Clarky plays da blues

Clarky · February 2018

Blues is a style of music that I adore but very rarely play in public or record
I was asked to create this piece by Evolution Media Music for TV / Movie use..

it was soooooo much fun...
I need to do more of this..

enjoy

https://soundcloud.com/user-489438982/dirtyandblue05b

JAYJO · February 2018

Cheers Mate loved that. Just go and sell all my gear now laters!.

Clarky · February 2018

kit used:

1978 Strat [fitted with Hotmail at the bridge [the other pups are standard] and a Floyd Rose
Axe-FX II mkI
- amp: Diesel Herbert ch2-
- Fender 1x10 Princeton

all 5 guitar tracks use the same preset
the differences in tone are created via pup choices and technique [pick, fingers]
the soloing tone is the same preset, I just turned up the gain a little

stratman3142 · February 2018

Great playing and sounds. But I knew it would be before I listened to it.

equalsql · February 2018

Wow, I can't believe that was recorded ITB. I'd swear that was recorded live!
Great stuff!

vasselmeyer · February 2018

Is there any slide on there @Clarky or is it all bends and the Floyd?

Clarky · February 2018

thanks guys... I'm so glad you enjoyed it..

@vasselmeyer I can't play slide... so all the slide stuff is a combination of Floyd Rose trickery and regular bending techniques

bingefeller · February 2018

Damn, Clarky does Jeff Beck!

Clarky · February 2018

bingefeller said:

Damn, Clarky does Jeff Beck!

getting a Floyd to play a convincing slide part takes a lot of experimentation, trial and error..
the hard part is keeping it all under control cos you're working the Floyd whilst picking strings..
which is obviously all done with the same hand..
it's a frustrating thing to figure out how to do.. but highly satisfying when it works..

BigLicks67 · March 2018

That slide sounds really authentic, I must admit I assumed it was a bottleneck until I read the comments. Did you do that in standard or was that guitar in a modal tuning?

flying_pie · March 2018

Excellent work. The slide effect sounds superb

Fretwired · March 2018

Da blooze .. well played @Clarky ; ... have it playing on my iLoud speakers in my office as the snow falls ...

Bezzer · March 2018

Clarky said:

I can't play slide... so all the slide stuff is a combination of Floyd Rose trickery and regular bending techniques

We've found it! The thing Clarky can't do!

As always mate, it's great ... honestly you make me sick, you bastard

... really nice to hear you so laid back, really suits you.

Now, back to getting all those notes into a single bar, if you please!

DLM · March 2018

Clarky said:

1978 Strat [fitted with Hotmail at the bridge [the other pups are standard] and a Floyd Rose

Crumbs! Analogue/digital MIDI converters have really come along if Clarky has one that convert notes into text! He'll really clean up with his words-per-minute rate on the London typist temping circuit!

http://www.rapidtyping.com/img/best-typing-tutors/speed-typing-test.jpg

https://media0.giphy.com/media/sBikoeGRyOrK0/giphy.gif

Clarky · March 2018

BigLicks67 said:

That slide sounds really authentic, I must admit I assumed it was a bottleneck until I read the comments. Did you do that in standard or was that guitar in a modal tuning?

the tuning was standard...
a few years back when I was developing the technique I did experiment with open G and open D tunings..
in some ways they worked but in others they were restrictive because you and up with too many fingers on the same fret..
Also I felt that if I ever wanted to do this live, I'd be forced into having another guitar tune specifically for that technique.. which is also restrictive..
so I worked on nailing it with a standard tuning...

if people are assuming that it's real slide playing.. then my little mission is working... lol...
I remember the first time I did this in front of Doug [Black Machine] he smiled when he heard the playing [he loves the blues]..
then looked at me playing.. saw no slide and looked a bit "wtf??"
then saw the Floyd stuff going on and his eyes almost popped out.. lol..
he was like.. "now that is really fkn cool"

DLM · March 2018

Clarky said:
if people are assuming that it's real slide playing.. then my little mission is working... lol...
I remember the first time I did this in front of Doug [Black Machine] he smiled when he heard the playing [he loves the blues]..
then looked at me playing.. saw no slide and looked a bit "wtf??"
then saw the Floyd stuff going on and his eyes almost popped out.. lol..
he was like.. "now that is really fkn cool"

I've always been a fan of this kind of Firkin(s) around with the wang bar!

Clarky · March 2018

DLM said:

Clarky said:
if people are assuming that it's real slide playing.. then my little mission is working... lol...
I remember the first time I did this in front of Doug [Black Machine] he smiled when he heard the playing [he loves the blues]..
then looked at me playing.. saw no slide and looked a bit "wtf??"
then saw the Floyd stuff going on and his eyes almost popped out.. lol..
he was like.. "now that is really fkn cool"

I've always been a fan of this kind of Firkin(s) around with the wang bar!

I've always found that trying to emulate other instruments [considering slide guitar the same way too because for me it may as well be] can often make you think in ways beyond your stock playing..
even if the outcome is far from how you'd like it to be, it can still lead to something interesting
there are performance characteristics that go with a soprano opera singer that I'm tried many times to emulate and failed miserably... lol.. but every once in a while I'll have a little brain wave and try again...
that said, one failed attempt at this lead to an idea that became a lick in a song on the latest DC Band album..
the moral of the story...
experimentation really is worthwhile.. even if you fail to hit the target..
because you are flexing creative muscle in trying to solve a musical puzzle..

DLM · March 2018

Yeah, Firkins is great at that, drawing influence from harmonica and fiddle licks in his solos, as well as the faux-slide playing.

I like to try and copy vocalists, it can be frustrating, but it makes one realise how rubbish lots of guitar playing is from a melodic perspective and pushes towards something more meaningful than pentatonic (here comes that word) drivel.

@RandallFlagg ;

Clarky · March 2018

DLM said:

Yeah, Firkins is great at that, drawing influence from harmonica and fiddle licks in his solos, as well as the faux-slide playing.
I like to try and copy vocalists, it can be frustrating, but it makes one realise how rubbish lots of guitar playing is from a melodic perspective and pushes towards something more meaningful than pentatonic (here comes that word) drivel.
@RandallFlagg ;

interesting you mention harmonica..
in that blues piece, the bend at 1:25 is one that was directly influenced by listening to blues harp players in my teens
it's a bend I've been doing for decades, but not one I've heard many other guitarists do..

over the years I've probably spent almost as much time studying / emulating the music of other instruments as I have learning the playing styles of my guitar heroes..

Jalapeno · March 2018

Ossum stuff !

Voxman · March 2018

Great playing and when I heard that opening riff I thought 'nice slide'...so I was stunned to read it wasn't slide. I'd love to see how you do that in a video!

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Clarky plays da blues

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