Top 5 Most Innovative Guitarists

[TexxasJam]

My list includes (in no particular order):

Eddie Van Halen 
Jimi Hendrix
Chuck Berry
Allan Holdsworth
Andres Segovia

I include EVH and Hendrix because they changed the way more rock guitarists play guitar than any other (IMHO).
Chuck Berry wrote the book in the first place.
The guitar practically owes its very existence to Segovia.
As for Holdworth...need I say anything?

 

[Soloshchenko]

The King of the Delta Blues singers, Mr Robert Johnson was incredibly innovative, hugely influencial in the evolution of blues and what was to become rock and roll guitar and needs to be mentioned on here. Not only that but for records made so long ago they still sound f*cking brilliant.

 

[jackthehack]

1.) Django Reinhardt
2.) Wes Montgomery
3.) Chuck Berry
4.) Jimi Hendrix
5.) EVH

All those mentioned should be given their due. When I think of INNOVATIVE - I think: time, place and IMPACT! This list works for me...

Well, could have picked more than 5 names, but did so on the basis of innovative - sounding completely different than anyone that came before them, and influence on generations of players that came after, hard to argue with those five.

 

[SrDeMaFp]

(In no particular order...)
EVH
Dimebag Darrell
Buckethead
Tom Morello
Tony Iommi

 

[dbw]

The King of the Delta Blues singers, Mr Robert Johnson was incredibly innovative, hugely influencial in the evolution of blues and what was to become rock and roll guitar and needs to be mentioned on here. Not only that but for records made so long ago they still sound f*cking brilliant.

Good one, that should have been mine.  :icon_thumright:

 

[ocguy106]

Stanley Jordan didn't make the list. Not only is he innovative he is bad ass!!! It you haven't heard of him check him out on youtube. I saw him in concert and he is the real deal for sure.

Ken

 

[SlingBass]

1.) Django Reinhardt
2.) Wes Montgomery
3.) Chuck Berry
4.) Jimi Hendrix
5.) EVH

All those mentioned should be given their due. When I think of INNOVATIVE - I think: time, place and IMPACT! This list works for me...

Well, could have picked more than 5 names, but did so on the basis of innovative - sounding completely different than anyone that came before them, and influence on generations of players that came after, hard to argue with those five.

A top 10 may have been more fair (how could one exclude Chet Atkins) - but a grunge/death/thrash metal player wouldn't be on that list...

 

[bpmorton777]

1) Jimmy Smith
2) Keith Emerson
oh, wait a miniut....you said guitarists.... :laughing7:

Brian

 

[whitebison66]

Warner E. Hodges, Jason and the Scorchers. Pedal steel licks at 90mph and 130dB.

 

[Soloshchenko]

WTF? Do you know what INNOVATIVE means? Ritchie Blackmore never played a lick he didn't steal and cops to that readily; Tom Morello can barely play guitar....

1.) Django Reinhardt
2.) Wes Montgomery
3.) Chuck Berry
4.) Jimi Hendrix
5.) EVH

Wes Montgomery is a great choice. I'm not even a jazz fan really but every guitarist needs to hear this guy. His octave playing still sounds innovative today and takes far greater technique than repetitive shredding.

 

[jackthehack]

WTF? Do you know what INNOVATIVE means? Ritchie Blackmore never played a lick he didn't steal and cops to that readily; Tom Morello can barely play guitar....

1.) Django Reinhardt
2.) Wes Montgomery
3.) Chuck Berry
4.) Jimi Hendrix
5.) EVH

Wes Montgomery is a great choice. I'm not even a jazz fan really but every guitarist needs to hear this guy. His octave playing still sounds innovative today and takes far greater technique than repetitive shredding.

Even Jimi and Stevie Ray stole his octave riffs

 

[stubhead]

Didn't Wes steal his octaves from Django?  Tarrega was a great octave man, probably where Segovia picked it up... :laughing8: It's likely that Tarrega picked up some ideas from violinist Paganini, as fingered octaves are said to be the basis of a lot of his innovations. Paganini was an excellent guitarist and his influence is unmeasurable, due to the fact that his violin innovations overshadowed the record regarding his guitar playing. Assigning influences is tricky without first-person interviews - everybody gets the same notes, and parallel developments are common.

 

[Soloshchenko]

Didn't Wes steal his octaves from Django?  Tarrega was a great octave man, probably where Segovia picked it up... :laughing8: It's likely that Tarrega picked up some ideas from violinist Paganini, as fingered octaves are said to be the basis of a lot of his innovations. Paganini was an excellent guitarist and his influence is unmeasurable, due to the fact that his violin innovations overshadowed the record regarding his guitar playing. Assigning influences is tricky without first-person interviews - everybody gets the same notes, and parallel developments are common.

An old classically trained music teacher of mine at college was absolutely astounded when I told him of Paganini's guitar past. It's like some dark history the classicalists don't like to speak of.

I would also add Jeff Beck to the list. Normally, after 15 years of fairly intensive playing I tend to listen to a record and start to work out how to play it, or at least understand the techniques involved. When I listen to Jeff, particularly his modern stuff like the album "you had it coming" and "jeff": I'm clueless as to how the hell he is making those sounds or how you begin approaching that kind ofinsane playing. I tried to work out Nadia from that record and was at a loss as to how half the sounds are made. He has a great sense of melody too. 

 

[GoDrex]

Jeff is probably my all time favorite and I don't even have all of his stuff hehehe . His style is inspires me more than anyone else.

 

[ildar]

Picking up the Paganini mantle, I wonder if he was innovative as a guitarist? The answer is probably to the affirmative, but I'm led to wonder further if simply taking material intended for one instrument and performing it on another constitutes innovation?

Also, I'm seeing a trend in this thread toward just naming one's favorites rather than any real innovators.

Btw, good call on Tarrega and Chet.

 

[nathan a]

Picking up the Paganini mantle, I wonder if he was innovative as a guitarist? The answer is probably to the affirmative, but I'm led to wonder further if simply taking material intended for one instrument and performing it on another constitutes innovation?

Personally, I'd say yes. Because it's usually impossible to play something exactly the same; often notes change octaves, and voicings change, giving the music a totally different sort of experience. Plus, you need to rethink your playing when trying to mimic other instruments. People always talk about how saxophonists phrase things, and how playing guitar with that same sort of phrasing changes things around.

So I'd say yes. It changes the way you approach the music and your instrument.

 

[stubhead]

I have a CD of duets called Paganini for Two, with violinist Gil Shaham and guitarist Goran Sollscher. Paganini claimed not to like the guitar, but he used it to compose with. Most of the flashy stuff is given over to the violin here, the guitar is definitely not the lead instrument. The interaction of the two instruments on Paganini's writing is to a great extent where his violin innovations came from. Most of these pieces were written between 1803 and 1808, when there really was no tradition of classical guitar playing - guitars were the inferior bastard cousins of lutes that lustful Spaniard barbarians used to play flamenco on. Real "classical" guitar development came later, as composers like Sor and Tarrega used the intersection of flamenco and lute music to develop a new synthesis.

 

[DocNrock]

1) Dave Murray
2) EVH
3) John Sykes
4) Joe Satriani
5) Steve Vai

Number 1 is number 1, the rest are in no particular order.  This is how they impacted me, not the evolution of the guitar...carry on.

 

[Volitions Advocate]

if i were back in high school i would've put jeff martin right at the top of the list.

but in recent years and meeting the man (his ego) in person i've realized a few things.

everything he does he either took from jimi or page and nothign that he does is any more complicated than what John Rzeznik from GGD does.

Since im more of a young guy tho my top 5 would be something a little less.....  classic?
and i post these in no particular order.

Mike Einziger (Incubus)  -  Has so many sounds and hes not afraid to do whatever he can to fit the song.  He does a lot for a lone guitarist.
James Black (Finger Eleven) - he's the flavour guitar in this band.  Someone I've seen live about 7 times and I"m always watching him very closely and trying to get a view of his gear.
Amir Derakh (Orgy) - a pioneer in synth guitar
Claudio Sanchez - (Coheed and Cambria) I know not everybody's cup of tea. i've heard people call him nu-prog, whatever the hell that means.. and that they sound like rush without talent.  just haters talking I guess.  I have no idea how this guy does what he does on the fretboard while he sings at the same time. its unreal.
for my fifth spot. i dunno.  I'll agree with a lot of the guys on here.  Im not a fan of prince, but i am a fan of his guitar playing.  Tom morello was definatly cool, though i wasn't much of a fan.... i dunno. take it for what its worth i guess.

 

[m4rk0]

1) Dave Murray
2) EVH
3) John Sykes
4) Joe Satriani
5) Steve Vai

Number 1 is number 1, the rest are in no particular order.  This is how they impacted me, not the evolution of the guitar...carry on.

Great List!
(what's wrong with Adrian Smith?? )