Pat Metheny Recordings

[djwayne]

With pics like that, you can interrupt our guitar talk anytime !!!

[Eagertone]

Originally Posted by ron florentine

Has anyone tried out any of the Ibanez Metheny archtop guitars.....was thinking of buying a new Jazz box and those look pretty cool.....i know there are a couple of differate models to choose from.


Ron Florentine
Soundswest Studio

I played one at that Sam Ash or somewhere up on Sunset... accross the street from that Hollywood Guitar Center... they had quite a few in stock. To be totally honest, the set up was crap. The action was way off for the guage strings that they had on it, so it was really hard to actually tell if it was a nice guitar or not. It didn't play well, but the sound was decent. There are better guitars to be had for $2K though.

You should cruise up there and check it out. I don't know if it's still in stock, or if that store's even still there; it was a few months ago. I'm in Mira Mesa, and it takes me less than 2 hours to ride up... trips up there are definitely the hole in my pocket though.

[cgarges]

Originally Posted by mds

Zero Tolerance is a weird one...I didn't have the nerve to ask Pat about it, but I'm sure he was just trying something new.

I was around when someone did ask Pat about it (and the commercials he did for Publix). He described it an an experiment in the resurgence of aggressive guitar that came about in the early nineties that we all know as the grunge movement. Interesting concept. After having heard him talk about it, the record made much more sense to me. I certainly appreciated it, but as a drummer, I didn't have much reason to keep it.

As far as the drum sounds on the Metheny recordings, they all sound pretty different, except that most of them have lots of flatride on them. That's got more to do with how Danny Gottleib and Paul Wertico played, if you ever saw them live with Metheny. I remember reading about one record in the late nineties where they did a sort of 3D thing with a spaced pair of C12s over the kit and a pair of C12As underneath those out of phase and like a FET47 on the kick or something. Sounded like a neat arrangement.

I'd love to hear anything anybody's got on the ECM recordings. Manfred is so protective of the technical end of those albums.

Chris Garges
Charlotte, NC

[borau]

Originally Posted by cgarges

I was around when someone did ask Pat about it (and the commercials he did for Publix). He described it an an experiment in the resurgence of aggressive guitar that came about in the early nineties that we all know as the grunge movement. Interesting concept. After having heard him talk about it, the record made much more sense to me. I certainly appreciated it, but as a drummer, I didn't have much reason to keep it.

I love that record. When I talked with Metheny about it, he described it as being some sort of monochromatic idea about a certain sound taken all the way.

I find it to be a very lyrical record. Check out the second track. Awesome.

Originally Posted by cgarges

As far as the drum sounds on the Metheny recordings, they all sound pretty different, except that most of them have lots of flatride on them. That's got more to do with how Danny Gottleib and Paul Wertico played, if you ever saw them live with Metheny.

Gottlieb was the one who told me about the spesifics of how involved Pat was with the drum arrangements. Specially the flatrides, which Danny doesn't use anymore........

[theblue1]

I'd like to select Metheny's guitar synthesizer for him. I'd select it out the back door and into the alley. And I'd have him loose all those dorky effects he's indulged in over the years.

There's no question the guy can play -- and on those rare occasions (from my admittedly reluctant listening) that Metheny just plays with a classic guitar tone, it can be quite nice.

But, geez, those synths and choruses and... agh.

[borau]

I agree with you about the Chorus and delays....

But the synth?


It's magnificent imo thumbsup

Roland Gr 300!

[cgarges]

Originally Posted by borau

Gottlieb was the one who told me about the spesifics of how involved Pat was with the drum arrangements. Specially the flatrides, which Danny doesn't use anymore........

He certainly used them out side of the Metheny gig. I know Pat's really specific about what he wants from drummers who play with him regularly (surprise, surprise). I remember him at a clinic in Miami pleading with all the drummers in the audience to get away from the backbeat. After hearing that, all those grooves on his stuff seemed to make more sense to me.

Chris Garges
Charlotte, NC

[johnlink]

This thread might interest some of you: http://gearslutz.com/board/showthread.php?t=76362

John Link

[jpupo74]

Originally Posted by johnlink

This thread might interest some of you: http://gearslutz.com/board/showthread.php?t=76362

John Link

Thanks!

Pupo

[Zeppelin4Life]

Sanchez has a great set sound. the yammy have a great tom low end. Methany however, eh. I always thought he had the most boring guitar tone in the history of the instrument. Scofield on the other hand. YEAH BABY

[mds]

I love it when old threads spring back to life...

[santibanks]

well then I'll bump this one up again...

I love most of the metheny albums and certainly love their live performances (though I never attended one... So pat and lyle meet up again and write the way down please )

What always struck me was that for all the backing stuff (all the percussion elements and other sounds) they use just a few mics but everything that goes trough it sounds so good.

The mic used to record the melodica is the same one they use for shakers, bells and other percussion elements but also horns. I wonder what mics are used. Anyone have a clue about the more general mics used on the 3 backingplayers?



And also I found this:
Metheny & Lucid

http://www.appliedmicrophone.com/end...ile/PatMetheny

PMGMW - 2002 Live Info

[doorknocker]

Wow, interesting that this thread has been resurrected as I just was about to post about Metheny:

I was down with a heavy cold for the last days but what really made me feel better again was receiving the new Metheny trio record 'Day Trip' feat. Antonio Sanchez on drums + Christian Mc Bride on bass. Recorded in ONE day. The playing is absolutely amazing! The first thing you notice is that you have to turn up the volume a bit, the CD is definitely not hyper-limited and therefore it has a really dynamic sound, that's pretty rare these days I guess.

Sanchez' drums sound great and his playing is unbelievable, so musical and joyful. As for Metheny himself, I think he has really outdone himself here. Pure flow and outpouring of great ideas, I guess 30 years of constant touring and exploration will make you achieve that......

The guitar sound (straight ahead mostly with just a bit of Guitar synth on two songs) is super-fat. It's his Jim Hall-inspired round jazz tone but it has a nice sparkle to it and therefore is subtle and powerful at the same time. There's a new version of 'Red Top' that Metheny did with Scofield and Sanchez does some absolutely ridiculous drum fills on it....

I'm one of these folks that really lean towards Metheny's old ECM stuff, especially regarding the PMG. And while I'm a huge fan of Brad Mehldau I also thought that his two recent collabrations with Pat were good but not great. But this one is killer IMO both musically and sonically.

Highly recommended!

[jimmyjimjim]

I LOVE Zero Tolerance For Silence.
One of the BEST and most rock'n rollrecords of the 90's imho.

[river]

I have heard he works his band to death rehearsing for weeks then jumps into the studio and knocks-out the tracking in a few days, is that true?

On my first studio gig in Boston back in 1979, we did a film score with the original PM Group for a documentary on scientific research that was to be shown in iMax theaters, called "The Search For Solutions". I guess it was a contrary experience in approach, they literally wrote the music on the fly in the studio, based on a scene list supplied by the movie producers. I believe the music from the soundtrack became the "American Garage" album, whichever album has the track "The Search" on it. It was and still is the highlight of my recording experiences, those guys were so great to work with, total pros and easy to get along with.

[fross]

Originally Posted by theblue1

I'd like to select Metheny's guitar synthesizer for him. I'd select it out the back door and into the alley. And I'd have him loose all those dorky effects he's indulged in over the years.

There's no question the guy can play -- and on those rare occasions (from my admittedly reluctant listening) that Metheny just plays with a classic guitar tone, it can be quite nice.

But, geez, those synths and choruses and... agh.

I empathize, but that's been his "signatrure sound" for quite a number years now.
It's the sound of Metheny.



Also, Are those a black pair of Octava MC013s as drum overheads in the Way Up concert DVD?

[john caldwell]

Live with Jim Hall on Telarc is a gold standard for performance and fidelity, I think. I don't know if it's in print. If this has already been mentioned I apologize.

[santibanks]

Hope to get the new album soon Heared a track on their myspace and I love it!

Though, the PMG is used to take songs on the road and develop them. A lot of stuff is written, played and rehearsed on tour. I have a collection here of demo tapes and also stuff they played as rehearsals on tour (im talking about the offramp sessions here). There are versions of songs that are pretty different from what ended up the album.

Its more since the later batch of albums (I think around imaginary day) that lyle and pat first write a whole bunch of ideas and then develop that further.
The way up for example was written in around 6 weeks I believe and then further additions added in the studio.

[videoteque]

BTW, has anybody heard 'Zero Tolerance for Silence'?
Still not sure if that was a honest artistic statement or just a quick F-off to Geffen!
Though I love him for having the balls to do it in the first place. Imagine a smooth jazz fan who only knows Metheny only by his melodic, softer stuff preparing for a candlelight dinner and putting on that record

The first CD I heard from Pat was "Secret Story", before listening other albums, I was talking with a friend who studied guitar...
Me: "Did you hear Pat Metheny???"
He: "I don't understand his music, I don't understand anybody MAY like him"
Me: "Why?? he is wonderful!!!"
He: "All those noises"
Me: "????" (I just heard "Secret Story"!!!!)
He: "Listen, I'll play the CD"
And he came back from his room with 'Zero Tolerance for Silence'...

He invented nowadays music!!!!!!!!

[Bassmankr]

The group is a text book example of how to play solos the right way! They work as a unit leaving plenty of holes and actually have a musical conversation with each other. The big thing to learn from their solos is "Tension and Release", how to build a solo over time instead of the tune being 100% full on start to finish (ala American Idol and alot of other things these days). Dynamics, what a concept LOL. Paul is kicking around Chicago these days, I saw him at Jazzfest this last summer. He's a great guy and if you wanted to do the leg work I bet he wouldn't be that hard to get in touch with to ask your recording questions. I got to play with him a few times with some loose jamming/recording before his time with Pat and remember what fun it was to play with such a creative musician.

[garysjo]

[/Quote]Also, Are those a black pair of Octava MC013s as drum overheads in the Way Up concert DVD?[/QUOTE]

Couple more of those around the kit if I remember correctly. David Oakes has been Metheny's live engineer for years and falls into the "additional band member" category in my opinion. GREAT live engineer!

It's also likely that he cut the trio CD with McBride as well, although i do not have it.

[blaugruen7]

YouTube - Pat Metheny "As it is" Live

[Surfkat]

A friend of mine was a student at Miami when Methany was there. My friend was starting his junior studying guitar there and thought he was starting to get good. Then Methaney shows up as a 18 year old freshman, sounding like he sounds with that chorus and delay and playing melodic solos. He said everyone at Miami was awestruck by the young kid, just blown away. He had the touch and his unique sound already. The rest, as they say, is history.