Yngwie is still the man
- Thread starter Yngvai X
- Start date
PoisonSeed
Grin
Anonymous
L'Étranger
DoktorShred
Member
Yeah I saw yngwie a while ago and it kicked ass.
He is alot faster than people give him credit for (people don't seem to realise that he rarely plays at his fastest). He's still way faster than petrucci and romeo.
He plays scale patterns in a similar way to the jazz greats; unique picking patterns that are normally, amazingly, improvised.
And if that's not enough, he plays scalloped frets that apparantly totally screw up your playing if your left hand technique is not perfect.
Probably the only area where I can genuinly say he has been surpassed on is sweeping; but then again his straight minor/major sequenced sweeps are his style, and he could probably play outside this area if he wanted to (infact sometimes he does, like the sweeping in seventh sign).
His vibrato is perfect and his playing is filled with emmotion. I love the 'stream of consiousness' style his solos have - they are normally not in a defined structure and this is something that has influenced me in my own playing. Alot of the time he doesn't even play in time - the solo just floats over the rhythm section yet it always ends in the correct place.
His solos pretty much defines the 'speed = emmotion' thing (was it Al Di Meola who said that, I can't remember). When he plays something fast, it isn't a planned excercise, it is a buildup to something awesome. When he plays an ascending run it just sounds like an explosion of music.
I went through a phase of thinking people like MJR were better (although I didn't want to admit it) because of all the crazy tapping/sweeping/legato stuff they do. But then when I improved alot at guitar, I realised that stuff is actually pretty easy to play (no disrespect - it sounds awesome and takes great skill to write those original modern sounding phrases) in comparison to the stuff yngwie does. Once you have sweeping and tapping down, it's so easy to overuse it because it looks and sounds hard, and neglect what is actually the pinnacle of technique - fast picking.
One last point: people who say that yngwie is sloppy (and I see it written alot) are talking total shit. They just don't know how scalloped frets are supposed to sound. How the hell do they think he gets away with playing on an acoustic? He doesn't really write many good songs though, which is a real shame. I think something like stratovarius with yngwie as guitarist could be insanely good, just sucks he won't work in a creative environment with other people.
People comparing him to fusion guitarists - yes those guys are awesome, but I wouldn't say they are *that* much better than yngwie. The way in which they improvise over constantly changing chords is insane yes, but
1)They have learnt in that style. That's how they have been 'raised' on guitar.
2)Most of those guys have a good ten years on yngwie. Guitarists at this level are improving all the time
3)When people are this fast it really is hard to say who's faster. What You can say is that they are all in the same ballpark. I've seen videos of both McGlaughlin and Di Meola improving for like an hour mostly on acoustic, and theres nothing they did which made me think 'wow, yngwie couldn't do that' - save the 'improvising in no particular key' and being able to play for so long without doing the same thing twice. Technique wise, they are in the same league.
He is alot faster than people give him credit for (people don't seem to realise that he rarely plays at his fastest). He's still way faster than petrucci and romeo.
He plays scale patterns in a similar way to the jazz greats; unique picking patterns that are normally, amazingly, improvised.
And if that's not enough, he plays scalloped frets that apparantly totally screw up your playing if your left hand technique is not perfect.
Probably the only area where I can genuinly say he has been surpassed on is sweeping; but then again his straight minor/major sequenced sweeps are his style, and he could probably play outside this area if he wanted to (infact sometimes he does, like the sweeping in seventh sign).
His vibrato is perfect and his playing is filled with emmotion. I love the 'stream of consiousness' style his solos have - they are normally not in a defined structure and this is something that has influenced me in my own playing. Alot of the time he doesn't even play in time - the solo just floats over the rhythm section yet it always ends in the correct place.
His solos pretty much defines the 'speed = emmotion' thing (was it Al Di Meola who said that, I can't remember). When he plays something fast, it isn't a planned excercise, it is a buildup to something awesome. When he plays an ascending run it just sounds like an explosion of music.
I went through a phase of thinking people like MJR were better (although I didn't want to admit it) because of all the crazy tapping/sweeping/legato stuff they do. But then when I improved alot at guitar, I realised that stuff is actually pretty easy to play (no disrespect - it sounds awesome and takes great skill to write those original modern sounding phrases) in comparison to the stuff yngwie does. Once you have sweeping and tapping down, it's so easy to overuse it because it looks and sounds hard, and neglect what is actually the pinnacle of technique - fast picking.
One last point: people who say that yngwie is sloppy (and I see it written alot) are talking total shit. They just don't know how scalloped frets are supposed to sound. How the hell do they think he gets away with playing on an acoustic? He doesn't really write many good songs though, which is a real shame. I think something like stratovarius with yngwie as guitarist could be insanely good, just sucks he won't work in a creative environment with other people.
People comparing him to fusion guitarists - yes those guys are awesome, but I wouldn't say they are *that* much better than yngwie. The way in which they improvise over constantly changing chords is insane yes, but
1)They have learnt in that style. That's how they have been 'raised' on guitar.
2)Most of those guys have a good ten years on yngwie. Guitarists at this level are improving all the time
3)When people are this fast it really is hard to say who's faster. What You can say is that they are all in the same ballpark. I've seen videos of both McGlaughlin and Di Meola improving for like an hour mostly on acoustic, and theres nothing they did which made me think 'wow, yngwie couldn't do that' - save the 'improvising in no particular key' and being able to play for so long without doing the same thing twice. Technique wise, they are in the same league.
Uhm... have you listened to songs like The Accolade, Communion and the Oracle, etc? Romeo does have Yngwie moments, but I'd say his style is way closer to Shawn Lane and Steve Vai. On The Damnation Game and a few Twilight songs there are a few Yngwie sections, but really I don't think you can say they're the same with different guitars. Even their classical composition is way different.ptah knemu said:
Luis
Mortal With Immortal Mind
Yngvai X said:
OK. What about Steve Morse?. His first solo album was done in 1983.
Yngvai X: I know you are a very good guitarist and i want to know your opinion: Who´s better Morse o Malmsteen?
Luis
Mortal With Immortal Mind
Just form the record: Nowadays Jason Becker would be the greatest electric guitar player in the history of mankind.
DoktorShred
Member
^Yeah, probably. For his age he was unbelievable. Never been into his music much but you just can't deny it.
Luis said:
Morse is extremely talented and very well rounded, definitely, but I prefer Malmsteen. Im not a big fan of Morse's vibrato either. Its a bit too "nervous" sounding for me.
forgottenglory
Earth. Soul. Rock n' Roll
Hi I'm new here but an old Malmsteen fan and Symphony X fan since the monumental The Odyssey. I'd like to add my 2 cents here...I think Malmsteen is an acquired taste and you either love him or hate him. I was listening to him yesterday (Rising Force album) and thought how great he is. I don't like all his stuff because some of the songwriting is really lame and he needs to take more time picking the singers (they sometimes all sound the same) but his musicianship is amazing and breathtaking. The lastest song that I really liked from his new album is Cherokee Warrior. Otherwise I've seen him live once and I really liked it but I guess when you see the DVDs they do seem kinda repetitive. Then again if he changed people would accuse him of betraying his roots and not being what he once was. And when he doesn't he is said not to innovate and stagnate. Well, if he's happy doing what he does then more power to him. I don't listen or like everything that he does but when he's good he's really good.
My conclusion...I love Malmsteen for what he has contributed to Metal but I am quite selective of what I listen to.
My conclusion...I love Malmsteen for what he has contributed to Metal but I am quite selective of what I listen to.
forgotten glory - Welcome to the forum!
I'd have to agree about Yngwie's sometime questionable choice in musicians. My personal favorites were the original lineup and the "Facing the Animal" lineup.
I'd have to agree about Yngwie's sometime questionable choice in musicians. My personal favorites were the original lineup and the "Facing the Animal" lineup.
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