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Thread started 01/05/21 8:40pm

FasterThan67

very specific Prince guitar effect?

for any guitar-knowledgeable people here, i noticed that in many live shows Prince had a very specific sound that i think was produced with a guitar, and i think it sounds sweet. there are two examples i can think of off the top of my head:

the first is in the SOTT concert film. after the key change to Eb and the “DRUMMER DRUMMER” lines, there’s this loud almost screeching sound that i think is the guitar.

it also happens after the Father’s Song solo in the Syracuse 1984 version of Computer Blue. in the video, it’s as Prince throws his guitar and the stage guy catches it (like it’s nothing at all too).

i almost wanna just say it has to do with feedback and prince either using a flanger or phaser pedal, but i was wondering if anyone here has any ideas?
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Reply #1 posted 01/05/21 9:45pm

ForceofNature

You can create pretty much the same sound/effect by either letting the open strings ring out while activating the flanger pedal or creating a lot of transient noise (taking your fingers and running them up and down the guitar neck wildly with the flanger activated).


In the Computer Blue video for example, you can see Prince quickly step on the flanger pedal and the effect activating a second before he throws the guitar to the tech, the open strings ringing out wildly because of that with the flanger effecting it

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Reply #2 posted 01/09/21 12:25am

ian

Agreed, just a flanger, with the strings ringing out. It's a gimmick Prince relied on throughout his career as a way to end a solo with a bunch of noise. Personally I'm not a fan.

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Reply #3 posted 01/09/21 10:22pm

FasterThan67

thank you both so much! for some reason i just really dig the effect and think it can be used really well, like for example how he used it at the end of Something in the Water at the 1984 birthday show. really just a cool sound IMO
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Reply #4 posted 01/12/21 12:12pm

steakfinger

It is specifically a Boss BF-2 flanger. Same pedal used on his detune LM-1 rimshots and countless LM-1 drum tracks.

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Forums > Prince: Music and More > very specific Prince guitar effect?