school days solo

[joeyzaza]

I can play all of it fingerstyle, but it sounds like stanley almost plucks/pops every single note, maybe it's his tone. My sound compared to his is pathetic, it just sounds weak and light, I've spend ages practicing a light touch with good feel and tone, but stanley has a big hard sound in this tune, and I can't figure it out.

Do I just fingerpick the strings really hard? Is that what I'm supposed to do? Does he play some of it with his thumb? Does he use distortion?

[jwl]

Originally Posted by joeyzaza

I can play all of it fingerstyle, but it sounds like stanley almost plucks/pops every single note, maybe it's his tone. My sound compared to his is pathetic, it just sounds weak and light, I've spend ages practicing a light touch with good feel and tone, but stanley has a big hard sound in this tune, and I can't figure it out.

Do I just fingerpick the strings really hard? Is that what I'm supposed to do? Does he play some of it with his thumb? Does he use distortion?

yes you have to pluck really hard. stanley of course plays upright and his hands are really strong from doing this for years. he played this track using an alembic so that accounts for some of the crispness you hear. i used to play this solo on a 32" scale alembic and the tone was nearly identicle. he may have even used a picolo bass. i use a jazz now with heavy strings 45-110 and the sound is much different. not all of that tune is finger style. there is a slapped part in the middle played on the e and d strings. and the main riff is a series of desending double stop fifths played on the d and g strings ending on the a and d strings. i play this by pulling up on the strings with my index finger strumming them in unison. you need a heavy handed touch to cop this tone. peace, jeff