The Police - Synchronicity II

[@YesuAiNimen]

Every little thing he plays is magic.

[@localbod]

💯🎯 👍

[@glyntaylor49]

Absolutely

[@Semiam1]

Andy blended so many styles. Awesome guitarist.

[@aaron2709]

Damn. Andy doesn't get enough credit. Such unusual, unpredictable arrangements.

[@Denis-gd8yq]

A great tasteful guitarist, without a doubt.

[@dusty3913]

If I had to describe Andy Summers’ guitar playing in one word, it’s: textural.

[@danrebeiz4598]

You don’t have to shred to be a great guitarist. There are so many guitar heroes like Summers that may not makes anyone’s top 10 guitar players list, but I can’t tell you have many bands and producers actually prefer players like Andy that spend their time making the song sound great rather than looking for the guitar solo break. This guy is fantastic.

[@BlueBeeMCMLXI]

He's been a member of some of the most influential bands - all different in theme.

[@TheWideBoy]

@@BlueBeeMCMLXIjazz trained musicians are often the best in the business it’s no surprise that Andy works so well in any band he’s been in, because he himself is Jazz trained.

[@jonasnyberg4697]

I totally agree that Andy Summers is one of the most creative and best guitarists in the world. He is mine number one.

[@Denis-gd8yq]

You're absolutely right. Taste and versatility.

[@kimikoskinen8299]

Andy is one of the greatest guitar players of our time.

[@QBtracksandstuff]

Absolutely right 👍

[@birdman4274]

Classically trained

[@jonasnyberg4697]

I totally agree!

[@bellbrass]

The outro chords get me, every time. They are just brilliant.

[@AltonW521]

Andy always lays down some great guitar tracks. He always seems to know what the song needs.🎸🎵

[@otiago1979]

Andy Summers is fantastic. He and Robert Fripp are my favorites. Clever guitar players. And they made 2 great albums together! Synchronicity II is just beautiful.

[@diegopeart]

League of Crafty guitarists is awesome, too

[@otiago1979]

@@diegopeart I agree

[@riccardoarrivabene2177]

I advanced masked

[@otiago1979]

@@riccardoarrivabene2177 I Advance Masked and Bewitched. Fantastic works . Wish they did one more project together.

[@Denis-gd8yq]

Agree 100%. This song is great. Andy Summers is a great guitar player and Fripp is so creative.

[@arthuroliveira4326]

andy is a master on tone settings there is not a single song or live performance that his guitar sounds bad one of the most underrated guitarists of all time

[@maxhenry9724]

He’s a master. No one underrates him.

[@danguee1]

@@maxhenry9724 He is fairly highly rated - but not rated as highly as he should be. That is literally the definition of 'underrated'. It doesn't mean people think he's crap - just that the public and even fellow guitarists - ie most people - don't rate him high enough.

[@Transport-rg7dz]

聴いていて心地良くなる演奏ですね！gj！

[@danguee1]

I've always loved his stuff. But now - in my 60s - more and more appreciate that he was driven by one thing: to *_make the song sound great...._* And, boy, doesn't he succeed in that! Little or no ego - unlike almost all of my other favourite guitarists

[@sca1871]

This is what it's all about

[@The.Last.Guitar.Hero.]

Andy Summers a total hero of mine

[@joseantonioalonsofernandez7758]

En un solo tema hace lo que muchos guitarristas no hacen en años.Grande Andy y el que nos ha regalado esta joya, gracias por compartir!

[@QBtracksandstuff]

My pleasure 👍

[@GAoctavio]

4:16 I know most people identify Andy with his arpeggios but to me his guitar "whole note overtone chords" though less impressive are more influential. It was in every 80s song

[@GAoctavio]

It also took some balls to play like that, cause in the late 70s, early 80s, the kind of guitar playing that was popular was the complete opposite

[@KurtColville]

He has the full palette. He knows when to reach for those exotic jazz chords and when a simple major chord is the perfect choice. His taste is impeccable.

[@davidmckenzie420]

Always loved this song--because of the guitar work. So nice to hear this.

[@eduardorajabally28]

Killer tones. Loved the acoustic guitar bits. Andy is genius!

[@christuxford4462]

I love the clean part off the front pickup. Really rich tone.

[@thomasnelson5758]

Andy Summers is a genius and one of my favorite guitar players of all time. Underrated in the grand scheme of rock guitarists

[@maxhenry9724]

He’s a genius and he isn’t underrated by anyone who knows his work.

[@thomasnelson5758]

@@maxhenry9724 Keywords: "In the grand scheme". In your everyday conversation with other guitarists, you'll hear Beck, Page, Clapton and others far before you'll hear Summers (not in my book, but again, to the average person)

[@maxhenry9724]

@@thomasnelson5758 I agree. Those are people who just echo what they have heard. You never hear those people say Chet Atkins either. I do understand what you are saying.

[@danguee1]

@@maxhenry9724 You'll always get this response whenever someone correctly comments that a particular musician is underrated (clue: "...in the grand scheme...")

[@danguee1]

@@thomasnelson5758 Haha - Clapton! Clapton can't hold a candle to Andy. Not when it comes to The Music.

[@rickbort7875]

My favorite song on the album, and Andy Summer's guitar is the main driver of the song. I know Sting has sole songwriting credit, but I doubt he came up with the very complex and inventive guitar parts and arrangements (same with Stewart Copeland's drum parts). Police songs like this, IMO, the band composed the music, not just Sting.

[@jamesrichardson645]

I'd recommend listening to the demo tapes. Boy they really improved it. It's a whole different song. All of them in this album.

[@80sandretrogubbins25]

Well he claims that he came up with the arrangements but Andy added his magic to them.

[@haysfordays]

I hear the Gibson Chet Atkins nylon. The first time they punch it in...whoops.. Second time is smooth. The verse/pre/chorus parts are just so great. Beautiful airy but strong chords. Oh, man, the outro. Brilliant. and the growing wash behind. Bravo and thanks.

[@_6079SMITH]

Bloody hell, that's totally amazing. Never heard Sync 2 guitar isolated before. The sounds from the solo send shivers up the spine. Great work.

[@bryede]

1:15 During this transitional part, I like how he gets slightly in front of it and drives it forward.

[@KurtColville]

Yeah, that was an interesting stylistic choice. You don’t hear that a lot so early in the song. Usually guys wait until they’re right on the beat.

[@carlostejada1479]

Great!!! I wish I could hear this many years ago when it meant a lot to me.. There're things here that I've never heard on the original track...

[@QBtracksandstuff]

It`s a great insight for sure

[@zedcarr6128]

I think that every album should include some isolated instrument tracks at the end for us to enjoy. Check out John Entwistle of The Who isolated bass track on You Tube.

[@jonezy6056]

This is awesome! Really demonstrates how much interplay there is between all the instruments. Everyone gets their moment but they also combine to great effect

[@danielpan5147]

The three amigos... :) Thanks for the edit...

[@sca1871]

This has inspired me to begin a track of layered and textured guitars of my own that sound badass together just like this

[@QBtracksandstuff]

I'd love to hear it when you done 👍😃

[@Chafflives]

Very insightful. 👍

[@henrystevens2258]

The lyrics are are genius as well

[@Cogs5149]

I like the guitar effects during the part "Many miles away.....". Wonder what he's using, there.

[@LauraMunoz16986]

geniale!!! 🎶🥰

[@ibassnote]

Great to hear this artistry

[@EPriamo]

amazingartist

[@Jluck78]

He served the song

[@mp4-27d2]

That was awesome, thanks! I’ve always liked the guitar in that song, especially the bit at the end, it’s hard to hear in the full mix.

[@QBtracksandstuff]

Andy is an amazing player

[@olozacho8392]

One of my favourites to play. Thanks for posting,this will be really helpful

[@JohnnyBeane]

Andy's the man!

[@JRAFF145]

Truly great - especially at the 01:39 mark

[@hardtohandleweddingbandent8653]

Kind of like a companion piece to "Shambelle".

[@KurtColville]

Such a great track. Highly underrated.

[@tufty7026]

Shambelle feels like a modern film noir score.

[@MovingBlanketStudio]

Great production of the track as well as its performance. I love how each part was treated differently. One part is predominantly reverby, the next delayed, then chorused. The refrain at the end has that washed out effect gradually increasing in volume to build tension. It all adds up to a really engaging listening experience- and that's without all the other awesome instrumentation- amazing!

[@pasodeminick]

Now wonder why Robert Fripp and Andy Summers sticked so well altogether.

[@daveg1431]

Fuck. He is a Genius.

[@dwaynejessome1728]

YESSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!~

[@titidiz6343]

Sounds simple and ordinary but when you add all the other noises and voice,you can see the genius of sting

[@aro9462]

At 1:39, 2:39 and 4:06 to the end, is that a finger-picked nylon string acoustic? It's an incredible sound!

[@KurtColville]

It sounds like it’s run through his Roland guitar synth. You hear a similar sound on his albums with Robert Fripp.

[@TheWideBoy]

It’s a Gibson Chet Atkins Classical Electric.

[@MsAussie83]

2:51 I didn't know a guitar could sound like a screaming woman! How did Andy do that, I wonder?

[@bikerernie01]

He pressed his whammy bar until the strings are totally loose and magnetically "glued" to the pickups. If you let the whammy bar slowly relax again, the strings unglue themselves and make screeching noises like the ones you hear in this song.

[@MsAussie83]

@@bikerernie01 I wonder if that's how the laser-like sounds at the beginning are made.

[@toadwiiremotewithwiimotion1767]

​@@MsAussie83I heard from somewhere that they sampled the sound of Andy breaking a string somewhere in there

[@MsAussie83]

@@toadwiiremotewithwiimotion1767 Is that what makes his guitar sound like a screaming woman? I'm confused!

[@Matthew-ez4ze]

There are four different parts spliced together. He dives bombs the whammy bar and slowly brings it back up. He rakes his pick across the strings above the nut, he is also running his pick and hands across the strings to create a crazy amount of beautiful chaos.

[@N2F1]

Love this track!! Some kind of pitch-shitter on the main intro chord figure and reprise? Sounds like a twelve string (sort of) but it's not

[@antonioluna4688]

Lo dominante de este tema es precisamente la guitarra y toda la vida me fascinó por ella. Genio.

[@Pimp-Master]

Nice!

[@xensboy1]

For the first time, I hear flamenco - and Lorca's soul! -- on this track.

[@localbod]

I've had the chance to record in a few professional recording studios. This song must have sounded absolutely huge on playback in the studio.

[@guyjones3665]

Great playing...

[@Micael0A]

Is this a tele or a strat?

[@andyo2318]

In "Synchronicity II" guitarist Andy Summers "forgoes the pretty clean sounds for post-apocalyptic squeals and crashing power chords", writes Matt Blackett in Guitar Player magazine.[12] Summers recalls how the feedback was created: "So I was in the studio with the Strat and two Marshalls full up, waiting for them to run the track. I put the headphones on and started messing around with the feedback, really giving it one... six minutes of screeching with my life passing before me on the guitar!"[13]

[@andyo2318]

In One Two Testing magazine (December 1983) Andy Summers explains how the guitars were recorded. He used the Stratocaster, double tracked twice, with maybe a Les Paul in one place. He recorded the basic track, overdubbed one section and then took out the original in that part. The middle part ("The Loch") was recorded with the Stratocaster and two Marshalls full up. Andy put the headphones on waiting for the control room to run the track for him. He started messing with the feedback - six minutes of screeching - not knowing that the tape was already rolling. On the LP version they used parts of this six minutes of feedback - with the main guitar riff being faded in halfway through the instrumental middle section.

[@matiasmoulin2126]

I never realized that there's actually an acourstic in there.

[@sgmeta]

Amazing work!!! How did you get this? It sounds really clean

[@TheGael128]

could you please do wrapped around your finger next ?

[@QBtracksandstuff]

I'll have a look to see if I have it. If not I'll post more The Police material 👍

[@TheGael128]

@@QBtracksandstuff thank you bro !!

[@QBtracksandstuff]

@@TheGael128 I've had a look and asked around but 'Wrapped Around Your Finger' is a no go at the moment but we'll keep searching 👍

[@TheGael128]

@@QBtracksandstuff thank you bro i appreciate it either way !

[@DavisReed218]

Does anyone know what guitar he recorded this on? My ears are telling me it’s the strat.

[@awightviewuhs6103]

probably a tele. i think andy played teles.

[@DavisReed218]

@@awightviewuhs6103 he did for sure play teles but he was also accustomed to play his ‘61 strat around this time. Just seems to have that strat sound to me, but for all I know I could be mistaken.

[@awightviewuhs6103]

@@DavisReed218 ok. I am honestly not sure.

[@tufty7026]

Sounds like his ?61 Strat to me. Of course in the vid he was playing a weird ?Ritter guitar…

[@DavisReed218]

@@tufty7026 I agree. I think it’s the strat for sure.

[@patrickdempsey7952]

ok, i've been a Police fan my entire life. I was 7 when the band started and my brother 10 years my senior introduced me to The Police when their first album came out in 1978. They were my favorite band growing up. I know A LOT about their lives, careers, and music. So, just hear me out. To me this clip isn't quite right. In the opening sequence of the album version of Synch II, Andy is going back and forth on the B string from the 12th to the 10th fret as played in this clip. But when Sting starts to sing "yaaaaaa, ohhhhh, ohhhhh' Andy plays a half-step jump from 12 to 9 on the B string when Sting hits the first 'ohhhhh' and on the second 'ohhhhh' Andy goes back to 12 and 10. And it repeats throughout the intro. In the sequence after the break/solo, Andy stays on the 12 to 10 to 12 to 10 and doesn't jump down a half-step to the 9th fret at this point in the song as he does in the intro. It's subtle. Also, the part during "mother chants her litany" is not syncopated correctly. The album version Summers is hitting his chords on the up-beat. This isolated track is hitting those chords on the down-beat. Compare these to the recorded version and you can hear what I am suggesting. This might be an isolated track from the song. But, it is NOT the isolated track from the album.

[@QBtracksandstuff]

Great in depth analysis 👍😃

[@KurtColville]

Indeed, very good analysis. I noticed a few oddities, too, but couldn’t pinpoint them like you did.

[@NagoyaHouseHead]

How does he get a clean guitar to sound so massive ? Any guitarists or producers who can help ? I have a recording coming up and I'd love a guitar to sound this fat.

[@Wizardboots]

Sounds to me like he's probably playing through two different amps. A great way to make a single guitar sound bigger.

[@londoncalling1757]

He always used chorus and delay, I get his sound with just a boss chorus and boss delay pedal, not that expensive but does the job.

[@NagoyaHouseHead]

@@londoncalling1757 Excellent thanks I will try it. My guess is that its that plus expensive tube driven amp heads.

[@londoncalling1757]

@@NagoyaHouseHead well you are probably right , but it seems to work through a simple practice amp unless you are going out live with it , other chorus classics and delay from the 80s purple rain , paradise city intro , 90s nirvana hit come as you are , I would say to anyone especially the purists you don't have to break the bank , and people like billy duffy out of the cult uses cheap boss pedals , kirk cobain used boss ds1 destortion pedal u can pick them up secound hand for as little as 30 pounds hope this is helpful .

[@NagoyaHouseHead]

@@londoncalling1757 Very cool bro

[@zeeeeroin9981]

Any one else see the similarity in part to king crimson?

[@QBtracksandstuff]

I'll check it out 👍

[@jarfrobinksss]

can SOMEONE upload stems of Syncronicity I? WAY more interesting song...those complex vocal harmonies would be amazing to hear solo! CMON

[@QBtracksandstuff]

@@jarfrobinksss I'll have a look for you

[@QBtracksandstuff]

No go I'm afraid

[@fuzzcous]

Similar to do EVH's rhythm work on 1984. Imo

[@BlueBeeMCMLXI]

The Classical Nylon string is a welcome switch away from the electricuted things

[@TheKinoEye]

It's the angular guitar for me. Where are the overused rock power chords, that Gibson sound and the unnecessary rock solo shredding?

[@ASparkleross]

Right? His playing is so layered and atypical.

[@KurtColville]

A truly original artist.

[@cgeorge6786]

He is short in stature.

[@trabrex7697]

Hugh Padgham approach it’s to wishy-washy for the police. it gets even worse stings first solo album.

[@heronpachecocrego7735]

Andy!!!! 😊🤘♥️🇧🇷