Recognising players in a few notes

[Bilbo]

I have been listening to my ipod on shuffle lately and am amazed at how many players I recognise in an instant; not because I know the tracks but because I know their sound. Sometimes I can figure out a whole band simply on their individual tone, ideas, soloing etc. Sonny Rollins, Joe Lovano, Dave Holland, Ron Carter, Herbie Hancock, Mike Stern, Richard Bona, Ornette Coleman, Don Cherry, Coltrane, Miles, W & B Marsalis, Mrc Johnson, Eddie Gomez, Chick Corea, Bill Evans, Paul Chambers, Curtis Fuller, Bob Brookmeyer, Charlie Haden...the list goes on and on and on. All by osmosis.

What is also interesting is that this is easy when there is a singer involved but less so when it is an instrumentalist.

[51m0n]

Les Claypool is instantly recognisable...

[Truckstop]

Impressive!

The only musicians I can think of that I'd be able to recognise would be Mark Knopfler (who couldn't recognise his style?!) and Ryan Martinie (Mudvayne bassist who has a very distinctive sound and playing style). The problem with recognising musicians is that over the course of a few albums, the whole bands style and sound changes which makes it a bit harder! I could maybe recognise a couple more guitarists from the solo style; Mikael Akerfeldt springs to mind.

Truckstop

[Lozz196]

From lead playing, I think I`d spot Slash pretty quickly by his tone.

[wally8]

I could tell Opeth's PRS sound a million miles off. Geezer butlers bass in the early sabbath years, Timmy C, Flea's early funk stuff before the radio friendly dross.

[surfinbernard]

Yeah some players are instantly recognisable- Wilko Johnson of Dr Feelgood, Hendrix obviously, Jack White, Les Claypool, older things like Mississippi John Hurt I also recognise straight away, lots in fact but not everyone.

[SteveK]

Most of the [i]truly[/i] great players are instantly recognisable.
FWIW I've always been of the opinion that if you have a unique sound/style then you're half way there.

[steve-bbb]

terry bozzio's hi-hat
bill brufords snare
not the biggest fan of slapping but marcus millers slap has a distinctive ring to it

seems to be independent of technical skill too id say - david bowies sax tone is always instantly recognisable

[lowdown]

Apart from the many Bass players,
David Sanborn and Dave Grusin for me,
George Benson as well.
Grusin for his notes and style, and Sanborn for his sound and old school R&B licks.


Garry

[Cameronj279]

Mike Portnoys drum sound comes to mind along with Ryan Martinie (Truckstop bet me to it), Fieldy from Korn, Les Claypool, Tosin Abasi (Animals as Leaders), Protest the Hero, Tool.

There's so many bands comes to think of it!

[lojo]

Is your general knowledge good ? If so go on mastermind with this as your subject

[pnefc42]

Brian May's tone and melodic style stick out like the proverbial sore thumb

[Panamonte]

Stevie Wonder on harmonica - instantly recognisable.

[lowdown]

[quote name='Panamonte' timestamp='1340954484' post='1711858']
Stevie Wonder on harmonica - instantly recognisable.
[/quote]

Yes of course - also on many films from the 60/70/80's Toots Thielemans is always lurking
On some Music cue.


Garry

Edited June 29, 2012 by lowdown

[christhammer666]

guitar-yngwie malmsteen
bass -steve harris

[Norris]

Richie Blackmore and his much-used augmented second

[WalMan]

Billy Sheehan - the pinch harmonic. Was listening to a Mr Big d/l in the car from a memory stick that does not show track details ( damn you Audi!) and did not recognise the track/band (there are hundreds of tracks & all the car shows it "Track [i]nn[/i]") but the second he hit the pinch harmonic I knew who it was
Steve Morse - has a very distinctive lead guitar style due to picking every note.
Eric Johnson - has a pretty recognisable tone too

[dmccombe7]

Don't think i could nowadays as so many great bassists on the go. Maybe Chris Squire but usually because i know the songs rather than the sound.
I used to be able to tell what bass was being used ie Rik, jazz, precision, ibanez, WAL, Shergold, Kramer, EB3 but again too many nowadays i don't think its possible added to the fact digital samplig makes it easier to sound like something else.

Dave

[Bilbo]

John McLaughlin, Pat Metheny, Larry Carlton, Eric Dolphy, Duke Ellington's piano and his Orchestra, Joe Zawinul, Jaco (of course), Stanley Clarke, Miguel Zenon, Paul Motian, Bill Frissel, Bob Mintzer's arrangements, Rush, Steve Howe, Allan Holdsworth, Jimmy Johnson, Pete Erskine, Roy Haynes, Philly Joe Jones, Eberhard Weber, Iron Maiden, Steve Lacy, Bill Stewart, Lee Konitz, Carla Bley arrangements, the Birth of the Cool band, Kenny Wheeler, Steve Coleman, Jeff 'Tain' Watts.......

[bassace]

Lists, Bilbo, lists.

[Bilbo]

Lists is me all over, mate. I have lists all over the place. Latent autism.

Seriously, though, they are all players I can recognise from about 2 or 3 seconds of playing.

Still can't tell a Precison from a Jazz, though.

[KevB]

From the disproportionate number of fluffs, chokes and duffers I reckon a lot of people walking in the Dog&Duck would immediately think 'Hello, has Kev joined another band?' within a few notes...am I famous yet then?

[51m0n]

[quote name='Bilbo' timestamp='1340979795' post='1712387']
Lists is me all over, mate. I have lists all over the place. Latent autism.

Seriously, though, they are all players I can recognise from about 2 or 3 seconds of playing.

[b]Still can't tell a Precison from a Jazz, thoug[/b]h.
[/quote]

Note choice, phrasing, timekeeping, swing vs timbre, attack, sustain etc etc

[4 Strings]

[quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1340896641' post='1711221']
From lead playing, I think I`d spot Slash pretty quickly by his tone.
[/quote]

Really? Sounds like all the others to me

[norvegicusbass]

Susan Boyle