Top Ten Rock Guitarists List

[TummyDragon]

"Erupution" is a piece of cake to play??😱 Damn!! I thought that was one of the greatest instrumentals ever made.🙁

I'm familiar with John Mclaughlin's guitar playing on Miles Davis' "Jack Johnson" record. Never heard the Mahavisnu Orchestra either.


Drew

Hey Drew,
Actually, "Eruption" *is* "one of the greatest instrumentals ever made". It was/is awe inspiring. It drove fledgling guitarists such as myself to practice, practice, and then practice, and it's still inspiring new generations of guitarists today, some 26 years later. It inspired us to to take the technique and then expand it, becoming innovators ourselves. It's an icon.

Once you practice and practice, yes, Eruption is quite easy to play, but that doesn't detract from its well earned and deserved place among instrumental works at the very pinnacle of guitar mastery.

TD

 

[daddy]

"Erupution" is a piece of cake to play??😱 Damn!! I thought that was one of the greatest instrumentals ever made.🙁

I'm familiar with John Mclaughlin's guitar playing on Miles Davis' "Jack Johnson" record. Never heard the Mahavisnu Orchestra either.


Drew

Drew...I was quite kidding for the most part. It still IS my most favorite guitar solo/instrumental of all time. I started learning it back when I was about 17 and had it nailed around when I was 20-21, so it did take me a good 3-4 years to get it right, and even then it's never exactly as Edward would do it! Now, at the age of 41, it's a piece of cake for me to play...sometimes...LOL

BTW...This Sat. night I am going to go see Van Halen. Haven't seen them since around 86 when Sammy first joined. I am pretty excited.

peace out,
daddy

PS...Tummydragon...I add ACE to my list to. Without him or KISS, I would have never bought my first guitar.

 

[socksoff]

TummyDragon wrote:
BUT, I haven't heard the Mahavisnu Orchestra Stuff.. Thanks for the tip, I'll definately check it out.

Mahavisnu Orchestra featured McLaughlin,Jerry Goodman on violin & viola,Rick Laird on Bass,Jan Hammer on Keyboards and Billy Cobham on Drums.They were a band from early 70's -releasing albums such as "The Inner-Mounting Flame","Birds of Fire","Visions of an Emerald Beyond" and the Live Central Park "Between Nothingness & Eternity"
By 1973 - that version broke up and John continued the band with notables such as Jean Luc-Ponty and Nadara Michael Walden - before he turned to "Shakti" and an India musical influeance.



As for Dimeola ,one of my favourite acoustic moments is on the track "Romantic Warrior" from the band Return To Forever.

 

[leafstk]

As for Dimeola ,one of my favourite acoustic moments is on the track "Romantic Warrior" from the band Return To Forever.

No question about that, a fantastic piece.

 

[TklDuo-Drew]

Any of you guitarists ever given "Spanish Fly", from Van Halen 2, a try?


Drew

 

[Dave2112]

No, but "Little Guitars" from Diver Down is a lot of fun. 😎

Here's my list, limiting it to rock guitarists:

1) Rik Emmett (Triumph, solo) - The man plays everything. Rock, metal, blues, classical...and he keeps it all cool. Of course, he's got one of the best voices in rock, too, and manages to do both effortlessly. If you doubt me, try singing and playing "Never Surrender" at the same time.

2) Alex Lifeson (Rush) - Another prolific stylist. Hard to pigeonhole, he's done it all. Probably the most underrated guitarist in classic rock.

3) Mark Knopfler (Dire Straits, solo) (sp?)

4) Joe Satriani

5) Neil Schon (Journey)

6) Yngwie Malmsteen

7) Gary Richrath (REO Speedwagon) - not fast or flashy, but reminds me of Gilmour...great, meaningful solos)

8) Matthias Jabs (Scorpions) - He defined the sound of German metal.

9) Steve Rothery (Marillion) - Another fluid soloist who isn't as renowned as he should be

10) Buck Dharma (Blue Oyster Cult)

 

[daddy]

Any of you guitarists ever given "Spanish Fly", from Van Halen 2, a try?


Drew

Yes Drew...I can play it, but it is much harder than eruption to me. It incorporates much of the Edward "trick" bag through out the whole thing. Starts out with tapping harmonics, then right into open string tapping. The hardest part is the left hand stretching towards the end. The fingers (index and pinky) have to stretch 5 frets!!! And it hurts...lol

I learned alot of VH stuff by watching their "Live Without A Net" video, which is still awesome to watch to this day.

Going to go see The Van Halen boyz tonight in Fresno, Ca. I cant wait.

peace out,
daddy

 

[Strider]

I have to include blues players in this as well.

Keith Richards
Muddy Waters
BB King
Eric Clapton
Ian Hunter
Mick Ronson
Jimmy Page
Brian May
Eddie Van Halen
Les Paul

 

[TklDuo-Drew]

Well, if we're also listing blues guitar players (real blues guitar players!), lets add:


Earl Hooker
Freddy King
Lightnin' Hopkins
Buddy Guy
Magic Sam
Elmore James


Drew

 

[daddy]

Eddie Kicked Ass Last Night!

The man.....

peace out,
daddy

 

[Krokus]

Joe Satriani, hands down.

 

[TummyDragon]

Any of you guitarists ever given "Spanish Fly", from Van Halen 2, a try?


Drew

Yep, I used to play that one too. To me, it was easier to learn than Eruption simply because I had already practiced the right handed taps and hammerons for a few years before learing in. It was more difficult to play because of the nylon strings. It's tough getting the technique consistent on nylon for sure.

Here's something I dug out of the archives and converted to digital video just for you guys... here is a video clip of a guitar solo I used to play. I basically pulled this solo out of my arse the night this video was recorded because our monitors went out and I got a signal from the sound man to "play a solo" so they could trace the vocal and drum monitor cables. Well, I had nothing prepared so I went back to all my years of practice and goofing around with the two handed technique and just started playing "stuff" in various progressions. It turned out to be a major crowd pleaser and by the next gig, after a bit of refinement, this piece became part of the show. It was the coolest fluke I ever had. I'd give anything if I had a video of the finished version, but, at least you can see the two handed 4, 6, and 8 finger techniques at work.

While I'm certainly not in the same league as the guitarists mentioned in this thread, I do owe most of my right handed hammer technique to hours and hours and hours of practicing "Eruption", and then just running with the technique to see what other cool stuff I could do. Thanks Edward!

This performance is far from perfect, but I do think it's pretty damn good for a spur of the moment ad lib. You should at least be able to see that i'm not blowing a bunch of smoke when it comes to guitar talk. I've put in the practice time, that's for sure. This is Windows Media (wmv) and is just under 4 meg.

TummyDragon's Guitar Solo