The one riff I've never been able to play

Haych

Setting Me Up.

I've listened intensely.  I've watched YouTube videos; some use standard tuning, some open A, some use a capo at the 2nd fret, others don't'. Some play the riff with three strings, other just two.

I've even got tab for it but nothing I do sounds anything like the record.

As it's a Knopfler song I expect the trick in in the right hand.  I've even watched Knopfler play it and even he doesn't sound like the record.

How on earth does it work?  What kind of dark magic must I learn to be able to crack this song?

Keefy

Albert Lee covered Setting Me Up on his ‘Hiding’ album. It might be worth listening to that version for some perspective.

Haych

Yeah, I've heard Albert's version (and Eric's for that matter) but neither of them seem to play it the same way as the Knopf.

axisus

Never heard it to be honest. I'll go find it .... (EDIT) er yeah, much too tricky for me!

A riff I can never get right (one of many!) is Black dog. The timing seems a bit ... weird.

Haych

I grew up listening to DS from the age of four and the first DS album is still my favourite album of all time. 

So, I’m pretty good with the old picking but just can’t nail this one. Oh and Money for Nothing I am also unable to play properly, too, although I can play a passable version. 

Keefy

Some players' styles are so particular to them that it can be a huge challenge to imitate then. Mark Knopfler definitely falls into this category - unless you accurately replicate his right hand technique you're never going to get close. I can 'play' Sultans but it doesn't sound 'right'.

Jalapeno

axisus said:

Never heard it to be honest. I'll go find it .... (EDIT) er yeah, much too tricky for me!

A riff I can never get right (one of many!) is Black dog. The timing seems a bit ... weird.

That's one of the very few I can summon up on demand, oddly.

Can't ever get the Layla one right though.

Keefy

Jalapeno said:

axisus said:

Never heard it to be honest. I'll go find it .... (EDIT) er yeah, much too tricky for me!

A riff I can never get right (one of many!) is Black dog. The timing seems a bit ... weird.

That's one of the very few I cna summon up on demand, oddly.

...

'Oddly' is the only way to play it!

Danny1969

I love that kind of playing. Oddly it was Greg Koch who helped me get to understand what's going on with Knoplers right hand. There's a video where he's talking about chicken pickin and listening to Dire Straits records and he plays a quick snatch of a riff with Knoplers style and I realised it's all the muted notes between the real ones and the pedal against the root that gives it that sound. Hard to explain but since watching that video I've been much more convincing at copying him.  

BahHumbug

Ooh, I love early Dire Straits.  If I get time later I'll have a look at 'Setting Me Up'.

Winny_Pooh

Now you made me look, dammit.

This is the best I can explain with a simpler right hand, needs more snap and swing but you get the gist of the melody etc. Rear camera has reversed image.

Capo at 2 and drop the A string down a step.

Haych

Cheers dude, that looks/sounds pretty good.  I'll see if I can use that as reference to get it sounding right.

Ta very big!

poopot

Not heard this till today!.. nice one. Little vid for you...

https://youtu.be/Q9Hl199ZUP4

it’s in open A... and... there are two guitars on the recording listen with cans on and you’ll hear it I’ve looped the intro for you at half speed and then at full speed below:

https://soundcloud.app.goo.gl/P83CRaCV5pfioaj36


Peace out x x x

Haych

Thanks.  Been going over it myself this afternoon, almost had it at one point before my daughter waltzed in and interrupted my concentration.

I'm not sure about the pull off from 3 / 0 on the D string (or whatever it is in this tuning). It's natural to add it in because it feels right but I'm not hearing it on the record.

It also feels natural to do the 3 / 5 slide in the main riff on the third time round before the turnaround but that's not there either and I can't find a right hand rhythm that works without it.

poopot

Listen to the soundcloud link... that’s the original recording... the second guitar is slightly left and it’s playing the bass note... that’s what’s throwing the rhythm out... 

Haych

Yeah I've got it open in Transcribe! panned hard right to get rid of the second guitar.  The bass note is still played by the main guitar though, I think.

Although the rhythm is much easier without it.  I can do it with the bass note until it gets to the third time round, it feels natural to slide up to the 5th again (and it actually works and doesn't sound wrong) but it isn't what's on the record.

It seems that there's just a lot of open strings in that space instead and I can't get the rhythm working.