Riding the Scree: Riding the Scree Introduction

Sunday, April 6, 2008

Riding the Scree Introduction

Riding the Scree is one of those classic Genesis moments where the TRIO have a go at a very organized jam. Mr. Banks uses the ARP PRO SOLOIST at it's best (it was touch sensitive for many articulations; pitch, filter, vibrato, etc.).

Phil gets a chance to really "let it go" and comes up with some pretty tasty drumming for a song in 9/8 time. There are sections where the band plays in 4/4 time but Mike keeps his concentration and continues his 9/8 rhythm guitar part (during the vocal part and some of the Synth solo).

Mike plays a 12 string electric underneath the jam. It is a part that repeats almost all the way to end of the song. I use to call the sound Mike got, plastic guitar, because of its unique sound. I always thought that he used something other than a 12 string Rick on this song, but in putting it together, was able to come pretty close to THAT sound using a RICK 12 string electric sample set and AMPLITUBE with some copious EQing.

Enjoy the show.

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Riding the Scree

The most difficult part of this song is by far, Phil's drumming. Alot of what he plays makes no sense to me, but as usual, sounds good with the song. Sprinkled during the vocal section are ROTO TOMs, monkey skulls and the ARP Pro Soloist playing percussion parts. Together with the drums, this is my favorite part of the song. As this section fades out and you think it might be the end of the song, a very powerful end section with a reprise of part of the synth solo, takes us to the real ending.

Below sample the complete mix of the MIDI file with Pete's vocals laid down on top of the music.

Mp3 File of MIDI - Riding the Scree with Vocals

Below find the same MIDI file recorded without the Vocals. Listen carefully to all the little parts added by our lads, some of it still amazes me after all these years. Some of you like to sing along. :-)

MP3 File of MIDI without the Vocals

Mike's Rick 12 string

The song opens with Mike introducing his 12 string part. This part repeats all the way until the false ending of the song. It is played with a unique "hammer on" on the low E string, hammering up to the 2nd fret, F# note and then up picking while holding a F# chord. The effects applied to this guitar part were quite difficult to recreate. However, I think I got it close and the chain goes something like this:

MXR phase shifter into BASS AMP head with the tone controls basically set at 3/4 bass, no mids and 3/4 treble. This sound goes into a 4X12 bass speaker cabinet, then goes directly into a RACK flanger (Eventide) which is EQ'ed on the board following the same curve as the EQ from the BASS amp.

Below is the MIDI audio file of the RICK 12 string with NO effects.

Now, the same part using the chain described above.

Tony's PRO SOLOIST

The ARP Pro Soloist is featured by Tony on this song. Other than a bit of Hammond, that is all Tony plays. In as much as the ARP is very limited in it's sound (it was made by ARP to be an accompany instrument for Home Organists, hence the presets) Tony really gets all he can out of the instrument.

The first solo uses the TELSTAR preset during the intro. Then he uses the FUZZ GUITAR 1 preset up until the vocal section. He flips a switch and then there is a 2 part (double tracked) Steel Guitar preset arpeggios backing the vocals.

During the real ending section, he flips back to the FUZZ GUITAR 1 preset, double tracked in harmony.

Using my homegrown ARP samples, KONTAKT does a wonderful job in its implementation of Portamento and really helps make the synth solos shine.