
Was Moody and Marsden one of the most underrated guitar duos of all time?
Intermediate
Intermediate
- Develop a better understanding of blues-rock riffs from the ’70s.
- Learn how to harmonize solos and riffs.
- Create interlocking guitar parts that make sense.
Whitesnake’s self-titled album is a pinnacle of ’80s hard rock, instantly making them one of the biggest rock bands of the era. It was a departure from their previous six albums due to significant lineup changes. Both original guitarists, Micky Moody and Bernie Marsden, had left the band and opened the doors for former Thin Lizzy guitarist John Sykes to join. Sykes’ influence, which began on the 1984 release, Slide It In, moved the band away from its British blues-rock sound towards the more popular American glam-rock vibe. Let’s take a look at the band’s style during the Moody/Marsden era which is often overshadowed by 1987’s incredible success.
After leaving Deep Purple in 1976, David Coverdale eventually formed his own band with guitar duo Moody and Marsden. During the early ’80s he also had former Purple colleagues Ian Paice and Jon Lord in the mix. While Whitesnake clearly stuck to the same genre as Deep Purple, and some songs are reminiscent of that legendary band, Whitesnake have their own recognizable style thanks to Moody and Marsden’s melodic guitar work. Besides the pentatonic-based power chord riffs that were typical for ’70s blues rock, Whitesnake incorporated a lot of harmonized melodies that seem inspired by Thin Lizzy.
Even though their sound changed somewhat on every album, it’s always been anchored by classic Marshall tones. If you don’t have a Marshall-style amp, I’d check out pedals like the Friedman BE-OD, Wampler Plexi-Drive, Bogner La Grange, or many others. Aim for a more vintage-style tone rather than a hot-rodded sound.
Let’s start with Ex. 1, which is a simple power chord riff in A minor. Note how there is some harmonic movement within the riff. The syncopated slide into the tonic is very typical. Also, it’s cool to alternate between the two double-stops over the root in measure 2. Whitesnake used it a lot but is also famously known from Ram Jam’s hit “Black Betty.”
Ex. 2 is a single-note riff like the ones you can hear in songs like “Medicine Man” from Whitesnake’s Lovehunter album or “Fool for Your Loving” from Ready an’ Willing.
Medicine Man
It’s in G minor and uses the faithful G blues scale (G–Bb–C–Db–D–F). The main motif repeats three times before ending with some chromatic approach notes for the turnaround. Those little chromatic notes at the end really add a bluesy feeling to this riff. I incorporated another very “Whitesnake” idea by moving the riff up to C (the IV chord) before playing another two measures of on the tonic. I then ended on a big open-string G power chord.
Ex. 3 imitates a chorus that could be found on a track like “Lonely Days, Lonely Nights.” Whitesnake often used major and minor chords instead of power chords in the chorus to bring out the melody. This progression is in the key of E and features the IIm and b7 chords, which were very common in rock music of this era. Check out Danzig’s “Mother” or Van Halen’s “Ain’t Talking ’Bout Love” for more examples.
Whitesnake - Lonely Days, Lonely Nights
Ex. 4 is a bit of a solo section over the same progression in A minor. While sticking mainly to pentatonic material, Moody and Marsden also incorporate the 9 and even target it before resolving it to the 3. You can find the 9 as a melodic passing note in the first measure as well as in measure 3 where I hold the G while it becomes the 9 over the F major chord. Then I resolve it to the A in the final measure.
Ex. 5 is another riff that features a dual-guitar attack, again in octaves. Moody and Marsden would often do this with their signature riffs. The upper octave adds a more melodic touch to an otherwise simple single-note riff.
Since harmonizing in thirds was so common, Whitesnake also incorporated them into a few of their melody lines. In Ex. 6 the harmony is a third below the actual tonic line giving it the more colorful flavor of a sixth from a harmonic perspective. A very Whitesnake-y sound. Also note how the last note moves in a different direction creating a bit more harmonic movement.
For Ex. 7 we’ll take a look at one of the few shred lines you’d encounter in Whitesnake’s earlier work. I shamelessly stole it from the “Medicine Man” solo and changed up the end a little, simply because these slightly shreddy moments were very rare in Whitesnake’s music at that time. It’s a simple pentatonic line in G# minor that mixes a few different subdivisions. You can pick it or play it with hammer-ons and pull-offs. It’s just to build a bit of tension at the end of the solo.
Hopefully, after this lesson you will feel inspired to go back and check out Whitesnake’s early catalog. They were a woefully underrated rock band during that time and thanks to Moody and Marsden, the blues-based, hard rock sound will continue long after the band itself.
Wampler Pedals releases the Brent Mason signature ReWired pedal.
Brent Mason’s career as a session guitarist spans over five decades, making him one of the most recorded musicians in history. His unparalleled talent has graced more than 1,000 albums, playing with and contributing to chart-topping hits from icons like Alan Jackson, Brooks & Dunn, Vince Gill, George Jones, Dolly Parton, Blake Shelton, Shania Twain, and many others. A Grammy winner and Musicians Hall of Fame inductee, Brent has also earned twelve Guitarist of the Year awards from the Academy of Country Music, two CMA® Musician of the Year titles, and was named one of the top ten session guitarists ever by Guitar World magazine.
Brian Wampler’s journey with Brent Mason began way back around 2004, when he’d make weekend trips to Nashville just to watch Brent play. Inspired by Brent’s incredible talent and effortless touch, Brian set out to craft a signature pedal that would become the cornerstone of Brent’s sound. The Overdrive channel perfectly captures Brent’s iconic rhythm tones, offering everything from crystal-clear light dirt to a punchy, muscular Overdrive. The Distortion channel screams with rich harmonics, making it ideal for solos - whether used on its own or stacked with the Overdrive for maximum impact.
An Iconic Tone, Reimagined
With two fully independent circuits, the ReWired gives you access to both classic Overdrive and powerful Distortion channels that have been tweaked to Brent’s exact specs. The Overdrive side is perfect for rhythm and Chicken Pickin’ - built for warmth and maximum clarity, staying true to Brent's iconic sound. The Distortion channel is a perfect lead tone and offers a weighty “British” Plexi-like punch. The ReWired also features an order switch that allows the stacking direction to be changed on-the-fly without the hassle of changing cables.
Dual inputs and Outputs
The ReWired can be connected with a single mono input and output cable, just like a regular guitar pedal, or you can connect each channel independently (very useful when used with a loop switcher!). You can even connect a pedal in between both channels - try adding a compressor or an EQ if you want to sculpt your tone further.
Fat Blends
The ReWired incorporates our unique “Fat” circuit control onto each channel as separate knobs. This allows you to dial in just the right amount of low end thump and presence into your rig - helping tame big speaker cabs or enhance smaller ones. The Overdrive channel also has Brent’s signature blend control, allowing you to tune the amount of drive to your liking.
ReWired - for ALL players
This is not a guitar pedal to be bought and put in a case and admired - but with its exclusive new Prime Silver finish (a nod to Brent’s infamous ‘67 Telecaster) and custom graphics we wouldn’t blame you if you did. The Wampler ReWired is designed to be at the heart of your rig. It sounds great with every guitar and amp we’ve tried it with and covers so many genres of music with ease. It comes with Wampler’s standard no fuss 5 Year guarantee and is built from the highest grade components to withstand the rigors of practice and gigging for years to come. The Wampler Brent Mason ReWired Signature Overdrive and Distortion - Rewire Your Sound Today Built in the U.S.A. with high-grade components selected for superior sound and response, premium finish and controls Dual Independent Overdrive and Distortion channels Independent Level, Gain, Tone and Fat controls for both channels, Blend Control for Overdrive channel Channel Order switch with two pairs of Input and Output jacks Power draw: 35mA at 9V and 40mA at 18V. 9-18v power jack - DC supply only, do not exceed 18v DC, battery Included Includes Limited 5-Year Warranty Dimensions: 5” x 4.5” x 2.4″ (88.9mm x 114.3mm x 58.0mm)
The Wampler ReWired carries a street price of $279.97. For more information visit https://www.wamplerpedals.com/
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Hand-built in the USA, this pedal features original potentiometer values, True Bypass, and three unique modes for versatile distortion options. Commemorative extras included.
This limited-edition pedal is limited to a 1,974-piece run to commemorate the year of DOD’s start, 1974. The original OD250 put DOD on the map as “America’s Pedal” and continues to be an industry favorite today. Each pedal will have a serial-numbered Certificate of Authenticity, a commemorative laser-etched pedal topper, several commemorative guitar picks, and multiple commemorative stickers.
Hand-built in the USA, the DOD OD250 – 50th Anniversary Edition pedal boasts Gain and Level controls using the original potentiometer values and tapers giving the control knob the feel and range that DOD enthusiasts love. A three-position toggle switch features the OD250’s classic “SILICON” mode replicating that original sound. The “Ge/ASYM” mode uses a vintage Germanium diode for asymmetrical even-harmonic distortion. “LIFT” mode cuts the diode clipping from the signal path allowing for a clean boost or even a dirty boost when the vintage LM741 op-amp is clipped at higher gain settings. The DOD 250 also features True Bypass to maintain the integrity of your guitar tone.
This limited edition OD250 is outfitted in a stunning metal flake gray finish with classic yellow screenprint in a callback to the original OD250 of the 1970s. An etched aluminum badge on each unit commemorates this occasion. The DOD OD 250 – 50th Anniversary is ready to take its place among the historic DOD pedal lineup.
When John Johnson and “Mr. DOD” himself, David O. DiFrancesco set out to make DOD Electronics in Salt Lake City, Utah 50 years ago, they had no idea how enduring their legacy would be. Now 50 years later, DOD Electronics continues to be at the forefront of pedal technology. The DOD OD 250 – 50th Anniversary Pedal is an exceptional testament to DOD Electronics’ long–standing success.
Retail Price: $250.00
For more information, please visit digitech.com.
Want to know how tubes shape your tone? Join PG contributor Tom Butwin as he breaks down preamp vs. power tubes, tone tweaks, and biasing, in this ultimate beginner's guide to tube amps. From Fender cleans to Marshall grit, learn how to unlock the full potential of your amp!
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