[Pawel]

Who is the fastest guitarist in the world and what is the world record for speed playing? Many websites say different things and none of them give statistics or any facts to prove anything...

 

[chris guitar]

bb king,

 

[gilbo]

Me

I can play super super fast......But it sounds like S**T......The only way you could find out would to put together a contest and give all the contestants a set thing to play like standard licks & scales. NO distortion allowed!!! Or have one with distortion and one without.......Thats the only way you could find out.........Who really cares anyway? ...I like tone and style more then speed. Everyone has an opinion on what is the best.......I am the best!!!!.......gilbo:msn_disap

 

[cokekolev]

Malmsteen :thumb:

 

[stratomatic]

I remember seeing a video of Rusty Cooley and saying to myself "That's the fastest I have ever seen someone play with it still sounding good". It would be fun to give some competitive shredders a piece a music and make it a race.

 

[solarthorn]

Rusty Cooley... man he plays boring. Michael Angelo Batio has some cool stuff that is riduculously fast, check out the song "Time Traveller" - it's a really well written song, my favourite of his by far. Speed on it's own doesn't get you anywhere, but with hair like Batio's then you're set for life.

 

[LypsLynch55]

Four guitarists readily spring to my mind

1) LYNCH, LYNCH, LYNCH
and then Lynch Again.

2) YJM
3) Gilbert
4) Michael Angelo - It seemed to me that the guys whole identity was based on a) Speed, and b) playing on two necks at the same time, c)looking like Mick Mars meets Nigel Tufnell. But he sure could play fast!

 

[The Shredder89]

IMO, the late Shawn Lane. Shred certainly is NOT what he is all about, but, when he plays fast, he plays faster than almost any other known shredder. I'd say its a tie between him and Rusty Cooley honestly. Dont quote me though since im not really a huge fan of that type of music.

 

[Scalemaster]

christophe godin.

 

[solarthorn]

IMO, the late Shawn Lane. Shred certainly is NOT what he is all about, but, when he plays fast, he plays faster than almost any other known shredder. I'd say its a tie between him and Rusty Cooley honestly. Dont quote me though since im not really a huge fan of that type of music.

Not your type of music yet you call yourself 'the shredder'? haha

And I agree about Shawn Lane. That man is/was nuts.

 

[guitaral]

i go by what i see. rusty cooley. michael angelo sounds sloppy live.

 

[Mike5150]

Joe Stump
Chris Impellitteri

 

[Joe King]

There are so many fast guitarists out there it's ridiculous.

You're not ever gonna get a defined answer. As far as just straight up blinding speed, Gambale, Di Meola, Petrucci, Guthrie Govan, Ron Thall, as well as the afore mentioned Cooley, and Lane, are awesome.

Then there is sneaky fast. Guys like Alan Holdsworth, Kotzen, Howe, and on and on.... Endless lists.

It's a subjective issue, and usually opinionated.

 

[Joe King]

Just for the record, I'd rather hear one note that moves me, than 100 notes that only serve to irritate.

 

[Pawel]

I agree with Joe, I also prefer one meaningful note to a hundred fast ones, but I'm still interested in what the world record is for speed in terms on notes per second. I read somewhere that it was something around 40 notes per second, but that would be over 2000 BPM and doesn't seem possible.

 

[LypsLynch55]

Just for the record, I'd rather hear one note that moves me, than 100 notes that only serve to irritate.

Everything in moderation.

I think Satch's "Always with Me, Always with You" is a good example of mixing the two.

 

[Safe Insane]

Probably either Chris Impellitteri, Rusty Cooley, or Shawn Lane. But I agree with Joe, I mean speed is defiantly an element that can be used to create a more unique style, and there are guys who are great at it. Such as Jason Becker, Yngwie, Satch, and countless others, but there are also guy who can say alot with just one note. Just look at the solo of Cinnamon Girl by Neil Young.

 

[lornemusic]

Chris Impellitteri is so fast it's hard to comprehiend. Wish I could play that fast. Then again that never stopped Jimmy Page

Speaking of maybe this is mean but Satch doesn't have flat out blinding speed. Then again that hasn't seemed to slow him down.

 

[shredmonster]

sorry to say gentlemen but alot of those super fast players are just playing repetitive boring patterns that alot of guys can play fast. Rusty cooley looks faster than he is because of the way he lifts his fingers away from the fretboard, the more your fingers move the faster it looks.. IF you ever seen yngwie play he has excellent economy of movement, his hands dont look like they're move as fast as he's playing but if you really know what you're listening to the things Yngwie is playing as that speed is alot more complex than those run of the mill speed players.

 

[Kain Thornn]

IMO, the late Shawn Lane.

I didn't know he died, man that's sad.