The Edge and Vertigo

[Fab4ever]

Okay, I'm probably asking the impossible here, but....

I'm playing ina little fundraiser battle of the bands type thing, and one of the songs we're playing is U2's Vertigo. I'm the only guitarist. I'm playing a Strat through a Pod XT straight into the system.

Do you have any tips for me about sounds I might try dialing in that may resemble, to some small degree, The Edge's sound? I know that most of it is in the hands... I know that he may play a different ax and real amps (generally Voxes I think) etc. etc. But I'm limited to the Strat and the Pod.


Anyone?

 

[ignition]

There's a bunch of U2 patches you can download for the PODXT at http://customtone.com/ , I haven't used any of them, but it's a place to start.

Travis

 

[Codmate]

Get yourself a Boss DD3 and you're there.

The Edge is vastly over-rated IMO - he's just a very average guitarist with a delay unit.

 

[HangDawg]

Get yourself a Boss DD3 and you're there.

The Edge is vastly over-rated IMO - he's just a very average guitarist with a delay unit.

You know why they call him The Edge don't you?

























































Cause he's right on the edge of not being able to play at all.

 

[Fab4ever]

Oh I couldn't disagree more. In my view, the Edge is a guy who didn't WANT to do the same thing that 80 million other guitarists wanted to do - play really fast, or play bluesy note-bending belly gazing self referential solos.

The Edge wanted to do something different. And he did and does. He plays what he feels is appropriate to the song, in his own style, and doesn't try to be some second-rate SRV or Hendrix or whoever is the flava of the moment.

I think he's one of rock's true originals. For what it's worth...

 

[apl]

I think he's one of rock's true originals. For what it's worth...

It's amazing to me how much he adds to the song while playing so simply. Vertigo is a great example of doing not much but pulling it off. You can hear his amp hum at the end of the song. People have flamed me for amp hum in my recordings.

 

[goldtopchas]

The reason "the edge" sounds unusual is the fact that when they started the band, the drummer was the only one who knew how to play. That's why he did all those 2 notes and a droning string sounds. He didn't know any chords. I thought the early stuff was interesting though. The newer stuff got a little too artsy- fartsy for my taste. Maybe he shouldn't have learned so many chords...

 

[apl]

...he did all those 2 notes and a droning string sounds...

The bagpipes influence, then.

 

[corban]

U2 is too artsy fartsy?! Wow, I guess it's all in your frame of reference. To me they're as straight up mainstream pop/rock as you can get, albeit they do a lot of different things within that.

But I definitely disagree that the Edge is an average player with a delay pedal. It's easy to think that because an average player with a delay pedal can easily play something similar to what he plays, and there are millions of offshoots from his playing. The difference is that he's the one coming up with those parts, he's the one with the guts to play something simple that really compliments the song instead of drawing attention to his amazing chops by melting your face with a solo. He's the master of the hook, and I would defy an average guitarist to come up with the parts he comes up with. I'm not even a huge U2 fan, but I don't like it when he gets put down just because he doesn't play really fast.

 

[Kevin Deschwazi]

U2 is too artsy fartsy?! Wow, I guess it's all in your frame of reference. To me they're as straight up mainstream pop/rock as you can get, albeit they do a lot of different things within that.

But I definitely disagree that the Edge is an average player with a delay pedal. It's easy to think that because an average player with a delay pedal can easily play something similar to what he plays, and there are millions of offshoots from his playing. The difference is that he's the one coming up with those parts, he's the one with the guts to play something simple that really compliments the song instead of drawing attention to his amazing chops by melting your face with a solo. He's the master of the hook, and I would defy an average guitarist to come up with the parts he comes up with. I'm not even a huge U2 fan, but I don't like it when he gets put down just because he doesn't play really fast.

Good post man. I'll take innovation and writing guitar parts that enhance and suit the song over shredding any day. Hey we all like different things though. (and I'm a crap guitar player so I'm probably biased ).

 

[cstockdale]

indeed. I'll take the Edge's chunka-chunka with delay and ebow any day over Satch-masturbation

 

[jfrog]

indeed. I'll take the Edge's chunka-chunka with delay and ebow any day over Satch-masturbation

that's gotta be the quote of the day....

I think he's one of rock's true originals. For what it's worth...

Like him or not, he is original. And if his technique of playing to his delay pedal where as easy as it sounds, a lot of other people would be doing it too.