When a blind man cries...

zepp76

Can any one help me with this tone please? Is it as simple as a Strat into a Marshall/Fender and that's it or is there more to it? Sorry if this is in the wrong place I didn't know where else to put it.

ICBM

Strangely enough Blackmore used his old AC30 a lot in the studio, even after he'd switched to the Marshall Majors for live. I don't know for sure but it sounds more like that than a Marshall, to me.

There's also some high-quality studio compression and reverb on it, I think - there were no guitar effects to do those things back then anyway, apart from the Fender reverb unit which it doesn't sound like.

bazxkr

Wonderful track & the solo is a thing of real beauty...simple but effective with emotion behind every note. Not sure how he got hat tone. Certainly could be the AC30...wonder if it is the strat or the red 335 he still had back then ?

scrumhalf

Superb track. Should have been on Machine Head but according to the two Ians Blackmore didn't want it included. Machine Head's a brilliant album as it is, but adding this to it would have been the icing on the cake.

EricTheWeary

He used an old reel to reel tape recorder as a pre amp ( again, live don't know about studio). When I saw him this year he had a reel to reel sat on top of his amps, possibly a joke rather than actually used.

zepp76

ICBM said:

Strangely enough Blackmore used his old AC30 a lot in the studio, even after he'd switched to the Marshall Majors for live. I don't know for sure but it sounds more like that than a Marshall, to me.

There's also some high-quality studio compression and reverb on it, I think - there were no guitar effects to do those things back then anyway, apart from the Fender reverb unit which it doesn't sound like.

That would explain why I couldn't pick up on wether it's a Marshall or Fender if it's Vox haha! Thank you for your input, that helps a lot. 

Voxman

Ironically, even though Blackmore played the track with wonderful feel, he hated it and refused to play it live.  However, whilst it was recorded in 1971 during the Machinehead sessions, and contrary to a lot of alternative views, I think it was the right decision not to put it on (the original) Machinehead.  In my view it simply didn't fit with the rest of the album.  It's a soulful but very slow track that's virtually a dirge, and had totally the wrong vibe for the album.  

Again, contrary to popular views (and I know DP play an extended version in their set which goes down very well with audiences, and it was added to the 40th anniversary set) I personally don't like the track either - I appreciate the soulful playing, but it's just too morbid and dirge-like and if it had been put on the album, I'd skip over it every time - and I'm a huge DP fan!  I'm aware this track has a huge following and I'll probably get castigated for my sacrilegious view - but there it is, for me it's right up there as one of the most over-rated and worst DP tracks. 

Sorry to sit on the fence!    

RandallFlagg

Yes, sounds like an AC30 to me

p90fool

The reason Machine Head is a classic is because you never needed to lift the needle - that song would've ruined it.

Regarding gear, it's definitely a Strat, but whatever the amp don't underestimate Blackmore's extremely delicate touch. Some of the pick upstrokes on those bends are sublime.

57Deluxe

Blackmore used his AC30 live too actually - the bottom cab of his Marshall stack was empty save for a hot AC30!

Sassafras

Voxman said:

Ironically, even though Blackmore played the track with wonderful feel, he hated it and refused to play it live.  However, whilst it was recorded in 1971 during the Machinehead sessions, and contrary to a lot of alternative views, I think it was the right decision not to put it on (the original) Machinehead.  In my view it simply didn't fit with the rest of the album.  It's a soulful but very slow track that's virtually a dirge, and had totally the wrong vibe for the album.  

Again, contrary to popular views (and I know DP play an extended version in their set which goes down very well with audiences, and it was added to the 40th anniversary set) I personally don't like the track either - I appreciate the soulful playing, but it's just too morbid and dirge-like and if it had been put on the album, I'd skip over it every time - and I'm a huge DP fan!  I'm aware this track has a huge following and I'll probably get castigated for my sacrilegious view - but there it is, for me it's right up there as one of the most over-rated and worst DP tracks. 

Sorry to sit on the fence!    

I agree, nice playing but depressingly dirge like.
Had me reaching for the razor blade.

ICBM

I don't get that at all. I think it's a beautiful song and a perfect way to close the album.

Voxman

ICBM said:

I don't get that at all. I think it's a beautiful song and a perfect way to close the album.

Sure, and I respect that - each of us has different tastes and views.  It would be a boring old world if we all liked the same things and had the same views wouldn't it. 

Only thing I'd add, which is indisputable, is that Ritchie Blackmore, the man who played it, hated it too and agrees  with the 'no's'. 

ICBM

Voxman said:

Only thing I'd add, which is indisputable, is that Ritchie Blackmore, the man who played it, hated it too and agrees  with the 'no's'. 

That's true, but he apparently hated a lot the stuff he did anyway - in particular 'Woman From Tokyo' which is usually included on most Purple 'best-ofs'… so he may not be the best judge of his own work .

thebreeze

I don't know a lot of Deep Purple (Machinehead excepted) but I thought that was sublime, I'd never heard it before.  Tone-wise, in parts it sounds a bit like the tone Gilmour has on Wish You Where Here.

Voxman

ICBM said:

Voxman said:

Only thing I'd add, which is indisputable, is that Ritchie Blackmore, the man who played it, hated it too and agrees  with the 'no's'. 

That's true, but he apparently hated a lot the stuff he did anyway - in particular 'Woman From Tokyo' which is usually included on most Purple 'best-ofs'… so he may not be the best judge of his own work .

Others he didn't like but not hated. But 'when a blind man cries' was the only one he hated so much that he point blank refused to play it live, ever.  And on that track I agree with him.

siraxeman

Blackmore was a loon anyway....ask the members of his then band. And even Rainbow members as well while your at it. Don't know how he bagged that sexy lady Candice he's married to now though. I'm sure its not just the money he has lol...

Voxman

Blackmore is not a loon...difficult, self opinionated, very focussed, etc yes...but not a loon. And he is a talented player. 

scrumhalf

Long live rug and roll!

zepp76

wether people like it or not or think it's depressing or dirge like isn't important, the tone on the other hand, is. So a thank you to those who have contributed to helping me understand the tone and a big old raspberry to the haters lol, it's a great song!

ICBM

siraxeman said:

Blackmore was a loon anyway....ask the members of his then band. And even Rainbow members as well while your at it. Don't know how he bagged that sexy lady Candice he's married to now though. I'm sure its not just the money he has lol…

It's the codpiece, clearly.