Archive for the ‘Guitars’ Category
When you listen to a song what do you hear? When you listen to a song you like, what is it that you like about it?
I have asked musicians and people who do not play any musical instruments at all these very questions, the answers I got were pretty consistently the same. When someone tells me they like a song I ask them in return, What do you like about it? If it is a song that I like also I will ask if they like lets say the bass guitar line, or the sound of the electric guitar solo, or even the acoustic guitar playing on the song?
Most of the time someone that does not play guitar will not even take notice of the instruments on the song, they recognize the singing, or the singer but are oblivious to the music behind them. When someone that does play and is proficient at it they hear that great bass guitar riff that makes the song great, or the guitar solo whether played acoustically or on an electric guitar. Someone familiar with music can also tell you what pedals are used to make the electric guitar sound the way it does.
Through the years there has been many terrific songs. Some songs are responsible for launching the careers of the musicians that played them.
One such song was done by a rock band out of Detroit, Michigan named The Amboy Dukes. They had a hit song “Journey To The Center Of The Mind” that had an electric guitar solo played by Ted Nugent. That song is responsible for launching his career.
Next song up is a song recorded by a Scottish Band in the late 60’s. The name of the band is Marmalade, and the song is “Reflections of My Life”. Junior Campbell who wrote the song also has a guitar solo played on a Fender Stratocaster electric guitar that will make you want to learn guitar. The song also features the vocals of Dean Ford along with some outstanding vocal harmonies. The bass guitar line is played by Graham Knight. For me it is the bass line of this song that attracted me along its’ great guitar solo.
The last blog was a lot of fun, digging up and remembering supergoups from the past that I thought I would continue that theme in this blog. Hopefully these names will stimulate your thoughts if you are as old as I am, or stir your curiosity if your new to some of the names.
First up is the Traveling Wilburys, shot started as a simple jam session among friends turned into something very special for us all. Armed with electric guitars as well as acoustic guitars these individuals were all highly respected and well known artists. The Traveling Wilburys were made up of equal parts of George Harrison (The Beatles), (ELO otherwise known as Electric Light Orchestra), Bob Dylan, Roy Orbison, and Tom Petty. The name “Wilburys” referred to the studio equipment that was able to cover up their mistakes in the final mix.
For me a band that deserves to be on this list is Fleetwood Mac. While each of its’ members were known before combining their efforts, none were as successful as after joining Fleetwood Mac. While founding member Peter Green left the band the five members everyone remembers most are, Mick Fleetwood on drums and also one of the founding members of the band, my personal favorite Christine McVie on keyboards, vocals, and songwriter of some of the bands biggest hits like “You Make Loving Fun”, Over My Head”, and “say That You Love Me”, all that can still be heard on the radio today. Stevie Nicks whose vocals can be heard on “Rhianna” and “Dreams” can also still be heard on the radio. Bass guitar was played by John McVie who contributed with some fantastic bass riffs. Rounding out the band is Lindsey Buckingham playing electric guitar. On stage you never saw him use a fingerpick, he always used his fingers and fingernails to give us some of the most brilliant guitar solos ever.
A supergroup is defined as a group with band members already known from when they were in other bands. In my 57 years I have seen and heard my share of supergroups.
In my estimation Cream should be considered as the first supergroup. With Eric Clapton formerly of The Yardbirds playing electric guitar how can you lose. other notable members of the band were Ginger Baker on drums who came out of Graham Bond Organization, along with Jack Bruce playing bass guitar, he was with Manfred Mann. I’m sure you recognize some of their songs such as “White Room”, and Sunshine Of Your Love” which can still be heard on the radio.
With songs like “Rock and Roll Fantasy” and “Can’t Get Enough Of Your Love” in their resume Bad Company a band started in 1973 is next on the supergroup list. Paul Rodgers formerly of Free, his vocals can be in 2004 with Queen + Paul Rodgers. His voice is ranked 55 of the “100 Greatest Singers of All Time”. Playing Electric guitar is Mick Ralphs once with Mott the Hoople, with bass guitar being played by Boz Burrell from King Crimson, and drums being played by Simon Kirke of Free.
The 80’s was a great time for rock, with some of the greatest bands ever how cold it not be? Most of these bands are still playing today to new audiences as well as their old faithful followers.
One of the best bands of the 80’s has to be Van Halen, with Eddie Van Halen playing his hand made electric guitar how can they lose. AC/DC without a doubt is one of the greatest bands of all time. By now who isn’t familiar with Angus Young strutting his stuff all around the stage while playing his Gibson SG electric guitar.
As three piece bands go Rush is one of the best. On bass guitar they have Geddy Lee who is one the best around as well as a great guitar provided by Alex Lifeson.
When talking about the 80’s you have to give notice to one of the best glam rock bands of all time Def Leppard. As musicians they might not have been the best but putting them all together was like a magnet. They had one of the best songs of the 80’s with “Pour Some Sugar On Me”.
Although they were formed in 1972 the best bands to come out of the 1980’s is Van Halen. This was a band that had so much going for it, like some of the best front men in the industry.
Whether you like them or not David Lee Roth and Sammy Hagar were two of the bands frontmen, they each brought their own unique brand of style to the band. The sound of the band was established by their exceptional guitarist Eddie Van Halen.
Eddie like to use his custom electric guitar that he made by hand out of the body of one guitar with the neck of another while using the guts of another. His electric guitar solo on “Eruption” is one of the best solos of all time, Guitar World readers poll had it at #2 on the list of 100 Greatest Guitar Solos.
When it comes to special occasions like birthdays, graduations, Easter, Christmas and others do you have trouble finding that perfect gift? Did you ever think about giving someone an electric guitar? How about giving someone a complete electric guitar package.
How about, if they already play guitar? The perfect gift might be one of the many guitar accessories that are available. You might want to think about a guitar related gift for their room. Even the most avid guitarist wouldn’t say no to a rug in their room with guitars all over it, or a guitar lamp made from a real guitar.
If you don’t want to spend that much look around for one of the great leather or polyester guitar straps that are available.
Have you ever been driving in your car or truck when a song came on the radio that you never heard before? As soon as you get home you start looking for the song, when you find it you find it had an outstanding bass guitar line that was invisible on the radio, you start to ask yourself why.
How about those songs you hear over and over on the radio that you just don’t like. As with the first example you find the songs done live by what ever band it is, and you hear electric guitar licks you never heard on the radio, and are now a big fan of that particular band.
That has happened quite a bit to me, one such band for me is The Doobie Brothers. There music has been on the radio for decades and to me it was alright, but nothing great. If you have never heard The Doobies try it. Electric guitars are used for most of their songs, featuring great guitar solos, along with some snappy rhythm guitar work, and if you are an acoustic guitar lover listen to “Snake Man” a song which the play entirely with acoustic guitars along with a steel guitar.
I am 57 years old, other parents like me are at a greater advantage of our parents. When I was a teenager rock and roll was just beginning and my parents didn’t understand it, being from an era of the 1930’s.
Rock and roll has lasted for more than 50 years, that puts us on the same, or better level of music with our sons and daughters then our parents had with us. It’s a great time to communicate with your children through music.
It’s a great time for everyone in the family to learn music and have one big jam. It doesn’t matter if you play bass guitar, electric guitar, of even acoustic guitar music is something the whole family can share, (who knows you might even impress your child with your musical talents). The experience with your child will also bring you closer to the music
Are you a mellow acoustic guitar picker style, or maybe you like to exercise your guitar amplifier volume control along with some classic rock electric guitar solos. You practice like crazy but feel like something is still missing.
Whether your learning through an instructor, or teaching yourself from the many guitar lessons that are available on line, or maybe you just play by ear it pays to find some other musicians in your area. They can be equal, better or even just beginning ir doesn’t matter, everyone benefits from just getting together to jam.
You might learn something from that person playing an acoustic guitar, or he might pick something up from you on your electric guitar. Jamming alone makes you a better player. You find your own concentration will be better, along with that instinctive quality that makes you try harder not to make any mistakes.