Video Guitar Lesson 12: Arranging parts for bands and situations with two or more guitarists
In this lesson, Dan and I continue to explore rhythmic patterns, looking in particular at the benefits and problems which arise when playing in situations with multiple guitarists. The focus for the lesson are two songs which I am arranging to play with a band that has in it a drummer, bassist, keyboardist/singer and me and another student of Dan’s on guitar. The two songs are ‘The One I Love’ by REM and ‘Feel Like Making Love’ by Bad Company, but throughout this lesson we look at things which arise in other songs to so that we can apply this to this situation. We look at octaves, open strings, pick up choice, EQ, guitar choice, briefly effects and playing using different inversions and much more.
Timings for the SoundCloud audio version
00:02:31 The setup of my band
00:03:24 Introduction to the two songs which we are going to be looking at the parts for
00:05:09 First look at the One I love by REM
00:05:59 What Dan plays for the One I love
00:08:22 Playing a second part over the opening riff using octaves
00:09:15 Second go at the opening riff together
00:11:10 A more meaty second part - playing 5th chords piano style
00:12:30 Option of not playing at all and allowing the other guitarist space
00:13:05 Dynamics in Steve Vai's - the Love of God - using increasing vibrato
00:13:39 Back off at the beginning and as the song starts to take off you increase what you are doing
00:13:46 You want to hit a chorus and have somewhere to go, some punch, some headroom
00:14:00 Using the volume on your guitar
00:14:22 Second demonstration of the piano style part
00:15:12 Money for Nothing is a good example
00:15:22 staccato style like ACDC a Long Way to the Top
00:15:35 Discussion about frequency and where you sit in the mix
00:18:05 Best thing you can do is be mindful of separating your sound from the other guitar
00:20:19 Second part for the Kings of Leon Sex on Fire riff
00:21:13 Recap of advice on frequencies and staying out of eachother's way
00:22:29 Comfortably Numb - so many things to fill the air - use delay
00:24:09 Some effects are very indicative of the time
00:26:11 Second guitar part for after the introduction and during the verse
00:27:40 First way is to play chord shapes up at the 12th fret
00:29:13 Second option with a nice delay and more sparse playing
00:30:00 Third option - start with the Em even higher up the neck
00:31:34 Fourth option - really subtle notes with volume swells and delays
00:32:52 Chorus part
00:33:52 If someone is playing something rhythmic then a good second part could be blocky
00:34:48 Whole Lotta Rosie - ACDC
00:44:33 Humbuckers (e.g. Les Paul) Sad face EQ vs Strat smiley face EQ
00:45:40 Playing using gain - roll the tone back a bit
00:47:20 The middle position on the Les Paul mixing the pups
00:48:23 What's a treble bleed?
00:49:23 Feel Like Making Love - Bad Company
00:51:30 Run Like Hell - Pink Floyd
00:53:20 Rejigging the inversions of the triads
00:56:06 Rejigging the inversions for Feel Like Making Love
00:58:30 Arpeggiated chord part for the verse
00:58:56 Sweet Home Alabama
01:03:39 Similar chord set in Feel Like Making Love so you can do a similar thing
01:05:34 Raising the dynamics for the chorus
01:09:38 Sometimes when you consider parts for songs you can bring some modernity to your parts
01:10:35 Add a dash of your own thing
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