Musical Notes: Say the Same

You can stream and purchase this song at http://undertheroseband.com. 

History

I remember writing the chorus for “Say the Same” while practicing with the worship band at church back in 2006. I called my answering machine and played the acoustic guitar while singing the chorus (with lyrics that would later change). Then, the song went through several incarnations. I even played the song at the end of a church service once, and the worship band practiced it with me a few times.

To complete the song, I reached back to a couple of riffs from a song I wrote back in 2003. These old riffs became the basis for the interlude/bridge and the guitar lead on the Under the Rose recording. In 2009, I recorded the finished version with programmed drum tracks for a church recording project. When the song found its way into the Under the Rose catalog, it became significantly more rock-oriented.

Guitar Lead

The guitar lead is one my favorites because it pulls together so many fun techniques. Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave was the guitarist who got me thinking in an unconventional direction for lead guitar. This lead incorporates a tapping/sliding combination I learned from a short passage in the guitar lead found in “One with the Flies” by Soilwork, starting at about 3:02.

Another essential element of the guitar lead is the use of the Digitech Whammy pedal. I set the pedal to shift the notes up one full octave. Then, I press the pedal all the way down to ensure all the notes are one octave higher than their natural sound. Rather than operating the expression pedal, I tap the on/off switch in rhythm with the song’s eighth notes. This alternates the notes between their natural sound and their octave. In addition, I rocked my Boss modeling wah pedal about one-third back, suppressing the high mids and treble frequencies of the guitar.

The first section of the bridge/interlude was inspired by the David Crowder Band’s A Collision and Church Music albums. I love the low-fi drum sounds and spoken word interludes that appear on those two albums, particularly the former. I also love the effect of placing the guitar lead in the right channel as a foreshadowing of the heavy second section of the bridge/interlude. Hopefully, the false build adds a sense of anticipation that draws the listener to the final line before the full band comes in: “And He will say, ‘Here I am.’” (The spoken words in this section are from Isaiah 58.)

--Aaron