Greatest guitarist of all time??

[Guest]

1 hour ago, peteb said:

if you don't like guitar solos, then commenting on a thread on the 'Greatest guitarist of all time??' is probably not for you.

After all, people still debate the influence of Niccolò Paganini, rather than that of the third violin in the orchestra in Vienna in 1828.

How do we feel about influential rhythm guitarists like, say, Malcolm Young and James Hetfield? 

[Nicko]

1 hour ago, Ricky Rioli said:

For, example, what's going on here in the phrase between 2'18" and 2'25" is quite beyond my understanding of how you get sounds out of an electric guitar, and he's still in total control, it's real mastery and musicianship.

Left hand hammer ons, controlled feedback a bit of whammy bar, judicious use of an octave pedal and follow up with a sweep picked arpeggio?  He should have put some right hand tapping and pinch harmonics to complete the full house. There's elements of EVH, Yngwie Malmsteen and Joe Satriani IMO.

It's the kind of guitar widdle that is more about the artist showing what he can do than creating something most people want to listen to. YMMV of course.

[tegs07]

1 hour ago, peteb said:

There is a tradition of soloists playing featured sections within a musical piece going back centuries. So if you don't like guitar solos, then commenting on a thread on the 'Greatest guitarist of all time??' is probably not for you.

After all, people still debate the influence of Niccolò Paganini, rather than that of the third violin in the orchestra in Vienna in 1828. 

 

A great guitarist should contribute to the song/band. If a solo is required then great if not then just don’t do it. I like the John  Frusciante nomination. I think I judge great guitarists by what they don’t play as much as what they do play!

Edited April 26, 2021 by tegs07

[Nicko]

5 minutes ago, Ricky Rioli said:

How do we feel about influential rhythm guitarists like, say, Malcolm Young and James Hetfield? 

Angus always claimed that Malcom was the better guitarist.

[ezbass]

9 minutes ago, Nicko said:

Angus always claimed that Malcom was the better guitarist.

He certainly was the Riffmeister General.

[Guest]

16 minutes ago, Nicko said:

the kind of guitar widdle that is more about the artist showing what he can do than creating something most people want to listen to. YMMV of course.

If you think the phrase I mentioned is just guitar widdle and nothing to do expressive musicianship then ... then yeah MMVAF. At any rate, this is going down a youtubecommentudinous path, so I'll hush 😁

[ezbass]

16 minutes ago, Ricky Rioli said:

How do we feel about influential rhythm guitarists like, say, Malcolm Young and James Hetfield? 

Other than instrumentals, this is the bread and butter, meat and potatoes, guts (pick metaphor of your choosing) of what guitarists do most of the time.  Pete Townshend is a great rhythm player but when he tries to be Joe Satriani, I think he sucks. Johnny Marr’s playing is always interesting (shame about the singer). But the two players who really shine for me in the rhythm dept, but can also bring it when it comes to lead playing (er, so, er, all rounders then), are Andy Summers and Alex Lifeson. Not just  great rhythmically, but also in terms of the textures they bring. The Edge cites Summers as one of his biggest influences in this regard and you can also hear him in Lifeson’s playing in the ‘80s.

[leftybassman392]

9 minutes ago, ezbass said:

Other than instrumentals, this is the bread and butter, meat and potatoes, guts (pick metaphor of your choosing) of what Rock/Blues guitarists do most of the time.  Pete Townshend is a great rhythm player but when he tries to be Joe Satriani, I think he sucks. Johnny Marr’s playing is always interesting (shame about the singer). But the two players who really shine for me in the rhythm dept, but can also bring it when it comes to lead playing (er, so, er, all rounders then), are Andy Summers and Alex Lifeson. Not just  great rhythmically, but also in terms of the textures they bring. The Edge cites Summers as one of his biggest influences in this regard and you can also hear him in Lifeson’s playing in the ‘80s.

FTFY.

[ezbass]

3 minutes ago, leftybassman392 said:

FTFY.

Pop and jazz too. And flamenco. Ooh, country too.

[Lozz196]

54 minutes ago, Ricky Rioli said:

How do we feel about influential rhythm guitarists like, say, Malcolm Young and James Hetfield? 

Malcolm Young & James Hetfield, along with Izzy Stradlin are exceptional guitarists  and often overlooked as they don’t do the widdly stuff.

[Bassassin]

31 minutes ago, ezbass said:

Other than instrumentals, this is the bread and butter, meat and potatoes, guts (pick metaphor of your choosing) of what guitarists do most of the time.  Pete Townshend is a great rhythm player but when he tries to be Joe Satriani, I think he sucks. Johnny Marr’s playing is always interesting (shame about the singer). But the two players who really shine for me in the rhythm dept, but can also bring it when it comes to lead playing (er, so, er, all rounders then), are Andy Summers and Alex Lifeson. Not just  great rhythmically, but also in terms of the textures they bring. The Edge cites Summers as one of his biggest influences in this regard and you can also hear him in Lifeson’s playing in the ‘80s.

Apropos of nothing really, but it's interesting to me that the players you mention there - Townshend, Marr, Summers, Edge, Lifeson - are all high on my list of guitarists who have really made me sit up & listen, whether I particularly like their bands/music or not. And it's all more to do with what they bring to the songs, rather than solos.

Lifeson would be in my top 3 favourite guitarists and he is an incredibly lyrical, tasteful & to my ears, original soloist - but I'm more inspired & engaged by the colour & texture he contributes to the music as a whole.

[Barking Spiders]

Give me an easily recognisable player anyday over these interchangeable hyper-technical plankspankers. Any lurve here for Billy Gibbons and Brian May fr'instance. Also don't know why Edge gets so much shyte, mostly it seems from nerdy teens holed up in their bedrooms judging from posts on YT and various guitar/music fora

[Dad3353]

2 hours ago, Ricky Rioli said:

... what's going on here in the phrase between 2'18" and 2'25" ...

Ah, yes; I hate it when that happens, and it happens to me a lot. I go for that Big Bend and my finger slips under the adjacent string. Sometimes one can hear the expletives captured by the guitar pick-ups, if they're uttered loudly enough. I once needed a skin graft. 

[Rich]

There are definitely many high-fliers in all genres. I would propose Django Reinhardt as one, certainly -- quite incredible playing, and all despite the fact that he could barely use two of his left hand fingers.

But 'greatest'? No such thing. All the 'greatest' this and 'top ten' that and 'best' the other, it's complete cobblers IMO. Music is a way of life, not a bloody competition. 

[Nicko]

51 minutes ago, Ricky Rioli said:

If you think the phrase I mentioned is just guitar widdle and nothing to do expressive musicianship then ... then yeah MMVAF. At any rate, this is going down a youtubecommentudinous path, so I'll hush 😁

I was referring to the clip in general.  The phrase you mentioned wasn't that mind blowing IMHO - it;s stuff other guitarists were doing in the 80s.

[leftybassman392]

Andres Segovia? Most people who know about him agree he was a supreme master of the instrument, but AFAICS he doesn't fit any of the numerous criteria offered so far in regard to greatness.

Martin Simpson likewise (except that he's still around of course)..

Ari Eisinger (I'd be surprised if anybody's even heard of him), one of the great folk Blues players around today. Likewise.

So are we talking about the greatest guitarist of all time, or a really good guitarist (whatever that might mean) playing in one of a fairly limited range of (mostly Blues-based) styles? I mean, there's any number of Jazz guitarists (for example) who could blow most rock players off the stage (however you categorise greatness) without breaking sweat (I've already mentioned Pat Metheny and Guthrie Govan as examples, but there's plenty to choose from).

I'm sure folk think I'm being pointlessly pedantic, but actually I'm trying to make the altogether more serious point that greatness is highly subjective - good for YouTube likes and forum arguments discussions but not much use anywhere else - and that there's an awful lot of fantastically good players out there that folks really ought at least listen to before passing judgement.

Right now it's a mish-mash of 'my favourite guitarists'. That's absolutely fine of course, but just so I've said it...

I guess I'm just having a bit of a rant about the 'greatest ever [insert activity here] in the history of the world...' culture that sochul meeja sites seem to be awash with.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you for reading. I feel much better having got that off my chest. As you were.

Edited April 26, 2021 by leftybassman392

[Dad3353]

3 minutes ago, leftybassman392 said:

Andres Segovia? Most people who know about him agree he was a supreme master of the instrument, but AFAICS he doesn't fit any of the numerous criteria offered so far in regard to greatness.

Martin Simpson likewise (except that he's still around of course)..

Ari Eisinger (I'd be surprised if anybody's even heard of him), one of the great folk Blues players around today. Likewise.

So are we talking about the greatest guitarist of all time, or a really good guitarist (whatever that might mean) playing in one of a fairly limited range of (mostly Blues-based) styles? I mean, there's any number of Jazz guitarists (for example) who could blow most rock players off the stage (however you categorise greatness) without breaking sweat (I've already mentioned Pat Metheny and Guthrie Govan as examples, but there's plenty to choose from).

I'm sure folk think I'm being pointlessly pedantic, but actually I'm trying to make the altogether more serious point that greatness is highly subjective - good for YouTube likes and forum arguments discussions but not much use anywhere else - and that there's an awful lot of fantastically good players out there that folks really ought at least listen to before passing judgement.

Right now it's a mish-mash of 'my favourite guitarists'. That's absolutely fine of course, but just so I've said it...

I guess I'm just having a bit of a rant about the 'greatest ever in the history of the world...' culture that sochul meeja sites seem to be awash with.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you for reading. I feel much better having got that off my chest. As you were.

... and breathe... 

Edited April 26, 2021 by Dad3353

[leftybassman392]

2 minutes ago, Dad3353 said:

... and breathe... 

[Supernaut]

8 minutes ago, Dad3353 said:

... and breathe... 

 

4 minutes ago, leftybassman392 said:

Here you go - 

[Dad3353]

3 minutes ago, leftybassman392 said:

With longer locks, this could be me, except that he's outside, and upright. 

[Dad3353]

Just now, Supernaut said:

 

Here you go - 

I could sell you some; I've a cupboard full of the useless things..!

[christhammer666]

 

[mike f]

The whole concept of greatest guitarist is a bit daft really, it’s a bit like saying who the greatest painter is. Prince is a great guitarist. Is he one of the greats? Dunno. 
 

My favourites;

Hendrix, Prince, Zappa, Angus and Malcolm, The Edge, John Frusciante, Graham Coxon, Tim Smith, Jimmy Page, Billy Gibbons, Nile Rodgers, Zoot Horn Rollo,  Tony Iommi, Guthrie Govan, Annie Clark....

 

Edited April 26, 2021 by mike f

[Nicko]

56 minutes ago, leftybassman392 said:

Andres Segovia? Most people who know about him agree he was a supreme master of the instrument, but AFAICS he doesn't fit any of the numerous criteria offered so far in regard to greatness.

I stole my Dads copy of Concierto D'Aranjuez and it may be the reason I play guitar - I'm not sure whether this theft was before or after I stole my bothers copy of Wish You Were Here (by which time my brother was in his punk phase).

The Rodrigo was Julian Bream playing but I always associate classical with Segovia.

Edited April 26, 2021 by Nicko

[neilp]

Best or favourite? Best at what?

My favourite guitarists, in no particular order:

Jimmy Page

Jeff Beck

Robin Trower

Peter Green

Wilko Johnson

Jimi Hendrix

Eddie Van Halen

What does it mean? Sod all. Enjoy what you like and don't try to establish absolutes