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Guitar Solos Are Dead? Really?


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Hi Forum peeps...

 

Believe it or not, I still see media from time to time hammering the concept that the guitar solo is dead. Yeah. It's click baiting for the most part, but I kinda hate how that myth keeps getting promoted by the pop-culture press.

 

To combat this false assumption, I have been collecting YouTube links of wonderful, every day guitar players performing really cool guitar solos. If you want to be included in this collection of awesomeness at GuardiansofGuitar.com, please REPLY with a YouTube link to your best solo. It doesn't matter if it's an original song or a coverâalthough originals are preferred. I'll also need your name, your band's name, and your favorite rig (guitar, amp, essential pedals, etc.)

 

Please feel free to share with your guitarist friends so that we can have a massive onslaught of great guitar playing documented.

 

Finally, if you want to declare your best argument as to why guitar solos ARE NOT dead, please post that, as well. I will use the best quotes within the web article.

 

Let's smack down a falsehood and promote the guitar!!!!

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I'm lucky enough to work with Tim Pierce, so I know for a fact that guitar solos aren't dead. :2thu::boing:

 

I don't have a YouTube video for this track, but it's an original tune with Pierce all over it, and a nasty ass actual one-take solo in the middle. We kept the track lit after he finished the solo, and he continued to noodle marvelously all over the outro.

 

Here's a link.

 

Don Schiff on N/S stick, John Ferraro on drums, me on keys and wannabe Alice Cooper vox. We did Pierce's guitars at his studio, so who the hell knows what chain he used. :idk:

 

If only the tune itself was better... :facepalm:

 

dB

:snax:

 

:keys:==> David Bryce Music • Funky Young Monks <==:rawk:

 

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Ooh - Don Schiff! Looking forward to seeing him with Rocket Scientists at Progstock this October. And Tim Pierce.. yeah!

Not to go OT, but I play in another band with Mark McCrite from Rocket Scientists. At practice the other night, Mark told me that Progstock may be in some danger.

 

dB

 

:snax:

 

:keys:==> David Bryce Music • Funky Young Monks <==:rawk:

 

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  • 2 weeks later...
Guitar solos aren't dead, they just smell funny. :wacko::rimshot:

 

HAHAHAH My favorite comment of the week.

 

The media. Grrrrr. I dont care for them too much. Theve caused to much nonsense, and theyre troublemakers.

 

At Dave Bryce, that is a great tune my friend. You got some great stuff going on there. I know you say it was done in the 80's but its too bad it wasnt noticed famously. For you too say "If only the tune itself was better... " Not true. From beginning to end was amazing! Great job.

Instrumental Rock, is the only way to go
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Hey... I was in the media! Be kind. Hahaha.

 

Do you still have all your hair? LOL My condolences my friend. (totally just messing with ya :D )LMAO! Ya I was talking most of todays style media. Its amazing how a story is told, by who's telling the story. I follow some real-news type bloggers etc, and one of the big ones in my area, just got blacklisted on google yesterday. Messed up part, is they have never told a story that wasnt true. They copy-n-paste your exact words like on Facebook etc. And then people yell at them calling them racist etc. Its just crazy when they say that, cause all they did, was copy-n-paste the persons exact words. Im sure its just a matter of time, before they are gone too. :(

Instrumental Rock, is the only way to go
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At Dave Bryce, that is a great tune my friend. You got some great stuff going on there. I know you say it was done in the 80's but its too bad it wasnt noticed famously. For you too say "If only the tune itself was better... " Not true. From beginning to end was amazing! Great job.

Thanks, Dave! :wave:

 

It was not done in the 80's, though - we recorded that about three or four years ago.

 

dB

 

:snax:

 

:keys:==> David Bryce Music • Funky Young Monks <==:rawk:

 

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Any elaboration? You don't think that just the right solo can elevate a track?

 

Im glad you asked that. Im hoping he answers.

 

The sad truth of what Im seeing in his statement, is it seems the kind of music that requires the use of guitars is fading. Im seeing a tend. If it isnt thrash or hard rock, the guitar player seems to be taking a backseat. Just enough to know he is there, but the limelight of the guitar soloist seems to be not so front stage. Plus, with todays tech and the use of internet, a mess load of the forums about guitarist seem to going down hill too. Its how I ended up here. I searched for an active forum within the year. The last one I was on, was very active, but when I left music to take a break 5 years ago, came back and most havnt been on in 2 years. I messaged the Admin, about making it active again, and to what I feel is, hes not interested. And my youtube!! Damn, I had a good list of friends there. And same as the forum. They left. I tried getting their attention but to no avail. No one has interest in these things anymore. Pretty sad :(

Instrumental Rock, is the only way to go
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It is up to us to make wonderful music with guitarsâwhether we support or drive the track. Guitars can create sooooo many sounds and texturesâthe instrument's capacity for dynamic impact is massive, as wellâand they should be a part of almost everything we hear.

 

That's my two cents!

 

Cheers,

Mike

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Guitar solos aren't dead, they've just worn out their welcome. I've gotten pretty tired of them.
Any elaboration? You don't think that just the right solo can elevate a track?

 

Best,

Mike

 

Sure.

 

You ask if the right solo can elevate a track. I ask why not other instruments? While I welcome a good guitar solo, as music has progressed I hear more and more solos played on guitar. I like variety but after too many guitar solos they all sound the same. Why does the solo have to be exclusive to the guitar?

 

Why do guitar players have to fill every beat in the song with guitar parts? Why does the high gain guitar tone - rhythm or otherwise - has to be such that it smothers the sonic spectrum? Do these people not know the concept of SPACE?

 

Today there are a lot of guitar players out there, and they're all looking to be the next guitar hero. Well that guitar hero mindset involves excluding other solo instruments - sax, keyboards, harmonica, etc - that would intrude in their spotlight. So they get crowded out.

 

I enjoy hearing live music, but anymore when a band format is only guitar/bass/drum instruments (singers optional) I am like (yawn). I've heard that format many many times and it offers nothing refreshing to me.

 

To me, guitar solos have worn out their welcome.

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REAL MC -- Well, I certainly HOPE guitar solos haven't worn out their welcome in the greater community of music fans, but good points. I especially like your challenge to guitar soloists to NOT be musically selfish, to stop smothering the sonic landscape, to cease doing what has been done over and over, and to seek space. Good stuff!
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A lot of these things are cyclical and depend on the current fad in musical styles. Keyboards went through that where people got tired of synthesizers and heavy production of the 80s and spawned grunge in the 90s in opposition.

 

However I would argue the biggest issue with modern music isn't so much whether it's guitar or keyboard based, but that it's less PERFORMANCE based. Live music isn't valued as much by younger generations, so there isn't the appreciation for seeing somebody play a solo live - any solo, guitar, keyboard, or otherwise. So I would say currently, it's not just the guitar solo, but any instrument solo really is less appreciated. If anything, the music is more lead vocal based. Blame shows like The Voice, American Idol, etc, where the music is just backup to support the singer. I'm seeing "live" acts follow that trend to some degree with the massive rise in the use of backing tracks.

 

But alas, this too will likely be just a cycle and hopefully we'll find a backlash brewing and a return to performance based music. Time will tell.

Dan

 

Acoustic/Electric stringed instruments ranging from 4 to 230 strings, hammered, picked, fingered, slapped, and plucked. Analog and Digital Electronic instruments, reeds, and throat/mouth.

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