E Five

Listen to 'E Five'

The song was born of a guitar riff.  The main driving riff of the song was something that happened during a practice session.  It was a sound that I really liked just for the qualities of the notes and the acoustics of the guitar that I was using.  No extra distortion or effects were needed to enhance the intriguing blending of the notes.

There was a certain ringing, or twang quality to the notes that I found particularly unique to this riff.  It is probably because of the rapid succession of the notes and the way they overlap because of the sustain, but whatever the cause, the vibrant sound really grabs me.  I was using a direct connection from the guitar to the recording equipment that just didn't capture the sound that I heard during rehearsal, so I added an SM57 mic over the guitar closer to my ear to blend in the mix.  While the recorded sound isn't exactly what I hear when I'm playing, it's much closer than just a direct connection.

When I started the recording session, I wanted a bit more bite to the overall sound, so I added a backing electric guitar.  As each new sound was added for the drums, bass and guitar the effect of the riff was different to my ear.  What started out as a snappy, energetic guitar riff morphed into a rhythm that has an almost eastern quality.  It was a surprising change from what I expected to hear as I developed the song in my mind.

After adding the bridge and the lead guitar solo to the song, it felt as if a simple rock song was now somewhat anthemic, a good companion to visions of people marching in the street or otherwise breaking free of restraint.  I don't know if that will be a common feeling for listeners, but there is definitely an intensity to the song that came alive in the final version.

I hope people find some inspiration, or at least enjoyment in the energy of the song.

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