What makes a good guitarist?

[Chris Brooks]

I'm just saying that obviously seeing as how none of us have written a song that is truly amazing, and has become know among the masses,

Well, being pretty much a nobody, I don't expect to have any reputation just yet, but the song I recorded with ex-Yngwie vocalist Mark Boals must have been heard by, what... 60,000 people?

On the other hand, my own solo stuff is my pride and joy. It may have only sold a couple of thousand copies, but I much prefer that stuff and it, to me, is very satisfying. It's not any less of an artistic success because commerially it wasn't as far-reaching as the song with Mark. So the "known among the masses" aspect is not a criteria I use for judging my work on a creative level.

that none of us can claim to have that level of creativity which is required to write a great song.

There are so many great musicians posting at the UM forums. I don't think you should speak for them. I think many of them write great songs.

Believe and achieve, it won't work the other way around!!!

Chris

 

[KevyCanavan]

Professionalism, natural technicallity and Emotion for the instrument.Dave Gilmour, Steve Vai and Michael are my favourite guitar players.

 

[ThoughtLeech]

i personally play the guitar. i'm in three metal bands and my guitar teacher told me that i was the best student he ever taught after over ten years of teaching. I think a good guitarist is one that writes with clarity, is able to write (but not necessarily uses) unique chord progressions, arpeggios and time signatures. I think a good guitarist should be able to ad lib a good solo and knows when to play in the background. They have to be a musician.

 

[Ceaseless Lament]

I've been playin' the guitar for seven years now. And in my opinion, what makes a good guitar player is not only chops, but the emotion the person put into his playing. Like, Mikael and Peter have the chops and they have unmistakable emotion, and that makes them special. But you take some of these dudes who shred up and down the neck at 100 miles an hour, that's just unadulterated skill, and most of the time, lacks emotion. They're machines. I dig that shredding stuff, I can do alot of it, but I find myself more a fan of the emotional players like the aformentioned Mike and Peter to Kurt Cobain, who lacked the chops but put his heart and soul into what he was doing.