• Registered: 2009-12-20
  • Posts: 155

Topic: That Free Sound When Writing Original Material!

Hey guys, I am not sure exactly how to explain this, but it's late night here and I'm listening to Mountain Time, and I can not get over how awesome it sounds. I'm thinking "Free" best describes it in the way I'm looking at, but it's nowhere near close to fully summing it up. Does anybody know how to describe that besides Free and Beautiful? Anyways, on to my question. I'm looking to replicate that sort of sound when I go to write my own material here soon. I'm not sure exactly where to start. I'm your basic Minor-Pentatonic I-IV-V/Hendrix/Vaughan type kind of player, but this kind of music captivates me and I never really have learned any theory behind achieving that sound. So, anybody have any ideas? Thanks a ton cool (Sorry if this is incohesive, I can not channel my thoughts very well this late)

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  • From: over yonder....in PA
  • Registered: 2009-02-09
  • Posts: 240

Re: That Free Sound When Writing Original Material!

Ahh, I was wondering the same thing a few months ago. What I find to be the best in this situation are using what's called "slash" chords...and this doesn't mean Saul Hudson. They are when you take a chord, but switch the bass notes to give it a more "airy" and beautiful sound. David Grissom uses these all the time, and that's what made me try and learn them...I think Steely Dan uses them a lot, too. So basically, take a chord (we'll say G Major in open position) and make it C/G. This means instead of fretting the G on low E, fret the C on A but keep the rest of your fingers fretted on the higher strings so it's literally "C mixed with G". If this was confusing, I do apologize tongue 

All the best

"The way I like to look at it is....if that's the last time I ever got to play, I'd better give it everything I've got." -SRV
  • From: Harrison, Arkansas
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Re: That Free Sound When Writing Original Material!

I think the less complicated a song is, the easier it is to get that quality. It's just three chords, but using each note in the chords.

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Re: That Free Sound When Writing Original Material!

brandonherges wrote:

Hey guys, I am not sure exactly how to explain this, but it's late night here and I'm listening to Mountain Time, and I can not get over how awesome it sounds. I'm thinking "Free" best describes it in the way I'm looking at, but it's nowhere near close to fully summing it up. Does anybody know how to describe that besides Free and Beautiful? Anyways, on to my question. I'm looking to replicate that sort of sound when I go to write my own material here soon. I'm not sure exactly where to start. I'm your basic Minor-Pentatonic I-IV-V/Hendrix/Vaughan type kind of player, but this kind of music captivates me and I never really have learned any theory behind achieving that sound. So, anybody have any ideas? Thanks a ton cool (Sorry if this is incohesive, I can not channel my thoughts very well this late)

I think that open airy sound is acheived best by using as many open strings as possible, and letting them ring (often the same note) as you go through your chord changes. When you're writing, figure how to encorporate as many open strings as possible. It's called "pedal tones", letting the same open note ring through different chord changes. It's a great sound!

  • Registered: 2009-12-20
  • Posts: 155

Re: That Free Sound When Writing Original Material!

Great advice so far big_smile Definitely going to be checking out those Slash chords, and I'll be sure to leave a ton of open strings! More tips greatly appreciated! Anybody think this kind of tone could be achieved with some serious work in the Major Pentatonic for the lead parts, or may I have to... gulp... use the Major Scale?

Guitars - Cheapo "Jay Turser"
A beautiful Blue guitar made by "Agile"
2009 Fender American Standard Stratocaster - Olympic White, Maple Wood Fretboard
1994 Blue Gibson Les Paul Studio Lite, Black-Chrome Hardware
  • From: over yonder....in PA
  • Registered: 2009-02-09
  • Posts: 240

Re: That Free Sound When Writing Original Material!

I found the major scale to be great when using those slash chords I talked about...you can also through in a few blues licks too, but major sounds the best. When playing leads over them (for me), it's more about playing a melody than just letting your fingers fly and tearing into it. I guess you could almost say you'd play as if you were playing jazz: technically thinking about what you're doing and how it will sound in relation to what you're playing over.

Hope I was of some assistance

"The way I like to look at it is....if that's the last time I ever got to play, I'd better give it everything I've got." -SRV
  • From: Florida, USA
  • Registered: 2008-06-04
  • Posts: 1,420

Re: That Free Sound When Writing Original Material!

The Major scale is your friend.  It adds the beauty and happiness to a guitar solo.  To me, Mountain Time is a great example of this.  Mountain time is in the key of D Major I believe, and Joe drops his low E string to D.  Joe really seems to shoot for the moon everytime he plays that song.  There are parts of the solo that are the same, but he adds something special every time he plays it!

Tip***  Every major scale has a corresponding minor in a different key so to speak.  Example:  If you are playing in the key of G major you can often play E minor licks over it.  A great example of this is Eric Johnson's "Cliffs of Dover".  That song really opened my mind to the whole major/minor thing.  You can just leave certain notes out and leave the whole thing ambiguous which is really cool.  Good luck!

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8 Reply by brandonherges (edited by brandonherges 2010-01-17 17:05:42)

  • Registered: 2009-12-20
  • Posts: 155

Re: That Free Sound When Writing Original Material!

StratPaul: Sweet, thanks big_smile Hopefully I'll be getting to work on this as soon as I'm feeling it. Got a Zoom HD16 Multi-Track, so I'll be sure to upload it and let you all hear the fruits of your knowledge you've shared tongue (Anybody with other advice is still welcome to post smile )

Guitars - Cheapo "Jay Turser"
A beautiful Blue guitar made by "Agile"
2009 Fender American Standard Stratocaster - Olympic White, Maple Wood Fretboard
1994 Blue Gibson Les Paul Studio Lite, Black-Chrome Hardware
  • From: North Carolina
  • Registered: 2008-10-26
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Re: That Free Sound When Writing Original Material!

my best advice is hire Paul Rodgers.

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  • JBSRV
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Re: That Free Sound When Writing Original Material!

AD3THREE wrote:

my best advice is hire Paul Rodgers.

lol lol lol

But yes I know exactly what you are talking about Brandon. I'm trying to get into the whole major scale thing because of the exact thing you're talking about. I love the sound of major licks "soaring" over a simple chord structure. Mountain Time... case and point.

-Eric

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Re: That Free Sound When Writing Original Material!

i always find the sound mountain time reminding me of the song "Thank you" by led zeppelin, they are both in the key of D, but there is a small acoustic solo in the original recording of Thank you, that i love, i think you should listen to that song as well to help your inspiration as well.

its all a matter of principle...
  • Registered: 2009-08-14
  • Posts: 27

Re: That Free Sound When Writing Original Material!

JBSRV wrote:

But yes I know exactly what you are talking about Brandon. I'm trying to get into the whole major scale thing because of the exact thing you're talking about. I love the sound of major licks "soaring" over a simple chord structure. Mountain Time... case and point.

Just remember that although "happier" sounding than minor, the flat 7th makes a big difference in that scale.

One reason Mountain Time is so good to me is the dynamics, which come with volume, or at least a cranked amp.  That's how I hear it anyway.