You have composed a song. The arrangement is almost finished but you are still missing something. Something that really brings your song to the front. Yeah right, a few guitar tracks with guitar riffs:
Hire me as a studio guitarist for funky clean Strat licks, single-note patterns, wide 80ies-style chord arpeggios, crunchy palm-muted rhythm chords or a singing guitar solo à la Dan Huff, Mike Landau or Steve Lukather. All pre-recorded, precisely timed and with the right sound. Just import it directly into your DAW. You can also find audio examples here.
It's easy like this: Upload an MP3 file of your song with bpm information or attach it to the email; if necessary with some info and linked sound samples.
Shortly after that I will send you back an MP3 file with my recorded guitar tracks. If you like it and accept my conditions, I will send you the single tracks as a WAV file in the resolution and sample rate you specified. Then you can easily insert the tracks into your song.
My idols
Five of the most famous studio guitarists
I have listed five of my favorite studio guitarists here. Of course there are a few more studio guitarists but no other session guitarists have inspired me with their work like these five. The first generation of American studio guitarists includes Howard Roberts and Tommy Tedesco. They coined the term and the way of working of guitarists who were booked for recordings in the most important recording studios on the west coast of the USA in the 50s and 60s. To the second generation I would assign Jay Graydon. Who significantly influenced the third generation of guitarists listed below.
Jay Graydon
Jay Graydon is credited for 1237 recordings according to Discogs. This is the most important web listing for worldwide song credits. I was especially enthusiastic about his concerts with Al Jarreau, whom I saw live with him.
Dann Huff
Dann Huff is my favorit of all studio guitar players. He is listed at Discogs with 1421 recordings. Among them are the most successful artists of the 80s and 90s. Most impressive are both his countless solos and his particularly diverse guitar arrangements with a clean sound of the Fender Stratocaster and the use of the legendary effects units of the Tri-Chorus by Dytronics and the Eventide H-3000 Harmonizer. Here is a sound example of Christian Larsen. Today Dann Huff works as a record producer.
Michael Landau
Michael Landau was in the American studios at about the same time as Dann Huff. He too is featured on countless pop albums of the 90s and 2000s. On Discogs he is assigned to 1298 credits. Michael Landau still plays a lot of live gigs and tours with well-known artists or with his own band in jazz clubs.
Michael Thompson
Michael Thompson played guitar on nearly all hits of David Foster in the 80ies und 90ies. On Discogs he is credited for 1066 recordings. Especially his crystal clear Stratocaster sound is second to none. Here is an example of his wonderful tone.
Paul Jackson Jr.
The studio guitarist Paul Jackson Jr. has recording credits on Discogs for 1478 recording. He also left his musical traces on hundreds of chart hits in the 70s and 80s. e.g. on the world's best-selling record to this day: Michael Jackson's "Thriller". Here is an example of his guitar recording with Luther Vandross.
Steve Lukather
Steve Lukather from the band Toto is probably the most known name on the list. He is the only one who is a permanent member of a rock band which performs until today. On Discogs he has the most recording credits of all studio guitarists: 1514 credits.
Maybe I'll write another article about the fourth generation when I get a chance. It's also worth looking back at the English studio scene.
Get inspired
Funky guitar licks that really groove.
Funk-Lick #1
Midtempo funk groove with two guitar licks that are very different but complement each other perfectly. On the left a singlenote lick and on the right the chord rhythm of the second guitar.
Funk-Lick #2
Fast funk rhythm with two driving guitar licks. One guitar plays a dense rhythm groove while the other plays a more sparse and melodic riff against it.
Funk-Lick #3
Slow, heavy funk groove with two rhythm guitars. One guitar plays a concise chord rhythm pattern while the other more in the back adds a rhythm with wah-wah pedal.
Rock-pop licks with a fat sound
Rock Lick #1
Rock-pop guitar fest with three guitar tracks. A lead guitar for the melody, a crunchy rhythm guitar and a clean sound with arpeggios and wide tri-chorus with detune effect.
More videos will follow here. Have a look.
Der tolle Riff #1
Here is the description of a new video.
A great riff #2
Here is the description of a new video.
There'll be more here soon. Check back here often so you don't miss anything.
More audio examples you will find here.
