Martika - Toy Soldiers (Guitar Cover)

Excellent track and vocal work from, easily, the most talented member of that Kids Incorporated tv show. No, I didn't watch it as a kid and I only became aware of it in the early days of KZbin. Anyway, I didn't Leppardize this as there's already some great guitar work from, I believe, Mark Leggett. I tried to capture that typical '80's' clean tone so I used some detune effects in Logic to help. Still not quite how I would like it but I had to compromise a little in order to have the dirty sound I for the chorus and solos. But yeah, killer track and I think Martika is the only person to make that haircut look good... :P
I use a Jackson DK2 Dinky from 2004 (I removed the tone pot and moved the volume over) into a Boss Me50 (where I get my tone) into a Palmer Pdi-09 (which simulated a mic'd up cab) into a Focusrite Scarlett into my computer running Logic Pro X (where I add a little EQ and Reverb).
F.A.Q
My headphones are purposely like that so they stay out of the way. The cable is very long.
I'll be uploading my notation notes to my Patreon here / bwm5150 and if you are looking for custom tutorial content, then message me there or at my email [e-mail] . Let me help you get playing the music you love!

[@bwm5150]

Notation help available at my Patreon - www.patreon.com/posts/55713085

[@bluechip6596]

check out vow wow, it would be really cool to see a cover of the song "rock me now"

[@josephwilliams710]

Hey @bwm5150 my brother that was freakin' beautiful man , lol what's soooo ironic about this is I was just about to cover this today which I still am , and I came across your video here , You Totally Rock Brother , were definitely 80's kids man

[@jvidalw]

Say what you will, Keyboards, drum machines, whatever, but 80s artists were talented, even pop songs featured good guitar work and REAL SINGERS. the 80's ruled, period!

[@EphemeralProductions]

yep! often times even written by the singers themselves! BY themselves!

[@derekpillers8796]

That Bb in the chorus is everything 😍

[@iggycygnus7430]

Indeed. One note to possess so much emotion is almost criminal.

[@tak178]

This has always been one of my favourites. Martika doesn't get the respect she deserves. This is stellar songwriting.

[@sgguitar]

This atmosphere is really unique. Love this song!

[@gastonvidal8624]

True

[@koen6812]

OMG Ben. You did it! At last. Thank you.

[@blcouch]

First time I played this song was back in 2010 on my Jackson PC1 through a Rockman. The Rockman nails this song’s tone.

[@coreyparsons2946]

Really I would love to hear you play it through the Rockman, if you can make a video of you doing it.

[@silviolandi7680]

Another pearl from '80. Great mood and performance, you're the guitarist of 80 90, thank you my friend... Please don't stop you now, never

[@thefonzkiss]

Song is from 1988.

[@EphemeralProductions]

@@thefonzkiss he meant the 80'S (with an S) lol

[@heyg7819]

I always thought she was a Brit until I looked her up a while back. Being 51 this was in the wheelhouse back in the day. Nice work as usual!

[@OrangeLight08]

wound up listening to this all day long .. what a gem. cried alot. the frailty of humanity. good things coming. love conquers all

[@divinelotus19]

🙏🏼

[@hyenaswine]

you listened to it all day and cried a lot?

[@MrCarcass1978]

@@hyenaswine I cried all day, all night...........all year long.

[@gawainemellors]

Yet another guilty pleasure, totally on point, great stuff.........

[@999TheDaddy]

Really good and tasteful. Playing for the song and no overplaying.

[@biswajeetbaruah3549]

You are a Great guitar player ❤❤❤ Love your Tones 🎸🎸🎸🎸🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🤘🤘🤘🤘

[@thedonbros]

I'm old enough to rememberwhen it originall came out and it still a cracking song today. Excellent take well done

[@thomascook2771]

Well , here's a blast from the past. This song came out when I was 12. Loved it then and still do. Great tone again and again from you. It's so refreshing to listen to these older songs in a different way.

[@EphemeralProductions]

Came out in 88, i was about the same age, 14 I think. :)

[@drummingdanny84]

The single charted in July '89 and was #1 for two weeks in front of Madonna's "Like A Prayer".

[@elmensajero7295]

Me too, so young back then!

[@udyatbhanubaliyarsingh1090]

You're just so good, capture the spirit of every cover you do, so amazing!

[@scotabot7826]

Dude, are you like some secret LA session musician?? Seriously Man! Damn your Good!! You have it all!!

[@EphemeralProductions]

He definitely could have been, in the 1980s and even 90's, without a doubt. He has that level of playing.

[@jeremyscaggs7315]

Great song choice. Never realized how much guitar is in the song. Great job

[@GooseGumlizzard]

back when number one pop hits could still have heavy guitar in it. Good old days

[@The80sKidRox]

Good song. I remember from back in the day

[@tommykeyfer2804]

Beautiful song Ben!!! congratulations

[@robinstevens9189]

1989 represented! Great song at the time. Not overly keen on the Silversun Pickups remake despite being a huge fan of Silversun. SO happy to see and hear your guitar work on the original!! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@MrJudgeSauter1]

Hi. Another Patreon here. I play guitar over a decade, but the last few weeks I have learned so much from you just by watching....amazing. Thx for all the afford you put into your work!

[@bwm5150]

Very kind, thank you!

[@Grail1972]

I love this song!!! Great cover!!!!!

[@dyeph104]

Welcome to 80s! Where greatest and smooth music were produced.... Toy soldier by Martika was one of my meditation music when i was a child. Thanks for uploading it man.. 👌

[@kristinja81]

So beautiful makes me Wanna cry feeling my 80 s vibes ❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥

[@peterfranks7619]

Seriously, you are so talented.

[@tumbamarch89]

What a fantastic cover! Thank you for that sir!

[@las_adv]

This song has the spirit of the 80's. Martika's entire instrumental and voice are a masterpiece! Congratulations on the transcript!

[@christophernicholas1429]

"You have a beautiful soul.." 👌

[@annewick3287]

This is truly stellar!! Your tone has such a clean tone

[@coreyparsons2946]

bwm5150 Thank you Ben for this phenomenal cover of the song, Great job! and thank you for taking my request to cover this heartbreaking, but hauntingly beautiful song.

[@cal79]

Another epic cover...bravo

[@erickabner5694]

awesome choice and rendition, easily one of the most haunting and sweet tracks from late 80's, even for a rocker :)

[@benedettomansueto4016]

Wow ..... Truly awesome. So great appreciate your skills and art ☺️❤️

[@mowieboy]

I swear you cover my totally random, but awesome, playlist. When I saw this song, I was freaking out… Very cool.

[@mattswannie6651]

Perfect 80’s orchestration and guitar parts. Beautifully played

[@411rrc]

Thanks Damm Good guitarist, there are many out there but the attention to the notes played. Straight up your a DAM good MASTER GUITARIST

[@bwm5150]

Very kind, thanks!

[@matthesson5618]

The great ones always make it look so easy.

[@GooseGumlizzard]

awesome as always!

[@ojeffnoyoutube]

Great! I always loved the guitars on this song, your cover is perfect.

[@beachem1]

Outstanding. Few covers on this song anywhere. Truly pro work. This guys got a musical future

[@adrianmartin8153]

Ben great to c ya back.

[@cryptoninjaz]

My new fav. guitarist on you tube , you inspire me to be a better guitarist .

[@bwm5150]

Very kind, thanks!

[@leandrosantosgoncalves6065]

Bravo 👏 espetacular thank you music Martika

[@waynerussell2710]

Great song. You cover so many cool songs no one else touches. And your tone is killer.

[@Girthrockwell69]

Once again blowing my brain hole!! Another good song choice ...Well Done!!

[@Gallygoy]

Very good choice ;) one of my favorite.

[@joeym.delgado7144]

That's what a time machine sounds like.

[@Serpico1152]

Awesome cover, I first heard this song around 2000 and couldn't believe that I never heard it sooner being released in the late 80s, I don't know where the Hell I was then but I must have been in a coma or something for around 10-12 years? I had been thinking about this song a lot a month or 2 ago checking out all the other covers but as far as I'm concerned this one is definitely the best. I like listening to the drum playing covers as well and the slowed down with reverb edit versions too and like to tweak the speed + or - even more to pick up every drum hit or guitar note just as the song verse tempo speeds up.

[@JohnScott9000]

Good stuff. Never realised how well put-together this song is.

[@stellong4963]

Great tone man really

[@donseclad]

Absolutely brilliant, love this song and love this video of it

[@MrGhostman666]

Fantastic work Ben. Beautiful to see that song writing and playing is so much about the vibe and restraint too.

[@bradforward850]

You sure pick some interesting tracks

[@znelson32]

Impeccable taste in music!

[@re6035]

Great stuff. Never heard that song.

[@luzimarferreira2000]

Great tune bro, one of my favourites, you have a wonderfull musical taste! Nice playing too!

[@divinelotus19]

I love all the covers you play but my gosh. This one. THIS ONE! Did it for me. (I subbed) Yes I'm a female and I lost touch with my guitar. I miss those days 😪. I still have it, since I was 15. I'm now 38. Maybe I should pick it up and start over again. It feels like I'm going to relearn how to walk. 🙏🏼

[@bwm5150]

Thanks! If I can make you pick it up again, then that’s great to hear. Give it go!

[@divinelotus19]

@@bwm5150 Everything is so new. What electronics do you use? I use to use just straight AUX cable to an Amp. There are so many options today. Wow, guitar has come a long way since I picked it up.

[@bwm5150]

@@divinelotus19 my set up is in the description. It’s relatively simple and quite primitive now.

[@ExplosionDestroyer]

Another 80s pop masterpiece. I love the atmospheric vibe that songs like this have. Between the keyboards and the clean guitars I don’t know which one I love more. That’s more of a reason why I’m so addicted to 80s pop in general. Once again great playing as usual.

[@daztastic147]

I don’t play guitar but know this song very well and that sounded ace, really classy song choice for a guitar cover, played superbly, love it!👏🎵🎶

[@RolandZertuche]

Awesomeness.

[@andrewaupaau.2312]

Damn that was nice bro, thank you 🤙 KISS

[@johnconnor8074]

That outro though

[@michaelcassidy9577]

Thanks again! Loved it!

[@elprofedebiolo]

this is one of the most iconic masterpiece of the 80s.. u did it as always... stunning!!... you are right.. Legget did the guitar, Greg Smith on the keyboards and produced by Michael Jay, PD. you can always leppardize it...

[@bwm5150]

I mention in the description that I felt it didn't need Leppardized as it has cool guitar already.

[@lajas44]

Awesome bro. This surprised me. Really nice play.

[@yoshitotamano]

Great song, great tune, awesome to listen to. Your additions, simply delightful. Masterpiece.

[@angelaferkel4942]

Love this Song! Reminds me of my youth. It was such a great Time 😌

[@bgrmd]

As always, AWESOME!

[@st0n3p0ny]

Excellent!

[@OHSteve5150]

Yes!!!! ✌🏻

[@Wyckerman]

Loving that clean tone.

[@zoyarennka446]

Awesome guitar

[@stevebremner2441]

Amazing... simply class.

[@whatstpoint3867]

Fabulous tone 👏👏

[@whatstpoint3867]

I would be very interested in a Pink Floyd cover. Harmonics and bends would be very interesting

[@EphemeralProductions]

Classical 1980's electric guitar tone. :)

[@aminahmed2220]

This is a fantastic guitar cover

[@Briansgate]

Great guitar!

[@derkaferkrue238]

Beautifully done

[@santiagomunoz1111]

Killer tone and sentiment!

[@reneewoolery3755]

Wow!!!!🔥 🔥 Aaaaamazing!!☺🤗👍

[@brandonevans3143]

Wow man you are pretty great I originally found you off of Def Leppard covers Def Leppard is one of my favorite groups from the '80s just have to say you are one talented guitarist

[@jerrystatic256]

Forgot about this song. Watching the guitar on it brings it new life to me.

[@davidvanberkel5599]

Great job 🔥👍

[@EssayKappone]

Great men

[@MrCarl5150]

YESSSSSS!!!! I listened to this awhile ago when I want down the rabbit hole of Tom's Diner, Fast Car and others. Just a hint of Love Bites in the intro to me ...BA👍💪🍻

[@rodase5]

Man your guitar sounds incredible ! Many thanks for sharing 😊

[@hemibass]

Really incredible playing dude. Loved it

[@martinkguitarcover4933]

This sounds fantastic! Nice job

[@avrilrocks3607]

Amazing work as always!!! Also been loving how you upload so often!

[@user-by5iy5vu7d]

Beautiful

[@alexguitarfan6447]

Superb clean rhythm guitar parts and lead solo you did a great job there... always enjoy your videos.. please have a look at the great 80s clean rhythm parts in 'Higher Love' (1986) by Steve winwood there cool... thanks:)

[@diegoana1230]

Beutiful version bro 😃

[@zanmarinic]

WOW! flawless playing man! Bravo! Gained a Subscriber ;)

[@markshone4606]

absolutely awesome my man and that tone is perfect

[@rchesnutt9850]

I had that same Jackson and I miss it

[@douglasyoung3541]

Awesome!

[@keropiboy]

very nice, i love this song... great idea in making this video.

[@KAUSIcovers]

Great job man! Cheers!

[@joshuaprejean5567]

Superb!

[@bill358]

Gate reverb is the key to the soul.