Welcome Guest
[ Log In :: Register ]

Pages: (2) < [1] 2 >

[ Track this topic :: Email this topic :: Print this topic ]

Topic: Mike's Playing over the years< Next Oldest | Next Newest >
David Mar Offline




Group: Members
Posts: 457
Joined: Oct. 2001
Posted: Aug. 29 2002, 05:22

I've always loved Mike's playing and I still do, though I do miss the intensity and his more flash playing from the earlier years. Having said that, I love Mike's music having more of a groove and I love it on tracks when there's a lovely, funky groove and Mike plays economically. I think that's really cool!
Back to top
Profile PM 
Chris-Llawen
Unregistered





Posted: Aug. 06 2003, 05:19

i agree - i like economy of playing - but he needs to do more flashy stuff with his playing..

however, if he continues not practicing, we may not ever hear him rip out tricky stuff on guitar like he could have done when he was young, which would be a real shame,

when he switched from acoustic to electric guitar playing in his v early days, he admitted in an interview that he was out of practice on acoustic and couldn't play as he used to - let's just hope he doesn't abandon his skill on electric guitar for multimedia and technology...
Back to top
raven4x4x Offline




Group: Members
Posts: 1535
Joined: Jan. 2002
Posted: Aug. 10 2003, 03:19

I wouldn't worry: having heard Tubular Bells 2003, he's still the master of the guitar, acoustic and electric. Even after discovering the 'guitar gods' such as Steve Vai and Joe Satriani, and masters such as Hendrix and Vaughan, Mike still remains one of my very favourite guitarists, and Ambient Guitars shows why.

I'm getting together my all time favourite guitar tracks to burn a compilation, and interestingly, Mike's four tracks are all very recent. The earliest one is Crystal Clear from TSODE, then there's Far Above the Clouds from Horse Guards Parade, Tubular Bells from Berlin 2000, and No Man's Land (reprise) from Tres Lunas. I think that Mike has improved as a guitarist over the years.


--------------
Thank-you for helping us help you help us all.
Back to top
Profile PM 
MusicallyInspired Offline




Group: Musicians
Posts: 1445
Joined: June 2001
Posted: Aug. 10 2003, 13:40

The thing for me is with Mike he has such a different style of playing than everyone else and even IF someone was better than him, I love his style more than any others so he's still my favourite guitarist. He plays for the beauty. And while others do too, his very playing style is beautiful which still makes him better lol.

--------------
BrandonBlume.com
"The beauty in life is in the embracing of the variety of things. If all the world was blue there would be no colour blue."
Back to top
Profile PM WEB 
Mike Chadwick Offline




Group: Members
Posts: 231
Joined: May 2003
Posted: Aug. 16 2003, 10:22

My little analalises -

1973 - 1978 - His guitar playing is very expressive - all the solos are playes on slight distortion.he plays with fingers mostly...because he has almost no vocals in his tracks so insteaqd of them he uses guitar...

1978 - 1985 - Guitar is much more raw sounding - he uses a pick too.using heavy distortion and Typical Heavy-rock instruments (Les paul junior which has a raw sound)...Less acoustic instruments...heavier and often slaped bass lines.he uses much more keyboards and sytnhs because his compositions are often more pop sounding and have vocals

1985-1991 - Guitar played less than usually - on albums like EARTH MOVING or ISLANDS riffs are hidden under all vocals and sytnhs.but on AMAROK he mixes both styles  - from 70ties and 80ties.heavy and raw distortion used too.

1991 - Guitar played very softly and more rarer.sometimes it playes only few notes during whole songs.Almost no distortion - clean sound used the most.After TB2 no real bass guitar lines.
If the distortion is used it sounds much warmer than ussually (COCHISE)


--------------
kik-eze kik-eze
Back to top
Profile PM 
marcstrat Offline




Group: Members
Posts: 3
Joined: June 2005
Posted: June 05 2005, 12:14

I have been following mike's music since 1973.I also think he's
the best gitarist.He plays by an very difficult style on the
fingerpicking parts,i have tryed that aswell.NOT EASY!!!!!!!
Back to top
Profile PM 
The Bell(end) Offline




Group: Members
Posts: 1051
Joined: July 2005
Posted: July 04 2005, 14:28

has anyone seen that video of Mike on some lame morning show in '88? Anne Diamond is speechless (almost) because he is playing the beautiful Taurus 3 on the acoustic guitar, the thing about mike is that his sound is always so pure, if they have guitars in heaven then they will sound just like mike on his electric guitar!

--------------
When the night's on fi-ya, do you need love's arms to hold yew? :D
Back to top
Profile PM 
Chicular Offline




Group: Members
Posts: 240
Joined: Sep. 2004
Posted: Aug. 16 2005, 07:28

I've seen that clip and it's pretty amazing.  Yeah Anne Diamond's face is a picture.  I like the way it starts off with the bit from Amarok then goes onto Taurus 3 (I'd love to know the chords for taurus 3 by the way) then ends with another bit from Amarok.  

It was a virtuoso performance! ;)
Back to top
Profile PM 
tek_uk Offline




Group: Members
Posts: 13
Joined: Aug. 2005
Posted: Aug. 19 2005, 08:26

heuu, where can I find that video??? I'm quite keen to see how he plays Amarok (I assume it's the main acoustic riff...)
I have the tab but find it very difficult to play as it's a mix off slap, hammer-ons etc...
Back to top
Profile PM 
The Bell(end) Offline




Group: Members
Posts: 1051
Joined: July 2005
Posted: Aug. 19 2005, 13:08

Quote (tek_uk @ Aug. 19 2005, 13:26)
heuu, where can I find that video??? I'm quite keen to see how he plays Amarok (I assume it's the main acoustic riff...)
I have the tab but find it very difficult to play as it's a mix off slap, hammer-ons etc...

Hi, just go to www.av.com (alta vista)
Search Mike Oldfield in the videos section checking only the windows media box to edit out the junk, then it should be the third result on the far right of the screen, called '1988 Good Morning'

Hope this helps, its a good clip, you won't be dissapointed!  :)


--------------
When the night's on fi-ya, do you need love's arms to hold yew? :D
Back to top
Profile PM 
Sir Mustapha Offline




Group: Musicians
Posts: 2802
Joined: April 2003
Posted: Aug. 19 2005, 14:38

I was a wee bit confused on the way to find the video, but I was just being dumb. Anyway, here's a direct link. If that doesn't work, go here and click on the "TAURUS III from Good morning Britain" link on the left. Really great stuff. He plays a part of Taurus III and bits from Amarok. And, of course, the Tubular Bells riff at the end. Worth watching, I says.

--------------
Check out http://ferniecanto.com.br for all my music, including my latest albums: Don't Stay in the City, Making Amends and Builders of Worlds.
Also check my Bandcamp page: http://ferniecanto.bandcamp.com
Back to top
Profile PM WEB 
tek_uk Offline




Group: Members
Posts: 13
Joined: Aug. 2005
Posted: Aug. 19 2005, 16:26

yep, got it.
Thanks a lot guys.
Back to top
Profile PM 
raven4x4x Offline




Group: Members
Posts: 1535
Joined: Jan. 2002
Posted: Aug. 19 2005, 20:53

Mmm, great video, thanks for the link Sir M.

I'm looking forward to hearing whether there is any great guitar moments in Light and Shade. I'm confident there will be, as even in 'non-guitar' albums such as Tres Lunas there have always been moments (No Man's Land reprise in this case) that remind me that Mike is my favourite guitarist of all time.


--------------
Thank-you for helping us help you help us all.
Back to top
Profile PM 
tek_uk Offline




Group: Members
Posts: 13
Joined: Aug. 2005
Posted: Aug. 20 2005, 07:03

Well, the great guitar moments are really becoming rare.  In 3 Lunas, I really wished he played some lines with a good guitar sound rather than this stupid saxophone sound on the tracks. The lines are not bad but you really get distracted by the sound! :O
My favourite period is definitely the Exposed period when he had a lot of legato lines with a fantastic tone. Also, the solo at the end of the live version of Punkaddidle is one of his best IMHO.
He still occasionaly manages to get some of those ideas, in the live version of Let there be Light for example, shame you don't get that on albums...  :/
Back to top
Profile PM 
Sweetpea Offline




Group: Members
Posts: 1476
Joined: April 2007
Posted: Nov. 17 2008, 05:06

I think this "economy of playing" is very apparent in the latest album, MOTS. I can't think of any MO album with less guitarwork.

--------------
"I'm no physicist, but technically couldn't Mike both be with the horse and be flying through space at the same time? (On account of the earth's orbit around the Sun and all that). So it seems he never had to make the choice after all. I bet he's kicking himself now." - clotty
Back to top
Profile PM 
The Caveman Offline




Group: Members
Posts: 2178
Joined: Jan. 2008
Posted: Nov. 21 2008, 15:10

I think it's about mellowing.A lot of players find they play less notes as they get older.It becomes less about agression and more about saying what you need to say in less frantic ways.This is certainly true of Mike.In recent years he's played much fewer notes but the depth of emotion is retained.Earlier on he had so much pent up emotion that his outlet was playing.Ommadawn side one is a case in point.
 Another example is someone like Eric Clapton.Early on with The Bluesbreakers and then Cream it wqs all volume and agression.As he's got older he's lost that fire and started to play in a more restrained manner.I think that unless you play in a band that requires that really agressive style (for example Metal)then most players do become more economical.Mike is 55 now so he won't play like a 20 year old.It requires too much physical energy.Try playing the solo's on Ommadawn without breaking sweat and you'll see where i'm coming from here.From my own experience i know damn well i don't have the raw energy and agression i had at 17.The flip is i'm more accomplished as a player now and chanel the emotion in different ways when i play a solo.


--------------
THE COMING OF THE GREAT WHITE HANDKERCHEIF IS NIGH.
Back to top
Profile PM 
ex member 419 Offline




Group: Members
Posts: 1177
Joined: April 2008
Posted: Mar. 22 2009, 06:46

:p mike looked so good in thd akubra playing the banjo and seemed to be enjoying a good ol hoedown, a very talented lad! deb
Back to top
Profile PM 
ex member 419 Offline




Group: Members
Posts: 1177
Joined: April 2008
Posted: April 27 2009, 06:47

:p the new release will highlight mikes unique guitar skills, enhanced by the 5.1 mix, and vinyl reproduction re mix, deb
Back to top
Profile PM 
ex member 419 Offline




Group: Members
Posts: 1177
Joined: April 2008
Posted: May 26 2009, 07:49

Ok mo music lovers, time to give the man credit where credits due, he is still playing, and has done some darn good albums and concerts, as i said before, enough bashing, deb
Back to top
Profile PM 
The Caveman Offline




Group: Members
Posts: 2178
Joined: Jan. 2008
Posted: May 26 2009, 09:25

Confused again.Has some of this thread been edited by the admins cos i don't see any 'bashing' going on here.Can't see anything further between Deb's last post on 27th April and the one from today.Am i missing something?

--------------
THE COMING OF THE GREAT WHITE HANDKERCHEIF IS NIGH.
Back to top
Profile PM 
28 replies since Aug. 29 2002, 05:22 < Next Oldest | Next Newest >

[ Track this topic :: Email this topic :: Print this topic ]

Pages: (2) < [1] 2 >






Forums | Links | Instruments | Discography | Tours | Articles | FAQ | Artwork | Wallpapers
Biography | Gallery | Videos | MIDI / Ringtones | Tabs | Lyrics | Books | Sitemap | Contact

Mike Oldfield Tubular.net
Mike Oldfield Tubular.net