The origins of Knopfler’s sound
Hey, let’s talk about something other than politics. It’s the weekend!
Whether you love Mark Knopfler (as I do), or have never heard of him before even though you may have heard some of his more famous songs like “Sultans of Swing” or “Walk of Life,” you’ll almost certainly notice when you do listen to him that he has a distinctive sound to his guitar playing. In his own words (from “Sultans”) he can make his guitar “cry or sing.”
This is no accident. Knopfler, like many musicians, is nothing if not obsessive, as this interview reveals.
For example, he’s long been interested in a certain twangy sound. This is one of the early influences he refers to in the quote that follows:
Were you also influenced by American instrumental bands from the late ”˜5Os and early ”˜6Os?
Oh, yes. I went up the street to a little pal of mine and made him play me “Because They’re Young” [by Duane Eddy] 49 times. I could spend the whole day listening to that: the twang. Do you remember the Fireballs? I have one Fireballs single with “Quite A Party” on one side and “Gunshot” on the other. I played that 4,900 times. Completely and utterly in love with it.
I knew “Because They’re Young,” but to me this one was a lot more obscure:
Knopfler’s own way of doing it reaches heights that I consider sublime.
Here’s a sample of Knopfler’s twangy singing guitar, with a characteristic smoldering unhurried buildup from slow to fast, lyrical to rocking. It’s from the 1990 Alchemy album, the second half of the “Tunnel of Love” cut:
Another hint on how he gets the sound (that is, until you try to do it):
You have a very vocal-like guitar style, but it’s not at all like the B. B. King style you mentioned earlier.
Part of the difference, I suppose, would be chucking away the pick when I was evolving my own style. Style, I find, is always impossible to define, but it’s easy to recognize.
What made you start playing lead with your bare fingers?
It just started to happen. I remember sitting in a house in London – starving to death at the time – playing a cheap Japanese acoustic with really light electric guitar strings on it. I knew then that it was on a turn, it was developing. I was doing things with my fingers that I couldn’t do with a pick-really fast things and what have you. I still love to play with a pick, and sometimes you have to record certain parts or songs with a pick…But it’s interesting that now I’m not nearly as comfortable with a pick as I am with my fingers…
Playing with your fingers has something to do with immediacy and soul. You are absolutely in touch with what is going on.
Well, I guess it’s true when it’s Knopfler’s fingers.
Knopfler is one of the great guitar players. I like that he does it by architecting a cathedral-like sound rather than blowing you away with sheer dexterity, as impressive as the latter may be.
He did a wonderful collaboration with Nashville guitar god, Chet Atkins.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neck_and_Neck
I suspect (and would be pleased to hear) Mark Knopfler could do splendid things with Villa Lobos’ 5 Preludes — on the electric guitar of his own choosing, mind.
Knopfler is one of the best finger pickers around. His style is instantly recognizable. I remember Eddy and the Fireballs, the Fireballs still sound great to me but Eddy no so much. Thanks for the memories.
I love his songwriting too. He tells great human stories with a wry sense of humor.
Here’s the first two verses from a novel of a song he wrote for the same album as “Tunnel of Love.”
Romeo And Juliet
A lovestruck Romeo sings the streets of serenade
Laying everybody low with a love song that he made
Finds a convenient streetlight steps out of the shade
Says something like you and me babe how about it?
Juliet says hey it’s Romeo you nearly gimme me a heart attack
He’s underneath the window she’s singing hey la my boyfriend’s back
You shouldn’t come around here singing up at people like that
Anyway what you gonna do about it?
Dire Straits are one of my all time favorite bands. I saw them in concert at their peak and it was an amazing night. I don’t listen to them or to Mark Knopler’s solo stuff anywhere near enough.
Definitely going to use Tunnel of Love for one of my flying videos! Thanks!
I suspect all of us of a certain age were influenced by American instrumental bands from the late ‘5Os and early ‘6Os. That twangy sound was ubiquitous, even being featured in TV show themes. A fine example being the Bonanza Theme Song, a show whose popularity was yuge…
I’m very happy to discover that I have something in common with Knopfler–I pick with my fingers, too, and not just in what’s normally considered fingerpicking style. Unfortunately the comparison pretty much ends there. The biggest reason I don’t use a pick most of the time is that it’s always slipping around in my hand, just enough to mess me up.
I’m getting a Page Not Found on the interview link.
His “Romeo and Juliet” is a beautiful classic.
“Tunnel of Love” ends with one of the most beautiful guitar solos ever. There are a number of YouTube videos posted by guitar players trying to emulate Knopfler’s tone and melody. They often get the melody, but the tone is difficult to duplicate.
Mac:
I took notes for this post a while back, and that interview link was from then. It must have gone dead in the meantime.
I can’t fix it now because I’m not at my computer.
Stratocaster players unite!
Although Ill probably never be a tenth as good, pick or no pick.
There’s another fingerstyle rock guitarist, Wilko Johnson, who has been influential among guitar players, though neither he nor his band, Dr. Feelgood, are known much in the US.
Wilko developed his style in a failed attempt to copy another British guitarist. It looks like Wilko is just bashing away three-chord style at the strings, but he’s also playing riffs and solos.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHm7uIC84YM&index=8&list=RDbTbzyqr0TRo
Wilko has been somewhat in the news the past few years because after he was diagnosed with a terminal cancer, he went on a farewell tour to celebrate. Then the doctors discovered they had misdiagnosed, operated, removed 7 lbs of tissue and Wilko is back in action at the age of 69.
A documentary was made about his experience: The Ecstasy of Wilko Johnson.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iaQRbpRYqU8
Sorry to go off-topic.
Mac Says:
October 8th, 2016 at 5:16 pm
I’m getting a Page Not Found on the interview link.
Mac:
It looks as if bits and pieces of this interview have been published here and there.
As far as I can tell, this one’s complete:
http://ds.mk-guitar.com/knopfler-interviews.htm
Ballet, Frost, Knopfler! Protean. Ineffable. Neo! I would like to stop sounding like a fan club and write something substantive or at least half interesting on “the issues.” But, Neo, you have to stop doing this.
Neo.
I’m not enough of a musician to say anything but, “I like that,” or not.
I don’t know if it’s polite to put entire performances on somebody else’s blog, so I’ll just suggest going to youtube and searching for
“leave no man behind” solo guitar.
I am not sure whether I’m impressed because of the melody, the theme and background, or the playing.
I can link, if it’s allowed.
What a great change of pace.
I’ve listened to this new gem a thousand times. It always works. From the Clapton produced tribute to JJ Cale.
https://youtu.be/84bnvD3HWgE
Hey Neo, I found this a year or so ago, possibly my favorite song of the last couple of years. Knopfler and Emmylou –
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6NwHjrD_v8E
Ralph Kinney Bennett:
It’s perfectly okay with me for you to sound like a fan club. Music to my ears!
Then there’s Apache by Jorgen Ingmann. Danes rule!
As long as we’re recommending good guitarists, I recently discovered the blues guitarist and singer Samantha Fish. She can sing almost as well as she plays. Also, she has a terrific band, especially the drummer. And she’s easy on the eyes. Check her out:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFoj4Pp_5bU
Yes, Mark Knopfler is the best! Here’s one of my favorites where you can see his fingering up close. Thanks for reminding me Neo!
https://youtu.be/OTvc-bEP35I
I absoilutely love the work that he did on the soundtrack for the movie Local Hero.
Neo, what a treat! Sign me up for the fan club, please. And enjoy your well-earned Sunday off.
Okay, Neo, I will sound like a fan club from time to time. By the way, although nobody here has pointed it out, Knopfler is LEFT HANDED but plays with his right. How about THAT!
I guess you can be Mark’s Belle Starr to his Jesse James
On Friday night I was discussing “best guitar player” with a woman friend. She mentioned Mark Knopfler. My answer for best was Keith Richards. After listening to this posting, for me it is still Keith Richards.
Any Knopfler fan not familiar with the bluesy “Fade to Black” should really give it a listen. It contains some of his best guitar work:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B924SWsWmTc
So many memories!
You can still hear a lot of good guitar instrumentals — mostly now called “surf music”; possibly because of the great song Pipeline, by the Chantays, and “Wipeout” by the Surfaris; and lots of The Ventures (Hawaii 5-0).
Knopfler is truly great, with tone and style and often very recognizable sing.
Tho also Santana’s got a different sounding great singing guitar.
So many — all who will live in music, after Nov. 2016 decides which bozo the US will elect.