Miracle Drug - my modest attempt

[JKybot]

https://soundcloud.com/user-839468306/miracle-drug-attempt?si=b2cef00bc50e44529d5eb6d5cd7263d7

The slide part isn't that great but I'm glad there isn't the noise I usually get when I play slide :rolleyes:

[wildmorphlaw]

https://soundcloud.com/user-839468306/miracle-drug-attempt?si=b2cef00bc50e44529d5eb6d5cd7263d7

The slide part isn't that great but I'm glad there isn't the noise I usually get when I play slide :rolleyes:

This is absolutely fantastic. Don't apologize for the slide part- you played really well.

I think this tune is maybe one of the hardest to cover on the guitar. There are so many opposing parts: Big crunch tones with the dropping notes. Nice arpeggio picking parts. The verses are different from each other. The outro is different from the chorus. The bridge is on the slide.

My only two thoughts: 1) watch your tempo. You seem to be dropping the beat a little. It is most obvious during the intro when it is just your guitar against the tambourine. You probably just need to play it more and as you get more comfortable the tempo will start to lock better for you. 2) turn up the drive a little on the clean parts. From your user icon, it looks like you have a Stratocaster and an Explorer. I would recommend that for your clean tone you grab your Strat and dial in a punchy clean that you would use for something like I Still Haven't Found. Then keep the amp settings the same and swap in your Explorer, which should slam the front of the amp a little harder because of those humbuckers. If it sounds too distorted to you- play softer. Instead of dialing the gain back, try to add some dynamics to your fingers. That way you can get the clean cleans when you want them, but can get the bite when you need it by picking a little harder. For the distorted parts, I think the tone is great!

Woah. So much to remember. And the real difficulty of the tune is switching on the fly between relatively different techniques and sounds. I think you did a great job.

-Phil

[storm]

Really great work. I don't have anything to add that wm hasn't already said. He always says it so well. The modern temptation is always to get content recorded as quickly as possible which causes us to push our technique a little early. But for a collections of ears used to listening to Edge's tones I think you did a great job capturing this song JKybot.

[JKybot]

Thanks a lot guys!

I've been playing U2 for a few years now (in my own way and for my own ears so far) but this is my very first cover.
Why that ? First of all because I didn't know anything about recording techniques until then. I'm a complete newbie with Reaper. :rolleyes:
Second, I play so infrequently (sometimes with holes of several weeks or months) that I didn't feel comfortable sharing something that was obviously far from complete.
But this year, I changed my mind. Even though I still have little time to play, I decided to put the fun above all else.
And I had fun playing - and recording - Miracle Drug!

Phil, regarding your remarks (thanks for that):
1) concerning my tempo, I admit not having paid attention to it. I thought I was OK but I trust your experience in this area. ;)
What you say about practicing a little more matches what I wrote above. Not much time to play, so there are probably things to improve in my way of playing.
2) About the clean parts, I liked the idea of ​​having a very clean sound. But it's true that, after taking a look at the other covers, having drive seems more consistent. Maybe I'll try that an other time.
I also think that the fact that I'm using the HD500X's ampsim AC30TB doesn't help. It is indeed common knowledge that this amp simulation is not fantastic.
Besides, I have trouble finding a typical AC30TB sound (or at least what I believe to be the AC30TB sound) when I "play" songs like I Still Haven't Found, Bad or AIWIY. It still sounds too flat to my ears. It lacks that sharp edge when I pick harder.

Anyway, thank you again !

edit : I should also add that, playing at night when the kids are asleep, I have developed a habit of picking the strings with little force. And even then, when Madame goes to bed, she complains that I make too much noise!
Not the best way to develop my skills. :rolleyes: