Get your wallets ready: Ed Sheeran signature tele announced

danishbacon

Whitecat

I’ve seen this meme all over Facebook and I still don’t get it. Sheeran isn’t a djent guy. Please explain. 

hassleham

@Whitecat ;
4 chord songs 

Whitecat

hassleham said:

@Whitecat ;;
4 chord songs 

Ok. Like most every other pop and rock band/artist. 

I’m not even a fan, it’s just not funny. May as well be the Malcolm Young Tele. 

underdog

The thing is he's a pretty tasty lead player I'm led to believe, it's just not the music he writes right now.

dazzajl

Whitecat said:

hassleham said:

@Whitecat ;;;
4 chord songs 

Ok. Like most every other pop and rock band/artist. 

I’m not even a fan, it’s just not funny. May as well be the Malcolm Young Tele. 

Think you mean Malcolm (did originally say Angus, right?) Young but even that comparison is ridiculous. Everyone knows he played his four chords on a Gretsch.

It is a little cruel but it’s still funny. If I was fortunate enough to be the butt of that joke, I’d laugh. 

OnTheRopes

Must admit I laughed, so yes it is funny. Nowt against Ed but I like the joke.

OilCityPickups

Makes an interesting point though. By in large, guitarists listen to guitarists. The record buying public, in contrast, wants good songs well delivered. They couldn't give a rats ass that chords the man uses or doesn't, they are simply set dressing to the main event. Think back to all the rock songs that have been hits in their time ... they sold on riffs more than solos and fancy chords ... and those riffs are, by in large, simple ... they have to be to act as a hook. Yep it's a funny joke, but the serious point is that as guitarists we often over estimate the importance of our own instrument. 

ICBM

"There's no money above the fifth fret".

I think he's the perfect illustration that there's plenty of money below the third, in fact. It's funny because it takes the mick out of 'proper' guitar players as much as it does out of him - I'm sure he'd laugh too.

Plectrum

ICBM said:I'm sure he'd laugh too.

All the way to the bank (to quote Liberace)

darthed1981

underdog said:

The thing is he's a pretty tasty lead player I'm led to believe, it's just not the music he writes right now.

He is clearly a pretty confident musician, takes some serious guts to get on stage at Glasto solo with just a looper pedal, and if he screws up, no rest of the band to cover for him.

I think the cynicism of his songwriting is horrific to almost Robbie Williams levels personally and have very little time for his music, but he has certainly achieved a lot, and I'd be amazed if someone doesn't reply to this very post going "I think his songs are great...".  Good for you Mr Someone!

You could write a beautiful meaningful song played entirely at the 3rd fret or below though, there are hundreds of them.  There is nothing inherently better about a song played all over the fretboard.

Still, nicely done meme

Funkfingers

ICBM said:

I think he's the perfect illustration that there's plenty of money below the third.

I would hand that title to Sir Raymond Douglas Davies. Limited guitarist/pianist/vocalist. World class hit songwriter.

digitalscream

ICBM said:

"There's no money above the fifth fret".

But there is an awful lot of fun.

It really depends whether you're a True Artist or a filthy capitalist whore

horse

darthed1981 said:

I think the cynicism of his songwriting is horrific to almost Robbie Williams levels personally and have very little time for his music

I think for some people the objective of the songwriting craft is writing for the mainstream rather than creating great meaningful art, so whilst I won't be buying any of his material I don't necessarily think of the writing as cynical - he's just doing a job and doing it well by his own measures

tony99

The ginger death of music.

darthed1981

horse said:

darthed1981 said:

I think the cynicism of his songwriting is horrific to almost Robbie Williams levels personally and have very little time for his music

I think for some people the objective of the songwriting craft is writing for the mainstream rather than creating great meaningful art, so whilst I won't be buying any of his material I don't necessarily think of the writing as cynical - he's just doing a job and doing it well by his own measures

I agree that's what Ed does, I just think it is a bit cynical, almost by definition, "writing for the mainstream" could easily be considered a synonym for "writing for the average numpty", which is pretty cynical.

Nothing wrong with being cynical, as you say none of us are obliged to buy it or listen to it and he is doing very well out of it.

He's probably right, it hardly could be considered the best thing for him to be arty-farty and making concept albums three of his mates will pretend to "give a listen" to as opposed to being globally huge writing the way he does.

The most egregious example of what I'm referring to really is "Castle on the Hill", designed and aimed at people in their early twenties who still wish they were 18 like a cruise missile aimed at the middle east.

Hope he has spared a few quid for his mate who "is just barely getting by" if he means that much to him!

ICBM

Given what I said earlier it might surprise you to know that I absolutely detest his songwriting, and I don't like this voice or his guitar playing... but I can't argue with his success, and I think he has worked hard to get it.

Whitecat

ICBM said:

Given what I said earlier it might surprise you to know that I absolutely detest his songwriting, and I don't like this voice or his guitar playing... but I can't argue with his success, and I think he has worked hard to get it.

Basically agree although I do think he has a great sense of melody... a lot of songwriters could take a page off that no matter what the genre. 

breakstuff

In trying to be a better person in my older age,I’ve learned to forgive a lot of the horror that other human beings are capable of dishing out to others,however some things are beyond such generosity.






Galway Girl being one such example.

AlexC

Although I wouldn’t compare the two artistically; take Dylan as an example. Terrific songs often with very straightforward chord sequences. You play G, D, Am in a certain way and everyone and their mother knows it’s Knocking On Heaven’s Door. (Using that as an example, I don’t think it’s up there with Dylan’s best.) Can I play Knocking On Heaven’s Door? Of course. Same as most of you I would imagine. Did I write it? No! All Along The Watchtower, Lay Lady Lay... those chord sequences. Genius in their rhythm and simplicity imo.

horse

darthed1981 said:

horse said:

darthed1981 said:

I think the cynicism of his songwriting is horrific to almost Robbie Williams levels personally and have very little time for his music

I think for some people the objective of the songwriting craft is writing for the mainstream rather than creating great meaningful art, so whilst I won't be buying any of his material I don't necessarily think of the writing as cynical - he's just doing a job and doing it well by his own measures

I agree that's what Ed does, I just think it is a bit cynical, almost by definition, "writing for the mainstream" could easily be considered a synonym for "writing for the average numpty", which is pretty cynical.

Nothing wrong with being cynical, as you say none of us are obliged to buy it or listen to it and he is doing very well out of it.

He's probably right, it hardly could be considered the best thing for him to be arty-farty and making concept albums three of his mates will pretend to "give a listen" to as opposed to being globally huge writing the way he does.

The most egregious example of what I'm referring to really is "Castle on the Hill", designed and aimed at people in their early twenties who still wish they were 18 like a cruise missile aimed at the middle east.

Hope he has spared a few quid for his mate who "is just barely getting by" if he means that much to him!

I suppose I used to think similarly, but having played in a variety of bands with differing musicians over the years, some of whom specifically try to write ''hits' which will have mainstream success, I view and respect talent and application more broadly than I used to.

I cynically try to be a good project manager in my work so that they pay me - wish I had the talent to write and play cynically for a living instead, even if that meant selling out to do so