Steve Morse explains how to play Smoke On The Water properly

[mwasser11]

Obviously there are several ways to play it. So, take your pick. Whatever is comfortable for you is your way!

[grrgrralex]

so that`s where they all learned it from !

[jumper1294]

But can he play smoke on the water?

[Gamer1988Pro]

@jumper1294 awww... comeone? seriously? xD

[evilclown99]

Like Blackmore's version better.

[MrHellcatos]

someone teach him how to play it please :P

[DarthGoofy]

@MrHellcatos You obviously know nothing about this man.

[MrHellcatos]

@DarthGoofy I am kidding dude xD

[DarthGoofy]

@MrHellcatos I'm sorry then ;)

[sunriyzmt]

Yall gotta remember on recent concerts of Deep Purple, Steve travels with them...he started playing with them in 1994. I have a tremendous amount of respect for him and his wanting to take the time to show future generations of guitarists a base starting point. Everyone has their own unique sound..but I give him alot of credit.

[666LordAlucard]

Sure, it's debatable whether you can call this the "right" way to play the song, but this is in fact the ORIGINAL way to play it. Although I believe Ritchie used less or no vibrato.

[5targazer]

this riff needs no vibrato

[cmancope]

Good. Could you tell us the frets and notes and left hand stuff

[shredmaster100]

the finger picking way is the right way because blackmore confirms this in a deep purple documentary with vh1 so obviously steve must have taken notice of the way ritchie played it but i still think u should play it your own way as long as your playing in the right key because every guitarist ive seen is different no guitarist is the same like if u compare steve to ritchie totally different ways of playing the same songs which is cool in my opinion and doesnt end up like the new gnr copycats

[avedas]

everything is ok with your guitar playing skills and you wonder how to play smoke on the water... with 3 or 2 strings. fret 5 or 10 ha?

[TheTartersauceGuild]

I believe that the riff isn't played on the 5th and 4th string. I believe it's played on the 6th and 5th string, but down by the 10th fret rather than by the 5th fret. Phil X talks about it in a few of his videos. The lowness is because it's played on low strings. It's the exact same notes in the same octave that Steve is demonstrating in this video, just on the 6th and 5th string rather than the 5th and 4th.(Of course when you shift to the next set of 4ths, the pattern moves to the 4th and 5th)

[sjk254]

That low harmonic was a combination of the sound of the cabinet Ritchie was using, the mic placement, and the mic itself.

[sidewinder2803]

He makes such a great guitar sound. Very melodic. I like that.

[ArpeggioBear]

Ritchie plucked it in recording, he played it almost like all night long (Rainbow) in California jam, there are a lot of style for playing smoke on the water riff, and sometimes Ritchie played it in D before the beginning of the song. and if i'm correct, Ritchie gets the heavy sound from the neck pickup, while Morse here playing his bridge.

[givemeajackson]

it has to be the glasses! yngwie has them morse has them, they seem to give some serious skill. ill get some original virtuoso glasses soon.

[azbeeman]

You're an incredible talent Mr Morse.. Why not just ask Richie about the original method??.. 

[effzee]

I remember a GP interview with RB waaaaay back when where he complained about ppl playing his song incorrectly. He then explained it exactly the way SM does in this vid -- 4ths being plucked with two fingers, and it really does make a difference, imo.

[turkeygoo2]

if only my guitar had strings.

[MrBourno]

he plays it very close the way that Blackmore played!!!

[TheRattleSnake93]

That's how Ritchie plays it as well

[LahamaJones3]

you are my inspiration

[dorianharley]

And, as if it wasn't enough being a terrific guitarist, he is also adorable. ♥

[helmut0011]

steve morse - he is great as a musician and person

[mythryll]

@helmut0011 no mate he didn't it's a very old song. He was not in the band back then

[go4metalify]

plz write a tab



[peaceandmetal88]

Watch any video of Blackmore playing Smoke, it's always in fourths. There's a video of him explaining it somewhere I think.

[sbpark95]

Isn't the only difference between the two the absence of the "bass note" on the power chord?

[Robb9096]

go figure! nice job bud. thanx.

[therealrene]

ohh really, we dont have to imitate the bass? haha

[runaround666]

Really smoke on the water...instead of showing us how to play I'm freaking out or the bash or Country house shuffle or any of the dozens of incredible guitar parts on any old dregs albums you're showing us how to play the 3 chords of smoke on the water. The music business is pathetic. What a waste of talent.

[HighMindedLunacy]

@runaround666 go jump off the roof loser

[runaround666]

@HighMindedLunacy Right after you make an instructional video on how to do it. Now get back to working on those 3 tough chords.

[LuccaTotti]

try playing it five frets higher on the 3 low strings...

[Rockbignole]

cool versions

[SalvatoreCuleddu]

bellissimoo grazie steve

[SnegoViKvsev]

Ritchie Blackmore showed this riff in "Classic Album" film....years ago.

[atrumluminarium]

that really sounds better

[atrumluminarium]

one of the first to watch

[KingTabor]

should be called "Steve Morse explains how to play Smoke On The Water his way"

[ibanezbloke]

@KingTabor Well, Ritchie Blackmore played it with his fingers, and as inverted barre chords too.

[KingTabor]

@ibanezbloke sure, bot Richie used his index and thumb.

[guitarguitarhair]

@ibanezbloke no, no, no...Ritchie plays it whith upstrokes

[ibanezbloke]

@guitarguitarhair Maybe live, but not on the original recording. He's said it in interviews, and you can hear it - those power chords have both notes ring at exactly the same time, which you cannot get with a pick.

[guitarguitarhair]

@ibanezbloke sure u can get it mr. "rake" the strings

[ibanezbloke]

@guitarguitarhair No you can't get 2 notes at the same time with a pick. Think about the mechanics of picking multiple strings. Even if it is strummed, you're hitting all those notes as separate times, in quick succession. Using multiple fingers allows you to play those notes at truly the same time.

[TheSammyreynolds]

@KingTabor Blackmore played them in 4ths

[SceneOneVideo]

@KingTabor Meant to mention that while I do not know how much you know of Steve Morse, it is worth considering a recent comment by one Mr. Eric Clapton: "Morse is one of if not the finest guitarist since Hendrix. The man is without equal". And he's right. Also, what many do not know is that Morse is an extremely accomplished Classical guitarist as well.

[Kostas1601]

@KingTabor why did he even say "I believe the right way to play it" the right way to play the song is the way it was written, and since he's the one who wrote it the right way to play it is his way.

[Andreasschow]

@Kostas1601 He did not wrote it ? :)

[Kostas1601]

@Andreasschow ....This is Deep Purple's guitarist Steve Morse, unless there's something I'm missing he must have written this song lol

[Andreasschow]

@Kostas1601 Steve Morse joined Deep Purple in 1994 ;)

Before Steve, Ritchie Blackmore was in the band.

Steve Morse is way better than Blackmore tho :D

[Kostas1601]

@Andreasschow oh I see, so Blackmore is the one who wrote the song, however, since Steve Morse is in Deep Purple , he has the exact sheet music of how it was written , so he knows the correct way to play it, and you can't deny that it sounds a lot better his way...

[GustavoMdeOliveira]

@KingTabor which's the BEST.