Eclipse – Episode Eight: Building the Guitar Foundation

In this chapter of my ongoing Eclipse project, I shift the focus to the guitar. Earlier episodes walked through my reference track selection and the layering of drums and bass. Now, it’s time to weave in the harmonic backbone.

The audio clip I’m sharing begins with a snippet of the reference track, followed by a snippet of my newly created guitar pattern. This side-by-side makes it easy to compare the chord rhythm approaches—just remember, the reference track is naturally going to sound more polished at this stage. We’re still mid-build, so no final verdicts yet. Filter out Post Malone's incredible voice. Do not let this or the pleasant reverb wash distract you from listening to the rhythm, vibe and guitar/instrument pulse of my track. That, is what I am focused on in my song build process at this point.  Final mixing will touch in reverb and delay sheen later.

Also, since I am a keyboardist I often start my creation process with just a piano to practice as I know my way around this world. In this case, you can hear my piano metro “scratch take” at the very front end of the intro AND I actually left it in the song I built (not sure why ;) but it grew on me like a fungus. 

Final Note: In an ideal scenario, I’d have a top-tier guitarist performing these parts. But I’m a keyboardist, not a guitarist, and this is a fully DIY project. As I’ve mentioned in earlier episodes, I don’t currently have the resources, time, or creative headspace to bring in studio musicians or a full band. Instead, I used my trusty Kurzweil PC3K’s Boutique Six String patch to emulate the sound of a guitar and played the guitar part here on my keyboard - aiming to capture the feel of a live guitarist. Is it perfect? No—but perfection isn’t the goal. My focus is on maintaining momentum, creating with what I have, and letting the process drive the song forward.

For this section, the Boutique Six String became the focal point for shaping the song’s chord rhythm. I built the intro, verse, and pre-chorus lines to lock in with the pre-built drum and bass foundation, letting the guitar steer the harmonic pulse while keeping the groove open and breathable.

With this step, Eclipse takes another stride toward its final form—proof that sometimes the best progress comes from working resourcefully and embracing the sound that only a DIY approach can bring.

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