Song Rig

Dog Party

Scott Henderson · Dog Party · 1994

Tone Overview

What Makes This Sound Unique

The Dog Party album's most aggressive track — Henderson pushes the Suhr/Mesa combination harder than the Tribal Tech recordings, producing a denser, more saturated tone appropriate to the heavier material. The rhythm guitar work shows his funk-influenced right-hand approach beneath the jazz harmonic vocabulary.

Signal Chain

1Suhr Standard (bridge pickup)
2Mesa Boogie Dual Rectifier (more aggressive than Mark III)

Amp Settings

Gain / Volume9

Bass6

Mid5

Treble7

Presence9

Higher gain and scooped mids — the Dual Rectifier is more aggressive than the Mark III, with a scooped mid character that suits the heavier rhythm approach of Dog Party. Henderson's lead lines cut through despite the scooped mids because his pick attack is so controlled.

Technique

How to Play It

Funk-influenced heavy rhythm — Henderson's right hand on the rhythm sections of Dog Party uses funk strumming patterns (muted upstrokes between chord hits) at heavy metal gain, creating a unique funk-metal rhythm approach.

Budget Alternative

Achievable With

Superstrat → Mesa Dual Rectifier → practice funk strumming patterns at high gain: the muted upstroke technique that sounds so musical at clean settings becomes aggressive and percussive at high gain.

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