The November issue of the magazine Guitar Player dedicates an article to Edge’s mastery with the guitar and gives us, mere mortals, some lessons on his playing. Here is a summary, good luck guitar players!
1. - Carry each other
The Edge, Larry, Adam and Bono formed U2 when still at school. Remarkably the quartet is heading into its fourth decade of existence with the same lineup_ almost unheard of in the annals of rock. U2 seems to posses an all-for-one, one-for-all loyalty and dedication to causes that allows them to circumnavigate the pitfalls of success that have ensnared many great bands. The Edge, like his bandmantes, has consistently avoided gratuitous displays of virtuosity in service to the music’s greater good. No surprise that their music sounds as fresh, urgent and relevant as it did some 30 years ago. The lesson is simple _being innovative isn’t mutually exclusive to being a team player.
2. – Practice sleight of hand (for a twist of fate)
Despite his reputation as an avatar of processed sounds, one integral facet of Edge tone stems from the little piece of plastic in his right hand _picks manufactured by a
3. – Dream out loud
Edge´s onstage rig is so daunting it looks like you’d need the head of the NASA´s mission control to help navigate it.
The Edge´s most iconic ax is probably the wood-finished 1976 Gibson Explorer he purchased as a teenager and has used fairly regularly since. During the 80´s , he relied on the late 70s-era Strats with Seymour Duncan pickups, a Washburn Festival acoustic ,and a 1945 Epiphone lap steel. On more recent tours, Edge’s arsenal has expanded to include a ’67 Rickenbacker 12-string, a ´64 Gretsch Country Gentleman, a ’62 Epiphone Casino and a ’65 Gibson SG, among others.
The internet is populated with websites and user groups dedicated to the study of Dave Evans tonal legacy. “Edge tone” is not a fixed signal chain but an ever-changing sound quest. Tone is a journey not a destination.
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