Pretty much an improv here again. I wanted to put together something more structured and record with a mic (if only I had a little more time this week). It was good challenge to play to this track!

Top notch playing just as I"ve come to expect from the GROOT man!!! Say it with me!!! "I AM GROOT!" That tapping bit abourt 1:22 was super spiff as a bonus Your playing throughout is a clinic in combining melody with technicality. Nicely done. The bit around 30 seconds in caught my ear as well.

It's filled with left turns that are like "woah, where did that come from, let me rewind that". Which are my fave moments in any solo The production quality is plenty good. In a perfect world, there would always be enough time to record in full studio mode with nice mics and everything, but part of the point of this challenge series is to focus more on the playing than the production. So web cam/cell phone, etc. Is more than fine

Last of all, I still want that guitar! You really do play the heck out of it here. I like your tone that you are getting out of it as well. Is that the neck pickup? Very smooth tone. I know most of it comes from the fingers. And to be sure your fingers are pumping it out! Well played. In short...

Welcome to X6!!





Sorry for all the Happy Go Lucky Major Scale bits!! But like I said before, for a guy in a Bathory shirt and tat sleeves, you can play Happy Bits with the best of them!! I can tell you were a bit stressed just after the take though Sort of like "whew!, That's over" kind of expression on your face

Your playing here is quite good indeed, as is your tone. The Bendy bits about 20 seconds in all find their mark which is not an easy thing. It's often easy to over bend or under bend and miss the desired note entirely. Also, the lick about 37 seconds in sounds like a pentatonic inversion, which is very cool Is that something you just wung or was it from something we did in the past? Either way it work

Also, the ending with the sliding works well with the backing and you put a nice bow on it at the end to wrap the solo. It's unresolved in terms of note, but feels resolved in terms of lick. In short, welcome to X7!!!!!

that lick does stand out a bit I kinda stole it from Gab! although he played it with more notes and WAY faster.

[quote name='Todd Simpson' date='Jun 22 2016, 05:15 AM' post='733974']
Top notch playing just as I"ve come to expect from the GROOT man!!! Say it with me!!! "I AM GROOT!" That tapping bit abourt 1:22 was super spiff as a bonus Your playing throughout is a clinic in combining melody with technicality. Nicely done. The bit around 30 seconds in caught my ear as well.

It's filled with left turns that are like "woah, where did that come from, let me rewind that". Which are my fave moments in any solo The production quality is plenty good. In a perfect world, there would always be enough time to record in full studio mode with nice mics and everything, but part of the point of this challenge series is to focus more on the playing than the production. So web cam/cell phone, etc. Is more than fine

Last of all, I still want that guitar! You really do play the heck out of it here. I like your tone that you are getting out of it as well. Is that the neck pickup? Very smooth tone. I know most of it comes from the fingers. And to be sure your fingers are pumping it out! Well played. In short...

Welcome to X6!!


Thanks T-man! I'm using the bridge pickup. Its a Dimarzzio D-activator if I'm not mistaken. I think I roll of the volume a bit as the pickup is a bit hot for this kinda of Major acoustic track (which is backing I plan to revisit for Major improv). Also, cuts off a bit of the high end, I think. In a perfect world and in my head, I'd love to nail down Vinnie Moore's tone from his early days, ala "Time Odyssey".... but also need Vinne Moore fingers as well.

Btw, that red Xiphos looks and sounds amazing! Did you mention that it has D-activator pickups? Big fan of this pickup.

Lastly, I am GROOT!!

This is my original black xiphos. The white one feels a pinch thicker on the neck for some reason than the black one and the red one.

I love the D activator In the red one, it has D ACTIVATOR X pups which were done just for the limited edition red run of the xpt750. They are modified X2N pickups and have a very Vinnie Moore vibe when you dial back the volume knob. I"ll record a chunk like that to show you what I mean. Not to fizzy or bright, and very focused on a thicker pick attack.



This post has been edited by Todd Simpson: Jun 22 2016, 07:34 PM

Here is a bit of the VINNIE MOORE tone I was working on. I do love that guys tone Whaddya think? I could be going deaf though, so there's that. Still love his tone and playing though

https://soundcloud.com/techniqueswithtodd/vinnie-moore-tone-test

That sounds pretty darn spot on Vinnie to me! Plus, that lick is so grip it and rip it love it. Is that the red xiphios we are hearing?

I'm working on this now, sorry for the delay, I have a lot of work with Gab to get done.

Yes It's the red XPT750. It was only made in 2009 so they are getting harder to find. The Activator "X" pickups are quite spiff. You can buy them from Dimarzio aftermarket, even today.

http://www.dimarzio.com/pickups/humbuckers...ivator-x-bridge

They really nail the vinnie sound IMHO as they are modded X2N pups which are crazy gainy. They pulled back quite a bit on the gain and thus reduces the fizz/harsh bits.





No worries! We are ready when you are

Todd

Two majorly bad takes



This post has been edited by Caelumamittendum: Jun 24 2016, 09:30 PM

Nothing there mate

Now there is. Missed an A in the copy/paste

This track is trickier than it first seems isn't it?

This post has been edited by Phil66: Jun 24 2016, 09:35 PM

yeah, it is a bit. I ended up just using e minor pent

I like em both I liked the second one a bit better of the two. I like the way you slink around the beat then lock back in to then slink about, the lock back in again. You always manage to resolve the licks even when it seems you've played yourself out on a limb which is quite a feat I like the tone and playing. The slides have a Steve Vai feel to them and the everything was in key and worked for me Welcome to x4!

The X9 Challenge is here!
Hail to the FUNK!! Let's get a bit Funky with this one. Dirty, nasty, gritty, Funk! No the pretty funk!


DOWNLOAD: mp3 backing
 x9Backing.mp3 ( 1.02MB ) Number of downloads: 84

https://soundcloud.com/techniqueswithtodd/x9-backing-track-f-pentatonic-funk
KEY: F, (Pentatonic Will work here, throw in some natural minor for fun)
BPM: BPM 120
CHORDS USED: F, G#, A# power chords
SCALES TO USE: F Blues Minor, F Natural Minor
F Blues Scale:

F Minor Scale:

DUE DATE: Before Midnight Next Saturday!!! - July 9th, 2016


----------
This is NOT A COLLAB but something new. It's a "Challenge" I challenge you to play anything over this backing. It doesn't have to be good, it doesn't have to shred, it just has to have you in it playing like you really mean it!!! That's it so here is what I need.

1.)Reply to this post with a youtube video of your performance. EMBED the video in the post (Ask me if you need any help)

That's it, no files, no transfers, just you playing I will give you feedback on your submission and you will get your updated SHRED FEST MISSION BADGE for having the stones to put yourself out there and for making the time to make music.

-----------

BONUS: Custom ELEVEN RACK patch used in the solo section.
 X9_11rackpreset.tfx.zip ( 1.19K ) Number of downloads: 132



This post has been edited by Todd Simpson: Jul 2 2016, 11:00 PM

Ok I finally managed to come up with something. I was going for a kind of Rubina's Blue Sky Happiness feel but without the skill
It was a total improvisation. There are mistakes aplenty but I kinda find it relaxing to listen to I forgot to fade out too and also to edit the end of the video

Critique your heart out Todd

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVoe7ayIuqc...eature=youtu.be



I like your take Scott, I need to try to fit bends in a bit more like you seem to manage easily. I can do bends when I'm not playing to a backing but when I have a backing I never seem to get time to fit them in

This post has been edited by Phil66: Jun 25 2016, 09:09 PM

Hi Here !!

This is a "preview"... hope you'll like it



cheers

Laurent

Now that's hitting the roots I think you hit every root for three octaves in fact! Is that a new guitar BTW? Looks very spiff Nicely done on the solo. You mix in some scale bits, with some bendy bits and find wads of root notes. I think you are starting to hear where the solo "wants" to resolve to a root note, or at least I hope that's what I'm seeing/hearing It certainly looks/sounds that way to me

Congrats on a cool solo and on your new axe!


Well done here. Everything is in time, and in key, and in place.

This is nice indeed!! Good command of melody and technique. I'd say it's a "Take", but if you want to have another crack at it, or make it a bit longer for the piano, feel free But I'd be happy to hear it Just let me know.

Todd

Hi Todd

Of course i'll work on this week !! because i feel i can do ... not "better", but i can polish it a lot.

cheers

Laurent