Post by NardDog on Oct 27, 2008 18:36:44 GMT -5
everyone draws their line differently as to what defines gratness. That being said some of my favorite guitarists are technical wizards, some aren't. To me what makes a great guitarists is if they have a distinct style and that style speaks to me
so here are mine in reverse order:
(23. Alex Lifeson)
(22. Randy Rhoades)
(21. Jimmy Page)
20. Omar Rodriguez-Lopez(most noteably of At The Drive In and The Mars Volta)
this guy brings a santana-esque style into the new milineum...great stuff
19.Paul Simon
to me he's greatest acoustic guitarist ever
18. Peter Buck
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a great example of not having to be a virtuoso to be a compelling guitarist/artist. Peter Buck takes his basic knowledge of chord progressions and scales and uses them to optimum effect. Quite simply...he's a bad a**
17. Ace Frehley
in a world(hard rock/metal) of virtuoso guitarists this guy can hold his own with a workman's bluesy approach. When Kiss came out he may have been an elite guitarist but in the technical realm he never grew. To me that doesn't matter that much. His licks are still very memorable and he influenced many that followed him and became better"technical" guitarists.
16.Ty Tabor(most noteably of King's X)
some guys don't blow you away with flashy sounding/looking stuff but when you look/listen closer you realize they are technically brilliant. Ty Tabor is a prime example
15.Johnny Marr
one of the best guitarists in knowing when and how to use effect pedals. He deserves to be here just for the guitar part in Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others alone
14.Billy Corgan/James Iha
The main reason The Smashing Pumpkins were amazing to me was they had two great guitarists who played off of each other very nicely. Some of the few guitarists in the realm of alternative that can truly be called virtuosos. Maybe someday Smashing Pumpkins will really reunite. I hope so.
13.Frank Zappa
this guy was on another planet. His style (as a guitarist) is virtuostic(?) in ways most guitarists have never even tried to be. Just in case you haven't heard him, I would recommend him highly. And as far as a guitarist the first album you would want to check out is Hot Rats.
12.Joe Satriani
there's a cliche used when describing guitarists; He(or She) makes it talk, I've always hated that description. But in some ways it applies to Satriani, but not in a traditional sense. His guitar passages are for lack of a better term very conversational and of course humable.
11. Brian May
the guy built his own guitar(I'm not sure but I think it was also his first guitar). It's definitely his trademark one. And to me the most amazing element of Brian May's playing is his tone. That's what makes him Brian May, and how you can spot a Queen song instantly(unless Freddie Mercury's voice is the first instrument you hear. Maybe the best singer/guitarist tandem ever.
10. David Gilmour
Tone, effects pedals usage, expiramentation. Gilmour has a lot going for him. The fact is when Gilmour joined Pink Floyd it changed their sound majorly. Some people are huge Syd Barrett fans and I think he was interesting but whether you like David or Syd you can't deny that Gilmour was a better guitarist by leaps and bounds.
9.John Petrucci
In terms of technical skill...what can't this guy do. When ever I watch one of my Dream Theater DVDs all I can do is sit slack jawed in awe of this guy's ability. I don't see how it can be topped.
8.Joey Santiago
the guitarist that probably single-handedly defined my generation's sound(grunge/alternative rock). I think what makes him great is that he seems to see the guitar like no one else. It's not an intrument to be played, it's a tool to express yourself...and sometimes your hands don't suffice. Check out a live performance of Pixes song Vamos if you don't know what I'm talking about
7. J Mascis
the best guitarist of the golden age of alternative rock. Period. What makes him so is his willingness to be open to all music instead of being snobby/elitist and just limiting his ears to what is "cool". He was one of the few people in the beginning stages of alternative rock to embrace all that was great about metal and incorporated it into Dinosaur Jr.'s music when "metal" was a dirty word.
6.Dave Mustaine
To me, Mustaine is the master shredder. The best guitarist in thrash metal. Metallica may have had the better songs overall but Mustaine had the licks. To anyone who has learned a Metallica song and then tried to learn a Megadeth song you know what I'm talking about.
5.Lindsey Buckingham
In my humble opinion this guy is the most underrated guitarist ever. His attention to detail make his solos flawless. Most people wouldn't think to listen to the pioneers of soft rock(Fleetwood Mac) to hear some amazing guitar playing, but if you're listening it impossible to deny Buckingham's genius as a guitarist.
4.John Frusciante
Frusciante's playing blows me away and yet I can't say he excels at any one particular aspect. He's just the complete package, that's all.
3.Jonny Greenwood
Maybe I'm biased, I don't know. All I know is radiohead is one of my favorite bands and hes a big reason. He in my opinon is the best at his use of effect pedals. His use of dynamics is what makes the music of Radiohead great. Not that the other band members are horrible players but his playing makes everyone around him better, that saying something...What he does on guitar makes Phil Selway a better drummer...it's like he's a magician instead of a musician
2. Eddie Van Halen
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he changed the guitar as we know it. Either you're a fan or not nothing I say will change anything. The point is everyone know who he is...his name preceeds him. He is a legend.
1 Jimi Hendrix
He proved that the electric guitar is a different instrument than the acoustic guitar. +(same as what I said about Eddie Van Halen)
there are plenty of guitarists I've left out that I am a huge fan of I'm sure some will be mentioned in the following posts...
so here are mine in reverse order:
(23. Alex Lifeson)
(22. Randy Rhoades)
(21. Jimmy Page)
20. Omar Rodriguez-Lopez(most noteably of At The Drive In and The Mars Volta)
this guy brings a santana-esque style into the new milineum...great stuff
19.Paul Simon
to me he's greatest acoustic guitarist ever
18. Peter Buck
a great example of not having to be a virtuoso to be a compelling guitarist/artist. Peter Buck takes his basic knowledge of chord progressions and scales and uses them to optimum effect. Quite simply...he's a bad a**
17. Ace Frehley
in a world(hard rock/metal) of virtuoso guitarists this guy can hold his own with a workman's bluesy approach. When Kiss came out he may have been an elite guitarist but in the technical realm he never grew. To me that doesn't matter that much. His licks are still very memorable and he influenced many that followed him and became better"technical" guitarists.
16.Ty Tabor(most noteably of King's X)
some guys don't blow you away with flashy sounding/looking stuff but when you look/listen closer you realize they are technically brilliant. Ty Tabor is a prime example
15.Johnny Marr
one of the best guitarists in knowing when and how to use effect pedals. He deserves to be here just for the guitar part in Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others alone
14.Billy Corgan/James Iha
The main reason The Smashing Pumpkins were amazing to me was they had two great guitarists who played off of each other very nicely. Some of the few guitarists in the realm of alternative that can truly be called virtuosos. Maybe someday Smashing Pumpkins will really reunite. I hope so.
13.Frank Zappa
this guy was on another planet. His style (as a guitarist) is virtuostic(?) in ways most guitarists have never even tried to be. Just in case you haven't heard him, I would recommend him highly. And as far as a guitarist the first album you would want to check out is Hot Rats.
12.Joe Satriani
there's a cliche used when describing guitarists; He(or She) makes it talk, I've always hated that description. But in some ways it applies to Satriani, but not in a traditional sense. His guitar passages are for lack of a better term very conversational and of course humable.
11. Brian May
the guy built his own guitar(I'm not sure but I think it was also his first guitar). It's definitely his trademark one. And to me the most amazing element of Brian May's playing is his tone. That's what makes him Brian May, and how you can spot a Queen song instantly(unless Freddie Mercury's voice is the first instrument you hear. Maybe the best singer/guitarist tandem ever.
10. David Gilmour
Tone, effects pedals usage, expiramentation. Gilmour has a lot going for him. The fact is when Gilmour joined Pink Floyd it changed their sound majorly. Some people are huge Syd Barrett fans and I think he was interesting but whether you like David or Syd you can't deny that Gilmour was a better guitarist by leaps and bounds.
9.John Petrucci
In terms of technical skill...what can't this guy do. When ever I watch one of my Dream Theater DVDs all I can do is sit slack jawed in awe of this guy's ability. I don't see how it can be topped.
8.Joey Santiago
the guitarist that probably single-handedly defined my generation's sound(grunge/alternative rock). I think what makes him great is that he seems to see the guitar like no one else. It's not an intrument to be played, it's a tool to express yourself...and sometimes your hands don't suffice. Check out a live performance of Pixes song Vamos if you don't know what I'm talking about
7. J Mascis
the best guitarist of the golden age of alternative rock. Period. What makes him so is his willingness to be open to all music instead of being snobby/elitist and just limiting his ears to what is "cool". He was one of the few people in the beginning stages of alternative rock to embrace all that was great about metal and incorporated it into Dinosaur Jr.'s music when "metal" was a dirty word.
6.Dave Mustaine
To me, Mustaine is the master shredder. The best guitarist in thrash metal. Metallica may have had the better songs overall but Mustaine had the licks. To anyone who has learned a Metallica song and then tried to learn a Megadeth song you know what I'm talking about.
5.Lindsey Buckingham
In my humble opinion this guy is the most underrated guitarist ever. His attention to detail make his solos flawless. Most people wouldn't think to listen to the pioneers of soft rock(Fleetwood Mac) to hear some amazing guitar playing, but if you're listening it impossible to deny Buckingham's genius as a guitarist.
4.John Frusciante
Frusciante's playing blows me away and yet I can't say he excels at any one particular aspect. He's just the complete package, that's all.
3.Jonny Greenwood
Maybe I'm biased, I don't know. All I know is radiohead is one of my favorite bands and hes a big reason. He in my opinon is the best at his use of effect pedals. His use of dynamics is what makes the music of Radiohead great. Not that the other band members are horrible players but his playing makes everyone around him better, that saying something...What he does on guitar makes Phil Selway a better drummer...it's like he's a magician instead of a musician
2. Eddie Van Halen
he changed the guitar as we know it. Either you're a fan or not nothing I say will change anything. The point is everyone know who he is...his name preceeds him. He is a legend.
1 Jimi Hendrix
He proved that the electric guitar is a different instrument than the acoustic guitar. +(same as what I said about Eddie Van Halen)
there are plenty of guitarists I've left out that I am a huge fan of I'm sure some will be mentioned in the following posts...
