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Great Guitarists

Scotto

Scotto

My tastes in music are very eclectic. One common thread is that I love guitar-driven music, regardless of whether it is classical, jazz, fusion, rock, whatever. Who are your favorites?

Not sure who is going to be familiar with him, but Allan Holdsworth is the greatest guitarist on the planet, IMO. No one plays with better technique. Unfortunately he is a bit of a recluse and a perfectionist, so a lot of people haven't been exposed to his music. If you want a sense of it, here are two excellent examples. Just watch and be amazed:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-o8Vzup-fg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-NuC7UYJtU

If you like classical music, no one comes close to the maestro, Andres Segovia. Take a listen:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7t4bFox8ZM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8EDpJ-aIM8&mode=related&search=

There are others, but I'll let others chime in. Should be interesting.
 
mark the shoeshine boy

mark the shoeshine boy

unfortunately...i am blocked from viewing here at work and my home computer is still sitting in the shop...

Other great guitarists that come to my mind...

Degeralro reihardt (something like that)...he only had three fingers on his left hand to form chords with.

Chet Atkins...

Doc Watkins...

Stevie Ray Vaugh...

Grady Martin...

Willie Nelson...

mark the shoeshine boy
 
Scotto

Scotto

You mean Django Reinhardt, Mark. Good call.

Kenneth, I agree on the DiMeola et al. album you mention. Even better is the video where DiMeola is replaced by Larry Coryell. You can find those on YouTube as well. DeLucia's playing is pure passion.
 
J

jbasl

From the rock world:

Steve Vai (among the best ever)
John Petrucci

I'll also echo DiMeola and add Steve Lukather.

Also a fan of SRV
 
AACJ

AACJ

Jimmy Page is my all time favorite, but them I was a big Led Zepplin fan in my early years. Although I've never seen them all together live.
 
M

mpisarcik

Don’t want to sound like an idiot or something, but most of the guitarists mentioned are known as "***-rock" guitar players. Really bad, un-tasteful, un-soulful music. I mean....some of those examples were just painful to listen to.

As a guitarist, and a member on several guitar forums, I can say that many "***-rocker" guitar players are just kind of laughed at. I mean, yes they have technical ability. Yes, they may use cool equipment, but none of them can compare, in my opinion to the mood changing and deep music of a band like Pink Floyd. David Gilmour was actually voted one of the most soulful guitar players of all time.

I don't know....each to their own I guess. It’s just that a lot of these "guitar technique gods" remind me of the music from a porno movie. :biggrin:
 
gglockner

gglockner

Jimi Hendrix
Eric Clapton
Stevie Ray Vaughn
Jimmy Page
Pete Townsend
Richie Blackmore
Tony Iommoi

Sorry if any of these kick *** rockers are painful to your lilly ears.:wink2:

Glen
 
kennethw

kennethw

mpisarcik said:
As a guitarist, and a member on several guitar forums, I can say that many "***-rocker" guitar players are just kind of laughed at. I mean, yes they have technical ability. Yes, they may use cool equipment, but none of them can compare, in my opinion to the mood changing and deep music of a band like Pink Floyd. David Gilmour was actually voted one of the most soulful guitar players of all time.
Click to expand...

I was going to mention Gilmour, but it seemed too obvious. :wink:

I have to ask though... Can you possibly include Stanley Jordan, Atkins, DiMeola, de Lucia, etc in the soulless "*** rock" category? I'm just hoping that "most" was an exaggeration.

I've watched that YouTube clip of Stanley Jordan playing Eleanor Rigby, and have discovered the secret to his inspiring abilities, and the effortless dance that he dances with his guitars. He has 26 fingers.
 
Scotto

Scotto

mpisarcik said:
Don’t want to sound like an idiot or something, but most of the guitarists mentioned are known as "***-rock" guitar players. Really bad, un-tasteful, un-soulful music. I mean....some of those examples were just painful to listen to.

As a guitarist, and a member on several guitar forums, I can say that many "***-rocker" guitar players are just kind of laughed at. I mean, yes they have technical ability. Yes, they may use cool equipment, but none of them can compare, in my opinion to the mood changing and deep music of a band like Pink Floyd. David Gilmour was actually voted one of the most soulful guitar players of all time.

I don't know....each to their own I guess. It’s just that a lot of these "guitar technique gods" remind me of the music from a porno movie. :biggrin:
Click to expand...
My, my. :confused::crazy:
 
ada8356

ada8356

I certainly don't know anything about guitarists, but what about someone like Dave Matthews? I know I really dig his music.

I don't know who the artists are, but Explosions in the Sky has some incredible music with some very nice guitar work. I can listen to this album over and over.
 
Phog Allen

Phog Allen

Hey Scotto. I'm not sure about the Holdsworth fellow but I definately LOVED Mr. Segovia. Wow, now that is what I call a guitar player. Mr. Holdsworth was great too but I've never gotten into that type of music. Is that what is called progressive jazz? I've heard that type of playing before but never really knew what style of music it was.

I never really got into the hard rock guitar players like a lot of guys my age. I came of age right during the Led, Ozzie, Pink Floyd, Queen, Rush, and other 70's mega bands. While I never "got it" like a lot of my friends, I often wished I would have been one of those people moved by that music. I can get quite caught up in music at times but never really got driven by it like my friends. They know every player in every band it seems. I grew up a Ks. kid and of course heard all the best players in the country genre like Willie, Chet Atkins, Jerry Reed(don't laugh, check out his guitar work sometime), Roy Clark(definately one of the best ever), and some others. In my late 30's I developed a real passion for Celtic music. I'd always liked it but started really getting into it then. It does not feature the guitar much. I also have discovered classical music these last few years and the Barouque stuff(chamber music?)is awesome with those string quartet pieces. Sometimes you hear a guitar played like Mr. Segovia and then it is indeed good. Interesting post and thanks for those links to youtube. They were great.

BTW, quick story about Chet Atkins. This is true gents. No BS. My hometown of Lawrence really fancies themselves an artsy town. A few years ago we had this little doing at fourth of July time called Indie Days. Chet Atkins was a key performer one year and my Dad and Mom had to go see him. Dad came home with a stunned look on his face. I asked him what was up and he told me that Mr. Atkins had played the Battle Hymn of the Republic and Dixie at the same time on one guitar! He wasn't switching between chords of each song, he was playing them both at the SAME time. Dad said it sounded just like two guitarists playing side by side at the same time. Of course if you've listened to Chet Atkins work, he strummed that guitar in much the same loving manner as Segovia did. Man I wish I would have attnded that performance.

Regards, Todd
 
jazzbass

jazzbass

Some of my favorite Jazzers.

Herb Ellis
Wes Montgomery
Joe Pass
Jim Hall
Barney Kessel
Gray Sargent
Howard Alden
Jon Wheatly
John Baboin
Freddie Green
John Aberrombie
John Scofield
 
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