3 Aspects of Our Debut Album That Fill Me with Pride - Part 3: Making the guitars and bass parts interesting ingredients

When we started working on our debut album, we should make it clear that neither of us is primarily a guitarist. That fact alone could have been a major hurdle towards the end result. Instead, it became one of the most rewarding parts of the project. The variety in the guitar work and the effectiveness of the basslines on the album was a pleasant surprise, and it’s something I’m genuinely proud of. What made it work so well was the way our different approaches to guitar/ bass playing came together in the recording process. This post explores how those differences shaped the album's sound and feel, and why our collaboration made the guitars and bass vital to our sound.

Neither GT nor I come from a traditional guitar background. I'm an occasional singer, and although I've dabbled in guitar on and off, I've never really learned how to play one properly. Also, I know no music theory at all. GT is actually a drummer, although he has developed as a multi-instrumentalist over several solo works. This meant our playing is generally less about technical perfection and more about finding the heart of the song.

The art of bass bilging

GT took the lion's share of bass duties on the album, which makes sense given his extensive experience as part of a rhythm section. His playing focuses on interesting grooves, adding little touches or motifs I would never have thought of.

On songs like 'All Faces Lie Pt. 2', the bass in the chorus adds a weird off-kilter funk feel that was initially uncomfortable, but elevates the second half of the chorus. His bassline on 'Sunrise' followed a conversation where I said: "The more that's going on in the rest of it, the more straightforward the bass should be". The resulting bassline is one of my favourites on the album - melodic and punchy, but driving when it needs to be. 'Grip' is so effective with its 80s style bassline (channelling Paul Young or Japan, even though I'm pretty sure he's never heard of them). It's a masterful piece of tasteful playing. There are many more examples throughout the album, of him just nailing what the song required.

The only two songs I played bass on were All Faces Lie Pt. 1 and PastPresentFuture. They are much simpler affairs in comparison to the other tracks, but GT showed his commitment to what the song required by just saying "It works, just use it", rather than adding to it for the sake of vanity.

Two guitarists, two very different approaches to making interesting guitar parts

There are some big differences in how GT & I write and put down our guitar parts. Some of this might be down to technical ability, and some of this is just how our musical minds work. GT tends to work out a part, get it sounding nice and then put that part down onto the recording when it is sounding just right. 'Sunrise' has a beautiful harmonised solo in it that really suits the section of the song it's in. His playing in the closing track, 'Hope' covers funky styles, a brief yet gorgeous solo and then ends up with some metal chugs. My process for most of the guitar parts is that I'd loop a section of the song and just play things. After about 5 or 10 mins of playing I'd listen back and pick out the bit that sounded right for the song. If nothing emerged that I liked I'd try again the following day. Once I'd got the guitar part I liked, I might also spend a while adapting the guitar FX to the take I'd chosen. Sometimes I might do those two steps in the reverse order starting with the sound I wanted and then creating a part that maximises that FX's character. Either way the majority of my guitar parts have been played once and that is what's on the album. There were a couple of occasions where I might write it a guitar part on the keyboard and then work out how to do it on guitar, but these tended to be for layered sections rather than main parts. There are a few instances where I love what I managed to come up with. 'Oh Sisyphus!' has guitars that are pure gothic splendour in the intro/verse. The chorus is post-punk delay-sodden walls of sound (possibly tipping a hat to Tom Verlaine subsonsciously). I love the subtleties of the guitar parts in 'Grip'. I love the parts behind the sax in the bridge and the 'church bell' effect I managed in the final chorus by layering parts. I loved doing the full industrial metal guitars on 'PastPresentFuture', which gave such a departure from the other songs. A nod also to my solo in 'Sunrise'. I didn't want it to sound anything like the earlier solo by GT as that was perfect. So I instead just played a simple finger tapped melody with some tremolo abuse to round it off (My guitar ended up held level to my head by the trem bar).

We didn’t rush the process. We recorded multiple layers when required to create a fuller sound. The more cultured approach of GT's balanced perfectly with my more chaotic methodology. Overall I felt we were able to capture elements that were tight when required but also captured the energy and raw emotion when that was what it needed. We also were honest about whether a song needed one of us to add to it. Neither one of us added a guitar part just so that we had one on every song.

How our collaboration shaped the album’s sound

The collaboration between GT and me on guitar and bass was more than just sharing parts. It was about combining different musical instincts and making interesting guitar parts. Our contrasting styles pushed each other to try new ideas and break out of comfort zones. This dynamic is clear throughout the album. The variety keeps the album engaging and showcases the strengths of both players.

We recorded our parts always with the overall song in mind, allowing space for the whole arrangement to shine. Ultimately, the guitars and bass on the album reflect a genuine partnership. Our different approaches created a sound that feels honest and personal. It’s a reminder that technical mastery is not the only path to great music. Passion, experimentation, and collaboration can produce something just as powerful.