Some electric slide with a Fred Mcdowell style rhythm

This topic has 9 replies, 9 voices, and was last updated 5 years, 2 months ago by Lights.

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- August 7, 2020 at 7:42 pm #186337
  bwade913
  Participant
  I’ve been trying to get more rhythm into my slide playing and have been tinkering with the sort of rhythmic groove that Fred Mcdowell used in many of his songs. It combines some alternate picked base notes played with the thumb that are synchronized with a hammer-on and then a percussive mute. I spent a lot of time just getting the groove to work and then a lot of time trying to figure out how to fit into a song with other things I do. I think I’m making some progress and thought I’d post an example even if its got some rough edges. This isn’t meant to be a Fred M. song or even very much like one. I’m just stealing his groove. – Bret
- August 7, 2020 at 8:15 pm #186338
  David L
  Participant
  Well done! I felt my body bopping along….always a sign that someone has found the groove. Great tone and playing as well. Really enjoyed that, Bret!
- August 7, 2020 at 11:55 pm #186344
  Dieter
  Participant
  Great sound.
  
  Dieter
- August 8, 2020 at 4:06 am #186348
  Martin W
  Participant
  Yep you got a solid groove going on there , played right in the pocket , had my foot tapping throughout. Nice work.
  
  Martin
- August 8, 2020 at 4:47 am #186350
  Garry
  Participant
  Great combination of finger picking and slide. Yes, agree with the others, got a good groove happening there. Like your guitar also, what brand/make is it?
- August 8, 2020 at 7:43 am #186357
  charjo
  Moderator
  Great control and amazing tone, Brett. What model guitar is that and is it new? What are you using for the tone?
  Just checked out Eastwood’s site, is that a Folkstar?
  John
- August 8, 2020 at 10:56 am #186364
  kubrider
  Participant
  I think this is fantastic Bret. Your slide playing is really good. Thanks for sharing.
  Rob
- August 8, 2020 at 11:54 am #186365
  Richard G
  Participant
  There was so so much to like about that Bret. You mentioned ‘rough edges’ but if there were any, they added to the authenticity of the whole piece. The recurring riff became mesmerising and I suspect typical of those old-time plantation Saturday Night dances. Simplistic, not in a patronising way but just fabulous to listen to.
  
  Thanks for posting.
  Richard
- August 8, 2020 at 1:02 pm #186369
  bwade913
  Participant
  Thanks to everyone for watching and commenting. The guitar is indeed an Airline Folkstar remake sold by Eastwood. I bought it used and the no-name mini-humbucker had already been swapped for a Seymour Duncan. It originally had a passive piezo pickup on the cone that I replaced with a Highlander active pickup and I installed a stereo jack so that I could bring 9V power onboard on one of the channels. It was originally red but I stripped the paint and then finding that the maple cap had nice grain, I finished it with tinted Tru-Oil. I used a Yamaha THR10C modelling amp set to the Mini model, which is meant to sound like a Dr. Z Mini Z amp which has a much grittier tone than any of the other models, and is by far my favorite. There is some tremolo and reverb involved. The THR10C also has a very good flanger effect that I didn’t use here, but do find useful. I’m using the THR10C to drive a pair of KRK powered monitors and have a Blue Yeti mic on one of the monitors. I could record direct to the computer over USB, but I find I get a better tone and higher level using the mic. – Bret
  
  Edit: Forgot to mention that the guitar has a blend knob to mix the two pickups.
- August 9, 2020 at 3:34 pm #186443
  Lights
  Participant
  Really great slide performance, Bret. Enjoyed it very much!
  Lights.
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