E-money Posted November 1, 2002 Share Posted November 1, 2002 While driving in to work today I heard the Commodores doing "Easy". The guitar solo is a nice tasteful selection of notes, but the tone is just awful. Sounds like it was recorded though an overdriven channel on a mixing board. The song "Vehicle Baby" by The Ides of March comes to mind too as a really nice solo, but the guitar tone is just awful. Any others? "Politics are like sports, where all the teams suck" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve LeBlanc Posted November 1, 2002 Share Posted November 1, 2002 Whenever I hear Tower of Power's "What is Hip?" I cover my ears right before the guitar solo starts and keep my hands there until it's done. Ouch! Well played but damn that tone. http://www.youtube.com/notesleb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evets Posted November 1, 2002 Share Posted November 1, 2002 Sure gets your attention though, don't it? :cool: -Steve ----------------------------------- Sometimes ya gotta find out what it ain't, to find out what it is... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tedster Posted November 1, 2002 Share Posted November 1, 2002 There are a few. They escape me for the most part at the moment, though. "Cisco Kid, was a friend of mine" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dylan Posted November 1, 2002 Share Posted November 1, 2002 Steel Dan's "Reeling in the Years" has to take the cake for the worlds worst tone but great solo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evets Posted November 1, 2002 Share Posted November 1, 2002 Early on, it seemed like the pop bands that came from a jazz (there's that word!) background had a different perspective on what good guitar tone was. Tower of Power, Blood, Sweat & Tears, Chicago all came from another corner. Now, I just think it adds another color to the spectrum. -Steve ----------------------------------- Sometimes ya gotta find out what it ain't, to find out what it is... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeffbayson Posted November 1, 2002 Share Posted November 1, 2002 The guitar solo in "Let it Be" suffers not from bad tone, but bad tuning. I retune the guitar in my head every time I hear it. (Pause, duck bottles thrown by thousands of Beatles fans). Good point, Evets, but watch your language: every time I hear that loaded word, "jazz," it makes me want to rip somebody's head off with my teeth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evets Posted November 1, 2002 Share Posted November 1, 2002 [quote]Originally posted by eljefe: [b]The guitar solo in "Let it Be" suffers not from bad tone, but bad tuning. I retune the guitar in my head every time I hear it. (Pause, duck bottles thrown by thousands of Beatles fans). Good point, Evets, but watch your language: every time I hear that loaded word, "jazz," it makes me want to rip somebody's head off with my teeth.[/b][/quote]Damn right! :D -Steve ----------------------------------- Sometimes ya gotta find out what it ain't, to find out what it is... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoundWrangler Posted November 2, 2002 Share Posted November 2, 2002 Ron Wood's solo guitar melody on Rod's "Maggie May". Sounds like he just said "screw it" & went direct to the board. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phaeton Posted November 2, 2002 Share Posted November 2, 2002 Just about any early clapton solo. Yardbirds through Cream, maybe even later. Excellent phrasing and bends, but the tone reminds me way too much of a $59.95 solid-state 20W practice amp, or a really aggressive distortion pedal recorded direct. Just not good. The wierd thing is he gets some great tones on Wheels Of Fire in some songs, but others have this stale, brittle and thin sound. Maybe he [i]likes[/i] that sound? -------------------------------------------------- #include Dr. Seuss: The Original White Rapper . WWND? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fantasticsound Posted November 2, 2002 Share Posted November 2, 2002 [quote]Originally posted by SoundWrangler: [b]Ron Wood's solo guitar melody on Rod's "Maggie May". Sounds like he just said "screw it" & went direct to the board.[/b][/quote]I can't disagree more! I love the simplicity of his clean tone in the context of the song, especially the dynamics he produces with different notes. The solo tone contrasts the high strung section on the outro. Remember, many "bad" tones are just right in context. Alone, I'd have to agree with Dylan on Elliott Randall's tone for Steely Dan's "Reeling In The Years." It's a mess. But, for whatever reason, it works in context. I'm not sure a "better" distorted tone would be appropriate or help make the song unique, in a pleasant way. Randall's timbre, on that song, does both. Take a listen to the Toy Matinee album. If you disect each song (All of which are masterfully written and arranged.) you'll find plenty of godawful tones that fit perfectly in the context of the songs. Alone they would be hideous. It's easiest to find me on Facebook. Neil Bergman Soundclick fntstcsnd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super 8 Posted November 2, 2002 Share Posted November 2, 2002 Wha??? Whats wrong with the Commodores guitar tone??? I'm trying to remember what it sounds like, but if I recall it was kind of that thick/overdriven/bassy tone I associate with LesPauls and 335's and heavy gauge strings. That's not bad tone! That's the bad-assed coolest freak'n tone there is!!! I'm thinking of: Larry Carlton - Last Nite John McLaughlin - Birds of Fire Super 8 Hear my stuff here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoundWrangler Posted November 2, 2002 Share Posted November 2, 2002 [quote]Originally posted by Phantasm-sound: [i]Originally posted by SoundWrangler: Ron Wood's solo guitar melody on Rod's "Maggie May". Sounds like he just said "screw it" & went direct to the board.[/i] [b]I can't disagree more! I love the simplicity of his clean tone in the context of the song, especially the dynamics he produces with different notes. The solo tone contrasts the high strung section on the outro.[/b][/quote]Actually, we don't disagree as much as you might think! :) It IS an icky, direct-injected guitar sound, but like so many other "imperfections" on the albums he did w/Rod, it ends up being charming, & exactly right for the song. Everytime I play gtr on that song, I always play that section pretty much as is, flat tone & all! :thu: (It's such a distinctive line; more of a "B" melody than a solo, really. Same thing happens with other famous guitar lines, like "Something", or "Get Back" - no matter what you do afterwards, if you don't start by quoting it correctly, you're not really quite "playing" the song, are you?) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hippie Posted November 2, 2002 Share Posted November 2, 2002 [quote]Originally posted by eljefe: [b]The guitar solo in "Let it Be" suffers not from bad tone, but bad tuning. I retune the guitar in my head every time I hear it. (Pause, duck bottles thrown by thousands of Beatles fans). [/b][/quote]No bottles.. but I must say the version of 'Let It Be' with the guitar solo (album version) is far and above my favorite version; It raaawks! I also like the delay that Phil Spector added to the hihat on that version, even know the timing on it drifts a little here and there. Matt In two days, it won't matter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D_dup3 Posted November 2, 2002 Share Posted November 2, 2002 There are indeed 2 versions of this song, with different guitar parts & tones (& other different instrument parts). As far as good part/bad tone, I don't think anyone can touch the overall grating tones on Trout Mask Replica (Beefheart) but that was probably intentional. :freak: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fantasticsound Posted November 2, 2002 Share Posted November 2, 2002 [quote]Originally posted by SoundWrangler: [b]Actually, we don't disagree as much as you might think! :) It IS an icky, direct-injected guitar sound, but like so many other "imperfections" on the albums he did w/Rod, it ends up being charming, & exactly right for the song. Everytime I play gtr on that song, I always play that section pretty much as is, flat tone & all! :thu: (It's such a distinctive line; more of a "B" melody than a solo, really. Same thing happens with other famous guitar lines, like "Something", or "Get Back" - no matter what you do afterwards, if you don't start by quoting it correctly, you're not really quite "playing" the song, are you?)[/b][/quote]Agreed. :) One of my other fav Rod Stewart songs is I Was Only Joking, which begins it's solo with much the same, if not identical, timbre to Maggie May. It takes a different turn in the middle, when a distorted tone takes over. Very cool! It's easiest to find me on Facebook. Neil Bergman Soundclick fntstcsnd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henchman Posted November 2, 2002 Share Posted November 2, 2002 [quote]Originally posted by Scary 8: [b]Wha??? Whats wrong with the Commodores guitar tone??? I'm trying to remember what it sounds like, but if I recall it was kind of that thick/overdriven/bassy tone I associate with LesPauls and 335's and heavy gauge strings. That's not bad tone! That's the bad-assed coolest freak'n tone there is!!! I'm thinking of: Larry Carlton - Last Nite John McLaughlin - Birds of Fire[/b][/quote]I agree. I remeber loving the sound and the way that solo was played. IMDB Credit list President George Washington: "The government of the United States is in no sense founded on the Christian Religion." President Abraham Lincoln: "The Bible is not my book, nor Christianity my religion." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vintagevibe Posted November 2, 2002 Share Posted November 2, 2002 The "I'm Easy" solo is a great solo with great tone. I love it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super 8 Posted November 2, 2002 Share Posted November 2, 2002 [quote]Originally posted by Henchman: [b]I agree. I remeber loving the sound and the way that solo was played.[/b][/quote]Thank you, sir! It was well played, wasn't it. Kind of a clever/playful approach. Man, Lionel should'a never left! After "All Nite Long", he got uninteresting REALLY fast... Super 8 Hear my stuff here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deathtoallwhoopposeme Posted November 2, 2002 Share Posted November 2, 2002 [quote]Originally posted by Dylan W: [b]Steel Dan's "Reeling in the Years" has to take the cake for the worlds worst tone but great solo.[/b][/quote]That's exactly what i was going to post!!! Sean Michael Mormelo www.seanmmormelo.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dembones_dup1 Posted November 3, 2002 Share Posted November 3, 2002 Although his electric playing style is not my cup of tea to begin with, I've always found Steve Howe's tone in the mid to late seventies pretty abrasive. Particularly his showcase solo on Soundchaser, which is otherwise pretty interesting. dembones Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philip OKeefe Posted November 3, 2002 Share Posted November 3, 2002 I'm going to tick off every Neil Young fan in the world... because I don't think I'd call most of his solos "good" yet alone "great", but his tone? Sounds to me like a mosquito with a cold. I HATE it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hippie Posted November 3, 2002 Share Posted November 3, 2002 [quote]Originally posted by Philip O'Keefe: [b]I'm going to tick off every Neil Young fan in the world... because I don't think I'd call most of his solos "good" yet alone "great", but his tone? Sounds to me like a mosquito with a cold. I HATE it![/b][/quote]That tone is intentional, to match his voice. ;) Neil is definately an 'aquired taste'. Matt In two days, it won't matter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philip OKeefe Posted November 3, 2002 Share Posted November 3, 2002 Oh, I actually like a lot of his songs, and his voice isn't as annoying to me as his guitar tone... and I actually DO like some of his solos... Cinnamon Girl in particular is nice, and the tone on that isn't QUITE as bad as some of his other stuff... but most of the time, intentional or not, his guitar tone on solos just bugs me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
not coaster MODERATOR Posted November 3, 2002 Share Posted November 3, 2002 ummm.... may i suggest some of the gems from the white album? revolution helter smelter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nawor Posted November 3, 2002 Share Posted November 3, 2002 While not solos as such, an album full of out of tune, or probably more to the point slightly dischordent, guitar sounds is Nick Cave's - 'No More Shall We Part'. And how does it all sound?... Fucking Awesome!!! ;) "WARNING!" - this artificial fruit juice may contain traces of REAL FRUIT!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cowfingers Posted November 3, 2002 Share Posted November 3, 2002 yeah, i really cant stand the tone on Funkadelics 'Maggot Brain', it also sounds like a crappy practise amp he using...damn nice song though Visit my band : www.neonfleacircus.net or www.myspace.com/neonfleacircus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loudist Posted November 3, 2002 Share Posted November 3, 2002 This is all so subjective... BUT... This prove a point I have made before... the performance is much more important than the tone. You have quoted hit records, the performances were what made it so in spite of the taste in tone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Botch. Posted November 4, 2002 Share Posted November 4, 2002 Anything by the Ventures :bor: Botch "Eccentric language often is symptomatic of peculiar thinking" - George Will www.puddlestone.net Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitefang Posted November 6, 2002 Share Posted November 6, 2002 I'm gonna screw up the spelling, I know. But the tone in ANY Yourma Kaukonen solo is fingernails on a blackboard to me! Whitefang I started out with NOTHING...and I still have most of it left! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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