Guitar part - concepts
Lesson time: (1min 37sec)
Paul Whalley breaks down the guitar part of the track - how it was played, written and treated to sit polished and prominent in the final mix.
Course preview
This lesson is part of the course Produce a killer pop track
Watch a preview of the full course below.
Lesson transcript:
Breaking Down the Key Components of the Record
Hey, guys! We're going to start breaking down the various key components of this record now.
Guitar Part Overview
We're going to start with the guitar part, and I'll show you:
- How it was played
- How it was written
- How it was treated to sound nice and polished in the final record
Demonstration
I'm going to demonstrate the part for you right now, really quick, on my tried and trusted acoustic guitar.
"It's been around the world with me. It's been played on various number one records. Shout out to my ex. It's been featured on a Mumford and Sons record. It's a lovely, lovely guitar."
As you'll hear, it's played on an electric guitar in the record. But, I'm going to demonstrate it right now for you on this very simple part, completely played with one finger and just a couple of strings picked.
Simplicity in Writing
As you can see, it was written very simply, designed to be a part that anyone could play.
"I always find it's very important not to overcomplicate these things when you're writing commercial records, no matter what your ability level is on the instrument."
Next Steps
So now we'll have a look at the guitar that I recorded for the record, and I'll show you how I treated it and what role it plays in the final version.
Good. I can see.
About the instructor
Paul Whalley is a multi-instrumentalist, producer and songwriter with a deliberately broad sound. He spent years on the road as a touring session musician with artists including Mumford & Sons and Ellie Goulding. Classically trained, he holds an undergraduate degree in instrumental performance and a Master's in composition from the Guildhall School of Music. Since moving from touring into production and songwriting he has worked with artists such as NAO, Wretch 32 and Nina Nesbitt, and played on top-40 records around the world, including Little Mix's 'Shout Out to My Ex'. He is based at Tileyard Studios in north London, where he writes and produces for major UK labels and develops new artists. On MusicGurus he and Emmi Green deconstruct a pop record from scratch - every arrangement and production decision laid bare - for songwriters and producers who want to hear how hit records are really built. read more