Steve Morse Part 2
(23 May 02)
The music
OK, letīs jump right in. Here is the first lick I picked for this article.
Click this LINK to hear a MIDI-version of the lick
This is the intro to "User Friendly" ( "Coast To Coast" by the Steve Morse Band ). If you look at it youīll notice that it looks very much like a cool sweep-picking lick. But Steve played this with strict alternate picking, and believe me, it wonīt sound right if you play it any other way. The arps are pretty nice, check out the changing melody note on top.
In "99 ways to pick" I described the way Steve and I hold the pick, and I (just my opinion) think that it is easier to play licks like these (arpeggios with one note per string) when you have a firm grip on your pick... Steve holds the pick with three fingers and anchors the pinkie. He mentioned to me that this makes it a bit harder to play fast stuff on just one string, but it helps a lot when playing stuff like the intro above. But as I mentioned in "99 Ways...", itīs best if you figure out whatīs best for you! Check out the structure of the lick, it actually is less complicated than it looks.
On to lick No.2:
Click this LINK to hear a MIDI-version of the lick
Itīs the main melody of "Calcutta" (from the Dixie Dregs-Album "Full Circle")
This one shows off another facet of Steve. He often adds melodies that sound celtic or, like in this case, a bit oriental. This actually is a pedaltone-lick, that tone being the E at the 12th fret of the high E-string. Whatīs difficult about this lick is the that there are some really quick embellishements (the hammer onīs / pull offīs) and the fact that if you wanna play it exactly the way Steve did, you have to play it with your thumb and index finger (the latter is picking the pedal tone).
This is quite similar to something Eric Johnson played in the intro of "Cliffs Of Dover". Youīll have to play attention to the position-shifting of your left hand when playing this one. Take your time and try to keep it economical.
Here is the third one, the main melody of "Stressfest" (from the SMB-album "Stressfest")
Click this LINK to hear a MIDI-version of the lick
There is not much to explain here, just make sure you pay attention to your timing. Bring it up to speed gradually.
Here is another one of Steveīs celtic-influenced licks, the intro of "Rally Cry" ( from the SMB-album "Structural Damage" )
Click this LINK to hear a MIDI-version of the lick
This one reminds me a bit of Paul Gilbertīs intro to "Green-Tinted Sixties Mind". Here, Steve is using both the fretted E (B-String, 5th fret) and the open E-String and thereby creates a really interesting sound.
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