Riff-Off 1.2: Maxwell Smart vs. Monie's Ghost

[Pink Unicorn Horsey]

PLEASE READ THE ENTIRE POST BEFORE VOTING!​

You are voting for your favorite riff in Round 2 of the December 2009 Riff-Off. More information about the Riff-Off can be found here. In this round, there are three head-to-head matches. (Robin Williams advances to Round 3 automatically, since I did not receive a riff from Eddie Vedder by the deadline.) Be sure to check out and vote for your favorite riff in the other two Round 2 matches, also found in the Tips and Clips room. To view the bracket for this month's Riff-Off, go here.

Because not all contestants have access to the same quality of recording equipment, your voting decision should be based first on the actual composition, second on the player's execution of the riff. Try to look past recording quality. Some questions you may want to ask yourself while considering which way to vote: What is the emotional impact of the riff? How original is the riff? Does the riff inspire me? Would I want to hear a whole song built off this riff?

Note that each contestant has chosen a battle name for the Riff-Off; their identities have been hidden from all other contestants and the voting public, and will be revealed at the end of the Riff-Off, when a champion is crowned.

Lastly, while comments are strongly encouraged, please realize that each contestant put personal time and creative energy into his or her submission. If you have any critique to provide in this thread, give the contestants the courtesy of making it constructive. This competition is built on the premises of fun and musical growth.

Here are the links to each clip in this head-to-head:

Maxwell Smart

Monie's Ghost

If you run into any technical issues or have other question regarding the Riff-Off, contact me via email (kgmessier at gmail dot com).

Have fun!

- Keith

 

[tone4days]

Re: Riff-Off 1.2: Maxwell Smart vs. Monie's Ghost

both very strong - gonna have to keep listenin over the next day or so to decide ... i think i know how i lean, but its 52-48 ... very cool riffage guys

t4d

 

[sosomething]

Re: Riff-Off 1.2: Maxwell Smart vs. Monie's Ghost

Maxwell Smart

This guy is bringin' it. I'm hearing a lot of Malcolm Young influence in this clip but I consider that a good thing, even though I myself am not a huge AC/DC fan.
I really like Maxwell's tone. It was good last round, even better in this one. His recording issues from the previous round seem absent now as well.
Good sense of time and feel - nice, authoritative playing. This is a good submission.

​

Monie's Ghost

Another tight, solid submission form the Ghost of Monie. I'm starting to get a feel for this guy. Like cyberBKP, I'm hearing restraint in this riff where the last submission was very busy and showy.
Thanks to that, the timing and rhythm here have some room to breathe. It's still pretty fast, but there's a groove in here that I would LOVE to hear a drumbeat to.
I think this is an example of how heavy one can sound with the use of LESS-than-is-typical metal distortion. Metal kids, take note.

​

 

[Fresno Bob]

Re: Riff-Off 1.2: Maxwell Smart vs. Monie's Ghost

Voted

 

[GoDrex]

Re: Riff-Off 1.2: Maxwell Smart vs. Monie's Ghost

tough choice - but voted

 

[crusty philtrum]

Re: Riff-Off 1.2: Maxwell Smart vs. Monie's Ghost

Voted. Once again, a difficult choice. The quality of the competition already seems to have become higher.

 

[elscorcho]

Re: Riff-Off 1.2: Maxwell Smart vs. Monie's Ghost

your voting decision should be based first on the actual composition, second on the player's execution of the riff. Try to look past recording quality. Some questions you may want to ask yourself while considering which way to vote: What is the emotional impact of the riff? How original is the riff? Does the riff inspire me? Would I want to hear a whole song built off this riff?

...to me this was the toughest vote.......I'd really want to hear a song based on BOTH of these riffs......both were HIGH scorers (to me) considering all of above criteria

 

[Ninja Monkey]

Re: Riff-Off 1.2: Maxwell Smart vs. Monie's Ghost

Tough one, Maxwell's has a very good feeling, and as sosomething said, very clear Malcolm Young influence and it has a very strong and upbeat feel.
Monie's Ghost makes me think of those Sonic Adventure games for the Dreamcast, in a good way, it has a powerful, grooving rhythm and heaviness that makes my head bob.

These are two great submissions.
:yourock:

 

[Lazarus1140]

Re: Riff-Off 1.2: Maxwell Smart vs. Monie's Ghost

voted

 

[LesStrat]

Re: Riff-Off 1.2: Maxwell Smart vs. Monie's Ghost

:wow:

Awesome entries.

Both would be :cool3: in the context of a song.

I not only wanna hear the drum beat with MG's entry, I wanna hear the thumping bass lick as well.

These licks make me hear other instruments in my head as I'm listening. I can EASILY imagine a tune surrounding these riffs.

 

[misterwhizzy]

Re: Riff-Off 1.2: Maxwell Smart vs. Monie's Ghost

Maxwell Smart, there's something SO familiar about this riff. It's executed brilliantly, but I have to give it to Monie's Ghost. I wish I could place the song, but I voted against GearCheckSkillsMeh in the first round because I heard someone else's riff. Now if I could only place the exact song... Oh, and Monie's Ghost, your riff is awesome. You deserve the vote.

 

[B2D]

Re: Riff-Off 1.2: Maxwell Smart vs. Monie's Ghost

Maxwell Smart: There's that groovy tone again, but not as hot and spanky and a little smoother this time. This riff swings, like something the Black Crowes might have done. I can see this one as the one that could move some drinks at a bar.

Monie's Ghost: Killer! Intense and driving, excellent use of the slide. The single-not motif in the middle of the riff adds variety and the picked and muted bit at the end/turnaround is an unexpected surprise. Badass.

 

[JohnnyGuitar]

Re: Riff-Off 1.2: Maxwell Smart vs. Monie's Ghost

Maxwell Smart, there's something SO familiar about this riff. It's executed brilliantly, but I have to give it to Monie's Ghost. I wish I could place the song, but I voted against GearCheckSkillsMeh in the first round because I heard someone else's riff. Now if I could only place the exact song... Oh, and Monie's Ghost, your riff is awesome. You deserve the vote.

It has a Van Halen Unchained thing going in there... doesn't bother me at all personally...

Great effort by both. I also went with Monie's Ghost.

 

[Redmist]

Re: Riff-Off 1.2: Maxwell Smart vs. Monie's Ghost

Voted.

This one was also easy for me.

 

[Markk]

Re: Riff-Off 1.2: Maxwell Smart vs. Monie's Ghost

It has a Van Halen Unchained thing going in there... doesn't bother me at all personally...

Great effort by both. I also went with Monie's Ghost.

There we go. That's the song I that was going through my head. Now this does actually have a similarity to that.

 

[ImmortalSix]

Re: Riff-Off 1.2: Maxwell Smart vs. Monie's Ghost

Great stuff from both!


I really had to stop and listen to these a few times in this round, where the first round was mostly "landslide" decisions for me!

 

[B Bent]

Re: Riff-Off 1.2: Maxwell Smart vs. Monie's Ghost

Took 2 seconds to vote in this one!

 

[DankStar]

Re: Riff-Off 1.2: Maxwell Smart vs. Monie's Ghost

one reminded me too much of a known song, not sayin' which.

 

[Tor]

Re: Riff-Off 1.2: Maxwell Smart vs. Monie's Ghost

Dang, Monie's Ghost reminds me A LOT of the rhythm guitar in a really cool band I enjoy - groovy. Love it! Sorry Max..

 

[DrNewcenstein]

Re: Riff-Off 1.2: Maxwell Smart vs. Monie's Ghost

I liked both. Maxwell's made me think if EVH joined the Stones and they did a Grand Funk cover band. Not a bad thing, certainly, but just not my thing.

Monie's seemed to me to have more of a hook, or at least a shorter/sharper hook.