Alan Murphy style solo (@2'05") - Chasing his guitar sound and style II . . .

Unfinished demo from 1988. Mainly Murphy style clean sounds using an Aria Esprit and Roland GP8 DI'd. Sound reference is Go West's "Don't Look Down". The solo sound is way off - I didn't have the Boss GL100 here and so no speaker emulation - we DI'd and EQ'd as much as poss. Typical Murphy style trem use. Solo starts around 2'05"
Realistically no one can match Alan - it's always just attempts! Sorely missed - RIP

[@theunionbeats1]

this is unbelievable. this is my dream tone...

[@yagamei]

Awesome, awesome job. Great to see someone honour one of the truly unsung masters of guitar. People rarely understand how difficult it is to do what Alan does with ease - complicated, creative and memorable guitar parts embedded in pop tunes with a radio-friendly sentimentality. You've done a fine job capturing that song-first attitude he excelled at here.

[@SanthoshKumar-df8vx]

nice track and solo... it reminded me of Mr.Mister, songs like "Welcome to the real world", "Tangent Tears", "Black to white". Mr.Mister guitarist Steve Farris was another guy who played short and wild solos like Alan Murphy.

[@smashmash]

+Santhosh Kumar Thanks man. That whole ADT/chorus strat thing was just the 80s all over! Yeah I did like Steve Farris too - whatever happened to him?

[@SanthoshKumar-df8vx]

yes.. sad steve farris stopped playing.. but i think its better this way.. because we could at least remember them the best way they were... i say this because i recently heard Journey's new song "City of hope" the end solo and rhythm section sounds exactly like played by John Petrucci.. funny to see his influence on Neal Schon..

[@twangbarfly]

Phew! Absolutely top notch playing there! Thanks for posting!

[@kels866]

Very very cool! Great playing. Love this!

[@prepn]

Great little track. Captures Alan Murphys style so well. Great feel to the chords and lead sound. I enjoy jamming along with this piece, only wish it was a bit longer. Well done with making this. Thanks.

[@smashmash]

Thanks man - really appreciate that. Happy New year

[@adamwatts4937]

Great tone . Guitar sounds great and secret will be DI - ing it straight into the desk with effects.

[@victortheguitarnerd]

From 2:07 - 3:04 is pure heaven, both tone and playing. Absolutely beautiful!

[@smashmash]

Thanx man

[@MrSwanny66]

Great job, sounds fantastic

[@johntguitar]

total 80's.. I love it :-) Just bought a GP8, looking forward to going retro. Thanks for the demo.

[@PROGNUT777]

Brilliant. So close it's spooky...well done

[@smashmash]

@undisputedtheband The chiming sound is Go West's mid 80's guitar sound and mainly down to the guitar, an Aria RS Esprit, which had Aria's own pickups &active pre-amp. A very unique clean sound I've never heard on any other guitar. Rare as hens teeth these days so your best starting point is a Strat bridge/mid (position 2 on a 5 way selector). Plenty of compression, I think I used to use around 35/40 ms delay on the chorus. Longish reverb with pre delay around 70/80ms. MUST be DI'd!

[@smashmash]

A mate of mine had - still has in fact - an RS850 which was forerunner. It’s a through neck fixed bridge with what appears similar pickups and active circuitry with the same toggles but it sounds nothing like an Esprit.

[@j.o84]

Fantastic...

[@robertbarrientos4865]

He was the driving force behind Go West. No matter what he did in his private life one bad mo fo on guitar all respect RIP

[@PROGNUT777]

Tune !! Love that hyper clean

[@smashmash]

Lee Stewart-Jones cheers bud. DI'd all the way!

[@laurentquintana262]

Well done.

[@brianjesic4716]

thankyou for your kind comment and intrest in the cd I brought. how ever I still like this track and I want it. I enjoy listening to all this instrumental music of the 1980s. how ever if this your piece of music it is very good indeed. and I wood go out and buy it. another artist I like is david roach. but he is more jazz style. how ever alan murphy did some sort of remix with david from the LP the talking city 1984. the track was called nerja.

[@NotMarkKnopfler]

don't know why you say the solo tone is way off. it sounds awesome. you totally nailed it.

[@stevetaylor6488]

Cracking effort bud.

[@smashmash]

Thanks Steve

[@ChipRobertsOfficial]

Man, I got a GP8, I HAVE to get these clean settings.

[@alexhaan4225]

You should sell this backing track, I would gladly purchase it. Incredible rendition!

[@adamwatts4937]

That is certainly close to Alan's sound very well done.

[@borgiaz]

Thank U! bye!

[@smashmash]

@borgiaz Sorry I sold the gp8 back in 93/94 and my meory isn't that good! It probably would've been compression then turbo overdrive (was never a fan of the DS distortion) - it was DI'd and then severe lo-pass filter (at a guess 4K?). Anyway, good luck!

[@stevemountford3707]

Sounds amazing. Any info on what effect is on the clean? Pickup selection etc?

[@smashmash]

Long time ago but as I remember I used bridge pup (Or whatever the switch to right position was on the Aria Esprit), compression, chorus, ADT delay - I think maybe 30/40ms, digital verb and straight in DI. No speaker cab or SIM- it was full range signal

[@fernandes5986]

Astonishung good sound and the chorus is to die for. Is it a Dimension D emulation?

[@smashmash]

Hi no the chorus is from GP8. Probably 20ms or more delay, slow speed and about 50% depth....but it's over 30 years ago(!) so don't quote me o that!

[@babyalex6969]

Love finding your channel. Am a HUGE Alan Murphy fan. Are you still using the Esprit at all these days? If so, do you still use that original stock bridge?

[@smashmash]

Brian Alex hi again! No Esprit long gone. This was the act3 trem- Arias take on floyd. A right string snapper due to how they were clamped at the bridge end. I fitted a Kahler flyer later - most expressive trem I've ever used. Killed sustain though!

[@smashmash]

@Fluffy Bunnykins I sold it a few years ago.

[@smashmash]

@Fluffy BunnykinsYes it's still in the UK but I haven't got purchaser details any more. I took the guitar to Martyn Booth while I had it, a nice reuniting. He did full fret level, crown and polish and sorted Every thing- he said there was evidence it had had different pick ups at some point. The guitar was originally bequeathed to Nick Ramsden when Alan died.

[@smashmash]

There was a card from Chas Chandler with a note to Alan with the guitar. It went with the DVD of Princes trust concert and 3 magazines with Alan interviews

[@smashmash]

@Fluffy Bunnykins The new owner is a huge smurph fan - it will be well cared for - he was over the mòon. I've actually been privileged to have played Alan's main sunburst Squier. It was left to John Hill (who put together the Fender Hot Squad that introduced Alan to the Superchamp). Alan had been experimenting with pickups and it has Reflex reds as he left it. I can tell you that a) I was very nervous plating it and b) the action was set high which surprised me. John knew what a fan I was and it was an incredible gesture to let me play it. This wouldve been around 92/93. He showed me some press clippings from the time talking about the funeral - Gary Husband played a piano piece. Not ashamed to say it moved me to tears. I still visit his geave from time to time. It was John who was making moves to instigate an AM signature strat.

[@borgiaz]

Great lead tone! Do you have the patch for the gp-8? I am a big fan (I have three of them...).

[@sonicaids]

So did you have this going straight into a desk or was there a active DI box in between?

[@NeilJacksonGuitar]

The chord stabs that begin at 0:51 secs, how do you get that super clear, almost pingy kind of sparkling clean string sound? I've been trying to replicate it. I'm going DI with a strat in bridge/middle position. And I've got a compressor with the threshold up very high, plus some chorus and reverb. Still sounds nothing like it lol!

[@smashmash]

Jeez it's over 30 years ago! What you're doing is right. The swell is down to large pre delay on the verb. As I remember the only EQ was that of the GP8 - the crucial missing part is the Esprit was active and had that unique sound because of that plus the angled pup is the middle not the bridge. All I can suggest is using pre amp (No speaker sim) and bring up around a tight we around 7 or 8khz

[@smashmash]

Oh and bring a bit of 500hz up. Also the chorus had something like 40ms delay setting so you get that ADT type thing going on

[@smashmash]

Should also add that the Aria Esprit middle pup is always on. There was a three way selector switch like a Les Paul - middle selection (What you can see Alan using live) was all three pups on BUT the big difference over strat is that the whilst the bridge and neck pups sit at full height close to strings, the middle pup sits almost flush with body. In other words, position 2 on a regular strat is not going to get the sound. You'd need all three pups on and the middle pup screwed in towards the body!

[@smashmash]

@Fluffy Bunnykins really? When I raised and lowered it it did make a difference to the tone. I packed out behind with rubber at one point to bring it up. But it was a loooooong time ago. And maybe the fact it wasn’t supposed to be height adjustable confirms what you’re saying.

[@smashmash]

@Fluffy Bunnykins I do remember I removed the flashing LED circuit because you heard the pulse on high gain tones. I replaced with always on blue led which were quite new at the time. Maplins finest. Thought it looked cool with the blue of the guitar!

[@brianjesic4716]

I have recently brought SFX featuring alan murphy. I paid almost 22 pound for it. but it was worth every penny. however this track is not on it. alan murphy has left us with some great music that I enjoy listening to. RIP

[@smashmash]

Hi Brian - sorry if I've misled but this is one of my own unfinished demos. Alan was a massive influence and I spent far too much time and energy trying to capture even a small part of his style. There is Facebook page called Alan Murphy (not the rip one!) which has loads of links to Murphy rareties. Check it out

[@lukather1]

Why have I only just found this ? Any thoughts on what he played live I saw him with go west years ago and he blew me away ? What are your settings ?

[@smashmash]

Live set up woth Go West well documented in Guitarist interview back in the day. Combo of Squier Strat, Aria RS Esprit and Fender Superchamp, plus rack delay verb, JBL full range cab, and Dimension D chprus. My settings? I recorded this around 1987 so no chance if remembering lol!

[@lukather1]

@@smashmash Was he using the JBL in a wet dry for effects ?

[@smashmash]

No it was for the hyper clean tone

[@lukather1]

@@smashmash So no amp on clean direct and effected ? 😎🤔

[@sethnayle123]

Do you know the specs for the pickups?

[@SanthoshKumar-df8vx]

a new SFX page on facebook ~ facebook.com/SFXJazzFusionBand/

[@imemyself2820]

I remember being a big fan of Kate Bush he was her favourite studio guitarist. Thats the only thing I know him for.