2022-10-01 Guitar World

“AMERICA”
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TRANSCRIPTIONS

“PAINT IT, BLACK”

The Rolling Stones

As heard on AFTERMATH
Words and Music by MICK JAGGER and KEITH RICHARDS • Transcribed by JEFF PERRIN

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102 G U I T A R W O R L D • O C T O B E R 2 0 2 2 “PAINT IT, BLACK”
WORDS AND MUSIC BY MICK JAGGER AND KEITH RICHARDS.
© 1966 (RENEWED) ABKCO MUSIC, INC., 85 FIFTH AVENUE, NEW YORK, NY 10003.

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

“PAINT IT. BLACK”
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TRANSCRIPTIONS
104 G U I T A R W O R L D • O C T O B E R 2 0 2 2

“PAINT IT, BLACK”
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POWER TOOLS
BY CHRIS GILL

MAESTRO ECHOPLEX EP-3

CATEGORY: EFFECT

WALSH: NY DAILY NEWS ARCHIVE VIA GETTY IMAGES ECHOPLEX: FUTURE CONVENTIONAL BIAS IN the SUGGESTED James Gang’s Joe Walsh
guitar universe dictates that SETTINGS on stage (with a Les Paul)
tubes are always better than solid in New York City in the
state. However, when it comes VAN HALEN, early Seventies
to the differences between the tube-driven “Ain’t Talkin’
Maestro Echoplex EP-2 tape echo pro- ’Bout Love” [below] A vintage
duced in the Sixties and the solid-state EP-3 Maestro Echoplex EP-3
model introduced in 1970, it’s really more Echo setting,
a matter of preference than any blatantly Echo Repeats: 1, Echoplex’s for creating the stacked three-
obvious sonic superiority. While the EP-2’s Echo Volume: 2, part harmonies heard on Queen’s “Brigh-
tube-driven preamp delivers echo effects Echo Delay: 12 ton Rock.”
with a distinct warm, dark and sometimes (approximately 300ms)
even murky character that can sound hyp- While the Echoplex delivers an impres-
notic with clean guitar/amp tones, the EP-3 TIP: Plug effect directly sive variety of traditional musical delay
is more often favored by players who want into the input of an amp effects, it also excels at unorthodox special
more clarity and definition from the echo pushed to distortion. effects that even the best digital modeling
repeats — particularly by guitarists who Use palm muting and units don’t quite replicate. Tommy Bolin
plug directly into the input of an amp driven play percussively to get was a master of manipulating his Echo-
to distortion. the delay to counteract plexes during live performances, cranking
rhythmically. up the sustain control to oscillating feed-
The EP-3’s controls consist of sustain back and raising or lowering pitch by mov-
and volume control knobs, a slider that JOE WALSH, ing the delay slider. These effects were also
moves the playback head to adjust delay “The Bomber” popular with dub reggae producers, who
time and a toggle switch for echo or sound- made the Echoplex into an instrument
on-sound modes. In addition to input Echo setting, unto itself.
and output jacks, there are footswitch Echo Repeats: 4,
jacks for echo on/off and playback func- Echo Volume: 3,
tions. Generally, the delay times cover a Echo Delay: 25
range from about 80 to 800 milliseconds, (approximately 500ms)
although due to the mechanical nature of
an Echoplex these times can vary from TIP: Use a slide and
one unit to another. The sound-on-sound alternate between
feature, introduced on a few EP-2 models percussive notes for
built during the late Sixties, made pronounced echoes
the Echoplex one of the earliest looper and sustained notes
devices, although it can be very tricky to for moody, reverb-like
use this feature during live performances. ambience.
An added bonus is the EP-3’s built-in solid-
state preamp, which slightly boosts the out- East Bay Ray’s trailing long delays on the
put, sweetens the treble and fattens the Dead Kennedys’ “Holiday in Cambodia”
mids. Many players have used an EP-3 for and “Police Truck” and the dotted eighth
its preamp alone while bypassing the echo effect on Pat Travers’ “Heat in the Street.”
effect. Brian May also used a pair of modified

Despite having a relatively simple set of
controls compared to most of today’s dig-
ital delay pedals, the Echoplex EP-3 is a
wonderfully versatile tape echo effect unit
that delivers much more than simple echo/
delay repeats. The sliding playback head
allows users to adjust delay times for tight
reverb-like textures, vintage rockabilly
slapback, dotted eighth rhythmic patterns
and even short repeating phrases. Some
well-known examples include the slapback
effects Jimmy Page often used to fatten his
lead tones, Eddie Van Halen’s single-repeat
300ms delay for “Ain’t Talkin’ ’Bout Love,”

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