On crazy guitar solos...

[AmazingGracePlayer]

Lately I've heard too many crazy guitar solos... By different people, like Buckethead, Steve Vai (or whatever the name is), the ACDC/Aerosmith, and all those modern AND 80's rock guitarists. Most of the solos sound somewhat similar, I was wondering, do the guitarist use a certain mode/scale to solo?

[tplyons]

Ones as educated as Buckethead, Steve Vai, Kirk Hammett, etc. are very technical about their soloing.

A lot of other guitarists just hit notes that sound good and wouldn't know the difference between a dorian and a locrian mode if it bit them.

[Drake Kennedy]

Most blues/classic rock/metal solos are simply patterns within the minor pentatonic scale.

[Mark Wilson]

Can't go wrong with Dorian and Mixolydian!!

[EricF]

Just like playing bass - they hit the notes that are appropriate for the key of the song they're playing. Of course this assumes that the guitar player has any idea about what the key of the song is or how it applies to what they're playing. When all else fails...play pentatonic minor licks really fast.

[AmazingGracePlayer]

Originally Posted by EricF

When all else fails...play pentatonic minor licks really fast.

Is that really heard in some of the solos or are you just saying it? Not trying to pick fights, but I'm really curious.

[Papersen]

If you want to listen to "technically difficult" guitar solo, that don`t use just patterns, listen to guys like Allan Holdsworth or Shawn Lane. If you want completely the opposite, listen to Yngwie Malsteem.

[Baryonyx]

Originally Posted by Papersen

If you want to listen to "technically difficult" guitar solo, that don`t use just patterns, listen to guys like Allan Holdsworth or Shawn Lane. If you want completely the opposite, listen to Yngwie Malsteem.

Yes, Malmsteen is very fond of his A and E harmonic minor!

Holdsworth is a real innovator in a sense with his soloing, as he often goes for visual patterns on his fretboard, rather than picking notes according to their sound. In this way, he seeks to emulate the tonality and phrasing of horn players. Quite an interesting listen!

Shawn Lane is just from another planet, he is so incredibly skilled and well versed. Absolutely one of the greatest guitarists to have ever walked this earth.

[AmazingGracePlayer]

Originally Posted by Papersen

If you want to listen to "technically difficult" guitar solo, that don`t use just patterns, listen to guys like Allan Holdsworth or Shawn Lane. If you want completely the opposite, listen to Yngwie Malsteem.

Well, by solos I don't mean just soloing and improvising (jazzily) on the guitar, but I mean intense 19 note per second soloing. Like Buckethead...

[Papersen]

Originally Posted by htotheh

Well, by solos I don't mean just soloing and improvising (jazzily) on the guitar, but I mean intense 19 note per second soloing. Like Buckethead...

Ok. If you look for that kinda stuff, check the following guitar players:

- John Petrucci (Dream Theater)
- Michael Romeo (Symphony X)
- Paul Gilbert (Racer X, Mr Big)
- Rusty Cooley
- Francesco Fareri
- Stefan Forte
- Michael "Batio" Angelo

Looks for some vids in youtube. It´ll keep you entertained for a while Good luck.

[WalterBush]

Rock/Metal guitarists tend to stay within the bounds of conventional "classical" harmony or blues-type playing. Very few players in those genres go beyond (Vernon Reid with Living Color being a great example.), and the faster they play, the more likely they are to stay within those harmonic constraints.

Some newer players in Death Metal (and elsewhere, I'm sure) are branching into more modern (i.e. after 1920) classical harmonies when soloing, but I still haven't heard the 90-mile-an-hour shred guitarists make that jump, outside of jazz players anyway. Mostly, when a player starts soloing using more modern harmonies that quickly, it tends to sound like random playing, or bebop. I think they avoid it as a result. Just my opinion, but it's backed by my experience with guitarists.

To hear shredding that isn't random-sounding, or conventional, I'd recommend Strapping Young Lad, Puya, Living Color, or anything with Al DiMeola in it.

[Joe Nerve]

Knows his scales, modes and theory inside out, backwards, upside down and tilted a little to the left.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWGKzgUCNzs

[Lo end PUNCH]

You haven't even begun to hear a crazy solo until you listen to King Crimson's Elephant Talk. Adrian Belew is the guitarist, I dont know what he hears but it far beyond what the average joe does, it's incredible. I think that certian people just hear things differently like Vai, Farris and Zappa.

[AmazingGracePlayer]

Originally Posted by Lo end PUNCH

You haven't even begun to hear a crazy solo until you listen to King Crimson's Elephant Talk. Adrian Belew is the guitarist, I dont know what he hears but it far beyond what the average joe does, it's incredible. I think that certian people just hear things differently like Vai, Farris and Zappa.

Heard of that song before, the solo was pretty good.

[bassist 4 life]

Check out Marty Friedman, he is known for his improvising and soloing... Jean Baudin(sorry if it spelt it wrong jean) studied under friedman and that guy, crap his name is on the tip of my tongue, the guy who is paralyzed now.

[AmazingGracePlayer]

Originally Posted by bassist 4 life

Check out Marty Friedman, he is known for his improvising and soloing... Jean Baudin(sorry if it spelt it wrong jean) studied under friedman and that guy, crap his name is on the tip of my tongue, the guy who is paralyzed now.

I've heard of them from a friend of mine... Anyway, are there any non-custom made guitars with a killswitch?

[Papersen]

Originally Posted by bassist 4 life

...and that guy, crap his name is on the tip of my tongue, the guy who is paralyzed now.

I guess you mean Jason Becker, right ?
He was a true talent. He was recording with David Lee Roth in 1990 (after Vai left) when started to suffer Lou Gehrig (sp?) disease.

[Grueber]

Originally Posted by Papersen

Ok. If you look for that kinda stuff, check the following guitar players:

- John Petrucci (Dream Theater)
- Michael Romeo (Symphony X)
- Paul Gilbert (Racer X, Mr Big)
- Rusty Cooley
- Francesco Fareri
- Stefan Forte
- Michael "Batio" Angelo

Looks for some vids in youtube. It´ll keep you entertained for a while Good luck.

+1000
I bolded the ones I really like

[bassist 4 life]

Originally Posted by Papersen

I guess you mean Jason Becker, right ?
He was a true talent. He was recording with David Lee Roth in 1990 (after Vai left) when started to suffer Lou Gehrig (sp?) disease.

yeah jason becker, he still composes music, i think he uses a program that reads his eyes or brain or something

A band to check out along the lines of well thought out guitar solos is Meshuggah. Once you get past the weird tempos and the whole screamie screamie vibe, Frederik Thordendal is extremely influenced by Allan Holdsworth, and his solos really add a ton to the songs.