I'm doing the Crazy Train riff (the cool-sounding, famous one). I can play it pretty much full speed and pretty cleanly, but my notes sound distinct and kind of seperate/choppy, whereas in the actual song, it sounds smooth...like the notes are kind of blending from one note to the next. I tried adjusting the distortion, reverb, etc. I still can't get that sound...the geniune, smooth sound from note to note.
Am I not playing it correct...missing out on some subtle nuance in the fingering, or is it my equipment? (Yamaha Pacifia 112, Marshall MG15DFX (solid-state) amp). Do I need a wah? Thanks in advance.
I love playing that song, and I've got it sounding right, at least the intro part your talking about, so maybe I can help. How are you fingering it? Are you using you index on the 2nd fret, ring on the 4th, and pinky on the 5th fret? If you arent, and using your ring finger for the 4th and 5th fret and not your pinky then that would prolly be the problem. If thats not it, maybe you just need some more practice to get it more fluid. I have the same amp as you, and i don't think he uses a wah on it.
The first time I heard a Beatles song was "Let It Be." Some little kid was singing along with it: "Let it pee, let it pee" and pretending he was taking a leak. Hey, that's what happened, OK?-some guy
Maybe you need the big Marshall stacks that randy had. I think nailing his tone is pretty tough.
-Dustin
I've been imitated so well I've heard people copy my mistakes.
- Jimi Hendrix
RollnROCK, Yep...I'm playing it index finger on 2nd fret, ring finger on 4th, and pinky on 5th; like the tabs show. It doesn't sound 'fluid' enough. What amp settings do you use for this riff? I dial in moderate distortion. I sometimes use some reverb, but I don't know if that makes it sound closer to the original. Delay, chorus, and flanger don't sound right on this riff.
Dustin, it might be I need a good amp (or at least a tube amp). Or it might just be that my playing lacks fluidity? (I'm not much more than a beginner).
BTW: does anyone know what 'saturation' means in terms of amps? When I bought my guitar and I said I want an '80s heavy metal tone', the guy said I'll need a tube amp with lots of saturation. Does saturation mean a 'creamy' tone?
Quote: does anyone know what 'saturation' means in terms of amps?
Almost all the rock guitars you hear is played through tube amps, using power amp saturation. The idea behind running tube amp saturation is to bring out the physical real tone of saturating the power tubes and hard-driven speakers. The tone of saturated power tubes and loud guitar speakers, is also understanding the concepts of 5-stage alternating Equalizer and distortion sequence along with its interaction with saturation.
Every guitarists should experiment and learn about the eq> dist> eq> sequence, including a power attenuator. The first thing I'd do is put an eq>dist>eq chain before my amp, and a power attenuator after the amp, just before the speakers and see if that provides the control needed. Power tube saturation isn't really the foundation of classic amp tone, but is only one necessary component of a system.
The secret of great amp tone is the eq>dist>eq pedal chain, which you use before your guitar amp, and then getting power tube saturation independently of speaker volume, which another(secret) power attenuators. EQ pedals and power attenuators have been around for a long time and just don't get much of the limelight. Because its was kind of a secret of tone techniques. Not a secret anymore.
The true key principles are it comes down using an all tube amp and simply adding Eq pedal, distortion, Eq, and a good power attenuator. Control of guitar and amp tone is there for all guitar players. It's a matter of understanding the basics for achieving equalizer curves, preamp distortion and power-tube saturation, at any speaker volume level (attenuator). Right along side experimenting and practicing.
Joe
Didn't Randy use a wah pedal but as a filter of some type instead of for a wah sound? I had read that once, but I've never had a wah pedal so I'm not certain about the technique.
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It think the key is making sure your using your pinky i.e. you dont need to move your hand up and down the fretboard. And make sure your alternate picking, other than that all I can suggest is practice.
Definelty alternate pick. and it doesn't maktter what setup you got, you can either play it fluid or not. I can play it on acoustic and its not choppy, so if you are alternate picking, you just need to practice. Maybe try slowing it down to where you can play it fluid, and then gradually speed up? that might work.
The first time I heard a Beatles song was "Let It Be." Some little kid was singing along with it: "Let it pee, let it pee" and pretending he was taking a leak. Hey, that's what happened, OK?-some guy
One thing I would suggest to make this and any complex riff sound smoother is basically not raising your fingers.
If you're getting a lot of separation between notes, it could easily be that as you play string 5, fret 4 for example, you are raising up your index finger that is over string 6, fret 2. What that starts to do is limit your playing speed with your left hand.
This falls under the same category as the concept that when you're playing ascending notes on the same string, you keep your fingers pressed down, and it makes the decending line come smoother, eg
-------------------
-1-2-3-4-3-2-1--
-------------------
when you're playing the fourth fret (with your pinky) your index, middle and ring would still be applying pressure, and when you descend, you would raise your fingers one at a time. This helps generate a smooth sound.
I always try and play with my fingers down close to the fretboard, and I think it really helps both my speed and my tone. Good luck.
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Thanks all. Yes, I alternate pick, but I don't know if it's the proper way. I heard that you should always downpick on the beat, but on some notes I dont; I just figure out which way seems fastest/easiest, and do it that way. Joe...good explanation of saturation. Undercat: I never thought of that :idea:...you're right that I don't hold my fingers down when it's possibe to do that; this must be a big reason I'm not getting the fluidity from not to note that I need. That's the kind of nuance I suspected I was missing out on...thanks!
