Most personally influential guitarists?

[Cryo114]

Lenny Kravitz - The reason why I bought a guitar was this guy. Let me assure you - its fucking HARD to do as simple stuff as he does and still make it groove like a moose.

Same here. On another note, I love the general sound of the "Are you gonna go my way" album.

 

[mts1979]

@ Splat88: You rule for mentioning Geordie, Broadrick, Victor. Those guys are tremendous. I knew I forgot a few people...

 

[deanbailey]

Muhammed Suiçmez when I was into my tech death playing.

Guthrie Govan currently.

 

[Felix Neumann]

John Petrucci BEFORE Train of Thought

Chuck Schuldiner - I also spent a lot of my formative years learning Death riffs.

+10000 same

 

[Metaltastic]

 

[Splat88]

@ Splat88: You rule for mentioning Geordie, Broadrick, Victor. Those guys are tremendous. I knew I forgot a few people...

Hey thanks man, I really love those guys.

I see that you listed Ken Andrews of Failure to your list. Yeah, not metal at all but he's done some amazing sounding stuff and is a master at texturing. I've stolen a little bit here and there from Failure for sure!

 

[Felix Neumann]

grrrrrr

 

[mts1979]

Hey thanks man, I really love those guys.

I see that you listed Ken Andrews of Failure to your list. Yeah, not metal at all but he's done some amazing sounding stuff and is a master at texturing. I've stolen a little bit here and there from Failure for sure!

Yeah man...Failure is awesome. I've ripped them off here and there too.

BTW I checked out your band, and I like the stuff a lot. It definitely reflects the influences you were talking about, without sounding too much like any one of them. Good stuff.

 

[zakky]

So, as a counterpoint to that sham of a thread from yesterday, maybe we can show a little respect for guitarist again. This isn't a "who's your favorite guitarist?" thread, but a "what guitarists influenced your playing the most, and why?" thread. Some of my favorite guitarists...Randy Rhoads, Eddie Van Halen (from yesterday's disputed thread), and modern guitarist like Petrucci and Loomis...while they may be some of my favorites, they didn't really directly influence my playing that much. So, who did?

List as many as you like, and if possible, give a reason why. BUT, there will be no guitarist bashing here. Just because YOU didn't like or appreciate a guitarist doesn't mean they didn't inspire OTHERS.

Here's mine. And yes, I'm older than a lot of you, as you will see from my list. These guys were paving the way for things...at least for me.



Paul Dean - laugh if want (if you even know who he is), but taught me the use of effects for sonic textures.

Alex Lifeson - for melody, and also the use of effects/sonic textures.

Vivian campbell - for helping me discover the minor scale (and too many other things to mention..a major eye opener for me).

Brad Gillis - for legato, whammy bar gymnastics, & feedback/sustain (and creating my love for Mesa Boogie).

Steve Stevens - more sonic texture stuff.

Yngwie Malmsteen - for waking me up to neo classical staples (arpeggios, diminished scales), and for that nice, wide vibrato.

John Sykes - more of the proper technique and usage of vibrato, and effectively using long, sustaining notes to sing out in solos.

George Lynch - probably the biggest influence on my playing, from legato, to pinch harmonics, vibrato, picking technique...pretty much everything that is part of my playing today.

Tony MacAlpine - for combining beautiful, well constructed melody with tasteful shred.

Joe Satriani - more whammy bar stuff, and expressiveness in general.

George Lynch - (see above)

Eric Johnson - for showing me that pentatonic scales are more than just for beginners. And also for making me buy my American Strat (that I really miss at times).

Stevie Ray Vaughn - for showing that Texas blues can rock, and for showing the power and expression you can have behind just a few notes, making me love that single coil sound.

Oh...and did I mention George Lynch?


So, who influenced you? Go!

all of the above plus Akira Takasaki, Warren DeMartini, Nuno Bettencourt, Doug Aldrich, Vito Bratta ..i guess we are showing our age here

 

[grywolf627]

all of the above plus Akira Takasaki, Warren DeMartini, Nuno Bettencourt, Doug Aldrich, Vito Bratta ..i guess we are showing our age here

Oh well, I hit the big 4-0 next Saturday. I don't mind...it just gives me further excuse to be as cranky and stubborn as I already am.

 

[Metaltastic]

Haha, goddamn gramps! Actually, I'm amazed you and Mari waited so long to have a kid, but hey, better late than never! When's she due again?

 

[spioraid]

John Pertucci (before ToT ) - Beautiful tone and mind-opening playing

Adrian Belew - The best indie/alt/prog music comes from Adrian. Completely crappy tone at times but MAN does he make it creative!

Eric Cole - Modern day under-praised Hendrix. Only white.

Pete Stewart - My first real grunge/rock hero. Not insanely talented but his use of a wah in grunge solos is baby makin' music.

Åkerfeldt/Åkesson - Yeah. Like I need an explanation.

Alex Lifeson - I never thought a chorus in a lead song would sound that cool. Granted, it gets old, but it's creative and unique. And sounds good.

Rocky Gray (Dual Rec riffage at it's best, IMO) - My first foray into death metal, and what a first. Check out Living Sacrifice's "The Hammering Process" to hear crushing guitars. Decent solos, too.

Travis Meeks - Acoustic grunge. Huh? Yup. Liked him before he got all meth-y though.

Christopher Parkening - He owns classical guitar. Not owns one; he owns classical guitar.

 

[grywolf627]

Haha, goddamn gramps! Actually, I'm amazed you and Mari waited so long to have a kid, but hey, better late than never! When's she due again?

Well, many factors there, that I won't go into here. We'll just say this baby is a miracle that we're really grateful for. And...mid-August. A Leo. Guess it's better than another stubborn Cancer (like me!). Although, I'm trying to figure out how I'll find time for music once he/she comes!

 

[Felix Neumann]

John Pertucci (before ToT

What the....ahhh forget it

 

[Virgil.]

Nice thread!

My personal influences are:

Marty Friedman
Jason Becker
Frank Gambale
Steve Morse
Paul Gilbert
Eddie Van Halen
Michael Lee Firkins
Joey Tafolla
Joe Satriani
Vinnie Moore
Tony Macalpine
Uli Roth
Dime
Alex Scholnick
James Murphy
Wes Montgomery
Joe Pass
Al Di Meola
Pat Metheny
Segovia

 

[TravisW]

EVH
Smith/Murray
Michael Schenker
Uli Roth
Alex Lifeson
Jan Akkerman
John Sykes
Chuck Schuldiner
Marty Friedman
Pete Townshend
Jeff Beck
Ritchie Blackmore
Tony Iommi
Jimmy Page
James Hetfield
Mike Akerfeldt
Bill Steer
Steve Howe
Eric Peterson
Alex Skolnick
Steve Morse

 

[Metaltastic]

Well, many factors there, that I won't go into here. We'll just say this baby is a miracle that we're really grateful for. And...mid-August. A Leo. Guess it's better than another stubborn Cancer (like me!). Although, I'm trying to figure out how I'll find time for music once he/she comes!

Haha, I'm sure you'll manage dude, and again, congrats!

 

[JamieK]

Tommy Emmanuel - The Master! He's got the groove and he plays it with a melody at the same time and makes it look effortless. Have you ever tried to play one his songs? It's hard as hell :zombie: Well, it's fun to learn although it takes a lot of time.

Yes! i forgot about him, but an amazing player, the way he sounds like three guitarists playing at the same time, awesome.

John Petrucci BEFORE Train of Thought
I'm done citing all the examples of how incredibly soulful and tasteful he can be; those who know, know, and those who don't will just ignorantly and incorrectly think of him as another wanker for the rest of time, and all I can say is I pity them cuz they're missing out!

John Pertucci (before ToT ) - Beautiful tone and mind-opening playing

What's wrong with Petrucci since Train of Thought?
I liked ToT, the dual solo in 'In the Name of God' is frickin' insane!

I also liked Systematic Chaos (Octavarium was ok, too much pop for my liking)
The solo in 'Repentance' is fantastic.

 

[iekobrid]

Ty Tabor, James Hetfield, Dave Mustaine , Stradlin/Slash , Perry/Whitford , and Lennon/McCartney/Harrison. Quite simply, theirs were the songs I first learned to play by learning to play first.

Since then.... Paul Gilbert, I guess.

 

[grywolf627]

Haha, I'm sure you'll manage dude, and again, congrats!

Thanks!!

Back to music:

I completely forgot to mention the reason I picked up the guitar in the first place: Ace Frehley. I know, not exactly a virtuoso...but when I was a kid listening to this stuff, it had a profound effect on me. But by the time I finally got around to getting my first REAL guitar (not just the plywood cut outs I had my dad make for me ) I had long moved past KISS and Ace. But he put the original desire in me to play.