Thurston Moore discusses Sonic Youth's album "Sister" and transitioning from trashy guitars to Fender, stating he felt less at ease due to the numerous talented players in standard, with no desire to measure up.
In 1987, Sonic Youth, the pioneering New York City alt-rock band, released their critically acclaimed album *Sister*. The record, often cited as one of the key albums of the Eighties, marked a significant step forward for the group in terms of writing and sonic quality.
Thurston Moore and Lee Ranaldo, the band's guitarists, are renowned for their use of unique alternate guitar tunings, particularly on *Sister*. Their approach to alternate tunings was a creative process of experimentation rather than adherence to standard tunings.
Moore began by strumming open strings and adjusting the tuning until he found sounds he liked, then noting the string tunings. This method allowed them to develop distinct tunings that contributed to Sonic Youth's signature sound on *Sister* and beyond.
Ranaldo also used a Telecaster during the recording of Sister, while Moore played a Fender Duo-Sonic. However, Moore later moved to Jazzmasters and Jaguars. Moore never considered himself a guitarist in standard tuning.
The band's use of such tunings was influenced by avant-garde and art-rock composers like Glenn Branca, who introduced them to non-traditional guitar tunings. This inspired Sonic Youth to weld radical unconventionality to songs that delivered memorable melodies and solid hooks, a testament to their creative prowess.
The band had rehearsed the material for the album quite a bit in a very tiny room on the Lower East Side. The fact that they could weld such radical unconventionality to songs that delivered memorable melodies and solid hooks was a testament to their creative prowess.
The process in terms of dividing the guitar parts was organic, with each member contributing equally. Moore tuned Kim Gordon's bass to a Black Uhuru record, then tuned their guitars based on that. This method of ear-tuning strings to create unique sounds rather than following preset tunings marked a significant step away from conventional rock guitar setup and contributed to the album's groundbreaking sound.
However, the exact string pitches for the alternate tunings Moore and Ranaldo used on *Sister* are not explicitly detailed in the available sources. These tuning details remain a part of their creative mystique and are not fully documented in the sources available.
Moore felt more comfortable in unconventional tunings and never felt the need to compete with traditional guitar players. The songs for Flow Critical Lucidity, Moore's new solo album, combine peaceful, mellow ambience with a vaguely unsettling undercurrent, demonstrating his continued exploration of unique sounds.
*Sister*, released in 1987, is widely acclaimed as Sonic Youth's best album. The band worked quickly on the album due to the expensive studio time at Sear Sound. At the time of its release, it was acknowledged as a step up for the New York City alt-rockers in terms of writing and sonic quality. Sonic Youth's records at the time did not have 'lyrics by' or 'music by' credits, as everything was credited to the band.
In conclusion, *Sister* stands as a testament to Sonic Youth's innovative approach to music, showcasing their ability to blend experimentation with memorable melodies and solid hooks. The album's unique sound, achieved through the use of alternate guitar tunings, has left a lasting impact on the alt-rock genre.
- Thurston Moore and Lee Ranaldo, the guitarists of Sonic Youth, favored unique alternate guitar tunings, particularly during the recording of the band's critically acclaimed album Sister in 1987.
- Moore experimented with unconventional tunings by strumming open strings and adjusting the tuning until he found desired sounds, then noting the string tunings.
- Ranaldo played a Telecaster during the recording of Sister, while Moore played a Fender Duo-Sonic, but Moore later switched to Jazzmasters and Jaguars.
- Sonic Youth's innovative use of non-standard tunings was influenced by avant-garde and art-rock composers like Glenn Branca, enabling them to blend radical unconventionality with memorable melodies and solid hooks.
- Moore and Ranaldo's tuning details for Sister remain a part of their creative mystique, as these specific string pitches are not explicitly documented in available sources.
- Moore's new solo album, Flow Critical Lucidity, combines peaceful, mellow ambience with a vaguely unsettling undercurrent, demonstrating his continuedexploration of unique sounds, influenced by his experience with sonic experimentation on Sister.
