Your Favorite Guitar Solo

[Campy]

I'd have to say the little riff after the chorus in Breakfast at Tiffany's (by Deep Blue Something) is my favorite right now - It's the only solo I can play at tempo.

[mcjeff215]

I'd have to say the little riff after the chorus in Breakfast at Tiffany's (by Deep Blue Something) is my favorite right now - It's the only solo I can play at tempo.

504557[/snapback]

 

 

 

I used to be quite good on the guitar. Bought a bunch of expensive equipment and played all the time. I've since not played in seven years and probably couldn't bust out AC/DC at 1/3 tempo these days.

[Campy]

I used to be quite good on the guitar. Bought a bunch of expensive equipment and played all the time.  I've since not played in seven years and probably couldn't bust out AC/DC at 1/3 tempo these days.

504572[/snapback]

Break it out and start stretching those digits man!

 

I started playing in February and I could kick myself for waiting so long. I'd say I'm pretty decent considering the short time I've been playing but nobody's going to be confusing me with Jimmy Paige anytime soon (although I can nail Gallow's Pole at tempo!).

[Dan Gross]

Break it out and start stretching those digits man! 

 

I started playing in February and I could kick myself for waiting so long.  I'd say I'm pretty decent considering the short time I've been playing but nobody's going to be confusing me with Jimmy Paige anytime soon (although I can nail Gallow's Pole at tempo!).

504585[/snapback]

 

Jimmy Paige maybe, but probably not former Zep guitarist Jimmy Page.

[Campy]

Jimmy Paige maybe, but probably not former Zep guitarist Jimmy Page. 

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[justnzane]

My top three (tonight anyway):

 

1.  Gilmour on “Comfortably Numb”

 

2.  Duane Allman on slide, Dickey Betts on lead on “Whipping Post”

 

3.  SRV on “Texas Flood”  (or "Riviera Paradise" -- which always brings a tear to my eye)

Dark horse:

 

  Mark Knopfler on “Telegraph Road”

Here’s more grist for the mill:

 

http://www.digitaldreamdoor.com/pages/best_guitarsolo.html

504468[/snapback]

 

nice list, however it ignores most anything the past 10 years. While there hasn't been as much as great guitar solos, there still some pretty good ones that were omitted.

[justnzane]

Break it out and start stretching those digits man! 

 

I started playing in February and I could kick myself for waiting so long.  I'd say I'm pretty decent considering the short time I've been playing but nobody's going to be confusing me with Jimmy Paige anytime soon (although I can nail Gallow's Pole at tempo!).

504585[/snapback]

 

i give ya credit. i started out in july w/ an acoustic and there was a huge learning curve. i am learning the entire american idiot cd rite now. I have been learing more modern stuff and punk (wanting to dig up some good tabs on billy idol and the clash in a few weeks).

[BilltheCat]

Tons of choices. For a pure lead that has depth, balance, and requires a fair bit of skill probably Elliott Randall's studio work on Reelin' in the Years. Not as pushy as the rock giants but a very good lead nonetheless.

[Pine Barrens Mafia]

Heh, you've all conveniently avoided the best lead guitarist in the heavey metal universe:

 

Marty Friedman.

 

Two songs to check out if you think you can keep up:

 

Tornado of Souls

High Speed Dirt

[col_forbin]

Trey Ananstasio doing "Divided Sky". Truly a beautiful thing if you were able to catch Phish on the right night.......3/1/03 is a fine example. Glowstick war taboot.

[Tux of Borg]

Fastest guitar solo I've ever heard was Angel of Death by Slayer.

 

Greatest ever... wow, I don't even know if I could narrow it down. How about Slash's lead in Paradise City and Sweet Child of Mine. SRV was already mentioned for Texas Flood. I'm a big fan of the live version of Tight Rope. EVH and Randy Rhodes for Eruption and Suicide Solution. Dimebag and George Lynch should be thrown into the group. I don't think Jake "the snake" Sabo of Skid Row was ever given enough credit for his solos. Hmm... I need to think about this some more.

 

Speaking of which, what ever happen to guitar heroes?

[mcjeff215]

Fastest guitar solo I've ever heard was Angel of Death by Slayer.

 

Greatest ever... wow, I don't even know if I could narrow it down. How about Slash's lead in Paradise City and Sweet Child of Mine.  SRV was already mentioned for Texas Flood.  I'm a big fan of the live version of Tight Rope.  EVH and Randy Rhodes for Eruption and Suicide Solution.  Dimebag and George Lynch should be thrown into the group.  I don't think Jake "the snake" Sabo of Skid Row was ever given enough credit for his solos.  Hmm... I need to think about this some more. 

 

Speaking of which, what ever happen to guitar heroes?

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Yeah, but a Slayer solo is never the same twice. I saw an interview where the commented on how "we don't care if it's in key, it's all about the *power* of the show." So they don't count. =)

 

Friedman does rule. I've been on a 'deth kick since I saw them last summer. That new CD of theirs is pretty damn good. Much better than Risk and The World Needs A Hero. Risk was simply junk.

 

You know, I might just break the guitars back out. I'm one of the few that can read guitar sheet music =) I took lessons on the thing for about four years, at which point I got sick of scales and key signatures. That's when I started figuring out late 80's/early 90's Metal. I think the first song I figured out was "Fade to Black." If I get it back out, my OTHER hobbies will suffer.

 

-Jeff

[Johnny Coli]

Jesus. I'm stunned.

 

Freebird?

 

I don't like guitar solos for the most part, because I think they're just an excuse for people to show off their "chops"...you know, the bedroom guitar heros. It took Johnny Ramone four albums to put anything close to a guitar solo on record, and it was one note and a pick slide.

 

I subscribe to the "dumb is good" aspect of rock'n'roll. I don't want to practice my ass off...I want to drink cheap beers with my buddys, write forty 90 second long songs about cars, chicks, booze and cigarettes, and play crummy clubs that smell like urine and vomit.

 

Guitar "leads" should add to the song...like East Bay Ray's stuff from the Dead Kennedy's, or Johnny Thunders (NYDolls, Heartbreakers), or Cheetah Chrome (Dead Boys)...stuff that actually works for the song, not just wanking around for 45 minutes playing scales. If there absolutely has to be a lead, I like the guys that blast something out without any regard for technical proficiency...Bob Stinson comes to mind, or Jay Reatard...guys that let it rip, key be damned, while someone in the crowd is spitting in their face, or chucking bottles at them.

 

If pressed, the best leads I've ever heard were by Billy Zoom (X), on Hotel Room in my Bed, or Johnny Hit and Run Pauline. Tasty, powerfull, and work well in the song. Technically, Zoom is light years better than most metal guitar guys, but he always kept it reigned in and concise, and never dicked around.

 

 

But, in the end, music is subjective, so if long guitar solos are what some of you are into, that's cool. They're definately not for me, though.

 

Freebird? Come on, man.

[rockpile]

To add my $0.0.2 to a few earlier threads:

 

Felix Pappalardi - Theme For an Imaginary Western (Mountain, Climbing)

 

Jorma Kaukonnen - The Water Song (Hot Tuna, Burgers?)

 

New additions (both solo artists):

 

Joe Bonamassa - New Day Yesterday

 

Leo Kottke - Louise

 

 

 

No one likes Carlos?

[rockpile]

i give ya credit. i started out in july w/ an acoustic and there was a huge learning curve. i am learning the entire american idiot cd rite now. I have been learing more modern stuff and punk (wanting to dig up some good tabs on billy idol and the clash in a few weeks).

504623[/snapback]

I am a lousy rhythm guitarist - going on 30+ years now. In the early 70s I used to hitchhike around with a backpack and guitar case.

 

Just the other night I played through Lucky Man, Angel Band, Superman's Song, Daniel and the Sacred Harp, and Nobody Wins. I sucked, but that is what I do!

 

Sorry, no coom-bye-ya!

[Movinon]

Eric Johnson, Cliffs of Dover

[Ghost of BiB]

To add my $0.0.2 to a few earlier threads:

 

Felix Pappalardi - Theme For an Imaginary Western (Mountain, Climbing)

 

Jorma Kaukonnen - The Water Song (Hot Tuna, Burgers?)

 

New additions (both solo artists):

 

Joe Bonamassa - New Day Yesterday

 

Leo Kottke - Louise

No one likes Carlos?   

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Damn, how could I have forgotten Kottke?

[aussiew]

I wish there were a few of you guys old enough to have heard this. 

 

Hell, I wish I was young enough to have heard of most of these.

[Campy]

i give ya credit. i started out in july w/ an acoustic and there was a huge learning curve. i am learning the entire american idiot cd rite now. I have been learing more modern stuff and punk (wanting to dig up some good tabs on billy idol and the clash in a few weeks).

504623[/snapback]

Awesome. FWIW, when you're ready to go electric (the music you're playing would probably be much easier on an electric), check out the Fender G-DEC practice amp. I use it to fool around with a bunch of the tracks already installed on it. Also, it has midi support so you can plug in your computer and download music to jam along with - and with midi, you can easily change the tempo without effecting pitch.

 

It's a bit on the pricey side for a practice amp (about $250 street), but I played around with it for about an hour at the guitar shop and ran home to trade im my Behringer practice amp - had to have it!

 

You can check out the specs here, and see it in action here.

[Mark VI]

Some nice choices listed.

 

One of the most amazing solos I ever saw in person many years ago was Neil Young playing Cortez The Killer. It went on for 12-15 minutes and was simply fantastic.