octron and mxr distortion +

[Guyute24]

i'm thinking of getting the octron here real soon, and i have the mxr distortion +. i was wondering with the octron and maybe the distortion on as well, can i get something close to jerry's solos in Loser? like the one from Barton Hall 77? i know he had his octive divider pedal and was using it for the solo, but did he use his distortion as well? any help would be great. and any advice for the octron settings would be cool too. thanks, michael

[jonarobb]

I don't hear any Octave Divider in spring 77' at all. That Loser solo is just classic Jerry pinch mute harmonics with the MXR Distortion+. It's still hotly contested what he was actually using for distortion in the spring of 77' because to date no one has seen his effects rig for that period, and there are zero photos to support it. But to my ear, no Octave Divider at least...

That solo from that particular Loser is a smoker though and it sounds like the MXR 104 is there at least....

[tigerstrat]

Octave Divider is definitely present in spring 77, right there with the III particularly on songs like Fire and Dancing (wow that 5/4/77 DITS has some nice jamming)...and I think even on Loser at a subtle setting- with the pinch harmonics.

The pedals don't show up in m(any) pics during late 70's because they were actually on the floor until they were racked around late 79. A notable exception, the rear overhead shot from 12/31/78 has at least the two Mutron pedals visible on floor but heavily obscured by balloons and confetti.

[jonarobb]

Octave Divider is definitely present in spring 77, right there with the III particularly on songs like Fire and Dancing (wow that 5/4/77 DITS has some nice jamming)...and I think even on Loser at a subtle setting- with the pinch harmonics.

The pedals don't show up in m(any) pics during late 70's because they were actually on the floor until they were racked around late 79. A notable exception, the rear overhead shot from 12/31/78 has at least the two Mutron pedals visible on floor but heavily obscured by balloons and confetti.

That is sweet. I really thought he was just using the Mutron III in early 77'. I listen to that Dancin a million times and got so awash in the Mutron in the down/drive setting that I never heard that octave run he does towards the end....

[Emoto]

Can you guys explain pinch harmonics? I can get some artificial harmonics if I carefully tough the string just so before I pick it, but I find this virtually impossible to do for rapid notes or a whole solo...

[jeffm725]

wiki definition:

A pinch harmonic, also known as a squealie or squealer is a guitar technique (typically electric guitar) pioneered by Roy Buchanan in which the player's thumb or index finger (on the picking hand) slightly catches the string after it is picked, cancelling the fundamental of the string, and letting one of its harmonics ring out. This creates a high pitched sound in any position.


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as an addendum, It is not easy to do effectively consistently...
I have more success turning my pick sideways to the flat edge and really digging in.

[tigerstrat]

I listened to a few 77 Loser solos- 4/27, 3/19 and 5/8. The Octave is set to very subtle UPness, imho, enhancing the overtones of the PH technique. 4/27 he seems to have a lot of trouble getting a good PH sound and the solo is remarkably furtive, muted. 3/19 is awesome, 5/8 is very nice too.

On Fire, you really hear the Oct kick in on the outro figure, the descending melody that leads to the Scarlet reprise.

[Guyute24]

thanks for all the help. i knew he used the octave divider, but i wasn't sure exactly what he was doing. i'll have to try pinch harmonics and the octron once i get it. any other songs that he used the octave divider on, besides loser, and fire? any dates of examples would be cool too..