So i'm talking to my buddy(who's a guitarist). We can't decide who's the better guitarist, Jimi Hendrix, or Jimmy Page. I personally think its Hendrix(no offense to Page, but Hendrix took guitar to a new level). Opinions?
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Page or Hendrix
- Thread starter SundanceChile
- Start date
Hendrix, simply because he had the feel, and meant every note he played. Page always came off like a half ass drunken "virtuoso" to me...too far reaching for his ability. Sorta like watching Angus Young trying to play like Eddie Van Halen...hahahahahaha. Just kidding there. Seriously tho, Page had alot of really great moments, I just never dug him.
flame away if you must. Just my opinion.
I just happen to be listenning to Hendrix as I type this.
Mon"
flame away if you must. Just my opinion.
I just happen to be listenning to Hendrix as I type this.
Mon"
I'll say what everyone will probably say: Hendrix took the guitar to a new level, but Page was the quintessential rock guitarist and songwriter. Hendrix is the influence, Page is the application. Or something like that.
I think we can all agree that what Hendrix did back then doesn't seem like much today. You have to put yourself in the frame of mind of his generation. His influence was incredible. Not many guitarists can say they have furthered the instrument as much. He also had great chops, but he was a very soulful player and his note selection is almost unmatched.
Page was a terrific player and great writer who did everything from acoustic to electric, lead and rhythm guitar, various tunings and tons of effects, and a boatload of rock hits, blues jams, ballads, etc etc. Technically, he was raw (and some would say sloppy), but in my opinion extremely gifted. His influence was very important, but not so much for the same reasons as Jimi. He didn't pioneer a new style of playing, he perfected it. All in my opinion, of course.
EDIT: The poll just appeared, and I don't think I can bring myself to choose one!
I think we can all agree that what Hendrix did back then doesn't seem like much today. You have to put yourself in the frame of mind of his generation. His influence was incredible. Not many guitarists can say they have furthered the instrument as much. He also had great chops, but he was a very soulful player and his note selection is almost unmatched.
Page was a terrific player and great writer who did everything from acoustic to electric, lead and rhythm guitar, various tunings and tons of effects, and a boatload of rock hits, blues jams, ballads, etc etc. Technically, he was raw (and some would say sloppy), but in my opinion extremely gifted. His influence was very important, but not so much for the same reasons as Jimi. He didn't pioneer a new style of playing, he perfected it. All in my opinion, of course.
EDIT: The poll just appeared, and I don't think I can bring myself to choose one!
Better?
Why would you even bother about trying to compare the two? Seriously. There is no "best." It's more about who's style you like more.
That being said, I dig Page's material more, I dig Page's early Zep tone more, but I like Hendrix' willingness to experiment.
Why would you even bother about trying to compare the two? Seriously. There is no "best." It's more about who's style you like more.
That being said, I dig Page's material more, I dig Page's early Zep tone more, but I like Hendrix' willingness to experiment.
I didn't vote because they are 2 different animals. Hendrix was very innovative, but a flash in the pan and frankly, his solos, well you have to be a Hendrix fan.
Page started out in the studio and was on 60 % of the rock recordings that came out of England in the mid 60's. He recorded with the Kinks, Stones, Who.... Then he played bass for the Yardbird, switched back to guitar. Was left as the sole member of the band and then created maybe the most influential band ever. People site Led Zeppelin as an influence more than the Beatles now.
To quote Eddie Van Halen when asked who was the best guitarist, part of his answer was "Hendrix was the best at playing Hendrix. Page was the best at playing Page."
Page started out in the studio and was on 60 % of the rock recordings that came out of England in the mid 60's. He recorded with the Kinks, Stones, Who.... Then he played bass for the Yardbird, switched back to guitar. Was left as the sole member of the band and then created maybe the most influential band ever. People site Led Zeppelin as an influence more than the Beatles now.
To quote Eddie Van Halen when asked who was the best guitarist, part of his answer was "Hendrix was the best at playing Hendrix. Page was the best at playing Page."
Page is an awesome guitarist and I LOVE Zeppelin's music. He has some of the greatest and most recognized guitar riffs ever....but so does Jimi.
I went with Hendrix. This is another case of the importance of the music over-riding the technical skill.
It's like when my friend tries to tell me that Wooten is better then Jaco. Sure, Wooten's insane. But Jaco laid the foundation for guys like him. In my eyes, that makes him better. Same applies for Hendrix.
I went with Hendrix. This is another case of the importance of the music over-riding the technical skill.
It's like when my friend tries to tell me that Wooten is better then Jaco. Sure, Wooten's insane. But Jaco laid the foundation for guys like him. In my eyes, that makes him better. Same applies for Hendrix.
Page is junk when it comes to leads, his leads are truely awful. He's an OK riffer, he in fact, helped invent riffing... one might argue them just LOUDER blues riffs, but still.
Hendrix was expressive, to be cliche perhaps, his guitar was an extension of his soul... and he had the soul of a madman!
Hendrix was expressive, to be cliche perhaps, his guitar was an extension of his soul... and he had the soul of a madman!
AxtoOx said:
MikeyFingers said:
I love Page, I love Zeppelin, I love those songs... but man, I don't care if he was a session guitarist, his leads suck. As often as you hear "Page is sloppy," it's true. I don't care if it's considered the most influential guitar solo of all time- he's sloppy as anything. For example, I used to love the Dazed and Confused solo- and I always accepted that solo as a part of the song, heard the solo a zillion times, played that solo a few hundred times, but I never really listened to it. One day I was in the car in the middle of nowhere and I actually listened to Dazed and Confused. I seriously have played that solo at least as good as Page pulled it off. It's a mess with missed notes, flubs, bad timing... the works- but it's still a great solo and fits the song perfectly.Matt Till said:
I guess what this really points out is that you needn't be a virtuoso to be considered a "great." While I would imagine Satriani, Vai or even Malmsteen are considered "better" guitar players than Hendrix, Page or Clapton, the difference is that I enjoy the material of Hendrix, Page and Clapton much more- and I think it's influenced immeasurably more people than any "virtuoso."
I can't say who is better, I can't even decide who I like best. I love them both, but if I were stuck on a deserted island (with the choice of one LP), I would take a Zep album. As much as I love Hendrix, he has never written a "Rain Song".
Boy, just as I thought my answer was an easy, "Hendrix" I thought for just a few seconds about "The Rain Song" - "Down By the Seaside", "Bron y aur Stomp", "Achilles Last Stand" and thought... wait a minute...
Jimi was a master! Controlled that guitar like a race car driver, fighter pilot, Superman... Literally caused it to melt under his command.
Jimmy could create guitar-scapes and vignettes as well as crunch the hell outta some pre-metal metal - The nights I spent being transported by his guitar parts to mysterious places of whoknowswhere... ahhhh, that is some special guitar...
Hmmm...
I vote for J'imë
Jimi was a master! Controlled that guitar like a race car driver, fighter pilot, Superman... Literally caused it to melt under his command.
Jimmy could create guitar-scapes and vignettes as well as crunch the hell outta some pre-metal metal - The nights I spent being transported by his guitar parts to mysterious places of whoknowswhere... ahhhh, that is some special guitar...
Hmmm...
I vote for J'imë
See, I much more prefer this kind of conversation as opposed to the one my friend and I had.
But dude, Hendrix never wrote Since I've Been Loving You!
-And Page never wrote Hey Joe, your point being?
Dude! Its Since I've Been Loving You!
Thanks to all who have provided their opinions on this.
But dude, Hendrix never wrote Since I've Been Loving You!
-And Page never wrote Hey Joe, your point being?
Dude! Its Since I've Been Loving You!
Thanks to all who have provided their opinions on this.
