Members peavey_impact Posted November 28, 2007 Members Share Posted November 28, 2007 Heres a clip of Dax Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members trill Posted November 28, 2007 Members Share Posted November 28, 2007 The protocol for gigging solo with any guitar is the same, IMO. Fingerpicking/clever use of chord melody will definitely help flesh out the arrangement and make things sound a bit more "complete," but if you're really good you can get away with damn near anything. And I've seen a lot worse than Gary Lammin, both on youtube and in person. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ottobahn Posted November 28, 2007 Members Share Posted November 28, 2007 You'd better have rock solid rhythm and timing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members randombastage Posted November 28, 2007 Members Share Posted November 28, 2007 If you sing well enough you can back it up with just tapping your foot...or scratching a washboard...or chopping broccoli...So, yea, an electric guitar might be more than enough! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Manic Episode Posted November 28, 2007 Members Share Posted November 28, 2007 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mnhhngbfs Posted November 28, 2007 Members Share Posted November 28, 2007 surround yourself with cheap old casio keyboards and play to the "drum loops" on there. no, really. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members garthman Posted November 28, 2007 Members Share Posted November 28, 2007 Hi Kwak Billy Bragg always plays with an electric guitar (or at least he used to). I saw him play live about 20 years ago - just him playing solo. Worked fine. Gareth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members raviolio Posted November 28, 2007 Members Share Posted November 28, 2007 Check out Jeff Buckley's Live at Sin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members raviolio Posted November 28, 2007 Members Share Posted November 28, 2007 If you sing well enough you can back it up with just tapping your foot...or scratching a washboard...or chopping broccoli... Classic [YOUTUBE]TVe1W_fFzoo[/YOUTUBE]. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Tom LP Posted November 28, 2007 Members Share Posted November 28, 2007 I've heard of solo gigs with an acoustic guitar but I've never heard of doing so with an electric guitar. I'm talking without some sort of backing track or looping pedals too. How good would somebody have to be? Would any particular type of music lend itself better than another too? Off the top of my head I would think that maybe jazz would be the go-to style - or maybe classical-inspired stuff. BTW - I admit that I'm usually an acoustic player but I do like to break out the Strat every so often just because the action's a bit looser. I keep my setup pretty simple (tube amp and overdrive pedal for a clean boost) so I'm not so much concerned with tone. I like to keep it simple and focus on technique. That's why I sort of gravitated toward acoustic over the years. OTOH, playing on the electric sometimes just sounds more "polished" - though it's easier to hear the mistakes. I'm not going to make any bold statements about how good I am, or how good this sounded, but I've done it. Play guitar seated on a stool, using a set of bass pedals for bass, and the drum machine on a electronic keyboard, while singing. It takes lots of practice, but if you stick to simpler tunes, you can jam away. I used a Fender keyboard amp for the drums, bass pedals, and PA. l guess the drum machine kind of gets into the backing track thing, but I don't know how else I could get drums. I though it sounded pretty full, and it was a lot of fun trying. You are definately getting into chewing gum and walking at the same time territory. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members cephus Posted November 28, 2007 Members Share Posted November 28, 2007 I've tried to make it work. Using a hollowbody made it a little easier. It still was lacking. Why is it that an acoustic is so much better? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Tezmond Posted November 28, 2007 Members Share Posted November 28, 2007 Billy Bragg does it as does that Seasick Steve fella who was posted here a while ago Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members sufidancer Posted November 28, 2007 Members Share Posted November 28, 2007 Roy Buchanan......1953 Telecaster, amp and something to say with his guitar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members kwakatak Posted November 28, 2007 Author Members Share Posted November 28, 2007 It's good to see that there are possibilities and thanks for the youtubes/links. A few of you mentioned playing with a percussionist or some additional percussion instrument like a stompboard. I'm wondering though, is there any technique other than using the pick on muted strings to get a percussive effect on electric guitar? With an acoustic it's actually easier since the big hollow bodies serve almost as a drum. I suppose it could be done, in fact I'm sure I've heard it done on some early Pink Floyd album. ...I guess effect wouldn't hurt then. :-/ As for me, I'm just curious really. I'm actually too chicken to play in public, but I'm working on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jake7 Posted November 28, 2007 Members Share Posted November 28, 2007 I do it all the time. I only really moved to acoustic when I got into more percussive playing, as it was already kind of a drum.....but before that I gigged for a living with my band but did a fair bit of the set alone with my Les Paul. I've always kinda had the pre-disposition towards the John Martyn style "slap" on the offbeat, even before I'd knowingly heard him, and it progressed into a "DIY" drum whilst I'm playing. PLaying solo has really locked my right hand in, there's nowhere to hide, and I believe my strongest asset in my playing,if I have any, is my timing, and that's down to doing so much live stuff where I have to imply the beat alone......if I'm playing solo and people are dancing then I know I'm doing well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mr_GoodBomb Posted November 28, 2007 Members Share Posted November 28, 2007 [YOUTUBE][/YOUTUBE] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DaveAronow Posted November 28, 2007 Members Share Posted November 28, 2007 There was a guy named Stanley Jordan who did some really cool tap-guitar stuff. I believe he often gigged solo.Stanley Jordan FTW. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DaveAronow Posted November 28, 2007 Members Share Posted November 28, 2007 It's good to see that there are possibilities and thanks for the youtubes/links. A few of you mentioned playing with a percussionist or some additional percussion instrument like a stompboard. I'm wondering though, is there any technique other than using the pick on muted strings to get a percussive effect on electric guitar? With an acoustic it's actually easier since the big hollow bodies serve almost as a drum. I suppose it could be done, in fact I'm sure I've heard it done on some early Pink Floyd album. ...I guess effect wouldn't hurt then. :-/ As for me, I'm just curious really. I'm actually too chicken to play in public, but I'm working on it. You mean you made us go through all this encouragement and you were just kidding? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members kwakatak Posted November 29, 2007 Author Members Share Posted November 29, 2007 You mean you made us go through all this encouragement and you were just kidding? Nah - I'm gonna give it a try at the next open mic I go to. I was thinking of doing some jazzy tunes with a clean tone - stuff like Martin Taylor, SRV's "Chitlins Con Carne" (which could really use bass accompaniment and light drums) and another thing I've been making up for the past couple of months. I didn't intend to do vocals, though I have tried it a few times with my acoustics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Blackbelt1 Posted November 29, 2007 Members Share Posted November 29, 2007 There was a guy doing it around here,there didn't seem to be any grief for him about it... Go 4 It!!! Might be me Randy. I've been playing solo gigs now for a couple of years, mostly on electric. I do about 75% of the tunes with bass/drum backings, and the other 25% mixture between acoustic or electric. One song I cover by the Foo Fighters, "Tired of You" has no drums in the commercial version yet is played on electrics.I gig regularly and don't have to split the $$$ with anyone. I don't have drunken bandmate issues, scheduling conflicts, or "bandmate lost his job" drama to deal with.~Blackbelt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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