INVENTIONS FOR ELECTRIC GUITAR

'Inventions For Electric Guitar' (1975) was recorded by Manuel Göttsching 'only' with the help of guitars and a TEAC four track tape machine. Now, first coment this is NO guitar record, in terms of normal guitar texture. Göttsching creates on the three tracks differrent soundscapes, that could also have been recorded with analog synths and sequencers. Especially on the first track it is hard to make out a 'typical' guitar sound. This is in no way a negative comment. The 70's were progressive not only in terms of music, but also (a and often at the same time) in terms of recording technique and sound devices. This record owes as much to Jimi Hendrix and his groundbreaking guitar sounds as to 'Tangerine Dream' and their keyboard soundscapes.

'Echo Waves' the first track is the least guitarish track on the record. Göttsching superposes several short repetitive rhythm loops, often just by hitting the muted strings and passes them through an analog echo device plus a flanger or phaser and some filters. The result is stunning and reminds the sequenced sections of early Tangerine Dream : hypnotic rhythm waves. Unfortunately after 14 minutes Göttsching plays on top a distorted guitar solo, bringing all the floating athmosphere back to the ground.

'Quasarsphere' creates a completely differrent athmosphere based on slow moving waves. The sound is created with the volume pedal cutting of the attack of the guitar string and bringing in the sound after the attack creating a spacy, whaling sound, that was also the trademark sound of 'Popol Vuh' guitarist Daniel Fichelscher (even so I am quite sure hat Hendrix was the first having used this sound), a beautiful floating track.

'Pluralis' the last track has the 'most' guitar sounding athmosphere. It's again made up of a repetitive rhythm tracks, but this time with a longer slow guitar riff and a medium echo that creates a bouncing effect. Over this track Göttsching puts a background layer , that sounds incredibily like a synth pad. The opposition,between the bouncing rhythm and the slow pad creates a strange, trippy athmosphere. Again after 15 minutes Gôttsching brings in a guitar solo, that lasts about 3 minutes and leaves place to a strange E piano like sound.

A geat inventive record!