RiffRumble 16 Song Contest

Winners All RR16 Songs

More RiffRumbles coming soon! Subscribe! RiffRumble 16 was in June 2011. Over 100 musicians fired up RiffWorks and recorded songs with a "Heroes" theme. They recorded an entry on their own, or with up to 4 friends worldwide using RiffLink online song collaboration. Over $4000 in prizes were up for grabs, includng a Taylor guitar. Winners announced below. RiffRumble 16 Entries.

1st Prize: Rotund

RiffRumble 16 First Prize Winner is Rotund

Judges' Choice

“Defenders of Peace” Rotund & yahsteck1

Dave Kushner chose "Defenders of Peace" by Rotund & yahsteck1 as the best out of the top Contestants' Choice songs. Rotund wins the Taylor SolidBody Standard Double Cutaway guitar! Rotund, a.k.a. Hal Holloway, was asked to say a few words:

I am originally from West Texas with a Folk Rock and Country Rock background. This is an overwhelming feeling knowing, first of all, Riffworld musicians voted for the song to even qualify to be heard by Dave Kushner. Then to be selected by such a great talent in the music industry is indescribable. When I told my kids they said, "We have a Velvet Revolver T-shirt!" I guess I will have to get one now that will fit me. I am very fortunate to have found RiffWorld and have tremendous respect for the talent that exists in the community. I consider many to be friends, and yet, have never met them face to face. There are so many out there that have inspired me and continue to motivate me to create music. I was very much inspired in this project, by the many unknown Heroes, all over the world, that allow us to have the freedom to express ourselves openly in music.

yahsteck1 and I have been collaborating, through RiffLinks, and his enthusiasm and talent shine through in this song. I took a couple of RiffLink Riffs that he played and then created the story line and backing tracks to create Defenders of Peace and sent it back to him. I thought the core hook he played was a perfect fit for the RiffRumble Heroes theme. Rick and I shared a lot of ideas in this collaboration process and I am so grateful for his honesty (he first told me it would not win), encouragement (when I told him it could), and friendship over the past two years to push me to a higher skill level in, playing, producing, and recording.

Software used included RiffWorks Standard, Sonar X1, Propellerhead Reason synths, InstantDrummer Vintage Rock, Sonoma Drumcore Kixs. I have a Presonus Firebox, Akai Pro MPK25, Novation ZeRO SLMk II (the heart of my DAW).

Thank you Sonoma, Dave Kushner, and all of my RiffWorld friends. This is indeed an honor.

2nd Prize: Smik

RiffRumble 16 Second Prize Winner is Smik

Contestants' Choice

“Vigilante” by Smik & EpiTaph

"Vigilante" by Smik & EpiTaph received the most votes from contestants. An excerpt of what Steve (Smik) had to say:

Originally from the Western Suburbs of Sydney NSW Australia, I live in a dead end town on the Mid North Coast called Nohope.

Apart from having the "Heroes" theme for inspiration, Joe (Ep1TaPH) and I struggled with ideas. It was a massive challenge for us but we knew we wanted something that kept the ears busy full of constant changes to maintain interest, something that slapped you in the face nice and powerful like! "Vigilante" is the story of a knock about comic book type hero walking the streets correcting any injustice that crosses his path.

"Vigilante" started with a random thumping bass line, I added crunch to it out of pure laziness to avoid swapping from the bass to the 6 string continuously having to pick up each instrument. I also accidentally ran my pick over the open D string on the bass and it made a scratch type sound that I thought suited the funk of the bass line, so I rolled with it trying to imitate vinyl LP scratches. I constructed a basic timeline verse chorus etc and invited Joe to put some layers down. The response was unreal man, he added guitar effects and riffs to enhance, but the theme was still head butting us. After a few days Joe came up with the vigilante hero theme, did his vocal thing and it snow balled from there. I added funky guitar bits to compliment the vocals, put down a siren sound with a slide during the spoken section and added a faster metal style bridge with a lead break to mesh the genres and sounds. Finally we mixed it. And here we are contestants choice winners. Boo yah!

I used my Epiphone SG rip off, a old SX standard series Bass, Line 6 PODxt with RiffWorks and a myriad of InstantDrummers to get that change up thing happening. Everything was mixed and cast from RiffWorks.

Winning contestant’s choice is a prize itself, it's recognition from the massive pool of talent that frequents Riffworld and entered RR16. It's a very humbling feeling and as much a win for Joe as it is for me. I got an itch that needs scratching...RR17, see you all there.

3rd Prize: rneidlinger

Public Popularity

“I have the Power” rneidlinger

"I Have the Power" by rneidlinger received the most shouts from the public. Rick Neidlinger says:

Wow. Thanks! Born and raised in Southwestern Michigan, now living in central Kansas. I just turned 50 last week but I still have lots of music left in this head of mine just dying to be born. This song was created in my basement on a nice weekend day. The stress from the work week over, and a cold beer on the table, it was time to get creative and inspired. The opening riff came to me spontaneously while warming up. It gave me that great feeling of, "wow, this kicks ass!". So I ran with the riff and built parts around it and basically created the music that day. With the guitar, bass and drum parts all complete, it was time to grab the condenser mic and create a vocal melody around the music. The words also came to me as the melody developed. A pen, and a pad of paper before me, the rhyming began and ended late that evening and nothing left but the mixing! Listening to the lyrics of the song "I have the power", wouldn't it be great to be able to have the power to do whatever you may wish! Only a god or a so called Super Hero could get away with such things.

A lot of my music is created on the fly, sometimes from a melody I think of during the day at work. If it is something I may want to build on, I will record it over my cell phone so as not to forget. I can't tell you how many times I have come up with a great melody just to forget it the next morning. I hardly ever play guitar without being plugged into riffworks for that very same reason.

I am truly honored by all the public votes and interest in the music I create. Artists need their ego fed to become better artists! Now I can truly say I have earned something from my music!

I used my Paul Reed Smith custom 22 10 top guitar (the absolute best guitar I have ever played), my dean bass, AKG condenser mic, Pod XT Live, RiffWorks software and the awesome Soho InstantDrummer to create the song.

SPONSOR

Thank you to Taylor Guitars for sponsoring this contest. The prize guitar is a Taylor SolidBody Standard Double Cutaway guitar. The guitar color and specs may vary from the one pictured. Delivery of prize may be subject to delays due to production schedules.

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