The Best Instrumental Psychedelic Rock You’ve Never Heard
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If you’re looking for some of the best instrumental psychedelic rock you’ve never heard, look no further than this blog. Here we’ll be showcasing some of the best up-and-coming bands in the genre, so you can be sure to find something new and exciting to listen to.
The Psychedelic Rock Sound
Psychedelic rock is a style of rock music that is inspired, or influenced, by psychedelic culture and attempts to replicate and enhance the mind-altering experiences of psychedelic drugs. The style is defined by its use of distorted electric guitars, drums, bass, and vocals, as well as its experimental, improvisational, and oftenFloyd-esque sound.
The Electric Guitar
The electric guitar is the primary instrument in psychedelic rock. It is generally played with a lot of reverb and echo, which gives it a “spacey” sound. Chords are often sus2 or sus4 chords (suspended second or fourth), which are chords that don’t have a third in them. This gives them a more open, ambiguous sound. Riffs often make use of pentatonic scales, which are scales that have five notes in them instead of the usual seven. This gives the music a more primitive, “bluesy” sound.
The Bass Guitar
The bass guitar is a key component in the psychedelic rock sound. It provides the deep, resonant foundation that allows the other instruments to soar. The best bass players are those who have a strong sense of groove and can lay down a solid foundation while also improvising and adding their own flourishes to the mix.
Some of the best psychedelic rock bass players include Geddy Lee of Rush, Paul McCartney of The Beatles, John Entwistle of The Who, and Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. These players all have a unique style that has helped to define the sound of their respective bands.
While the electric guitar may be the most iconic instrument in rock music, it is the bass guitar that is truly essential to the psychedelic sound. Without a strong bass foundation, the other instruments would simply float away.
The Drums
Psychedelic rock is often noted for its prominent drums which were usually played with a lot of reverb and other effects to create a “trippy” sound. The drumming style of this genre is very unique and helps to create the psychedelic atmosphere.
The Best Psychedelic Rock Bands
It might be easy to write off instrumental psychedelic rock as meandering, navel-gazing, and not particularly exciting. But there are in fact many bands out there making incredible music in this genre. In this article, we’ll take a look at some of the best psychedelic rock bands making music today.
The Beatles
Psychedelic rock, often referred to simply as psychedelia, is a style of rock music that was popular in the 1960s and 1970s. Musically, it is characterized by electric guitars, Bass guitars usually playing repeated riffs often augmented with expendable studio techniques like echo and feedback, and elaborate studio production. The style often incorporates influences from Indian classical music and West Coast jazz.
The Beatles were an English rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960. With members John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr, they became widely regarded as the foremost and most influential music band of the 20th century. Rooted in skiffle, beat and 1950s rock and roll, the group were integral to pop music’s evolution into an art form and to the development of the counterculture of the 1960s.
Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd was an English rock band formed in London in 1965. Gaining a following as a psychedelic band, they were distinguished for their extended compositions, sonic experimentation, philosophical lyrics and elaborate live shows, and became a leading band of the progressive rock genre. They are one of the most commercially successful and influential groups in popular music history.
The group originally consisted of college friends Syd Barrett on lead guitar and lead vocals, Nick Mason on drums, Roger Waters on bass guitar and vocals, and Richard Wright on keyboards and vocals. Guitarist and singer Barrett became Pink Floyd’s creative leader, writing nearly all of their material including songs such as “Arnold Layne”, “See Emily Play” and the early psychedelic classic “Interstellar Overdrive”. Wright was ousted from the band during recording sessions for their second album A Saucerful of Secrets (1968). Barrett’s mental health deteriorated towards the end of his time with Pink Floyd; he officially left Pink Floyd in April 1968 and was replaced by guitarist David Gilmour.
The Doors
The Doors were an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1965, with vocalist Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, guitarist Robby Krieger, and drummer John Densmore. They were one of the most controversial and influential rock bands of the 1960s because of Morrison’s lyrics and charismatic but unpredictable stage persona. After Morrison’s death in 1971 at age 27, the remaining members continued as a trio until 1974.
According to the RIAA, they have sold 32.5 million records in the US and over 100 million records worldwide, making them one of the best-selling bands of all time. The Doors have been listed as one of the greatest artists of all time by many magazines including Rolling Stone, which ranked them 41st on its list of the “100 Greatest Artists of All Time”. In 1993, the Doors were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
The Best Psychedelic Rock Albums
Psychedelic rock, also referred to as simply psychedelic rock or proto-prog, is a subgenre of rock music that originated in the late 1960s with bands such as the Jimi Hendrix Experience and Cream. The genre is characterized by a distorted, fuzzy, and often feedback-laden sound, extended improvisation, and an exploration of novel sonic territory.
The Beatles – Abbey Road
It would be impossible to talk about the best psychedelic rock albums without mentioning The Beatles’ Abbey Road. Released in 1969, this was the last album recorded by the band before John Lennon’s departure, and it features some of their most iconic tracks, including “Come Together” and “Here Comes the Sun.” While not a strictly psychedelic album, Abbey Road does contain some elements of the genre, and its influence on popular music is undeniable.
Pink Floyd – The Dark Side of the Moon
Recorded in 1972 and released in 1973, Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of the Moon was an instant classic. The album was a commercial success, reaching number one on the UK charts and number two on the US Billboard 200. The Dark Side of the Moon is often cited as one of the greatest albums of all time, and it is frequently included in lists of the best psychedelic rock albums.
The album’s title refers to the dark side of human nature, and its cover art features a black triangle superimposed over a photograph of the band members. The album’s tracks explore themes of mental illness, greed, time, and death. Pink Floyd’s use of synthesizers and sound effects create a unique and influential sound that is often imitated but never duplicated.
If you’re looking for an album that captures the essence of psychedelic rock, Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of the Moon is a must-listen.
The Doors – Strange Days
The Doors were one of the most influential and controversial rock bands of the 1960s. They were formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1965 by singer Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, drummer John Densmore, and guitarist Robby Krieger. The band’s name refers to the Aldous Huxley book The Doors of Perception, which itself was a reference to a line in William Blake’s poem “The Marriage of Heaven and Hell”.
The Doors’ debut album, The Doors (1967), included the singles “Light My Fire”, “Break On Through (To the Other Side)”, “The End”, and “Strange Days”; it was one of the first vinyl records to sell one million copies. The album peaked at number two on the Billboard 200 album chart and became one of the best-selling debuts of all time. The Doors had a string of successful albums including Strange Days (1967), Waiting for the Sun (1968), The Soft Parade (1969), Morrison Hotel (1970), Absolutely Live (1970), L.A. Woman (1971), and Other Voices (1972). Morrison died at the age of 27 in Paris; the cause of his death was officially listed as heart failure, but many fans believe he died from an accidental heroin overdose.
After Morrison’s death, the remaining members continued as a trio until 1974 when Krieger and Densmore decided to quit; Manzarek remained the sole member until his death in 2013. The band has been inactive since then; however, they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993 and their two best-selling albums, The Doors and LA Woman, were added to the National Recording Registry in 2007 and 2015 respectively.
