Sting/Police Mistake?

[thumblypeg]

The link doesnt do anything for me. What song are you discussing?

 

[J Wilson]

I'm going to guess intentional.

At the end of that chorus, he hits that 2-bar sustained whole note (or diamond for us number chart guys) that ends that chorus, then sits out the the next 4 bars of the next verse, then kicks back in, letting Stewart and Andy go to build a bit of draw until he comes back in.

Sting always makes me think of what Paul McCartney would sound like if he had the sophisticated Jazz grounding Sting has. Neither one of them plays big busy stuff, but Lord Amighty, everything they do play COUNTS.

 

[ElectroVibe]

On Roxanne, there is no guitar in the choruses - the vocals take over the guitar part. The Police worked a lot on arrangement stuff - there is very little chance to that any thing is a "mistake" of that magnitude.

Hmm...

 

[Carl Hillman]

at the beginning of the second verse sting plays a little slide down from C# then stops playing. Time 1.00 in this vid
Think this was intentional or they just left it in?

Intentional

 

[Whousedtoplay]

It's a simple but effective song's arrangement device.

 

[Whousedtoplay]

I think it's just a little approach note.

I'm trying to reconcile the OP's statement(question ?) of "then stops playing" with your "little approach note.

 

[HardNHeavy]

intentional, guitar took the first two bars on his own to set the mood per say, and the bass casually faded into the groove...works well.

 

[Hounddog409]

It’s like the mistake in “Polly” by Nirvana. Kurt comes back with the vocal too early, but they leave it in anyway. I think it adds a little punkish charm.

If its the original recording, by definition it is not a mistake.

 

[pbass2]

Totally intentional, and a very cool arrangement thing to do. They were incorporating nuance from reggae and dub in such a unique and totally amazing way, and I think this is kinda coming from that inspiration. He drops out there as if Lee Scratch Perry just muted the bass for a moment.

 

[CalBuzz51]

Yes, it was a mistake for The Police to hire Sting.

 

[atquinn]

Yes, it was a mistake for The Police to hire Sting.

Not sure what you mean since no one would have ever heard of the Police if not for Sting

 

[pbass2]

Thats what i thought too but i had to question it because Sting.
Then i found a live version where he thumbs the E string before coming back in...makes me think it was intentional.

Damn! I saw the Police way back on the Zenyatta Mondatta tour, the Ghost in the Machine tour, and the Synchronicity tour. I honestly have not watched many recent videos. He is simply incredible here. Love that he's still using the Moog pedals--so cool.

 

[tb-player]

Sting is the best.

 

[Tim Skaggs]

at the beginning of the second verse sting plays a little slide down from C# then stops playing. Time 1.00 in this vid
Think this was intentional or they just left it in?

Intentional.

 

[ElectroVibe]

On Roxanne, there is no guitar in the choruses - the vocals take over the guitar part. The Police worked a lot on arrangement stuff - there is very little chance to that any thing is a "mistake" of that magnitude.

I don't think that is accurate. I've always heard power chords, and that is what Andy plays live.

 

[mrjim123]

Intentional. He does the same in the intro.

 

[smperry]

The Police and Sting are probably the reason I’m a bassist, so I’m very biased when I vote intentional.

 

[Altitude]

I'm trying to reconcile the OP's statement(question ?) of "then stops playing" with your "little approach note.

Fair. I was focusing on what I heard at the 1:00 point, I thought that was what the OP was asking about.

As for the pause in the bass part, it never occurred to me that might have been a mistake. I doubt it.

 

[Altitude]

Yes, it was a mistake for The Police to hire Sting.

There was never a band before Sting. He and Copeland co-founded it; Summers joined slightly later.

 

[Ben Clarke]

this is a very appropriate move in reggae, dropping in and out like that. no problem with the note choice either, to my ears.