Chris Poland's First Solo on Peace Sells.....how do you play it?

Playing Technique
#1

I know there is more than one way to skin a cat, but I have yet to find an accurate or comfortable way to play this lick. Is there anyone here who can play this and, if so, how do you do it?

Here is the solo in question:

I have seen numerous tabs for this song over the years and they have been been different. Here are some examples…

PS_1
PS_1.png2071×1040 67.3 KB

PS_2
PS_2.png2121×816 48.1 KB

PS_3
PS_3.png1723×1697 452 KB

PS_4
PS_4.png2148×1052 67 KB

PS_5
PS_5.png2108×768 48.1 KB

PS_6
PS_6.png2097×1132 66.1 KB

PS_7
PS_7.png1659×1213 174 KB

PS_8
PS_8.png1528×772 127 KB

I think that I’ve been trying to play this so much over the last few days that I’ve got completely lost. If anyone has a different way than those listed then feel free to make a suggestion.

2 Likes
#2

My first thought after listening to it just now was that the first 4 notes after the initial big bend are picked rather than legatoed, so I’d gravitate towards this way out of all the ways presented here.

The relentlessly even nature of his note attack makes it very difficult to tell picked notes from hammers and pulls, for me anyway.

Edit: that initial phrase and variants is like his default phrase, let’s call it the Chris Poland Atom from now on.

Pops up a couple of times in here with a decent view of picking/fretting:

4 Likes
#3

Yeah I bet in the 3rd bar of the solo you quoted he is using pull offs to descend on that run instead of picking them.

#4

It’s crazy how he does all his bends using the “classical” left hand position. Looks super uncomfortable - but you can’t argue with the results :slight_smile:

Very interesting style as well!

1 Like
#5

He says that a lot of his bending influence comes from Jan Hammer’s use of the pitch wheel, especially with Mahavishnu.

3 Likes
#6

The tendon in his index finder is fucked up from an accident I don’t think he can bend the lower knuckle. I think he’s a trailing UWPS as well, super unique.

1 Like
#7

I’m as confident as I’m justified in being given my current abilities ear-wise that of all the tabs you posted, the one I quoted is accurate.

But I’m totally happy to be refuted by better players/analysts than myself.