The Edge - Full Rig Rundown

Roysterdoyster

I couldn’t give two monkeys whether he is considered great or not,and I’m sure he doesn’t either. All I know is that,to me, he sounds incredible and that’s all that really matters. As for effects, is there any guitarist either famous or indeed on this forum who plays with NO effects? What about Reverb,Gain?? What level of effects are acceptable? I don’t get why people (not just here) go on about The Edge and effects,and that he’s a bit rubbish without them. Most rock guitarists would sound rubbish without distortion/overdrive?

horse

Are there any videos of great technical players playing the classic u2 parts well without using a delay (I'm guessing some may have tried?). If not then surely the point on technical skill is redundant - the delay is needed to play the part

Samgb

Cirrus said:

Re; it might get loud, every guitarist walks away from that film with a different opinion of who they did/ didn't like, and how the three guitarists stack up against each other.

I think it reflects the watcher more than the players, most of the time.

I've had the same conversation with a couple of friends. The tension in that movie isn't JP and the Edge. Jimmy always used technology to get different sounds, whether that be effects, the B-bender tele or guitar synths. The tension is between Edge and Jack White's approach in their sections but they were all very respectful of one another in the soundstage jam I thought. 

Samgb

kt66 said:

Hattigol said:

kt66 said:

Watch that video with Jimmy Page and Jack White, I actually started to feel sorry for the Edge. 

Sorry in what way?

He's in awe of the other two,  looks out of his depth



Yeah that's bullshit. 

Cirrus

Exactly. The issue is that guitarists get mentally locked into a really narrow paradigm where some effects are "normal" and they don't even think about them as effects, even though they fundamentally change what's possible on the instrument. And other effects, which also fundamentally change what's possible on the instrument, are a crutch and akin to not really playing the part at all.

It's daft.

If you take the effects away from the introduction to Pink Floyd's Sorrow, it'd sound stupid. If you took the fuzz away from Stones' Satisfaction, it'd sound stupid. You can't say "if you take Edge's signal chain away he wouldn't sound very good" and actually have it mean anything.

I don't think he was sitting round and then one day someone went "hey Edge, you know how you can only play two notes back and forth and everyone laughs at you 'cause you're the fucking village idiot? Well, check this out! It's called Echo, it's make your pathetic two note routine sound mysterious and deep."

And the Edge shouts praise to the heavens and goes on to make millions of quid.

No, he writes parts for the songs he writes (remember, he writes songs too) that enhance the emotional impact and message behind said songs. That's not easy. And he's proven lots of times that if he doesn't use echo, guess what, he'll do something different that works. He's not using echo to hide the fact he can't play. He's writing parts that work with echo because it's inspiring to him. If you don't get that, I can't imagine what it'd be like to try to create music with you. 

Fuengi

If The Joshua Tree came out tomorrow you'd still have tens of thousands of kids all trying to play Where The Streets... His sounds is / was epic and immersive and he's a genius, whatever combination of skill and electronic wizardry he used. 

Roysterdoyster

Plus let’s not forget he plays plenty of great songs that aren’t just 2 notes and and a generous helping of delay. Sunday Bloody Sunday, One, Vertigo,Mysterious Ways,The Fly,Desire to name but a few.

thegummy

I don't know how some people can act like they can't see a fundamental difference between something like an overdrive pedal that changes the tone of the notes played and something like edge's delay that actually creates additional notes to the ones he plays himself.

It's like comparing a high level Hammond organ player with someone holding down a key on a synth while it plays a whole arpeggio.

Some great music has been made using the latter type of synths but it doesn't make the operators great keyboard players like john Lord for example.

dindude

thegummy said:

I don't know how some people can act like they can't see a fundamental difference between something like an overdrive pedal that changes the tone of the notes played and something like edge's delay that actually creates additional notes to the ones he plays himself.

It's like comparing a high level Hammond organ player with someone holding down a key on a synth while it plays a whole arpeggio.

Some great music has been made using the latter type of synths but it doesn't make the operators great keyboard players like john Lord for example.

Oh stop it you big tart and rap your ears around this. Have to say, when I was playing in covers bands, any U2 song was the most funnest to play, this being the funnest of the fun, just epic.

https://youtu.be/ejJdfkFjKCA

StuartMac290

The riff from Gloria is great, very tricky to play live accurately, and uses zero delay.

The riff from One - same deal. 

There's some amount of nonsense spouted about the Edge's mythical "limitations". I blame that snidey Bill Bailey sketch.

horse

thegummy said:

I don't know how some people can act like they can't see a fundamental difference between something like an overdrive pedal that changes the tone of the notes played and something like edge's delay that actually creates additional notes to the ones he plays himself.

It's like comparing a high level Hammond organ player with someone holding down a key on a synth while it plays a whole arpeggio.

Some great music has been made using the latter type of synths but it doesn't make the operators great keyboard players like john Lord for example.

 I guess I think somebody can be regarded as a great guitarist on the basis of being a great musician who has created iconic guitar parts, regardless of whether they are difficult to copy or not.

The synth / arp comparison is interesting too as not many humans can play an arp pattern accurately enough to be mistaken for a machine - it isn't something just used to compensate for lack of skill or technical knowledge - it creates a specific effect which (some) people enjoy

Bridgehouse

thegummy said:

I don't know how some people can act like they can't see a fundamental difference between something like an overdrive pedal that changes the tone of the notes played and something like edge's delay that actually creates additional notes to the ones he plays himself.

It's like comparing a high level Hammond organ player with someone holding down a key on a synth while it plays a whole arpeggio.

Some great music has been made using the latter type of synths but it doesn't make the operators great keyboard players like john Lord for example.

I play bass in an originals band. I write the bass lines and play them. For some songs, I write more complex lines, and for others, quite simple ones. 

I don’t use delay, but I do use compression for sustain, character and presence. 

On the simple lines, I have a lot of choices - finger, pick, over the pickup, near the neck, over the fingerboard, near the bridge. How long do I leave the note to sound? How loud? How much attack?

What comes across as very simple actually takes a huge amount of thought or it would stick out like a sore thumb. 

Because I don’t play widdly complex bass lines or technically complex slap and pop on every track does that mean I’m not a bass player? 

A great musician understand their instrument, and how to get the right effect out of it in the right context. Simple and well played does not equal lack of talent or ability - there’s a lot of decisions going on there - just as it will be for the edge. 

Playing the end solo from with or without you with the right delay is still bloody hard to get it spot on.

Hattigol

thegummy said:i

I don't know how some people can act like they can't see a fundamental difference between something like an overdrive pedal that changes the tone of the notes played and something like edge's delay that actually creates additional notes to the ones he plays himself.

It's like comparing a high level Hammond organ player with someone holding down a key on a synth while it plays a whole arpeggio.

Some great music has been made using the latter type of synths but it doesn't make the operators great keyboard players like john Lord for example.

You've made it sound so easy that I suggest you do it yourself and become an internationally acclaimed guitarist with a sound so distinctive that we know it's you as soon as we hear it.

Look forward to reading about your inevitable success and to seeing you in stadiums very soon.

IvisonGuitars

We supported U2* once and The Edge* forgot his pic so I had to lend him one. He remembered his woolly hat though....




*a Fake U2
*a Fake Edge

Cirrus

thegummy said:

I don't know how some people can act like they can't see a fundamental difference between something like an overdrive pedal that changes the tone of the notes played and something like edge's delay that actually creates additional notes to the ones he plays himself.

You're confused. The delay only repeats what you play, it's nothing like a synth arp. If you don't play, the delay pedal won't do it for you.

redrighthand

dindude said:

thegummy said:

I don't know how some people can act like they can't see a fundamental difference between something like an overdrive pedal that changes the tone of the notes played and something like edge's delay that actually creates additional notes to the ones he plays himself.

It's like comparing a high level Hammond organ player with someone holding down a key on a synth while it plays a whole arpeggio.

Some great music has been made using the latter type of synths but it doesn't make the operators great keyboard players like john Lord for example.

Oh stop it you big tart and rap your ears around this. Have to say, when I was playing in covers bands, any U2 song was the most funnest to play, this being the funnest of the fun, just epic.

https://youtu.be/ejJdfkFjKCA

Man it's sooo good that isn't it. One of the first solos (maybe the first) I tabbed out by hand I loved it so much. 

thegummy

horse said:

thegummy said:

I don't know how some people can act like they can't see a fundamental difference between something like an overdrive pedal that changes the tone of the notes played and something like edge's delay that actually creates additional notes to the ones he plays himself.

It's like comparing a high level Hammond organ player with someone holding down a key on a synth while it plays a whole arpeggio.

Some great music has been made using the latter type of synths but it doesn't make the operators great keyboard players like john Lord for example.

 I guess I think somebody can be regarded as a great guitarist on the basis of being a great musician who has created iconic guitar parts, regardless of whether they are difficult to copy or not.

The synth / arp comparison is interesting too as not many humans can play an arp pattern accurately enough to be mistaken for a machine - it isn't something just used to compensate for lack of skill or technical knowledge - it creates a specific effect which (some) people enjoy

I think maybe people are jumping to the Edge's defense by mistaking people saying that he only uses those effects because he's not good enough to do anything else. There's nothing wrong with using effects on guitars or using sequenced synths; the only point is that it doesn't require that the musician be a great guitar / keyboard player in order to do it.

thegummy

Bridgehouse said:

thegummy said:

I don't know how some people can act like they can't see a fundamental difference between something like an overdrive pedal that changes the tone of the notes played and something like edge's delay that actually creates additional notes to the ones he plays himself.

It's like comparing a high level Hammond organ player with someone holding down a key on a synth while it plays a whole arpeggio.

Some great music has been made using the latter type of synths but it doesn't make the operators great keyboard players like john Lord for example.

I play bass in an originals band. I write the bass lines and play them. For some songs, I write more complex lines, and for others, quite simple ones. 

I don’t use delay, but I do use compression for sustain, character and presence. 

On the simple lines, I have a lot of choices - finger, pick, over the pickup, near the neck, over the fingerboard, near the bridge. How long do I leave the note to sound? How loud? How much attack?

What comes across as very simple actually takes a huge amount of thought or it would stick out like a sore thumb. 

Because I don’t play widdly complex bass lines or technically complex slap and pop on every track does that mean I’m not a bass player? 

A great musician understand their instrument, and how to get the right effect out of it in the right context. Simple and well played does not equal lack of talent or ability - there’s a lot of decisions going on there - just as it will be for the edge. 

Playing the end solo from with or without you with the right delay is still bloody hard to get it spot on.

I don't think anyone would say that the Edge isn't a guitar player - just that he isn't a great guitar player.

thegummy

Hattigol said:

thegummy said:i

I don't know how some people can act like they can't see a fundamental difference between something like an overdrive pedal that changes the tone of the notes played and something like edge's delay that actually creates additional notes to the ones he plays himself.

It's like comparing a high level Hammond organ player with someone holding down a key on a synth while it plays a whole arpeggio.

Some great music has been made using the latter type of synths but it doesn't make the operators great keyboard players like john Lord for example.

You've made it sound so easy that I suggest you do it yourself and become an internationally acclaimed guitarist with a sound so distinctive that we know it's you as soon as we hear it.

Look forward to reading about your inevitable success and to seeing you in stadiums very soon.

My personal skill level is completely irrelevant, I could make the observation even if I didn't know how to play a note on a guitar.

Your post suggests that no one except the internationally acclaimed could play Edge style guitar parts as good as The Edge which is obviously not even close to true. I'm sure you know that it doesn't work like that - it's not like if you practice hard enough, one day you'll reach a certain skill level and you walk out the door and the paps are there waiting for you.

There are people who can play SRV style parts as good as SRV and no one will ever hear about them, save from maybe a handful of people stumbling on to their Youtube channel.

If people enjoy U2's music, that's fair enough - most people probably agree.

If they think that, while Edge's parts aren't technically great in their playing, the fact the end product sounds good makes him a good musician and, as his main instrument is a guitar, a good guitarist that's also a fair enough opinion but one many will disagree with.

I'm surprised that some would actually go down the route of claiming he actually is technically better than most players though. He could well be a really technical guitarist in his spare time or any other projects he may be involved in but it's not evident in any of the U2 material I've heard - I don't think he even tries to be.

ICBM

horse said:

Are there any videos of great technical players playing the classic u2 parts well without using a delay (I'm guessing some may have tried?). If not then surely the point on technical skill is redundant - the delay is needed to play the part

I’ll take a bet that there are no videos of great technical players playing classic U2 parts well, at all.

While only a very small sample, I’ve seen a few good technical guitarists play U2 covers... all of them entirely missing the magic of the original.

The way Edge plays requires a totally different approach. Quite a lot of his parts don’t use delay either.