+++ STARGAZER +++
It's BIG, loud and involved... with classical overtones using the E Harmonic Minor (unusual for a rock track). Please listen on good speakers, volume as high as you can stand it!

It was complicated to learn and record, a real challenge for a home studio. But finally, after about 4 weeks of trial and error, here is my cover of the EPIC eight-minute track from the acclaimed album 'Rainbow Rising' as made famous by Richie Blackmore's Rainbow (former guitarist of Deep Purple). Richie teamed up with an awesome rock vocalist, Ronnie James Dio, and renowned rock drummer Cozy Powell after leaving Deep Purple. What a band. This is the standout track from the album. Sadly, this line-up didn't last too long.

I remember being blown away when I first heard the original 40 + years ago. 

I deliberately took this on to improve my playing and as a study in powerhouse rock with classical overtones. Little did I know how hard it was to learn all the parts. I put some hours into this and gave up a few times trying to get the sounds and arrangements right. Thankfully, I found a great vocal stem to use... quite close to Dio's, which encouraged me to continue.

Starting with the drums... these took about 4 days on and off to study and program. Without these sounding good, there was no point in learning the rest. Epic drums for sure. Love em. 

The bass and organ were fairly straightforward... then the guitars!! 

Richie is a rock guitar god... this track has a 41 bar guitar solo !!! Ahhh. Most songs have 8 bars. This was a challenge too far for me. Over a 2 week period I practised this, but some parts were just too fast for my old fingers, rather than difficult. Many of the 16th triplets and 32th notes foxed me for ages. I decided to record it in sections, break it down. So I got it to work best I could. I never got a take all the way through without making errors. I also forsook the slide guitar part. 

Interestingly, I couldn't find any live footage of Richie B actually playing the guitar solo, note for note, off the record! Maybe it was too hard for him to play in one take?

So, like the Pros, the solo is a composite of various takes in order to get a good version.

Anyway, it's done and I'm extremely happy with the final result. 

PLEASE SHARE.

Song Credits : Rainbow, Dio and Blackmore
Recording / Performance : The Hutch c2023
Vocal Stem : Copyright Recisio KK Ltd
Tech : Ltd & Squier Guitars, Ibanez, Ableton Live 10, Guitar Rig, Kontakt VSTs, Native Instruments, A49 Keyboard, Scarbee Rickenbacker VST.

*Not for sale or profit.

Stargazer

WELCOME TO THE HUTCH - SO GLAD YOU CAME!! ... This is my musical home, a "work-in-progress" / an archive that aims to be a tasty pot of musical ideas... sometimes plain, old, original, sometimes off-centre or more likely inspired by Old Skool rock / blues, the people I meet and sometimes a chaotic wandering life will be in there somewhere.

For too long, I neglected my life's passion and wandered a musical wilderness... Now I'm scratching my way back to a musical life I should never have left.

If nothing else, this is first and foremost, for my own greater good, to ease a wary soul, shield me from the slings and arrows of modern life and so keeping me from insanity.  !

Enough rambling I'll let the chords and the notes do the talking.
++ Please HIT THE LIKE button, it encourages me ++

NOTE: Yes, constructive feedback is always welcome :-)

New tracks tagged #RICHIE BLACKMORE