More 'trademark guitar' Live than in Studio?

[Zoots]

I've always wondered about this. In certain songs esp. from the 90s like Mofo and Zoo Station particularly, Edge's guitar sounds completely different 'Live' when compared with the 'Studio' versions. There seems to be much more of the trademark delay effect when Mofo is played live. The delay is drowned out by effects on the album and is hardly noticeable whereas Live it shines like a star! Also, Zoo Station is the same case. What do you guys think about that? Does U2 intentionally bring that trademark delay effect to the forefront when performing live?

 

[Pero]

No, in studio everything is silenced because of production

 

[mackemlad]

Porbably the main reason is that as Edge is the only guitarist he needs to create a big sound live. That has allways been the case.

That is why on a lot of songs his signal is split and sent to two different amps. Also on songs where there was a lot of studio overdubs and other instruments, noises etc he needs to have different sound to that recorded.

Also when rehearsing songs for a tour there take on the song can be completely different to an album version. it has to be in order to play them. Different arrangements will require a different sound.

Take SBS for example, this song is now played in a lower key and slower than it used to be. When it was played the original way Edge had quite a clean sound now his sound is more dirty, crunchier. A claen sound wouldn't work.

So I think at the end of the day how the band work out the live arrangement will dictate his final sound

 

[U2girl]

I noticed a lot of their songs live turn more "dirty" as opposed to the album. Does it have to do with mixing/production or do they tune his guitars differently live?

For example, take Love and peace - the guitar sounds so clean on the album when compared to the live version.

 

[Canadiens1131]

Well the intriguing thing about U2 and Edge is that, although they create very complex, sometimes too top-heavy, overdubbed tracks with layers of sound, it seems they can always pair a song down to it's best element for the live version.

Songs like Streets and Mofo are huge, layered, overdubbed-to-the-max tracks in the studio. When you look at the live version, there is always one great main melody or element in most of the songs and that survives the transition to four guys and some synth live.

Also some songs, like UTEOTW, really get streamlined and their sea legs live. I can't really listen to the AB version of the song anymore, it's really muddled, especially the guitar.

I noticed a lot of their songs live turn more "dirty" as opposed to the album. Does it have to do with mixing/production or do they tune his guitars differently live?

For example, take Love and peace - the guitar sounds so clean on the album when compared to the live version.

A typical Edge thing to do is to add a bit more overdrive / distortion to his guitar tone to give a song a bit of 'omph' live. Also, the band tunes down for a lot of songs live as Bono is not a relatively good vocalist, technically speaking.

 

[gareth brown]

No, in studio everything is silenced because of production

care to elaborate...?

 

[Peterrrrr]

I think that the Mofo guitar in the begining of the song live is playback.

Also EBTTRT guitar in the chours in he studio version sounds so much better then the live. The same are also in the chours with HMTMKMKM

 

[Pero]

care to elaborate...?

You know what i mean, i think that music suffers because of production

 

[gareth brown]

yes, i do know what you mean. I just thought you might like to give some examples rather than just using a blanket statement like 'It's the production'

 

[tommycharles]

I think that the Mofo guitar in the begining of the song live is playback.

Half and half, roughly speaking.... the whammy pedal and palm mute stuff is live, the other line is not.

 

[Poco]

I prefer The Edge live - more potency and realness to the sound of his guitar
Although to be fair i prefer live to studio in general anyway!

 

[the tourist]

Also EBTTRT guitar in the chours in he studio version sounds so much better then the live. The same are also in the chours with HMTMKMKM

With Hold Me Thrill Me Kiss Me Kill Me, that's because on the studio version there is a rhythm guitar playing the chords along with the lead guitar. The rhythm guitar is what gives the chorus its balls, but the lead on that song is necessary. Therefore, since Bono doesn't play guitar on that song, it suffers live due to the fact that Edge can't play two main guitar parts at the same time.

 

[gareth brown]

That always annoys me. That track suffered live thanks to the lack of rhythm guitar. I heard the Popmart Mexico version first so thought it was awesome all the same, then heard the studio version and loved it....went back to the live one and it just sounds BARE!

Has Bono ever stated why he never plays guitar live during the songs that quite clearly need it?

 

[GibsonGirl]

Has Bono ever stated why he never plays guitar live during the songs that quite clearly need it?

It's probably an issue of not being able to play certain rhythms and sing at the same time.