The secret to David Gilmour's sound

robinbowes

GW: How does Dave achieve the classic sound that we hear on the solos of songs like "Comfortably Numb"?

PT: It think it's just pretty much him. He is obviously using a couple of effects, like a Big Muff and a delay, but it really is just his fingers, his vibrato, his choice of notes and how he sets his effects. I find it extraordinary when people think they can copy his sound by duplicating his gear. In reality, no matter how well you duplicate the equipment, you will never be able to duplicate the personality.

So, Big Muff, bit of delay, finger transplant, brain transplant, and you're sorted

sweepy

You really need to go on Gilmourish.com and then give up, it is all in the fingers, so don't bother 

DesVegas

Buy a new pair of slacks

octatonic

Too much gain, clearly.

Fretwired

Or try this ....

fretfinder

Just ask @Gassage surely? 

Danny1969

Fretwired said:

Or try this ....

I'm sure they are lovely guys and probably brilliant at their own preferred style of music. But if you want to sound like Gilmour then forget the pedals and the guitar and just phrase it like Gilmour does .... that will get you closer than anything in that video.

I think if you want to sound like a particular player, get very familiar with their style, not the gear. But then Andertons have to sell gear not wisdom so I get the idea of the vid

Dave_Vader

I've found the neck pickup on a strat, WEM about to break up a bit and a teeny bit of delay (or playing in a big echoey room) sound close enough for me thanks.
Also trying to put myself in the mindset of an old man who lives on a boat...

EricTheWeary

Dave_Vader said:

I've found the neck pickup on a strat, WEM about to break up a bit and a teeny bit of delay (or playing in a big echoey room) sound close enough for me thanks.
Also trying to put myself in the mindset of an old man who lives on a boat...

...with Master Bates and Roger the cabin boy...

not_the_dj

A sequel to the "how to sound like..." but this time with fancy expensive kit....

Danny1969

Seriously I've heard better DG impressions from guys in my pub playing mex strats into HRD's on 5 pints of happy juice 

LooseMoose

Sadly the only thing that gets you there is talent.  The other guitarist in my band (who also played in a Floyd tribute) is so good you could genuinely believe DG was playing - he plays a Les Paul into a Fender Solid State amp with a Korg MultiFX pedal and sounds 100% 'right'.  He once turned up to a practise, plugged straight into a Valvestate 2x12 and sounded exactly the same.  Bastard.

english_bob

Danny1969 said:

But if you want to sound like Gilmour then forget the pedals and the guitar and just phrase it like Gilmour does .... that will get you closer than anything in that video.

I think if you want to sound like a particular player, get very familiar with their style, not the gear. 

This. Much more complicated and time consuming of course, and not for sale.

Which might not be a bad thing. If that were the only way, maybe we'd all spend *enough* time working on tone, touch and phrasing to get somewhere in the ballpark of our favourite player's sound, then go "fuck it, that'll do" and start being original.

Gassage

It is so so true as I know to my cost.

Spending time with people like Guy, Dave Fowler and Steve McElroy really bring home how much is in the fingers and how every note is squeezed of every bit of tone it has.

Last August, in Chantilly, I was at the soundcheck and DG strolled on stage with his acoustic and just did High Hopes acoustically- it was stunning- no effects and I swear I would have spotted it immediately.

THis clip below is also an excellent way fo showing it- no strat, no harsh fx, no hiwatt...yet still pure unmistakable DG.

Just his 1956 goldtop into an Alessdandro amp, tad of delay and comp.

Excuse the crowd...music starts at 1.00

robinbowes

Ew, he needs to work on the tuning on those bends.

Gassage

robinbowes said:

Ew, he needs to work on the tuning on those bends.

No, he really doesn't.

robinbowes

Gassage said:

robinbowes said:

Ew, he needs to work on the tuning on those bends.

No, he really doesn't.

Love is blind.

Chuffola

I love DG but those bends are very sharp. Still, maybe he is human after all

Bridgehouse

robinbowes said:

Gassage said:

robinbowes said:

Ew, he needs to work on the tuning on those bends.

No, he really doesn't.

Love is blind.

Shurly deaf?