Zakk Wylde

[souvenir]

I've been listenin to alot of this guy recently and I reallly dig his Pride and Glory stuff - especially his playing on the Book of Shadows album.

 

His playing on the Ozzy album Ozzmosis is fantastic, really tasteful. I'm also fond of his playing on the No Rest For The Wicked album, the track Hero in particular is a great song. Typical melodic Ozzy ballad.

 

Check him out on this video:

 

http://youtube.com/watch?v=k3m48eNVBIE

 

I'm beginning to think that there's alot more to Zakk than pure shredding. I wish that he'd play more of this melodic stuff.

[mdrs]

There was a really cool article about him in Vintage Guitar Mag here in the states. His image is very sort of red neck beer drinkin etc etc.. But, in fact many of his guitar influences, and his taste in collecting and playing vintage guitars, were suprisingly similiar to this more sedate vintage guitarist! Come to think of it, I do like beer....... ;-)

 

The only thing about Zak that bothers me is that high pitched popping harmonics trick he does. It is a "signature" sound, and it's pretty cool. But, I feel he does it too frequently. It gets on my nerves......but, that's just me. He is truely a great player.

 

Don

[Tone Taster]

Originally posted by souvenir:

 

I'm beginning to think that there's alot more to Zakk than pure shredding. .

Hmmmm .. . . I wouldn't say that he could shred because he doesn't really exhibit any noticeable alternate picking skill. He is a great pull off player.

 

I would say that he "blazes" more than shreds. His riffs are very strong, straightforward, and on the money

 

I do think he tends to "riff bash" more so than being melodic, but that's just my opinion and it oughtta be Neil's, too.

[souvenir]

I guess you're right about the alternate picking thing, I will admitt that I have called him sloppy in another thread and I still think this. In the studio he appears to be alot cleaner - perhaps he uses a string dampener

[Gifthorse]

He uses insane amounts of distortion on everything I have heard.

 

It is like he is using amp distortion, but then adding more and more with those pedals. To me it sounds compressed and not dynamic, but to each his own.

[Gifthorse]

You know, more importantly.

 

At least he has his own style, and he played with OZZIE!!

 

I agree with Yze that he isn't a speed demon. I mean when I think of a shredder, I think of a speed demon (which was the first term to describe shredders) I think Zakk is more of a band player which is what Ozzie needs because shredding is secondary to a band.

 

I think he is pretty fast at alternate picking those pentatonics. I dunno, maybe he isn't picking every note, I didn't notice. It sounded like he was though, through a distortion pedal and a high gain amp. When you play through that kind of tone, everything you do with your left hand feels/sounds way more percussive. You can easily trick people into thinking you pick more than you do. The drawback is that your tone becomes sunken, compressed, undynamic. So there is a bit of give and take.

 

Like if you were playing through EVH's tone on VH II you would have to work a bit I think.

[Gifthorse]

You know, more importantly.

 

At least he has his own style, and he played with OZZIE!!

 

I agree with Yze that he isn't a speed demon. I mean when I think of a shredder, I think of a speed demon (which was the first term to describe shredders) I think Zakk is more of a band player which is what Ozzie needs because shredding is secondary to a band.

 

I think he is pretty fast at alternate picking those pentatonics. I dunno, maybe he isn't picking every note, I didn't notice. It sounded like he was though, through a distortion pedal and a high gain amp. When you play through that kind of tone, everything you do with your left hand feels/sounds way more percussive. You can easily trick people into thinking you pick more than you do. The drawback is that your tone becomes sunken, compressed, undynamic. So there is a bit of give and take.

 

Like if you were playing through EVH's old tone from the 70's it wouldn't be as forgiving as a distortion pedal running through an already gained Marshall.

[Tone Taster]

I have nothing but the utmost respect for Zakk's contribution to music.

 

Who else had guitar solos on top 40 on a consistent basis in the 90's ?

[Guitarzan]

i like Zakk, i have heard some of his accoustic stuff and he can do some mean chicken pickin as well.

i think he is capable of some great stuff in the future.

as for his tone, i think most guitar players that hold down the fort in single guitar bands try to fill the air in their own way. he does use a pile of gain, but the band never sounds lacking for guitar that is for sure.