Duo session lead guitar arrangements

[Rudolf Wagner]

Hi Jung,

the nice thing about doing these acoustic sessions is that we already have a reference to work with. So when we rearrange one of our own songs for just two people I work with the guitar lines that are already on the original recording. It always feels a bit like covering your own music because in 90% of all cases I have completely forgotten what exactly I’ve played on our own recordings. ????

So while the guitar work on the album recording has definitely been a group effort (lots of sitting together in the studio, brainstorming for the best ideas) by the time we arrange them for a Duo Session, I would do most of it myself. And should there be something that thw others don’t like, they will tell me 🙂

[Jung Roe]

Hi Lisa,

In Sweet Lorraine on the acoustic Duo Session version at the 2:20 mark, your guitar run in place of the orchestral horns of the studio version is just stellar. I thought it was super effective. The studio version with the horns are awesome with the kind of elegant character of a Penny Lane, but I remember with the acoustic version it just hit me when I first heard that superb guitar run at that point. You’re doing some wonderful guitar work on your Gretsch there as you make it howl so sweetly. And also at the start of the song, on the acoustic version, the first 9 seconds you and Mona lead off with just your guitars that sounds so hypnotic, the song just grabs you in a different way versus the vocal lead off from the start on the studio version. Love the studio version too, but the small differences between the two give each their own unique and wonderful experience and character. Love this song, both version! Thanks for the explanation on how you approached them.

Warmest wishes to you all!
Jung
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[Jeffery Ohlwine]

Very well expressed, Jung! I, too adore Lisa’s guitar run between verses. The horns are great in the studio version, but if completely honest, I greatly prefer the duo version of this song in particular, and others, too.

[Jung Roe]

Thanks Jeff! I don’t think you are alone there about preferring those Duo Session versions. Back when the first Duo Sessions first began, MLT asked in one of the Advent Calendar posts what we preferred, stripped down acoustic versions or full blown studio versions, and I think many of us expressed the appeal of the stripped down acoustic versions and the consensus was the importance of both, the Duo Sessions and the full blown studio songs.

I’ve always adored Sweet Lorraine when Orange was released and couldn’t wait for the video for it, and when it finally did come out on video in the form of the Acoustic Duo Session version, all the sweetness and wonder of Sweet Lorraine was amplified by spotlighting on Mona’s superb lead vocals, then Lisa’s awesome backing vocals, those always sublime harmonies, and then the brilliant guitar sounds, it was Sweet Lorraine on steroids! Just blew my socks off! Don’t get me wrong, the original studio versions are great and the arrangements and added instrumentation and tracks give it it’s full spectrum experience that’s invaluable, but there is a magic with the acoustic versions Mona and Lisa can do that is equally powerful and it’s great to have both. In a way if you look at Orange some of the songs are effectively acoustic Duo Session like already with just Mona and Lisa’s vocals and two guitars in songs like In It For Love, Close To You, and Count On Me, and then the others have the full blown studio sound with lots of instrumentation orchestrated over multiple tracks like Sweet Lorraine, Once Upon A Time, Still A Friend of Mine etc. It’s a great spectrum and variety there.