Subjective-tastic or what ?!! Ten fingers is good I suppose, following that what makes a good guitar ?
What makes a good guitarist?
- Thread starter AtypicalSubconsciei
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I hadn't posted here because I wasn't sure of how to explain it, but those are the perfect words to describe what I think.Chris Brooks said:
Mr. Shred-ididle
Its Chinese-Tilt ya' head
- Jan 25, 2003
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And Chris Brooks is the perfect guy to show you the qualities he's saying...Check out his own music NOW
yourdeadgroom said:
this is an awesome post right here...definitely agree with it...example?
well how about the song "Deepest of All Hearts" or "The Dreadful Hours" by My Dying Bride...i cant say the guitarist is as good as others like Opeth's, but the emotion he portrays in his songs is there...
and its powerful
Chris Brooks
www.chrisbrooks.com
i havent made any photos but i saw many people taking photos so maybe the will appear on this forum
the gig was awesome, i was about one meter to mike ,and there were about 200 people, but most of them sitting in the backround of the hall, just 40 of them were standing after the gig mikael gave me a high five and I got his guitar pick
so it was a pretty cool gig after 7!!!! year´s whenthey last toured with
craddle of filth to austria
pity you couldn´t come
anonymousnick2001
World's Greatest Vocalist
Um, I was actually talking a bout the humility thing...I heard he's a prick and and elitist. I could be wrong...
Dream Theater are one of my favorite bands. Petrucci is amazing. I just think he has an ego complex. Down, doggie...
Vehemens
The Wayfarer
I've been playing guitar for nearly four years, but after reading through the first page and a bit of the second, I have decided I am not really a 'good' guitarist...I can come up with decent riffs, but often they end up really similar and sometimes it just sounds horrible, and creating my own solos is pretty much non-existant. I sometimes just play away at a solo, going all over the fingerboard but it all sounds rather similar. I can't shred, I'm nowhere near fast or accurate enough for that.
Take 'Fade To Black' for example. I've never really learned it properly, just pretty much play it by ear except for the first intro-solo. I can play that except I hit a wall when Kirk starts shredding, but then the wall disappears when he finishes playing fast. I can play the solo between the verses by ear and it sounds good, likewise with the distorted riffs. But then during the pre-verse acoustic bit and the verse itself I can just play away a more-or-less improvised longer version of the between verses solo.
So then there's the question is a good guitarist someone who can just make shit up and improvise like what Santana sounds like he does quite a bit of on Supernatural and Shaman (those being the only albums of his I've heard), or is a good guitarist someone who can do manic shredding like King and Hanneman, or is a good guitarist someone who just has all techniques down-pat?
I've never heard Mikael or Peter shredding but I'd say they are good guitarists - just listen to Damnation!
At the end of it all a good guitarist is someone who can shred, play mellow slower solos, improvise, show emotion in the guitaring itself, and play with finesse and technique, i.e: do everything!
That's what I think anyways...
Take 'Fade To Black' for example. I've never really learned it properly, just pretty much play it by ear except for the first intro-solo. I can play that except I hit a wall when Kirk starts shredding, but then the wall disappears when he finishes playing fast. I can play the solo between the verses by ear and it sounds good, likewise with the distorted riffs. But then during the pre-verse acoustic bit and the verse itself I can just play away a more-or-less improvised longer version of the between verses solo.
So then there's the question is a good guitarist someone who can just make shit up and improvise like what Santana sounds like he does quite a bit of on Supernatural and Shaman (those being the only albums of his I've heard), or is a good guitarist someone who can do manic shredding like King and Hanneman, or is a good guitarist someone who just has all techniques down-pat?
I've never heard Mikael or Peter shredding but I'd say they are good guitarists - just listen to Damnation!
At the end of it all a good guitarist is someone who can shred, play mellow slower solos, improvise, show emotion in the guitaring itself, and play with finesse and technique, i.e: do everything!
That's what I think anyways...
Anarkissed
BOK CHOY!!!
Yes, i play guitar.
I dont believe a good guitarist needs to be able to shred. Shredding is just a bonus, the other 95% is simply the ability to write a good melody, and display as much emotion as possible. A good guitarist works with his/her band to produce an overal emotionally moving sound. Music with hardly any emotion (e.g. plain shredding) is like trying to yelling at someone while you've lost your voice.
At the end of they day, in my opinion, what makes a good musician is his or her ability to play a good song that literally changes your mood, and does continually. I used to be a fan of Malmsteen, but his music just began to piss me off after a few listens, mostly because it was boring!! He has awesome technical skills, but who gives a shit? His tone is awful and his melodies send me to sleep.
I dont follow many solo artists, but i reckon Steve Vai is one of the most 'passionate' guitar players around. You can see, espeically when you see him live, that he has really put heaps of effort into his compositions, and even when he's playing one of his slower songs, he still somehow manages to play them with style and passion. Not saying he's the world's greatest or anything, but he is definitely one of the better ones.
Opeth has become my favourite band because of their most awesome song-writing abilities (well more credit to Mikael, actually) and the guitar riffs and solos which fit so perfectly with the melody.
I dont believe a good guitarist needs to be able to shred. Shredding is just a bonus, the other 95% is simply the ability to write a good melody, and display as much emotion as possible. A good guitarist works with his/her band to produce an overal emotionally moving sound. Music with hardly any emotion (e.g. plain shredding) is like trying to yelling at someone while you've lost your voice.
At the end of they day, in my opinion, what makes a good musician is his or her ability to play a good song that literally changes your mood, and does continually. I used to be a fan of Malmsteen, but his music just began to piss me off after a few listens, mostly because it was boring!! He has awesome technical skills, but who gives a shit? His tone is awful and his melodies send me to sleep.
I dont follow many solo artists, but i reckon Steve Vai is one of the most 'passionate' guitar players around. You can see, espeically when you see him live, that he has really put heaps of effort into his compositions, and even when he's playing one of his slower songs, he still somehow manages to play them with style and passion. Not saying he's the world's greatest or anything, but he is definitely one of the better ones.
Opeth has become my favourite band because of their most awesome song-writing abilities (well more credit to Mikael, actually) and the guitar riffs and solos which fit so perfectly with the melody.
Mr. Shred-ididle
Its Chinese-Tilt ya' head
- Jan 25, 2003
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I wouldn't believe what Yngvai X said in the SyX board man about him, not that i think he's deliberatly lying i just think he's ogtton fauly secondary evedence. but ive heard so much stuff about JP being really nice, humble, funny etc...Alot of bullshit gets told about famous guitarists, like mabey once Jp said to a sound tech that he wants his guitar up louder, then the next person said that Jp shouted at the sounf tech, then the next person sais he through a punch at the sound tech, then the next peron sais Jp killed the sound tech...well, not that extreem but you get the ideaanonymousnick2001 said:
AtomAlexander
Internal Hate Generator
Well, I think there are two kinds of "good" personally. Both are kind of connected, but in certain ways or both may be manifest in one person, for that matter.
For one thing, a good technical proficiency goes a long way. Hearing 3 power chords played in different order 6 times a song for a whole album (Nirvana!!!! OOOO!!!) is never a good thing unless you're daft. But there's a lot to be said for song-writing ability which expresses emotion more than technical prowess, without being stale. For example, I've always thought Katatonia to be less on the overly technical side (at least, in their later manifestations) but the emotion is just awesome. I don't think I could draw that emotion from 60 arpeggios in 8 seconds and a candy bar.
So, in short I'd say that good guitarring can go both ways. Depends on what you're looking for. If both are there, all the better. And I do play guitar, and mostly work with guitarists as it is.
For one thing, a good technical proficiency goes a long way. Hearing 3 power chords played in different order 6 times a song for a whole album (Nirvana!!!! OOOO!!!) is never a good thing unless you're daft. But there's a lot to be said for song-writing ability which expresses emotion more than technical prowess, without being stale. For example, I've always thought Katatonia to be less on the overly technical side (at least, in their later manifestations) but the emotion is just awesome. I don't think I could draw that emotion from 60 arpeggios in 8 seconds and a candy bar.
So, in short I'd say that good guitarring can go both ways. Depends on what you're looking for. If both are there, all the better. And I do play guitar, and mostly work with guitarists as it is.
To me there are 3 categories for guitarists. They can be technical, emotional, and innovative. Any combination of these 3 that sounds good to my ear equates a good guitarist.
Thanks to all of you who posted, I've made a checklist. Do any of you "good" guitarists have any recordings you'd like to post up links to, I'm quite interested
pistol_pete
Member
I am a guitarist, and to me, playing the guitar is not about technicality. Just because somebody has excellent technical abilities it doesn't automatically mean they are good, nor does it mean they are bad. Being a good guitarist is also NOT about how well you play other band's songs, that's just for kicks.
To be a good guitarist, i believe a person has to be able to express themselves on the fretboard without bounds. As i type this i'm thinking of guitarists like Adam Jones from Tool, and Chuck Schuldiner from Death, as well as our Opeth guys.
I'll take Adam Jones as an example as i believe he's the most under-rated guitarist out there. Technically, Adam Jones is shit. He's said it himself. He can't solo or create these frantic, super-fast and complex riffs, but i still consider him to be a great guitarist becuase he creates his riffs with passion. When you listen to an Adam Jones riff you are listening to Adam Jones himself.
THAT is what music is all about and guitaring is no different.
Of course, if you DO have technical ability and can show off a bit, there's nothing wrong with it at all. Just as long as you are expressing yourself as well, and not just getting lost in complexity.
Those are my thoughts on the matter
To be a good guitarist, i believe a person has to be able to express themselves on the fretboard without bounds. As i type this i'm thinking of guitarists like Adam Jones from Tool, and Chuck Schuldiner from Death, as well as our Opeth guys.
I'll take Adam Jones as an example as i believe he's the most under-rated guitarist out there. Technically, Adam Jones is shit. He's said it himself. He can't solo or create these frantic, super-fast and complex riffs, but i still consider him to be a great guitarist becuase he creates his riffs with passion. When you listen to an Adam Jones riff you are listening to Adam Jones himself.
THAT is what music is all about and guitaring is no different.
Of course, if you DO have technical ability and can show off a bit, there's nothing wrong with it at all. Just as long as you are expressing yourself as well, and not just getting lost in complexity.
Those are my thoughts on the matter
You've all got it wrong, a good guitarist is worthless, they are a dime a dozen, I know hundreds. I'm a good guitarist your a good guitarist... no one cares. What it all comes down to is whether or not you are a good songwriter. Anyone can cover a song if they practice it long enough. The one thing that makes John Petrucci, BB king, Zakk Wylde, Jesper Stromblad, Stevie Ray Vaughn... (there are soo many im not gonna bother listing them all... sorry if i missed a few) anyway, the one thing that makes them different from all of us, is that they write good songs, we can all play them, it doesen't matter if you understand the structure or the theory behinged it. What makes it amazing is creating that something out of nothing, that initial spark of inspiration and creation that we lack.
first we must define our terms. what do we mean by a good guitarist? good at what? a good musician, or a good composer? people here seem unable to make a distinction between the two terms. i would say that being a good guitarist means only being a good musician, and isn't really related to compositional skill. thus the true measure of a guitarist is his ability to play other people's songs.
Chris Brooks
www.chrisbrooks.com
That we lack? A+++ for attitude dude!MadManMustard said:
Seriously, pissing with the big boys will never be possible if you think you'll never be able to.
A good guitarist is, in my opinion, one who knows where to lay down a nice steady groove or driving riff. One that knows his/her drummer well and can combine a rythm of drums with his guitarplaying.
(think of bands like Entombed (with Nicke still in), Black Sabbath, Warhorse) All guitarists who aren't technical gods but are able to write godly riffs, and that skill is way more important than being able to play one million arpeggios per second. I don't care too much about technique. The trend nowadays of being extremely fast and technical deprives metal music of it's rock n roll attitude. For example bands like Hate Eternal, technically good guitarplaying, but sooo boring to listen to, where's the drive, where's the groove? I get tired while listening to it.
The new Disfear album is so refreshing if you share my opinion.....lots of d-beats and heavy riffs!
(think of bands like Entombed (with Nicke still in), Black Sabbath, Warhorse) All guitarists who aren't technical gods but are able to write godly riffs, and that skill is way more important than being able to play one million arpeggios per second. I don't care too much about technique. The trend nowadays of being extremely fast and technical deprives metal music of it's rock n roll attitude. For example bands like Hate Eternal, technically good guitarplaying, but sooo boring to listen to, where's the drive, where's the groove? I get tired while listening to it.
The new Disfear album is so refreshing if you share my opinion.....lots of d-beats and heavy riffs!
Chris Brooks said:That we lack? A+++ for attitude dude!
Seriously, pissing with the big boys will never be possible if you think you'll never be able to.
I too one day look forward to playing shows all around the world and recording albums... etc, but you have to be realistic at the same time, there are litterally millions upon millions of guitarists out there, can you really expect that you are going to be the one that beats the odds?
I'm not saying that we don't have the potential to one day obtain the talent, 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, that none of us can claim to have that level of creativity which is required to write a great song.
