What makes a good guitar player?

[ZombiePosessor]

What do you think makes a good guitar player? The ability to play a million notes a second or being able to play something that sounds beautiful, no matter the speed?

I'm not impressed when I hear someone shred or watch them do it, am I alone in this? I'd much rather hear a solo that just sounds fantastic rather than a thousand notes mashed into a few seconds or minutes of super-fast playing.

So, is it the ability to play something that sounds good, or the ability to play a million notes a second? Feel free to add what you think makes a great guitar player.

[Khuskan]

Guitarists become good players when they are able to compose awesome songs themselves.

A musician who does nothing but play other peoples music is not a musician IMO.

[Metalcan]

A good guitarist should definately be able to play something that sounds good. Meaningless shredding is... meaningless (wise words). It's cool to be able to play a million notes per second, but if your notes are boring with absolutely no dynamic or feel then it's nothing more than a party trick. Remember to practise your dynamic playing, kids! It's the most important thing to practise, yet it is often neglected.

[jarrydn]

Playing a million notes at once is what I dig.

Speed takes massive training and dedication. Any turkey can read music theory and apply it semi coherently.

[Slaugther-Me1]

You know,
Everything counts....

Proper Dynamics and Timing...
Speed...
Technique...
Composing abilities....
etc

But I think the biggest secret is the "PERSONAL STYLE"

[Metalcan]

At 5/29/06 06:23 AM, CptnJarrrrrydn wrote: Playing a million notes at once is what I dig.

Speed takes massive training and dedication. Any turkey can read music theory and apply it semi coherently.

Yeah but a tone deaf person can still play fast. To play melodies with feeling requires talent, not just fast fingers. I say any turkey can play to a metronome 9 hours every day.

[SpamWarrior]

Bah, you need dynamics, a grasp of ryhthm that is both tight and un machine like, plus an ability to play a melody.

Mostly i'd say you'd need an instinct for playing guitar. Not just a desire, but the instinct that you were actually born to play this instrument. No good guitarist i know is a guy who hides in his room n crys. They all think they are the shit, and with good reason mostly.

A big ego is a MUST, after all, the lead guitarist is the one people notice, on a par with the vocalist. I'm not trying to be judgemental, just sayin it how i think it is. If you havent got the balls to do it you probably should play something else. Thats how it goes for metal/punk/hard rock/ rock with any kind of squealy soloing in it.

(i'm a drummer, make of that what you will :P)

[pinksleighrider]

What makes a good guitar player is me.

Self taught, with no music theory, never done a cover since i was 15 (22 now btw), i can make honest, original music and have developed my own 'style' of playing and have my own signature tones and rhythms. i didn't say i was any good though, but i ask, what constitutes a good song, or film, or pieceof art? it's all down to taste.

I knowmyslf i willnever be jimmy hendrix, or jimmy page, probably becasue i'm a ryhtm guitarist, but i'll be the best i can be and thats all that matters.....

[SpamWarrior]

Ah that rare beast, the guitarist who publicly doesnt believe they are the best. :S maybe my opinion is just coloured by my experiences :(

[speedmetalmessiah]

At 5/29/06 08:13 AM, SpamWarrior wrote: Ah that rare beast, the guitarist who publicly doesnt believe they are the best. :S maybe my opinion is just coloured by my experiences :(

Hmm probably. A lot of the guitarists I've talked with have always said they aren't nearly as good as they want to be and they consider their playing to be crappy.

Anyway like it was said earlier it takes talent in all areas to really be considered a good/great guitarist. A guy who has decent chops but couldn't write a song to save his life isn't really desirable to listen to. Listen to Rusty Cooley to know what I mean. It's really cool to listen to somebody belt out a thousnd or so notes in a minute but it gets old quick.

So in the end practice your ass off in every area of playing you can think of.

[mhb]

a Good guitarist is comprised of many things but can be described as one thing, emotional expression.

take for instance john petrucci from dream theatre. an amazing guitarist but all of the dream theatre songs have barely any emotion 'cause they're all fucked up rhythms that a person with touretts couldn't even feel.

here's my list of things that a guitar player needs in order to be a Good guitar player:

rhythm
groove
knowledge of what sounds Good
knowledge of theory
the abilty to utilize that knowledge without fuckin' up their natural ability of feeling
feeling
emotion
intensity
percussional syncopation
hand-eye coordination
the ability to see descriptive and vivid mental images
technique
speed
knowledge of all types of music even ones that consist of no guitar work
ballz the size of jupiter
knowledge of dance
the ability to dance
to consider the guitar their companion, best friend, baby, and family member
the ability to enter the drunken rage zone while bein' sober

and the last one on the list...

the ability and ballz to tell the drummer to get fucked when that stupid bastard thinks he knows what the hell he's talkin' about

[SpamWarrior]

bwa hahaha i got told.

Lucky we didnt have this discussion in person or i'd have no skin left.

:( sorry, was just callin it as i saw it, no offence meant to anyone

[SolusLunes]

A good guitarist is one who can play the drums. And nothing else.

[SpamWarrior]

Well its clear apology not accepted, fair play, cant blame you really.

Not done so well in terms of not offendin people i have no reason to, today. :(

Its clear no apology will clear this up:S but still, sorry, i drew my experience from "my" guitarist, from when we were kids, (13 - 17)

[speedmetalmessiah]

At 5/29/06 02:16 PM, SpamWarrior wrote: Well its clear apology not accepted, fair play, cant blame you really.

Not done so well in terms of not offendin people i have no reason to, today. :(

Its clear no apology will clear this up:S but still, sorry, i drew my experience from "my" guitarist, from when we were kids, (13 - 17)

Eh no apology neccesary. Your free to say/think whatever the hell you want. Besides I don't think anybody was offended.

[SpamWarrior]

I think i need some ban time, lol.