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Most of you already know
that the national store, Guitar Center has a contest every year (this year in
March) called
GuitarMageddon. Last year each store let local guitar players enter to perform a
three minute solo before a panel of three judges. The judges rate the
performers on seven different areas of skill including: musical composition,
originality, technique, dynamics, continuity, stage presence and audience response.
Yes, there is an audience there to watch the brave get shot down and the lucky
ones go on to the next level. It's seriously nerve wracking and considered to be
pretty brutal among guitar players! This year there is a difference.
Guitar Center has issued a CD with recordings from some of the best artists out
there to back up the soloists on stage. Now, instead of creating your own
solo with no boundaries except for the three minute time restriction, you have
to solo over one of the tracks on the CD which is now up to about three and a
half minutes. I was surprised to see that most of the players I've talked
to believed that this made it harder to do and (they believe) that it would
eliminate most of the potential entries. I don't know. But I do know
that Guitar Center is keeping it interesting, once again.
The twelve tracks include some pretty heavy rock or metal
sounds, some blues, some funky sounds, jazz and even country. All of it is
excellently produced.
Guitarmaggedon will take place each Tuesday in March, starting
at 7:00 PM. If
it's like last year there will be two winners picked each week and all of the
eight winners from March will do battle on the first Tuesday in April. The
winners (two again) from that will go to Texas to compete against the other
winners from each store in this region and then off to Seattle to play the semi
finals. The two winners from there will go to Hawaii and the winner from
that wins a special edition Mustang GT (Ford) and a special edition Stratocaster
(Fender). Why not a special edition Mustang (Fender) to go with the Ford?
. . . I don't know but then I'm just a guitar teacher although I do drive a
Mustang GT and I do play a Stratocaster so at least I can agree that they are both a lot of
fun!
In any event, I have six students entering this year. They
are:
who are entered on March 19th at the Guitar Center at 8601 Sheridan Blvd in
Arvada, Colorado
who is entered on March 26th at the Guitar Center on Colorado
Blvd in Denver, Colorado and
who are entered on March 26th at the Guitar center at 8601
Sheridan Blvd inn Arvada, Colorado.
ALL CONTESTS WILL START AT 7:00 PM
I am particularly proud of these students as they deserve our respect for
preparing for and entering into this very demanding contest. I plan on being at the
Guitar Center in Arvada to help support them personally at this event.
Can you make
it? Last year we had a lot of fun watching the players do their
best. If you can make it to the Guitar Center at one of the dates and
places mentioned above we can support our students by cheering them on
together. Think about what that would mean to them. It wont help
them win but it will be a lot more fun for everyone knowing that they were a
part of a community of people who support this type of achievement. I will
look forward to seeing you there!
To the six students: By working out a solo and signing up for
this event you have already achieved more than most people will ever attempt to
on the guitar. Good luck to you all! - Michael Chodosh
One student made it to the store finals. To see this
follow the link below
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Achieve that dream!
Lesson Information: lessons@chodoshguitar.com
Other questions and comments: mailto:info@chodoshguitar.com
Map
of Chodosh
Guitar:
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