KVR Audio

CinningBao · Post by **CinningBao** » Thu Aug 17, 2017 4:28 pm

I need to create a motown style guitar solo for a track and although I know literally dozens of motown tracks, I can't think of any tune where there is a clear solo from the guitar. A good 8 bars or so, not just spit and spats..

Got any good examples you know of?

cheers! cb

Jafo · Post by **Jafo** » Thu Aug 17, 2017 5:12 pm

It is as you say. Guitar fills? Oodles of funky goodness all over! Guitar solos? Not so much; that's just not part of the style, which is all about the vocals -- the Funk Brothers were basically a faceless group of interchangeable musicians, albeit a group that overwhelmingly outclassed most of their vocalists. It may be a cultural thing... Michael Jackson became much more popular among white audiences when he started recruiting guitar heroes, and such solos certainly didn't hurt guys like Hendrix and Prince any. My theory (which is worth every penny you've paid for it!) is that guitar solos were associated with low-class, disreputable blues musicians. A large portion of the Motown sound/feel is light classical music.

But what of it? Why not break (relatively) new stylistic ground? It might be difficult keeping things out of rock, funk, fusion or even country grounds, but I think it's worth a try. Just don't do much in the way of guitar heroics (bletch!) and you'll be fine.

CinningBao · Post by **CinningBao** » Thu Aug 17, 2017 5:25 pm

Excellent words there Jafo - thanks. It is only 4 bars, a little detour away from the main hook, but the actual tone itself is a bit too country at the moment.. and fortunately the last thing I can offer when it comes to guitar is heroics! I suppose I'm looking for sonic comparisons, just to see where the guitar is embedded in the mix. I don't _think_ there are too many notes here..

https://clyp.it/aec3bucq#

garryknight · Post by **garryknight** » Thu Aug 17, 2017 9:27 pm

Greg Isley's sound might fit the Motown vibe.

CinningBao · Post by **CinningBao** » Thu Aug 17, 2017 10:47 pm

Do you mean Ernie Isley? Yeh I see what you're saying there though.. Really like the guitar sound on Time After Time - suuuper dry, really light touch, much heavier strings than my Tele..

Thanks for the direction

thecontrolcentre · Post by **thecontrolcentre** » Thu Aug 17, 2017 10:54 pm

I love the sound of the lead in this one ...

garryknight · Post by **garryknight** » Fri Aug 18, 2017 6:05 pm

CinningBao wrote:Do you mean Ernie Isley?

Do you know how many years I've thought his name was Greg?

VariKusBrainZ · Post by **VariKusBrainZ** » Fri Aug 18, 2017 6:49 pm

Sounds like a poor mans Jimmy

jancivil · Post by **jancivil** » Fri Aug 18, 2017 10:27 pm

Ernie Isley was deep into Hendrix and plays like that. As to tone, I always found it kind of cheap plastic and just not right to be basically doing Hendrix with.

VariKusBrainZ · Post by **VariKusBrainZ** » Fri Aug 18, 2017 10:54 pm

jancivil wrote:Ernie Isley was deep into Hendrix and plays like that. As to tone, I always found it kind of cheap plastic and just not right to be basically doing Hendrix with.

And of course he played and recorded with them

Numanoid · Post by **Numanoid** » Thu Aug 24, 2017 5:26 pm

Not MoTown, but got that fine 70's jazz/funk vibe

CinningBao · Post by **CinningBao** » Thu Aug 24, 2017 5:58 pm

Wow now that makes feel incredibly inadequate as a guitarist, love that man's touch. And that 335 sound.. dreamy
mmmm gosh, sometimes I really hate my tele

Just noticed a duff note/mis-finger at 5:17-18!
Phew, that makes me feel better about the whole thing

Numanoid · Post by **Numanoid** » Thu Aug 24, 2017 6:25 pm

A bit of guitar work out on this classic Stevie Wonder cut "Do I Do"

CinningBao · Post by **CinningBao** » Thu Aug 24, 2017 7:32 pm

Nice, but this is actually part of my 12-string work-out
Man I love his beautlful clusters

Numanoid · Post by **Numanoid** » Thu Aug 24, 2017 7:40 pm

Stevie Wonder, all I can say is

I Am Love by Jackson 5 got a more heavy guitar work out though

Motown guitar solos?