My list of guitarist that I considered worth mentioning....
Since I am a guitarist, I think it's only right for me to share my point of view for some of the guitarist that I consider good. This is not meant to condemn or criticize but to share what I know and learnt through the years. They may or may not be technically proficient, especially when the word "technical" is subjective to many people. The same thing goes for the word "feel". So here it is , not in any order of ranking:
1. Yngwie J. Malmsteen (YJM), (Rising Force, Soloist) - Sultan of Shred
This dude here is my all time favorite guitarist. Reason I would site is that he succeeded in the fusion of classical and heavy metal. He is also at one time considered the fastest guitarist ever. I would say he "almost" single handedly created the genre Neo-classical Metal. He inspires my playing mainly and is who I base very much of my playing on. I have always been a lover of classical music, especially of those of Baroque era, and also being a lover of metal, he is the almost perfect example I am looking for. He also did an orcherstra work solely for the electric guitar and that to me is another breakthrough. Many people feels that he is more indulged in his speed playing than his music and he can't play slow and is with no feel. However, I will think that tracks like "Brothers", "Icarus Dream Suite" and "Crying" spoke otherwise.
Although he is my main inspiration, he is not without flaws like any other musician. He plays melodically well and has a good sense of progression in the classical light. However, technically, if you listen to his playing in "Dreaming" from "Live in Lennigrad" and if you have seen and heard his playing on nylon strings in "Live in Budokan" and "Live in Brazil", the screeches are so awfully heard. This I think is the result of two things: 1. His nails are too long and not well filed for playing nylon strings 2. He alternates between playing a pick and and fingers which is both a talent and a flaw for him. Reason is simple, the hard edge of the plastic pick is never good on plastic string. It gives a flat tone. Hence, despite the accuracy and beauty of the melodies, the tone remains flat.
YJM is indeed as far as I am concern, credited for popularizing shred guitar playing and for the fusion of classical and heavy metal. He was once the fastest and the most innovative player I have ever heard. Others have surpassed him, e.g. John Petrucci, Michael Romeo and Jason Becker etc. This does not matter, as he is indeed a living legend and others that have surpassed him all has a bit of his influences and pushes them to a further limit and this is what matters most. It is just like YJM has a little of Ritchie Blackmore, Bach and Mozart in him.
2. The Edge (TE), (U2) - Anti-guitar Hero's Hero
Before I start talking about The Edge, I would like to define the word technical first.
Technical can be define as one of the following:
1. Of, relating to, or derived from technique.
2. Having special skill or practical knowledge especially in a mechanical or scientific field: a technical adviser.
3. Used in or peculiar to a specific field or profession; specialized: technical terminology.
4. Belonging or relating to a particular subject: technical expertise.
5. Of, relating to, or involving the practical, mechanical, or industrial arts or the applied sciences: a technical school.
6. Abstract or theoretical: a technical analysis.
7. Of, relating to, or employing the methodology of science; scientific.
8. According to principle; formal rather than practical: a technical advantage.
Industrial and mechanical; technological.
So now, since we are a bit more clear (or confused), about the word technical, I can go on to talk about TE.
TE by far, like YJM, is a class of his own and there is no other like him as yet from what I know. He is not a shredder. He is not even a lead guitar player. So what the hell is he? Well, all I can say is he falls into every definition of the word technical above and yet defies definition. For those player who thinks his style of playing is easy, you better think twice. This guy knows his gears well. Although his playing and strumming is fairly simple, it is the use of his gear, delays, chorus, overdrive and wah-wah effects to the maximum effect. Musically and technically, they all fall into the right places, solo or not, the music is there, the playing is there, the harmonizing is there...Everything falls in the right places. U2 has come a long way since the 80s and is now a dominant act in the music scene. However, if you listen to TE's guitar playing, he is still pretty much what he is back in the 80s, no guitar solo, no guitar hero attitude. I guess that's part of what kept them going till now. Check out tracks such as "With or Without You", "Mysterious Ways", the current "Vertigo", "Where the Streets have no name" etc. Listen not to the number of notes or beats the band is trying to play or the octaves they are trying to hit, but their music as a whole. Then can you find the essence of the band's music and the important parts that each musician plays.
3. Guitarist in the song "Together in Electric Dreams" by Giorgio Moroder/Phil Oakey
Ok.. I don't know who the guitarist in the above song is. The above song was a big hit back in the 80s. i don't think anyone ever paid any attention to the guitarist in this song. The reason why i think the guitarist is worth mentioning here is that if you take note of the solo, it was a solo like no other. It was a mix of synth-overdrive-wah wah effect and is used with a great control and feel. Unlike most lead playing, this particular solo is pretty impressive as it has a particular cyber sound beyond its time and it's pretty much danceable. Whoever know who he is, please let me know. It was a great solo...check it out!
4. Roland Orzabal (RO), Tears for Fears - New Wave...
RO is one of the and the only remaining member of the 80s synth-pop (New Wave) band call Tears For Fears. I put his credit into songs like "Everybody Wants to Rule The World" which has a very catchy and unforgettable riff and the solo in the song "Shout". He is a great guitarist as you can hear the emotions in his music and he is a good composer as well. Listen to albums such as "Songs from the Big Chair" and "Sowing the Seeds of Love". Check them out. Two thumbs up for music and guitaring.
Ok ok...I will have more to come...stay tune..this topic will be extended...enjoy...
Update: 14 Jan 2005 1.00p.m.
5. John Williams (JW), Sky, Classical Soloist - Beyond words from Australia...
In the world of classical music, if anyone were to mention classical guitar, one of the names that would pop up will be JW. Please note that this JW is not the composer of movies such as Superman and Jaws. JW is pretty a benchmark for many classical guitarist and is a musical treasure of our modern time. He's a classical player's kind of player. I would like to stress that he is not a composer or an improviser, but simply a player and that's that. What makes him a well respected guitarist is, in my own perception, his control of his guitar's tone and the ability to create many voicing within a guitar, at many times two. I am not saying that other classical players can't do multi-voicing, but almost no one does it as good as he is. Multi-voicing does not mean you use gears, effects etc to achieve. Classical players do not use those. The only gears they have is their guitar and their fingers. The secret is in their fingers picking/plucking techniques and their nails. JW has a sweet tone too and given any piece, he would bring out the different colors in the music well and approving to the ears. Talking about speed, he has got it too. Talking about heavy riffing, he got it too, minus the distortion and overdrive of course. He is the ticket to the the world of Classical Guitar. Tracks worth mentioning are: "Sunburst, Andrew York", "Cavatina, Stanley Meyers", "Koyunbaba,Carlo Domeniconi", "Three Blues for Classic Guitar, Charlie Byrd", "El Colibri, Julio Sagreras". If you are new or not so into classical guitar, you may want to check out "John Williams Plays The Movies" and for the hardcores, "Spirit of The Guitar" and "The Guitarist-John Williams".
6. Steve Stevens (SS), Soloist, Sessionist - What? When? Where? How?
SS is another, or perhaps should I say the almost guitar version of Nikki Sixx physically. Why I say that? This guy, is also pretty proficient in making use of effects. One amazing fact about this guy is that is extremely educated use in his rack and effects. They come out and hit you out of no where and while you are trying to recover from the first hit, he will swing in another to blow you away and knock you out. He is most famous for working with the Billy Idol, however his credits can be seen in works of artists such as Vas, Steve Lukather, Adam Bomb, Robert Palmer, Harold Faltermeyer, Joni Mitchell, The Thompson Twins, Ric Ocasek, Simon F, Peter Criss, Jerusalem Slim, McQueen Street and Michael Jackson. He is pretty versatile and not so long ago, if I am not wrong, he went back to study Flamenco Guitar which is one of his guitar loves. He is also one those guitarist that works on a Macintosh. Check out "Top Gun Anthem" and the live version of "Mony Mony" especially the solo. What? When? Where? How? did he do those??
More to come....
1. Yngwie J. Malmsteen (YJM), (Rising Force, Soloist) - Sultan of Shred
This dude here is my all time favorite guitarist. Reason I would site is that he succeeded in the fusion of classical and heavy metal. He is also at one time considered the fastest guitarist ever. I would say he "almost" single handedly created the genre Neo-classical Metal. He inspires my playing mainly and is who I base very much of my playing on. I have always been a lover of classical music, especially of those of Baroque era, and also being a lover of metal, he is the almost perfect example I am looking for. He also did an orcherstra work solely for the electric guitar and that to me is another breakthrough. Many people feels that he is more indulged in his speed playing than his music and he can't play slow and is with no feel. However, I will think that tracks like "Brothers", "Icarus Dream Suite" and "Crying" spoke otherwise.
Although he is my main inspiration, he is not without flaws like any other musician. He plays melodically well and has a good sense of progression in the classical light. However, technically, if you listen to his playing in "Dreaming" from "Live in Lennigrad" and if you have seen and heard his playing on nylon strings in "Live in Budokan" and "Live in Brazil", the screeches are so awfully heard. This I think is the result of two things: 1. His nails are too long and not well filed for playing nylon strings 2. He alternates between playing a pick and and fingers which is both a talent and a flaw for him. Reason is simple, the hard edge of the plastic pick is never good on plastic string. It gives a flat tone. Hence, despite the accuracy and beauty of the melodies, the tone remains flat.
YJM is indeed as far as I am concern, credited for popularizing shred guitar playing and for the fusion of classical and heavy metal. He was once the fastest and the most innovative player I have ever heard. Others have surpassed him, e.g. John Petrucci, Michael Romeo and Jason Becker etc. This does not matter, as he is indeed a living legend and others that have surpassed him all has a bit of his influences and pushes them to a further limit and this is what matters most. It is just like YJM has a little of Ritchie Blackmore, Bach and Mozart in him.
2. The Edge (TE), (U2) - Anti-guitar Hero's Hero
Before I start talking about The Edge, I would like to define the word technical first.
Technical can be define as one of the following:
1. Of, relating to, or derived from technique.
2. Having special skill or practical knowledge especially in a mechanical or scientific field: a technical adviser.
3. Used in or peculiar to a specific field or profession; specialized: technical terminology.
4. Belonging or relating to a particular subject: technical expertise.
5. Of, relating to, or involving the practical, mechanical, or industrial arts or the applied sciences: a technical school.
6. Abstract or theoretical: a technical analysis.
7. Of, relating to, or employing the methodology of science; scientific.
8. According to principle; formal rather than practical: a technical advantage.
Industrial and mechanical; technological.
So now, since we are a bit more clear (or confused), about the word technical, I can go on to talk about TE.
TE by far, like YJM, is a class of his own and there is no other like him as yet from what I know. He is not a shredder. He is not even a lead guitar player. So what the hell is he? Well, all I can say is he falls into every definition of the word technical above and yet defies definition. For those player who thinks his style of playing is easy, you better think twice. This guy knows his gears well. Although his playing and strumming is fairly simple, it is the use of his gear, delays, chorus, overdrive and wah-wah effects to the maximum effect. Musically and technically, they all fall into the right places, solo or not, the music is there, the playing is there, the harmonizing is there...Everything falls in the right places. U2 has come a long way since the 80s and is now a dominant act in the music scene. However, if you listen to TE's guitar playing, he is still pretty much what he is back in the 80s, no guitar solo, no guitar hero attitude. I guess that's part of what kept them going till now. Check out tracks such as "With or Without You", "Mysterious Ways", the current "Vertigo", "Where the Streets have no name" etc. Listen not to the number of notes or beats the band is trying to play or the octaves they are trying to hit, but their music as a whole. Then can you find the essence of the band's music and the important parts that each musician plays.
3. Guitarist in the song "Together in Electric Dreams" by Giorgio Moroder/Phil Oakey
Ok.. I don't know who the guitarist in the above song is. The above song was a big hit back in the 80s. i don't think anyone ever paid any attention to the guitarist in this song. The reason why i think the guitarist is worth mentioning here is that if you take note of the solo, it was a solo like no other. It was a mix of synth-overdrive-wah wah effect and is used with a great control and feel. Unlike most lead playing, this particular solo is pretty impressive as it has a particular cyber sound beyond its time and it's pretty much danceable. Whoever know who he is, please let me know. It was a great solo...check it out!
4. Roland Orzabal (RO), Tears for Fears - New Wave...
RO is one of the and the only remaining member of the 80s synth-pop (New Wave) band call Tears For Fears. I put his credit into songs like "Everybody Wants to Rule The World" which has a very catchy and unforgettable riff and the solo in the song "Shout". He is a great guitarist as you can hear the emotions in his music and he is a good composer as well. Listen to albums such as "Songs from the Big Chair" and "Sowing the Seeds of Love". Check them out. Two thumbs up for music and guitaring.
Ok ok...I will have more to come...stay tune..this topic will be extended...enjoy...
Update: 14 Jan 2005 1.00p.m.
5. John Williams (JW), Sky, Classical Soloist - Beyond words from Australia...
In the world of classical music, if anyone were to mention classical guitar, one of the names that would pop up will be JW. Please note that this JW is not the composer of movies such as Superman and Jaws. JW is pretty a benchmark for many classical guitarist and is a musical treasure of our modern time. He's a classical player's kind of player. I would like to stress that he is not a composer or an improviser, but simply a player and that's that. What makes him a well respected guitarist is, in my own perception, his control of his guitar's tone and the ability to create many voicing within a guitar, at many times two. I am not saying that other classical players can't do multi-voicing, but almost no one does it as good as he is. Multi-voicing does not mean you use gears, effects etc to achieve. Classical players do not use those. The only gears they have is their guitar and their fingers. The secret is in their fingers picking/plucking techniques and their nails. JW has a sweet tone too and given any piece, he would bring out the different colors in the music well and approving to the ears. Talking about speed, he has got it too. Talking about heavy riffing, he got it too, minus the distortion and overdrive of course. He is the ticket to the the world of Classical Guitar. Tracks worth mentioning are: "Sunburst, Andrew York", "Cavatina, Stanley Meyers", "Koyunbaba,Carlo Domeniconi", "Three Blues for Classic Guitar, Charlie Byrd", "El Colibri, Julio Sagreras". If you are new or not so into classical guitar, you may want to check out "John Williams Plays The Movies" and for the hardcores, "Spirit of The Guitar" and "The Guitarist-John Williams".
6. Steve Stevens (SS), Soloist, Sessionist - What? When? Where? How?
SS is another, or perhaps should I say the almost guitar version of Nikki Sixx physically. Why I say that? This guy, is also pretty proficient in making use of effects. One amazing fact about this guy is that is extremely educated use in his rack and effects. They come out and hit you out of no where and while you are trying to recover from the first hit, he will swing in another to blow you away and knock you out. He is most famous for working with the Billy Idol, however his credits can be seen in works of artists such as Vas, Steve Lukather, Adam Bomb, Robert Palmer, Harold Faltermeyer, Joni Mitchell, The Thompson Twins, Ric Ocasek, Simon F, Peter Criss, Jerusalem Slim, McQueen Street and Michael Jackson. He is pretty versatile and not so long ago, if I am not wrong, he went back to study Flamenco Guitar which is one of his guitar loves. He is also one those guitarist that works on a Macintosh. Check out "Top Gun Anthem" and the live version of "Mony Mony" especially the solo. What? When? Where? How? did he do those??
More to come....
posted by Crimson Acrimony at 3:34 AM
1 Comments:
Good blog but need more photos in it. Wld u like to session in my upcoming project?
Regards
Sean Malone
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