David Gilmour Recalls Modifying Binson Echorec for US Tours

Original source: Rick Beato
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This video from Rick Beato covered a lot of ground. 6 segments stood out as worth your time. Everything below links directly to the timestamp in the original video.

Ever wonder what it took to get groundbreaking sounds before digital effects? David Gilmour's story of physically modifying a crucial piece of gear reveals the ingenuity required in early rock.

David Gilmour Recalls Modifying Binson Echorec for US Tours

David Gilmour initially used the Italian-made Binson Echorec not for guitar, but to enhance the harmony vocals of his early band, inspired by groups like the Beach Boys. He later adapted it for guitar after observing Syd Barrett experiment with its effects. The device, known for its unique spinning drum delay, presented a significant technical hurdle during early US tours due to the difference in electrical cycles between Britain (240 volts, 50 cycles) and America (110 volts, 60 cycles). This discrepancy meant the Echorec's delay speed was altered, making certain musical timings impossible. To resolve this, Gilmour's crew, reportedly led by Peter Watts, drilled through the unit's metal plate to manually reposition its tape heads, performing precise mathematical calculations to adjust the distance by an estimated 13-14%. The incident highlights the painstaking, hands-on adjustments required for vintage gear, a stark contrast to modern digital flexibility, requiring constant "nursing" to achieve desired sounds.

"We got a drill out and drilled through the metal plate on the top of it and took a head off and moved it along and screwed it back in... We had to do some mathematics to work out exactly how far we wanted to move it along."

▶ Watch this segment — 1:00:00

David Gilmour Reflects on Early Friendship with Syd Barrett

David Gilmour reflects on his enduring connection with Syd Barrett, recalling their shared youth in Cambridge. He recounts first encountering Barrett at a children’s art class before they became close friends in their teens, spending lunchtimes playing guitar together while Gilmour studied modern languages and Barrett attended art school in the same building. Their early bond included hitchhiking adventures through the South of France, leading to an arrest for busking in Saint-Tropez and sharing illicit books like The Naked Lunch read by torchlight in a tent. Gilmour describes Barrett as a "psychedelic chap" and speaks with a sense of tragedy about the later deterioration of his friend’s personality, lamenting that "that Syd drifted away and became another one." He expresses uncertainty about whether they, as young men in their early twenties, handled the situation as well as they could have. This personal account offers a poignant glimpse into the origins of their complex relationship and the profound impact of Barrett's decline on those close to him.

"You know, tragically, that Syd drifted away and became another one... it was very hard to deal with."

▶ Watch this segment — 1:23:03

Roger Waters and Nick Mason Accidentally Erased David Gilmour Guitar Solo

David Gilmour reveals the painstaking realities of music production before digital automation, where mixing complex tracks like "Shine On You Crazy Diamond" required meticulous manual coordination. Multiple engineers and band members would rehearse precise fader movements, sometimes six faders manipulated simultaneously in milliseconds, to achieve the desired sound changes. The absence of modern digital editing tools meant that a single error during a "drop-in" (recording a new part over existing audio) could permanently erase previous takes. Gilmour vividly recalls a particularly frustrating incident during the recording of "Dogs," where Roger Waters and Nick Mason accidentally erased his second guitar solo. They had intended to erase something in the first half of the song but, forgetting the tape was in erase mode, it continued to wipe audio through two minutes of leader tape and onto his solo, which was "gone forever." Luckily, Gilmour had a rough mix at home, allowing him to recreate the solo, though he still felt it never quite matched the original's "feel."

"Roger and Nick put it into erase and then forgot it was in erase and it went right through the tape by two minutes of white leader tape and then took away my second guitar solo. Completely erased, gone forever. Done."

▶ Watch this segment — 1:41:17

David Gilmour Explains Unique High-String Tuning Behind "Comfortably Numb" Sound

David Gilmour details his distinctive "high-string" guitar tuning, a technique where several strings are tuned an octave or two higher than standard. Specifically, the G, D, and A strings are tuned up an octave, while the bottom E string is tuned up two octaves to match the top E string. This creates a unique, naturally ringing sound, which he describes as his "lazy style" because it allows for fuller chords and inherent harmonic richness without needing to fret every note. Gilmour applied this innovative tuning to iconic tracks, notably using it in "Comfortably Numb" to create the distinctive moving line and suggest melodies. He emphasizes that this setup requires a different approach to strumming, a "full strum all the way down," rather than dampening lower strings, to fully exploit the resonant qualities of the altered tuning. This method allows the guitar to produce complex, layered sounds that significantly influenced his songwriting and famous melodies.

"The G, D, and A are all up an octave, and the bottom E string is up two octaves... they suggest those chords and that particular tuning do suggest melodies."

▶ Watch this segment — 15:12

David Gilmour Abandons Analog Tape After Blind Test Shows No Difference from Pro Tools

David Gilmour recounts his conversion to digital recording technology, particularly Pro Tools, despite ongoing debates about sound quality. He began using Pro Tools for his 2006 album, On An Island, when the maximum sample rate was 48k, a figure that has since evolved to a standard of 96k. Gilmour noted the profound efficiency of digital editing compared to the laborious manual process of older tape-based methods, recalling spending "hours and hours and hours" dropping in individual sound effects like marching footsteps on The Wall. The pivotal moment in his shift occurred in 2006 during the recording of On An Island at Mark Knopfler's studio. Gilmour conducted a blind test, recording drum tracks—a notoriously challenging instrument to capture perfectly—simultaneously to both Pro Tools and analog tape. With a hidden switch, he, along with engineer Andy Jackson and others, listened without knowing the source, and found the two recordings "indistinguishable." This definitive test led him to declare, "screw all that tape shit, I'm out of there," fully embracing digital recording.

"I had a switch hidden under my hand and would was beinging with Andy Jackson, other engineers and people all listening, saying, couldn't tell the difference. Just couldn't. And that was a great moment for me that said screw all that tape shit, I'm out of there."

▶ Watch this segment — 46:01

David Gilmour Seeks "Unusual But Attractive" Accidents in Songwriting

David Gilmour describes his songwriting process as a continuous search for the distinctive and unexpected, prioritizing "unusual but attractive" accidental discoveries over conventional melodies. He frequently discards compositions he deems "too ordinary" or too similar to existing music, striving for a unique quality in his work. This philosophy emphasizes serendipity and a willingness to explore unorthodox musical ideas that often arise without a preconceived thought process. He illustrates this approach with the iconic intro chord to "Shine On You Crazy Diamond," which he remembers finding almost by accident, simply placing his fingers on the fretboard. Gilmour notes that this chord is rare and has never been heard elsewhere, making it a "happy find" that he considers uniquely his. He actively hunts for such anomalies by experimenting with "weird positions" on the guitar, valuing moments when compelling, unfamiliar sounds spontaneously emerge.

"I'm constantly discarding pieces of music that I just think are too ordinary or too like other things... Something that's got is unusual but attractive and draws you in, I guess, is what you're very happy to find if it occurs of its own volition."

▶ Watch this segment — 1:18:02

Also mentioned in this video

• His unique guitar playing technique of using one finger to play two strings, a… (0:20)
• David Gilmour details the unusual chord progression for Pink Floyd's song… (1:33)
• The initial development of 'Dogs,' where he tried to achieve a strumming style… (4:07)
• David Gilmour clarifies that Pink Floyd never discussed their musical style,… (5:50)
• David Gilmour reflects on his unique guitar soloing style, stating it's… (7:23)
• David Gilmour shares the story of receiving his first fuzz face pedal from a… (9:00)
• The influence of Jimi Hendrix, recalling a mesmerizing performance at a London… (10:18)
• The early techniques for achieving sustain in guitar playing, including using… (12:19)
• His guitar amps were typically cranked loudly and isolated during Pink Floyd… (13:29)
• The moving line in 'Comfortably Numb' was inspired by his high-string guitar… (18:40)
• 'Comfortably Numb' was developed for Roger Waters' 'The Wall' project, with Bob… (20:01)
• The first solo in 'Comfortably Numb' was an early, unchanged part of the song's… (21:39)
• His use of vibrato and the tremolo arm, noting that he refined its use to… (24:50)
• His use of pinch harmonics, which he believes started accidentally, and how his… (26:19)
• His approach to playing the 'Comfortably Numb' outro solo live, stating he… (27:39)
• David Gilmour recalls recording 'Shine On You Crazy Diamond' in Abbey Road's… (29:26)
• The primitive yet high-quality recording methods of the past, including… (31:33)
• The laborious process of tape editing for albums like 'Dark Side of the Moon,'… (35:16)
• The challenges during the recording of 'Wish You Were Here' at Abbey Road… (36:44)
• The importance of providing the best possible experience for the audience,… (39:55)
• The arrangement process for 'Breathe,' where sounds like Univibe guitar,… (40:45)
• David Gilmour contrasts old recording methods with Pro Tools, recalling a… (43:00)
• His drumming abilities as poor despite having good ideas, recalling band… (48:42)
• His process for determining when a song is complete, stating it's usually when… (51:11)
• His preference for P90 pickups over humbuckers, noting their single-coil nature… (52:06)
• The guitar effects used on 'Run Like Hell,' including the Electric Mistress… (54:01)
• The unique delay effect on 'Echoes' was inspired by trying to imitate the… (56:21)
• His preference for tube drivers over fuzz boxes, as they act more like an… (1:06:43)
• David Gilmour showcases a custom-made Bill Lewis guitar with a one-piece neck… (1:07:09)
• His early amp setup using Highwatt 4x12s with 50 or 100-watt tops, bridging the… (1:08:06)
• Sound changes radically between an empty and full room, which front-of-house… (1:10:49)
• Meeting Greg Phillinganes during a 1987 tour, later inviting him to join a… (1:13:06)
• David Gilmour recalls the creation of the 'Wish You Were Here' riff, which… (1:14:55)
• The enduring association he feels with his songs, his unusual practice of… (1:16:20)
• David Gilmour mentions having countless discarded idea tapes, often with great… (1:20:24)
• The mystery of how different drummers make a song like 'Comfortably Numb' sound… (1:21:04)
• The dynamics of being in a band versus working solo, noting that while in a… (1:25:54)
• The joy of playing with Rick Wright again after Pink Floyd, mentioning barn… (1:28:31)
• His long-standing use of a Zoom multi-effects pedal for solos, including… (1:30:58)
• The phenomenon of 'demoitis,' where initial demo parts become so ingrained they… (1:35:56)
• Working with producer Charlie Andrew, who had limited knowledge of Pink Floyd,… (1:38:56)
• The value of old acoustic guitars, believing their wood and glue integrate over… (1:45:25)
• His playing habits, noting he plays guitar daily, often focusing on… (1:47:31)
• David Gilmour showcases a briefcase-sized VCS3 synthesizer created by Peter… (1:47:57)

Summarised from Rick Beato · 1:51:42. All credit belongs to the original creators. Streamed.News summarises publicly available video content.