House of the Rising Harmonics
No video from me this time, but this is a tune I got around recording recently to contribute to the @radioliquorice show last weekend. It is the classic song made famous by The Animals, but with a bit of a twist.
It started when I saw this video with some seriously impressive playing. I was taken in by his use of harmonics at the start and looked to see how much of the tune I could play that way. I certainly cannot play like him.
If you do not know what harmonics are, it is when you just touch a string at some fraction of the string length when you pluck. It produces a very pure sound as it has less of the overtones you get when playing normally. I played some of the notes in the regular way as there were no convenient harmonics available.
I messed around with this for a while and decided I needed to record it. I used my Taylor acoustic guitar into Ardour. I only played the verse once, using a metronome, and then copied it several times to cover the rest of the song. I struggled to play it even once and there are a few fluffed notes that keep coming back around. I just had to tweak the last note to get an ending. The Taylor also played the solo.
I really think I should have played it a bit quicker, but I just wanted to get it done. It is really an experiment. I may try performing it live some time, but I am not sure I can sing it as I play.
Rock on!
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Yep, I grew up with that song and you did it very well my friend!
Cheers. I have played it the normal way for years. It's one that a lot of guitarists learn early on. We have to experiment to progress.
Such a great song and yes, experimenting often deliver great surprises. First time that I heard this new way of doing the song and it sounds good.
!PIZZA
This is like one of the first songs they teach you when you take some of the courses I have seen on TV. Have you ever heard the original blues version of the song that the Animals based their version on? It's pretty interesting.
I've heard various versions, but I don't think I've heard anyone do it like this, so maybe I've done something original.
Cor blimey that's some tough harmonic picking stuff! I love the sound of harmonics but am quite rubbish with them. Apart from pinched harmonics but their easy with the right amount of drive!
Pinched harmonics are fun too, especially through a loud amp. I just wanted to try this and it was at least interesting. Someone said it sounded like dripping water.
!BEER
Dripping water, lol!
Yeah pinched ones are fun to play loud. Natural ones sound lovely if incorporated into playing. I will leave that to those with the skill!
I’d say that’s a tricky thing to play but it’s a beautifully crafted song. It always takes me back to the good old days, I think my parents saw them in concert when my brother and I were children, but I was too young to remember.
It's one of those songs that everyone can play, like Stairway, but I hope I created something fresh with this.
!BEER
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Really enjoyed this piece of experimentation!
Cheers. Got to try these things.
Your mother was a Taylor? Dontcha mean your best friend?
Actually my mum did make some clothes for me when I was a kid. I didn't think about the other meaning when I recorded this.
!BEER