PDA

View Full Version : Big Country "bagpipe" guitar sound?

bwc3000
03-02-2008, 05:02 PM
For years I've been trying to figure out how Stuart Adamson and Bruce Watson got that sound on the early Big Country records. I know they're using a lot of delay and chorus on some songs, but I've never been able to figure out what's giving them that overly-saturated, bagpipe-like sound. An octave divider of some sort? Just curious if anyone knows!
They've always been one of my favorite bands. It was great to see the rest of the band reuniting last year for some shows in honor of the band and Stuart's legacy. Hope they decide to come to the States one of these days!
Panacea
03-02-2008, 05:15 PM
I don't know what they used, but I heard a guy with an EBOW do that sound at a gig once. Maybe an Octave pedal would do?
pear gage
03-02-2008, 05:16 PM
ebow
Troy T. Blues
03-02-2008, 05:39 PM
Definitely an Ebow.
bwc3000
03-02-2008, 06:24 PM
Thanks, guys...I hadn't thought of the Ebow...I forgot it has that octave-up setting.
Good to see a response from Connecticut, too! I grew up in Oakville, just outside of Waterbury. When I'm visiting my folks this summer I'm hoping to hit one of my favorite guitar shops, Banko's in Ansonia...
jammybastard
03-02-2008, 06:52 PM
Big Country did use Ebows, but not for the bagpipe sound you hear on "In A Big Country". It was clean drive, sustain, that 80's verb and a lot of layering.

Here's a recent clip of BC's lead guitarist Bruce Watson playing "In A Big Country" with The Alarm.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4S2fHXHpjE (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4S2fHXHpjE)

They show closeups of Bruce playing the leads and there's no Ebow to be seen.

Same with this clip of the original band at Glasgow Green in '90.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8a6nuEFsLwA

Here's another clip of them playing "Lost Patrol" during the classic early '80s period, which is when I saw them...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CfdmFhFjKkA
LouRossi
03-02-2008, 07:35 PM
MXR Pitch Transposer
Jet Bycraft
03-02-2008, 08:50 PM
Check out my Electric Bagpipes...http://mp3space.com/stream.php?id=887
Lolaviola
03-02-2008, 09:55 PM
Careful arranging ...and maybe a little pitch shifting!
Realfi
03-02-2008, 10:03 PM
Careful arranging

Yep, arrangement, harmony and thematic phrasing
isfahani
03-02-2008, 10:05 PM
MXR Pitch Transposer

That and their orchestration...