LOOKING BACK TO THE MEMORIES:

GUITAR FOR THE PRACTICING MUSICIAN (JAPAN) | NOVEMBER 1995 – by Masaki Fukuda.
Photography: Mike Hashimoto, Ross Halfin & Mark Lebon.
Translation for STEVE CLARK GUITAR by Global Language Services.

GUITAR PLAY & ARRANGEMENT OF STEVE CLARK

Featuring Def Leppard’s best albums!
The secrets behind iconic phrases and arrangements that define countless hit songs:

Def Leppard‘s second album, “High ‘n’ Dry” (1981) reached the Top 40 in the US. Following the massive success of their album “Pyromania” in 1983, they continued to sell millions of copies with each subsequent release including “Hysteria” (1987) and “Adrenalize” (1992). And finally, “DEF LEPPARD GREATEST HITS VAULT” is set to be released; the definitive hits compilation which marks their legendary career. In this article, using some of the tracks included on the album, we will highlight some of the songwriting and guitar playing of the late STEVE CLARK, a key figure behind Def Leppard’s music, and take a closer look at the band’s ‘sound magic’ which has sometimes been described as too finely detailed.

BRINGIN‘ ON THE HEARTBREAK (S. Clark/P. Willis/J. Elliott) from HIGH ’N’ DRY:

As will be discussed later, Armageddon It (Example 7), Hysteria (Example 9), Pour Some Sugar On Me (Example 11) and Love Bites (Example 13), in other words, Steve’s solos on the album HYSTERIA, are quite distinctive. To be more specific, what’s noteworthy is that his playing doesn’t seem to stem from the kind of habitual techniques typical of guitarists; instead, it gived the impression that he simply transposed a natural melody that was playing in his head onto the guitar, Needless to say, at that time, he was completely focused on his solo playing as part of the song. That is how he played melodies that were “innovative for the guitar”. Steve played not with his fingertips, but in his head. In that sense, you could say that he was a truly unique guitarist.

However, on HIGH ‘N’ DRY, an earlier album, he also showcased the fundamental skills as a guitarist. A good example of this is shown in the harmony part (Example 1) and the solo part (Example 2) of Bringin’ On The Heartbreak. It seems that they used acoustic-electric guitars in their early live performances, but once they established themselves as an arena band, Steve began using the Gibson double-neck EDS-1275.

ROCK! ROCK! (TILL YOU DROP) (S. Clark/R. Savage/R. J. Lange/J. Elliott) from PYROMANIA:

As any astute reader may have already guessed, one of Steve’s (and others’) signature techniques is none other than the arpeggio. The arpeggios that incorporate open strings to create the sound of adjacent chords, as seen in later songs like Photograph (Example 5) and Hysteria (Example 8), play an important role in Def Leppard’s music. Playing adjacent notes simultaneously can, in some cases, mean a fine line away from dissonance. But that is exactly why it creates that sense of tension. For example, a standard arpeggio progressing from the 1st, 3rd and to the 5th intervals may feel stable, but lacks tension. However, chords played with semitones or whole-tone intervals possess a special sense of clarity, which is really designed to pique the listeners interest. For those who want to create a song in the style of Steve Clark / Def Leppard, it is worth keeping the key phrase “adjacent chord arpeggios involving open strings” in mind, though it comes with the caveat that you have to understand the key points of how to utilise them.

Example 3 features Steve Clark’s classic approach of open strings / adjacent chords. The arrangement, which synchronises the timing with another bass-muting guitar, is also a nice touch.

PHOTOGRAPH (S. Clark/P. Willis/R. Savage/J. Elliott/R. J. Lange) from PYROMANIA:

The Def Leppard sound, which perfectly combines rich harmonies with hard-hitting intensity – in other words, “soft and hard” – was perfected and recognised with PYROMANIA, the album which propelled them into worldwide fame, and in particular with Photograph.

If we analyse the flow of the song, the chord progression on the 4th and 3rd strings in Example 4 is a pattern that is all too simple and commonplace for a guitarist, but combined with the big drum sound that accompanies it, it creates a “fast” feel, which is in contrast to the “slow” chorus part in Example 5. The tight rhythmic highlights interspersed throughout are also memorable, and these elements together give the song quite a dramatic flow. Variations in tempo is a common technique in songwriting and arranging. When it’s executed with such brilliance though, it’s anything but ordinary. I suppose, ultimately, it comes down to artistic sensibility.

It should also be noted that the arpeggios in Example 5, like those in Example 3, are notable for the resonance created by adjacent chords. It is important to understand that the scale section such as the semi-tone interval with the 4th string 4th fret → open 3rd string, and the whole-tone interval → semi-tone interval with the 5th string 7th fret → 4th string 4th fret → open 3rd string, create a dissonant tension characteristic of adjacent notes.

ARMAGEDDON IT (S. Clark/P. Collen/J. Elliott/R. J. Lange/R. Savage) from HYSTERIA:

Needless to say, the essence of Def Leppard’s music lies in the meticulous attention to detail in their songwriting and arrangements. While there are quite a few negative opinions that their sound is “too calculated”, that is just part of the price of fame. As they say, “If you stick your neck out, you’ll be taken down a peg or two.” It was through such perfectionism, this unwavering approach that leaves no room for error, that the most delicate music in the history of hard rock was born. You could say that Example 6 exemplifies this Def Leppard-style approach. My overall impression after listening to the whole track is that it is a catchy L.A. metal-style riff, but the fact that they have deliberately split bars 1-4, which are typically played by a single guitar, into two twin guitars is a technique they employ to make the sound clearer even with a heavy tone. This might be the reason why some people consider their music to be too meticulous.

Example 7 is a solo performance that clearly demonstrates the idea that “even the solo is part of the song”. It is a great example for guitarists, and you can hear some uncharacteristic phrasing from Steve Clark in the latter half.

HYSTERIA (S. Clark/P. Collen/J. Elliott/R. J. Lange/R. Savage) from HYSTERIA:

If I may say so, out of all the Def Leppard songs, I think Hysteria is the one that best embodies their signature style, crafted with the highest standard of artistic sensibility. There are no dramatic chord progressions, nor is the tempo particularly powerful; yet it possesses an impressive and rhythmical sense of speed. Although I think many people have the impression that the music of Def Leppard, who are perfectionists to the core, are “too tinkered around”, once you experience the magic of how this song’s truly simple and straightforward arrangement is elevated to the status of a “masterpiece”, you will surely come to understand their true intent, which is to refine a song to it’s best possible form while staying close to simplicity. They are not overcomplicating things; they are merely investing their time and money on what is simple and good.

Example 8 is the main arpeggio. What is noteworthy here is how the 4th string at the 4th fret (F sharp note) and the open 3rd string (G note) clash. It is worth noting that even though they are muted notes, by linking the chromatic scale of F sharp and G as the two adjacent notes in an arpeggio, it adds a dissonant clarity to the quality of the sound.

Example 9 is a solo by Steve. It’s a line that involves a lot of slides and doesn’t sound like a typical guitar phrase, but that’s guitar for you too. You could say it’s a composer’s idea.

POUR SOME SUGAR ON ME (S. Clark/P. Collen/J. Elliott/R. J. Lange/R. Savage) from HYSTERIA:

Although it differs from the dark, heavy sound of heavy metal, their dazzling heavy style has also influenced many bands. A good example of this is Example 10, Pour Some Sugar On Me. As you can see, it’s a very heavy guitar-like riff, but it should be pointed out that just because something is heavy does not mean it should result in monotonous heavy. In other words, while heavy playing is important, if you play every note from start to finish with full-power picking, you’ll end up sounding like a machine. Thankfully humans have the capacity for intonation, which gives things both a sense of rhythm and gravity. Therefore, the first step is to pick the strings while distinguishing between the muted notes (marked with “M” on the sheet music) on the 5th and 4th strings and the unmuted, open note on the 3rd string. Furthermore, by accentuating the picking of those three string notes, you can create a human touch that cannot be replicated with a machine.

Example 11 is a solo part for Steve, who made a point of playing it as “part of the song”. Like his other solos, it isn’t technically particularly sensational, but it could be described as an innovative approach for a guitar piece.

LOVE BITES (S. Clark/P. Collen/J. Elliott/R. J. Lange/R. Savage) from HYSTERIA:

For example, if you combine the chord Am with the chord Cmaj9, you get the sound of Am9. When two chords are combined in this way to achieve another chord, their constituent notes intertwine subtly, creating a tone that is different from when playing Am9 on a single guitar. Even with a single guitar, if you use a different fingering, the same chord will sound different, which is to be expected (the chord itself is the same, but the way the sound spreads out will be completely different depending on the fingering used). Example 12 takes advantage of this technique. For example, in bar 1, the top guitar plays Dm7 and the bottom guitar plays Dm. It’s a subtle difference, but the top guitar plays C using the 3rd string, 5th fret while the bottom guitar plays D using the 3rd string, 7th fret, and the two sounds, one note apart, clash and create a tone that’s different from a standard Dm7 chord. In the second bar, the bottom guitar plays A with the 4th string, 7th fret, which produces the 9th sound, and that sound is adjacent (and a semitone apart) to the B flat sound played by the top guitar with the 3rd string, 3rd fret. This is one example of Steve employing his knowledge of theory in the creation of the piece. Even those who don’t understand the theory can probably “feel” it by actually playing that sound.

And Example 13 perfectly embodies an interlude-style solo that keeps the guitarist’s “urge” in check. This is another example of Steve Clark’s /Def Leppard’s magic.

LOOKING BACK TO THE MEMORIES:

GUITAR PLAY & ARRANGEMENT OF STEVE CLARK

BRINGIN‘ ON THE HEARTBREAK (S. Clark/P. Willis/J. Elliott) from HIGH ’N’ DRY:

ROCK! ROCK! (TILL YOU DROP) (S. Clark/R. Savage/R. J. Lange/J. Elliott) from PYROMANIA:

PHOTOGRAPH (S. Clark/P. Willis/R. Savage/J. Elliott/R. J. Lange) from PYROMANIA:

ARMAGEDDON IT (S. Clark/P. Collen/J. Elliott/R. J. Lange/R. Savage) from HYSTERIA:

HYSTERIA (S. Clark/P. Collen/J. Elliott/R. J. Lange/R. Savage) from HYSTERIA:

POUR SOME SUGAR ON ME (S. Clark/P. Collen/J. Elliott/R. J. Lange/R. Savage) from HYSTERIA:

LOVE BITES (S. Clark/P. Collen/J. Elliott/R. J. Lange/R. Savage) from HYSTERIA:

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