Cliffs of Dover

There is a song that I started listening to since quarantine has started that I used to listen to, but forgot about, and I am truly surprised I did. This song is one of the most enchanting, spellbinding, any word to describe the feeling of being pulled in song I have ever heard. Now this is my opinion but if you listen to it, you might understand where I am coming from. The song's name is Cliffs of Dover by Eric Johnson. Its name is derived from the White Cliffs of Dover in England and as described in the Wikipedia article for the song, the White Cliffs of Dover are “an extensive and visually stunning outcrop that runs along the southeast coast of England.” And the song is a perfect representation of what the feeling of looking onto those cliffs would be. Now for people who aren’t knowledgeable in guitars, each guitar has a different sound. There are many factors that influence a sound such as the amplifier used, speaker used, peddles which the sound goes through, model of the guitar and brand of the guitar. And I describe the sound perfected by Eric Johnson as a crystallization. It has an ethereal feel and makes the listener believe their floating through the sky as his fingers dance across the fret board. And it motivated me to start picking up guitar because the thought of a human being able to do this miraculous feat is amazing. And I wondered how many others he enchanted to pick up a guitar near them, and start learning. This sound would only be capable from a vast amount of practice, and time spent creating the sound he most wanted to portray. In an interview Eric said something that really showed me how miraculous the guitar is. He says it's one of the few instruments with the ability to play individual notes and chords, including piano as another. And he said that he wanted to try and bring piano to guitar because he was fascinated by the pure tone given off by the piano. And hearing this, the inspiration for his sound in Cliffs of Dover is a clear representation of him trying for a clear, pure and flowing sound. I do not know much about music. I don’t know how long it takes to create each component for a sound. But, I can still get a sense of the amazing tone the sound of his guitar brings. So if you have any free time during this quarantine, check the song out. And after you're done with the original version, check out the live version. He adds improvisational elements different from the original that amplify that floaty feeling even more.