Brian Jones - guitar techniques - R&B/R&R rhythm guitar...
Here are 4 guitar demonstrations showing some of the ways Brian took the 'standard' R&B/R&R rhythm guitar style found on thousands of recordings and put his own stamp on it:
A lot of guitarists use only 3 fingers and 2 strings when playing the R&B/R&R rhythm. Brian's approach, most of the time, was to use 4 fingers and 3 strings. The main quirk of his approach to this rhythm is that he fretted the 'power chord' with his 1st, 2nd and 3rd fingers. The 3 strings technique creates a more fuller sound than the 2 strings approach and gives players more notes to play off against when using the pinky for additional licks and fills.
He also utilised rhythmic variation, so parts on 2 different songs that note wise are very similar are given a twist by changing the rhythm and phrasing.
Brian's 4 fingers and 3 strings approach is an important detail in the sound of the early Rolling Stones. It's often not noticed by guitarists leading to many playing Brian parts on Stones songs in ways different to how Brian played them.
This could be worded a lot better, but it'll do for now. Anyway, the music say's it best. 🎶🙌
Re: The Rolling Stones Family: Brian Jones' Lonely Hearts Club Автор:BrianResourceДата: 28.10.25 19:09:08
Brian Jones - Olympic Sound Studios - Circa April - May 1969. By Eric Hayes.
That's Ry Cooder behind Brian with an acoustic guitar. A few photos from this same session show Mick with sheet of paper with lyrics for Bill's Downtown Suzie.
Brian isn't credited officially as playing on Downtown Suzie and that's because even if he played slide guitar during the recording it wasn't kept for the official release. He is also shown playing harmonica at the same session, but there currently aren't any available recordings from 1969 of Brian playing harmonica.
Re: The Rolling Stones Family: Brian Jones' Lonely Hearts Club Автор:BrianResourceДата: 18.09.25 01:00:38
For reference here is a quick demo of an old oscillator. Every professional studio had them for tape machine calibration etc etc.
Reference to the Stones receiving oscillators from Vox can be found in issue 47 of Beat Instrumental magazine.
"Recent visitors to Jennings factory in Dartford were Brian Jones and Keith Richard. They went there to try out some new electronic effects and were so impressed, that they said they would use them on their next British tour. Jennings have also made some electronic oscillators, which the Stones have taken away to experiment with. Some of these sounds will be used on their next record session.All these new devices will be on display at the Frankfurt Trade Fair, and will be on sale in England soon after. As yet, they are un-named."
...
There are 4 uses of an oscillator on Rolling Stones recordings from 1966 and 1967.
There is brief use of an oscillator during the intro for Have You Seen Your Mother:
An oscillator was used throughout Please Go Home:
An oscillator was used for the ''Cosmic Christmas' part on Their Satanic Majesties Request album:
An oscillator was used briefly (with tape speed and tape echo) for effects on 2000 Light Years From Home. The oscillator is audible from 2:08 - 2:19 and 2:25 - 2:31:
These uses of an oscillator are often mis-credited as being a Theremin, a Moog, and on occasion, a Mellotron*
...
As for who played the oscillators on these Stones recordings, perhaps the answer is in this quote...
"If it sounds weird, it's Brian." - Andrew Loog Oldham.
Additionally, there is also Brian stating this in 1968.
"I'm very hung-up on electronic music at present. If there is not room to include it on our album I would like to do something separately." - Brian Jones.
...
*For clarity, Brian did of course play Mellotron, using the 3 violins string sound, on 2000 Light Years From Home. Here is his isolated Mellotron playing without the oscillator effects etc:
Re: The Rolling Stones Family: Brian Jones' Lonely Hearts Club Автор:BrianResourceДата: 17.09.25 23:19:58
A Brian Jones autoharp contribution that went unnoticed for decades...
The Rolling Stones - Who's Been Sleeping Here?:
Recorded at RCA Studios, Los Angeles, USA on 3rd - 11th August 1966.
Line up: Brian Jones - autoharp Mick Jagger - vocals & harmonica Keith Richards - acoustic & electric guitar Bill Wyman - bass guitar Charlie Watts - drums Jack Nitzsche - piano Unverified - tambourine
...
Who's Been Sleeping Here? - isolated:
Isolated line up: Brian Jones - autoharp Bill Wyman - bass guitar Charlie Watts - drums Unverified - tambourine
...
Who's Been Sleeping Here? - autoharp demonstration:
A demonstration/approximation showing the essentials of what Brian Jones played. Recorded to allow for Brian's autoharp idea to be heard without backing.
Ivan, try to show some respect and at least mention my Brian Jones Resource project when you copy and paste from it. You take my own words and research with no acknowledgement or thanks. 🥺
Re: The Rolling Stones Family: Brian Jones' Lonely Hearts Club Автор:BrianResourceДата: 11.05.23 18:13:53
The Stones onstage positions changed in time for the late 1965 North American tour. For that tour, in addition to playing guitar and harmonica, Brian started to play organ onstage as well taking up more room. Bill moved over to Keith's side and shared a mic for backing vocals with him. These band member stage positions remained the same for the rest of the time Brian was in the band. With a few exceptions at NME Poll Winners concerts etc.
Re: The Rolling Stones Family: Brian Jones' Lonely Hearts Club Автор:BrianResourceДата: 09.05.23 19:12:15
The Rolling Stones - You Got The Silver Recorded at Olympic Sound Studios, London, England on 9th February - 31st March 1969.
Line up: Keith Richards - guitars & vocals Brian Jones - autoharp Bill Wyman - bass guitar Charlie Watts - drums Nicky Hopkins - piano & organ
You Got The Silver - isolated:
Isolated line up: Brian Jones - autoharp Bill Wyman - bass guitar
You Got The Silver - autoharp demonstration:
A demonstration/approximation showing the essentials of what Brian Jones played. Recorded to allow for Brian's autoharp idea to be heard without backing.
>While John Fogerty sings to me about "Southern >Streamline", let's chat about ELO (Andrew Loog >is Oldham's mother, not Jeff Lynn's popular VIA). >Here are three of his books: "Stoned: A Memoir >of London in the 1960s" (2000), "2Stoned" (2002) >and "Rolling Stoned" (2011) - a synthesis and >quintessence of the two previous ones. I would >really like to look through them, but, alas, there >is no such opportunity - which is a pity: I know, >for example, that it was in one of them that Andrew >said that the accordion part in the ballad 'Back >Street Girl' from "Buttons" was not played by >Brian, like everyone else thought, and someone >Nick De Caro.
The Nick De Caro accordion info first came to light via me asking Andrew about it in 2008. It's not in his books. I have all 4 of his books as readable files, message me if you want them. :)
Re: The Rolling Stones Family: Brian Jones Lonely Hearts Club Автор:BrianResourceДата: 06.03.23 16:13:33
>Brian Jones and Deborah Dixon (in the background, >filmed from behind), girlfriend of the iconic >British director Donald Cammell, who later directed >the film "Performance" starring Mick Jagger - >Fes, Morocco, August 1965, Brian's first visit >to this African country. Deborah Dixon - "The >Snow Queen" from Texas - was a very popular model >in the 1960s.
Re: The Rolling Stones Family: Brian Jones Lonely Hearts Club Автор:BrianResourceДата: 06.03.23 15:53:17
Recorded at RCA Victor Recording Studios, 6363 Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles, California, USA. 3rd - 11th August 1966.
Line up: Brian Jones - autoharp Mick Jagger - vocals & harmonica Keith Richards - acoustic & electric guitar Bill Wyman - bass guitar Charlie Watts - drums Jack Nitzsche - piano Unverified - tambourine
Who's Been Sleeping Here? - isolated:
Isolated line up: Brian Jones - autoharp Bill Wyman - bass guitar Charlie Watts - drums Unverified - tambourine
Who's Been Sleeping Here? - autoharp demonstration:
A demonstration/approximation showing the essentials of what Brian Jones played. Recorded to allow for Brian's autoharp idea to be heard without backing.
