Your 10 Favorite Guitar Solos?
- Thread starter KingLouieLouie
- Start date
Gnomad
Roamin' Gnome
Interesting how about 98% of the fav. solos are "old" music. Is it possible that there are no quality new guitar players? Possibly. But what about less-than-obvoius best bets? Nearly all mentioned are generally considered guitar gods. Here's a few names to toss into the bunch. If you don't know who they are, you're missing out on some amazing talent.
Dimebag Darrell - Pantera
Adam Jones - Tool
Matt DeVries & Rob Arnold - Chimaira
Björn Gelotte & Jesper Strömblad - In Flames
Jim Root - Slipknot & Stone Sour
no specific fav. solos, just fav. guitarists, as it turns out.
Dimebag Darrell - Pantera
Adam Jones - Tool
Matt DeVries & Rob Arnold - Chimaira
Björn Gelotte & Jesper Strömblad - In Flames
Jim Root - Slipknot & Stone Sour
no specific fav. solos, just fav. guitarists, as it turns out.
OP
OP
Time to revive another old thread:
I'll add 5 more for now:
1) "Under My Voodoo" Brad Nowell (Sublime)
2) "Trippin' On A Hole In A Paper Heart" Dean Deleo (Stone Temple Pilots)
3) "Go Your Own Way" Lindsay Buckingham (Fleetwood Mac)
4) "Beat It" Eddie Van Halen
5) "Baker Street" Gerry Rafferty
I'll add 5 more for now:
1) "Under My Voodoo" Brad Nowell (Sublime)
2) "Trippin' On A Hole In A Paper Heart" Dean Deleo (Stone Temple Pilots)
3) "Go Your Own Way" Lindsay Buckingham (Fleetwood Mac)
4) "Beat It" Eddie Van Halen
5) "Baker Street" Gerry Rafferty
Brian
PANEM ET CIRCENSES
Sorry to bump this, but I've been wondering since I first read it:
How on earth is Eric Johnson's "Cliffs of Dover" not on anyone's list?
I just figured since Joe Satriani and Steve Vai made several lists, why not Eric Johnson?
Just curious.
How on earth is Eric Johnson's "Cliffs of Dover" not on anyone's list?
I just figured since Joe Satriani and Steve Vai made several lists, why not Eric Johnson?
Just curious.
Brian
PANEM ET CIRCENSES
*bump*
Need to know KLL.
Need to know KLL.
mojorizen7
ASFN Addict
re-bump:
#1 Bar none, Jimi Hendrix "Machine Gun" w/Band of Gypsies live at the Filmore. Like Lenny Kravitz once said in an interview when asked about that performance..."After listening to Machine Gun i have to take a nap."
Played with a blend of soul,fire,soaring beauty, pure rawness and aggression. The first note of the lead is sick.....and it hangs there....forever.....until he's about to let you off the hook and no,same note again. Sick. The middle section where Jimi is obviously playing in his own world(probably in another solar system)is like listening to a chorus of dying souls poured out thru a piece of wood & 6 strings....played by a man. Unbelievable. The use of feedback in tiny spots here & there is flawless(live performance). Even Jimi's mastery of having to re-tune his guitar towards the end after sucking the life out of it is a treat to behold.
It's also worth mentioning that this song(and performance)was performed with Jimi & Billie tuned a whole step down to D....and because this tune is played in the low end E configuration , tuning a whole step down gives it that dark,meaty, eerie quality.
Here's a youtube cut of this performance but the experience of this song & performance should only be heard & not seen IMO. Plus the audio quality here is crap. You can't even hear the groove of the bass & drum work going on behind Jimi's guitar.
Get the CD if you don't already own it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TV74PsUo1dc
The rest not in any particular order....
Eric Johnson "Desert Rose" The king of tone finds melody over a fairly unmelodic chord progression and at the same time get's meaty.
Toto ""Hold the Line" Pop shredding at it's best....Steve Lukather.
Pink Floyd "Hey You" Gimour still my favorite living guitar player. The sweet build thru octaves is mesmerizing along with his signature bends.
U2 "Even Better than the Real Thing" I love the erotic sound of the slide here. I almost listed "The Fly" but my nod goes to "Real Thing."
ZZ Top "I need You Tonight" Blues drenched in echo/delay and soul baby.
Rush "Digital Man" On an album where Lifeson's guitar work took a backseat, he tears it up as if unleashed here.
Supertramp "Goodbye Stranger" I always hated that when this tune was played on radio that 9 times outta 10 they'd do a fade out right as the guitar lead was just getting started for time constraints. An unorthodox solo but very moving.
Dire Straits "Sultans of Swing" Someone else mentioned this one. Duh? So tasty.
I could name a dozen or so more from Hendrix,Gilmour,EJ,Lifeson...and i left out several from Satriani,SRV etc...but there's always next time.
#1 Bar none, Jimi Hendrix "Machine Gun" w/Band of Gypsies live at the Filmore. Like Lenny Kravitz once said in an interview when asked about that performance..."After listening to Machine Gun i have to take a nap."
Played with a blend of soul,fire,soaring beauty, pure rawness and aggression. The first note of the lead is sick.....and it hangs there....forever.....until he's about to let you off the hook and no,same note again. Sick. The middle section where Jimi is obviously playing in his own world(probably in another solar system)is like listening to a chorus of dying souls poured out thru a piece of wood & 6 strings....played by a man. Unbelievable. The use of feedback in tiny spots here & there is flawless(live performance). Even Jimi's mastery of having to re-tune his guitar towards the end after sucking the life out of it is a treat to behold.
It's also worth mentioning that this song(and performance)was performed with Jimi & Billie tuned a whole step down to D....and because this tune is played in the low end E configuration , tuning a whole step down gives it that dark,meaty, eerie quality.
Here's a youtube cut of this performance but the experience of this song & performance should only be heard & not seen IMO. Plus the audio quality here is crap. You can't even hear the groove of the bass & drum work going on behind Jimi's guitar.
Get the CD if you don't already own it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TV74PsUo1dc
The rest not in any particular order....
Eric Johnson "Desert Rose" The king of tone finds melody over a fairly unmelodic chord progression and at the same time get's meaty.
Toto ""Hold the Line" Pop shredding at it's best....Steve Lukather.
Pink Floyd "Hey You" Gimour still my favorite living guitar player. The sweet build thru octaves is mesmerizing along with his signature bends.
U2 "Even Better than the Real Thing" I love the erotic sound of the slide here. I almost listed "The Fly" but my nod goes to "Real Thing."
ZZ Top "I need You Tonight" Blues drenched in echo/delay and soul baby.
Rush "Digital Man" On an album where Lifeson's guitar work took a backseat, he tears it up as if unleashed here.
Supertramp "Goodbye Stranger" I always hated that when this tune was played on radio that 9 times outta 10 they'd do a fade out right as the guitar lead was just getting started for time constraints
. An unorthodox solo but very moving.Dire Straits "Sultans of Swing" Someone else mentioned this one. Duh? So tasty.
I could name a dozen or so more from Hendrix,Gilmour,EJ,Lifeson...and i left out several from Satriani,SRV etc...but there's always next time.
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schutd
ASFN Addict
No love for Josh Homme of QOTSA? Guys one of the most talented players out there today. That sloppy mess on Little Sister, from the Album Lullabies to Paralyze? Outrageous, and what sounds like noodling is pure precision. He plays it the same way every damn time.
His tone, production, technical playing. He is friggin outstanding.
His tone, production, technical playing. He is friggin outstanding.
I like this. "10 Favorite" instead of "10 Best," far more appropriate for the subjective nature of music. How did I not know this thread existed?
Joe Pass, "Cherokee": This is one of those jazz standards that has a mean reputation. It's mean to be played at death metal speeds. Maybe a bit faster. I think the quarter note usually stands around 188 BPM. Pass raises the bar because he plays this song by himself at that speed, but he's playing his own part and a bass line. It's insanity. Just about anything Pass played dazzles me. I was very fortunate to develop a friendship with Joe's favorite student, Joey Cadrecha, with whom I had many great musical moments until his untimely death. RIP, both of them. Joe Pass may have been the single most technically gifted guitarist of the second half of the 20th Century, and too few guitarists have ever heard of him. Here's Joe playing Joe's Blues:
Django Reinhardt, Blues for Ike: Joe Pass ruled the late 20th Century, but Django came first. Django was so good, Pass spent the 40s mired in obscurity and heroin addiction because he was consumed by Django's long shadow. Django was a gypsy who was missing a finger or two (as legend goes), so he came up with unusual techniques that allowed him greater freedom than conventional guitarists. This song is not a great solo, simply one that captures his brilliance. Django influenced guitar soloing for the next 50 years. People that confessed an allegiance to him included: Santana, BB King, Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, George Benson, Wes Montgomery, and on it goes. The Allman Bros.' "Jessica" was written as an homage to Django by Dickie Betts.
Larry Carlton w/Steely Dan, Kid Charlemagne: Listen closely and you'll hear a slick modernization of Joe Pass stylings here. It's an incredibly musical pop guitar solo while being unique to Carlton.
Pat Metheny w/Bruce Hornsby, Country Doctor: You can pick up any Metheny album and hear genius jazz guitar wanking and premium melodies. I pick this one because Metheny's melody on the solo is mesmerizing. More of a second song than a solo.
Mike Stern w/Brecker Brothers, Song for Barry: Stern can play anything well, but the blues sound here + jazz solo over the chord changes ... it gives me the goose bumps every time. The way he can find new ways to build energy over so many bars, it's amazing. Give it time up to 2:45 where this **** takes off like a rocket.
I have many more, including John Scofield and Wayne Krantz, but I have to go for now.
Joe Pass, "Cherokee": This is one of those jazz standards that has a mean reputation. It's mean to be played at death metal speeds. Maybe a bit faster. I think the quarter note usually stands around 188 BPM. Pass raises the bar because he plays this song by himself at that speed, but he's playing his own part and a bass line. It's insanity. Just about anything Pass played dazzles me. I was very fortunate to develop a friendship with Joe's favorite student, Joey Cadrecha, with whom I had many great musical moments until his untimely death. RIP, both of them. Joe Pass may have been the single most technically gifted guitarist of the second half of the 20th Century, and too few guitarists have ever heard of him. Here's Joe playing Joe's Blues:
Django Reinhardt, Blues for Ike: Joe Pass ruled the late 20th Century, but Django came first. Django was so good, Pass spent the 40s mired in obscurity and heroin addiction because he was consumed by Django's long shadow. Django was a gypsy who was missing a finger or two (as legend goes), so he came up with unusual techniques that allowed him greater freedom than conventional guitarists. This song is not a great solo, simply one that captures his brilliance. Django influenced guitar soloing for the next 50 years. People that confessed an allegiance to him included: Santana, BB King, Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, George Benson, Wes Montgomery, and on it goes. The Allman Bros.' "Jessica" was written as an homage to Django by Dickie Betts.
Larry Carlton w/Steely Dan, Kid Charlemagne: Listen closely and you'll hear a slick modernization of Joe Pass stylings here. It's an incredibly musical pop guitar solo while being unique to Carlton.
Pat Metheny w/Bruce Hornsby, Country Doctor: You can pick up any Metheny album and hear genius jazz guitar wanking and premium melodies. I pick this one because Metheny's melody on the solo is mesmerizing. More of a second song than a solo.
Mike Stern w/Brecker Brothers, Song for Barry: Stern can play anything well, but the blues sound here + jazz solo over the chord changes ... it gives me the goose bumps every time. The way he can find new ways to build energy over so many bars, it's amazing. Give it time up to 2:45 where this **** takes off like a rocket.
I have many more, including John Scofield and Wayne Krantz, but I have to go for now.
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In no particular order:
Jimmy Page: Stairway to Heaven
Heartbreaker
Jimi Hendrix: Voodoo Child
3rd Rock from the Sun
All Along the Watchtower
Stevie Ray Vaughn: Texas Flood
Glenn Tipton: Beyond the Realms of Death
Painkiller
Eddie Van Halen: Eruption
Eric Clapton: Layla (and, about 200 others)
Jimmy Page: Stairway to Heaven
Heartbreaker
Jimi Hendrix: Voodoo Child
3rd Rock from the Sun
All Along the Watchtower
Stevie Ray Vaughn: Texas Flood
Glenn Tipton: Beyond the Realms of Death
Painkiller
Eddie Van Halen: Eruption
Eric Clapton: Layla (and, about 200 others)
ozzfloyd
The Carp
In no particular order:
Comfortably Numb: David Gilmour
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Yb-vURVRKw
Unforgiven: Kirk Hammet
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5cGvzApDZKI
No More Tears: Zakk Wylde
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHNmyN6mPsM
War Pigs: Tony Iommi
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNWBxbf26ls
Time: David Gilmour
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntm1YfehK7U
Mr. Crowley: Randy Rhoads
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ut0cW3GuVvQ&feature=related
Comfortably Numb: David Gilmour
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Yb-vURVRKw
Unforgiven: Kirk Hammet
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5cGvzApDZKI
No More Tears: Zakk Wylde
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHNmyN6mPsM
War Pigs: Tony Iommi
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNWBxbf26ls
Time: David Gilmour
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntm1YfehK7U
Mr. Crowley: Randy Rhoads
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ut0cW3GuVvQ&feature=related
RugbyMuffin
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Not my style of music. But this is some INSANE guitar work, and more importantly it is written very well. Nice to listen to.
Edit: I just talked to my wife who knows a lot of jazz/blues guitarist and SHE never heard of him either. I didn't have youtube at work when you first posted this so I had her listen at home. She was like "How did I never hear of this guy?" EXACTLY. How ?
I remember in highschool sitting around with my music buddies playing metal all night long and then having some beers later on and listening to this guy and just laughing. You were just in shock when you heard him play. Death Metal speed is right, and remember NO PICK. Just long fingernails.
The joke was always to try and think of what metal band he would fit into the best......I always thought him and Les Claypool should have teamed up
By the way if you wanna hear Cheroke:
http://www.last.fm/music/Joe+Pass/_/Cherokee
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RugbyMuffin
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Sweet Topic.
My criteria:
#1 Most important. How does the solo sound. Does the solo fit the song. Is it well written and nice to listen to. There are plenty of solos where the guitarist are playing some INSANE stuff. Really hard to pull off, and to play, but it sounds like crap, doesn't fit the song, and is abrasive to the ear.
#2 The technical difficulty of the solo. Some people just have a natural ability to play the 6 strings (seven in some cases). Sometimes a solo sounds like more of a lead. They may sound good but my cat could play them.
#1 - Dimebag Darrell (Pantera)- Flood - Awesome blues solo. Fits the song, hard to play, and just rips. Dimebag at his best, IMO. Honorable Mention: F#cking Hostile, Walk, Hard Lines, Sunken Cheeks
#2 - Zakk Wylde -Farm Fiddlin' From the "Guitars that rule the world" compilation. Officially game on with this one. Speed, Technical, the song is cool as heck, and he runs through three styles of play. All of which leaves your jaw on the floor.
#3 - Jimmie Hendrix - Voodoo Child - Jimmie pretty much drops the gloves in this song. Heavy, and aggressive. Plus it is just INSANE for his time. Honorable Mention: All Along the Watchtower.
#4 - Randy Rhodes - See above. Crazy Train is my personal favorite, overplayed as it is.
#5 - Ben Weinman (The Dillinger Escape Plan) - He is more of a lead guitarist but HOLY COW. You try following the beats and rythmes this guy does, and he it all off live as well. Very creative and revolutionary. Not to mention it is HEAVY stuff. Sugar Coated Sour is a great depiction of what he does.
#6 - Kirk Hammet (Metallica) - Unforgiven: He has a bunch of really good solos off of there earlier albums. They fit the songs very well, are well written, and are pretty technical. This one is my personal favorite.
#7 - Tom Morello - Bulls on Parade/Sleep Now in the Fire - Extremely Creative, and still cannot be copied. These are very hard to pull off live and he does it consistantly. Plus they fit with the style they play, and add to the song.
#8 - Les Claypool - Tommie the Cat[Live] Yeah, yeah, yeah....the guy plays a 6 string bass guitar so it is just like an over sized guitar. If you haven't see these guys (Primus) live (no matter what age) you gotta. If could list many of his solos but this is the best one caught on a recording.
#9 - Tim Sult (Clutch) - Southern Rock at its finest. Best solo is from Electric Worry
#10 - Angus Young (AV/DC) - Guilty pleasure. This guy and his band rock. Just good basic rock. Highway to Hell solo is a personal fav.
Honorable mentions: Buckethead, Marty Friedman/Dave Mustane (Poison was the Cure), Jerry Cantrell (Rooster)
My criteria:
#1 Most important. How does the solo sound. Does the solo fit the song. Is it well written and nice to listen to. There are plenty of solos where the guitarist are playing some INSANE stuff. Really hard to pull off, and to play, but it sounds like crap, doesn't fit the song, and is abrasive to the ear.
#2 The technical difficulty of the solo. Some people just have a natural ability to play the 6 strings (seven in some cases). Sometimes a solo sounds like more of a lead. They may sound good but my cat could play them.
#1 - Dimebag Darrell (Pantera)- Flood - Awesome blues solo. Fits the song, hard to play, and just rips. Dimebag at his best, IMO. Honorable Mention: F#cking Hostile, Walk, Hard Lines, Sunken Cheeks
#2 - Zakk Wylde -Farm Fiddlin' From the "Guitars that rule the world" compilation. Officially game on with this one. Speed, Technical, the song is cool as heck, and he runs through three styles of play. All of which leaves your jaw on the floor.
#3 - Jimmie Hendrix - Voodoo Child - Jimmie pretty much drops the gloves in this song. Heavy, and aggressive. Plus it is just INSANE for his time. Honorable Mention: All Along the Watchtower.
#4 - Randy Rhodes - See above. Crazy Train is my personal favorite, overplayed as it is.
#5 - Ben Weinman (The Dillinger Escape Plan) - He is more of a lead guitarist but HOLY COW. You try following the beats and rythmes this guy does, and he it all off live as well. Very creative and revolutionary. Not to mention it is HEAVY stuff. Sugar Coated Sour is a great depiction of what he does.
#6 - Kirk Hammet (Metallica) - Unforgiven: He has a bunch of really good solos off of there earlier albums. They fit the songs very well, are well written, and are pretty technical. This one is my personal favorite.
#7 - Tom Morello - Bulls on Parade/Sleep Now in the Fire - Extremely Creative, and still cannot be copied. These are very hard to pull off live and he does it consistantly. Plus they fit with the style they play, and add to the song.
#8 - Les Claypool - Tommie the Cat[Live] Yeah, yeah, yeah....the guy plays a 6 string bass guitar so it is just like an over sized guitar. If you haven't see these guys (Primus) live (no matter what age) you gotta. If could list many of his solos but this is the best one caught on a recording.
#9 - Tim Sult (Clutch) - Southern Rock at its finest. Best solo is from Electric Worry
#10 - Angus Young (AV/DC) - Guilty pleasure. This guy and his band rock. Just good basic rock. Highway to Hell solo is a personal fav.
Honorable mentions: Buckethead, Marty Friedman/Dave Mustane (Poison was the Cure), Jerry Cantrell (Rooster)
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Floods - Dimebag darrel
aha i just noticed u put floods too rugby, that song is so f'ing sick.
Dimebag is sooooo missed
I have goosebumps listening to my recorded version of floods I stored in my brain.
Dimebag is sooooo missed
I have goosebumps listening to my recorded version of floods I stored in my brain.
I thought Rugby mentioned Dave Matthews instead of Mustane. Hah! That would really put RM on the hot seat.
Gizmo Williams
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Any of the solos by Captain Sensible of the The Damned...definitely my favorite guitarist who wears a tutu.
scXfreakX
Huh?
In no particular order:
Time - Pink Floyd
Comfortably Numb - Pink Floyd
Fade To Black - Metallica
Stairway To Heaven - Led Zeppelin
Cemetary Gates - Pantera
Voodoo Child - Jimi Hendrix
Cowboys From Hell - Pantera
Crazy Train - Ozzy Osbourne (played by rhandy rhoads)
Sweet Child 'O Mine - Guns 'N Roses
One - Metallica
Time - Pink Floyd
Comfortably Numb - Pink Floyd
Fade To Black - Metallica
Stairway To Heaven - Led Zeppelin
Cemetary Gates - Pantera
Voodoo Child - Jimi Hendrix
Cowboys From Hell - Pantera
Crazy Train - Ozzy Osbourne (played by rhandy rhoads)
Sweet Child 'O Mine - Guns 'N Roses
One - Metallica
KloD
ASFN Icon
All Along the Watch Tower - Jimi Hendrix
Voodoo Chile - Jimi Hendrix
Little Wing - Jimi Hendrix
Machine Gun - Jimi Hendrix
While My Guitar Gently Weeps - Eric Clapton
Sultans of Swing - Mark Knopfler
Fade to Black - Kirk Hammet
Mr. Crowley - Randy Rhoads
Layla - Clapton/Allman
Hotel California - Don Felder/Joe Walsh
Voodoo Chile - Jimi Hendrix
Little Wing - Jimi Hendrix
Machine Gun - Jimi Hendrix
While My Guitar Gently Weeps - Eric Clapton
Sultans of Swing - Mark Knopfler
Fade to Black - Kirk Hammet
Mr. Crowley - Randy Rhoads
Layla - Clapton/Allman
Hotel California - Don Felder/Joe Walsh
You guys have some good tastes. I'm impressed.
Just heard Carlos Santana's solo on She's Not There again this morning. Honorable mention.
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Just heard Carlos Santana's solo on She's Not There again this morning. Honorable mention.
I'd love to play anything Santana on RB/GH.
Joe L
The people's champ
I don't really have a list but one of my favorite ALL TIME songs with guitar (not just solo) has to be :
Guns & Roses
Estranged
http://youtube.com/watch?v=4YmwJpnor6o
The guitar in that song takes you on an emotional ride.
Guns & Roses
Estranged
http://youtube.com/watch?v=4YmwJpnor6o
The guitar in that song takes you on an emotional ride.
Any solo that I can remember after awhile is got to be a favorite.
Here's a goodie from way back, just let them play and hear the solo.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRJ4Re8jKWU
Any how It's "Like Hell" by Loudness. Also I like hot for teacher. Mr. Crowley. Just because I'm in the tapping mood. Many many choices to consider. Too many.
Here's a goodie from way back, just let them play and hear the solo.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRJ4Re8jKWU
Any how It's "Like Hell" by Loudness. Also I like hot for teacher. Mr. Crowley. Just because I'm in the tapping mood. Many many choices to consider. Too many.
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KloD
ASFN Icon
Jeez can't believe I left this off my list...
Maggot Brain - Funkadelic
Maggot Brain - Funkadelic
