1,680 guitarists play Smoke on the Water...

**muffdiver** · 06.06.07, 07:26 AM

KANSAS CITY, Kansas (AP) - More than 1,680 guitar players turned out, tuned up and took part in what organizers say was a world record rendition of Deep Purple's "Smoke on the Water" - a song that was the first many of them ever learned.

Some came from as far away as California and Germany on Sunday to take part in a Kansas City radio station's effort to break a Guinness world record for the most people playing the same song simultaneously. The record had been 1,323 people playing the same song in Vancouver, British Columbia, in 1994.

"It was cool to see little kids playing, people who had been playing for their whole lives, like older people, and then I'm sure there were people like me who just picked up the song a couple days before," said Autumn McPherson, of Winfield, a senior at the University of Kansas.

Preliminary numbers show 1,683 people played the popular early '70s guitar riff on Sunday at CommunityAmerica Ballpark.

"I thought it was going to be kind of cheesy," said Hannah Koch, of Prairie Village, who came clad in an elf costume. "But after I got here, I got caught up in the excitement of it."

Tanna Guthrie, a morning show host for KYYS (99.7 FM), came up with the idea for the record attempt. She said her station will send participant sign-up lists, photos, videos and copies of media coverage to Guinness seeking official recognition of a record.

Guthrie said she chose "Smoke on the Water," a track off Deep Purple's "Machine Head" album, because it's one of the first songs many guitarists learn.

"You never know if you can pull something like this off," she said.

One of the participants, John Cardona of Hanford, California, said he brought felt-tip pens so he could get others to sign his guitar.

"It was the guitar I learned on," the 41-year-old said. "It was very dispensable on the way here, but very valuable to me now."

I don't think anyone on this site can play that tune....

**smithjc** · 06.06.07, 08:00 AM

I hope they make the books for this. It'd be interesting to hear.

Ritchie w/b proud and then fire them all.

**cam-5150** · 06.06.07, 08:08 AM

Ughh... So basically it sounded like a typical afternoon at Guitar Center.

**Leo Van Newhouse** · 06.06.07, 08:12 AM

Would be the coolest thing if 1680 people played Eruption.

**smithjc** · 06.06.07, 08:14 AM

There'd be some interesting versions, that's for sure.

**Leo Van Newhouse** · 06.06.07, 08:19 AM

Could be yeah

Alright, would be cool if all those people played EVH's version of Eruption

**FORD** · 06.06.07, 09:35 AM

Were these 1,680 all guys who have played in "Deep Purple" over the years?

**smithjc** · 06.06.07, 09:54 AM

Blackmore's just finicky about his music.

**FORD** · 06.06.07, 10:11 AM

Originally Posted by smithjc

Blackmore's just finicky about his music.

Actually, Blackmore hasn't been in the band half the time. Gillan hasn't been in the other half. That's why they have had 1600 guys "in the band".

Deep Purple is about Blackmore AND Gillan, just as Van Halen is about Dave AND Eddie. Anything else is just an imitation.

**voivod** · 06.06.07, 10:14 AM

http://www.svandyke.com/kycameraguy/smoke/smoke.html

**Gypsy King** · 06.06.07, 10:28 AM

Funny thing is...many (if not most) guitarists don't play the "Smoke" riff as it was done on Machine Head.

The riff was recorded with a single finger barred on the 4th and 5th strings.

**ZeoBandit** · 06.06.07, 10:32 AM

Cool read!

**CaboBrian** · 06.06.07, 10:34 AM

I met Tanna Guthrie from 99.7 at the last Van Halen concert. Real nice lady and very much in shape. She was hoping to get 2000 or more for this, but 1683 ain't bad! I can't imagine what it sounded like, though. During one of their promo's for this, they were at music store (Musicians Fried, or Guitar Center I think) and had about 20 people play it at once. It sounded pretty rough.

**chefcraig** · 06.06.07, 10:44 AM

Originally Posted by Gypsy King

Funny thing is...many (if not most) guitarists don't play the "Smoke" riff as it was done on Machine Head.

The riff was recorded with a single finger barred on the 4th and 5th strings.

That's not quite it. For one thing, the riff is made up of actual chords (albeit not barre type chords) in places, and Blackmore "plucks" the strings as if the riff was played in an open tuning (it wasn't) rather than flat picking.

**Gypsy King** · 06.06.07, 10:49 AM

Originally Posted by chefcraig

That's not quite it. For one thing, the riff is made up of actual chords (albeit not barre type chords) in places, and Blackmore "plucks" the strings as if the riff was played in an open tuning (it wasn't) rather than flat picking.

Gotcha!!

I did forget about the "plucking" of the strings.