I worked on this as part of the Grade 2 Mod 8 where we learn the Riff. I have to say that I’ve agonised over this and played around with different Capo positions, slightly different approaches to the strumming and the vocal and after some time I’m really still not happy but then I realised that I’m a beginner and this is part of the journey and at the moment this is probably about as good as it gets in that journey
Some AVOYPs that I have done I feel comfortable with the result but this has been a struggle, maybe because its such an iconic track and I expect to be able to recreate it, I don’t know. I went around in circles trying to find a key where I was happy with the vocal to suit, and ended up just running with this as I say I think that I have to accept that this is where things are at right now. As the journey progresses this will definitely be on the list of ones to revisit with new techniques.
Both Gtr and Voc were through the SM58 you can see via AI - Reaper - OBS.
Anyway, for now, here it is. I’m happy to hear your comments guys as always.
This sounds overall really good to my ear! You sing very well and…oh the tone of your guitar is really sweet, your strumming on the strings very gentle too. Bravo
Singing and playing sounded very pleasant to my ear, mic placement was well chosen. Both guitar and vocals were well balanced.
If you’re keeping it in your repertoire and continue playing, I’m sure one day you will be able to make it sound as you want it to sound. To me, it already sound pretty good.
You should be proud of that Craig, you’re doing a legendary song justice already. Very clean intro and nicely moving into the strumming, and mixing up the strumming during the song to have some variety throughout.
Love your voice by the way, very relaxed and well balanced with the guitar. I’d take that recording all day long and twice on this Sunday
thanks Jeff, yes, that’s work in progress. I’m actually going ok with that but not clean and error free enough yet to be able to record right through error free so opted to watch what I was doing.
Thanks Rogier much appreciated.
Thanks Silvia, I would have to confess that it is well overdue for new strings and has lost some of its fresh brightness but is hanging in there
Thanks Mark, I’m rarely that with my recordings, I’m a tough critic on myself and always have a really high expectation which of course at this stage I can’t meet. But, I do remind myself that this is a beginner journey and to cut some slack thanks for watching and commenting.
I think you’ll see everyone who’s posted an AVOYP say that they are their own harshest critic Craig, and it’s so true!!
But that’s one of the most special things about the community here, you will get genuine feedback and opinion so take every word of replies and comments at their face value.
Nice share Craig. Well done and great progress. This is a great song to learn with, I spent a lot of time with it back in the day because it’s a fun mix of picking and strumming.
To get it feeling better, yep, some changes to the strumming would help. The original has more of a rolling feel, there were parts you slipped into a down down down type pattern that didn’t quite fit the rhythm. Also, have you tried moving back into the intro-type picking for between verses? That’s fun to do.
Well done mate. Thought you did very well. This is a deceptively difficult song to play at a level close to the original, so keep at it. It’ll pay off.
There’s a lot going on. The key, for me, is to keep that hand ‘strumming’ at all times, even when you’re hitting single notes. Hard at first, but what better song to learn it on? Lots of subtle uses of dynamics too, which really drives the tune, and great to learn.
Dont forget to have a crack at the solo sometime down the track when you’re ready. Its a great teacher, and so iconic too. All the best.
Thanks JK, much appreciated. Agreed, I was using the down down as a break to the surrounding pattern but appreciate that its not quite the right feel. The rolling feel you talk of is very true and on face value this looks like a fairly easy song to cover in some way even if not as per the original but as @sclay pointed out it appears to be deceptively tricky I will be continuing to work on as I progress as with most of the songs I attempt.
Thanks Shane, I have thought about it but it sounds quite fast with the fingers so I had given it a wide berth at this stage. Strangely enough I had been experimenting with the solo from Comfortably Numb with my Electric but it’ll be a slow piece by piece process.
Yep, the solo is somewhat tricky in places. Just come back when you’ve upskilled abit. All good.
I’ve been working on Comfortably Numb as well, on an off for months. First solo, being fairly short is OK. The 2nd loooooong solo, well…getting there slowly. Its truly a masterpiece by Gilmour.
Yep, I try not to stray away from the modules for too long but it’s great to have things outside of it to work on and try
Absolutely, and being involved in learning now is giving me a whole new appreciation for musicians in general and certainly guitarists like these it’s enabled me to hear music differently
as I say I think that I have to accept that this is where things are at right now. As the journey progresses this will definitely be on the list of ones to revisit with new techniques.
