Guitar solo

I wrote this as an experiment to try out PowerTab. I don't play guitar so although I tried to make it playable it probably is very hard (or impossible).

http://members.shaw.ca/wreck/mp3/test03j.mp3

Thanks for your comment. Yes, the piece has an awkwardness, a comical feel. Intentional or accidental? Once the piece started that way I just kept it going.

It reminds me a bit of the music of a western movie - it could be an inexperienced rider getting motion sickness on his horse. If I had to give it a "cute" title, it would be "Gravol Gaucho".

Could I have the powertab I want to play through it.

Judging by the sound, this would probably be MUCH easier to play on a fretless guitar with all those weird little glissandos

Could I have the powertab I want to play through it.

The powertab score is horrible with a lot of "junk" to make the computer MIDI sound as good as possible. I'm thinking I will redo this piece in Finale as it is short and then post it. I want to try out the Finale guitar features so I may as well do this.

The transcription into Finale is a resounding failure. The notes are there but that is about it. Tutorial 7 shows how to do slides but the playback sound is horrible so I have left the slides out, which rather defeats the whole idea of the piece.

Also the sustained notes (open strings) should be louder than the runs but I don't see how to do this - the two layers seem to follow the same dynamics. So the playback is wrong (unmusical) in this respect also.

I've only had Finale for about a week moving up from NoteWorthy so there are hundreds of techniques yet to be mastered - I am open to suggestions - although I am more into keyboard and woodwind ensembles heading eventually to full orchestra.

I gave this effort its cute title "Gravol Gaucho" to suggest a non-serious westernish mood.

I don't play guitar and, although I know two people who do, neither has tried a performance for me. Just an experiment - if it is unplayable, c'est la vie!

I'd change some of the fingerings but it looks like it would work. A little more rythmic variation would be nice though.

I'd change some of the fingerings but it looks like it would work. A little more rythmic variation would be nice though.

Any comment on the idea of the slides that were in the powertab midi - do they work on a real guitar? That was my non-guitar-player's experiment.

The rhythm was meant to capture the monotony of the rider going up and down, swaying side to side, as they meandered along a trail. Well, yes, monotony may not be the best concept for a piece, even a short one.

Any comment on the idea of the slides that were in the powertab midi - do they work on a real guitar? That was my non-guitar-player's experiment.

The rhythm was meant to capture the monotony of the rider going up and down, swaying side to side, as they meandered along a trail. Well, yes, monotony may not be the best concept for a piece, even a short one.

Could you post the .ptb file?

Okay, here is the ptb file. The swing is the powertab standard ( = 100 in Finale).

http://members.shaw.ca/wreck/ptb/test03k.ptb

Yeah, those fingerings aren't really practical. Usually, you'll want to keep the phrases in as small a space on the neck as possible (fret-wise). Guthrie Govan plays a song similar to what you're trying to do called "Waves" on his album Erotic Cakes, and I think that it might be good for you to listen to and look at the transcription.

The piece is all right, though.

I think you've heard more than enough comments! I can't really recognize if it's a 2/4 , 4/4 or something else :s. Besides the fact that you have to work a bit more on the rythm (I wouldn't say monotone, but a bit too repetitive..you can always 'spice' up the theme with some slight variation), I would suggest you to kind of define the "real" rythm...You could add some extra "tone" by perhaps adding a second 'guitar' somewere in the half of the song...

Cheers

Luis

Thanks all for the comments. This was just an experiment - I may get back to it or maybe not but now at least I have some guidelines (not being a guitar player myself).

I'm going to have a lot of spare time in a couple of weeks when my exams are over, would you like it if I recorded myself playing your composition?

Obviously I'll credit it to you and e-mail you the mp3 and such. All I ask is that I can link to it on my music myspace...it seems like a fun thing to learn and play, with some really challenging elements, so I'd love to have a go at it.

I'm going to have a lot of spare time in a couple of weeks when my exams are over, would you like it if I recorded myself playing your composition?

Obviously I'll credit it to you and e-mail you the mp3 and such. All I ask is that I can link to it on my music myspace...it seems like a fun thing to learn and play, with some really challenging elements, so I'd love to have a go at it.

Goodness, I would really love to hear it performed - if it can be. Yes, for sure, as long as you credit me put it up on your website.

Goodness, I would really love to hear it performed - if it can be. Yes, for sure, as long as you credit me put it up on your website.

No trouble. I can't promise I'll do it in a timely fashion, but once I have (sometime in the next month probably) I'll let you know about it.

Does it have a title other than "Guitar solo" ?

No trouble. I can't promise I'll do it in a timely fashion, but once I have (sometime in the next month probably) I'll let you know about it.

Does it have a title other than "Guitar solo" ?

Whenever you have time - I've failed to get two guitar players I know interested so I really appreciate your offer.

Well, I thought it had a western feel and was sort of wobbly - so I gave it the title "Gravol Gaucho".

Gravol is a pill for motion sickness and gaucho is roughly a South American cowboy. So with the slides, the piece could describe the lurching and swaying of a rider as his horse navigates a tricky twisty uneven trail.