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Post subject: What Makes a Guitarist Great?
Posted: Sat Nov 08, 2008 2:54 pm
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As I’ve said on a number of threads here, I have never agreed with any poll of “great” guitarists I’ve ever seen and I assume most of you feel the same way. Someone pointed out that it might be more relevant to poll by genre, but how does one reconcile the vast differences between Robert Johnson, B.B. King and Joe Bonamassa, all blues guitarists? Speaking of genres, you almost never see country players represented. Most decent polls will have a couple of jazzers, but the polls are slanted toward current musical trends and popular genres.

Maybe we shouldn’t rank guitarists at all, but people do and when they vote what criteria do they use? When one looks at the various polls there are the usual suspects up on top with a smattering of popular players, journeymen, curious choices, and the occasional flavor of the moment all mixed together like the 2003 Rolling Stone poll (please, no more complaints). :roll:

I’ve come up with five criteria but I might have overlooked something. They probably overlap to some degree and most “great” guitarists should excel at more than one.

INNOVATION – Brings something new or improves on something old, i.e. Hendrix’ use of effects, EVH’s two-hand tapping, Travis picking, Wes Montgomery’s octaves, etc.

SPEED – Simply the ability to play lots of notes incredibly fast: Chicken pickers, shredders, sweep pickers, and other assorted speed wonks.

TECHNICAL COMPETENCE – High degree of mastery of the instrument, plays with precision, can play well in multiple genres, i.e. Jeff Beck. Might throw in first call session players too like Tommy Tedesco and Larry Carlton.

INFLUENTIAL – B.B King’s style of single-note playing with bends, double-stops, glissando and his butterfly vibrato is the most imitated on the planet, but other guitarists with considerably less ability have been influential also – Kurt Cobain (Grunge) and Johnny Ramone (Punk) come immediately to mind as they have brought their once obscure music into the mainstream.

TECHNIQUE and SOUND – Expressive phrasing and dynamics, unique and interesting riffs, superior tone. Maybe a better heading would be “Personal Style”.

OK, so what makes a great guitarist great?


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Posted: Sat Nov 08, 2008 3:11 pm
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all of the above plus the ability to appeal to a large group of people


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Posted: Sat Nov 08, 2008 3:23 pm
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I'd have to say that you pretty much nailed the answer all on your own. I think what Gratz wanted to include is to not be like Yngwie...A brilliant player, but a complete a!s outside of that. Other than that you have a GREAT outlook on what an awesome player should be. Congrats bro!!! :twisted:

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Posted: Sat Nov 08, 2008 3:31 pm
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Practice Practice Practice ( pure and simple ).
Each and every one of the guitarists mentioned at one time was really crap.
The same can be said for every single guitarist on this forum ( guitar or bass ) if you dont practice you do not become a decent player.


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Posted: Sat Nov 08, 2008 3:36 pm
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To be able to convey the feeling of the music to who is listening :shock:

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Posted: Sat Nov 08, 2008 4:20 pm
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All of that above. Genre doesn't matter.

Cheers :D


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Posted: Sat Nov 08, 2008 4:22 pm
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bigbite wrote:
Practice Practice Practice ( pure and simple ).
Each and every one of the guitarists mentioned at one time was really crap.
The same can be said for every single guitarist on this forum ( guitar or bass ) if you dont practice you do not become a decent player.


+1

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Posted: Sat Nov 08, 2008 4:42 pm
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A great guitarist is the one you want to listen to. Over and over again. Doesnt matter what he plays, brand or style.
If you like thats it, plain and simple.


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Posted: Sat Nov 08, 2008 5:13 pm
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I think what is as important as anything else, is that the player has the ability to convey to his/her audience that they are really into what they are doing. They are enjoying themselves and having fun. I once worked at a whitney Houston concert in the late 80's. she was technically perfect and never missed a note. And it was one of the worst shows I ever saw. She did not seem to care whether she was there or not. Mind you, this is just my perception. I respond to enthusiasm to go along with the technical skill.


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Posted: Sun Nov 09, 2008 10:24 am
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cvilleira wrote:
To be able to convey the feeling of the music to who is listening :shock:


I agree with this quite strongly, plus what Biloxi123 wrote above. I have heard some technically proficient guitarists that left me cold. And some with lesser skills that moved me mightily because of the obvious love of the music that they conveyed out to the listener.

But stratmansteve - I think you did a wonderful job of concisely expressing the essence of the subject matter and I applaud you. Thanks, man.

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Posted: Sun Nov 09, 2008 11:09 am
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I really don't think Speed has anything to do with it. Just because you can play fast doesn't make you good. It just makes you fast.
I have seen many guitarists that were considered good because they could play fast that couldn't play something slow and full of heart.

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Posted: Sun Nov 09, 2008 11:33 am
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I think the defining element is the ability to convey emotion. You can have all the technical skills in the world and not this and miss the boat entirely. The audience would be like "I don't get it". I remember guys like Hendrix & SRV not so much for their techinical elements, but the fact their playing stirs something deep in your soul. Don't get me wrong - technique is important, but it is merely a tool to convey what you feel rather than what defines you as a musician. And to further prove my point - most of the greats are instantly recognizable when you first here their songs. You know Jimi Hendrix by his sound. You know Eric Clapton immediately when you here him. To be able to do that is a feat beyond all fretboard knowledge.


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Posted: Sun Nov 09, 2008 11:59 am
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Scales make a good guitarist, that's for sure. :D


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Posted: Sun Nov 09, 2008 12:00 pm
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CAFeathers wrote:
I really don't think Speed has anything to do with it. Just because you can play fast doesn't make you good. It just makes you fast.
I have seen many guitarists that were considered good because they could play fast that couldn't play something slow and full of heart.


Total agreement on this. I joined up with a band in the late eighties, who had onboard the latest local guitar playin' sensation. But, like every song they played was 100mph. Everything sounded the same.
Anyway at rehearsals one night, my glass got empty, so I went to the bar for another drink and shouted back " What about a slow blues " So they kinda looked at each other puzzled but started to try and sound one off and man, it was like one of their fast ones just, slowed down.
I know what you're saying Chet. No heart, no soul, no feel.
It was me stood at the bar that had the blues. :wink:


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Posted: Sun Nov 09, 2008 1:02 pm
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Believe it or not I have to agree as well. There's a TON of just speed guys around that slop around and hide it behind effects and such, but if you hand them a rig like mine, they can't even get 3 notes together before they mess up. As far as speed goes I choose to do it acoustically first and if it doesn't sound good that way, I won't even try it plugged in. I do have to say that playing a Strat now has made me get much better at note selection and legatto segments. And like you guys said...There's a lot to be said about having a "natural feel" for what you're hearing/playing. 8)

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