Riff-Off 3.2: Gerry Troll

[Pink Unicorn Horsey]

PLEASE READ THE ENTIRE POST BEFORE VOTING!

(It's a little different this time around.)​

You are rating one of sixteen riffs in Round 2 of the February 2010 Riff-Off. Each of the other seven riffs can be heard and rated in the Tips and Clips room. More information about the Riff-Off can be found here.

Contrary to previous Riff-Off tournaments, this month's Riff-Off has no bracket; each riff will be rated on an individual basis according to a seven-point scale. Once all of the polls have closed, the scores for each riff will be averaged, and the four contestants with the highest average scores will advance to Round 3.

I encourage you to score each of the eight riffs. You may wish to listen to each riff before voting in order to establish a baseline. Of course, you are free to score riffs however you like, in whatever order you like. You could even give each riff the same score, if your impressions dictate so. It's all in your hands!

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 is a link to this contestant's Round 2 riff: Gerry Troll

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

Have fun!

- Keith

 

[DrNewcenstein]

Re: Riff-Off 3.2: Gerry Troll

Digging the melody on this one most of all. The whammy dips might be a bit deep, giving it more of a "whackiness" than it should have IMO.

 

[GoDrex]

Re: Riff-Off 3.2: Gerry Troll

this one also took me a few listens for it to sink in

 

[sosomething]

Re: Riff-Off 3.2: Gerry Troll

I disagree about the whammy dips - they're coming down to an intentional and particular pitch.

I love this guy. What a player! What ears!

Another beautiful and totally surprising submission from Gerry Troll - probably my favorite contestant from any riff-off (including myself!)

I will say this one doesn't really repeat in a normal fashion, and I feel it ends abruptly and unexpectedly, but it really tells a story before that happens. I picture a whole narrative of a young girl in a small pre-war Italian village...

 

[daemon barbeque]

Re: Riff-Off 3.2: Gerry Troll

I dig the feeling, and the melody is lovely. The bends are perfect and sound awesome. It doesn't give me any groove, or bring me to any kind of thoughts tho. Solid!

 

[Top Jimmy]

Re: Riff-Off 3.2: Gerry Troll

This comes down to the definition of what is a riff. It's great playing but a riff? Hummm, I'll think about this one.

 

[Lazarus1140]

Re: Riff-Off 3.2: Gerry Troll

This is not quite what I expected from Gerry, but I like it. For me, it creates a mental image of someone who desperately needs sleep ... tossing and turning then finally drifting off, and then abruptly snapping back awake!

 

[guitfiddle]

Re: Riff-Off 3.2: Gerry Troll

Makes me think of a movie soundtrack after a disaster just happened and everyone's standing around in shock, while things are burning in the background. I could easily see Quentin Tarantino using this for just such a scene.

Maybe the most moody piece the riff-offs have seen yet.

:friday:

 

[misterwhizzy]

Re: Riff-Off 3.2: Gerry Troll

I'd like to add something to the discussion, but all I can do is express that this sounds like a guy putting something out there, stepping outside of the normal comfort zone to submit a riff that evokes an emotional response, paints a picture without word or vision, and excels doing it. Clearly deserves to be here, even though I didn't get it in the first round.

 

[B2D]

Re: Riff-Off 3.2: Gerry Troll

Moody and ethereal... I'm getting a distinct Jeff Beck vibe off the whammy use.

It took a few listens to get the rhythm of the cycle, and the abrupt ending kind of disappointed me, but only because I wanted to hear more or at least a nice gentle fade out. Neither of these things affected the score I gave.

Excellent playing. Well done.

 

[Tor]

Re: Riff-Off 3.2: Gerry Troll

Man, this stuff is tricky to nail, but you do so impressively. I would love to have that much control over the vib arm. One of my very favorite riffs in this round.

 

[Gamera]

Re: Riff-Off 3.2: Gerry Troll

This is way cool. I love the whammy dips. Yes, they are absolutely intentional and well played. There is a consistency issue with the rhythm here I think that throws me off a little though.

 

[elscorcho]

Re: Riff-Off 3.2: Gerry Troll

My favorite this round....plus one on the creating visual/picture/story through sound...nice expressive playing!

 

[Blue Calx]

Re: Riff-Off 3.2: Gerry Troll

I get kinda lost in this one. But like others have said, the note choice and execution is beautiful.

 

[tone4days]

Re: Riff-Off 3.2: Gerry Troll

the playing and tone and melodic composition has to be this good to get me to overlook that it is missing so much of what makes a riff a riff .. there is no shame in marking this low for that reason ... but i also feel no shame for marking it higher than i wouldve expected

this guy is a serious writer and player

 

[d1dsj]

Re: Riff-Off 3.2: Gerry Troll

Reminds me of something you'd hear on The Avengers... that sort of 60's groove, quality playing for sure.

 

[JollyRoger523]

Re: Riff-Off 3.2: Gerry Troll

Makes me think of a movie soundtrack ... I could easily see Quentin Tarantino using this ...

It's funny that you said this. My first thought was this entry would make a great soundtrack to a Pulp Fiction-ish movie where a character is alone with his thoughts and reflecting on what he has done.

Great job at creating a riff that immediately puts an image in my mind.

 

[Will S-T]

Re: Riff-Off 3.2: Gerry Troll

Classical meets Ry Cooder on mezcal, and very well executed:friday:

I dig it!!

 

[JordanM82]

Re: Riff-Off 3.2: Gerry Troll

I really like this one, wish I wasn't too late too vote... great riff, props to Gerry...