top 10 worst guitarist - Page 8 - Guitars101

Blues= · 10-24-2005, 07:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ziggysmalls

I think what people are missing out on here is that we are talking about the "worst guitarists" If there is or was a DRUMS101.COM and they had a thread similar to this, would they say "well the chick from the White Stripes plays with her heart so she does not suck", or "Even though Steven Adler could not keep the same tempo, he was the drummer on a great album"

No they would say they were pretty crappy drummers because either they

a) cannot do rudimentary drills
b) cannot keep a steady tempo.

Like I said in earlier posts....being a good or great songwriter has nothing on your ability on guitarist. Being a composer and an instrumentalist are two different things

I think song writting figures heavily into being a good guitarist.
So does style, taste, and technique.

I think well rounded is what I'm goin for.
Rob

DannyBoy · 10-24-2005, 07:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blues=

I think song writting figures heavily into being a good guitarist.
Rob

This is the opinion that divides. And i am not saying it is wrong. In many ways I fully agree. But at the other ned of the spectrum you have people who work for years to become technically brilliant on their instrument. Then they get beaten in a top 100 list by someone who knows 4 chords.

It's like comparing a Ferrari to a Mini Cooper.

Fundamentally i think a good "guitar player" is someone technically profficient. Fair enough some people may know how to use 4 chords to write excellent songs. But honestly ... does that mean they are good on guitar ?. Or does it simply mean they are great songwriters. That is the real question and i know my answer for it.

Blues= · 10-24-2005, 08:41 AM

I see your point.
Sales never seem to reflect talent.

I don't personally think good songwriting gets you sales either.

It's a mystical meeting of place, time, opportunity and whatever else.

But I do think, that songwritting comes under "good guitarist"
To be a "good guitarist" there should be positives in all catagories. not just speed, or note choice, or stage presence. You can't achieve greatness if you only accel in one catagory.

Rob

ziggysmalls · 10-24-2005, 12:29 PM

I was a music major in college for about a year. On trumpet. However since I have not played in about 14 years, I probably have the ability of a 7th grader. However I can read and write music and maybe I write a piece of music for trumpet. Wynton Marsellis gets wind of it and says "damn that is incredible."

Does this make me a good trumpet player?

No.

What makes a good trumpet player is technique, tone, the ability to read music and to sight read. Has nothing to do with my ability to write a song.

Blues= · 10-24-2005, 12:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ziggysmalls

I was a music major in college for about a year. On trumpet. However since I have not played in about 14 years, I probably have the ability of a 7th grader. However I can read and write music and maybe I write a piece of music for trumpet. Wynton Marsellis gets wind of it and says "damn that is incredible."

Does this make me a good trumpet player?

No.

What makes a good trumpet player is technique, tone, the ability to read music and to sight read. Has nothing to do with my ability to write a song.

Maybe thats not what is looked at in a Trumpet player, but this is guitar, and if you're in a band people want to see "your" music.
I can't speak of other instruments (I only play guitar) but if I met a good guitar player that never wrote anything, ever I would be suprised.
You brought up a good point though, Read music.
Several of the greats can't.IIRC

Rob

ziggysmalls · 10-24-2005, 01:06 PM

Last time I checked a guitar is an instrument just like the trumpet, oboe, tuba, drums, piano, bass, violin, viola, sax, and skin flute.....ooops.

Rock has diluted the standards for instrumentation because there are no rules in rock. Therefore anybody can be great even though they could not get accepted to Berklee.

I agree that some of my favorites can't read music. Eddie Van Halen for one. However somebody like Randy Rhoads could and was a great guitarist. He also had the ability to write a timeless song (Crazy Train), could play various styles (rock, classical, blues and jazz) and could actually play with feeling. Hell he even taught guitar for several years.

However Kurt Cobain is a better guitarist then him? Hell no.

What I don't understand is that with any instrument in the world, you have to have the ability to play. However once you start talking about guitar, people start talking about writing a song or you have to play only with feeling.

You will get laughed out of every freaking music conservatory in the world with that attitude.

However since Rock is the most popular form of music and because Rolling Stone magazine tells us, in order to be great you have to have either

a) played in the 60's, 70's, 90's or now.
b) play blues
c) play alternative or punk
d) Never have applied hair spray or makeup to your body unless you have played with David Bowie.
e) Be involved politically
f) have to have your band name start with the word THE

You would not believe it based on what I have said but my favorite guitarists are not all shredders. Gilmour is in my top 5 of guitarists. However I will not say he is the best guitarist out there.

Blues= · 10-24-2005, 02:07 PM

I understand your point, but you're saying every instrument plays the exact same role in every kind of music.

What get me laughed at in a consevitory, never comes up in my life.

I see that orchestral players don't normally write music, But thats the role they play.

In the role I play, if I went for an audition for a rock or blues band and told them I never wrote anything, I don't think they would take me seriously

Rob

Lorenz · 10-24-2005, 02:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blues=

Threads like this are the reason I will never fit in around here.
Why is it a competition?

Why is music that is hard to play, considered better?

Rob

Absolutely. I agree completely.
If you dont like the music dont listen to it. Just because you dont like someone's playing doesnt mean they suck. I hate Yngwie Malmsteens music, but I accept that he is a fuckin killer player and you can practise your whole life and still not acheive his level of skill. I just dont see why it has to be all competitive......

**ricklepotamous** · 10-24-2005, 03:04 PM

well this will rattle some feathers.

i just got back from a vai gig.
what the fuck is that all about!
a guy making loads of noise around songs with no purpose!

it has without doubt the worst/weirest gig i have ever been to.
its totally burst my vai bubble, no doubt he can play etc but this was just shit! or maybe i didn't get it i don't know.

i could go on.

Goport · 10-24-2005, 03:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ricklepotamous

well this will rattle some feathers.

i just got back from a vai gig.
what the fuck is that all about!
a guy making loads of noise around songs with no purpose!

it has without doubt the worst/weirest gig i have ever been to.
its totally burst my vai bubble, no doubt he can play etc but this was just shit! or maybe i didn't get it i don't know.

i could go on.

That is my favourite post here to date!!

I love vai but I also love the way you posted your honest impression

Blues= · 10-24-2005, 04:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ricklepotamous

well this will rattle some feathers.

i just got back from a vai gig.
what the fuck is that all about!
a guy making loads of noise around songs with no purpose!

it has without doubt the worst/weirest gig i have ever been to.
its totally burst my vai bubble, no doubt he can play etc but this was just shit! or maybe i didn't get it i don't know.

i could go on.

I don't get all of what he does, but among the uber-tech players, IMO he really stands out.

Was this a bad show, bad sound, or is it his whole trip you don't get?

Rob

**ricklepotamous** · 10-24-2005, 11:20 PM

great sound, great venue.

eric sardinas in support who was awesome!

i'll enlighten you as to what i mean if anybody has ever watched opera, and wondered what is happening and just people clap for no reason thats how i felt.

Goport · 10-24-2005, 11:26 PM

You mean you went expecting meat and gravy and got A la Carte?

J/k

**ricklepotamous** · 10-24-2005, 11:49 PM

i went with an open mind really but came back with a closed one.

ziggysmalls · 10-25-2005, 08:14 AM

Well with regarding Steve Vai its like White Men Can't Jump. I can't hear Stevie.

I know he is an incredible guitarist but to me its hard to listen to. I don't want to think when I listen to music. Its like abstract painting.

People are not understanding my point with guitar.

If I sit there and try to learn tabs/sheetmusic to The Wind Cries Mary, Stairway to Heavan, Eruption and Smells Like Teen Spirit, I am no different than a trumpet player playing in High School Band. I am being an instrumentalist. No difference between trumpet and guitar.

If I sit at home and wail away on pentatonic, harmonic minor, 12 tone, dorian, etc scales whether I am playing a trumpet or guitar, I am an instrumentalist. No difference between trumpet and guitar.

If I sit at home playing guitar to write a song, then that is where the difference is at because its a hell of a lot easier writing on guitar than trumpet. However at this point you are not an instrumentalist you are a composer or if you wish a songwriter.

Lets say I have limited ability on guitar. I can play but make mistakes fretting some chords wrong. However I come up with this wonderful progression and its the next Smells Like Teen Spirit. However when I play it live I screw it up 50% of the time. Are you saying that I am a good guitarist? No I wrote a good song but I am a crappy guitarist.

If I am Steve Vai and David Lee Roth asked me to join his band. I have to learn all the classic VH songs. Does that make me a good songwriter? No. Does it make me a good guitarist? Yes.

I don't see the error of my logic.