Steve Vai is possibly the greatest guitarist!

[poita]

my top 3

frank zappa
robert fripp
jimmy page

 

[strewth_mate]

I'm glad someone mentioned the Emmanuel brothers. Phil was at Newcastle uni again a while back, for free, while I saw Tommy out at Belmont earlier this year. Both are, to use an understatement, technically adept, but particularly Tommy knows how to please an audience; some of the things he does are just showing off but hey it works for me.

Vai is a technical genius but he hasn't got the heart. I can listen to him and appreciate the virtuosity, and be totally amazed and jealous, but my preference is with the other school. Depends how you approach it. Doesn't mean I rubbish someone like Vai, but IMO if you play just one note, and play that note really well and with the right feeling, then I reckon that wins.

 

[Simo]

I'm glad someone mentioned the Emmanuel brothers. Phil was at Newcastle uni again a while back, for free, while I saw Tommy out at Belmont earlier this year. Both are, to use an understatement, technically adept, but particularly Tommy knows how to please an audience; some of the things he does are just showing off but hey it works for me.

Vai is a technical genius but he hasn't got the heart. I can listen to him and appreciate the virtuosity, and be totally amazed and jealous, but my preference is with the other school. Depends how you approach it. Doesn't mean I rubbish someone like Vai, but IMO if you play just one note, and play that note really well and with the right feeling, then I reckon that wins.

Good post and I agree with you that you would pick and artist with 'feel' and 'heart' to be your favourite. But I was going for more technical ability in this thread to which Vai has impressed me a lot.

As for the Emmanuels, great talents.

 

[Ron Jeremy]

I'm glad someone mentioned the Emmanuel brothers. Phil was at Newcastle uni again a while back, for free, while I saw Tommy out at Belmont earlier this year. Both are, to use an understatement, technically adept, but particularly Tommy knows how to please an audience; some of the things he does are just showing off but hey it works for me.

Vai is a technical genius but he hasn't got the heart. I can listen to him and appreciate the virtuosity, and be totally amazed and jealous, but my preference is with the other school. Depends how you approach it. Doesn't mean I rubbish someone like Vai, but IMO if you play just one note, and play that note really well and with the right feeling, then I reckon that wins.

I disagree

Vai plays with just as much feeling as anyone.

 

[strewth_mate]

But I was going for more technical ability in this thread to which Vai has impressed me a lot

Hehe yeah, in that case I agree. As I said, I'm amazed at his genius and appreciate perhaps even more his respect for music that goes beyond technical proficiency; he is more fluent and accomplished in so many aspects of his craft than most of his peers would hope to approach (although I believe Zappa would play anybody off the stage I'd rather not compare the two as they're both vital in their own place).

However for some reason it doesn't really do it for me to that extent, I'm not fully satisfied listening to him, which is at odds to my opinion of him but I suppose that's where taste comes into it. You can paint a perfect picture but not everyone will love it. Shame I come across in that way as disliking the guy because I love music and he's right up there in my appreciation, but that's life hey.

 

[Breadman]

For killer riffs I cant go past Jimmy Page, I must admit that I havent heard a few of the guys mentioned here though. Current I'll go with Josh Homme