“A woman in climax”: Prince’s ultimate guitar tone
Prince is one of those rare artists who defies easy description. His career was a whirlwind of not just music but also a unique persona, a sense of mystery, and an unrelenting creative drive. He wasn’t simply a musician; he was a revolutionary force who continuously pushed boundaries and redefined what it meant to be an artist. Even today, his influence reverberates through the music industry, shaping the sound and style of countless modern artists. His legacy is one of unparalleled innovation and excitement, making him one of the most iconic figures ever to grace the stage.
Prince had his own particular methods for embracing his creativity and tapping into what allowed him to make such bold music. He called this his “Aquarium”, where he would set up an environment where he felt like he could easily engage with whatever he was trying to make.
Questlove speaks about this, saying, “Here’s the deal. Since 1997, Soul Train has been my aquarium. That’s a Prince term. When he was alive, whenever you’d go to Prince’s house, two things were always on TV: [the 2003 animated film] Finding Nemo and Black Orpheus, this beautiful Brazillian film from 1959. He would have those on a constant loop.”
When he was in this zone, Prince was able to engage with his mind in the most boundaryless way, which allowed him to make conceptual, experimental, and exciting music. The result speaks for itself, as to release a song in the 1980s that was about the ‘90s and still sounds futuristic in 2024 is no small achievement. Because so much went into Prince’s work, he was often viewed as the whole package. The individual sections that went into making his music weren’t given the time that other artists were. He wasn’t judged for his singing, guitar playing, or songwriting; instead, he was judged on his ability to be Prince.
As a result, he is often left out of the conversation when it comes to talking about the best guitarist and vocalist of all time, but this is a mistake. When he passed away, a video of him performing the solo at the end of ‘While My Guitar Gently Weeps’ started circulating, and it showed people just how much of a maverick on the six-string he was. He could write enchanting melodies while also shredding guitar solos. There was no performance where Prince held back, and it was a true honour to watch.
In life, whenever he was asked about the technical side of his guitar playing, he was elusive as you would expect Prince to be. While other musicians will talk about the effects they use, the settings on their amp and their favourite guitar to play, Prince answered in heavy metaphor that half the time didn’t make sense. His guitar-playing journey can be summed up in three quick questions that he was asked, and his ability is buried within the meaning of his answers if you can locate it.
When asked whether or not he planned his solos, he replied, “Spontaneous.” Next, when asked which of his solos is his favourite, he said, “All are different”. Finally, when asked what he would deem the ultimate guitar tone, he concluded, “A woman in climax”.
