While My Guitar Gently Weeps

[The Computer Audiophile]

I'm sure most people have seen Prince's solo on this track from the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame performance. For some reason I'd forgotten this was also available as a lossless audio track and I just re-found it today on Tidal and Qobuz. 

 

Enjoy if you haven't already.

 

Qobuz - https://open.qobuz.com/album/0610583435122

Tidal - https://tidal.com/browse/album/33269298

 

 

 

[The Computer Audiophile]

Very interesting take. Can you explain to this non musician what musically light means?
 

P.S. I wish I new how to play just one instrument. 

[The Computer Audiophile]

8 minutes ago, 57gold said:

ShawnC - Each player's take on SWTH solo on Beato's video was an attempt at instilling each player's style and offer some harmonic complexity whilst taking on one of Pagey's best composed solos.  Interestingly, SWTH and WMGGW solo vamps are very similar in structure with descending line starting on same chord Am, same key.  

 

To me, the EC solo which Jeff Lynne's bandmate plays in the performance is far more compelling and lyrical.  Prince steps out of the shadows at the end of the tune and does Prince, the performer in his red hat taking over the stage with a group of kind of stodgy white guys (many of them English, which may be the stodgiest version of white guys) and jams with what are generally believed to be "guitarisms": pull offs, octave bends (stretching one string up a couple of steps to meet the note of the higher string that is held, which gets that kind of screeching sound), big bends, simple but fast repetitive riffs...stuff that guitarists can do easily, but other instruments aren't built for.  All to good dramatic effect, but just Am pentatonic "wanking".  Understand that Prince's performance was unrehearsed and he surprises the players on the stage with a kind of "Jimi does WMGGW" with the dancing around the stage, back bend, guitar face...it worked and the audience and I loved it when I first heard it, because it was such a contrast to the almost religious homage Petty, Lynne, Dhani and band delivered the tune before Prince steps up to the plate.  

 

As a 40+ year guitar player, one who continues to work on improving (currently studying with two jazz instructors on taking my rock/blues base into a deeper understanding of music), I did what these guys have helped me understand, which is analysis of tunes. Like, what is Coltrane or Monk or Metheny playing and I applied this type of analysis to Prince's solo, which harmonically is pretty simple, unlike say Eric Johnson's attempt at SWTH, which is more complex than Pagey's but less compelling. 

 

ShawnC's advice is sound, just enjoy it.  

 

I have often been surprised when playing at my regular jam that audiences respond very favorably when I keep solos relatively simple and do not unload musical complexity (the stuff my jazz instructors live for).  What I mean is that, say sax player steps up and are jamming on Cissy Strut, a simple vamp in C7.  One can play Prince-like Cm pentatonic with bends, fast runs, repeated pull offs... rock guitar hero stuff or do what John Scofield would do, play around the tonal center with tensions like the tritone substitute or insert the altered 5th chord tonality or play diminished riffs and then resolve to C7 (Scott would use them all).  The latter is much harder to pull off musically and to some, you can end up with what my wife calls "headache jazz".  For rock guitar guys, a comparison would be SRV versus Robben Ford, SRV stayed simple with great feeling and a signature technique that he put together from Albert, BB King & Co. versus Robben who played with Miles and other jazz guys and inserts jazz harmony in his riffs and comping.  Neither better, just different like Chianti Classico or Barbaresco, one can like them both, which I do.  Have dozens of recording of both and have attended multiple performances of each.

 

Gonna go play some guitar.

 

 

I love this post as it touches on something I've been thinking about since I read your first post and also reminds me of my stance that art can't be judged, only appreciated (or not) and enjoyed (or not). It's also fantastic that you have interests/skills on both sides of the issue (listener and artist). 

 

As crazy as this sounds, it's a little like the objectivist guys who like components that measure better even though this better measurement can't be heard. Guitarists seem to like harder to play material, just because it's harder to play and objectivists like better measuring gear because it's harder to design. There's no right or wrong, just different people with different background liking different things.

 

For example, this track from King Crimson is incredibly boring to me and the opposite of enjoyable. Yet, many guitarists fawn over it. Think about how the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame performance would've been if this track would've been played rather than what was played. The guitarists in the audience would have loved it much more. 

 

 

 

[The Computer Audiophile]

30 minutes ago, 57gold said:

Yup, good music is what moves you.  

 

Found the King Crimson piece interesting but it wouldn't get played in my music room for enjoyment.  There is a lot of room between Prince's solo and the KC performance...like what Eric Johnson might have played or say Satriani in his more lyrical moments, like his 1995 album Satriani, which upon recent re listening is great soulful playing, where technique takes a back seat (one to check out).

 

Still one of my favorite guitarist, bar none, is Keef.  What he does with his chord work and riffs which are the foundation of all great Stones tunes, is harmonically simple but immediately identifiable and kick ass.  The guy almost can't play lead parts, but what he does is great.  And he surprises you, like with this performance:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NXUO_GAV2mQ

 

 

Agree 100%
 

Several years ago when @Jud visited my house, he played a Stones tune for me, where KR delayed his playing a split second to make the track magic. Stuff like this is golden. 

[The Computer Audiophile]

New director's cut video out now. 

 

 

[The Computer Audiophile]

33 minutes ago, 57gold said:

Watch the video prior to Prince's appearance, it seems like they are doing homage in the church of The Beatles, restrained and, well kinda stodgy.  Then Prince dramatically changes the vibe.  Can't see that?

 

Also will note the earlier praise of the stodgy white guy authored melodic lead and breaks, originally performed by EC and covered by a guy who I'm guessing is English versus the streams of classic rock, energetic wankery played by Prince. All good if one likes show over substance.  

 

Was underscoring the stylistic juxtaposition in the performance with some hyperbole.  I keep forgetting it's a woke world of hypersensitive folks who see incorrectness in every corner.  Must be hard.  

 

Posted by a stodgy white guy, who grew up in what some might call the USA's stodgiest state, CT. 

I take no issue with what you've said :~)

 

I see Prince's part as very colorful and entertaining in a sea of monochrome awards show style boring performances. Sure, it's art and there's no such thing as good/bad/better/worse, it's up to us as viewers to decide what we think of it. It may be mundane for those learned in guitar playing, but for entertainment value for us plebeians, it's absolute gold.  

[The Computer Audiophile]

It’s art. There is no objectively better or worst. It’s all in the ear of the listener. I’ll take Prince’s version over any other version. That’s just me. 

[The Computer Audiophile]

21 minutes ago, Allan F said:

 

Agreed. And therefore one may certainly and subjectively prefer one version over another. But to belittle one version and describe it as nothing more than "guitaristic tricks" and "all show, based upon cliche 'Rock Star' riffs", is both unfair and inaccurate. It is the epitome of a pseudo-objective critique.

 

I'm trying to understand where others are coming from, when they say that, as I'm sure you are. I think there is definitely the aspect of what we all like, but there is also the aspect of the goal of the performer. I don't know Prince's goal with his performance, but I'd guess he nailed it.