Riff-Off 3.2: Muzzy Notes

[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: Muzzy Notes

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: Muzzy Notes

Nice tune, but it's got an intonation/tuning issue of some sort. 12-string?

Anyhoo, has just enough of a familiar melody to make it accessible but also enough "new" in it to ward off a "hey, that sounds like.....".

Good job.

 

[Redmist]

Re: Riff-Off 3.2: Muzzy Notes

Nice storytelling!
Memorable too. I like the percussion here a lot.

 

[GoDrex]

Re: Riff-Off 3.2: Muzzy Notes

has just enough of a familiar melody to make it accessible but also enough "new" in it to ward off a "hey, that sounds like.....".

hmm well I immediately thought of a certain mid 90's rock radio staple that just jumped out at me. I won't give it away, but I couldn't escape it.

 

[sosomething]

Re: Riff-Off 3.2: Muzzy Notes

hmm well I immediately thought of a certain mid 90's rock radio staple that just jumped out at me. I won't give it away, but I couldn't escape it.

yes. a bit. I heard it too.

buttttt

I still think this entry stands on its own here and is well-played (depsite an intonation issue as Dr. Newcenswcheistesehenschlaus said)

 

[daemon barbeque]

Re: Riff-Off 3.2: Muzzy Notes

Not too original maybe, it sounds awesome, it grooves and it's memory friendly!
Like it!

 

[guitfiddle]

Re: Riff-Off 3.2: Muzzy Notes

Happy little melody.

Cool.

 

[B2D]

Re: Riff-Off 3.2: Muzzy Notes

Neat riff... moving and shaking like a good riff should. I'd love to hear a tambourine and some hand drums behind this, right before the song kicks in with a big boomy drum sound and a deep smooth bass.

I really dig it. There's something funky up with the intonation though, which sours an otherwise perfect submission. I shan't dock points for it but it would be wise to check the tuning more carefully in the future.

 

[Tor]

Re: Riff-Off 3.2: Muzzy Notes

Fun riff.. Too bad about the intonation though, I rather liked it other than that.

 

[Gamera]

Re: Riff-Off 3.2: Muzzy Notes

I'm a sucker for riffs/songs that know just when to shut up. There's that little pause in there that is a nice tempo change, adds texture and keeps it interesting. Having said that, I always personally struggle with acoustics "riffs" since to my ears they always border on chord progression. But then I tell myself that riffs are typically mini power chord progressions. But then I say "but you can play power chords on acoustic too." Then I try to convince myself that it'd sound better distorted. But that would ruin the mood. Yadda, yadda, yadda. I go on like that for some time.

 

[Blue Calx]

Re: Riff-Off 3.2: Muzzy Notes

Bright, cheerful, tasty... makes me miss my 12-string.

 

[tone4days]

Re: Riff-Off 3.2: Muzzy Notes

solid

the originality issue is hard to overlook ... the intonation problem was easier to get over

nicely played

 

[Pink Unicorn Horsey]

Re: Riff-Off 3.2: Muzzy Notes

hmm well I immediately thought of a certain mid 90's rock radio staple that just jumped out at me. I won't give it away, but I couldn't escape it.

Can someone PM me and tell me what song this sounds like? (Don't type it in this thread; I don't want it stuck in the heads of listeners who haven't voted yet.)

- Keith

 

[DrNewcenstein]

Re: Riff-Off 3.2: Muzzy Notes

It's certainly not similar enough to say "hey that's the riff from...". It's just the placement of a coupla notes, which is actually very common.

 

[Pink Unicorn Horsey]

Re: Riff-Off 3.2: Muzzy Notes

Thanks for the PMs. I hear it now!

 

[misterwhizzy]

Re: Riff-Off 3.2: Muzzy Notes

Grrr... I can't place it immediately either, because I really wasn't into that music that much, but I hear it... Still, it's not THAT striking to me as the couple Van Halen riffs I heard in early tournaments. No strike against the riffer.

Okay, enough about the INFLUENCES! I love the fact that we're getting acoustic entries on an electric guitar pickup manufacturer's forum competition. I don't even mean that sarcastically (like 99% of my other posts). I think the guitar definitely works for the riff, and I think the riff works for the competition. Well done, even though I'm a sucker for crunchy distortion.

 

[d1dsj]

Re: Riff-Off 3.2: Muzzy Notes

Nice executuion ... the intonation thing kind of makes me think of Steve Hillage?

 

[JollyRoger523]

Re: Riff-Off 3.2: Muzzy Notes

Sounds a bit familiar to me as well. However, this was well played and I enjoyed this entry.