great guitarist, what makes one?

[Ron Jeremy]

Interested to see what people say on this...

I define a great guitarist by someone that displays obvious complexity and a repitore of skills in his playing ( not just assumed it is or has because of who they are) distinctive ( totally unique sound to others) and extremely influential who brought something new to the instrument.

I just see many people state that such and such is a great guitarist but give pathetic reasoning like 'but he has feeling' or he was charismatic lol if that same rationale was applied to singers then David Lee Roth and Peter Garret are the greatest singers the world has ever seen:lol:

Anyone what about everyone else? why do you think such and such is such a great guitarist?

 

[OVP]

Its got nothing at all to do with music ... it comes from the Soul.

 

[CC_Eagle]

Just quickly -

* Innovative
* Original
* Addictive
* Charismatic - In their playing, they can simply stand there for all I care. There's nothing more boring than a guy who can shred like EVH, but has no overall aural character.
* Inspiring - Has to make non-guitarists pick one up.
* Versatile and talented in various genres.

etc

 

[Samwise]

Anyone what about everyone else? why do you think such and such is such a great guitarist?

feeling....

 

[carcharias]

Anyone what about everyone else? why do you think such and such is such a great guitarist

personal taste....my taste in music .
If I like the sound and I am impressed by chord progressions / intersting changes, solo's etc.

The song must be one I would want to play and want to hear .

I have respect for lots of talented guitarists who know their stuff...
but...
at the end of the day , if I don't like the music why would I bother listening to it.

EVH = Great guitar player...shyte hot ....but to me the music is over produced Americanised bullderdash desinged for Budweiser sucking, fat college students.
I literally can't stand it...I have never ever like VH or their many clones.

GnR are the exception ....I think they were a different beast though.
The intro riff to sweet child is legendary.

Jim Moginie ''Oils'' = Superb song writer/guitarist...The songs get my attention .
More so the older records ( PLace without a postcard / head injuries / powderworks etc. )
The big plus for me is the lyrical content is something I can relate to.
No other band sounds like them .
They have complex chord progressions with some songs having over 20 different chords changes in them.
They were the most powerful live band ( at their peak ) that I have seen.
I saw rage against the machine and they came close but had nowhere near the back catalouge of great great songs.

My old guitar teacher is a freak ...he taught the teachers.
He was a child prodigy.

...BUt man ...his music was so fugging ugly and boring ...yep he played lots of notes and big stretchy chord shapes ...so what ...it didn't sound good to me.


I also think Neil Finn is a very good guitar player....maybe he isn't a neck tapping maniac but he does produce some very interesting and beautiful music.


So

for me ....It comes down to personal taste.

 

[HevyDevy]

I'll agree with that, but if the guitarist isn't talented then there is no point listening to it.

I mean, if it's something that I could do then why listen to somebody else?

I may as well go watch F-grade rugby league rather than the NRL.

But yes, talent alone doesn't make someone listenable.

 

[millersnose]

anyone who can play an E7#9

or can play with their teeth

or has long curly hair

 

[CC_Eagle]

personal taste....my taste in music .
If I like the sound and I am impressed by chord progressions / intersting changes, solo's etc.

The song must be one I would want to play and want to hear .

I have respect for lots of talented guitarists who know their stuff...
but...
at the end of the day , if I don't like the music why would I bother listening to it.

EVH = Great guitar player...shyte hot ....but to me the music is over produced Americanised bullderdash desinged for Budweiser sucking, fat college students.
I literally can't stand it...I have never ever like VH or their many clones.

GnR are the exception ....I think they were a different beast though.
The intro riff to sweet child is legendary.

Jim Moginie ''Oils'' = Superb song writer/guitarist...The songs get my attention .
More so the older records ( PLace without a postcard / head injuries / powderworks etc. )
The big plus for me is the lyrical content is something I can relate to.
No other band sounds like them .
They have complex chord progressions with some songs having over 20 different chords changes in them.
They were the most powerful live band ( at their peak ) that I have seen.
I saw rage against the machine and they came close but had nowhere near the back catalouge of great great songs.

My old guitar teacher is a freak ...he taught the teachers.
He was a child prodigy.

...BUt man ...his music was so fugging ugly and boring ...yep he played lots of notes and big stretchy chord shapes ...so what ...it didn't sound good to me.


I also think Neil Finn is a very good guitar player....maybe he isn't a neck tapping maniac but he does produce some very interesting and beautiful music.


So

for me ....It comes down to personal taste.

Agreed on Finn and Moginie. Two of Australia's (NZ as well) most underrated guitarists. Usually when Oz-Axemen are discussed it's always Angus, Mossy, Chris Cheney maybe Jeff Lang. But imo, Moiginie is right up there.

 

[salivor]

I'll agree with that, but if the guitarist isn't talented then there is no point listening to it.

I mean, if it's something that I could do then why listen to somebody else?

I may as well go watch F-grade rugby league rather than the NRL.

But yes, talent alone doesn't make someone listenable.

Disagree, music doesn't have to be complicated to be great. There's plenty of guitarists out there that I can sit back and say wow that's great but your music sounds like dogs balls to me.

Now I don't have a musical bone in my body but I can pull off a basic Beatles tune but they're still up there for me as just about the greatest band of all time. The music is simple (maybe not that simple at the time) but great.

 

[strewth_mate]

Their ability to play arpeggios really fast.

Can't avoid the factor of personal taste. EVH is a great guitarist, and has spawned legions of die-hards that want to do nothing else but play like EVH (ironically removing the 'bringing something new' aspect), but while I can appreciate what he plays, I don't exactly enjoy it.

For me, anyone who is able to use the guitar as a natural extension of their mind and body, and convey exactly what they want to. Doesn't matter what kind of music, what kind of sound, who it appeals to, how many books it sells, how it changes the face of music or if it's one or a thousand notes per beat, if they're succeeding in expressing what they want to express, then I personally rate them highly.

It also means they need to have something worth expressing, so for them to be one of my favourites, it requires a bit of extra class above and beyond their technical ability. Quite a copout of an answer, but I don't give a rat's about naming personal favourites because people can be a rather tetchy. I mean, I consider EVH and Frank Zappa to be great guitarists, but I know who I'd prefer to listen to or emulate - interpret that how you will.

In a perfect world, anyone who is insultingly good would inspire people to pick up the instrument. But people approach music from different angles. You get people buying Coldplay music books in droves because they want to learn how to play a particular passage on the piano - does that make Chris Martin a great piano player? As a result, I tend to take the idea of 'influence' with a grain of salt, especially because pop music changes i.e. you don't get many Van Halens nowadays.

 

[Dr Crane]

Personal taste.

Someone technically brilliant may sound sh*t to me, whereas something pretty basic might just strike me as brilliant.

 

[Danish]

Being Matt Bellamy makes you a great guitarist...

 

[Ron Jeremy]

I'll agree with that, but if the guitarist isn't talented then there is no point listening to it.

I mean, if it's something that I could do then why listen to somebody else?

I may as well go watch F-grade rugby league rather than the NRL.

But yes, talent alone doesn't make someone listenable.

EXCELLENT POST!

Your example is exactly my point.

 

[Ron Jeremy]

Personal taste.

Someone technically brilliant may sound sh*t to me, whereas something pretty basic might just strike me as brilliant.

True, however you may not like what you hear ( not your taste etc) but you cannot ignore the obvious skill also.

 

[Ron Jeremy]

anyone who can play an E7#9

or can play with their teeth

or has long curly hair

that bastard E7#9:lol:

You also forgot having feeling and able to make funny facial expressions whilst playing, another sign of a great guitarist:lol:

 

[carcharias]

EXCELLENT POST!

Your example is exactly my point.

yep....Guitar talk from a drummer.


That is like Rebecca Wilson telling me about rugby League.

 

[miniHINDY]

I like songs, not guitars.

 

[Dr Crane]

True, however you may not like what you hear ( not your taste etc) but you cannot ignore the obvious skill also.

I can acknowledge skill, but if it sounds like a cat dieing i'm not going to acknowledge skill for long.

 

[Manu Vatuvei]

Art= something with a point, or that conveys a feeling, that says something

Music= A form of art

Guitar= An instrument used to make music

Good guitar playing= skillful creation of something that conveys feeling or has a meaning

Rating a guitarist in terms of technical expertise= fundamenally missing the point of playing guitar, which is to create music, which is an artform, which is supposed to make you think and feel

 

[Manu Vatuvei]

If you rate guitar players on their technical expertise, you are treating guitar playing as sport rather than music. You're not even in the right forum.