How do you really play

solacematt

New Member
Joined
Apr 28, 2012
Messages
873
Location
Ft. Lauderdale, FL
I was just watching a video on the UK only Tremonti SE Custom and, though the guitars sounds great, I couldn't help wonder while watching how it sounds aside from someone nailing some nice blues licks. Kind of the one thing that sucks about youtube demos is that the players generally do play either bluesy or solo a lot. Not sure if it's due to copyright kind of things or what, but you rarely ever hear them play how a majority of the guitar playing public actually plays when trying a guitar out, by playing things a bit more familiar such as songs and whatnot.
Which brings me to this post. When you try out a guitar, whether it be in a store, some random persons fiddle, etc, what are your go to things you to see if a fiddle is for you.
Myself, I go to Drop D and play some Creed riffs before tuning down a full step to see how much clarity the guitar can keep when tuned down a little and play some of my own bands tunes. So how about you all?
 
I play "Le Freak" by Chic in front of the first available mirror, or just check the headstock and make sure it says PRS somewhere... that's about it.
 
Anything by Van Halen. Sometimes I kick in some AC/DC.. Highway to hell or TNT
 
It's partially a lack of confidence in my playing, and partially a reaction to hearing guys playing the same kind of things in their lunchtime gigs at Guitar Center (you know the ones - the guys who turn the amps up loud enough that you can't hear an amp two feet in front of you), but I prefer to play either more obscure stuff that I'm familiar with or some better-known stuff in a different style. One time, while playing the solo from Ozzy's "I Don't Know" more as a blues thing, a kid stopped and looked at me like, "I'm sure I know that...but that's not...wait, what?" Of course, once I had a guy come up and say "Isn't that a (Mike) Keneally thing?" I don't know which stunned me more - that he recognized it, or that I played well enough for it to be recognized!
 
I was just watching a video on the UK only Tremonti SE Custom and, though the guitars sounds great, I couldn't help wonder while watching how it sounds aside from someone nailing some nice blues licks. Kind of the one thing that sucks about youtube demos is that the players generally do play either bluesy or solo a lot. Not sure if it's due to copyright kind of things or what, but you rarely ever hear them play how a majority of the guitar playing public actually plays when trying a guitar out, by playing things a bit more familiar such as songs and whatnot.
Which brings me to this post. When you try out a guitar, whether it be in a store, some random persons fiddle, etc, what are your go to things you to see if a fiddle is for you.
Myself, I go to Drop D and play some Creed riffs before tuning down a full step to see how much clarity the guitar can keep when tuned down a little and play some of my own bands tunes. So how about you all?

With regards Y'tube demos... I'll generally play what comes natural to me. I'll play solo's and licks in a blues / blues rock / classic rock style because that's what i'm into. I think if I tried to throw in something I wasn't comfortable with to show off then it wouldn't work out to well. I do also try to play some very basic chords and melodies too so that it's not all the same. Copyright is an issue too though. If I play a known song in the demo i'm going to get a copyright strike. To get around that I may play something that's vaguely remeniscent of a known song.

May depend on the product and who it may or may not be aimed at. With the two deos i've done on my Y'tube I suspect i'm not too far off with what i've played. Who really knows what the majority of people really play. I do know you'll NEVER please everyone no matter what so you may as well play what comes naturally to you whether it be on a demo, in a shop or whatever. Try and fudge something out of your comfort zone and you'll be found out! :)
 
I just play "Stairway To Heaven", every painstaking note, until it gets to the solo section..and then I quickly dime the amp and tear into "Crazy Train"...
 
Not sure if it's due to copyright kind of things or what, but you rarely ever hear them play how a majority of the guitar playing public actually plays when trying a guitar out, by playing things a bit more familiar such as songs and whatnot.

Bluesy stuff gives me an idea of how the guitar sounds clean and slightly dirty. I'll also play a few country/Americana style licks, especially with the pickups split (or with single coils). Again, I want to hear the natural sound of the guitar, not so much the grind of the amp.

The ad work I do isn't in either of the styles, for the most part. But that's how I've picked out my guitars for a long time.
 
I don't/haven't done any youtube demos, so I'm free to play what I want when evaluating a guitar. (I also don't therefore have to apologize for my nascent technique that way)

Once, checking a guitar for it's playability with regards to fingerpicking, I was playing some Bach. I had two different sales people come up and thank me because they were so tired of hearing (insert name of any iconic pop song guitar riff here).
 
I play my own stuff. I go through all the switch positions, make sure it works, and check it out from stem to stern, because I am the black cloud of PRSi. If I it passes and sounds OK, I take it home and change the strings to Curt Mangan's, so I can hear how it really sounds.
 
I play my own stuff, too. It depends on the guitar as to what I play, but generally it will include something with everything dimed so I can hear the growl. Plus, by playing my own stuff, nobody knows if I screw up!
 
I generally just play what comes to me at the given moment which is usually just me noodling or a new lick, riff or part of a song that is fresh in my mind/hands. If I'm putting a guitar through its paces for purchasing reasons then I'm a bit more methodical. I'll go through some bluesy and clean mathrock type of stuff to see how it sounds clean and the guitar's overall character. From there I just get heavier to figure out where the guitar gets muddy with gain. I buy guitars based on feel so I'm much more interested in paying attention to how a guitar plays and feels as opposed to blazing licks all day.
 
I tend to stick to very basic playing. I am not there to show off, only to get a feel for the guitar, neck, pups etc. Anyone watching me probably thinks I suck lol.
 
For Alan:

My favorite Hee Haw song:

'Where, oh where are you tonight?
Why did you leave me here all alone?
I searched the world over and
Thought I found true love,
You met another and
Sbbbt, you was gone.'


second best song:

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Back
Top