I don't think there's been a thread about this yet, but I gotta say, I know a lot of you are die-hard chuggers, but nothing moves me like an incredible guitar solo, and I figure I could use this as an opportunity to learn about more! Just to put it out there from the get-go, however, I DESPISE wanking - fast runs are awesome and totally dandy, but I define "wanking" as when they're played without any sense of tempo or phrasing - that's almost always an instant "pass" from me. In fact, I would go so far as to say pretty much all of my favorite soloists play entirely in-time, with only the occasional stretching of it for an expressive section (which I can totally get down with). Basically, I love solos to be a melody! (anyone who's heard how I play would agree, I think 
- there's a couple of quick guest solos I've done for people on here in the soundclick player on my myspace if anyone wants to hear! Also, "Song for my Parents" was a big solo'ing tour de force for me as well)
So anyway, I would say at this point my favorite soloist is definitely Per Nilsson from Scar Symmetry (partly cuz I only got into 'em recently, but also cuz he FUCKING RULES). I've never heard a player that could play so fluidly, even when alternate-picking, it's just unbelievable, and the solos in "Underneath the Surface," "Veil of Illusions," "Obscure Alliance," and the ALMIGHTY solo section "Ghost Prototype I" are just amazing. I think one of my favorite of his techniques is the way he'll play a note and then slide to the same note, it gives a really cool sound - example:
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7X1c23u0SR4&feature=channel_page[/ame]
And besides him, I really love Alexi's solos, as well as Petrucci (the solos in LTE's "Biaxident" are just so gorgeous and soaring), Peter Wichers, and Jani Limataiinen from Sonata Arctica (though he needs to work on his vibrato and throw away the Pod :Smug: ). Also Akerfeldt for his AMAZING vibrato and feel, and even though I've only heard him on Watershed, Fredrik Akesson's solos on that album are fucking amazing as well. And of course, the 80s guys like Neal Schon and George Lynch just wail and I love every minute of it Ooh, and Dave Suzuki's stuff in Vital Remains is amazing (too bad all the rest of the music outside the melodic/groovy breaks is so painfully boring )
- there's a couple of quick guest solos I've done for people on here in the soundclick player on my myspace if anyone wants to hear! Also, "Song for my Parents" was a big solo'ing tour de force for me as well)So anyway, I would say at this point my favorite soloist is definitely Per Nilsson from Scar Symmetry (partly cuz I only got into 'em recently, but also cuz he FUCKING RULES). I've never heard a player that could play so fluidly, even when alternate-picking, it's just unbelievable, and the solos in "Underneath the Surface," "Veil of Illusions," "Obscure Alliance," and the ALMIGHTY solo section "Ghost Prototype I" are just amazing. I think one of my favorite of his techniques is the way he'll play a note and then slide to the same note, it gives a really cool sound - example:
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7X1c23u0SR4&feature=channel_page[/ame]
And besides him, I really love Alexi's solos, as well as Petrucci (the solos in LTE's "Biaxident" are just so gorgeous and soaring), Peter Wichers, and Jani Limataiinen from Sonata Arctica (though he needs to work on his vibrato and throw away the Pod :Smug: ). Also Akerfeldt for his AMAZING vibrato and feel, and even though I've only heard him on Watershed, Fredrik Akesson's solos on that album are fucking amazing as well. And of course, the 80s guys like Neal Schon and George Lynch just wail and I love every minute of it
Ooh, and Dave Suzuki's stuff in Vital Remains is amazing (too bad all the rest of the music outside the melodic/groovy breaks is so painfully boring )
I think Matias is in Stratovarius now.
