Oi, check the ones I've suggested out. They completely elevate the songs without stepping outside of them, but they're still "solos" really.
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Greatest guitar solo's
- Thread starter Uncle Spielberg
- Start date
Oi, check the ones I've suggested out. They completely elevate the songs without stepping outside of them, but they're still "solos" really.
34064 Fighter Command
New member
The correct musical term is not a 'solo' but a 'cadenza', and has been used in classical music since Mozart. In fact it was generally accepted that a performer would write their own cadenza and shoehorn it in to the concerto work of another composer, as a means of displaying their technical skill to the audience.
Most recorded performances will prefer to use the composers own cadenza, assuming he wrote one ( and in the case of someone like Beethoven they very often didn't ) so if you listen to a Beethoven piano concerto then you will not hear a cadenza written by Beethoven, but by someone else.
mejonaNO12 aka riskit
Well-known member
Mr argument is if I am going to watch a person who supposedly is BRILLIANT at guitar, then I want him to DEMONSTRATE that to me.
It's like signing Ronaldo and then telling him to not do a stepover as it's a bit showy-offy.
It's like signing Ronaldo and then telling him to not do a stepover as it's a bit showy-offy.
I'm a peppers fan, so don't need to listen to that one (can't get YT here at work anyway). Point stands. Anything beyond 20 seconds or so is self-indulgent show-boating.
You're missing the point entirely. If Ronaldo did two step-overs to beat a man, you'd applaud it. If he found himself in 20 yards of space, and stood there doing fifteen pointless step-overs, you'd think he was being a cock.
But then I listen to music for what a BAND can do together, not see how many hours one of them has been axe-wanking in their bedroom.
e x a c t l y !
fruitnveg
Well-known member
I cannot agree with that. A song or instrumental (rock, metal etc) without a guitar solo is, quite simply, without a soul. Yes there are a lot of badly written and poorly executed solos, but the good ones... so good.
Alas, I cannot link youtube from work, so will link you some tasty solo's when I get back home in the eve.
Okay. I promise to listen to them all. I'll try to be open-minded too, but from your choice of words above, I'm expecting nothing but for you to choose EXACTLY the kind of nonsense I've been arguing against!
Trufflehound
Re-enfranchised
By and large, absolutely this.
But there are a few honourable exceptions where long solos are used to build tension within a song rather than throwing it completely off its rhythm.
By several country miles, the best example of this to my ears is Television's Marquee Moon:
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mejonaNO12 aka riskit
Well-known member
No, what I mean is if someone is portrayed as the best at something you want to be entertained by that quality.
I wouldnt have wanted to go see Hendrix and then see him just strumming along. I would want a moment of individual brilliance.
It's not an either or situatiuon. The guitar solo does not have to be INSTEAD of some excellent band-playing. It compliments it.
A frankly insane statement - no different to saying any song without a KEY CHANGE has no soul.
Blues Rock DJ
New member
All depends on the listener's mood, but certainly up amongst the best I've heard has to be UFO (Michael Schenker) 'Rock Bottom' from 'Stranger in the Night' album.........
The Sock of Poskett
The best is yet to come (spoiler alert)
- Jun 12, 2009
- 2,836
Good call. Another couple I'd chuck into the mix (one slightly surprising) would be on
Don't believe a word - Thin Lizzy, and
Goodbye to Love - The Carpenters
Both perfect in their own way, but serving entirely different purposes in the dynamics of the song.
- Jan 3, 2012
- 17,355
Difficult when so many people are hidebound by categories of music, but if you listen to "Time is Tight" by Booker T and the MG's (possibly my favourite ever instrumental) the guitar solo towards the end is in my view the flabbiest weakest bit of the whole track, and Steve Cropper was a bit of a hero.
way back in the 70's, I can remember a reviewer saying that the guitar solo on Promise of a Fisherman on the Album Borboletta by (Carlos) Santana was the best guitar solo ever recorded. Obviously a lot of water has gone under the bridge since then......
My favourite ever air guitar track is Blue Sky by the Allman Brothers band - rubbish lyrics but two great guitarists - Dicky Betts and Duane Allman - Nothing flashy or too fast, but for soul and feeling....
And another shout for Steve Hillage. He played on a Kevin Ayers track once called "Shouting in a Bucket Blues". Tremendous.
rockypaul
New member
- May 23, 2011
- 95
Ritchie Blackmore & Jimmy Page
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dXBu0U1dFj4&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dXBu0U1dFj4&feature=related
mejonaNO12 aka riskit
Well-known member
Also, (yes i've come back to this) the idea that a solo can't be complimentary to the track if it is over a certain length is, in my opinion, bollocks.
Simple example: Jimmy Page in stairway to heaven. It basically sets up the BRILLIANT end to the whole track.
What I hate most about music is when people over-analyse it. Solo's are great and they often are a bit showy-off and pretentious. SO WHAT
Simple example: Jimmy Page in stairway to heaven. It basically sets up the BRILLIANT end to the whole track.
What I hate most about music is when people over-analyse it. Solo's are great and they often are a bit showy-off and pretentious. SO WHAT
Don Quixote
Well-known member
- Nov 4, 2008
- 8,362
Surely the Solo in stairway to heaven is the best, no one has ever played anything like that.
- Jan 3, 2012
- 17,355
Different strokes for different folks. personally I think that Stairway to heaven is the biggest load of pretentious claptrap I have ever heard.... nothing personal.