This Time

"When searching for fresh sounds, Corgan won't hesitate to twist his guitar's tuning pegs up as well as down. " 'This Time' is tuned up a half step," he explains (low to high: F Bb Eb Ab C F). One can't help but wonder why Corgan simply doesn't use a capo for this song. "I'm not really big on capos," he explains. "You don't get the same tone and feel that you get by tuning up a half step. Plus, it can be confusing if you're playing something higher up the neck"

FIGURE 8 depicts the sparse, atmospheric guitar part heard during the verses to "This Time" as well as the accompanying bass line that completes the harmonic outline. Notice how this economical guitar part has a simplicity and "wetness" similar to the trademark sound created by U2 guitarist The Edge, and how the bass and drums fill out the groove with a phat bed of funky eighth- and 16th-note rhythms. FIGURE 9 shows the orchestrated four-bar instrumental hook heard at the end of the chorus section (begining at 1:50);. The second time this part is played (after the second chorus, at 3:04), another heavily distorted guitar is added to the proceedings, strumming and sustaining the Alex Lifeson-esque pwer chord voicings illustrated in FIGURE 10. As you listen to these sections of the recording, notice how each of the overdubbed guitar parts has a distingly different tone, volume level and positioning in the mix, causing them to be beautifully reconciled into a virtual "axe symphony."

Guitar World - 4/00