Complete Guitar Control

[unclviny]

Belew and co. doing the deal from the early 1980’s, AB is just so casual about his playing and he sure seems to be having fun (3:20 in in particular)

- YouTube

Unclviny

[FoieGrasIsEvil]

@An_Arky

Well, Million Miles Away reminds me of this. I know, it ain’t complete control, but I like it, love it, yes I do.

Anyway, I actually like Steve Vai. I’m no fan of the whole shreddy thing, but this guy has done a lot of stuff with a lot of people (PIL, for instance) that makes me think he’s got a lot more going on than wankery.

Reading the comments from your PI video, it seems that he actually only played a solo on the song “Home”…and yep, that’s him all right right about the 1:50 mark: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRHlNm7k7nA

@WordMan

Okay, after thinking about this a bit, here is my shot regarding Vai: Every time someone says he’s proficient but boring, someone shows a really cool clip. Face it, even naysayers like me have to admit that he can interpret and sell the emotions of a piece. On any standard criteria for rating a schooled musician – except for having enduring, crossover Songs – Vai is clearly supremely highly rated.

However, that is the problem: he is too good. Rock music, as I have said in many threads, must be dangerous to work*. Vai is so freakin’ proficient on his instrument, that there is never. any. question. as to whether he is in control of his instrument. I mean, jeez, what is the title of this OP??? “Complete Guitar Control” – any questions?

Well, you know what – the best guitarists DO NOT sound like they are in control. My favorite quote from Eddie Van Halen – I have no recollection of the exact wording, only the concept – is that he wants his solos to sound like he is falling down the stairs but somehow manages to land on his feet. Any great rock guitarist, IMHO, must have a sense of urgency, of taking it to the limit and pushing their playing to the edge. Jack White would be an obvious example of someone whose guitar sounds like it will explode any minute, and his “pitchy” bend work makes it sound like he’s squeezing out that last howl.

Vai is the antithesis of that – he has researched those stairs on a variety of levels and can do cartwheels down them without breaking a sweat and stick a gymnast’s landing with a victorious smile. But try to make me care. That is extreme and way too dismissive - I actually enjoy a lot of Vai - but I hope you see my point.

*as I think about this, a great test subject is Randy Rhoads. Left on his own, he could’ve been in Vai-land – super proficient but not dangerous. But paired up with whackjob Ozzy?

Interesting insight. I think I interpret it differently though. To me, guys like Vai (and Hendrix!) are pushing the envelope and are edgy because they are pushing the physical and electronic limits of what a human being can do with an electric guitar.

I liked the Randy Rhoads comment!

[cgg419]

@DfrntBreign

I thought your link was going to take me to this song. (Maybe because I just finished watching this and had Book Of Shadows on the brain).

I would submit this one instead Machine Gun Man(acoustic) - Zakk Wylde
Can’t say I’ve liked much from BLS in the past few cd’s, but damn the man can play!

[Shadowfyre]

@WordMan

Well, you know what – the best guitarists DO NOT sound like they are in control. My favorite quote from Eddie Van Halen – I have no recollection of the exact wording, only the concept – is that he wants his solos to sound like he is falling down the stairs but somehow manages to land on his feet. Any great rock guitarist, IMHO, must have a sense of urgency, of taking it to the limit and pushing their playing to the edge. Jack White would be an obvious example of someone whose guitar sounds like it will explode any minute, and his “pitchy” bend work makes it sound like he’s squeezing out that last howl.

That is basically what I came into say. I would never say Hendrix was in complete control and that’s what made him so much fun. Like walking a tight rope; who’s more fun to watch? The guy that zips right across with nary a falter in his step or the guy who, no matter how good he is, gives the impression that he could fall to his death at any time. I’d take the latter because being scared is part of the fun.

A lot of professional guitarists can play as well or better than Hendrix, but I’ve never heard one that sounded as good as him. As good as Stevie Ray Vaughan was (and Stevie is my personal guitar hero) I’d still rather listen to the Hendrix versions of songs SRV covered (Little Wing, Voodoo Chile, and Third Rock from the Sun - off the top of my head).

Angus Young from AC/DC is another one like that. Every bar band covers AC/DC (because the songs are so damn easy), but I’ve never heard Back in Black sound as good as when Angus does it. There’s something more to it than just hitting the right notes at the right time - which is what Vai is very good at doing.

[WordMan]

@Shadowfyre

I’d still rather listen to the Hendrix versions of songs SRV covered (Little Wing, Voodoo Chile, and Third Rock from the Sun - off the top of my head).

Can I get an Amen!

[minor nit] Third *Stone *from the Sun - Third Rock was the TV show [/minor nit]

UPDATE: Yngwie is selling a few Strats on eBay - apparently he traded a few to a guy for a Ferrari and the guy is selling them with full Yngwie documentation. The prices are suprisingly affordable for this type of guitar.

Hereis the thread on The Gear Page.

In the thread, folks reference how Yngwie trashes guitars. I have seen one vid where Yngwie tries out an buys a '65 Candy Apple Red Strat and tries to be all badassly indifferent - “oh, another vintage Strat? This one’s okay - my assistant will pay you” and then throws the case into a cab or car and takes off. If that is what the complaints are based on, he comes across like a douchebag, but he doesn’t really appear to be trashing anything. I know he does a lot of work on his own guitars - e.g., scalloping fretboards - so I would assume he respects his tools…

[Shadowfyre]

@WordMan

[minor nit] Third *Stone *from the Sun - Third Rock was the TV show [/minor nit]

Gah! I loved that TV show too. Ever since it came out I’ve been mixing them up.