Today’s source domain is a “guitar solo”. There will be a choice of three linking qualities that a guitar solo has, your job is to pick one, think of something else that has that quality, and then write about this using the language of a guitar solo.
Source Domain: Guitar Solo
Linking Qualities: Building intensity / Going somewhere new / In the spotlight
Target Quality: ___
Have fun!
Rocket launch - building intensity - guitar solo
The launch manager takes center stage for the dramatic vocal build up, knowing that she will soon step to the back and allow the rocket to steal the show. She has been the lead up until now, with an enthusiastic screech of “Six”, the rocket enters, sending the initial drone of hypergols into the mix. At “One”, the solid boosters kick in with full gain, the rest of the band carries the rhythm and groove and are excited to see where the rocket goes from here. Hemiolic triplets develop from the drone as the gain builds. Distorted wahs on the high notes as the singer subtly, in the background, whispers “Lift off”. Initially the rocket runs the familiar minor pentatonic scale until it clears the pad’s tower. Now, it has found its groove. It begins mixing in some mixolydian scales with lydian modes, occasionally hitting the flat two and flat six, the crowd feeling the tension in their stomachs. The lead singer lets out a gutteral “max-q” and the rocket throttles back into a mellow groove to relieve the intensity, just a moment before it goes full throttle into running unknown scales and modes never attempted before, the speakers groan and rumble trying to keep up. On a sharp bend, the rocket releases its payload, the maximum pyrotechnics explode from the stage, and it descends perfectly back into the rhythm of the band.
(These types of linking are really drawing out the length… I will get better! Sorry for keeping you reading so long)
hiking trail - going somewhere new - guitar solo
The crunch underfoot provides the background rhythm of the days hike. Familiar trees and shrubs provide targets along the trail. Twists and turns in the trail create uneasy and tense feelings but you feel the release when you reach the highest point if the trail. The sounds of birds fill the peripheral that accompany you through the walk, occasionally influencing which track you choose. Each option adding different experiences.
Guitar solo Going somewhere new Moving
The car door slammed like an opening drum. The audience of my life packed into my car, neatly filed in rows of suitcases and boxes and bags. The engine purred, strumming an open chord that blared out into the open road. Spotlights of stoplights illuminated my path. The whoosh of passing cars became the steady heart of my journey. Each passing landscape was a harmonic tone, ringing and blending into the last. I let the music soar in exhilarant anticipation and crash in brassy strangled anticipation; the tension between each note propelled me forward like friction between rubber and pavement. The road became a never ending melody that swung open doors of emotion, conflicting yet seamless.
This is really, really good. Adding in targets to the rhythm, and the building of tension of not knowing where you’ll go as you improvise. I really like all the auditory sensory language.
I love that the audience of life is packed neatly. That builds a strange dissonance when contrasted to the going somewhere new. The landscapes providing harmony is a really cool concept. The final building of tension with with conflicting yet seamless is really spot on.
Guitar Solo - In the spotlight- Politician
Taking center stage, it was time for the candidate to perform. He sat on the bench and smiled like a cheshire cat. His song and dance started and he knew just what strings to pull to persuade the crowd. They hung onto every note he made, and overlooked every squeaky imperfection.
Like a rock star, he worked his magic and played to the crowd, devouring the attention. His face wore an overconfident smirk as he dazzled with shiny charisma. His palm struck the hollow podium rhythmically, as he hammered us with half truths, sliding from topic to topic with ease. His performance was music to the ears of the eager partisan audience, yet also subpar to the unbiased who could clearly see he needed more practice.
This is my favourite bit, could develop this idea of political strings, maybe playing on them being out of tune. I also really like the squeaks of imperfection, which gives us a visceral sensation to attach to the imagery. The needing more practice is also a lovely close to the metaphor!
I really enjoy reading all the ways you manage to map the metaphor across - keep up the good work! 