BadBanshee

Pick a random song by a non-metal famous electric guitarist. Pick a random song by a metal famous electric guitarist. You probably find it harder to play the metal guitarist's tunes.

Outrageous thread title aside, metal guitarists do seem to command greater technical guitar playing ability. Whenever non-metal guitarists are ranked in a list of "greatest guitarists", it is usually based on their musicianship, not on their guitar skills. Either they are great composers, stage actors or they command an influential kind of attitude that people dig and want to copy. Not because they can play something most people can't play. That's the definition of a great guitarist, isn't it?

Surprisingly, I'm not a metalhead. I do listen to metal but it is by far the genre I listen the most to. You will usually find me listening to rock, early pop, grunge or something funky or bluesy. But the songs that I can play on guitar that I am most proud of having learnt are metal tunes. The amount of times I listen to a favourite rock song, decide to serch for the tab, play it and think "is that it?" The amount of times I listen to a favourite metal song and decide to search for the tab and I'm excited by the challenge it presents; I know it's going to take a few days to learn such a difficult tune.

How does everyone else feel? I hope I am deeply wrong and that you guys will tell me about a non-metal guitarist whose tabs I WILL get excited about.

cliff_em_all

Learn this then.



It's not metal.

__________________

rhino1957

Joe bonamassa could be a good start. And maybe some Alex lifeson and Joe satriani.

__________________

BadBanshee

But that's not electric guitar. I'm perfectly aware of the talent and ability of classical guitarists. What I want is a guitar hero who can do stuff on an electric guitar that would blow me away without having to resort to shredding. There's so much potential with an electric guitar that there isn't with many other instruments. Many metal guitarists put alot of emphasis on fast melody, but there's so much opportunity to create rhythm and texture with a guitar and fuse that with a breathtaking melody.

"It's not metal"

Paddy McK

Percussive acoustic players often have frankly insane technique. Rory Gallagher played some really intricate pieces, as did Gary Moore. Dick Dale plays some seriously hard lines too, especially in terms of stamina
Also, are you saying the definition of a great guitarist is someone who plays stuff that other people can't? If so I disagree massively.

__________________
My Soundcloud
Always up for some C4C, been compared to Frank Turner, The Cure's Robert Smith and Bruce Springsteen so check out my stuff if you like the sound of that

theknuckster

Jazz, surely? I mean some of Joe Pass' stuff sounds almost simple when you first listen to it, but the ridiculous fluidity of chord changes is definitely a taxing technical feat.

BadBanshee

I can play Awmawy (not very well mind lol). But that's still shredding in my opinion. I'm looking for someone who can play super difficult rhythm guitar or something, which isn't repetitive. Or someone who can play lead and rhythm at the same time where the lead isn't something super fast but to play both at same time is difficult (although I guess such a tune would be finger picked).

rocker222

idk about metal but what about this bluesy lick
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JX61...lf=list_related

__________________
.
Internet trolls are like sap in trees. sticky and annoying, but good on pancakes.

Heat-13

I guess it all boils down to a couple of things:

1) Whats cool in a genre and what do people concentrate on? Sick shred skillz or leather pants and looking so hot yu literally melt the ladies with your stare?
2) Does complexity equal good music? A lot of musicains think that complex songs arent neceseraly the best sounding... Why make something overcomplicated and complex when something simpler and catchier will soundbetter?

I personaly judge music by value of composition rather then complexity... if that makes sence. It either sounds good or it doesnt regardless of techniques and tools used to achive it. Advanced techniques ar eonly a tool after all...

As for cool non metla guitarists check out jazz people, a lot of blue players are amazing. Also check out Lindsay Buckingham from Fleetwood Mac - guys got incredible skills and odd techniqes....

__________________
My Gear:

- BC NJ Warlock
- Ibanez S7320
- Roland Cube 30X
- BOSS ME-70
- Big LANEY Amp
- Jazz III picks

Check out my BAND!!! - LOOK THERE IS A GIRL SINGING

https://www.facebook.com/TheLilithProject

MetallicJA

Uli Jon Roth, minus his Scorpions stuff.

Eric Johnson isn't metal. Nor is Andy Timmons or Guthrie Govan. Or Richie Kotzen these days.

I could see how they'd be lumped in with other shred-types though (I mean that in a less derogatory way than it sounds). I suppose Jazz players often have great technique, but they take a less prominent role in the music than their metal counter-parts, so perhaps that's a factor.

jesus3000

try this:

__________________

Soldier Poet

Maybe not electric, but this man is one of the best guitar players alive: .

__________________
Sentenced to 10 years of DS without Coda.

Experimental/indie music from yours truly

PrickleFish

__________________
"This cosmic dance of bursting decadence and withheld permissions twists all our arms collectively, but, if sweetness can win, and it can, then I'll still be here tomorrow to high-five you yesterday my friend. Peace."

TextOnTheScreen

Why does it matter if it's acoustic or electric?



This is some fantastic guitar technique, and ruling it out because it's acoustic if unfair. If anything, it counts more because of the limitations that acoustic guitars give.

Also, Rob mother****ing Scallon.

__________________
My tumblr.

dementiacaptain

I am a metalhead, and I find that metal is one of the EASIEST music styles to play shred is easy, try taking some death metal guitarist and asking him to play slap guitar. It has already been mentioned, but Guthrie Govan is a fantastic player, and if you consider his stuff typical shred then I would say you are overgeneralizing. I can't play Jazz (of fusion for that matter) to save my life... I think that most metal gets off on the cheap stuff, most metalheads are just scale shredders (myself included) who kind of lose a bit of the musicality that Jazz or learned blues guitarist are so proficient with.

__________________
WOLFPACK!

My name is Jon

mrkeka

Being a great player is DEFINITELY not playing what most people can play. It is being able to play great music, to move people with music, convey emotions, convey artistic excellence.

I'll put Brian May and Jeff Beck ahead of Malmsteen anytime I make a great guitar players list... I'd probably also put Gilmour there too, SRV, and a few others. Music is much, much, much more than technical ability or shredding alone.

__________________

BadBanshee

Sorry should've replied to you all in one go.

Just watched Joe Bonamassa's Stop! with the video of them in the studio. Thought there was gonna be no vocals to begin with but I was impressed when he started singing aswell!

Alex Lifeson, I'll try get into Rush and give some of their songs a go and report back.

deadlydictator

Check out some folk. good guitar work in it.

__________________
MASTODON FTW

Aralingh

Never mind, didn't read. Still don't see the point.