Resonate as well?
Stroman
Diamond Member
Yep, black dots top and bottom.
Bo Eder
Platinum Member
Yep. You still gotta understand, he was in the best studios with the best sound crews so his sound would always be great regardless of what he was playing. You could do regular ambassadors and that would be that Charlie Watts sound too evidenced in earlier Stones songs.
Chris Whitten
Platinum Member
IMO he had more of a signature way of playing than a signature sound.
Lunasee
Active Member
Like that 2 4 HH lift.
harryconway
Platinum Member
green glass drum
Well-known Member
Forget the heads......play simple and quiet. Swing a little......do not play the hi-hat at the same time you hit the snare. Very few fills. If you can aquire a "Keith Richards".......you may be getting closer.
timmdrum
Gold Member
Watts didn't begin the HH lift on 2 & 4 until sometime in the early to mid 70s. You can clearly hear the hats on the backbeats in "Get Off My Cloud" and numerous others from the era.
I think I recall reading that the reason he started it was to keep the hats from bleeding into the snare mic or vice versa on the backbeats, and/or he just came to not like the sound of both at once, preferring to hear the snare alone.
I think I recall reading that the reason he started it was to keep the hats from bleeding into the snare mic or vice versa on the backbeats, and/or he just came to not like the sound of both at once, preferring to hear the snare alone.
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BobC
Silver Member
This is true. You immediately know it's Charlie when you hear him.
I'd advise you to develop your own feel, time and fills based on what Charlie did than to try and get his sound.
equipmentdork
Junior Member
I'm not certain he did it until after Some Girls. Maybe it was during? I know Charlie a bit, but I'm no expert, can someone enlighten me?
I was in a Stones tribute for four years. My setup was Gretsch, SS badge, 22/12/16, Supra snare. Black Dots top/bottom of toms. UFIP Tiger Series China on my left. I can't recommend the Natural Series that CW used, a friend bought one and while it sounded good, it was way underpowered.
Dan
Lunasee
Active Member
I meant to type to lift on 2 and 4
David Hunter
Junior Member
I also used to think he started incorporating that hi hat lift around the time of the Some Girls tour (1978). But I've since found some footage of him doing it earlier (at least live). Here's an example from 1973:
PorkPieGuy
Platinum Member
When you sit down to play, pretend like you play in a really famous rock band but you'd rather be playing jazz.
Cmdr. Ross
Platinum Member
Best. Answer. Ever.
Charlie had that ability to put a swing feel into rock songs. Like how Mitch Mitchell did with Jimi. It's a skill I'd kill to be able to duplicate, but my linear-playing ass just can't get on board with how he did it.
I feel the jazz element is the key, so I need to get with the jazz scene more than I did before.
He was truly like no one else.