Hey Friend,

The past couple of days we’ve talked about finding layered guitar tracks in songs we like. A lot of times we don’t necessarily hear that there is more than one guitar part in a song, especially if we’re listening to it passively (which is what most people do).

But we’re different...

We’re musicians, and we hear things most of the population doesn’t hear (like the voices in our heads).

I know you have times when you’re listening to a song for the 37th time and all of a sudden your ear catches a little something you’ve not heard before on the track. 

Or maybe you’ve had a favorite album on the shelf and this is the first time you’ve listened to it in a while.

If you’re lucky enough to have a turntable and actual vinyl records, you pull that disc out of the sleeve and lay it down on the platter. There it spins, waiting for you to lay the stylus down on the record…

As the needle touches the vinyl, you hear that familiar crackle as the song begins. 

Then you hear it… that rogue guitar riff you never noticed before, playing just below the the main sound surface.

It was easy to miss. After all, there’s vocals, rhythm guitar power chords and lead runs that steal the show.

But now that you’re on to it, you can hear how that little hidden riff adds a dimension to the song that gives it an extra boost.

Maybe it fills out the primary guitar in a way that makes it sound fuller...

Or maybe it’s a call/response playing off the vocals or the main guitar...

It could also be a harmonized fill playing alongside the vocal that you only hear on the left or right speaker.

The point is, guitarists and producers have tons of techniques they use to give your ears fun stuff to hear and find. 

It’s like a treasure hunt. You find a clue and before you know it, you’ve discovered an entirely new appreciation to a song you’ve been “hearing’ for years.

This happens to me all the time, especially when I pull out an old disc I’ve been away from for some time.

The music doesn’t have to be on vinyl. I hear new stuff on MP3s, CDs and online.

Why don’t you give it a try.

Pick an album you haven’t listened to in a while and listen to it. Doesn’t matter if it’s an MP3 or CD.

When you get to your favorite song, put on your “radar ears” and listen closely for sounds you haven’t noticed before. 

I can’t guarantee 100% you’ll hear something new, but there’s a good chance you will. Once you do, listen to the song again and focus on that background track. 

It might take a little practice to wake your ears up, but if you do some focused, active listening, you’ll start to hear things.

If you’re like me, it’ll open up a new world for you - that I can guarantee.

Peace~

Dave