So What

[(*The Noonward Race*)]

http://www.soundclick.com/util/getplayer.m3u?id=5177561&q=hi

First time I played the intro fully... don't worry about that! : - ]

Take one. Alright I'd like to hear your commments!

[niobium]

I'm clicking anyway, but I hope this is the Miles Davis song.

edit: Yay, it is. Couple questions.

1. What instruments did you play?
2. Agree or disagree: the piano screwed up at 0:33?
3. I would say this is very good, no?
4. What program(s) did you use?
5. How long did this take, overall?

[superjoe]

Terrible tone, sounds extremely out of place. Your playing is very awkward and doesnt flow with the groove at all. The solo sounds pretty bad aswell...lots of dead notes and stuff that, again, sounds out of place. Phrasing needs alot of work.

I hope I dont sound mean, but I think it needs alot of work. Also keep in mind, I really dont think I can do any better.

Mind uploading the backing track?

[Eliminator]

Agreed with superjoe.

[(*The Noonward Race*)]

I'm clicking anyway, but I hope this is the Miles Davis song.

edit: Yay, it is. Couple questions.

1. What instruments did you play?
2. Agree or disagree: the piano screwed up at 0:33?
3. I would say this is very good, no?
4. What program(s) did you use?
5. How long did this take, overall?


1. guitar
2. lol prolly not
3. I like, it's enjoyable to me, I don't really rate is as good or bad but it's just my own music I'm playing so It's cool.
4. FL Studio, over a backing track, I know how to get tonnes of good backings.
5. about 10 minutes, but that was after just jamming to different songs then So What came up and got the sheet music and the backing and recording my first take.

there ya go man

[(*The Noonward Race*)]

Terrible tone, sounds extremely out of place. Your playing is very awkward and doesnt flow with the groove at all. The solo sounds pretty bad aswell...lots of dead notes and stuff that, again, sounds out of place. Phrasing needs alot of work.

I hope I dont sound mean, but I think it needs alot of work. Also keep in mind, I really dont think I can do any better.

Mind uploading the backing track?you're right about the tone man...
I'm sure also of phrasing weirdness is added because I'm very influenced by John Mclaughlin and he has a very different kind of feel. Next time I play this I'm going to take looong breaks between phrases and try to focus on melody. This one here was almost an exercise in trying to fit as many interesting (awkward) rhythms, I have been practising playing in many odd time sigs and I think that also changed my phrasing.
I'm also going to say that you can ignore these because I don't need excuses, and this is how I play. I'm going to get better, thanks a lot for responding man! +rep

[(*The Noonward Race*)]

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=0J9OH9FY backing

[superjoe]

you're right about the tone man...
I'm sure also of phrasing weirdness is added because I'm very influenced by John Mclaughlin and he has a very different kind of feel. Next time I play this I'm going to take looong breaks between phrases and try to focus on melody. This one here was almost an exercise in trying to fit as many interesting (awkward) rhythms, I have been practising playing in many odd time sigs and I think that also changed my phrasing.
I'm also going to say that you can ignore these because I don't need excuses, and this is how I play. I'm going to get better, thanks a lot for responding man! +rep

Yeah I already knew you were going for the McLaughlin feel, but it really didnt work. It works with stuff like Bitches Brew and whatnot but McLaughlin played that way for that kind of music. If you listen to his really early live stuff with The Graham Bond Organization, he does more of the bebop style that fits the music. You cant play wild fusion licks over bebop standards without it sounding out of place. Thats just my 2 cents though.

Again, not tryingto be harsh.

[(*The Noonward Race*)]

If you listen to his really early live stuff with The Graham Bond Organization,where do I find this? which album or what

[superjoe]

where do I find this? which album or what

Its on an album I downloaded by them called Solid Bond. Has 3 live tracks at the end featuring McLaughlin.

You should be able to get it on soulseek from me.

[Ando!]

loved it, i actually found it a lot less awkward than some of your other stuff

[TheClap]

Is this just you?

[joas]

Yeah I already knew you were going for the McLaughlin feel, but it really didnt work. It works with stuff like Bitches Brew and whatnot but McLaughlin played that way for that kind of music. If you listen to his really early live stuff with The Graham Bond Organization, he does more of the bebop style that fits the music. You cant play wild fusion licks over bebop standards without it sounding out of place. Thats just my 2 cents though.

Again, not tryingto be harsh.


i think the real problem is the fact that it is a backing track

also, so what is most definitely not a bebop standard and would compare to more of a jam environment like that going on in bitches brew than what to me you're describing

i'll listen and edit in a few

edit

okay, your tone could be better, let me know what you have and i could maybe give some suggestions because i have gotten the shaft in the past with lots of crap gear that isn't suitable for jazz and tried to the make the best of it.. and i'm sure you have better stuff than i had

obviously some flubs on the head, mainly the bassline

definitely have the fusion sort of style of playing in mind with your soloing, in which case you may want to go ahead and put on some other effects or change up your tone going into it for a contrast and to suit what you're doing

you're making clear definition between D and Eb, which is good

about 3:20 in you get into some cool sounding lines that at least caught my ear or stood out to me a bit more than the majority of the playing (not meaning that in a demeaning way).. also again at around 4:25 or so and about 4:50


but yeah, i hate backing tracks so good job with that in mind

[(*The Noonward Race*)]

okay, your tone could be better, let me know what you have and i could maybe give some suggestions because i have gotten the shaft in the past with lots of crap gear that isn't suitable for jazz and tried to the make the best of it.. and i'm sure you have better stuff than i hadshector classic with a vine of life inlay and stuff its beautiful im so proud of it, a vox valvetronix modeling amp, i took a lot of treble but then when i used the bridge humbuckers it sounded really muddy and i lost a lot of definition in the rhythm, because apart from the general continuity be maybe a little different than what i want to do harmonically potentially i depend a lot on rhythmic subtlety i think... but i was gonna get that muddy amp under a blanket but i didnt because i wanted it to be bright and i guess that really took away from a traditional persepective, plus the gain on the interface was too high
lol when it clips sometimes it sounds like a sax
obviously some flubs on the head, mainly the bassline yeh i doubt ill mess that up again
definitely have the fusion sort of style of playing in mind with your soloing, in which case you may want to go ahead and put on some other effects or change up your tone going into it for a contrast and to suit what you're doingright, i think the thing is DIFFERENT TONE... totally.

about 3:20 in you get into some cool sounding lines that at least caught my ear or stood out to me a bit more than the majority of the playing (not meaning that in a demeaning way).. also again at around 4:25 or so and about 4:50yeah thanks for pointing something like that out its really helpful, i need something like this from someone, somewhere. those were parts where i felt good in what was happening i remember, thank you joas

[joas]

no problem

i assume rhythm pickup you meant the neck pickup, i would try and roll a little off on your tone knob (yeah, obvious) and also a bit off your volume knob as well if you want to try and get more of the "classic" jazz guitar tone

also, this is my sort of preference, but it seems to work well also to definitely be mid heavy and cut back on the bass and treble a bit on your amp settings, and of course keeping your gain down but the master volume up

[Lydisk]

inspired by this thread i made a recodring too

would you care to listen?

http://www.soundclick.com/util/getplayer.m3u?id=5189905&q=hi

[joas]

i think i read in guitar that you went direct from your guitar into the computer, so for doing so your tone sounds pretty good, though with a 335 i am sure if you could mic it or do anything more it would sound really good

on the head at some points your time seems a little shakey, you might double check that, but overall you didn't have any real mistakes other than that

from the start you have some good sounds, and i like some of the more blues inspired licks you play throughout the solo

you have a lot of really good ideas that never quite take off, like around 4:30 at the B section you sound really hesitant when the idea you're playing sounds really solid or using the last sort of "jarring" phrase at the end of the recording would be great to us; i think the real issue though is sort of attempt to improvise everything in your entire solo.. having preconceived ideas or licks definitely strengthens your sound with the listener

clearly you know what you're doing and you can play modally over the changes and emphasize the difference between the A and B, but the biggest thing i can tell you to do is to definitely have some really good modal or otherwise phrases, or have some interesting structured patterns to play with, in order for you to sound really comfortable and honest with your stuff


the only other thing i want to mention is work with a metronome with all of this stuff, practice with it only and without a backing track and focus really on the time, not that time was a huge issue with either of the recordings but it makes you sound so much better and tons of amazing people really stress it


i'm not some expert, so keep in mind these are just my opinions and i am not claiming to be above anyone or anything like that

[freezeeko0]

wow thanks joas.

i plugged my 335 straight into the laptop and into audacity. i didnt get any monitor signal trough my headset so i only had the acoustic sound of the guitar to help me :)

but yeah i didnt really "finish my sentences" in my soloing and my timing is off sometimes. maybe i tried too hard to go for that laid back feel.

great critique. thanks.

[joas]

no problem

yeah the laid back feel is so great sounding, and really hard to just get right without really trying to focus on it.. i'm working on it right now, and besides kurt it's great to listen to pat for that feel because his is awesome as well

not that there aren't others hah

[freezeeko0]

yeah. i wish i could keep that groove of john scofields solos but with a little more attack. i tend to rush things a lot especially on songs with lots of changes where i feel i have to play many notes :)

[Ando!]

http://youtube.com/watch?v=Om6HDUKBbzE&mode=related&search=

this is pretty swingy as far as McLaughlin goes