Great string arrangements in rock and pop songs

I play guitar and bass, and have always loved strings, but lately I've developed an even deeper appreciation for them.
I want to learn to play violin and cello. Any ATSers out there play strings?

Here are some wonderful examples of string arrangements:
(Please feel free to share your favorite "string songs".)







[yvid] [/yvid]

I don't know if you would consider it a string song, but one of my favorites with an orchestral-type arrangement is "Silent Lucidity" by Queensryche. Sorry about not including a video. I haven't quite gotten the hang of it yet.

Sweet topic. I find that strings can add so so much to a track, if done well ( like anything else, I guess haha ) Sometimes it can be schmaltzy. I play guitar, bass and steel a little; I've tried fiddling around with a violin and a cello, but I sounded like an a**hat haha. I'd like to get a fiddle someday when I get the cash. Here's some of my favourites!

Gene Pitney - "Every Breath I Take"

I think this was Phil Spector's first #1 as a producer, and, man, this sounds so huge. The strings in the middle give me chills, and at the end it just sounds demented! (foreshadowing? lol)





Wilco - "Jesus, Etc"

Country fiddle and classical deftness blended perfectly



Hayden - "Lullaby"

A good ol' Canadian boy and this is just purdy.



Annnd just for something different, check out the fuzzed violin in this pre-Sabbath heaviness

High Tide - "Pushed, But Not Forgotten"

I wonder if the piano could be considered a string instrument? Guitar strings are plucked, violin strings are rubbed, piano strings are struck.

I also wonder why there aren't more harp players. Maybe most musicians are too intimidated to try to master an instrument with that many strings. Roy Clark wouldn't have been afraid of it.

a reply to: ColeYounger
Oh there are a bunch of them for sure, sometimes works, sometimes doesn't, but when it does...

I like what Mick Ronson, Bowies guitar player did for Lou Reed.


Randy Newman could do it himself:

a reply to: ugmold

God, I love Mick Ronson! haha

a reply to: ColeYounger

I used to play the cello when I was in grade school. Then I migrated to the bass, but now I play the mandolin. Which is like a violin and guitar hybrid thing.

a reply to: VictorVonDoom

Haha I bet Roy Clark has shredded a harp and moved on. You can't put the hurt on a harp like you can a necked instrument. Sometimes you gotta manhandle 'em haha

a reply to: Krazysh0t

I'd like to get a mando just to play "The Battle Of Evermore" over and over haha. I can't get my fingers accurate enough to do any bluegrassey stuff on them haha

a reply to: WizardVanWizard

The best thing about the mando is that you can just take a fiddle or violin tune and play it as is since the mando has the same tuning as a fiddle/violin.

Eventually, I'd like to get my hands on a mandola (same tuning as a viola) just to screw around with. It may be a bit harder to come by a mandella (same tuning as a cello which is an octave lower than the viola) or a mando-bass, but I have experience with those two instruments' tunings.

PS: You don't need to play bluegrass music on the mandolin. You could also do Irish/Celtic folk as well.

'The Actor' and 'Nights in White Satin' by the Moody Blues. Wonderful music.

a reply to: ColeYounger

One of my faves.

a reply to: pillywiggin

Yes, beautiful violins.

a reply to: Krazysh0t

Yeah sometimes I like to tune my guitar to an all-fifths tuning; it is cool for celtic-y stuff. I can't play much of that on the mando, either. Basically strumming stuff and Zeppelin songs haha.

I actually played a mandola once before. I visited a friend of a friend's house, and he had this custom-made mandola with a body sort of like an old Martin parlour guitar. What a beautiful instrument.

a reply to: Krazysh0t

Cool! I was messing with a cello at the music store. Just slowly drawing the bow over the strings, and I was hooked!
I must get one.

a reply to: ugmold

I like what Mick Ronson, Bowies guitar player did for Lou Reed.

Yes! And don't forget Robert Quine.

a reply to: WizardVanWizard

Yea the mando certainly does have its own set of hurdles to clear when learning the instrument that aren't the same as a guitar despite both being instruments where you pick the strings, but I really love the sound of doing tremolos.

a reply to: WizardVanWizard

I like messing with alternate tunings too. DADGAD is fun. Guitar is such an amazing instrument.
Did you see my thread on Jim Oblon? Check out his steel player!

a reply to: ColeYounger

So you like strings eh enjoy :>)

a reply to: Krazysh0t

Ugh, same here man haha. Tremolos give me shivers. I love cranking up the reverb on my amp and doing mando-styled tremolos.