Okay so what is up with Prince's tame guitar solo's in the studio? I know that he wants seeing him live to be a totally differant experience but it just seems to me that he just totally holds back on a studio cut. One of the few studio versions of a song that has that "live flare" to its solo is Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad. Any one else have an opinion on this? Differing or otherwise?
[Edited 8/2/05 17:34pm]

He records so fast in the studio, he doesn't usually take the time to rework solo's.

squirrelgrease said:

Okay good point. But for someone that is so skilled on the guitar you would think that it would just have more...I guess feeling to it. Let me give you an example: When the Purple Rain solo starts with that gut wrenching bend on the 16th fret (I think) it sounds awesome. But then it trails off for like 15-20 seconds where as when he plays it live he just keeps the emotion going. She's Always In My Hair is another one where the studio solo to me sounds just very plain but when he plays it live it is awesome. Let's Go Crazy is another good studio version. A lot of them just seem to be lacking emotion.

Playing live is a much different experience than recording...Recording is much more of a chilled out atmosphere...live shows are full of nerve and emotion.2 different worlds really.

.....and also, if you've played a song (such as Purple Rain) 3,000 times. It's only natural that the solo changes over time.

I don't see anything wrong with his recorded solos...I think the recorded ones actually fit the songs better (as they should) they are planned out in an environment where there can be 100s of takes...

Prince has recorded some superb solo's, often they just don't have a promminent place in his songs, you sort of have to find them !
I found one just the other day in a Sheena Easton song !!


!!
[Edited 8/3/05 4:18am]

GOLD

This has a lot to with instrumentation.

Prince's studio recordings are often very "dense" with several overdubbed guitars, keyboards, drum loops etc. When playing the same songs live, it's hard to recreate the same density with only 4-6 instruments - especially nowadays, when he uses relatively little pre-recorded material. But by using a "big" guitar sound, with lots of distortion, delay and other effects (and also actually playing more!), he can cover up for the parts that are "missing" in the arrangements.

If he used his "live" guitar sound (and that way of playing) in the studio, it would probably take up too much frequency space, making it hard to add other instruments in a song.

For me, this is a sign of good musicianship, when someone not only acknowledges this problem, but also has the flexibility to adjust his playing to the different situations.

RealMusician said:

Very good point!

DirkFunk said:

I play jazz sax and my best stuff comes out when I play live. There's more nerves and danger there when you're in front of an audience for sure. I've never recorded in a studio but I doubt I would be as inspired in that enviroment.

Prince, himself, says that he doesn't show off on records because it allows him to greak it live.

I remember reading him say that he told John Blackwell to do the same thing.

Plus, much of Prince's music was very empty in terms of it's sound. Only now does it sound like he's always adding layers and layers of sound.

jayARDAHB said:

If you've only heard Prince albums on CD, check out all his stuff on vinyl. There's layered elements in there that are completely absent from the poorly mastered(For You through Diamonds And Pearls) CDs.

Good points all! I think what RealMusician said is very true. And Jay I didn't know that either. I am not saying I don't like Prince's studio stuff it is just that for me I have always been a guitar freak. And what dirk and souly said are absolutley true! Playing live is completey different. There is much more emotion live! I would just like to hear more of that stuff on CD. I guess it just makes it that much more special seeing him live for me then. I always look forward to the guitar work when I see him in concert.

Eddie Van Halen managed to rip up on record and live - it is possible to do both...

RobDogg27 said:

I agree about Why U Wanna Treat Me So Bad, but what do U think about the solo on Joy in Repetition on G - Bridge? If U dig it, there are actually guitars playing in layers there and the 1 w/ the distortion is on fire!

RobDogg27 said:

The album version of Purple Rain was recorded live at 1st Ave in 1983.
And I think there are enough examples where he rips the studio walls apart. Empty Room, Joy in Repetition, The Morning Papers, Live 4 Love, although he gets more loose live, of course.