Ska guitar (1 Viewer)

[Holiday Sunrise]

Anybody know what do you need to play ska guitar? do you need a type of pedal or setting?

 

[The Schnapper]

Anybody know what do you need to play ska guitar? do you need a type of pedal or setting?

Just the tone of your guitar and the correct strumming techniques should do

 

[RED(tape)MENACE]

A small lobotomy is a distinct advantage.

 

[Pantone247]

like The Specials?

clean clean tones (Roland JC120's appear in a lot of photos and videos) single coil pick ups, maybe teles with the inbetween position, maybe a warm wobbly chorus or phaser for colour, and basically the choppiest right hand rhythm that you can possibly get

 

[Holiday Sunrise]

Cheers for the . I do indeed like the specials

 

[RED(tape)MENACE]

It's all about the up-strumming.

 

[Pantone247]

look into noise gates as well, these make things silent until they get a signal of a certain strenght (you strumming the strings) then they 'open' and allow a signal thru... then ussually you can set how quickly after the signal stops, or starts to fade, that they 'close', if you set this (the 'release') to a short value, you can clean up your "chops" and get a much neater sound... or you can go extreme and get tiny precussive blasts of guitar a bit of a cheat but worth reading up more about... hope I've explained it all right...

I recorded once with a fella who worked with UB40, he did the most amazing gated bass with kick drum trigger and a synched delay on the snare jiggery pockery... not full on ska by any strech, but put a mild punchy looping quality to the track...

 

[snakybus]

you also get rhythm with the left (fretboard) hand

by lifting your hand really quickly after a strum, you mute the strings, giving a snappy effect

that and a delay pedal and bob's your uncle (a very applicable phrase in ska, when you think about it)

 

[Holiday Sunrise]

I have no problem with the technique. Ive been playing for years. Just cant seem the get the ska sound right. Cheers for the help on here I'll try it out

 

[egg_]

It's all about the up-strumming.

A reggae nut guitar player I once knew informed me that down-strums are more authentic ska. Harder to do though. Bit of overdrive won't do you any harm I find so long as you keep the sound thin.
The key is in the timing though, which isn't traditionally a guitar player strong point. No offense to guitar players out there, playing in the pocket isn't all that important for most indie rock guitar playing - different story with ska though

 

[Space]

C-barchords might help, I use them a bit for a rounder reggae sound.

 

[Scientician 0.8]

Some Ras Tafari helps too.

 

[Pantone247]

and a porkpie hat

 

[RayRay]

Iv got a gibson les paul junior, i notice if i keep the tone sorta bassy it sounds good but it all depends on the amp and effects (if any) you use. Some ppl like their ska real trebely, what ever floats your boat. Small bit of distortion can help too and only hit the bottom 2 or 4 strings

 

[Goodbye]

The Ordinary Boys play great ska