"Silent Running" solo harmonizer (Mike + Mechanics)?

[Colorado Axeman]

I'm having some trouble getting getting my guitar to sound like this solo on Mike and the Mechanics' song Silent Running... there may be some subtle harmonizer effect going on (possibly 5ths)... it's similar to some of the Holdsworth stuff I've heard from the same era. Any ideas on what's going on and how I might be able to achieve it with the FXII?

 

[Techboy57]

If memory serves me well, that's a good old whammy bar on a Steinberger guitar, and here's how it's done

 

[ak301]

It's the late great Alan Murphy. One of my all time favourite guitarists

He was one of the top session guys in the UK during the mid-80's, played for Kate Bush, Go West, Nick Heyward and was in Level 42 when he died.
He played some fantastic solos on the first two Mechanics albums.

Normally he used a JV Squire Strat with a Kahler into a Fender Super Champ, then sometimes into his effects rack. Clean sounds were generally an Aria Esprit DI'd
This vid shows him playing with Go West and that rig. Solo at 305


I've just listened to the solo again. I cant hear any harmoniser, when he did use one he made it quite pronounced, He used a slap back delay and the bridge and middle pickups of his strat and I find winding the middle tone back helps.

I've just looked through my old AX8 presets as I had one that replicated Al's tone, but I've realised I didn't save it when I got rid of my AX8 and I have a III now
I think I used the 59 bassman with the bass off and the mids and treble up high, with an IR with plenty of low cut

 

[simeon]

yeah, murphy was massively influenced by holdsworth, who developed that "swooping" technique (and then stopped doing it when everyone started copying it). one advantage of using a steinberger fitted with a transtrem, is that you can get much bigger pitch deviations on the top strings than you can with a regular trem...although you can see from both vids above that it's perfectly possible with a regular trem (and a bit of effort)

 

[ak301]

yeah, murphy was massively influenced by holdsworth, who developed that "swooping" technique (and then stopped doing it when everyone started copying it). one advantage of using a steinberger fitted with a transtrem, is that you can get much bigger pitch deviations on the top strings than you can with a regular trem...although you can see from both vids above that it's perfectly possible with a regular trem (and a bit of effort)

The guy who really got me into guitar playing also got me into Al's playing, and Steve farris who had a similar style, as well as Jeff Beck.
I spent a lot of time learning Al's stuff. He wasnt as wild as EVH or even Beck with the bar, he tended to do the trem scoops mainly. I have an interview with him where he says he copies himself a lot and doesn't really do much different in each solo, so once you get your head round a few of his solos you can understand his approach,

All my guitars have floating bridges and it's something I always like to throw in as it's such an expressive way of playing

 

[ak301]

yeah, murphy was massively influenced by holdsworth, who developed that "swooping" technique (and then stopped doing it when everyone started copying it). one advantage of using a steinberger fitted with a transtrem, is that you can get much bigger pitch deviations on the top strings than you can with a regular trem...although you can see from both vids above that it's perfectly possible with a regular trem (and a bit of effort)

I forgot to mention, I once heard Al Murphy described as "the cream of Holdsworth" - I could see where they were coming from, but sure some would disagree

Funny thing was, when Al died Holdsworth replaced him in Level 42 for a short while