Author Topic: Guitar question for Fitz (Read 1448 times)

Monkeyleg · « **on:** November 20, 2012, 10:29:44 PM »

I've always loved the Stones' version of "Little Queenie" on Get Your Ya Ya's Out. One part of the song I can't figure out is the very beginning.

At the beginning Keith Richards plays just one chord in rhythm several times, then switches to alternating between two chords. On some of the chords, his staccato on the second of the two chords is so sharp that it almost sounds like the notes are slapping. You can hear it right before the bass kicks in on this Youtube video at 35:23--http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vRUP5xMPBCY

I've tried every kind of muting I can find to stop the chord quickly, but still can't get that "slapping" sound. I thought for a bit that it was a drumbeat hitting at exactly the same time, but I don't think it's that, either.

I've heard Ron Wood play chords the same way on some of the songs he did with the Faces.

Any ideas?

280plus · « **Reply #1 on:** November 21, 2012, 09:55:32 AM »

My best guess (even though I'm not fitz) is he's damping with the heel of his strumming hand. Strum the chord and let the heel of your hand bounce off the strings right after the chord sounds. That should get you the basic sound. Once you get it fool around with it to get the other notes in there.

280plus · « **Reply #2 on:** November 21, 2012, 10:03:46 AM »

Listen to the rhythm guitar is this'n here. berry similar

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tMy_w5HsfdI

Fitz · « **Reply #3 on:** November 21, 2012, 11:24:02 AM »

what he said

also it sounds like the's got the volume knob of the guitar down just a bit, which will cause the chord to sustain less naturally. That, coupled with the heel of the hand striking the strings, i imagine.

Monkeyleg · « **Reply #4 on:** November 21, 2012, 11:46:48 AM »

I can palm/heel mute this song (and others) and get a sharp stacatto no problem. There just seems to be an extra dimension to that second chord on three or four of the pairs of chords. It's much easier to hear on a non-compressed CD than it is in a Youtube video or on an MP3 file. If I had the CD I'd upload a non-compressed example so you could hear it more clearly.

I'll try turning down the guitar volume knob and see if I can get that sharp slap. It's much, much sharper than the muting on "Get Back".

Fitz · « **Reply #5 on:** November 21, 2012, 12:19:11 PM »

might also be a function of the effects he's using. Have you done research to see what pedals he had on that record?

THREAD DRIFT. One of the coolest effects ever. Eddie Van Halen at the beginning of "Poundcake."

Sound was made with a drill. *expletive deleted* power drills on guitars. WINNING!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dnwIavCuKz8

Gewehr98 · « **Reply #6 on:** November 21, 2012, 12:22:08 PM »

Those guys guard their effects pedal combinations with a vengeance.

I've been trying for years to emulate or just duplicate the pedals that Jimmy Page used in Zeppelin's In Through The Out Door, to no avail. I can tune DADGAB, etc. but as soon as I try to dial in the fuzz and distortion, it ain't even close.

Fitz · « **Reply #7 on:** November 21, 2012, 12:28:47 PM »

Quote from: Gewehr98 on November 21, 2012, 12:22:08 PM

Those guys guard their effects pedal combinations with a vengeance.

I've been trying for years to emulate or just duplicate the pedals that Jimmy Page used in Zeppelin's In Through The Out Door, to no avail. I can tune DADGAB, etc. but as soon as I try to dial in the fuzz and distortion, it ain't even close.

Simultanously the most wonderful and frustrating thing about the electric guitar...

You can have two players doing the EXACT same physical actions, and the combination of amp, effects, and HOW they're wired together make them sound completely different.

Monkeyleg · « **Reply #8 on:** November 21, 2012, 01:28:43 PM »

Ronnie Wood gets the same effect on "Stay With Me", where he alternates between two chords, and on a few pairs of chords the second ends very sharply, again like a slap. You can hear it (compressed, though) at the 36 second mark here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqwCko-kzR0

Fitz · « **Reply #9 on:** November 21, 2012, 01:30:09 PM »

Quote from: Monkeyleg on November 21, 2012, 01:28:43 PM

Ronnie Wood gets the same effect on "Stay With Me", where he alternates between two chords, and on a few pairs of chords the second ends very sharply, again like a slap. You can hear it (compressed, though) at the 36 second mark here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqwCko-kzR0

Thre he's just lifting his fretting hand up and muting the strings with the fretting hand to halt the chord.

Harold Tuttle · « **Reply #10 on:** November 21, 2012, 01:57:45 PM »

Emulating Keith Richards technique involves blood exchanges and a hardy liver.

Monkeyleg · « **Reply #11 on:** November 21, 2012, 02:57:17 PM »

Fitz, I'll try that and see if I can emulate the sound. It doesn't come across well in MP3, but does in a full-size CD file.

There's other techniques I hear that I just can't figure out. On Keith Richards' opening to "Can't You Hear Me Knockin", it's hard to hear the pick between most of the chords. I know he's doing hammer-ons and pull-offs, but I think that where he was using a pick, it was softened in post production to make it all flow together more seamlessly.

280plus · « **Reply #12 on:** November 21, 2012, 06:31:49 PM »

You do know Richards plays an alternately tuned guitar? He's tuned to a chord but I'm not sure which one.

geronimotwo · « **Reply #13 on:** November 21, 2012, 06:40:12 PM »

Quote from: Monkeyleg on November 21, 2012, 02:57:17 PM

Fitz, I'll try that and see if I can emulate the sound. It doesn't come across well in MP3, but does in a full-size CD file.

There's other techniques I hear that I just can't figure out. On Keith Richards' opening to "Can't You Hear Me Knockin", it's hard to hear the pick between most of the chords. I know he's doing hammer-ons and pull-offs, but I think that where he was using a pick, it was softened in post production to make it all flow together more seamlessly.

i don't know about guitarists, but some bass players use a felt pick to soften the attack.

Monkeyleg · « **Reply #14 on:** November 21, 2012, 08:00:27 PM »

280plus, yes, I do know that. I have one guitar I keep tuned down a half step just for Stevie Ray Vaughan, and the other is constantly going between standard tunings and alternative open tunings. I have a tuning I made for Tina Turner's version of "Dust My Broom" that I can't find on any tuning charts.

Keith Richards almost never uses the high and low E strings and so usually has the low E string removed, and the high E tuned to another note.

I've never heard of a felt pick. Weird.

280plus · « **Reply #15 on:** November 21, 2012, 09:43:41 PM »

I've seen felt picks but only with autoharps.

Balog · « **Reply #16 on:** November 21, 2012, 10:46:47 PM »

It really amazed me what a difference pick material makes. I always played (bass) fingerstyle, but a while back I picked up a mandolin to play with. They use much heavier picks than a guitar typically, and messing around with those on the bass was really interesting.

Monkeyleg · « **Reply #17 on:** November 21, 2012, 10:58:06 PM »

Yeah, I remember Jimi Hendrix picking the strings with his tongue. Can't remember what it sounded like, though. Probably sounded like tuna.

280plus · « **Reply #18 on:** November 22, 2012, 08:07:58 AM »

Quote from: Monkeyleg on November 21, 2012, 08:00:27 PM

280plus, yes, I do know that. I have one guitar I keep tuned down a half step just for Stevie Ray Vaughan, and the other is constantly going between standard tunings and alternative open tunings. I have a tuning I made for Tina Turner's version of "Dust My Broom" that I can't find on any tuning charts.

Keith Richards almost never uses the high and low E strings and so usually has the low E string removed, and the high E tuned to another note.

Interesting. I never got much into alternate tunings beyond lowered D but it so happens I'm working on a Scarlatti sonata that uses low E string to D and A string to G. I've also been working on "Rocky Mountain Way", so don't get me wrong.

Monkeyleg · « **Reply #19 on:** November 22, 2012, 12:44:32 PM »

280plus, I can't find that tuning on any chart. Then again, I can't find the tuning I came up with for "Dust My Broom". It's E A E G# B E (instead of standard E A D G B E).

280plus · « **Reply #20 on:** November 22, 2012, 06:26:39 PM »

I have enough trouble trying to make standard tuning work.

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Author Topic: Guitar question for Fitz (Read 1448 times)