'Less is more' competition

By playing less, you will quickly get better. Read on to find out how.

Challenge rules:

1. Find a backing track that you like from any of the lessons in our archive
2. Record a video of yourself playing a rhythm or lead over the backing track
3. Play as simple as possible in your take.
4. Upload your take to Youtube and post the link in this thread to enter the competition

Goal:

The goal is absolute simplicity. The less notes you play the better. Use the power of melody and expression to achieve the best results, while keeping it simple. Let you music breathe with long pauses, and carefully chosen notes/chords/bends/vibrato .

We all tend to play a bit too much at times, and this challenge is about the complete opposite: playing as little as possible. This can be as hard as playing flashy licks - taming ourselves is something we often forget to do, even though it probably is the most efficient path towards making progress.

Therefore - we hope that you'll take part in this challenge and that we'll inspire you to think in new terms and approach guitar playing from a different perspective.

Instructions:

* Playing should be as simple as possible

* Recording should be done in video format. Must be a brand new recording, specifically recorded for this occasion.

* You can choose any backing track from the archive.

* Winners will be chosen by GMC Staff and based on the impression we get from your performance and ability to play less...but make it sound more.

* Deadline : 2nd of January 2014.

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Who is up for the challenge?

EDIT: competition results here

Great idea for this competition, Bogdan!!!! When it's a challenge I will surely be in

Awesome new thing for GMC Can't wait to see some takes I know some users that have a really nice touch to phrasing thing

How can less be more? It's Impossible!? MORE IS more !!!

Sounds great !

Ok.. so who's gonna do it ?

Who's gonna do.. The ONE NOTE SOLO !

You could as Edge from U2....He would win with his "with or without You" feedback things

Very good Idea!!!
i'll try.

I think I'll give it a go!!

haha Yngwie is not invited to this one!

Pretty smart idea to boost members composition/musicality a step further

Just a little tip - less notes doesn't mean less articulation Try to impress us with tone control and color available in whole articulation box

Less, as in using less notes and less shredding techniques, right?

I'm gonna try taking part in this, but I think its gonna be hard... I've been working on my shred techniques lately, so we'll see soon enough

Less is more. Sometimes we think that it's something difficult, we can say, how will I do to make a solo with a few notes that can blow everybody's minds??

The answer to this question is simple: be yourself. I'm sure that if I ask you to sing the first melody that comes to your mind over a backing track you wont sing a million of notes in a second. You won't make your mouth sound like a machine gun. You will sing something nice, something melodic. This melody talks much more about yourself than a machine gun effect.

I think that if everything goes well, we will have many unique takes over this backing... forget the pre-conceived patterns and let your soul express.

Awesome to have you in everyone!

Please feel free to take any approach you find interesting as "simplicity" can be very personal and subjective matter.
When I compose my lines, I usually first come up with something that I like and then I start taking out the unnecessary notes in order to make it sound more effective and easier to play on the instrument. I have learned that I usually come up with more then its needed for the song.

Again - possibilities here are endless as well as possible choice for the backing track in the GMC archive so please give it a shot if you can, you might be surprised by the results!

Who else is in?

I'll give it a shot. Count me in!

Things are looking hectic for the next couple weeks, but I'll do my best to try and submit an entry. Can I make my own backing track for it if I choose?

There are lots of good backing tracks and it's very difficult which one to choose! Especially after Darius' Vchat, I realize that a lot of GMC backing tracks can suit the competition!

Sure - you can do this as well!




Yeah - the possibilities are endless. What can also be interesting is to choose a busy backing track and play "less"

Great idea for a contest. Good luck everyone.

I dont suppose you will get 1st prize VH!
(Haha or me)

Ha ha. Might be the only way for me to actually finish making myself a custom one.

But seriously, I am looking forward to making one for whoever does win. Going to be fun.

This is a great idea! Really looking forward to hearing what everybody comes up with.

Hey guys! As you can see, one of the prizes is the album of my band. I would like to invite you to join my Army is you want my support on composing the solo for this competition. You can send me a personal message and I will give you tips and feedback. No matter your current level, don't be shy!

Same with me. Everybody's invited Wanna work on You competition approach? Sign in for the thread

Hey guys! Hope everyone is having fun getting down with the slowness I've finally worked out a way where I can finally record my video the same time as my audio without destroying the quality of my product. That being said, this take is less perfect than my usual entries, but I feel that it is necessary for me to get in the habit if recording this way for own benefit. I chose the backing track for "Melodic Yoppe" . Hope I kept it simple enough for y'all! enjoy.

Very nice and creative take Mr. Doug!
Congratulations on breaking the ice in this competition

It's good to hear that you have mastered a process of recording live guitar, you had a very good sound in this video.

Hey mate! Great to find a first take for this one! You did a very nice job. Your playing is very melodic and tasty.
Thanks for joining!!

Who else is planning to enter?

I'll give it a go for sure. Not been active much in the last month or so, but I'm in.

Cool!!!! Looking forward your take!

I've been working on a couple of ideas, if I can get them sounding good , I'll give it a go
I really like the concept of 'less is more', very cool.

Awesome to have you in!



You should record what you come up with, I'm sure it'll be interesting
Simplicity and how we perceive it can be very different for each musician.

I'm working on mine, will have it up by next week!

Cool guys!! Nice news.

Well Doug...that was tasty Good luck then:D

I am in too.

This is my approach for "Less is More". Was a huge pleasure to make my take for this competition and I enjoyed every minute from the composing process. Sorry because I look very tired in this video but.... I'm very tired and one of my photo light it's not working anymore
Thank you Darek for your big support You are an awesome instructor and You are always guilty for my progress
Returning to my take, because I really love Piotr Kaczor lessons, I chose one of his awesome backing track from the lesson "Whammy Bar Phrasing"

That sounds so good Monica! Love the tone!

LOL DUDE!

Someone should play the ONE NOTE SAMBA with the ONE NOTE SOLO

Oh my God, Ben I can't stop laughing here

Thank you so much I'm very happy you like it

If Your need any help just send me a message. Maybe I could help I bit





I think I already said everything in messages and FB so...just wanted to congratulate You for Your great work

Very interesting backing track choice and solo Monica!
Great to have you in this competition.

So here is my improvisation.

I don't go for the competition because i know that i'm not on that level, but i just want to try it and hear what you think about it.

The backing track is: Bending ballad from max sokolov.

Grtzz Tim



I don,t know why i can't see my video but here is the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2DTboRnL9fU

grtzz tim

Here's what I'm working on:

I'm not entering the competition because playing 'less' is kinda my modus operandi.
But I thought I'd challenge myself to play it all on one string (3rd - G) and use an E-Bow. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EBow

I used Jonathan Burgos' really cool Minor Funk backing track http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/ls/Minor-Funk-Solo/

https://soundcloud.com/klasaine2/ebow-fusion

Great entry Monica, so tasty!

dude, that's very awesome

Yeah man! That's cool!

You should absolutely participate in the competition.
That's f'n beautiful!

We should consider this one as entry to the competition. This is not a regular competition rather more of a challenge so everyone wins in the end - its just that some will also get neat prizes along the way

Great to see your take, it is very cool!