The Great Guitarist Debate

[Ron Jeremy]

If this poll was for the greatest technical guitarist, then yes Saatch and Vai would be top of the heap. Its not though. It's for the best guitarist. The best can mean many different things to different people, in the end it'll just come down to what people enjoy listening to the most. Incidently EVH, Vai and Saatch have sited May as their guitar god and major influence (Saatch even built Bri a custom made guitar. Can be heard on his solo record "Back to the Light"). EVH played on Bri's "Starfleet" record. While both Vai and Saatch jumped at the chance to play with their hero on the "Guitar legends in Seville concert". Meanwhile May has stated on numerous times that these guys have taken the guitar to a new level, and technically can do things he cant. So theres a mutual respect there.

For mine, Saatch and Vai's (excellent guitarists they may be) start to bore me after a while. I much prefer guys like May, Page, Slash, Gilmour and co, who create legendary riffs and solo's to complement both the great songs they wrote, and the legendary ensembles they were part of. It's that creativity (not necessarily technicality) that imo leaves Vai, Saatch and other instrumentalists forever staring up at them. But that's just me. Each to their own.

You mean Clapton and Allan Holdsworth don't you? yes May influenced Eddie but the other two were his major influences.

For the rest of that paragraph totally agree.

Yes each to there own, however i enjoy those styles, i appreciate the complexity and the sounds created. As for riffs? EVH has written some of very memorable riffs not only on the guitar but keyboard/piano as well, and the solo's complimented the song beautifully eg Dreams, and other projects like this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TmducIwFs5A

I'd like to see other guitarists formulate something as good as this

 

[Ron Jeremy]

Completely agree. You think in 50 years time, when its all said and done, what will be remembered more: Vai's freakish talent, or Blackmore's riff for Smoke on the Water? Yeah, its all well and good having insane technical skill, but it means nothing if you can't write good music.

Well considering it's been 30 years since Eruption was released and is still seen still by many as the most influential guitar piece on the planet and benchmark for any aspiring guitarist then yes.:lol:

The technical aspect of the guitar is the most significant, you can piss and moan about chords, feeling etc but the bottom line is the techincal talent is the most significant aspect, otherwise people like Kurt Cobain get mentioned in top 100 polls as has been done recently, a pathetic joke. The only time other aspects should come into the equation is if guitarists are seen on level playing field techincally.

Add Comfortably Numb to that as well, almost 30 years and still raved about. The only people that wank over smoke on the water riff are non guitarists or amauters, and tbh Black Knight is a far better riff imo. I think smoke on the water is the most over-rated riff i've ever heard, tbh i rate Paranoid, voodoo and Country girl by Sabbath as better, more creative riffs.

Also the fac

 

[madunit]

Enough to realise that he doesn't have anywhere the ability of somone like Vai, Satch etc.

His versatility and ability to play many different styles of music and create many different sounds with a guitar prove his at least their equal.

His guitar playing is not hard to do Unit, his formula was quite simple actually, play in key and improvise around a scale, well from many of the songs i've heard they were his key ingredients.

We're talking about the guitar here, i couldn't give a sh*t if he farted the tune to stairway to heaven through a Didgeridoo. Also on that topic, are you certain that their are other guitarists fluent in other instruments?

banjo, ukelele, sitar, banjolele and the toy mini koto are also forms of guitars RJ. I'm sure a guitarist such as yourself would be aware of this.

Hahahah remember a guy called John Lennon;-)

and?

 

[HevyDevy]

If this poll was for the greatest technical guitarist, then yes Saatch and Vai would be top of the heap. Its not though. It's for the best guitarist. The best can mean many different things to different people, in the end it'll just come down to what people enjoy listening to the most. Incidently EVH, Vai and Saatch have sited May as their guitar god and major influence (Saatch even built Bri a custom made guitar. Can be heard on his solo record "Back to the Light"). EVH played on Bri's "Starfleet" record. While both Vai and Saatch jumped at the chance to play with their hero on the "Guitar legends in Seville concert". Meanwhile May has stated on numerous times that these guys have taken the guitar to a new level, and technically can do things he cant. So theres a mutual respect there.

For mine, Saatch and Vai's (excellent guitarists they may be) start to bore me after a while. I much prefer guys like May, Page, Slash, Gilmour and co, who create legendary riffs and solo's to complement both the great songs they wrote, and the legendary ensembles they were part of. It's that creativity (not necessarily technicality) that imo leaves Vai, Saatch and other instrumentalists forever staring up at them. But that's just me. Each to their own.

But then you get people voting for Hetfield. HETFIELD I tell ya! It's crazy, crazy stuff. I'm losing the plot, slowly but surely. Still, Vai's Sex & Religion is the album to listen to. One of the albums of the 90s. The rest are boring in terms of the songs, yes.

 

[Ron Jeremy]

His versatility and ability to play many different styles of music and create many different sounds with a guitar prove his at least their equal.

Technically he wasn't as good as them, you just have to listen or play pieces to of Vai to realise this.

banjo, ukelele, sitar, banjolele and the toy mini koto are also forms of guitars RJ. I'm sure a guitarist such as yourself would be aware of this.

Yes yes i know:lol:

and?

Are you suggesting May is more of and allround musician then Lennon?

 

[Ron Jeremy]

But then you get people voting for Hetfield. HETFIELD I tell ya! It's crazy, crazy stuff. I'm losing the plot, slowly but surely. Still, Vai's Sex & Religion is the album to listen to. One of the albums of the 90s. The rest are boring in terms of the songs, yes.

Agree, next people will be voting Dave Grohl or Gilby Clark

 

[simmo1]

The technical aspect of the guitar is the most significant, you can piss and moan about chords, feeling etc but the bottom line is the techincal talent is the most significant aspect, otherwise people like Kurt Cobain get mentioned in top 100 polls as has been done recently, a pathetic joke. The only time other aspects should come into the equation is if guitarists are seen on level playing field techincally.

No. The bottom line is making good music. People play guitar to make music. Its all about the sound. You can have all the talent in the world, but if it sounds like sh*t, it means nothing.

Add Comfortably Numb to that as well, almost 30 years and still raved about. The only people that wank over smoke on the water riff are non guitarists or amauters, and tbh Black Knight is a far better riff imo. I think smoke on the water is the most over-rated riff i've ever heard, tbh i rate Paranoid, voodoo and Country girl by Sabbath as better, more creative riffs.

I don't disagree there are more creative riffs out there, and its definitely not my personal favourite. But you cannot argue the fact that it is still the most recognised riff in history, and is still pretty much the first thing people learn when they pick up a guitar. Its stood the test of time and thats what makes it 'great'. Give it 50 years, and it will still be one of the most recognisable riffs in history.

 

[nöyd]

All discussion relating to guitarists and the like have been moved here, argue and battle away.

 

[Mr. Fahrenheit]

i love this thread.

 

[madunit]

Technically he wasn't as good as them, you just have to listen or play pieces to of Vai to realise this.

SO the best guitarist is all of a sudden the most techincal?

Yes yes i know:lol:

You didn't seem to the first time you addressed this part of my post.

Are you suggesting May is more of and allround musician then Lennon?

I made no suggestions. Are you suggesting Lennon was a better all round musician than May?

 

[carcharias]

this breakaway thread is flawed.

 

[HevyDevy]

Can we do a greatest drummer thread?

Please?

:crazy:

 

[Ron Jeremy]

SO the best guitarist is all of a sudden the most techincal?

What made A Johns the greatest Rugby Leage player of all time Unit? Talent! raw talent is what its about.

Original technical talent is what gets you into a band in the first place, that talent then takes you to the next level. Do you think Vai gotto where he was just on good looks? no he got there because of his amazing solo lead work which greats like Zappa, Coverdale etc realised barely out of his teens.

You didn't seem to the first time you addressed this part of my post.

Hahahaha you wish

I made no suggestions. Are you suggesting Lennon was a better all round musician than May?

Really? didn't you refer May or Roger as the greatest musicians of all time?

 

[Ron Jeremy]

No. The bottom line is making good music. People play guitar to make music. Its all about the sound. You can have all the talent in the world, but if it sounds like sh*t, it means nothing.

Sound, sounding good is that what you mean? that's your opinion of making good music, however if you want to use that rationale then Hendrix and the Ramones are crap as well, there work sounded terrible.

I agree with what you're saying, complimenting i agree does constitute good music eg comfortably numb/Glmous lead or even Big Log by Plant, music that just sounds good. I believe however with the technical fundamentals however you wouldn't be there in the first place.

I don't disagree there are more creative riffs out there, and its definitely not my personal favourite. But you cannot argue the fact that it is still the most recognised riff in history, and is still pretty much the first thing people learn when they pick up a guitar. Its stood the test of time and thats what makes it 'great'. Give it 50 years, and it will still be one of the most recognisable riffs in history.

Yep i agree, however dont you think because of its simplicity it has made it more recongised? kids learn it cause its catchy and simple.

 

[Ron Jeremy]

I'm at work and i'm arguing with my bitch unit haha

Hey Unit, do you reckon this heated exchange will end in hot passionate sex? lol

 

[Mr. Fahrenheit]

Can we do a greatest drummer thread?

Please?

:crazy:

Bonham

over.

(lol, IMO)

Yeah i agree we should have one, also a bassist thread as well, while we're at it chuck in the vocals...

 

[HevyDevy]

Vinnie Colauita.

Over!!!!!

 

[simmo1]

Sound, sounding good is that what you mean? that's your opinion of making good music, however if you want to use that rationale then Hendrix and the Ramones are crap as well, there work sounded terrible.

I'm sure it sounded good to some people.

Yep i agree, however dont you think because of its simplicity it has made it more recongised? kids learn it cause its catchy and simple.

Absolutely. Its what makes it so great, its catchy but really very simple. Easy to play, but if it were easy to write such a riff, then everyone would be doing it.

 

[Nuke]

I have never played, or wanted to play 'Smoke On The Water' on my guitar. I don't dislike the song, but I refuse to even contemplate playing it on the grounds that it is expected of me as a guitar player to play it! I am quite a stubborn person, in case you can't work out!

 

[Ron Jeremy]

hahaha so i guess no to Stairway to heaven as well