I’m trying to learn El Gato by the Chandelles and can’t quite seem to figure out the main riff…
Is he using a lot of Slap Back Delay to make his picking sound extra fast?
Also, does this transcription look accurate?
- Home
- News
- Submit News
- Contact
- Contests
- Donations
- Downloads
- Forums
- Guitar Instruction
- IRC
- Member List
- Private Messages
- Podcast
- Polls
- Photo of the Day
- Links
- Search
- Store
- Surf Band Map
- Wiki
- Yahoo Group
Photo of the Day
Shoutbox
IRC Status
Current Polls
No polls at this time. Check out our past polls.
Current Contests
No contests at this time. Check out our past contests.
Donations
April Birthdays
- 1st – Bombora, FekeFez, grackle, juliomoreno, mrbassman1950, pauliweasel, ProfessorLongboard, RogueChiefster, stevel
- 2nd – FritzCat, Marcin
- 3rd – GypsyJay, Rubberboy
- 4th – Paddy_O_Surfer, smid
- 5th – bbigmusic, dirtgrub, GS4, johnmcillan61, killbabykill34, Shakey64, themonsterwave
- 6th – BenVoiles, bobwalk, DavidMcCoy, Emilien03, Jaque_Kilauea, Manic_Presley, segler
- 7th – Clint, johnmares, togergo
- 8th – 303vegas, Tiki
- 9th – chicklang, Emguitars, holdenfan101, mrmomo, ToneMonkey, Unca_Stu
- 10th – CARLOSVENTURES, catguy, nightsurfer, PreBeatles, the_eyeberries, vintagesurfdude
- 11th – schrademo
- 12th – dlhogge60, EvilDeadTux, fredder120, jp, RonC57
- 13th – Grimnir, ifallalot
- 14th – JimiDW
- 15th – cricketseed, davis, nickwass, thetwilightsurfers, Thompar
- 16th – ChrisPlatt, miked416, Skizz
- 17th – BMo2xl, jjudas, Taj, Trace
- 18th – Bobc1956, herreisenmax, Yelo
- 19th – Chris_Vierge, MonsterMash, speacial_agent_Conrad_Uno, tonewoods
- 20th – halibutrick
- 21st – Craigthekeg, fattkatt, SurfinUsa2007, Swamp_Surfer
- 22nd – bandita, donbarroso, LHR, Norman, purpletornado, RazorReverb
- 23rd – apolloben, AstroSurf, BigTim, Schwenman, worldmartini
- 24th – CrashHardtop, El_Guerrero, Irion_Fin, Iron_Fin, Plan9Band, Pokerstar, xray1960
- 25th – Alstikis, Baxter, cowabungasurf, McLefty83
- 26th – Jason
- 27th – ActionJosh, Ayatho, Dstreeter, MahdaHairy
- 28th – BigWaveRider69, CaptainThunder, drumuitar, VernJules101
- 29th – brerbo, chuckhughes2, DNUTH17, ElPato, HockeyPuck, Mr_Reverb63, petebiltoft, Samurai, sysmalakian, tenniseme, tom_k1tl
- 30th – Cranky, elpacifico, Mariop, robl, SurferJoe46, TheTommyGuns
SurfGuitar101 Forums » Surf Musician »
EL GATO - Transcription help!
• New Topic
Top
Joined: May 24, 2023 Posts: 204 |
Posted on Jan 10 2025 04:15 PM
|
Joined: Jul 30, 2016 Posts: 896 
|
Posted on Jan 11 2025 12:08 AM
I think the first few notes of that riff are a little different than what you've written. Here's what I hear, presented much more crudely than your nice musical sheet: 2-2-2 0-0-2-4 or F# - F# - F# - A - A - B - G# It's that quick A-B-G# ascension that might be what you're looking for. Also, there's no slapback that I can hear, it's just tricky to play fast and cleanly! Deceptively hard. For me, anyway. A couple things you might try to make it a little easier: Start with an upstroke on the first note. Eric Johnson does a lot of this strategic picking to make his lightning runs more efficient and I think this is a good example of a song where it pays. Also, maybe finish the lick staying on the D string and sliding up, rather than having to jump up another string to the G. This seems like a song that was written by a fairly adept country picker to me. It's musically simple but ergonomically rather challenging. Last edited: Jan 11, 2025 00:08:54 |
|
Joined: Jul 30, 2016 Posts: 896
|
Posted on Jan 11 2025 01:44 AM
Continuing to listen to this tune and I just noticed that the two guitars share duty pretty well. After that main riff (let's call that the A section) it goes to those three higher riffs following the 5-4-1 progression down (let's call that the B section) and it's the rhythm guitar from the A section that plays the lead there. It's a pretty fast transition from the A section lead up to those higher frets to play the B section lead so I see why they tagged the other guitar in there. Also, look what I found: The composer Billy Clayton's Jazzmaster uesd on this song! https://www.instagram.com/guitarhouseoftulsa/p/ConIAnFurKm/?img_index=1 |
Joined: May 09, 2008 Posts: 1387 Isle of Kent, MD 
|
Posted on Jan 11 2025 02:18 AM
Have you looked over this post from 2013? Surf.The most dangerous of genres... Surfcat MARCH OF THE DEAD SURFERS! (2024) - Agent Octopus |
|
Joined: May 24, 2023 Posts: 204 |
Posted on Jan 11 2025 01:49 PM
|
|
Joined: May 24, 2023 Posts: 204 |
Posted on Jan 11 2025 01:50 PM
Redfeather wrote:
Thanks for the input! That guitar is gorgeous! |
|
Joined: Jul 30, 2016 Posts: 896
|
Posted on Jan 11 2025 02:35 PM
I've been playing this song a bunch since you brought it up and I've figured out what I think is the easiest way to play that main riff, ergonomically. Here's how to play the first 7 notes, which I think are the trickiest: E string: 2-2-2-5 You're playing an A twice but in different spots. Playing it on the E string with your pinky the first time is way easier than having to jump up to the A string. And playing it on the open A the second time, during that quick three note ascension, is not too tough since it's linear. |
|
Joined: May 24, 2023 Posts: 204 |
Posted on Jan 11 2025 04:32 PM
Redfeather wrote:
right on! Thanks again! |
Please visit our friends in the surf music community:
Contact Us • About Us • Terms of Service • Privacy Policy • Colophon
SurfGuitar101.com © 2004 - 2024 by Brian Neal. All comments and user contributed articles are property of the posters.
Thanks to all the surf bands, past and present. And thanks to all the fans who care about and keep surf music alive.