What did you think when the decision was made to do an acoustic Jagged Little Pill?
Levita: When Alanis first mentioned it, I immediately started thinking about what was essential to keep from the original versions and what I could do differently to rework the songs but still keep them beautiful. It’s difficult with tunes that are so recognizable. It’s hard to get away from what people are used to hearing. But at the end of the day these are great songs, so you don’t have to approach them as they were on the electric. And a lot of these riffs sound great on the acoustic.
Orme: I was excited because we got to work with Glen this time and he’s amazing—just a great guy to be around creatively.
What guitars did you rely on for these sessions?
Orme: I tracked a lot of stuff with a Gibson J-60 Plus and a Takamine EF444S, which is a smaller acoustic, like an OM body style. I played the Takamine on “You Oughta Know” and “Forgiven”, and I think it was the Gibson on “You Learn.”
Levita: I used an old Stromberg-Voisinet that’s shaped like a harp on a lot of songs, including “All I Really Want.” I played a 12-string Takamine on “You Learn,” a baritone guitar that Glen loaned me for “Hand in My Pocket,” and a custom nylon-string on “Forgiven.”
How would you choose which guitar to use on a certain tune?
Levita: We auditioned a lot of guitars. Everyone thinks you should always grab a Martin or an old Gibson, but a lot of times those guitars work better for an electric album where you need the acoustic to sit in a mix in a specific way. For an acoustic album, you can get away with guitars like old Kays that have a more distinct flavor because they’re going to be the featured instrument on the track. They don’t have to do the “strummed acoustic guitar in a big rock song” thing.
How did you two divide up the guitar chores on “Ironic”?
Orme: I’m the strumming guy—capoed at the 4th fret—and Dave is doing the arpeggios. I play the signature line in the intro and Dave does the embellishments. It’s similar to how we approached “Head Over Feet.”
Levita: Jason and I have a really good chemistry when it comes to splitting up guitar parts. We’re different as players and a lot of it happens naturally.
Did you use any alternate tunings on this record?
Orme: I played in open G for “Hand in My Pocket”, and I used B, E, B, E, B, E [low to high] for “Right Through You.” Before this tour I played “Right Through You” in standard tuning, but I wanted a big acoustic sound for this version. For a tune in E, you can do no wrong with that tuning, which is the tuning the original was done in, I believe.
What are some of the unusual acoustic instruments you used for this record?
Levita: I played a marxophone, which is like a hammered zither instrument made around the turn of the century, on “Wake Up.” I used a little Russian toy box called a perepelochka on “All I Really Want.” It’s a stringed instrument you can tune to any key and it gives you this cool, shimmering waterfall sound on the main chord of the song.
What are you live rigs for this tour?
Levita: I have a Yamaha Magicstomp Acoustic preamp that I use mainly as a volume equalizer because some of my guitars aren’t as loud as others. I have a Zvex Super Hard-On that I use if I need a slight boost to make a part stand out. That’s a really beautiful and invisible boost. I also have a Line 6 delay for just a subtle, ambient echo.
Orme: First in the chain is an Aphex compressor—the orange one. It’s really great for acoustic guitar. I mostly use it if I’m strumming hard or if I need more volume for a part that was being picked. I also have the blue Line 6 modulation pedal, a Boss Giga Delay, and an Electro-Harmonix Holy Grail reverb. I’ll occasionally use this Aphex Acoustic Xciter direct box. It’s a D.I. plus an enhancer, and if my strings are a little dead I can use that pedal to make them a little brighter. Before we go into the main board, we go through Avalon D.I. boxes.
Why do you think these tunes still affect people so strongly after ten years?
Levita: I think Alanis just nailed some universal emotion with that record. It really touched a nerve. People sing these songs like they mean it—like the songs mean something to them. And of course, Alanis sings the hell out of these songs every night. I’ve played with a lot of singers and she’s incredible.
Orme: There’s an honesty to these songs. I think she started a resurgence of really honest singer/songwriters back in 1995. She can really reach people. What she’s saying resonates with people in a really direct way, and not a lot of singers can do that. And it’s amazing to watch her work because she rarely hits a bad note. She’s got a serious gift.