Michael Hedges Guitar

[biketrip]

If you follow Michael Hedges music (he is now deceased due to car accident [img]images/smilies/icon_frown.gif[/img] ) you know his innovative accoustical guitar, and sounds like he's playing 2 or 3 guitars at the same time. I had this idea of lowering my strings thinking I could accomplish his left hand hammering and right hand picking. It was of very little help. My next thought is there has to be a special string to play this style (I'm currently using a medium gauge D'Addario EXP), does anyone have thoughts better strings for accoustic or in general how to accomplish Michaels style of playing? I have a pickup and a decent amp and all, and I'm getting better at getting the rhythm going at the top of the neck and now I'm working on the picking part. Its not easy.

Does anyone have thoughts about what it takes to rig a guitar and get a Hedges kind of sound? By the way, you can pick up his tablature here.

[wahwah]

No idea! I have one of his albums...on the Wyndham Hill label I think. I just remember that the best thing about his music was not being able to recognise the chord voicings which was very different on the ear. Never knew he'd died...the best die young.

[KC_ArtRocker]

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biketrip said:
...Does anyone have thoughts about what it takes to rig a guitar and get a Hedges kind of sound?

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I was just thinking today about how I never have seen any mention of Michael Hedges on this site and then I see this post! He has been one of my top 5 guitar idols for about ten years. I think that I have all of his CDs and all of them in MP3 format (in case anyone would like to hear some of his stuff, email me). He pretty much never plays in standard tuning at all. That is part of his secret to his sound. One thing that helps acheive his sound is playing through a nice acoustic guitar amp with some fat-ass bass to it. I am attaching one of my favorite cover tunes that he would often play live (I saw him 3 times, once with Michael Manring, the bass player version of Hedges). Here is All Along the Watchtower......

[biketrip]

Thats a fantastic clip. I saw him in concert about 4 or 5 times and every time was amazing. I'll attach something from Taproot sometime. Its unreal. Glad to find some other fans.

[wahwah]

Check out Kelly Joe Phelps...not the same at all except for this amazing skill at re-interpreting old blues songs and a blues voice to die for. This guy is a one-off. Anyone who is Ry Cooder's favourite guitarist must be worth a listen. [img]images/smilies/icon_thumb.gif[/img] The one that kills me is called 'Katy' which is about a lovers pact to die together but he doesn't...chilling stuff.

[biketrip]

Thanks, I'll check him out

[biketrip]

Yeah, that guy is good. From the samplings I listened to I liked "Hobo's Son". Thanks.

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biketrip said:
Does anyone have thoughts about what it takes to rig a guitar and get a Hedges kind of sound? By the way, you can pick up his tablature here.

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Have you looked at http://www.nomadland.com? It has the equipment, pickups etc he used. There are also a few short video clips (very low resolution) of him playing at http://www.mediacast.com/Calendar/95-09-24/Hedges,_Michael/. I particularly like the harp-guitar.

The first time I heard him was All Along The Watchtower on a sampler album which blew me away. Sadly missed.

[biketrip]

Thanks a ton for that site. It led me to stropes.com and that has a ton of tablature from artists I like, Billy McLaughlin and Kottke. Course I dont plan on playing it all but its great to know its there [img]images/smilies/smile.gif[/img]