On guitar... BONO

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pepokiss

pepokiss

Rock n' Roll Doggie ALL ACCESS
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I was wandering in which songs does Bono plays guitar in this Tour

someone HAS to know... I think :shrug:
 
you mean, on which songs does he HOLD the guitar?

he doesn't actually play...not really anyway.
 
TheBrazilianFly said:
In the London show you can clearly listen to Bono playing and playing well.
Click to expand...

I have to listen to The Fly from Twick1 a couple of more times, but I am almost positive that Bono is NOT playing some of the guitar parts that it sounds like he's playing.

It's one thing to strum chords, and Bono does that relatively okay (Bono's timing and strength of striking the chords vary tremendously though). But it's another thing when you hear The Edge doing his wah/whammy fill-ins AND Bono doing fill-ins, too (see 1:44, 2:29, 3:52, and 4:18 of the radio recording of The Fly). Bono is just NOT that consistently good (timing-wise and technique-wise) when playing individual strings.
 
It's also worth noting that the large TV screens on top of the speaker columns do NOT show the individual band members, i.e., you can't see Bono playing the guitar unless you're very very close to the stage...
 
Bono has always played the rhythm in The Fly, you can tell because it always sounds relatively improv.

Bono played some great guitar on Lovetown and Zoo, now days he sounds shit. The guitar itself in RTSS is disgusting. Not Bono's playing, the sound of the guitar. It is so brittle, It needs some echo of some sort. He'd be best off with a proper acoustic.
 
the rhythm gutiar for The Fly and Running to Stand Still are AWESOME!!!


good job Bono for playing! and good job Edge for figuring out something that sounds cool that Bono can play!
 
MTEdge said:
It's also worth noting that the large TV screens on top of the speaker columns do NOT show the individual band members, i.e., you can't see Bono playing the guitar unless you're very very close to the stage...
Click to expand...

At Hampden the speaker-mounted vid screens showed the band individually during "One", tho there was a lot of switching generally speaking from split to full screens during the show.

I did manage to get a photo of Bono with guitar during that performance of "One" tho, where he is seen both on stage and on the screen.
 
MTEdge said:


I have to listen to The Fly from Twick1 a couple of more times, but I am almost positive that Bono is NOT playing some of the guitar parts that it sounds like he's playing.

It's one thing to strum chords, and Bono does that relatively okay (Bono's timing and strength of striking the chords vary tremendously though). But it's another thing when you hear The Edge doing his wah/whammy fill-ins AND Bono doing fill-ins, too (see 1:44, 2:29, 3:52, and 4:18 of the radio recording of The Fly). Bono is just NOT that consistently good (timing-wise and technique-wise) when playing individual strings.
Click to expand...

Are you serious? I know that Bono is no guitar God but it's not like he started playing yesterday. Plus when you're on a long tour like they are and you are playing guitar at every show you are bound to improve your guitar skills and your playing at different songs. I think that's what has happened with him. Those fill-ins that you are talking about are quite easy to play and Bono is not even singing during that part (just a tiny bit at the very beginning). Let's not underestimate the man so much. And as Placebo_Hero said it always does sound a bit improvised here and there (in a good way) so it does seem to be him. Playing guitar and sing at the same time can be hard but it's no rocket science. :huh:
 
pepokiss said:
I was wandering in which songs does Bono plays guitar in this Tour

someone HAS to know... I think :shrug:
Click to expand...

Yes, One, The fly and (best audible and he does well enough IMO) Running to stand still.

He has said though he is insecure about his playing so they keep his guitar down in the mix.
 
i stil think u2 have a secret guitar man under the bunker
you remember brooklyn bridge 'All because of you' has sum acoustic guitar strumming away lighty in the backround i would say its either bonos or edges tech helping to fill out or its a backing very light in the mix...i think bono wants to concentrate on vocals more and gets sum helps;-)

thats just my oponion mind you

i guess sumtimes they do need a little help
to fill the song out more


BB Mac
 
on top of the pops last november he played guitar on COBL, he doesnt play it on tour and it sounds no different. I stood directly in front of him for both Manchester shows, front rail and he seems very haphazard, almost just hitting strings with his thumb. It's definitely plugged in though but he never touched it in during RTSS. He just seems very nervous of it, its more of a prop in my opinion.
 
chrissybaby said:
on top of the pops last november he played guitar on COBL, he doesnt play it on tour and it sounds no different. I stood directly in front of him for both Manchester shows, front rail and he seems very haphazard, almost just hitting strings with his thumb. It's definitely plugged in though but he never touched it in during RTSS. He just seems very nervous of it, its more of a prop in my opinion.
Click to expand...

On TOTP they were playing over the instrumental track of the album... Only Bono voice was live...
 
BB Mac said:
i stil think u2 have a secret guitar man under the bunker
you remember brooklyn bridge 'All because of you' has sum acoustic guitar strumming away lighty in the backround i would say its either bonos or edges tech helping to fill out or its a backing very light in the mix...i think bono wants to concentrate on vocals more and gets sum helps;-)

thats just my oponion mind you

i guess sumtimes they do need a little help
to fill the song out more


BB Mac
Click to expand...

That was most likely the album version acoustic guitar playing in the background.
 
BB Mac said:
i stil think u2 have a secret guitar man under the bunker
you remember brooklyn bridge 'All because of you' has sum acoustic guitar strumming away lighty in the backround i would say its either bonos or edges tech helping to fill out or its a backing very light in the mix...i think bono wants to concentrate on vocals more and gets sum helps;-)

thats just my oponion mind you

i guess sumtimes they do need a little help
to fill the song out more


BB Mac
Click to expand...

Definitely I thought everyone knew that to be the case. Bono doesn't play the guitar at all in concert. In One for example the Edge is playing the rhythm during the verse and there is another guitar playing variations of the same string bend. If you look at Bono he is definitely not playing that. You can see it quite clearly on the Slane DVD. During the Fly etc he doesn't even have his fingers in the position for any chords he is just strumming nothing.
 
I think Bono is just a little out of practice, which is a pity because in the early days he played pretty good and he looks cool doing it too and lot of their songs would sound better live with a good second guitar. I don’t know what others think about Bono’s drum playing on Love and Peace. :huh: To me it’s about on par with Bono and tambourine and slightly better I guess than Bono with cowbell. ;)
 
chrissybaby said:
on top of the pops last november he played guitar on COBL, he doesnt play it on tour and it sounds no different. I stood directly in front of him for both Manchester shows, front rail and he seems very haphazard, almost just hitting strings with his thumb. It's definitely plugged in though but he never touched it in during RTSS. He just seems very nervous of it, its more of a prop in my opinion.
Click to expand...

Well, I guess it gives Bono something to do while there's no singing parts---lol. It could be worse. He could be standing around snapping his fingers or doing some ridiculous head bob. Aimless strumming or dopey finger snapping----lol? I'll go for the aimless strumming, thank you.
 
I've been playing guitar about 4 years, and have become good enough to play the lead stuff in my band.

I love Bono, but I can't figure out how you can play guitar for 20+ years and be that bad. :huh:
 
BB Mac said:
i stil think u2 have a secret guitar man under the bunker
you remember brooklyn bridge 'All because of you' has sum acoustic guitar strumming away lighty in the backround i would say its either bonos or edges tech helping to fill out or its a backing very light in the mix...i think bono wants to concentrate on vocals more and gets sum helps;-)

thats just my oponion mind you

i guess sumtimes they do need a little help
to fill the song out more


BB Mac
Click to expand...

The extra guitar parts i imagine would all be done on the backing track:eyebrow: ...U2 always have the thing that it is just them as 4 guys playing on stage, any extra parts that are needed including minor guitar parts (if Bonos not playing) would be put on the backing tracks...anyway i have the Twickenham 1 Fly recording and Bonos part sounds fine to me....(someone please correct me if im completely wrong)...

...and to D-Bot i imagine Bonos a lot better than we actually see on stage or hear stage...as has been said hes a bit lacking in confidence with his guitar playing, so its likely hes not going to be doing a brilliant solo live anytime soon but hey who knows in private he could be kicking the edges ass:wink:
 
chrissybaby said:
on top of the pops last november he played guitar on COBL, he doesnt play it on tour and it sounds no different. I stood directly in front of him for both Manchester shows, front rail and he seems very haphazard, almost just hitting strings with his thumb. It's definitely plugged in though but he never touched it in during RTSS. He just seems very nervous of it, its more of a prop in my opinion.
Click to expand...

thats the thing though, he DOESNT play guitar there

A. that performance was all mimed except for bono's vocals
B. he doesnt strike a single note during the whole song
 
This thread is venturing extremely close to "OMGISBONOLIPSYNCHING?!?!?" territory, in terms of silly postulations and whatnot.

Yes, Bono isn't the best on the guitar, but come on. Give the man a break. As long as his singing's fine, that's all that matters. He's obviously insecure about his guitar playing, and you'd think his fans - of all people - would be the most understanding.
 
Maybe Bono really thinks he is playing, but the sound engineers have his track turned all the way down and are piping in a backing track. Now that'd be hilariousl
 
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