Cover - "The Loner" (Gary Moore)

[DocNrock]

Cover of Gary Moore's "The Loner."  I omitted the intro and outro portions. 

Warmoth swamp ash Strat.  Canary neck with macassar ebony freboard.  Played on the bridge pickup (EMG 85).

It's funny, the official video of this song shows him playing a Jackson SL1, then an SL2H.  So I was going to video this with my SL2H, which has a Seymour JB in the bridge.  The tone was no where close.  Thinking it might be pickup-related, after doing some online digging, most of what I find points to the studio recording actually being done on a PRS with an EMG 81 in the bridge.  The only guitar I have with EMGs is my white Warmoth Strat, so I used that one.  It has an 85 at the bridge and an 81 at the neck.  It might be hard to tell in the recording, but to my ears in person, the tone is pretty close. 

Anyway, if you choose to listen, I hope you enjoy it.  My personal critique is that my groove could have been deeper.  Also, towards the end, when the intensity of the song picks up, there are a couple of finger vibratos that are too rapid. 

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NN0wL58NpHc[/youtube]

 

[Logrinn]

Very nice.  :icon_thumright:

I haven't listened to Gary Moore for ages. Last record I got of him was the G-Force album from -80 ...

 

[wolbai]

Hi DocNrock,

unfortunatelly the broadcast of your vid is forbidden in Germany.
I had the same legal right problem with Youtube when I tried to put my cover from "Hotel California" on Youtube.
Finally I have choosen the second leader of video portals "dailymotion" to go public. May be that could be an option for you as well ...
Would like to hear it ...

Regards wolbai

 

[Cagey]

Nice job! That sounded great!

I had to look away to appreciate it, though. The video was out of sync with the audio, so it was driving me nuts. Not sure if it's my computer or the recording. Anybody else notice the sync thing?

 

[bagman67]

Syncs just fine for me.


Nice work, Brent!  Way to rock it.  I salute your diligence in getting it right technically, and your commitment to getting it right emotionally as well.  Great stuff.

 

[TonyFlyingSquirrel]

I rather liked it.
Very special song that takes me back to a very special time in my life.

 

[Logrinn]

Didn't notice any sync issues

 

[Cagey]

I just modified this computer and installed a new OS, so I've probably still got some fine-tuning to do.

 

[DocNrock]

Logrinn:  Thanks for giving it a listen, and for the kind words.  Glad my cover was able to remind you of this guy.  Some if his stuff, especially songs like this, are worth breaking out every now and then.  Glad to hear the sync issue Cagey experienced isn't affecting everyone.

Babawowo:  Sorry to hear that it's blocked in Germany.  Love your songs, man.  I'll check out "dailymotion!"  Thanks for the tip!

Cagey:  Thanks for the look/listen/kind words.  Sorry to hear you were having sync issues, but glad it didn't affect the audio, itself.

Bagman67:  I really appreciate that, man.  I am so glad that the nuances came across.  As you know, so many of the nuances are part of the feel.  Since I am not "in his head," it becomes another layer of technique while trying to express my interpretation of his feelings.  Does that make sense.  Hard to put into words, as well.

TonyFlyingSquirrel:  Thank you.  I've seen video of your playing.  Kind words from you mean a lot!  Glad you liked it and that it reminded tou of something special.

:glasses9:

 

[stratamania]

I liked it too. Gary Moore, can be hard to get down but well worth doing.

I used to play Empty Rooms live. I probably spent as long getting the feel and vibrato down as learning the notes.

 

[DocNrock]

I probably spent as long getting the feel and vibrato down as learning the notes.

I totally believe it.  That was my experience with "The Loner."


Thanks for giving it a look/listen and for the kind words.  Glad you liked it. 

 

[DocNrock]

Hi DocNrock,

unfortunatelly the broadcast of your vid is forbidden in Germany.
I had the same legal right problem with Youtube when I tried to put my cover from "Hotel California" on Youtube.
Finally I have choosen the second leader of video portals "dailymotion" to go public. May be that could be an option for you as well ...
Would like to hear it ...

Regards wolbai

Wolbai, ask and you shall receive.  :icon_thumright:  I love your playing.  I would take any criticism you have to offer as constructive and positive.

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3m4mbc

 

[wolbai]

Hi DocNrock,

big thanks for your efforts to make your recording available to me via Dailymotion.
This truly deserves a feedback, I like to give to you.  :headbang:

First of all: you have a big bonus from me choosing a Gary Moore song  :icon_thumright:
He is one of my ever lasting guitar teachers in mind ...

All in all you have done in a good way: I like it, because I can here through the notes that you have tried to put in a great deal of commitment. And that is what playing music is all about to me.

Here are some points I can see improvements to work on. This is subjective and my own opinion and may therefore differ from others:

I would not record a guitar track to a playback where the originaly guitar is still remaining. (This is at least what I have heard so far on your recording - please correct me, if I am wrong). It sounds therefore sometimes a bit blurry, because the original and your playing can never be 100% in sync all the time (you are not a roboter). Try to find a backing track without the guitar tracks you want to play.

There is a website with free of charge backing tracks (some are good - some not). I ocassionaly can find some stuff to play along with:

http://www.guitarbackingtrack.com/

(By the way: I have also found some versions from The Loner there.)

Furthermore I suggest you to invest some coins in an audiointerface and a recording software. Together with a backing track your recording will sound way more better than micing your amp and the backing track with a camera (at least that is what I have heard so far - please correct me, if I am wrong).

Gary Moore's vibrato is one of the best I have ever heard. I just like that wide rock vibrato out of the wrist. I am practicing that year by year and it slightly improves - year by year  :laughing7:
Playing the vibrato in that league is unfortunatelly a longterm ongoing thing to get the vibrato smooth, wide and even.

I think you can exercise more on the vibrato thing (as me and others as well). Especially on the upper frets:
It is normal that the upper frets are more challenging than, let say around fret 7.
Try not to use the whammy bar to mimic the vibrato. Play this song without the whammy bar (as Gary).

In the last third of your recording (upper frets) you more or less move to whammy bar vibrato. Maybe you were also a bit "exhausted" (this at least is what I have recognized by myself when I do repetetive recording - I loose concentration and strengh to hold the tension for a strong vibrato).

Excercise especially to get an even wider vibrato than you do it currently. Practicing that feels initially a bit exaggerating. And by doing this try to manage and practice the string noises which goes along with wide vibrato, because you will hit the strings with your fingers if not muted.

Having that said: I don't want to create the appearance that I am a vibrato wizard. I am more or less in the same boat like you  :icon_smile:

Hope that make sense to you.

Rock on anf thanks for your efforts to make your recording available for me :guitarplayer2:

 

[DocNrock]

Hey Babawowo,

Thank you for giving it a listen and for your critique.  I greatly appreciate it.  It was very thorough and thoughtful. 

Indeed, I did play over the studio recording.  I have access to the backing track without the lead guitar, but my goal, which apparently did not work, was to play along with Moore's lead part.  I was trying to be, as you put it, a robot.  Or to at least be close enough to not be out of synch with him.  Your point is well-taken.  Using a backing track will allow me more latitude and will probably sound better.

Regarding the recording interface, I actually have two.  I have a Tascam 8-track digital recorder with CD burner.  I also have my computer set up as a Digital Audio Workstation.  To be completely honest, it was pure laziness on my part to just record the video and audio with my phone.  I am working on another cover song right now (Europa), and it will be recorded digitally and mixed with the backing track without Santana's lead part.

Your comments about the vibrato are well-taken.  I have been working on doing vibrato during a string bend.  That (among many others) is a definite weak point in my playing.  But there is one thing that confuses me, somewhat.  Honestly, I almost never use the Floyd for vibrato.  I virtually always use my fret hand.  The only reason I used the Floyd in this song for vibrato is because Moore uses it in his video quite a bit.  Obviously, he is not actually playing during the video shoot, but I thought perhaps that his use of the Floyd during some of the vibratos reflected what he actually did when he recorded the song.  But, it may have just been for show.  I just watched the video again.  You can't always see him playing, but when you can, there are clearly times when he uses his fret hand for vibrato, independent of whether or not he is simultaneously bending.  But it almost seems like he uses the Floyd more often than his fret hand.  Here is a link to the video.  It is YouTube, but hopefully you will be able to view it.    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gcPdeL4Dnc

Regardless, your critique of my vibrato is accurate and is well-received.  That, and fast playing in general, are my two weakest points. 

I appreciate the time and effort you put into your feedback. 

:rock-on:

 

[Cagey]

Food for thought...

Playing fast is largely a matter of learning to play slow. Many players miss this point. If you can't play something slowly and accurately, you'll never play it fast. A lotta guys will spend untold hours running scales until hell won't have it, then fire off the sloppiest speed runs you've ever heard. If you put enough compression, distortion and reverb/delay on it, you often don't even notice the slop so they call it good.

Europa is an excellent discipline tune. Very melodic, but mostly slow so you have to have good technique to make it sound right. Another good one along those lines that mixes the speed up a bit is Joe Satriani's "Always With Me, Always With You". In the second case, you also get to goof around with layering/mixing on your recording if you want to play the 2nd/3rd guitars. Also forces you to learn some other techniques, like hammering/tapping/pulling, without having to be Steve Vai. It's not as difficult as it sounds.

 

[DocNrock]

Food for thought...

Playing fast is largely a matter of learning to play slow. Many players miss this point. If you can't play something slowly and accurately, you'll never play it fast. A lotta guys will spend untold hours running scales until hell won't have it, then fire off the sloppiest speed runs you've ever heard. If you put enough compression, distortion and reverb/delay on it, you often don't even notice the slop so they call it good.

Europa is an excellent discipline tune. Very melodic, but mostly slow so you have to have good technique to make it sound right. Another good one along those lines that mixes the speed up a bit is Joe Satriani's "Always With Me, Always With You". In the second case, you also get to goof around with layering/mixing on your recording if you want to play the 2nd/3rd guitars. Also forces you to learn some other techniques, like hammering/tapping/pulling, without having to be Steve Vai. It's not as difficult as it sounds.

Thanks, Cagey.

You are 100% correct when you say "slow down to speed up."  It has to be accurately repetitive to develop that muscle memory that allows one to speed up cleanly.  To be able to play a lick quickly without thinking about it; to think in terms of licks and not individual notes.  Unfortunately, it takes time to develop that muscle memory.  And the amount of time required pretty much doubles for, say, a 20% increase in clean speed.  For some, you have to balance your desire to play fast (and clean) versus your desire to be creative; practice versus just having fun, given a practical limitation on the amount of time you can dedicate to playing each day, or each week.  I've been playing for 30+ years, but you would never know it.  I try to play cleanly, but I have always preferred to have fun with the guitar when I had time to play, as opposed to running scales and licks with a metronome.  Although, I almost always play with some sort of time-keeping device. 

But I am trying a different approach to my playing that seems to be reaping *some* dividends with respect to speed.  In fact, I've cut way back on the gain and effects to gain a greater accuracy in fretting and picking.  It turns out, for 30+ years, I realized that I had pretty much neglected my picking hand, and focused almost exclusively on my fretting hand.  My new focus on my picking hand is starting to make a notable difference to me.  These are in things that I am not posting, but ultimately will find their way into my routine playing.

You are "bingo" on one of the reasons why I chose to learn "Europa."  It is mostly slow, but it is expressive, which is very much pick-hand dependent.  Also, I have three lady cousins from the Mexican side of my family who have asked me to learn it and jam it for them.  Who am I to say no to family.  :laughing7:  Plus, I've never done much with the wah.  There are a few simple wah bars towards the end, so that gives me something else to work on.

"Always with Me, Always with You" is a great song.  Fairly easy for a Satch tune.  I learned that one back in 2002.  Once I nail "Europa,"  I think I am going to "bite off more than I can chew, and start chewing."  "For the Love of God," by Steve Vai.  Alternatively, I might go after "The Forgotten, Part II," by Satriani.  Challenging, but probably an order of magnitude easier than "For the Love of God."

Thanks for the input!  :icon_thumright: