Riff-Off 4.1: Claude

[Pink Unicorn Horsey]

PLEASE READ THE ENTIRE POST BEFORE VOTING!

You are rating one of sixteen riffs in Round 1 of the March 2010 Riff-Off. Each of the other fifteen riffs can be heard and rated in the Tips and Clips room. More information about the Riff-Off can be found here.

As with last month, 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 eight contestants with the highest average scores will advance to Round 2.

I encourage you to score each of the sixteen 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 1 riff: Claude

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

[ImmortalSix]

I like the transition from single notes to chordage --- very well executed, and a great move!

[GoDrex]

feels familar to me...

[JollyRoger523]

I really like how the chords thicken it up the 2nd time around.

[Gamera]

This is pretty cool. The tone works well and you work the tone well. What I mean by that is you're able to work it by building it up slowly. The single note run build up to a crunchy version of it, all done by the same guitar and made interesting by your technique. I like the sustained notes at the ends too. Maybe those could be a little more pronounced somehow to really make this standout.

[tone4days]

despite the riffer name, this is not lame

but it has problems, namely, it is split personality ... if he wouldve just repeated the first few measures a second time, he'd have been in riff city .. but by switching to a chord progression underlayment for the second pass, he just misses the mark for me

shame, it was an otherwise solid effort to me

[JordanM82]

Good, just didn't seem very original to me... a fair score

[B2D]

Kinda reminds me of that Metallica cover of Breadfan.

It's alright...

[d1dsj]

Good tone, reminds me of something although can't recall what. I liked the change from single notes too, fattens it up nicely. Good job.

[Tor]

It's cool. It doesn't grab my throat too much, but it's not a bad riff at all.

[DrNewcenstein]

More interesting comments.
The same people who lauded another clip for its combination of single-notes and chord forms now claim that detracts from this riff. Amazing.

Nice job

[misterwhizzy]

The tone immediately reminded me of Mother by Danzig. I didn't find it earth-shattering, but I don't think I could have done much better. Well played.

[Blue Calx]

As the name suggests, sounds kinda Melvins-ish.

I wanna hear the little "chirp" at :15 over and over and over and over....

[Lazarus1140]

I like this one a lot. The long holds make room for the drummer and/or second guitarists. I would have liked some harmonics jumping out at those points.

Overall, it was simple yet effective ... rated in the top half of the pack for me.

[daemon barbeque]

The first part is cool, but the long space distracts me, and kills the groove. With a solid Bass in the back, this can shine more!

[Redmist]

Neither good nor bad for me, - hooky and riffesque for sure, but I don't get anything new here.

[DankStar]

without knowing what's happening in the song during the chords being held, it would seem it's kinda dead space there. does the whole band stop while you hold the chord, or do they do a little backing jig? I like the front part of the riff a lot though, just not crazy about the held chords.

[DrNewcenstein]

It's odd, but when I listen to it, sometimes the pause is long, and sometimes it's just right.