Members neffrocks Posted May 21, 2010 Members Share Posted May 21, 2010 I just want to give my first hand account of Guitar Center's King of the Blues.Here it goes: Contestant #1: This guy was pretty bad...period. He wasn't in right key and was out of tune. Didn't really sound experienced at all. Props to him for getting up there and playing. Contestant#2: I play live on a regular basis and almost never get nervous. I'm very comfortable with my playing but I also know there are millions of people that can blow me out of the water. My first amp choice was an Egnater Rebel 20. It didn't work. You only have 5 min to set up and be ready. I'm now flustered. The only other amp I know anything about was the Twin reverb. I used that. The music started. I like to think I play like Robben Ford's style and SRV (though not as well...obviously). I started playing my Les Paul and could barley hear myself. I knew what I was playing but was just not into it. In short, I feel I didn't played my best. Contestant #3: Weird old guy who had not listened to any of the tracks. The GC worker chose one for him. He started playing and had to stop the music because he didn't know what key he was in. The GC employee told him the key. Weird old guy was terrible. That's all I can say. People were practically snickering at him while he was playing. Contestant number #4 This guy was rad! He sounded like Johnny Hiland meets Eric Johnson. His demise was he played the country sounding track and didn't win 'cause it was too country sounding. This guy {censored}ing ripped! Why would GC put a country sounding track (with a train beat, mind you) in a blues contest if...ahh, whatever. Contestant #5 Last years store winner. He was pretty excellent. He sounds like John Mayer and SRV. He pulled it off well with a well thought out solo. Really good! All the workers and judges seemed to know each other which I thought what weird. Some of the workers knew a few of the contestants (I'm just sayin'). Anyway, contest #5 (rightfully so) and contestant #3 (WHAT THE {censored}!). The judges liked #5 for obvious reasons and like #3 because blues is all all about 'just wingin' it and divin' right in.' Contestant #4 BY FAR was the best but was 'to county.' Thanks for reading. {censored} you Guitar Center. I've heard others say that the judging for the KOTB contest is kinda f'd up sometimes. I'm sad that I experienced it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members metalheadUK Posted May 21, 2010 Members Share Posted May 21, 2010 Sounds pretty cool that a weird old guy who didn't know the key did good. Pretty punk I reckon! Ansd us weird old guys have to stick together... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members orbm1 Posted May 21, 2010 Members Share Posted May 21, 2010 You should said F$@% the Judges... they made the election, not GC! I participated and I did not move forward, from the two elected to pass one was not my choice, but, heck, I was not a judge! SO.... don't get upset with GC, they are doing good for players, good talent is being discovered thanks to this kind of contests... blame the judge for the elections (if they do not go with your opinions) Thanks Omar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members neffrocks Posted May 21, 2010 Author Members Share Posted May 21, 2010 If by playing 'punk' you mean horrible, cacophonous, ear-bleeding, not-able-to-listen to, then yes, he was very punk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jpnyc Posted May 21, 2010 Members Share Posted May 21, 2010 On the upside, at least the winner wasn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members neffrocks Posted May 21, 2010 Author Members Share Posted May 21, 2010 You should said F$@% the Judges... they made the election, not GC! I participated and I did not move forward, from the two elected to pass one was not my choice, but, heck, I was not a judge! SO.... don't get upset with GC, they are doing good for players, good talent is being discovered thanks to this kind of contests... blame the judge for the elections (if they do not go with your opinions) Thanks Omar The country player I mentioned, yes, that is a matter of opinion. The weird old guy...not at all a matter of opinion. He sucked...sorry. I think it sucked because someone much, much better didn't get the same opportunity. The gutiar center employees all knew the judges who also knew some of the contestants. Fuck guitar center and the judges they picked. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members metalheadUK Posted May 21, 2010 Members Share Posted May 21, 2010 If by playing 'punk' you mean horrible, cacophonous, ear-bleeding, not-able-to-listen to, then yes, he was very punk. Sounds more modern Metal to me.....:poke: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BryanMichael Posted May 21, 2010 Members Share Posted May 21, 2010 Everybody that doesn't win these types of "contests" always thinks it's rigged or that the judges have no clue. I was invited to be a judge at a high school "battle of the bands" once about 10 years ago with a few other folks, one I knew, the others I did not. Suffice it to say that except for the kids that really weren't that good at all, the "top three" were all about the same- The panel gave the edge to one band that had their stops/starts/endings/dynamics down better than the band that might have had the "grit" - that winning band happened (unbeknownst to us) to be from the same high school that was hosting the contest. I heard the kids in the "losing" bands outside later saying how the whole thing was "rigged" and it was set up to promote the school and how the judges were in on it. It pissed me off- I got nothing for judging the contest except wasting an evening at a high school gym. I was invited because at the time I was a working/gigging musician and a friend that was involved in the whole thing invited me to judge. I went over and told the kids exactly why we didn't vote for their bands, and I told them how close it really was, there was no clear "winner" but we decided to give the edge to the band with the "tighter" performance. The bottom line is: Why put so much stock into a stupid contest held by a store that has PA music so loud when you go in that you can't even hear the gear you are trying out- and when you do try something out the EMPLOYEES are sitting right behind you with a super triple XXX HIgh Gain BREWTAL Monster Stacky amp thing cranked up to 11 noodling away? Guitar Center is good if you know what you want or want to play with a bunch of stuff for awhile, but it's just a clearing house, it's not a music store. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members orbm1 Posted May 21, 2010 Members Share Posted May 21, 2010 The country player I mentioned, yes, that is a matter of opinion. The weird old guy...not at all a matter of opinion. He sucked...sorry. I think it sucked because someone much, much better didn't get the same opportunity. The gutiar center employees all knew the judges who also knew some of the contestants. {censored} guitar center and the judges they picked. Would you say the same if you would have been elected next to the "weird old guy"??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members neffrocks Posted May 21, 2010 Author Members Share Posted May 21, 2010 On the upside, at least the winner wasn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members metalheadUK Posted May 21, 2010 Members Share Posted May 21, 2010 Would you say the same if you would have been elected next to the "weird old guy"??? I'd form a band with him! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members neffrocks Posted May 21, 2010 Author Members Share Posted May 21, 2010 Would you say the same if you would have been elected next to the "weird old guy"??? Yes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members neffrocks Posted May 21, 2010 Author Members Share Posted May 21, 2010 Would you say the same if you would have been elected next to the "weird old guy"??? Really I'm not bitter or anything like that. I wasn't expecting to win. You're missing my point. I was just there cause I thought it would be kinda fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members orbm1 Posted May 21, 2010 Members Share Posted May 21, 2010 Really I'm not bitter or anything like that. I wasn't expecting to win. You're missing my point. I was just there cause I thought it would be kinda fun. Well, sorry to point this out to you, but your attitude tells a different story.. Omar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members neffrocks Posted May 21, 2010 Author Members Share Posted May 21, 2010 Everybody that doesn't win these types of "contests" always thinks it's rigged or that the judges have no clue. I was invited to be a judge at a high school "battle of the bands" once about 10 years ago with a few other folks, one I knew, the others I did not. Suffice it to say that except for the kids that really weren't that good at all, the "top three" were all about the same- The panel gave the edge to one band that had their stops/starts/endings/dynamics down better than the band that might have had the "grit" - that winning band happened (unbeknownst to us) to be from the same high school that was hosting the contest. I heard the kids in the "losing" bands outside later saying how the whole thing was "rigged" and it was set up to promote the school and how the judges were in on it. It pissed me off- I got nothing for judging the contest except wasting an evening at a high school gym. I was invited because at the time I was a working/gigging musician and a friend that was involved in the whole thing invited me to judge. I went over and told the kids exactly why we didn't vote for their bands, and I told them how close it really was, there was no clear "winner" but we decided to give the edge to the band with the "tighter" performance. The bottom line is: Why put so much stock into a stupid contest held by a store that has PA music so loud when you go in that you can't even hear the gear you are trying out- and when you do try something out the EMPLOYEES are sitting right behind you with a super triple XXX HIgh Gain BREWTAL Monster Stacky amp thing cranked up to 11 noodling away? Guitar Center is good if you know what you want or want to play with a bunch of stuff for awhile, but it's just a clearing house, it's not a music store. Really? Im 28 years old, I think music contests for the most part are stupid, I don't really know why I did it, I definately wasn't 'in it to win it.' I'm not good enough to win it. BTW, one of the judges was a self-proclaimed 'blues lover for 25 years'...but he did not play any intsrtuments. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members orbm1 Posted May 21, 2010 Members Share Posted May 21, 2010 Really? Im 28 years old, I think music contests for the most part are stupid, I don't really know why I did it, I definately wasn't 'in it to win it.' I'm not good enough to win it. BTW, one of the judges was a self-proclaimed 'blues lover for 25 years'...but he did not play any intsrtuments. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members neffrocks Posted May 21, 2010 Author Members Share Posted May 21, 2010 Also, orbm1, 4 out of the 5 contestants all felt the same. You're just being an asshole. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members neffrocks Posted May 21, 2010 Author Members Share Posted May 21, 2010 Well, sorry to point this out to you, but your attitude tells a different story.. Omar There's no attitude here. Everything I wrote was fact. Wouldn't it have been nice if you could've had a mulligan when you played in the KOTB contest? You don't have to pick apart everything I have to say. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Cobalt Blue Posted May 21, 2010 Members Share Posted May 21, 2010 As for the original post, I didn't detect the whining that some of you seem to have inferred. On a slightly different note, the contest is off-putting to me personally because I sound very different depending on the amp (and my playing is totally dependent on what I'm hearing) (I wish it weren't true, but it is). Because of that, I'm fairly certain that I wouldn't have a chance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 3shiftgtr Posted May 21, 2010 Members Share Posted May 21, 2010 Well, here's my crackpot POV: Music is not a competition, and music competitions should be avoided at all costs. Cuz this is what you get. It homogenizes music and musicians involved and props up the idea that someone else's opinion (the judges) means more than that of the listener. From King of the Blues, to American Idol, to bluegrass contests, to classical contests, to local battle of the bands, the results are negative in all aspects. This American Idol mentality that something happens when you WIN. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members neffrocks Posted May 21, 2010 Author Members Share Posted May 21, 2010 I just want to say one more time that one of the judges was a self-proclaimed 'blues lover for 25 years'...but he did not play any intsrtuments. Why was he judging a GUITAR contest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members neffrocks Posted May 21, 2010 Author Members Share Posted May 21, 2010 Well, here's my crackpot POV: Music is not a competition, and music competitions should be avoided at all costs. Cuz this is what you get. It homogenizes music and musicians involved and props up the idea that someone else's opinion (the judges) means more than that of the listener. From King of the Blues, to American Idol, to bluegrass contests, to classical contests, to local battle of the bands, the results are negative in all aspects. This American Idol mentality that something happens when you WIN. BAM! There it is! I will never participate in a music contest again. It was definately a learning experience though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members csm Posted May 21, 2010 Members Share Posted May 21, 2010 us weird old guys have to stick together... We do ... we do ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members orbm1 Posted May 21, 2010 Members Share Posted May 21, 2010 Also, orbm1, 4 out of the 5 contestants all felt the same. You're just being an asshole. This attitude is what I am talking about.... One favor i have to ask: I was not insulting in any way shape or form, so please refrain of calling me names for the next time, ok? I understand your point (but not your attitude)... but the choice was in the judges' hands, either right or wrong.... believe me the "weird old guy" may not survive the next round, so no harm done to the world of music! You gave it go, kudos for that, but do not bring down GC, because in some stores the competition is very good! and the time to be had is even better! Thanks Omar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Guitar Sinner Posted May 21, 2010 Members Share Posted May 21, 2010 SON OF A BITCH!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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