Mostly Harmless

"How about posting of your own music and see if you can measure up to that standard my friend?" Said Moonrider....
:lol:

Remember I said:
" I dont see myself as a guitarist, but can hold my own against most intermediate players". Yes?

Well, I have no recordings. Why would I? My talent isnt worth it.
THAT my friend, is the point.

:lol:

Arjen (Sleutelbos) obviously thinks there's a point to recording his particular talents......and judging by the feedback he gets on here, so do a lot of other people, me included....

If you don't like the music, Gino, tell him WHY....tell him what you don't like - criticism, even negative criticism, is welcomed, otherwise how would we know where we're going wrong? But at the same time, that criticism has to be conxtructive and meaningful....

Arjen wrote this in Sept 2003.....

"Hiya, I'm Arjen, 18 years old, living in Apeldoorn, Holland.

Somewhere during the summer holidays the family next door was about to leave on vacation. While talking with their son, he asked me what I had planned for the holiday. I replied that I was going to get some work, earn some money, and then do 'something'. When he asked what 'something' was, I replied 'buying a guitar or something, whatever.'.

So he hopped back into his house, and came out with an old vantage electric guitar and a small aria amp. I could try it for two weeks, while he was away, and if I wanted I could purchase it from him. When he came back, I took the guitar from him for 80 euros.

To my friends this was quite a funny story. After all, I wasn't well known for my musicallity, I was rather lazy, and hated every sentence with the words 'theory' and 'study' in them. But for some weird reason I was actually enjoying myself. I can play scales for over an hour without getting bored, I can read through pages of theory without losing attention. I started to learn some songs (frere jaqcue, and the dutch anthem).

Soon I was playing Am and E chords (hey, all you have to do is move your fingers down. Cool!). More chords followed, strumming patterns were added, and soon I could strum along with some cds.

Now, after a few months I can play all open chords plus many variations, I can, albeit rather slowly, play barre chords, and I can improvise a bit using scales. To add to the fun, one friend of mine plays bass, another just started the guitar, and a friend of this friend is about to start drumming. Fun times ahead "

I'd say he's come a hell of a long way in three years.....!!!!!

:D :D :D

Vic

Thanks for the vote of confidence everyone, I'm not quite sure what to say but thanks!. :D

Boxboy: I hear what you're talking about and I kinda agree. The problem is that the bassdrum sample is somewhat supposed to be used with bass-guitar. Without it it kinda sounds thinny. By the way, and I'm not a drummer so let me know if I'm wrong, I think it is actually a performable drum track. Ofcourse you'll need a double-bass pedal but for the rest there ain't that much happening.

Vic: a piece like this comes relatively easily. I was working on some clean tones for the tone-example for the 'instrumental' thread in the collabs forum and I found a nice little picking progression. I record that to a metronome and then just keep overdubbing it. In this case a second guitar that plays strummed chords, a third guitar that dubs the first part but plays twice as fast and a fourth part for the lead. I try not too think about things too much or else things tend to sound stale and lame. So after about fifteen minutes the guitar is done. I don't really write lyrics either because any conscious effort to write quality lyrics always results in cheap pretentious crap. So I just hit record and improvise the actual words, the rhythm and the melody. Some time then gets spend on filling things up, in this case with the synthy drumtrack.

For another GN member I was looking for some proper loud drum sounds so I had loud rock music already in the back of my head. So when I started to think about doing a sudden switch to something more rock'ish it took little time to set up some drums. I don't know crap about metal so again I just hit record and just start droning notes with some added ones through in between. For variation I took the harmonic-theme and just repeated the stuff a few times with some small variations. I think all in all it took about two hours for the entire thing. The song could use a solo in the second part but currently I have difficulties finding a lead that fits well and is playable by me. In that sense Gino is right, I'm not able to do everything I want right now. If I'm going to run with this song it will end up on the third project so I have plenty of time to think and practice.

That's a fun quote by the way, I pretty much forgot about that period. It's really weird to look back and see your goals, taste and expectations change so much in so little time.

gino: Why would I? My talent isnt worth it.

Worth what? It doesn't really cost that much time or money, so what do you have to lose?

Boxboy: I hear what you're talking about and I kinda agree. The problem is that the bassdrum sample is somewhat supposed to be used with bass-guitar. Without it it kinda sounds thinny. By the way, and I'm not a drummer so let me know if I'm wrong, I think it is actually a performable drum track. Ofcourse you'll need a double-bass pedal but for the rest there ain't that much happening.

I think you're probably right about it being possible but I wonder if you wouldn't always be aware how much effort it was taking.
But I suspect I was so focused on it because it's kind of off by itself in the mix. If you had the bass in conjunction with it as you say it might be cool. More like a throb effect...

One potential Arjen has that he can give excellent and original music to various films.

Background music makes or breaks movies.

To you Arjen : Watch lots of sci-fi, action packed and similar kind movies (eg. Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, Terminator, Hulk etc).Try to identify the sounds and special effects occuring. You have lots of scope there surely.

Good Luck.

Rahul

^^Exactly. When I listened to this I felt like I was, watching a movie with my eyes shut, I guess. That's a good thing though. You have some original stuff, and I think it'd sound fantastic in movies.

BTW 'LOL u sux0rz th4 m4x0rz!!11!' j/p ;)

Great drum/guitar sound. It's easy to imagine this being played live REALLY loud!!

Also, since I love the instrument/style - really nice slide guitar in the beginning. Dreamy sounding.

Well, I have no recordings. Why would I? My talent isnt worth it.

You've said more about yourself with that statement than any flame I could unleash on you. So I'll go in a different direction.

How do you know your talent isn't worth it? I've been playing 12 times as long as Sleutelbos and find things that educate me in his efforts.

I have no doubt you could accomplish the same.

Gird thy loins an do it, laddie. You might surprise yourself.

Hi.
No, I wont suprise myself. Nice thought, but it aint gonna happen! :!:

I know what the problem is...... I worked it out.

I dont like the music here because I'm too old and set in my tastes.

I need a new forum for old gits.

If I say that my standards are judged by, (that is, against), Steve Howe, John Martyn, Steve Hillage, etc, then I guess you'll see why I dont rate myself, nor many others.

The Thing about Arjen is he can do standard pop and rock music very well. I've heard him play some very tasty blues ( some times for my songs) 8) I think Arjen is about 18 or 19 and really learning about music, including classical and is putting it together as he See's fit :wink: Keep up the good work!!!

BTW Thats another good one...keep us guessing :twisted:

BTW Thats another good one...keep us guessing ...... Said Smokindog.

:? Huh?

I'll tell you what though, my ranting is promoting this thread, innit? :lol:

BTW Thats another good one...keep us guessing ...... Said Smokindog.

:? Huh?

I'll tell you what though, my ranting is promoting this thread, innit? :lol:

Did you forget to pick up your medications again :twisted: :lol: :lol:

Quote -Gino:"I don't like the music here because I'm too old and set in my tastes. I need a new forum for old gits."

I think you will find the average age here is 40 or better. Lots of us are in our 40's 50's and 60's :wink: I have jamming buddies and pen pals here from Oklahoma to New Zealand, all of them with different tastes in music and thats what makes this about the coolest web site on the planet :D

GINA?????????????????

:oops:

:oops:

Man, get a day job. 8)

Sounds like a good idea :D