Guitarists who made the biggest impact

[schenkadere]

What players do you feel made the biggest impact on the evolution of modern guitar playing? You know, the guys who changed the way the instrument was played or who have had unquestionable influence.

Django Reinhardt
Charlie Christian
Wes Montgomery
Les Paul
Chuck Berry
Jimi Hendrix
Eddie Van Halen
Yngwie Malmsteen

Any other ideas?

I thought about Rhoads, but I don't really feel his impact was that huge and he didn't have enough time to really blossom and produce.

 

[noble savage]

Allan Holdsworth definitely. I know that Vai, Van Halen and Malmsteen sited him as a huge influence.

John McLaughlin basically started rock based fusion with The Mahavishnu Orchestra.

Robert Fripp with King Crimson. He arguably started the genre of Progressive rock. He also left out all forms of blues in exchange for jazz type structures.

Then of course there was Genesis, Yes, Gentle Giant etc that have had a huge influence on modern prog.

You can't forget John Petrucci. Need I say more?

I also owe a huge debt to guitarists such as Brett Garsed, Tony Macalpine, Scott Henderson. Modern fusion guitarists have had a huge impact on me.

 

[Yngvai X]

I'd certainly include Rhoads. Listen to pretty much every big metal guitarist in the current scene (Zakk Wylde, Dimebag, Alexi Laiho), his influence is plastered all over those guys. Not to mention the ever popular "Rhoads V". Anyone who's signature guitar transcends merely being "their" signature and just becomes another flagship guitar style is worthy of including on a list of "biggest impact".

 

[razoredge]

Trying to stay cronological
early technique players
Django
Joe Pass
Chet Atkins
Les Paul for the bringing the need of the electric guitar to better understanding, great jazz player too

for the RnR feel and attitude
the guy that played for Elvis
Chuck Berry
Buddy Holly
Jones and Richards

blues was ultra important
pick your old blues player - probably Johnson or either of the Kings
SRV - the REAL King of the Blues #1.5

jump to the big jump that more effected our current music
Jimi Hendrix #1
Jimmy Page
Blackmore
Iommi

a few seldom mentioned, at least around the metal or high "skilled" guitar communities
Eric Clapton
Jeff Beck
Ted Nuggent
Billy Gibbons
there is no doubt in my mind the value their work holds for the popularity of guitar music

another big jump
Eddie VanHalen
Randy Rhoades

step back a tad for more technical shred and music
John MacLaughlin
Al DiMeola
Paco
Tommy Bolin was actually important for a fleeting moment, for many reasons I wont even try to explain

metal
VanHalen & Rhoades (again)
Murry & Smith
Yngwie
Criss Oliva

then of course
Vai & Satch

since then I feel its pretty much been a melting pot

 

[razoredge]

VanHalen actually proceded Holdsworth as far as recording, not age/career. Im not sure if Eddie would have seen Holdsworth before the release of "VanHalen" and the impact of that recording is without question

As with Rhoades, even forgeting the soloing the impact of the riff from "Crazy Train"..... nuff said

and yes indeed - Petrucci stands out big time in the 89-90's time period and still holds his own today, for many reasons

 

[schenkadere]

VanHalen actually proceded Holdsworth as far as recording, not age/career. Im not sure if Eddie would have seen Holdsworth before the release of "VanHalen" and the impact of that recording is without question

As with Rhoades, even forgeting the soloing the impact of the riff from "Crazy Train"..... nuff said

and yes indeed - Petrucci stands out big time in the 89-90's time period and still holds his own today, for many reasons

Holdsworth recorded in the late 60's didn't he? At least early 70's. Yup, Igginbottom 1969.

How did Petrucci change the guitar? I'm not sure what his impact is...please 'splain.

 

[razoredge]

Somehow I dont think Holdsworth was present during the recording of Eruption but I could be wrong. I never heard of Holdsworth until the late 70's... not that that means much, others may have. As I recall Eddie didnt mention Holdsworth until later in his early career. At any rate I wouldnt take stock from Eddies style and contribution by placing Holdsworth at the forefront prior to Eddie coming on the scene, at the forefront, on day one. Counting Hendrix as first, I believe VanHalen was the second most important impacting guitarist of these times, then followed by Yngwie

Petrucci ? If someone cant listen to When Dream and Day Unite and Images and Words and get it, I really cant help them.

 

[schenkadere]

Somehow I dont think Holdsworth was present during the recording of Eruption but I could be wrong. I never heard of Holdsworth until the late 70's... not that that means much, others may have. As I recall Eddie didnt mention Holdsworth until later in his early career. At any rate I wouldnt take stock from Eddies style and contribution by placing Holdsworth at the forefront prior to Eddie coming on the scene, at the forefront, on day one. Counting Hendrix as first, I believe VanHalen was the second most important impacting guitarist of these times, then followed by Yngwie

Petrucci ? If someone cant listen to When Dream and Day Unite and Images and Words and get it, I really cant help them.

Not talking about good guitar playing...the discussion is influence and impact on the history of the instrument. No need to be a wise ass. Petrucci didn't change anything about the instrument because he played some tasty things. That's like saying anyone who has played a good guitar solo is an influential figure.

Holdsworth's first recording was 1969.

 

[razoredge]

Petrucci's impact was phenominal for those that took to it and Im not just talking about his astonishing playing abilities.

Yep Holdsworth recorded quite a few between 69 & 77 but Im not sure who heard them
Im not being a smart ass, maybe that Eruption solo was derived from Holdsworth for all I know. A fair amount of people feel that way about DiMeolas significance opposed to McLaughlin, but not me. I'd like to hear some early Holdsworth, by these recording dates he's even par with John McLaughlin but few heard his music until the early/mid 70's Mahavishnu stuff. Jazz people were probably aware of them both, not sure if they made young guys pick up the guitar at that point in time.

I only brought it up because I question if Holdsworths significance is above VanHalens at that period in time or even if they play anything alike. The post that mentioned Holdsworth with VanHalen in ( ) kinda indicates that. If thats the case it throws Eddie and commonly understood guitar history to the wolves. I still dont know why I never really heard Holdsworths name till so much latter, I guess because word traveled slower back then? Still Im trying hard to remember if I ever heard him mentioned at Berklee in the summer of '75 but all the buzz I remember was about McLaughlin, DiMeola, Bolin and Becks new solo stuff. Doesnt seem possible Holdsworth wasnt mentioned, the whole Holdsworth thing has been a mystery to me, I just cant figure out how I missed his early years, latter, yes because I wasnt listening to fusion anymore but I had at least heard of him by then. Seriously, a real head scratcher for me, twas along time ago.

 

[Shredboy]

I'd agree with razor (seems i've been doing a lot of that lately). The post is titled "impact" while i've been following guitarists since ive been twelve.. and have been through at least part of 2 generations of influences.. Petrucci definitly had an impact in the early to mid 90's.. he was plastered on every major magazine.. a lot of kids wanted to be Petrucci.. that says enough in its own, he is still making an impact today based on what he has done. While I agree with Schenk , he hasnt changed the guitar or how things are typically done... the band he is in however came to the fore-front.

Im surprised no one has mentioned Michael Schenker ... when I first started getting into "guitar orientated" music .. he's what everyone was talking about, and most of the people talking werent even really from his era.

 

[Shredboy]

Also as much as I hate to mention it.. a lot of guys from the Seattle scene made a lot of kids pick up guitars.. with that said Im going to put back up my mental block of that time period.

 

[razoredge]

lol You are correct, I remember when young guitar players about 4 or 5 years younger than me were all a buzz about Schenker. Right along with Lifeson, VanHalen and Rhoades... and not one of them got the Hendrix or Page thing...... lol

Once again on Petrucci - who else could even touch what he was doing at that time? Composing, lyrics, riffs, astonishing runs, clean blistering creative yet melodic catching solos, atmospheric varity of guitar sounds. I hadnt heard all the music around but I just cant think of anyone that put it all together like that. So I'll disagree and say I honestly feel he brought alot to the table of "this is how you make music with the guitar"

 

[ToastedOveries]

What players do you feel made the biggest impact on the evolution of modern guitar playing? You know, the guys who changed the way the instrument was played or who have had unquestionable influence.

Django Reinhardt
Charlie Christian
Wes Montgomery
Les Paul
Chuck Berry
Jimi Hendrix
Eddie Van Halen
Yngwie Malmsteen

Any other ideas?

I thought about Rhoads, but I don't really feel his impact was that huge and he didn't have enough time to really blossom and produce.

thats pretty good list, id probably include ritchie blackmore, becuase im a blackmore whore, but i think he did alot of influencing and helped change the way people look at playing


and iommi, dont forget iommi

and of course beck

 

[schenkadere]

lol You are correct, I remember when young guitar players about 4 or 5 years younger than me were all a buzz about Schenker. Right along with Lifeson, VanHalen and Rhoades... and not one of them got the Hendrix or Page thing...... lol

Once again on Petrucci - who else could even touch what he was doing at that time? Composing, lyrics, riffs, astonishing runs, clean blistering creative yet melodic catching solos, atmospheric varity of guitar sounds. I hadnt heard all the music around but I just cant think of anyone that put it all together like that. So I'll disagree and say I honestly feel he brought alot to the table of "this is how you make music with the guitar"

I can't Petrucci's contributions to the instrument anywhere near a Charlie Christian or Jimi Hendrix. He's agood player...not an innovator. Same with Schenker...I love his playing...he's why I play, but he didn't change the way the instrument is played.

 

[razoredge]

I dont know who Charlie Christian is either...... Ill check youtube

Are you sure Schenker didnt offer up a new sound or ideas ? I really am pretty much clueless on his work but what I remember hearing way back was somewhat of a different take.

I know I heard Petrucci do things I'd never heard before and thats just guitar playing, ignoring the music as a whole. Which sparked a huge wave of progressive metal bands through the 90's and up to today.

It certainly gets harder every year to be innovative, Im not sure I even want to hear the next extreme innovation. At one time it was supposed to be... of all thing... Kurt Cobain

Thing is if you want to break it down you could find people in the 60's saying Hendrix was just playing the blues REALLY LOUD, and it was just a bunch of garbage truck noise, abusing his tremolo and throwing his guitar out of tune. Hendrix came up with his double stop technique because he wanted that feel piano players had. You could find people that said that Yngwie just ripped off a bunch of classical pieces. There was probably even bad remarks about Django stealing ideas from old Italian mandolin pieces... who knows.

It really is a nightmare trying to sort it all out.

 

[ABQShredHead]

I think there are three major influencers for today's metal guitar:

Jimi Hendrix
Eddie Van Halen
Yngwie Malmsteen

I think the others in the board are influencers on a more personal level, whether on your level or any other guitar players. Overall, I see these three as having the greatest impact on where rock/metal guitar is today. That's not to say myriad other players are not influential in any degree - they very much are so, and many even influenced these three people I mentioned. But I think these three guitarists had the most profound effect on elevating the guitar to the level it is today that they belong to a special rung on the ladder that no others have reached. They each represent a change in the standard of playing, and I don't know that anybody has truly changed the standard since Malmsteen came on the scene in '84.

To be sure I'm not talking about my own influencers, only one guitar player here has a place in my favorites. But I do give a large amount to the other two for changing rock guitar.

 

[schenkadere]

I think there are three major influencers for today's metal guitar:

Jimi Hendrix
Eddie Van Halen
Yngwie Malmsteen

I think the others in the board are influencers on a more personal level, whether on your level or any other guitar players. Overall, I see these three as having the greatest impact on where rock/metal guitar is today. That's not to say myriad other players are not influential in any degree - they very much are so, and many even influenced these three people I mentioned. But I think these three guitarists had the most profound effect on elevating the guitar to the level it is today that they belong to a special rung on the ladder that no others have reached. They each represent a change in the standard of playing, and I don't know that anybody has truly changed the standard since Malmsteen came on the scene in '84.

To be sure I'm not talking about my own influencers, only one guitar player here has a place in my favorites. But I do give a large amount to the other two for changing rock guitar.

You're on the money.

 

[razoredge]

I'd totally agree with that if it had to be narrowed down to three. But with those three somehow Jimmy Page was really significant, regardless his actual dexterity as a "player", that bands early music, largly due to his sound and way of going about riffs had to be very much of an impact toward change. I mean Im not sure Joe Walsh, Randy Bachman, Eric Clapton or Leslie West would have done it, steered the ship so quickly so to speak, on their own, Im not even sure Blackmore & Iommi would have. The change would have still come, Im not one of those to say without such and such we would have never had _____ . Something about those first Zeppelin albums defined heavy music. I'll admit he was part of the same scene, but something about it tells me he made a huge difference musically and as a guitar slinging "star", and that could be just as important as a technique.

You know I have never heard anything regarding Pages view of Hendrix's work, the music was considerably different even if it was all blues based. Thats all a tuff call for me, crutial period 67-71/72. Clapton really cant be shuned either, but Cream still wasnt the same sound Zep put down in '69.

 

[EyeballKid]

If we're talking the evolution of "metal" style...and not just who was the first to play a sweep string-skipping arpeggio the fastest...and Iommi was only mentioned twice, then this thread is irrelevant.

I also wanna give some love to Satch.

 

[Meedleyx10]

Petrucci was innovative and had a big impact on the guitar world, but not nearly on the scale as someone like Jimi or Eddie so regardless of preference I really don't think his name has a place next to theirs in that respect.