“He gets in big and gets out big”: The ultimate secret of Eric Clapton’s guitar solos, according to his most trusted guitar confidant
With an iconic blues drummer for a father, Doyle Bramhall II was surrounded by the greats from a young age. Over his career, he’s played with Roger Waters, Jimmie Vaughan and more – however, one of his most influential connections would come in the form of the legendary Eric Clapton.
An initial opportunity to collaborate with Clapton arose in 2000, when Slowhand personally asked Bramhall to work on his collaborative album with B.B. King, Riding With the King.
Not only did the record go on to win a Grammy for Best Traditional Blues Album, but it also marked the start of a collaborative partnership made in heaven, with Bramhall joining Clapton’s touring band and eventually co-producing his 2010 Clapton and 2013 Old Sock records.
Of course, the years of close collaboration have rubbed off on Bramhall. “There’s no way I can adequately describe what Eric has meant to me all of these years,” Bramhall tells Guitar Player. “The musical lessons he taught me have been immense, and I’m proud to call him my dear friend.”
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Most importantly, Clapton taught Bramhall that every second you’re on stage should mean something. “Everything he plays has a purpose,” Bramhall explains. “There are no throwaway lines.”
Specifically, Bramhall zeroes in on the gravity one of Clapton’s guitar solos can muster. In Bramhall’s words, his solos are “commanding”, with every note holding huge importance. “His notes are big,” he says. “There isn’t a lot of extraneous stuff, and even when he does get fiery, it’s always there for a reason. There’s emotion behind what he plays.”
“He also understands the arrangement to a solo,” he adds. “He gets in big and he gets out big. It’s like he’s making a real statement.”
When you make sure every single note counts, you’re instantly on to something extraordinary. “When you’re standing right next to [Clapton], you really feel it.” he reflects. “When a song builds to a crescendo, it’s like he’s rising right along with it… There’s always an urgency to what he’s playing. He’s taking you on a ride.”
Bramhall’s time playing with Clapton has also taught him a very vital lesson: when you’re performing with a guitar hero, you’ve got to prove that you’re worthy of standing beside them. “You get onstage with somebody, you’ve got to have the goods,” he explains.
Of course, it helps when your musical peers are so willing to extend a helping hand along the way. “I have to credit the people who brought me along, because they taught me the true spirit of musicianship, listening and collaborating,” he says. “I learned from the best, and that helped me go from one musical experience to the next!”
The post “He gets in big and gets out big”: The ultimate secret of Eric Clapton’s guitar solos, according to his most trusted guitar confidant appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.
Source: www.guitar-bass.net
