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It's always nice to get credits for these challenges. Thanks guys. But the truth is that I'm motivated by them. Although I don't have much time, I still find time when someone's depending on me for it. I can't wait until the next

Originally posted by V1CTOR on Mon 20 Aug, 2018

I echo this, Vic.

The challenges are pretty much the only music I've made over the last year. Having a deadline and others counting on me helps drive me. ;-)

#3549 Posted Tue 21 Aug, 2018 3:15 pm
How about this for use one day? Each song entry must have at least one instrument that is homemade. I'm talking about using glasses of water, cups, cardboard boxes, pieces of wood, cans, spoons, handmade instruments, whatever .......... Did you know that a piece of plywood was used in "We will rock you" by Queen? I'm going to try this next time regardless

Originally posted by V1CTOR on Tue 21 Aug, 2018

Let me guess it was used on the solo :)

#3550 Posted Tue 21 Aug, 2018 9:51 pm
The Three Minstrels project with Andrew and Joe was seemingly born out of song challenges and it was a lot of fun. Maybe someone would mention the band Cream and the next thing you know, we're trying to write something inspired by Cream, yet still original. One thing I learned was that some people (aka Andrew) are incredibly fast in their creative process and can hit the mark seemingly every single time. The last challenge idea I came up with was a Gary Numan tribute, yet requiring all original compositions. That was a lot of fun. What inspires me is a challenge that pushes me out of comfort zones. As a composer for podcasts, the requirements might be to write something inspired by traditional Celtic music or a period-esque piece based on something from the Victorian Era. I like to suggest that people consider writing songs in a key/mode they don't normally use, avoid the standard time signature of 4/4 and tempo of 120 bpm, skip stereotypical drum patterns and lyrics. It doesn't have to be "difficult listening" compositions from the world of avant garde or musique concrète, rather, just something they wouldn't normally create. You learn, grow, and create something special along the way. Sure, it may turn out poorly on your first effort, but the more you experiment, the better you get at it. Maybe that could be part of the rules to another songwriting challenge. No 120 bpm, no 4/4 time signature, nothing in the key of C major/minor, and no love songs. :D

Originally posted by Astronut on Tue 21 Aug, 2018

For me this was on line collaboration at it's finest and most funnest, (is that a word.....no).

The conversation started the challenge and in every situation behind the scenes we would try to quickly come up with the genisis of an idea and then the team would assemble from that. There was one time when I put up the most God awful piano line with a vocal and if memory serves it was in D and quite possibly not 120BPM. Kev was silent for longer than usual and Joe and I knew he was cooking in the basement, and when he unfurled what he'd been creating it was marvelous. Emotion poured from every word and every note. Somehow he and Joe managed to put my mangled section  to Kev's track and out came a great song, well at least as far as I felt :)

The key was always the conversation, the idea could come out of anything said, you could never tell where it was coming from. So there were no rules other than to be inspired and not let procrastination rule the day. Speed was not the thought, it was let me see what I can do to make them laugh, cry, feel emotion and connect with the music.

I think if memory serves me correct this all started because of Led Zeppelin, Kev hates them, well dislikes them maybe. I recall he stated he would even do a Zep like tune if I could muster something up so I came up with an acoustic crayon using "Four Sticks" as inspiration. From there we had a song called, "Odens' Prayer" this kicked the whole thing off. I think what I learned from that was not to let inspiration stop, I just saw an interview with McCartney where he stated that he uses his phone to record ideas,. This has led to him never finishing things, he has loads of unfinished ideas. Now I can relate to that as I have returned to that said problem and currently have loads of songs in various states and what I call Noodles. I keep noodles as a way of staving of inspiration in lieu of it failing me.

It's a good idea to do as Kev proposes, to build your skillset, you enhance your abilities to grasp inspiration and turn it into something wonderful.

Anyone curious about what Kev and I are babbling about, well we three chose the moniker, "Three Minstrels" after letting inpiration take hold. Myself,  (formerly BullZephyr) Joe, (better known as Phophus) and Kev, (Formerly Astronut) were fortunate enough to meet in this digital forest of ones and zeros, glad I got the chance to make music with them both.

https://thethreeminstrels.bandcamp.com/releases

#3551 Posted Tue 21 Aug, 2018 10:17 pm

Let me guess it was used on the solo :)

Originally posted by GoodVibes on Tue 21 Aug, 2018

Is it just me? or does that solo come in on the wrong key in relation to the vocal? I've been plagued with this thought for 41 years!

#3552 Posted Wed 22 Aug, 2018 12:59 pm

For me this was on line collaboration at it's finest and most funnest, (is that a word.....no).

The conversation started the challenge and in every situation behind the scenes we would try to quickly come up with the genisis of an idea and then the team would assemble from that. There was one time when I put up the most God awful piano line with a vocal and if memory serves it was in D and quite possibly not 120BPM. Kev was silent for longer than usual and Joe and I knew he was cooking in the basement, and when he unfurled what he'd been creating it was marvelous. Emotion poured from every word and every note. Somehow he and Joe managed to put my mangled section  to Kev's track and out came a great song, well at least as far as I felt :)

The key was always the conversation, the idea could come out of anything said, you could never tell where it was coming from. So there were no rules other than to be inspired and not let procrastination rule the day. Speed was not the thought, it was let me see what I can do to make them laugh, cry, feel emotion and connect with the music.

I think if memory serves me correct this all started because of Led Zeppelin, Kev hates them, well dislikes them maybe. I recall he stated he would even do a Zep like tune if I could muster something up so I came up with an acoustic crayon using "Four Sticks" as inspiration. From there we had a song called, "Odens' Prayer" this kicked the whole thing off. I think what I learned from that was not to let inspiration stop, I just saw an interview with McCartney where he stated that he uses his phone to record ideas,. This has led to him never finishing things, he has loads of unfinished ideas. Now I can relate to that as I have returned to that said problem and currently have loads of songs in various states and what I call Noodles. I keep noodles as a way of staving of inspiration in lieu of it failing me.

It's a good idea to do as Kev proposes, to build your skillset, you enhance your abilities to grasp inspiration and turn it into something wonderful.

Anyone curious about what Kev and I are babbling about, well we three chose the moniker, "Three Minstrels" after letting inpiration take hold. Myself,  (formerly BullZephyr) Joe, (better known as Phophus) and Kev, (Formerly Astronut) were fortunate enough to meet in this digital forest of ones and zeros, glad I got the chance to make music with them both.

https://thethreeminstrels.bandcamp.com/releases

Originally posted by GoodVibes on Tue 21 Aug, 2018

I always dug what you guys did with Three Minstrels right down to the artwork. The quality of recording and skill is still a benchmark for me that I've never achieved. I probably never will. But it was an inspiration for sure

#3553 Posted Wed 22 Aug, 2018 1:07 pm

I echo this, Vic.

The challenges are pretty much the only music I've made over the last year. Having a deadline and others counting on me helps drive me. ;-)

Originally posted by DrewRoss on Tue 21 Aug, 2018

Me too (although time has been a challenge) - still not finished our entry!! I’m back at weekend so will get everything ready for mixing....... better late than never :)

#3554 Posted Wed 22 Aug, 2018 3:24 pm

I like that idea a lot.  So would the challenge have a theme, or would participants just come up with their own theme, genre, etc?  The rules would be ‘anything goes’ with the exception of 120bpm, 4/4 time signature, & the key of C major/minor.  I guess we’d have to figure out how to word it without scaring people off.  ;)

I didn’t know what musique concrète was, so had to Google it.  It’s interestingly strange.  I watched this video (below) and honestly, I had a really hard time getting through the entire piece.  I kept having to stop it, yet was so intrigued, that I continued to listen.  Hard to explain, but it definitely messed with my mind a bit. 

Then I found this other video, actually explaining it.  It’s pretty interesting how he created all those weird sounds. 

Originally posted by RAVEN on Tue 21 Aug, 2018

The rules would be ‘anything goes’ with the exception of 120bpm, 4/4 time signature, & the key of C major/minor.  I guess we’d have to figure out how to word it without scaring people off.  ;)

Basically that’s just all ‘Pop’ music you can dance to.............. :-)

#3555 Posted Wed 22 Aug, 2018 3:31 pm

Is it just me? or does that solo come in on the wrong key in relation to the vocal? I've been plagued with this thought for 41 years!

Originally posted by V1CTOR on Wed 22 Aug, 2018

In those days I only listened to the solo, the rest was filler so no point in asking me :)

Just checked and you're right Mr. Vic, the vocal is in E and then the solo goes to F#. A modulation usually reserved for a vocal cresendo, no wonder it has lasted.

#3556 Posted Wed 22 Aug, 2018 8:11 pm
These are all great ideas, guys and gals. Please keep these suggestions coming. We are listening. ;-)

We can make challenges more difficult, but also want to make sure that we do not exclude anyone, by as Dani said, scaring them off. We have found that we have good participation and success by not restricting the challenges too much. This includes keeping them geared towards all members regardless of their technical ability, favorite genre, etc. The goal for the challenges as a website is two-fold. To challenge our members musically but also to encourage collaboration on the site, which has been lacking just a bit.

I am brewing up some ideas for the next challenge and will keep all these ideas in mind. Hope to announce something soon! :-)
#3559 Posted Sat 25 Aug, 2018 1:46 pm
These are all great ideas, guys and gals. Please keep these suggestions coming. We are listening. ;-) We can make challenges more difficult, but also want to make sure that we do not exclude anyone, by as Dani said, scaring them off. We have found that we have good participation and success by not restricting the challenges too much. This includes keeping them geared towards all members regardless of their technical ability, favorite genre, etc. The goal for the challenges as a website is two-fold. To challenge our members musically but also to encourage collaboration on the site, which has been lacking just a bit. I am brewing up some ideas for the next challenge and will keep all these ideas in mind. Hope to announce something soon! :-)

Originally posted by DrewRoss on Sat 25 Aug, 2018

Perhaps instead of the entire collection of "handicaps," you could pick a couple instead of them all. For example, Play in 4/4, but not in C major or at 120 bpm. :)

#3560 Posted Sat 25 Aug, 2018 9:35 pm
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