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Review: What causes Knofler to stand out is the understated, effortless, smooth output. The very first time such a guitar stood out to me was in the recorded break in Badge. A song of ne plus ultra pedigree, co authored by L.Angelo Misterioso and MR Clapton. Mr. Mysterioso's rhythm guitar's authority is easily recognized (Maxwell's tool - at about 1:10), and the guitar break is so tightly put together and short it can very easily be missed.
Watching Knopfler work his right hand as if her were playing a nylon string, demonstrates the difference between good guitar players and the kind of talent you can never really appreciate because all the hard work to get there is lost in your amazement at how easy it looks
His use of fretted harmonics harmonics is incredible.
Here's something from Guitar Lesson World on "Fretted Harmonics":
"Playing fretted harmonics can be hard at times. This requires the fretting of a note, plus a "soft touch" on a string which is exactly 12 frets above the note you are fretting. In addition to this you must still pluck the string. To do all three of these tasks at once, you must combine the tasks of the "soft touch" and the plucking of the string. There are 2 techniques of doing this."
Knopfler's fretted harmonics are, I believe, a good part of the reason for his glassy tone.
Midnight Rider would know more. He's actually a gee-tar player. I'm a pretender on guitar.
ECHNIQUE 2: PINCHED HARMONICS "This is a difficult technique to master. Consistent playing of pinched harmonics require that you use a modified picking technique along with a steady and accurate picking hand. The first thing that you must master is how to hold the pick and pluck the string. You hold the pick by having the pick barely clear the bottom of your thumb. The key is to pluck the string with the pick but have the thumb immediately hit it to produce the harmonic. This pick and thumb should hit the string almost simultaneously.
You must also know where to pluck the string. If you do not hit the "sweet spot" on the string it will sound like a muffled note. The ideal place to pluck depends on where your thumb produces the harmonic. Your thumb should hit the string half way between the bridge and the the fret that you are playing on. So when you play on different frets, you must also pluck in different places. This makes it a little harder to play."
Once upon a time I played a Jazzmaster, and Martin D-28. When I look at those prices now I want to PUKE, but I did swap the Martin for a pair of Klipsch la scala's. They sit with a pair of Bose 201 for surround, another for center and DIY sub in the projector home theatre downstairs. So I can't cry too hard.
At least Nathan
ReplyDeleteReview: What causes Knofler to stand out is the understated, effortless, smooth output. The very first time such a guitar stood out to me was in the recorded break in Badge. A song of ne plus ultra pedigree, co authored by L.Angelo Misterioso and MR Clapton. Mr. Mysterioso's rhythm guitar's authority is easily recognized (Maxwell's tool - at about 1:10), and the guitar break is so tightly put together and short it can very easily be missed.
ReplyDeleteWatching Knopfler work his right hand as if her were playing a nylon string, demonstrates the difference between good guitar players and the kind of talent you can never really appreciate because all the hard work to get there is lost in your amazement at how easy it looks
Yes, it is as you describe it.
ReplyDeleteHis use of fretted harmonics harmonics is incredible.
Here's something from Guitar Lesson World on "Fretted Harmonics":
"Playing fretted harmonics can be hard at times. This requires the fretting of a note, plus a "soft touch" on a string which is exactly 12 frets above the note you are fretting. In addition to this you must still pluck the string. To do all three of these tasks at once, you must combine the tasks of the "soft touch" and the plucking of the string. There are 2 techniques of doing this."
Knopfler's fretted harmonics are, I believe, a good part of the reason for his glassy tone.
Midnight Rider would know more. He's actually a gee-tar player. I'm a pretender on guitar.
It's also this (again from Guitar World):
ReplyDeleteECHNIQUE 2: PINCHED HARMONICS
"This is a difficult technique to master. Consistent playing of pinched harmonics require that you use a modified picking technique along with a steady and accurate picking hand. The first thing that you must master is how to hold the pick and pluck the string. You hold the pick by having the pick barely clear the bottom of your thumb. The key is to pluck the string with the pick but have the thumb immediately hit it to produce the harmonic. This pick and thumb should hit the string almost simultaneously.
You must also know where to pluck the string. If you do not hit the "sweet spot" on the string it will sound like a muffled note. The ideal place to pluck depends on where your thumb produces the harmonic. Your thumb should hit the string half way between the bridge and the the fret that you are playing on. So when you play on different frets, you must also pluck in different places. This makes it a little harder to play."
I know HOW to do these things. But knowing how to do them is not the same as being able to do them in the midst of playing a thousand other notes.
ReplyDeleteBut at the same time, knowing how to do them makes me understand how hard it is to get that beautiful effect, and Knopfler makes it seem effortless.
Here's Jaco using "Pinched Harmonics" ON THE BASS in the beginning of Birdland:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cH-WXR-Y2xs
Once upon a time I played a Jazzmaster, and Martin D-28. When I look at those prices now I want to PUKE, but I did swap the Martin for a pair of Klipsch la scala's. They sit with a pair of Bose 201 for surround, another for center and DIY sub in the projector home theatre downstairs. So I can't cry too hard.
ReplyDelete