I played guitar when I was teenager and suddenly stop to play for years. Now I can't remember almost any song... Few weeks ago I bougth an used SG and started to scratch anything I learned back then. Today by random youtube surfing I found your ambient tutorials and songs... and now THIS is what I need to play! Thanks for all!
I studied classical & Flamenco & used to play thrash metal. However, one of my favorite artists is David Sylvian (even before I started playing metal). Now, I am A LOT older & I want to learn to play in this style. Most of David Sylvian’s music is “timeless.” I want to be able to write timeless music, also. I need to learn to not write “busy” riffs, to just chill & let the sounds flow. I admire guitarist like you, who can just stay in the background & play atmospheric guitar lines.
Chords Of Orion Yep. I have an entire playlist of the “B-side” of “Gone to Earth,” as well as “Camphor,” “Plight & Premonition,” “Blemish,” “Flux & Mutability,” & other Sylvian albums. (It a LONG playlist.) To you youngster who don’t know what a b-side is, there used to be two sides on records & tapes. 😂
2018 for me was a stressful year......a year full of hatred towards me.....but this... just brings peace and I’m happy u exist as a person who is talented in making these♥️ I am a musician as well so we’re speaking the same language which also makes me happy
This ambient music lends it's self to many variations, my mind is racing just thinking of the directions you could take it.Great job here Bill long live the ambient sound.
It is like when you remind yourself to just stop and breath and feel. Very beautiful, and I love the content on your channel. Keep up the awesome work!
Yeah man! It doesn´t matter if you´ve improvised it or composed it gradually piece by piece over many months...it´s simply awesome because it lives and breathes....very soulful. Kepp up the good work and thanks for recommending me this very guitar in a answer on one of my questions in the comments a few months back. Because of that, I´m getting this guitar in a few weeks. Keep up the good content, sorry for the long post and thanks :)
Hello, Bill. i love your music, I think I told you that in an earlier text. I'm trying to get set up to play things similar to you and was wondering what boxes you use? I can see the wah wah pedal - that's a slam dunk. but the other ones, the whole range - what do you us and when? (I hope I'm not asking too much....)
I really, REALLY like what you're doing with your sound!! I have a similar style tune mixed with whale songs. But I can't get that really refined swell and fall you've got going. So evocative!
Could you do an ambient cover of Little Wings, by the sublime artist known as Mark Gormley? A brilliant song, by a brilliant man, and so suited for an ambient cover. Any of the Jan Terri songs would work well also.
i like the action on electrics somewhere in between - low enough for ease of playing, but high enough for good tone and a little more "push" back against the finger.
After seeing some of your tutorial videos and this video, you've inspired me to save money so I can learn ambient guitar. I've been playing guitar for 6-ish years now, and haven't really gone anywhere with it but I feel like I can have a lot more fun making ambient music. Just a question for you: For a beginner who wants to get a baritone guitar and some pedals, how much would it run me for just the basics? And if possible, what's a good set of beginner pedals? Also, is a good amp important for this, or will any run-of-the-mill amp do? I have a tiny portable Blackstar 3W amp and a Fender Frontman 10G amp, so I'm not sure if they'll be good enough.
If you have nothing at this point, I would recommend looking at the Line 6 AMPLIFi FX100. I have one and the range of sounds are pretty great. Also, there is a built-in volume pedal, which is awesome. The price is right ($200 or less). I have done several videos with the FX100. Here's playlist if you want to check it out: ruclips.net/p/PLseB5HzFJKVx0kwKqA632I-EIDSZGVkXj As far as a baritone goes, you will have to check out prices for the model you are interested in.
Alrighty. Thanks a lot for the advice. And for guitar, I do already have a Jakcson, but I'm afraid the pickups are extremely crunchy and have a ton of gain to them. Do you think that FX100 will still be able to get the right sounds for ambient guitar?
Just turn the gain down on the amp. I have the new Gibson flying v pro t, with ultra hi gain ceramic pickups, turn down the gain, issue solved. But I would recommend a chorus, delay and volume pedal to achieve the ambient sound. Well you can use the volume control on the guitar, but that is rather cumbersome.
Good morning, Sublyme. I just saw your post and thought I ask how your ambient journey/adventure is going, since your original post is a year old. I'm just getting into ambient guitar music myself and was just curious. Thanks. Have a great day.
Hi Bill, I've been wondering for a while now if there is a process you go through before shooting these video's? Do you get an idea, rehearse, and then record the video? Also, given the name of the video's: do you meditate prior to recording your songs/video's in general?
For the tutorials and demo videos, I try to keep a running list of ideas to draw from each week. For the performances, I generally set up some effects, get a sound that I like and play around with it for a little bit usually 15-20 minutes. I then turn on the recorder and improvise, playing a few takes, shooting video as I play. I then pick the take I like the best and turn it into the RUclips video. As far as the name of the songs go, I find inspiration in lines of poetry from old dead poets. :-) in particular, John Donne and William Wordsworth, whose writings I love. The name of this song "Make Us Relics" comes from a Donne poem "The Relic". www.poetryfoundation.org/poems-and-poets/poems/detail/44124
I like to do something similar to that, i try to pick a theme, in as a word like "perfume" or "warmth" and then try to write something that conveys the feeling that the word stands for. Nonetheless, later on though the conveyed feeling might be only apparent to me. As always, great piece! Cheers!
Chords Of Orion Thank you for answering! I love poetry, and I am familiar with Wordsworth, Donne I need to look into it seems. I asked about the meditation because you mention that in some of the titles as well. Cheers!
Just to echo what some of the other guys have said I am currently consuming your vids like food or coffee. I live in fear that you knock it all on the head and the channel fades into the ether, through an appropriate digital resonant enviroment needless to say. Thanks again Bill.
As the George Harrison songs goes - "All Things Must Pass", but I hope to keep doing this for years to come! I am hoping to expand out some as we head into 2018. More to come and thanks very much!!!
I've never used this one, but I do have several auto-attack pedals that do the same thing. They can be very useful. I do however, generally prefer using a volume pedal, as it is much more expressive that something automated.
I guess it depends on what you mean by "worship music". I plan and direct the music at the church I attend, but we are pretty conservative music-wise, staying congregational hymn focused (both trad and some modern). So as much as I love everything about ambient guitar, I don't connect it with public Christian worship services. Hope that makes sense.
Oh now wait a minute! I didn't say I wasn't interested in that! I actually have released many tracks based on classic hymns and plan to do more. As a matter of fact, episode #17 of "How To Play Ambient Guitar" focuses on traditional tunes, and I use "Be Thou My Vision" as an example (ruclips.net/video/1AgjT3y0Yn8/видео.html). My comments were just in the context of congregational worship, not the general use of hymns.
I think he understands that, but want's to know what the guitar sounds like on it's own, I too would love to know something like that for a guitar i am considering buying, if i where the kind of person who buys guitar.
I played guitar when I was teenager and suddenly stop to play for years.
Now I can't remember almost any song...
Few weeks ago I bougth an used SG and started to scratch anything I learned back then. Today by random youtube surfing I found your ambient tutorials and songs... and now THIS is what I need to play!
Thanks for all!
I am very glad that you are working to relearn the guitar. And also, I am glad that you are finding the videos here helpful!
promise to stay faithful to your guitar xD
i know this video is over 5 years old but showed up on my YT home page this evening and man, did I need it. Thank you.
How the fuck did Davos get all his fingers back?
:-)
Here you have your like, Westerosi gentleman.
Thanks for this Bill. I was feeling sad today. Still sad...but now feeling less alone :)
You are welcome!
I just realised his music is available on Spotify & Pandora, makes it a lot easier to listen to and enjoy!!
I needed that, Bill! A little stress in my life at the moment and this did the trick!
Awesome. Thanks so much for letting me know!
I studied classical & Flamenco & used to play thrash metal.
However, one of my favorite artists is David Sylvian (even before I started playing metal).
Now, I am A LOT older & I want to learn to play in this style.
Most of David Sylvian’s music is “timeless.” I want to be able to write timeless music, also. I need to learn to not write “busy” riffs, to just chill & let the sounds flow.
I admire guitarist like you, who can just stay in the background & play atmospheric guitar lines.
I love David Sylvian. "Gone to Earth" is one of my all time favorite albums!
Chords Of Orion Yep. I have an entire playlist of the “B-side” of “Gone to Earth,” as well as “Camphor,” “Plight & Premonition,” “Blemish,” “Flux & Mutability,” & other Sylvian albums. (It a LONG playlist.)
To you youngster who don’t know what a b-side is, there used to be two sides on records & tapes.
😂
Your music is pure magic! It's such a privilege to listen to these sounds!
You always manage to get to the soul of the music. Just beautiful. It hits home where music lives in me.
Just discovered your channel, and I couldn't be happier about it. Thank you, and wishing you the best and very warm, positive vibes.
Same to you and thanks so much for letting me know you are liking the channel!
2018 for me was a stressful year......a year full of hatred towards me.....but this... just brings peace and I’m happy u exist as a person who is talented in making these♥️ I am a musician as well so we’re speaking the same language which also makes me happy
My post from 3 years ago says that this is my favorite song of yours. It probably still is. It’s a classic.
Peaceful & touching to my Soul as what's needed right now. Time to go practice what I hear. Thnx.
Soooooo fantastic, when you're high this is the best music (after Bob Marley obviously), great sound!!!
Thanks!
This ambient music lends it's self to many variations, my mind is racing just thinking of the directions you could take it.Great job here Bill long live the ambient sound.
Indeed Eno all the way! :-)
Eno was Pioneer of the Synth the Mini Moog was his tool l remember him well
Probably the best song you made in my opinion.
I am really glad you liked it!
The tone of angels.
Thanks very much!!!!
That was very emotional. You have a great tone.
Thanks!
This is the guitar I just ordered thanks to you Sir!.... It's Time!
That's what I like about ambient. Loose yourself in it. Another good job.
Many thanks!
I appreciate how your work is peaceful and relaxing yet has wonderful harmonic content that is so pleasant to hear.
Thanks so much for letting me know you like the music!!
Wonderful! I feel so much better now. Thank you
Listening to this while im at work is just great
Love the tone .... the baritone effect is quite late in effect which makes it sound so good.
You are a fantastic reference. Thank you very much for your lovely work.
And thanks to you for the kind comment!
that was so relaxing. thank you for your work. You make the baritone seem like a must in any ambient guitarists arsenal.
I am so addicted to baritones. It IS a must! :-)
i agree with basically everyone else here, totally loving your soundscapes, this stuff is great inspiration for our worship/improv nights, thank you!
And thanks so much commenting. I really appreciate it!!
That's a good music to relax and just enjoy the moment.
Utterly awesome. I fell in love with baritone and picked up a Fender last year. If you come to Japan let's gig together!
Wow. I would LOVE to visit Japan!
Beautiful tones!!! Never stop Bill.
This video is fantastic and the whole channel is brilliant. Love listen/watching. So helpful. Thank you.
Michael: Thanks so much for commenting and letting me know you are liking the channel. I very much appreciate the encouragement!
Thank you for your beautiful music. I have long been looking for such, and now my search is over. :)
Thanks so much for letting me know you like the music. It's very encouraging!!
Морт :: mine too!!!
Very nice. Reminds me of some of my favourite stuff from David Sylvian and Robert Fripp. I added it to my playlist.
One of your best ambient pieces Bill ...
Thanks Tim!
Great piece, Bill. Coming from a jazz background, I'm a huge fan of minor chords. I really loved this!
Thanks very much!
😊
Beautiful
It is like when you remind yourself to just stop and breath and feel. Very beautiful, and I love the content on your channel. Keep up the awesome work!
Yeah man! It doesn´t matter if you´ve improvised it or composed it gradually piece by piece over many months...it´s simply awesome because it lives and breathes....very soulful. Kepp up the good work and thanks for recommending me this very guitar in a answer on one of my questions in the comments a few months back. Because of that, I´m getting this guitar in a few weeks. Keep up the good content, sorry for the long post and thanks :)
That's great! Glad to hear you are getting one of these guitars. The SE 277 is a truly great instrument!
lovely PRS :), as in your previous ambient guitar tutorials (enjoyed immensely I must add), two notes sound MUCH better than the full chord on times/
Really Great ! many thanks for this !
And thanks for the kind words!
Just amazing!
Heavenly
baritone fits very well to ambient guitar style... should try it oneday)
Yes - you should!!
Fantastic!!!
Thank you!
So glad you enjoyed the piece!
Hello, Bill. i love your music, I think I told you that in an earlier text. I'm trying to get set up to play things similar to you and was wondering what boxes you use? I can see the wah
wah pedal - that's a slam dunk. but the other ones, the whole range - what do you us and when? (I hope I'm not asking too much....)
The pedals used in the video are all listed in the video description. I try to do that with each piece that I post. Check it out!
Really beautiful stuff✌🙏
Lovely sounds Bill
Thanks!
This is great music to study to. Keep up the good work!
Thanks very much!
:D you're welcome!
Beautiful - this reminds me of Hammock's older stuff.
Thanks!
Best yet Bill IMHO
I really, REALLY like what you're doing with your sound!! I have a similar style tune mixed with whale songs. But I can't get that really refined swell and fall you've got going. So evocative!
You can't go wrong mixing ambient music with whale songs! :-) Thanks!
Beautiful piece! Once again, very inspirin'! Keep up the good work!
thanks Lightnin'!
Reminds me of some Allan Holdsworth tunes. Veeery good work, thanks for the inspiration...
nice tone sir Davos!
Wow it's almost as if I saw forward in time when I closed my eyes
close.....time does not exist in that place
You're awesome! Congrats!
Awesome! I love your tones xD This give me somehow a rush
that was very nice, thanks
this is absolutely breathtaking. keep up the good work man, I love it.
Thanks! Hope you will check back today. I have walkthrough video of this song's effects chain posting!
i've just listened to amazing chords in that piece
The Ether has become more vibrant
// well done sir ^-6
Could you do an ambient cover of Little Wings, by the sublime artist known as Mark Gormley? A brilliant song, by a brilliant man, and so suited for an ambient cover. Any of the Jan Terri songs would work well also.
This I dig. Nice tones
I just found your channel. I'm glad I did :)
Thanks so much for hanging out. I really appreciate it!
I love your work! Keep it up man! what do you tune your baritones to? your video on the ibanez src6 sold me I went out and bought one immediately haha
Thanks so much! I generally tune my baritones to BEADF#B, which are the same intervals as standard guitar, just a perfect 4th lower in pitch.
Chords Of Orion Thank you, have a good day!
hi, so relax. nice guitar, i have prs se but which do you prever, high or low action ?
i like the action on electrics somewhere in between - low enough for ease of playing, but high enough for good tone and a little more "push" back against the finger.
After seeing some of your tutorial videos and this video, you've inspired me to save money so I can learn ambient guitar. I've been playing guitar for 6-ish years now, and haven't really gone anywhere with it but I feel like I can have a lot more fun making ambient music.
Just a question for you:
For a beginner who wants to get a baritone guitar and some pedals, how much would it run me for just the basics? And if possible, what's a good set of beginner pedals?
Also, is a good amp important for this, or will any run-of-the-mill amp do? I have a tiny portable Blackstar 3W amp and a Fender Frontman 10G amp, so I'm not sure if they'll be good enough.
If you have nothing at this point, I would recommend looking at the Line 6 AMPLIFi FX100. I have one and the range of sounds are pretty great. Also, there is a built-in volume pedal, which is awesome. The price is right ($200 or less). I have done several videos with the FX100. Here's playlist if you want to check it out:
ruclips.net/p/PLseB5HzFJKVx0kwKqA632I-EIDSZGVkXj
As far as a baritone goes, you will have to check out prices for the model you are interested in.
Alrighty. Thanks a lot for the advice. And for guitar, I do already have a Jakcson, but I'm afraid the pickups are extremely crunchy and have a ton of gain to them. Do you think that FX100 will still be able to get the right sounds for ambient guitar?
Just turn the gain down on the amp. I have the new Gibson flying v pro t, with ultra hi gain ceramic pickups, turn down the gain, issue solved. But I would recommend a chorus, delay and volume pedal to achieve the ambient sound. Well you can use the volume control on the guitar, but that is rather cumbersome.
Good morning, Sublyme. I just saw your post and thought I ask how your ambient journey/adventure is going, since your original post is a year old. I'm just getting into ambient guitar music myself and was just curious. Thanks. Have a great day.
Man you're great
Thanks!!
epic.
So which prs baritone do you prefer for this kind of music?
For this kind of music, I find myself using the semi-hollow a little more. But - pickup hum can be an issue given the P-90 style pickups.
The intro sounds so much like roger water's amused to death album (jeff beck)
are u using a volume pedal?
Hi Bill, I've been wondering for a while now if there is a process you go through before shooting these video's? Do you get an idea, rehearse, and then record the video? Also, given the name of the video's: do you meditate prior to recording your songs/video's in general?
For the tutorials and demo videos, I try to keep a running list of ideas to draw from each week. For the performances, I generally set up some effects, get a sound that I like and play around with it for a little bit usually 15-20 minutes. I then turn on the recorder and improvise, playing a few takes, shooting video as I play. I then pick the take I like the best and turn it into the RUclips video.
As far as the name of the songs go, I find inspiration in lines of poetry from old dead poets. :-) in particular, John Donne and William Wordsworth, whose writings I love. The name of this song "Make Us Relics" comes from a Donne poem "The Relic". www.poetryfoundation.org/poems-and-poets/poems/detail/44124
I like to do something similar to that, i try to pick a theme, in as a word like "perfume" or "warmth" and then try to write something that conveys the feeling that the word stands for. Nonetheless, later on though the conveyed feeling might be only apparent to me. As always, great piece! Cheers!
Jesus Christ That's a great idea!
Chords Of Orion Thank you for answering! I love poetry, and I am familiar with Wordsworth, Donne I need to look into it seems. I asked about the meditation because you mention that in some of the titles as well. Cheers!
Just to echo what some of the other guys have said I am currently consuming your vids like food or coffee. I live in fear that you knock it all on the head and the channel fades into the ether, through an appropriate digital resonant enviroment needless to say. Thanks again Bill.
As the George Harrison songs goes - "All Things Must Pass", but I hope to keep doing this for years to come! I am hoping to expand out some as we head into 2018. More to come and thanks very much!!!
Malekko makes a box , the A/D. attack /Decay. Makes the swell automatically.
I've never used this one, but I do have several auto-attack pedals that do the same thing. They can be very useful. I do however, generally prefer using a volume pedal, as it is much more expressive that something automated.
very remenisant of "Twin Peaks" and "Blade runner".
What tuning(s) do you use?
This is "standard" baritone tuning - BEADF#E
Are you into worship music? Sounds great!
I guess it depends on what you mean by "worship music". I plan and direct the music at the church I attend, but we are pretty conservative music-wise, staying congregational hymn focused (both trad and some modern). So as much as I love everything about ambient guitar, I don't connect it with public Christian worship services. Hope that makes sense.
I wish you did though! A collection of these kinds of meditations on classic Christian hymns would be amazing.
Oh now wait a minute! I didn't say I wasn't interested in that! I actually have released many tracks based on classic hymns and plan to do more. As a matter of fact, episode #17 of "How To Play Ambient Guitar" focuses on traditional tunes, and I use "Be Thou My Vision" as an example (ruclips.net/video/1AgjT3y0Yn8/видео.html).
My comments were just in the context of congregational worship, not the general use of hymns.
I discovered that right after writing my comment! My bad. Really enjoying your stuff on Spotify. Keep up the good work. :)
niiice
Again with the pedals? How about us hearing the instrument straight into your amp? Please?
PeterDad60 generally pedals are key to ambient tones, unless you have on board effects
I'm sure you're missing the point...
I think he understands that, but want's to know what the guitar sounds like on it's own, I too would love to know something like that for a guitar i am considering buying, if i where the kind of person who buys guitar.
Killer, I incorporate ambient sounds with my guitar. I stole ideas from you, hope you don't mind.
Thank you
I consider it a privilege to share what I've learned!
Where's the shred?
A shredder I ain't! :-)
Thats why I like it!
did u use a volume pedal?
Yes indeed!