Can anyone play the crazy train solo properly?

  • Thread starter Thread starter maddnotez
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Here's the isolated tracks from Randy
sounds like a trem bar, which live he likely used no bar so changed it up

Need to listen to this on headphones one side at a time and hope these were panned 100%
 
Back in my younger days learning that solo we all did the chromatic walk down on a hardtail guitar and used the trem on a guitar that had it. One thing though is that when using vintage trems vs. floyds is unless you use a real subtle touch when using a floyd sometimes you can tell which trem it is. Usually a vintage trem is not as soft in the touch compared to a floyd, and a lot of players tend to have a harder time with finessing it. Doesnt apply to every player obviously, but sometimes you can tell.

Also SOME of Randys leads were triple tracked.. not just doubled, and yes, there were different notes and unison bends that werent 100 percent together giving it a nice natural chorus effect. It was because of Randy for years I would only double or triple my leads. That was tough when improvising (LOL) but it absolutely made me a sharper lead player.
 
I bend the G string at the 11th fret and repeatedly tap the 14th while releasing it. Then pull of to the 9th. Then bend the 11th G again, tap it on the 12th, release the bend, pull off to the 9th, slide to the 7th. Then bend the 9th and pick the B string 10th. Release the G bend and pull off to the 7th.
 
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You don't have to play as good as Randy Rhoades...

... you just have to play a better attempt at him than everyone else. :m17:

Rhoades was well known to lay down several tracks and panning.

Look up 'twin tracking'. The problem is that you need to keep your gain somewhat lower than normal as it thickens up when you double up if that makes sense.
 
Short answer, no I’ve never learned it note for note and play a close rendition.
 
The doubled solos always make things sound bigger and busier. The way he tapped sometimes with one and then a double finger then doubled can make you think you just aren't fast enough.

I don't know why Brad Gillis ever enters the discussion, total hack job.
 
Oh, forgot to mention...I play the solo in my band live, either on my Flying V or a Burny Les Paul Custom Randy Rhoads and while I'm maybe 80-90% there in the note-for-note part, the referenced part I play as chromatic hammer-ons due to the absence of a Floyd.
The 2nd tapping (starting at 1m59s) part I do with the side of my pick, since I can ramp up the speed and mimic the twin-tracking of the studio version even more.
 
Here's the isolated tracks from Randy
sounds like a trem bar, which live he likely used no bar so changed it up


from listening to this, to me it’s very clearly him dipping a vintage strat style trem, or maybe a pre-bend as others have mentioned. Should be able to do it either way
 
I was taught to tap on a pre-bend.

Live Randy would just slide the trill down.

Here's a great video of Zakk playing it:



Randy changed how he played stuff all the time. The ascending run at the end of the solo, which is what has always killed me, got simplified live. Onstage with Ozzy Zakk would often play Randy's parts the way Randy did em live on Tribute and bootlegs, including that last run.
 
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