Overused guitar techniques

[m4rk0]

oh to answer the question,

do you all remember the time that Solos were frowned upon, and even Metallica decided to leave them out? well, I still think Solos should be banned!! along with power chords! and divebombs... all trem use actually!

 

[Eric Banjitar]

We should all take the vow to NEVER point the guitar at the audience as if it were a gun a fire off a few rounds. Bass players and guitar players are also NO LONGER ALLOWED to spoon each other and then rock the necks of their guitars in unison up and down. Please! :guitarplayer2: arty07:  ICKY

 

[JimBeed]

do you all remember the time that Solos were frowned upon, and even Metallica decided to leave them out?

Ah the age of the shit kebab, we still havent come out of that era ,  :sad1: :sad: :sad: :sad: :sad: :sad:

 

[llmtelecaster]

Finger tapping. Enough, already.

 

[Superlizard]

Chunking the A or E string whilst interspersing 2 or 3-note triads in 4/4 time with mondo gain.

Oh wait, I just gave away the formula for hair metal.

 

[Jusatele]

quit picking on hair metal, we were all gods, and had very stylin hair. tight pants and way to many scarfs.

I have to agree a bit with Elfro and DT fans though, they seem to think simple music has no place, there are some of the greatest songs in the world that are way simplistic

aint no sunshine
dock of the bay

and they have stood the test of time, you still listen to them when they are on.

any good music, is good music. Never put it down because you listen to something else.

 

[Torment Leaves Scars]

quit picking on hair metal, we were all gods, and had very stylin hair. tight pants and way to many scarfs.

I have to agree a bit with Elfro and DT fans though, they seem to think simple music has no place, there are some of the greatest songs in the world that are way simplistic

aint no sunshine
dock of the bay

and they have stood the test of time, you still listen to them when they are on.

any good music, is good music. Never put it down because you listen to something else.

+1 on the Hair Metal. 

People can say what they want about it, but some of the best songs ever written were Hair Metal songs.  While they may not be as technically complicated as a Dream Theater song, in the end, what matters most is how good something sounds, not how hard it is to play.

I love Dream Theater (I have 7 of their records), and some of these other technical wizards, but, guess what, years down the line, nobody's going to give a damn about Dream Theater but hardcore musicians.  Dream Theater is a "musician's band."  We like them because they're hard to play, and as musicians, we hold great appreciation for their skills.

Now, take bands like Bon Jovi and Poison.  They strike chords with the ladies, and they remember the first time they heard "Wanted Dead Or Alive."  They remember where they were, what they were doing, who they were dating, blah blah blah.  Ask them where they were, what they were doing, who they were dating, blah blah blah the first time they heard "Pull Me Under."  They're not going to remember.

IMO, Dream Theater have more musical talent in their pinkies than some of these Hair Metal bands, yet the Hair Metal bands with the simple music are the ones with the hits.

 

[elfro89]

IMO, Dream Theater have more musical talent in their pinkies than some of these Hair Metal bands, yet the Hair Metal bands with the simple music are the ones with the hits.

I think talent is the wrong way to think of it cause no-one is born with the skills they possess, it took them years of practice to get where they are and anyone who is dedicated enough can achieve a similar level of ability and intuition. One of the tutors at my college called Kevin Murray, he is one of the greatest musicians I have ever known. He can capture your attention by playing the simplest of melodies and chord arrangements, that in itself is paramount to just how skilled this man is. In my opinion this makes him more accomplished then all of the famous players who rely on their technical prowess to wow their audiences. It's harder to capture an audience with something simple then by playing something that took months of practice.

For the record, Kev is a true virtuoso who can conquer anything put in his path. A great man.

You can find his website here:

http://www.thetunesmith.com/

 

[stubhead]

What's weird to me is that I think John Petrucci's solo album is great! Sure you can hear some of the influences, but the execution and writing is more powerful (and in many ways more simple) than what he brings to Dream Theater. They almost seem to get more self-indulgent and "ooh-we're-so-smart" the more of them there are on a record. Liquid Tension Experiment is better than Dream Theater, but worse than their solo stuff. Maybe they're afraid to bring a song to band practice that isn't really hard to play? They certainly all get off on playing in tribute bands, "dumbing down" to play Metallica or Zeppelin. Gee - maybe they could write a song in 4/4 time?  :laughing11: :laughing3:

For what it's worth, I also like Jeff Loomis's solo album better than Nevermore, and Kiko Loureiro's solo album way better than Angra. And I was knocked out by both the 1st and 2nd edition of the Steve Morse Band, it's a shame that he couldn't even make a living playing that back in 1986 (1st) and 1990 (2nd). As far as writing goes, Southern Steel and Coast to Coast will munch anything Steve Vai or Satriani have ever done. Morse was just 15 years ahead of his time. "The times" has a lot to do with it - if you were a great guitarist in 1985, you could either stay broke playing interesting music, or put on spandex and lipstick and make a go of it. A lot of the old hair metal guys are way better than is needed for their bands (as is true of Schon with Journey & Lukather with Toto).

 

[Eric Banjitar]

"For this next number I am going to use one of my most favorite musical techniques.  I am going to take a simple theme and drive it into the ground"  Leo Kottke

 

[swarfrat]

On migh could argu ha h lrs "t" and "e" ar ovrusd

 

[bagman67]

"For this next number I am going to use one of my most favorite musical techniques.  I am going to take a simple theme and drive it into the ground"  Leo Kottke

Ah, Leo - master of the laconic remark. 

 

[The Norwegian Guy]

I think strumming's used far too much these days.

That, and the use of chords. Way too many guitarists are playing chords these days, I'm tired of it! :icon_jokercolor:

god damn bassist!

 

[JimBeed]

I think strumming's used far too much these days.

That, and the use of chords. Way too many guitarists are playing chords these days, I'm tired of it! :icon_jokercolor:

god damn bassist!

Id say something back but after a recent holiday in norway i found out how good the norway army are at hiding, so one might be behind me  :sad: :laughing7:

 

[Orpheo]

pinch harmonics, definitely. I like to use 'm and use them a lot, but in records you hear them too often, just as a squeel. the way roy buchanan, steve morse or one of the other demigods uses pinches, thats just awesome.

I like dreamtheater's technique,riffage, soloing, but I DON'T like the singer. I hate his voice. darned. if they were to get another singer, I'd like them more.

About hair metal: some of the hairmetal is supereasy, like motley, but some have harder solo's, like Dokken (George Lynch!!) and some bands are just impossibly difficult, like Winger. thats Dreamtheater in a hairmetal coating. damn, those guys are good.

 

[Volitions Advocate]

4 / 4 time.  6 / 8 time. 3 / 4 time.

"key changes" that just transpose everything up / down X frets.  I suppose technically a "key change" would be the proper word for it, since It is hardly a proper modulation.  We need Dominants people!! The Chordal 7th resolves down G'Dammit!
Moot point anyway, since nobody uses 3rds or 7ths in guitar chords anyway.  At least nobody who's written anything the last 30 years.

Also.. Guitar solos  :icon_jokercolor:

Actually the one thing that bugs me the most about guitar players is any kind of absolute "this is the way" attitude.  I use an equal amount of true bypass analogue and digital effects.  I'm not a lead player, I really don't enjoy playing solos.  But I dont think they are stupid, just like I don't think music without guitar solos is stupid.  We need to open things up and experiment a bit.  It doesn't have to be all metal, all screamo, or all zeppelin,  We can mix and match and make new sounds without tethering ourselves.  my $0.03

 

[Torment Leaves Scars]

pinch harmonics, definitely. I like to use 'm and use them a lot, but in records you hear them too often, just as a squeel. the way roy buchanan, steve morse or one of the other demigods uses pinches, thats just awesome.

I like dreamtheater's technique,riffage, soloing, but I DON'T like the singer. I hate his voice. darned. if they were to get another singer, I'd like them more.

About hair metal: some of the hairmetal is supereasy, like motley, but some have harder solo's, like Dokken (George Lynch!!) and some bands are just impossibly difficult, like Winger. thats Dreamtheater in a hairmetal coating. damn, those guys are good.

I'll just come out and say it.  I think that skill-wise, Winger was a good band, and if it wasn't for Beavis & Butt-head, they wouldn't be the laughing stock of Metal.  Winger didn't kill Metal, Nelson and Europe did.

 

[Justinginn]

I love winger. At least the new reincarnation. I'm too young to know the old Winger.

 

[Jusatele]

Strings
just to many guys using strings on guitars these days

 

[Superlizard]

I'll just come out and say it.  I think that skill-wise, Winger was a good band, and if it wasn't for Beavis & Butt-head, they wouldn't be the laughing stock of Metal.

:laughing7: