🎬 Promises

More than two years ago, on an island called Pulau Tekong, I uploaded a guitar cover called Promises by Desperation Band. I remembered it was an apt song because being stuck on an island for 2 weeks really tested my faith on God's promises.

Today, I went back to this song because I felt it is a really apt song for the current world situation. The coronavirus swept the entire world upside down for the past 3 months and a lot of people are slowly losing hope. I have to stand firm in these trying times and remember God's promises in my life.

Click here for the "better" version!

Here comes the cover analysis. Promises is a super boring song for the electric guitarist because it's just 4 chords (D, A, Bm and G). So I made it a point to improvise if I ever came back to this song. And I did!!!

One improvisation is after the chorus at the turnaround. The original is still the same 4 chords so I decided to do something different. I drew references from Nigel Hendroff's love for power chord walk-ups and did the same thing starting from root note D. I'm not really sure if it's the right chords but it sure sounds amazing. The walk-up makes the verse or bridge that comes after the turnaround sound very fresh because of the tension build-up associated with power chord walk-ups.

The other improvisation is at the bridge itself. Again, the original was the same 4 chords so I opted to mirror the bass line because honestly, it's a sick bass line. I played 2 different octaves of the same note in one riff and honestly, I thought it sounded pretty dope. Would definitely try more funky effects in the future on that riff alone.

Today's gear is also rather different. Promises itself is a song more suited to a guitar with humbuckers, but I decided to use my Thinline Telecaster to break the myth. It actually went quite well so for that I'm thankful.

Also, I finally used my HX Stomp to record a cover. I had plans to record this cover of Promises since last week but with the Helix Floor. It is only today that Worship Tutorials uploaded a video of their All-In-One HX Stomp patch on YouTube and I happened to see it. 

This patch alone might even make me put together a Stomp-based pedalboard and sell away the Floor. Seriously, it is that good. 

Also, I just went to church last weekend to record an acoustic worship session for this coming Easter service. It feels like I just walked into the middle of a movie production. All the gear used are of the highest standard and they finally let me use their full wireless system.

All I can say is, wow! With the guitar output wirelessly sent to soundboard and feedback wirelessly sent back to me via this IEM device, I suddenly felt like a pro on stage. I can literally walk around on stage but hear the entire band in my ears. Too surreal!

Looks like I've got some shopping to do once this Covid-19 situation ends! :)

Edwin Ang

8th April 2020