

[MixolydianPony]

Lots of trumpet players. I'm curious to see how this will turn out.

I'm really sorry guys, but I've only finished one backing track so far. I'll try my best to do the rest of them tomorrow.

This is a swing/jazzy sorta track, 1:00 long, with a really simple chord progression... just Em7 D7 Cmaj7, which is rooted in E minor. I tried to include some dynamics so it doesn't get too stale. Also, WARNING: May be EXTREMELY LOUD. I sorta kinda entirely forgot to mix before exporting.... don't ask how....

http://www.mediafire.com/?16u3ln3wwwb893e

[Belgerum]

Well, I just started, but here's my background track if anyone wants it. I'll be doing my own track of this, but I may try someone else's if I have time.

This one's slow chord progression and clear pulse is specifically to make it easy for the soloist (me) to play over. The chords are:
C minor 4 bars - G minor 2 bars - C minor 2 bars - A flat Major 2 bars - F minor 2 bars - G minor 2 bars - C minor 2 bars. (Repeat) end on C minor.

http://www.mediafire.com/?52exhdc7dm7osm6

[MixolydianPony]

Sharing backing tracks... now *that's* a good idea. Thanks, Belgerum.

[Belgerum]

Considering the deadline is tomorrow, should we just post the finished tracks somewhere on this thread, or what?

[MixolydianPony]

...I'm probably going to have to be very lenient with the deadline.

Yes, please post entries in this thread. As soon as possible.

I'm probably going to wait until Tuesday or Wednesday just to make sure everyone gets their entry in.

[@ppleBukker]

I think I'll be the first to submit my entry...
http://soundcloud.com/pplebukker/applejacks-last-stand
It may not sound like it, but I put a lot of time and composed every note and fill in this entry. I've got two horrible blisters on my fingers to show for it XD.

By the way, thank you for the backing track, Belgerum.

[Belgerum]

By the way, thank you for the backing track, Belgerum.

You're very welcome. It sounds great!

[Gnarrkhaz]

Here's mine:

http://soundcloud.com/gnarrkhaz/pony-solo

Out of tune guitar! Yay!

Don't attempt to play faster than you can if it makes you sloppy.

*cough * Too late.

[Belgerum]

http://soundcloud.com/belgerum/the-call-of-the-night

Here's my track, with my backgrounds. CMC TRUMPET PLAYER YEAH!!!

[Gnarrkhaz]

http://soundcloud.com/belgerum/the-call-of-the-night

Here's my track, with my backgrounds. CMC TRUMPET PLAYER YEAH!!!

Trumpet for Rocky.

[ChromaticChaosPony]

FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!!!!!!!!!!!! THIS TRACK SUCKS!!! I SCREWED UP SOOOOOOOOOOOO BADLY!!! PLEASE DON'T LISTEN TO IT!!!!!!!!!!

I just bought an 8 string guitar 2 hours ago and have never played one before. This track sucks, and will surely not be considered. I completely improvised and kept accidentally muting notes.

And I don't even have a backing track. Isn't that great? I'm officially the worlds worst musician and organizer. At least I still have the balloon party tracks. I'm going to take about a week to learn how to play an 8 string guitar decently.

http://soundcloud.com/chromatic-chaos-pony/solo-fail

[ChromaticChaosPony]

At least I can feed this track to the trolls. Yay!

[MixolydianPony]

I'm going to wait another day or so before I go through these.

Also, what in Celestia's name is the point of an 8 string? I know that adding strings is a metal thing, but I still don't understand it. Except for 12 string acoustics, but those are different.

[ChromaticChaosPony]

I can use it for its extended range. Thing is that I have never, EVER used one before today, so my solo sucks.

[ChromaticChaosPony]

I won't procrastinate so much next time. I really screwed this one up. I'll redeem myself something next week. I hope you don't take this seriously.

[MixolydianPony]

Alright, I went ahead and scored the entries (seeing as it's three days past the original deadline ). There were only 4, so instead of a winner for each category, and instead of a first and second place, I'm just going to do one winner, because apparently half the people who were initially interested never submitted an entry. Also, if you want, I can give you in-depth feedback via PM. Just ask. Don't be afraid to ask. I would seriously be happy if someone asked for an in depth analysis.

I'd also like to note that this was a really close call. So please don't hate me. I think that if only a few things had been different, any one of them could have been the winner. (Like, oh, I don't know, TUNING THE INSTRUMENTS. )

The winner is...
Gnarrkhaz. (everyone else, please don't hate me.)

http://soundcloud.com/gnarrkhaz/pony-solo

General Composition / Musicality - A big reason I picked this one is because I could really hear it being used in a song, or even *being* a song, if redone. It maintains interest throughout, and seems to take an idea, play with it, and then find something else.
Creativity - The harmonics were genius, and the harmonies in the solo were great.
Technique - This was okay, not really exceptional. A lot of the bends could be a lot better, but almost every note is hit cleanly.
Complexity - Nothing insane, enough complexity to maintain interest while still being easy to listen to.
Precision - But despite how well you may have composed it... By Celestia, man, TUNE THE FREAKING INSTRUMENT. Also, some of the bends weren't on pitch. As stated earlier, almost all of the notes were hit cleanly, which is good.

For the sake of organization, here are the other entries.

http://soundcloud.com/pplebukker/applejacks-last-stand
http://soundcloud.com/chromatic-chaos-pony/solo-fail
http://soundcloud.com/belgerum/the-call-of-the-night


So... would you be interested in doing this again, but even better? More participation, more elaborate solos, more cooler? I feel like this could be about 20% coolerPerhaps a longer amount of time to do it?

I had another idea as well... sort of a big MLR jam. Someone would make a backing track (probably 12 bar blues/rock, around 144 bpm), and then that would be distributed to everyone involved, and they would all get 12 bars to solo on. At the end, we would send all of the solos to someone to mix and master it all, and then we could submit it to ED or something.

Discuss.

[Gnarrkhaz]

I won!? Yay!

As far as i'm concerned: Yes, i'd love to hear more feedback! Gimme!

Just to make one thing clear: The intonation of my guitar is off. I already adjusted the bridge but it's still all over the place. I don't really know why that is. I'm fairly sure it was okay when i bought it. I highly doubt that different string gauges have such a dramatic effect (I'm playing 11's at the moment (hard to do bends with them )). Apparently the guitar's just broken. That's just one reason i bought a new one........which i still don't have.

[Gnarrkhaz]

So... would you be interested in doing this again, but even better? More participation, more elaborate solos, more cooler? I feel like this could be about 20% coolerPerhaps a longer amount of time to do it?

Yes. I'd like more of this. We'd need more participants however.

I had another idea as well... sort of a big MLR jam. Someone would make a backing track (probably 12 bar blues/rock, around 144 bpm), and then that would be distributed to everyone involved, and they would all get 12 bars to solo on. At the end, we would send all of the solos to someone to mix and master it all, and then we could submit it to ED or something.

Discuss.

I'd be in. I don't have any better ideas at the moment but i'll think about it.

[Belgerum]

I won!? Yay!

As far as i'm concerned: Yes, i'd love to hear more feedback! Gimme!

Congrats! =) I too would be pleased with 20% more feedback.

... would you be interested in doing this again, but even better? More participation, more elaborate solos, more cooler? I feel like this could be about 20% coolerPerhaps a longer amount of time to do it?

I had another idea as well... sort of a big MLR jam. Someone would make a backing track (probably 12 bar blues/rock, around 144 bpm), and then that would be distributed to everyone involved, and they would all get 12 bars to solo on. At the end, we would send all of the solos to someone to mix and master it all, and then we could submit it to ED or something.

I'd definitely be up for this. I think it'd be especially cool if we all did the same backgrounds too, so I might try it if more people get interested.

[LunchBagMusic]

I had another idea as well... sort of a big MLR jam. Someone would make a backing track (probably 12 bar blues/rock, around 144 bpm), and then that would be distributed to everyone involved, and they would all get 12 bars to solo on. At the end, we would send all of the solos to someone to mix and master it all, and then we could submit it to ED or something.

Discuss.

I have no more yes-es left to give after I gave them all to this post.

[ChromaticChaosPony]

So... would you be interested in doing this again, but even better? More participation, more elaborate solos, more cooler? I feel like this could be about 20% coolerPerhaps a longer amount of time to do it?

I had another idea as well... sort of a big MLR jam. Someone would make a backing track (probably 12 bar blues/rock, around 144 bpm), and then that would be distributed to everyone involved, and they would all get 12 bars to solo on. At the end, we would send all of the solos to someone to mix and master it all, and then we could submit it to ED or something.

I would love to do this again. I'm using the provided backing track next time.

[Applejinx]

I missed it? Crud. I can at least show y'all that I can play, because my tumblr is using some guitar solos (they're also showin' up in my youtube). http://applejinx.tumblr.com/post/207233 ... -sorta-day

I would love to make friends with more pony guitar players- I been doin' it for a while and would love to help others, know some good tricks of all sorts. And I would like to pay better attention and do this again, or jes' be involved in some way- in case I've spent too many years applebuckin' and shouldn't enter

...it would break my heart if ponies made a guitar solo thing and got it on EqD though and I wasn't on it...

I'm going to go now and make my soundcloud mirror my tumblr so I can embed stuff easier, annoyin' to not be able to do that.

[Gnarrkhaz]

I missed it? Crud. I can at least show y'all that I can play, because my tumblr is using some guitar solos (they're also showin' up in my youtube). http://applejinx.tumblr.com/post/207233 ... -sorta-day

That's pretty good. Please don't miss the contest next time. And on a side note: The solo part is a little quiet.

[Applejinx]

Here's one that's louder. You're right though, I ain't exactly makin' them jump out of the mix- better keep an eye on that I'm thinkin'!
http://soundcloud.com/applejinx/2012-04-05

[@ppleBukker]

First off, huge congrats to Gnarrkhaz! Your solo kicked some serious flank.

As for the jam, I'm all in!