Best DT rhythm guitarist

[Ormir]

Odd that nobody has thought to poll this yet. Here we go. I allowed multiple choices in this poll, in case someone really can't make one preference.

I choose Fredrik Johansson, Mikael is great on Skydancer, but it's obvious he's not in the same class as Niklas. Fredrik on the other hand compared and complemented Niklas favourably, and his guitar style had a larger impact on the DT sound. For some reason I've never got a good feel for Martin's style, maybe it's a bit generic overall, but I feel like they traded in a great bass player for "just" a good guitarist. I recall reading that Martin and Niklas alter the leads, with Niklas handling most. I'm not sure to what extent Fredrik played leads, but I think Niklas played all of them on Skydancer.

 

[rahvin]

here's another vote for johansson. martin's skills are way higher in other departments (songwriting, to name but one). in this specific area fredrik was king.

rahvin.

 

[Wanderingblade]

I agree with both of the above... that said, Martin has done some very nice stuff...

 

[Arch]

Is there a way to change the style of the poll? I mean, it should be radio buttons, not checkboxes.

 

[rahvin]

Originally posted by Arch
Is there a way to change the style of the poll? I mean, it should be radio buttons, not checkboxes.

Originally posted by Ormir
I allowed multiple choices in this poll, in case someone really can't make one preference.

i think he did the poll as he wished it to be, our ormir...

rahvin.

 

[ruinandmisery]

Well, I can tell you that since Martin has contributed to most of the writing of the past two albums, he is a much better song writer. Anyway, leads are less important than actual songs. Also, I would not consider Martin the rhythm guitar player, having just recently seen them, he played most of the melodies and leads.

"RM"
www.lilitu.ws

 

[Naku ist krig]

I can´t really compare but Mikael has said that he is horrible player and Fredirik isn´t just as handsome as Martin so I voted Martin.

 

[Infernal]

I am voting Fredrik...i miss gallery and mind's i

 

[Villain]

Originally posted by Ormir
I recall reading that Martin and Niklas alter the leads, with Niklas handling most. I'm not sure to what extent Fredrik played leads, but I think Niklas played all of them on Skydancer.

Well, Ruinandmisery already confirmed the altering of leads between Niklas and Martin and I have a gut-feeling that it was a similar issue between Niklas and Fredrik. On many songs from The Gallery it sounds -even to my untrained ear- like the leads are altered between them every so often. So, I believe that Mikael is the one and only rhythm-guitar-only guitar-player in DT-history.

-Villain

 

[Siren]

Seeing as Mikael himself has said he sucked at guitar, there's no possibility of him getting hurt by my vote, so i'm not voting him.

Seeing as how i have no idea what lead and rhythm guitars are, how you can tell each other apart when listening to a song and when someone is good at them or not, i voted both Fredrik and Martin so as not to hurt their feelings.


Siren (will someone explain?)

 

[ruinandmisery]

Siren,

The difference between lead and Rhythm guitar is quite different. Leads or melodies are single note lines that stand out from the seprate guitar track that is the meat of the song. They are enhancements if you will, that adds to the music. It's exactly as the word "solo" is, a single guitar part that is played to showcase that part in the song or riff, which of both Niklas and Martin play.

Ryhthm guitar is the heart of the song, it's the basic guitar track that makes up the riffs, and structure.

I hope that helps!

"RM"

www.lilitu.ws

 

[Siren]

@ruinandmisery: Thanks a lot, it helps quite a bit, now i'll try to distinguish them by ear.

 

[ruinandmisery]

good to hear that it clarified some confusion for you.

"RM"

 

[Everlost]

Originally posted by rahvin
here's another vote for johansson. martin's skills are way higher in other departments (songwriting, to name but one). in this specific area fredrik was king.

rahvin.

Yes... Johansson it is.

 

[Zero888]

yea but martin is the lead guitar on all the new stuff now, and actually a lot the old stuff, so my vote goes for niklas

 

[coronerox]

That is Frederik!!!!!

 

[pittsyco38]

Fredrik for me...

 

[stardrowned]

Fredrik! But as I can recall, Fredrik played some solos, one of them's Hedon.

 

[Didl]

Interesting Poll, but a bit confusing: Since Martin always was a main contributor to the songwriting, and the older stuff (in particular "The Gallery") consists of a lot of lead-guitar work (in fact to my non-guitarist ears, even the "riffs" sound like constant soloing. Intro to "Punish my Heaven" as an example), I wonder why he is considered as the rythm-guitar-guy. Ok, back then he was the bassist, but obviously he came up with lots of melodies, (read: lead guitar-melodies). So *now* that he *is* the guitarist, I thought he would play the melody stuff he came up with in these songs. Of course, Sundin as well does lead-guitar work. From seeing them live I can tell that both, Sundin and Martin do the melodies.
Since The Mind's Eye, the trash-riffing became more prominent, so maybe the distinction between lead-guitarwork and rythm-guitarwork gets more significant. But then there are songs entirely written by Martin (according to the credits) and so I think the solo's are his as well - hence I doubt that Martin should be considered the rythm-guitar player. With Fredrik vs. Niklas it's the same - can one really tell who played the riffs and who did the lead-work?
My impression is that in DT, rythm- and lead-guitar-work is shared between the respective guitarists, but I am curious to learn what definitely goes on in the guitar-department. Thoughts on this?