Friday at last 26-4-13

I haven't been so glad to see the end of a week as I was yesterday for a long long time. I had two major (read: time consuming) assignments and two exams as well as regular coursework

Lunch was a salami and cheese sandwich with the last of our home-grown tomatoes and some fresh basil. I hate having to go back to store bought tomatoes more than any other fruit/vegetable.

Todays topic is influences. One thing I like to do when I find a guitarist I really like is to learn a lot of their songs - lead licks, rhythm style etc. For me there is no better way to add something to my own style. I find that after learning their songs that I work that style into my own or, to put it differently, I steal their ideas As a wind-down after the week that was I'm giving myself the treat of learning a lot of Robert Ward's stuff. I came across Mr. Ward when I was researching vibrato pedals and was amazed at the guys feel.
[youtube]lmwuP5iAThU[/youtube]

Does anybody do similar thing? Any guitarist you're currently working on?

Since having 'discovered' this guy and having bought a vibrato pedal it has become my favourite effect, replacing tremolo at the top. I don't like being without it. I hadn't even tried one until earlier this year. Have you ever bought something that you feel similarly about?.

Jamie, good question today. I like Vibrato and I have never tried a pedal to do that. I listened to your clip and I would call that Tremelo. The old Fender amps are excellent for that. I am basically an old surf guy without the reverb. Surf was wet with reverb but I find that a good vibrato is hard to beat. I do not have any mentors on this as we were on the leading edge of this stuff in the first place from a time standpoint.. I think that we are talking tremolo and Duane Eddy used it on some of his early songs.The Ventures were an example of surf bands that used the vibrato to the most. Good use of a vibrato requires a good feel. That is one of the reasons I like a Bigsby. You have unbelievable control with the Bigsby. I also have recorded with Fenders and the American Deluxe Vibrato is good. The DF Vibrato on my most recent ASAT is to kill for. It is smooth and very easy to feel. Feel is extremely important when using the Vibrato. The ASAT is a very popular guitar for G&L but you haven't lived unless you have played an ASAT with a DF. My next build will have one. I think that the tremelo pedal is cool but you can only use it for certain things. The clip is a good example of tremelo. I hope I am not confused Jamie. I had a nice dinner with Ginny on the patio tonight. We actually hit almost 70 F today, a long way from our snow storm on Tuesday. This kind of heat can be detrimental to brain function in Minnesota.-- Darwin

Hey Darwin, its definitely vibrato - the pitch bending one. The 'throb' makes it sound similar to tremolo. When it comes to vibrato systems on guitars there are two kings of feel - Hank Marvin and Jeff Beck.

Hey Jamie,

Thanks for the Friday report, glad you got through the week! One thing i do not miss in my life is assignments and exams.

Does anybody do similar thing? Any guitarist you're currently working on?

I am in the fortunate position that i get to work on other peoples stuff all day long! One of my favourite parts of teaching is learning new material pretty much on a daily basis. As far as stuff for my own pleasure, way back BK (before kids) I got about 1/3 of the way through transcribing Robben Fords "Handful of Blues" album. Someday I'll go back and finish it up!

Have you ever bought something that you feel similarly about?.

The only "effect" on my pedal board is my old MXR phase 90. I feel the same, i don't like being without it. I only use it a few times a night, but without it some of the tunes feel so naked.

Have a good one... you guys gigging this weekend?

Scott

Jamie, good question today. I like Vibrato and I have never tried a pedal to do that. I listened to your clip and I would call that Tremelo. The old Fender amps are excellent for that. I am basically an old surf guy without the reverb. Surf was wet with reverb but I find that a good vibrato is hard to beat. I do not have any mentors on this as we were on the leading edge of this stuff in the first place from a time standpoint.. I think that we are talking tremolo and Duane Eddy used it on some of his early songs.The Ventures were an example of surf bands that used the vibrato to the most. Good use of a vibrato requires a good feel. That is one of the reasons I like a Bigsby. You have unbelievable control with the Bigsby. I also have recorded with Fenders and the American Deluxe Vibrato is good. The DF Vibrato on my most recent ASAT is to kill for. It is smooth and very easy to feel. Feel is extremely important when using the Vibrato. The ASAT is a very popular guitar for G&L but you haven't lived unless you have played an ASAT with a DF. My next build will have one. I think that the tremelo pedal is cool but you can only use it for certain things. The clip is a good example of tremelo. I hope I am not confused Jamie. I had a nice dinner with Ginny on the patio tonight. We actually hit almost 70 F today, a long way from our snow storm on Tuesday. This kind of heat can be detrimental to brain function in Minnesota.-- Darwin

you are confused darwin. tremolo is volume change, vibrato is pitch change. the vid jamie posted is definitely vibrato. fender amps don't do that. they do tremolo. maybe having your hearing checked is in order, as small pitch changes seem to not register. i am being serious.

Louis, I understand the difference. I listened to this again and because of the speed it still reminds me of tremolo. I like the sound of it and I know Fender amps do tremolo, I have owned many. This is a cool example of a vibrato pedal, I had never heard one before. I wear digital hearing aids and am checked frequently but this wasn't what I expected from a vibrato pedal. Another new thing for this old dude!. Great clip Jamie.-- Darwin

Hey Jamie,

Thanks for posting the vid. I have a Martin Trem'OVibe which is an absolute gorgeous pedal. I have mainly been using the Tremolo part of it, but i must admit the beautiful warble Mr Ward is employing will inspire some experimenting the other half of the pedal.

As far as buying something because somebody you feel inspired by, I have to admit I'm completely inadequate at it. I do hear these sounds in my head but to have the sonic dexterity to actually dial in the sound even when you have the same or similar equipment is a completely different story. I can totally believe that people like Bill Frisell (or louis for that matter) have a natural affinity to getting that done. But for me ... lots of trial and error. especially the latter

The guitar player I'm currently very inspired by is Lindsey Buckingham. But strangely enough it is the first 2 Fleetwood Mac albums (i.e. Fleetwood Mac and Rumours) release in the mid-70's which I have been listening for ages now without really digging into it. I finally figured out Rhiannon like 2 weeks ago by just noodling around. It is remarkably easy to play if you use your thumb for the F root in the Am to F sequence. Oh well ... Wait, that is a Peter Green era Fleetwood Mac tune ...

- Jos

I try to do this, actually, I found doing this that I don't like guitarists so much, I transcribe some trumpet (lee morgan, miles) some sax but it's really painfull (I really like Cannonball Adderley but it's almost impossible to transcribe it), some piano... But the only guitarists I want to transcribe are bluesmen (Robert Cray, Albert Collins, Albert King, BB King, Buddy Guy), Robert Cray and Buddy Guy are really hard to transcribe right (those bends in between two half step ....)

I have the TC vibrato pedal, I use it a lot, especially when I want to sound a little like a B3 organ.

BTW a guitarist in another genre who uses a lot of vibrato pedal is Oz Noy.