The Forgotten Stratocaster Sound?! | Friday Fretworks
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Күн бұрынWhat is the 'Normal Tone' Stratocaster pickup? And why don't we use it more often?
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Key points:
0:00 - Jam!
1:14 - The forgotten Stratocaster sound?
1:43 - Some history...
2:05 - What did Leo Fender want?
2:40 - The most influential Strat player EVER?
3:18 - Cliff Richard?!
3:31 - Derek is Eric.
3:58 - Bridge of Sighs
4:10 - Jam!
5:36 - Jerry, Bonnie, Lowell Jimmie and John.
6:32 - The great Sultans of Swing debate!
7:43 - Why should I use the middle pickup?
Hey! My name's Chris Buck and I'm a musician from South Wales, United Kingdom. Thank you for checking out Friday Fretworks! As the name suggests, there's a new video every Friday. If you haven't already, please subscribe and if you have, it'd be lovely if you came to say hello on Facebook and Instagram as well. Links below!
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www.chrisbuckguitar.co.uk
@ChrisBuckGuitar 4 жыл бұрын
Key points: 0:00 - Jam! 1:14 - The forgotten Stratocaster sound? 1:43 - Some history... 2:05 - What did Leo Fender want? 2:40 - The most influential Strat player EVER? 3:18 - Cliff Richard?! 3:31 - Derek is Eric. 3:58 - Bridge of Sighs 4:10 - Jam! 5:36 - Jerry, Bonnie, Lowell Jimmie and John. 6:32 - The great Sultans of Swing debate! 7:43 - Why should I use the middle pickup?
@rocknrollguitar 4 жыл бұрын
Well, my pickup and tone secret.. Check out the video I did on it on Ig instagram.com/tv/B9NKRQXgStG/?igshid=rcp9p0o6w8gt You will be in amazeballs what diversity a strat can have
@ziggylayneable 4 жыл бұрын
It hurts my heart to even hear Lowell's name spoken out loud... I miss I loved that man more than Bonnie Raitt..lol
@frankrussell1036 4 жыл бұрын
There’s actually some that believe Slow Dancing in a Burning Room was recorded on the middle pickup but played live in pos. 4. Not sure if this is true or not, but I’ve messed with it and you can get pretty darn close to the studio tone with the middle pickup.
@Tomcaster1 3 жыл бұрын
Hi Chris on the Mark Knopfler tone. You are right. It is the middle pickup and that district but bitey roundness is coming from an Orange Squeezer compressor paired with an Aphex Exciter. It's not a difficult tone to recreate once you pull in these two effects. The solo track in the second part of the recording also has a gentle studio chorus.
@onyxshepard5057 2 жыл бұрын
You prolly dont care at all but does someone know of a way to log back into an Instagram account? I somehow lost my login password. I appreciate any assistance you can give me.
@RJRonquillo 4 жыл бұрын
YES! The middle pickup was my go-to pickup when I first started, because I didn't know anything about "tone", so I figured "middle" is a safe choice lol.
@ChrisBuckGuitar 4 жыл бұрын
Haha. I like your thinking! I hope you’re well mate ☺️
@MFKitten 3 жыл бұрын
I always thought the middle pickup sounded the best. It has throaty yet solid qualities.
@whynottalklikeapirat 3 жыл бұрын
I mainly play the middle pickup. Just sits right for most tunes, live ...
@user-nu7xx7pc1d 2 жыл бұрын
logical decision!
@dewaode03 2 жыл бұрын
same with me, since i can't control the tone on my strat bridge pickup i gets overly bright..
@natedogsturdikat8538 4 жыл бұрын
Once you stop ignoring the middle pickup, you’ll find it quickly becomes a go to for that balance of treble clarity and full range. Personal favorite for rhythm parts
@superbroadcaster Жыл бұрын
Every time I pick up a strat, it almost always stays at the middle pickup
@RobertNolan 4 жыл бұрын
The middle position, arguably the original sweet spot of the Strat.
@RobChappers 4 жыл бұрын
Awesome video man!!!
@ChrisBuckGuitar 4 жыл бұрын
Ah, cheers Rob! I hope you’re well mate ☺️
@AbsoluteAbsurd 4 жыл бұрын
Even though im not the one playing, I make the weirdest “guitar faces” when listening to the intro jams, lol!
@ChrisBuckGuitar 4 жыл бұрын
Haha! Thank you 😆
@c0nfused138 4 жыл бұрын
Me too! I make faces about all the time
@michaelgallagher3640 4 жыл бұрын
Maybe you should try a laxative.
@rolux4853 4 жыл бұрын
Michael Gallagher thanks that helped!
@AllyLeon 4 жыл бұрын
Ohhh Yeah. Same here. Feel every bit of it. Amazing Player. Changes the way I breathe. Lol.
@mcneilohara1463 4 жыл бұрын
That jam was one of the nicest melodies I've ever heard. You can predict where it will go next, it feels like it's part of my brain before I've even heard it
@Tonetwisters 2 жыл бұрын
Opening playing is some of the sweetest I have heard ... Middle pickup is the "piano" pickup. And thanks for recognizing Buddy as the STARTER Stratocaster player! And the TWO notch position sound effectiveness depends on how high the middle pickup is in relation to the bridge pickup. And Stevie Ray loved the middle pickup! Thanks for doing this one! Right up my alley!
@yetanotherbassdude 3 жыл бұрын
As always, your playing is some of the most gorgeous and tasteful stuff out there. Really can't wait for the venues to reopen as you're pretty much top of my list of artists to see live when they do!
@ARCHDEACONMUSIC 3 жыл бұрын
I totally agree! I've been working on learning what he played on Paul David's new collaboration video as Chris's improv was my favorite! If you haven't seen it definitely check it out for sure! :)
@averagejoe363 4 жыл бұрын
I feel like SRV definitely used the middle pickup a lot with his songs. I usually gravitate towards the middle and neck for blues. Maybe it's just my strat but I don't really like the bridge pickup. If I wanted the bridge sound I'd just go for a tele. But "Pride and Joy" at max volume on the middle pickup is amazing! Also John Mayer's use of the middle pickup on "Bold as Love" is incredible. I use the middle pickup for blues rhythm and some lead until I switch to the neck when tension builds up. I love the middle pickup and it does indeed get overlooked
@fivewattworld 4 жыл бұрын
Wonderful insight Chris! Going to be going to the “normal” position tomorrow!
@ChrisBuckGuitar 4 жыл бұрын
Haha. Cheers Keith! I hope you're well mate :)
@jnelson1600 4 жыл бұрын
Uh oh, I predict a “A Brief History of the Middle Pickup” video coming. Love you both 👍🏻
@SirVicc 4 жыл бұрын
Being more of a humbucker guy, I love the middle Strat pickup for distortion. Sounds more balanced and full.
@RUARI-mi1yt 3 жыл бұрын
eww humbuckers
@switchbacksentence1244 4 жыл бұрын
Your playing blows me away everytime Chris. Amazing touch.
@simonhall2682 4 жыл бұрын
Love the knowledge and enthusiasm in this vid. Will definitely give the middle pickup some more love!
@Jmorris433 4 жыл бұрын
awesome playing as always and awesome research! really appreciate the effort gone into your videos
@Hopkins132 4 жыл бұрын
Your videos make me so calm, thanks man.
@leeallen3626 4 жыл бұрын
Well done! Very interestingly informed perspective, great photos and playing, as well - thanks!
@lewis7890 4 жыл бұрын
Oh man, the opening jam just beautiful. Delicate and soulful
@davidLPST 4 жыл бұрын
Chris, wonderful playing as always.
@awkipintee 4 жыл бұрын
Awesome information. Not only a fantastic player but a trivia hero as well. Keep em coming chris🙏👌
@robinmiller7958 4 жыл бұрын
Always love to hear you play. Great touch.
@stevenelson6895 4 жыл бұрын
I don’t think I’ll ever tire of hearing you play Chris, like the great Mark K you have your very own unique thing going on... brilliant stuff man 👍
@dime_life4768 4 жыл бұрын
Love this! Ive heard way too many times that nobody uses the middle pickup. Its where some of the best strat sounds come from when used right. Excellent playing mate!
@claesmalmberg7925 4 жыл бұрын
YOUR playing is just amazing
@jpduplessis9752 4 жыл бұрын
SRV played quite a lot of his hits in the middle position (Pride and Joy, Scuttle Buttin', Hideaway, Look at Little Sister, etc.) to name a few, and at live shows he made particularly heavy use of it. Listen to his "In The Beginning" album, it's absolutely full of middle pickup strat tones.
@berndkoelbl3852 4 жыл бұрын
Good contribution Chris ! A good theme well ( and right ) explained and really good guitar playing ! Cool !
@riosax1536 4 жыл бұрын
Great informative video and playing of course , thanks !
@AbsoluteAbsurd 4 жыл бұрын
I love the middle tone, its got that sort of “crystal” or “jangly chingly twang” sound to it, this one song I love uses it in the verses which is how I sort of started to acknowledge it more. Then I realised in Garageband that the Les Paul touch instrument sounds exactly like the middle pickup!
@Hitperson 4 жыл бұрын
As usual Chris your playing is a joy to hear, it's just so soulful! was thinking earlier that i'd love to see yourself and Pete Thorn having a Jam (remembering your TGU video)
@ChrisBuckGuitar 4 жыл бұрын
Cheers man. And yeah, I'd love to jam with Pete. He's a great player and one of the nicest blokes I've ever met. Canadians, eh?!
@Hitperson 4 жыл бұрын
@@ChrisBuckGuitar yeah, a characteristic of both Canadians and the Welsh is they both seem to be the nicest people going.
@adhoc37 3 жыл бұрын
Came back especially just to leave a comment for this really interesting and original video - thank you. Having just acquired a 70s strat I was toying with giving it a 5-way switch instead of its original 'contemporary' 3 way. I now plan to leave it as it was.
@Ticolocosf 3 жыл бұрын
Dang Chris! You are quite the brilliant player... as good as I've ever heard! Gonna spend the summer catching up to all you have posted and stick on through! Thanks for all your offerings!
@jordmosselman3403 4 жыл бұрын
Nice one Chris! That sound from Bridge of Sighs is killer, reminded me instantly of Jimi. Till next, Grtz!!
@rrben29 4 жыл бұрын
The middle pickup is honestly my favorite pickup. Happy to see it getting some love and attention from others!
@jeffreyeagen4896 4 жыл бұрын
I just picked up a parts-caster at my local guitar shop. The guy said he couldn't remember what pickups are in it but they were real screamers. I bought it and plugged it in when I got home. The first thing I noticed was how awesome the middle pickup sounded!! I've never heard a sss guitar with a middle pickup that sounded that good!! And the you post this video! Haha. Even if you hadn't posted this particular video I'd be using the middle pickup ALOT on this guitar!!!
@nvr2old700 4 жыл бұрын
Great video clarifying this Chris. Interestingly had just finished watching a Trower video and noted his use of the middle pickup.
@thebreakfastmenu 4 жыл бұрын
Pink Floyd's "Echoes" is a great middle pickup song.
@christopherthomsen3926 3 жыл бұрын
Really?? What parts?
@thebreakfastmenu 3 жыл бұрын
@@christopherthomsen3926 All the rhythm parts
@christopherthomsen3926 3 жыл бұрын
@@thebreakfastmenu Ok thanks, did not know that
@benskurbe 4 жыл бұрын
The lineage of legends continues: Hendrix->SRV->John Mayer->Chris Buck
@nathank6468 4 жыл бұрын
Dmr45 I know why is Mayer in there hahahah
@benskurbe 4 жыл бұрын
Dmr45 which part are you upset about
@benskurbe 4 жыл бұрын
Nathan Kimberly Mayer’s better than SRV but aight
@Ahaok34 4 жыл бұрын
@@benskurbeWhat the fuck.
@michaelbrooks5178 4 жыл бұрын
www.guitarworld.com/artists/the-30-best-blues-guitarists-in-the-world-today Number 5, John Mayer. Number 15, Chris Buck.
@thepowerbill1 4 жыл бұрын
Great video and fantastically tasteful licks as well. Going to play the middle position right now... something I almost never do. Thanks mate!
@JonWickensMusic 4 жыл бұрын
Genuinely love using the middle pickup on my strat! Use it so much! It’s a great sound
@snoogie6015 4 жыл бұрын
Your playing sounds great. Cool video as always
@PhreddCrintt 4 жыл бұрын
I so want to get to one of your gigs Chris. Stay safe.
@Louis_Velliotes 4 жыл бұрын
Great vid! The Jimmie Vaughn Signature strat touts the middle pickup as being the "special" pickup on that strat!
@schmargle 4 жыл бұрын
Very nice playing and great info.
@ducacalainho 4 жыл бұрын
Nice playing man! Congrats.
@Geronimo122 4 жыл бұрын
Nice playing on this-- sounds great!
@fernandes5986 4 жыл бұрын
Escelent video. I had never noticed that EC used his middle pickup so much. Loved those EC and Trower recriations, your playin' and note are superb.
@davidclarke9783 4 жыл бұрын
I Love the 335 Gibson 1964 ,, Clapton plays it mostly in the studio,, but look up him playing one from 1994 in Hyde Park Have you ever loved a Woman..Brilliant sound.
@shobudski6776 4 жыл бұрын
His Gibson tone was and is much better than his Fender tone.
@j.rozman7016 4 жыл бұрын
Great episode!! Laurence Jones also uses middle PU on his vintage Stratocaster a lot!! I have Fender CS strat with handwound Josefina Ancho Poblano PUs and middle position kinda sounds towards LP teritory to my ear. Another proof that stratocaster is the best guitar ever designed. Leo really was genius!
@joshmuz9018 4 жыл бұрын
Man that intro legit sounded 100% like Derek trucks if he was told to play a solo but couldn't use his slide. I've never heard anyone else sound so much like Derek trucks before.
@pauly1053 4 жыл бұрын
It is one of the most beautiful bits of play I have ever heard. Please tab this!
@DMSProduktions 4 жыл бұрын
RORY loved his middle pick up as well! (Had a '61 with 3 posi switch!)
@jasonyltan7672 4 жыл бұрын
Okay! Im gonna use the middle pickup right now. Thanks Chris.
@seanfitzpatrick7878 4 жыл бұрын
There are a couple songs that I've been playing for over 30 years of which I've developed certain solos for. I've worked and tweaked them time and time again to get all of the sweet notes, the most interesting phrasing and singable melodies and just when I think I have something worthwhile, I listen to 30 seconds of you soloing and everything you play is so much better than anything I've written. That was a very round about way of saying, you are an amazing musician Chris...
@johnbrady1211 4 жыл бұрын
Chris is a great guitarist! Man, I love watching how he gets that sound out of his guitar.
@voxshall 4 жыл бұрын
When I first got a vintage strat I was surprised that the middle pickup with the vol rolled back a bit was giving me a inbetween 2 or 4 sound that had more body and could cut through the mix a bit more, love having this 3 way strat to compliment my other strat with a 5 way switch.
@sheseltine5586 4 жыл бұрын
I loved the blues section at the start of the vid. Great stuff!
@conqueringviking 4 жыл бұрын
I never played on the middle position ever until I bought your signature radio shop id’s 🤘🏻
@chrissteffers6931 4 жыл бұрын
great video Chris. I use the midle pickup 80% of the time. recent I lean towards the bridge pickup. Maybe because I bought the THR10II recently and it sounds so good, even in the mix.
@simonwilliams9916 4 жыл бұрын
Funnily I’ve spent the last 30 years playing pretty much all the time on the middde pickup. Only since meeting you on the Guitar Breaks Holiday have I started using the in between sounds. 🎸🤘🏻👍🎸🤘🏻👍
@peterforrest6682 4 жыл бұрын
Hi Chris. Can't get enough of watching and listening to that opening blues jam you do in this video....thanks so much for sharing it with us. Please come and play in Cape Town...when we can travel again....
@LennyJohnson5 4 жыл бұрын
Class again.... as per usual. Informative too.
@Stringtrees 4 жыл бұрын
Beautiful playing young man.
@JOHNNYBGOODIE 4 жыл бұрын
Wonderful !!! I love the middle pickup of my stratocaster !!! The neck pickup is broken and it will stay that way for a long time ... :)
@stevealliemusic 4 жыл бұрын
An old friend of mine who played strat through the 60's reminded me that the players would often set the pickup switch between the middle and other pickups by gently moving the switch part way and finding a place where it would stay. The down side was that any pressure on the switch would cause it to pop out of position and drop into one side or the other. The upside was that depending on where you got the switch to stay, you would always get a slightly different sound each time. The 5 way switch made it easier to get the sound, but any variation was gone.
@CradleRawk 4 жыл бұрын
Good vid, loved loved loved the rendition of That’ll be the day, just terrific
@eggman1978 4 жыл бұрын
Great playing. I need to make more use of that middle pick up
@voodoodr 4 жыл бұрын
Chris, wonderful intro bro! Still watching.
@jasonstevens28 4 жыл бұрын
Really really good. Enjoyment achieved.
@SidBonkers51 4 жыл бұрын
Im a long time Strat player and have always liked the "standard pickup" but recently Ive been playing more and more in the middle position I just love the 'quack' it produces.
@MintStiles 4 жыл бұрын
Chris can make anything sound pretty amazing. I do feel that only SOME strats have a decent middle pickup that has a decent balance on clarity vs output. Probabaly helps to wire the tone at the bridge pickup only and leave position 3 wide open and shape on the pedals IMO of course.
@thethingsyasee...5112 4 жыл бұрын
Nice video! Makes me wanna set up my Strat....
@shanedaniels5191 4 жыл бұрын
Very tasty jam at the beginning 🙌
@Ale2065Tate 4 жыл бұрын
The intro is That's life-esque, so classy
@nonsenseinmyhead9016 4 жыл бұрын
The touch... you nailed it bro!
@jameskrys5286 4 жыл бұрын
I read Clapton's book. He hates Rosewood finger boards. I hear Jerry Garcia liked the middle pickup a lot.
@jackgreen8522 4 жыл бұрын
Tong Zou there was an interview from Clapton saying he hated how rosewood felt as if it resisted bending
@VoxMax1200 4 жыл бұрын
I'd like to ask SRV and Rory Galagher the same .. But about the maple neck. Jimmy didn't really care. The 1969 RAH concert is an example. Beck used a both .. And Knopfler ..
@ExcalibursEdge 4 жыл бұрын
I read it too. What a great biography! I also have the audio version on my ipod.
@bobbys4327 3 жыл бұрын
Yeah, Eric said the grain bugged him when bending.
@bumblefritz 3 жыл бұрын
He talks about his switch to maple in his Fender Brownie Stratocaster video.
@KevyNova 4 жыл бұрын
Nice playing and video! As for myself, I use the middle pickup for most of my rhythm playing and switch to the neck or bridge for lead. I never ever use positions 2 & 4.
@ocahan27 4 жыл бұрын
Having just bought my first electric after 20 years of playing only acoustics, this was a great lesson on pick ups in general. 👌
@jessemijnnaam 4 жыл бұрын
Mindblowing intro as always
@gangnamstylegrandpa6352 4 жыл бұрын
Well , I have to say , what a beautiful intro !!!
@michaelalday8547 4 жыл бұрын
Your tone always sounds the best with that highway 1.
@TheHouseaholics 4 жыл бұрын
Dude!! ❤️ amazing! I’m speechless
@sonofboar13 4 жыл бұрын
One of the players that inspired me to play Stratocasters, Albert Hammond Jr. from the Strokes, exclusively uses the middle pick up. I personally love the sound of the middle pickup. It reminds me sort of a harmony or silver tone guitar with that lipstick pickup right in the middle. I find the middle Stratocaster pickup highly underrated.
@caleshtcincredibles 4 жыл бұрын
Great video, yeh mate I am going to use the middle position more as well , totally forgotten and never used in my playing, that is all about to change !
@jasong546 4 жыл бұрын
He still does...I never understood the distaste of it. Great video Chris cheers!
@davidshepard3708 4 жыл бұрын
GREAT find. Thanks!
@DenisAhmet 4 жыл бұрын
Buddy Holly all the way on your outro. Thanks Chris for your informative video and your unique style of playing.
@ZPX945 4 жыл бұрын
Enjoyed the VID!
@andocobo 4 жыл бұрын
Chris, you really are a marvellous guitarist
@richardgray8593 4 жыл бұрын
Thanks for playing without backing tracks. I love hearing just your guitar alone.
@Vazmusic 3 жыл бұрын
Nice playing!
@mikemph7779 3 жыл бұрын
God damn that sounds SO good!!
@antondoornekamp9635 4 жыл бұрын
Well for me this has always been my favorite strat sound to play with.
@TheShanks 4 жыл бұрын
Dude's trynna cut the strings with his pick haha. Awesome playing!
@TUBEMAN192 4 жыл бұрын
To me The middle pickup is the strat sound I hear on my head. I currently have a 5-way selector wired on my strat but to be perfectly honest I could do with 'only' a 3-way since I mostly used the bridge and middle pickup anyways.
@TimHolman 4 жыл бұрын
Great stuff!
@DizzySaxophone 4 жыл бұрын
About a year ago I really started to fall in love with the strat middle pickup. Want a rich, clear, glassy sound? Middle pickup.
@brunovidana7837 2 жыл бұрын
Most underrated position on a strat, I love using it for clean arpeggios, spanky rhythm tones and lead tones that cut through the mix without the bass of the neck or the ice-pickiness of the bridge
@Deliquescentinsight 4 жыл бұрын
Always liked that middle PUP tone personally, it projects
@oldgittarist 4 жыл бұрын
Great topic Chris, it needed saying!! ;-)
@aidandunnigan4034 4 жыл бұрын
Seen you in guitarguitar in Glasgow a bit ago, very good pop up gig
@sylvestre.rawminey 3 жыл бұрын
I really love the middle pickup too !
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