Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum

At The Back => Time Out => Topic started by: _tom_ on September 16, 2006, 07:54:30 PM

Title: Surf riffs..
Post by: _tom_ on September 16, 2006, 07:54:30 PM: I've been listening to quite a bit of surf recently (Dick Dale, Man or Astroman and The Shadows mostly) and want to give playing it a go.. but for some reason I just cant write any surfy riffs! Any advice as to which scales/chords to use would be great. Figured out a bit of King of the Surf guitar but hasnt really helped me create my own stuff :P

Cheers
Title: Surf riffs..
Post by: downfader on September 16, 2006, 09:26:07 PM: Years back the Shadows released a best of album (Apache, etc) and a greatest hits and both also came out as tab form. I sold my tab a while back at the car boot. TBH I cant remember what was in there, but the chords were listed, as were the scales/modes used.

I think Dale would be impossible to copy, the guys either a genius or a fruitloop. He did a track a while back called Nitrus, love that! Loads of major and minor chords, quite simple sounding really. He also used arabic scales, or it sounded like it.
Title: Surf riffs..
Post by: jt on September 17, 2006, 01:33:17 AM: :D Hi dude you might want to try writing to a drum rythm. Find a nice drum rythm. Programme it into your PC/Drum Machine.

Get a nice Delay time on your guitar, then look to play a simple lead line to the drum rythm. See how that goes !

:D 8)
Title: Surf riffs..
Post by: downfader on September 17, 2006, 10:16:41 AM: Nearly forgot... (or did someone already say :oops: ), a lot of the chords werent really strumed, they were kind of raked. :D
Title: Surf riffs..
Post by: Bainzy on September 17, 2006, 05:28:15 PM: Just get a Strat and a Fender amp with spring reverb tank, and everything you play will sound like Surf Rock :lol:
Title: Surf riffs..
Post by: Elliot on September 17, 2006, 06:21:09 PM: Get The Best of Surf Guitar by Dave Rubin in the Guitar Signature Licks series - it contains an analysis of the style as well as good tab.
Title: Surf riffs..
Post by: _tom_ on September 17, 2006, 07:26:29 PM: Cheers for all the advice :D I'll look for that book Elliot
Title: Surf riffs..
Post by: lulusg on September 17, 2006, 09:36:02 PM: I have this one classic surf dvd, that shows you how to play: Miserlou, Penetration, Pipeline, Tequila. It shows the chords, licks, and riffs. With on screen diagram, and tablature. It is published by WB through a company that is called SongXpress. I bought it at a Guitar Center . See if you can find it online, Amazon, etc. Good Luck :)
Title: Surf riffs..
Post by: Muso on September 18, 2006, 12:17:02 PM: What about wipeout? isn't that like the definitive surf guitar thing. I think theres a cool rock version but I can't remember who did it, damn.
Title: Surf riffs..
Post by: lulusg on September 20, 2006, 01:57:01 AM: That is an excellent song Muso, I read there is a Rap version of it, I think. :)
Title: Surf riffs..
Post by: Muso on September 20, 2006, 11:19:17 AM: hehe a rap version seriousley? It was Gary Hoey who did that cool rock version of wipeout by the way, killer player!