Riff Tone
Paris, Texas
Ry Cooder
Guitarblues1980s
Original Gear
Guitar1950s Martin 00-18 acoustic guitar
AmpNone (direct mic'd acoustic, no amp used on studio recording)
PickupsNone (acoustic soundhole pickup not confirmed for this recording)
Amp Settings
gain0
bass6
mid6
treble6.5
reverb3
presence2.5
Effects & Signal Chain
No effects used for this tone
Notes
Studio recording, 1984. All evidence points to Ry Cooder using a 1950s Martin 00-18 acoustic guitar, played with a slide, directly mic'd in the studio for the 'Paris, Texas' soundtrack riff. No electric guitar or amp was used for the main riff section.
Tone Character(10)
haunting and atmosphericwarm and resonantlush, cinematic ambiencetouch-sensitive slide phrasingnatural acoustic timbresoft, expressive dynamicsminimalist and spaciousmelancholic and evocativeclear note separationorganic, unprocessed sound
Difficulty
While the riff is not fast or technically complex, it demands advanced slide technique, precise intonation, and expressive dynamic control to capture the haunting, atmospheric feel of the original recording.
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Create Free AccountGuitarblues1980s
Original Gear
Guitar1950s Martin 00-18 acoustic guitar
AmpNone (direct mic'd acoustic, no amp used on studio recording)
PickupsNone (acoustic soundhole pickup not confirmed for this recording)
Amp Settings
gain0
bass6
mid6
treble6.5
reverb3
presence2.5
Effects & Signal Chain
No effects used for this tone
Notes
Studio recording, 1984. All evidence points to Ry Cooder using a 1950s Martin 00-18 acoustic guitar, played with a slide, directly mic'd in the studio for the 'Paris, Texas' soundtrack riff. No electric guitar or amp was used for the main riff section.
Tone Character(10)
haunting and atmosphericwarm and resonantlush, cinematic ambiencetouch-sensitive slide phrasingnatural acoustic timbresoft, expressive dynamicsminimalist and spaciousmelancholic and evocativeclear note separationorganic, unprocessed sound
Difficulty
While the riff is not fast or technically complex, it demands advanced slide technique, precise intonation, and expressive dynamic control to capture the haunting, atmospheric feel of the original recording.
More Ry Cooder tones
- Feelin' Bad Blues · riff
- Feelin' Bad Blues · solo
- Paris, Texas · solo