Ever been in a guitar duel?

[Wizard of Wailing]

      My go-to song whenever I'm checking out a guitar at a store is  "Eugene's Trick Bag",  A.K.A. the coup-de-grace that Ralph Macchio defeats Steve Vai with in the movie "Crossroads".  I figured I would ask if anybody has ever really been in a guitar duel.  Then I figured that's an absurd question.  That doesn't happen in real life.  Then I remembered...I have been in a guitar duel.
    It was 1991 and "Wicked Game" by Chris Issak was topping the charts.  A guitar magazine had the tablature so I learned it.  My older brother (who didn't play guitar), loved that song so much he tried to learn it using my magazine and Tele.  He somehow got it into his head that he could play this song better than me.  He insisted my mom watch both of us play and judge the winner.  I (to my older brother's disbelief), won.  He never touched my guitar again.
      Anybody else been in a duel? 

 

[swarfrat]

Such a difference one letter makes. Duel. Duet.

 

[Verne Bunsen]

I think the world would be a much more civilized place if more disagreements were decided by Guitar Duels....
:guitarplayer2:                          arty07:

 

[Logrinn]

So how do you challenge someone to a guitar duel?
I imagine you don't slap the person in the face with a glove or throw down your gauntlet, but what do you do?
Throw a pick at him and yell, "I challenge you!"?

 

[bagman67]

Actually, I reckon that's pretty close to it.  A little trash talk, that sort of thing.  "IS that all you got?  My granny rocks harder than you!"  Also, play something flashy enough to draw some attention and intimidate the other player.  Rev the engine at the red light, so to speak. 


Personally, I don't much care for music as a competitive sport.  It's more of a collaborative undertaking as far as I'm concerned, but then, I would rather stand behind a competent player and comp whole note chords and really listen to what the guy's doing than to try to hotdog my way through yet another chorus of "Mustang Sally."  Once Jeff Back played it, I think it's all been said, at least on that song.  YMMV.


All that having been said, it's definitely worthwhile to really be able to bring the attitude - but for the sake of the music and the audience, not so you can brag about having the biggest d!ck on the stage.

 

[Wizard of Wailing]

    It helps to have an older brother who was a real jerk throughout childhood.

 

[Timmsie95]

I imagine it happening like a Yu-Gi-Oh! duel.
You hold your favorite pick between two fingers, and spin, then throw it down at his feet, and then your roadie hands you your guitar and the backing track starts playing, and it's a battle to the death. :laughing7:

 

[Logrinn]

So you don't start back to back and each walk twenty paces, turn and then ... shred?

:guitarplayer2: -------------------- :guitarplayer2:

 

[bagman67]

Not unless you have a 50-foot guitar cable.

 

[mayfly]

I've been in a few guitar duels at open stage jams around town.  Win or lose, I always tried to be more tasteful than flashy.  Maybe it didn't get points with the guys, but the girls liked it....  :icon_biggrin:

 

[Logrinn]

I've been in a few guitar duels at open stage jams around town.  Win or lose, I always tried to be more tasteful than flashy.  Maybe it didn't get points with the guys, but the girls liked it....  :icon_biggrin:

... and that's all that matters ...

 

[Tonar8352]

Cutting heads, yea baby.