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Thoughts RE: Riff of the Month

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There has been a steady decline in the amount of submissions since its inception, most of this is probably due to everyone gearing up to Christmas time but does anyone have any thoughts on ways to improve it or is it ok as it is?

Should the time allowance be increased? Should there be different rules each month as in specific structures and notes etc etc?

Let me know!
Old Is Gold
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Comments

  • DeijavooDeijavoo Frets: 3298
    I personally really enjoy it but for varying reasons have never submitted one.
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  • TTonyTTony Frets: 27345
    Yes, disappointing that entries have declined slowly, but - as you know yourself! - people have other priorities at this time of year.
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  • Deijavoo said:
    I personally really enjoy it but for varying reasons have never submitted one.
    Are any of those reasons things we could work on in reagrds to how it is run? Feel free to PM me if you don't want to discuss on the main forum.
    Old Is Gold
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  • TTonyTTony Frets: 27345
    Having different rules will just be confusing.

    Requiring different structures/notes/etc would make it more difficult.

    Increasing the amount of time allowed just delays the last minute (when I typically get around to doing mine!).


    So, I wouldn't change any of those aspects.  But it would be interesting to hear why people don't bother to participate - I thought a 30sec riff would be an easy challenge and encourage people to share their creativity ...
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  • DeijavooDeijavoo Frets: 3298
    No no no, not at all. Varying reasons like my bass player having my bass for the last 12 months and it preventing me from writing or being too busy at work or with my kids etc.....

    I really meant to do the 80s one with a Smiths How Soon Is Now rip off into a Poison/RATT type chorus. Just didn't get time.
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  • I really & truly do not think it is anything to do with either the format or yourself.  I think it's a great idea executed as well as it could be.

    From a personal point of view I keep meaning to do it but I just usually either forget amongst a load of other work or I don't get or allow the time for it.  Although I am determined to put in the effort to do something for the Rank Stench challenge.

    The one change I would suggest (and like to see) is anonymous entries, with only the winners and runners up names announced after voting has finished.  It takes away the possibility of voting becoming personal and those who may feel nervous or lacking confidence to be able to do their best and if they win it's fantastic and if not they don't feel too exposed or can receive praise or critique knowing it's imparted neutrally.

    My muse is not a horse and art is not a race.
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  • This was my first ROTM but I also think that 30 seconds is a good limit to have on things.  

    I reckon if you put a certain structures or notes or themes then you'd get less participants as some people may not be interested in the style of music of a particular theme.  
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  • I like it. I've only done one or two, but will do more. Just been absolutely snowed under the last few weeks!
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  • vizviz Frets: 10645
    Yep. If anything, give people 1 week only. That way it will be more of an event that people can get excited about
    Roland said: Scales are primarily a tool for categorising knowledge, not a rule for what can or cannot be played.
    Supportact said: [my style is] probably more an accumulation of limitations and bad habits than a 'style'.
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  • I like it, but haven't engaged with it mostly because I always see it when I'm in a hotel room and don't have a guitar with me. Definitely want to enter this stuff at some point, just need to make myself do it.
    The Assumptions - UAE party band for all your rock & soul desires
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  • davewwdaveww Frets: 165
    I thinks it's worth making it a sticky.  I'm sure lots of people never go into the making music section and more would enter if they saw it.

    I miss lots of posts because I can't get access at work other than on a very weak signal through my phone.  So I tend to just visit the bits I'm interested in.  Lots of others probably have similar habits.
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  • The 30 sec time limit can occaisionally make things a bit tight if you want to do something at a slow tempo and still want to fit in 8 bars (and it takes a few bars to settle into the feel of a riff when listening).

    So maybe up to 45 seconds may be better? I don't think it will make much difference to finding the time to listen through (unless we suddenly start getting hundreds of entries).
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  • I really & truly do not think it is anything to do with either the format or yourself.  I think it's a great idea executed as well as it could be.

    From a personal point of view I keep meaning to do it but I just usually either forget amongst a load of other work or I don't get or allow the time for it.  Although I am determined to put in the effort to do something for the Rank Stench challenge.

    The one change I would suggest (and like to see) is anonymous entries, with only the winners and runners up names announced after voting has finished.  It takes away the possibility of voting becoming personal and those who may feel nervous or lacking confidence to be able to do their best and if they win it's fantastic and if not they don't feel too exposed or can receive praise or critique knowing it's imparted neutrally.

    I think I could tell most of the posters from their submissions now tbh so probably not much point anonymizing.
    ဈǝᴉʇsɐoʇǝsǝǝɥɔဪቌ
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  • The 30 sec time limit can occaisionally make things a bit tight if you want to do something at a slow tempo and still want to fit in 8 bars (and it takes a few bars to settle into the feel of a riff when listening).

    So maybe up to 45 seconds may be better? I don't think it will make much difference to finding the time to listen through (unless we suddenly start getting hundreds of entries).
    I may slightly ignore the limit sometimes. To be fair the riff is always within the time limit but I like to put a tiny bit before and after of context.
    ဈǝᴉʇsɐoʇǝsǝǝɥɔဪቌ
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  • AndyJPAndyJP Frets: 219
    Have only recently noticed it tbh. Planning to get involved in the new year :)
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  • John_PJohn_P Frets: 2744
    I like it and keep meaning to enter - in the middle of changing a lot at home but as soon as the studio is back in action, I'll try harder to get involved.

    Sticky reminder would help me remember.
    Length - would anyone be excluded to going slightly over?  So long as it's in the spirit and obviously a riff not a song I'm sure it's ok so maybe word it to be approximately 30 seconds.
    I quite like the idea of it being anonymous until it's over and a "winner" is chosen - might add to the fun.
    I don't think the time limit for entering is an issue - if you extend people will just stretch the dithering, so keep it monthly imo.
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  • horsehorse Frets: 1563
    I hope to be joining in again in January - just too busy in Dec, but it has been really good for motivating me to bother tinkering with recording, so I really appreciate it.

    Agree that 40 or 45 seconds might work better.

    I wouldn't really want any themes etc - I prefer being able to pick what I want to have a go at each month.

    One thing I've noticed is the volume of the clips can make a difference to how they sound next to each other, so normalising them might be a good leveller. I'd be happy to help with the soundcloud uploads / normalise them with mp3gain on the way if that would help?
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  • FretwiredFretwired Frets: 24601
    edited December 2014
    My two cents ...

    1. The Fretboard challenge/riff of the month needs its own section. At the moment is gets lost in 'Playing/making music'. I was talking to a friend of mine last week who also posts on this forum. He didn't know there was a riff of the month or a Fretboard challenge - he never visits the 'Playing' section.

    2. I haven't entered the riff of the month yet as I don't tend to play metal so 30 seconds is quite short for me. I'd opt for a no more than one minute rather than a fixed 30 seconds.

    3. I think people should be encouraged to offer feedback. I've been involved with a number of these challenge-based tasks on other forums and a key to success and survival is to make it inclusive. Encouraging beginners and critiquing their entities [positive advice rather than slagging them off] ensures that the entries aren't just confined to a small number of accomplished players who put people off from entering - I'm not saying it happens here but it is something to be aware of. If you're a beginner/intermediate player with little hope of winning why would you enter? Getting some feedback will encourage people IMHO.

    4. I think a sub section on how to record would be useful. I remember that when I started out recording at home I hadn't got a clue what I was doing. Tips, tricks and advice will pull people to the forum and engage them with the challenges.

    5. Maybe a Facebook page to promote the tasks.

    6. Going forward if the numbers improve than we could have categories that remain fixed - best metal riff, classic rock riff, indie riff, jazz riff, blues riff, acoustic riff etc. It won't work at the moment as there aren't enough people involved but we could consider starting with two categories - electric riffs and acoustic riffs.



    Remember, it's easier to criticise than create!
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  • DeijavooDeijavoo Frets: 3298
    There's some wisdom right there ^^^
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  • TTonyTTony Frets: 27345
    Fretwired said:
    My two cents ...

    1. The Fretboard challenge/riff of the month needs its own section. At the moment is gets lost in 'Playing/making music'. I was talking to a friend of mine last week who also posts on this forum. He didn't know there was a riff of the month or a Fretboard challenge - he never visits the 'Playing' section.
    We could have a sub-section - not a problem to set-up - although it might serve to "hide" the content even further in the depths of the forum's structure hierarchy, making it more difficult to spot for the casual browser?

    We could have a sticky in the "making music" section, with a link to the current challenges (and perhaps a link to all the previous months too, like an index).

    @Antique_Guitars does try to drum up participating by posting in other sections too ... mainly OT IIRC.  Perhaps we should have a concerted effort for the first few months of 2015 across more sections so that everyone becomes aware?

    Fretwired said:

    2. I haven't entered the riff of the month yet as I don't tend to play metal so 30 seconds is quite short for me. I'd opt for a no more than one minute rather than a fixed 30 seconds.
    It does seem to be an emerging theme in this feedback that 30secs is too short.  The original concept was that it should be a short riff (making it easier for people to compose and enter), but perhaps we could make it 45 secs target, and 1min absolute max if that would enable more people to enter ...

    Fretwired said:

    3. I think people should be encouraged to offer feedback.
    In principle, absolutely yes.  In practice (particularly if we end up increasing the support/entries) it could get more difficult.  Perhaps entrants could specifically request feedback if they wanted it?

    Fretwired said:

    4. I think a sub section on how to record would be useful. I remember that when I started out recording at home I hadn't got a clue what I was doing. Tips, tricks and advice will pull people to the forum and engage them with the challenges.
    Absolutely.  We did have a few of the contributors explain their set-ups and techniques in one of the other challenges.  I'll dig that out and sticky it.

    Fretwired said:

    5. Maybe a Facebook page to promote the tasks.

    6. Going forward if the numbers improve than we could have categories that remain fixed - best metal riff, classic rock riff, indie riff, jazz riff, blues riff, acoustic riff etc. It won't work at the moment as there aren't enough people involved but we could consider starting with two categories - electric riffs and acoustic riffs.


    Using the other FB is a good idea too.  We're very low profile over there, partly because we didn't want to create cross-over between there and here, but perhaps we could use it as an announcing platform.



    Thanks for that feedback - definitely more than 2 cents worth!
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