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What's Your Style?


Tim Clark

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You know how some guitarists have characteristic qualities about them? You can hear a song by them and know who it is just by listening to the way they play...Joe Walsh, Carlos Santana, Frank Zappa...

 

I get told that I've got a unique style, and I think that's a pretty cool compliment. I've always tried to listen to a wide range of influences...It's definitely a Rock style, but the classical / progressive stuff I listen to has seeped in too...I'd probably have to say my sound is a mix of Pete Townshend (ala Live at Leeds), Neil Young (I tend to be a little sloppy/unclean with my lines :) ), Frank Zappa and Steve Howe's electric stuff.

 

What style do people play here? Do we have a lot of experts focused on Jazz, Folk, Country, Blues, whatever, or does everyone try to be pretty diverse? Also, what guitarists would you say helped influence your style?

My music is like a movie for your ears - Frank Zappa
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I ride the fence between a few styles without really excelling at any. I do love jazz and I mostly write jazz-influenced music, but stop shy of really calling it jazz. I've got too much respect for the real jazzers to include myself in their ranks. At least my family can recognize my playing, though :)

 

Paul

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I've played pretty much everything from classical to metal over the years, and I think elements from all of them find their way into my overall style.

 

The strongest influences tend to be rock and blues based. Much as it's a little embarassing to admit it, my first real influence was probably Ace Frehley (Kiss) - that's the music I was really into when I got my first electric.

 

A lot of Joe Perry can be found in my style, a little Stevie Ray, a bit of Pete Townshend, and maybe a touch of Kenny Burrell.

 

I am NOT as good as any of these people (well... maybe Ace... ;) ) but I can see their influences in the way I play.

 

I suppose that others would have to be included in the list just because I like/love their music so they must be some kind of influence, but the ones above are the more obvious ones.

May all your thoughts be random!

- Neil

www.McFaddenArts.com

www.MikesGarageRocks.com

 

 

 

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I don't mean to sound flippant when I say this, but I have my own style. Mostly I am a rhythm accompanist who throws a little lead in with the melody. Mostly I play acoustic, but I am working with my electric a bit more. Those of you who know my work, what would you say?

 

Let me add that I am not a player who will "WOW!" anyone. I am more the lull you into a sense of "nice." I prefer to be the color that doesn't really stand out but you miss when it is not there. Boggs

Check out my Rock Beach Guitars page showing guitars I have built and repaired... http://www.rockbeachguitars.com
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On electric - which is seldom lately - there's a bit of Steve Cropper influence definately- so I'd possibly put myself in the same category as the previous couple of replies.There's always a little reggae,ska and blues lurking around. My accoustic style has revolved so that it now involves a blend of bluegrass, Celtic ,blues........well just about everything I've listened to for the last 30 years or so.I know that listening to Bela Fleck and Jerry Douglas has pushed me in a certain direction.I like to mess around with different rhythms - every now and then I try to emulate some African guitar.I'm quite proud of a piece that I wrote and performed that included an aboriginal digeridoo player. Living in a melting pot like Sydney, I feel fortunate in have such a diverse range of music from different cultures around me. :cool:
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I'd say my style is a blend of blues and metal. I play heavy rythyms, lots of E, D, and A shaped barre chords. My rythym style is heavily influenced by Black Sabbath, Megadeth, and a lot of punk-ish bands like Nirvana, The Offspring, and Weezer.

 

My lead playing is more of a bluesy style, heavily influenced by Angus Young and B.B. King. I've also got a little of the classical/metal influence too, such as Randy Rhoads and Marty Friedman.

 

My basic setup is the same for rythym and lead, a good guitar plugged straight into a JCM 800 type amp, or into a distortion pedal followed by a chorus pedal.

BlueStrat

a.k.a. "El Guapo" ;)

 

...Better fuzz through science...

 

http://geocities.com/teleman28056/index.html

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Originally posted by gotMYgit:

I like to mess around with different rhythms - every now and then I try to emulate some African guitar.

Awesome! Always a good way to change things up. Though for me, it's the norm, since the only band in which I play guitar these days is an African cover band. I change things up by playing rock and jazz and such.

 

(I was recently playing along with a Miles recording, playing over the changes a bit, and I noticed that some of my improv there had a slight African flavor to it. I guess that's what happens when you haven't been playing in a jazz group for three years and have been doing Afro-pop for over 2 of those years...)

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Wow, diverse crowd. Awesome :)

 

I am NOT as good as any of these people (well... maybe Ace... ) but I can see their influences in the way I play.
I am definitely with you on this. In no way am I up to par with any of the guys I named, I just can sometimes hear a little bit of them coming through when I play. I definitely think I have my own style, but it's kind of a collage of my influences.
My music is like a movie for your ears - Frank Zappa
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I try to be diverse, and play in the style that a particular song leads me to play. In the praise band I've been with, we tend to learn a new song by listening to it 2-3 times, then playing thru 2-3 times to see how we as a band feel it. Thus, a straight rock feel may twist into a country rock feel, or vice-versa. We have played material using bluegrass, country, blues, r&b, jazz, and straight rock styles. We even managed to turn a straight rocker into a reggae feel once, for no reason other than the fun of it. That's why we play, isn't it?

 

My biggest influences are Terry Kath (original Chicago guitarist) and especially Steve Howe. I obviously play nothing like these two, but I try to approach music the same. I felt that Kath, besides being a strong lead guitarist, was an excellent rhythm guitarist; and I love Howe's ability to create background melodies (counterpoint?) to the other instrumentation present.

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My style?

 

Hunt and peck! :rolleyes:

 

With a little luck, I don't make too many mistakes. :D

 

Seriously, Folk / Folk-Rock with some CCR :cool: thrown in. STILL trying to master (I'll settle for 1st grade level) "Classic Rock" (especially riffs and licks) and Blues.

 

Dave

Gotta' geetar... got the amp. There must be SOMEthing else I... "need".
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Well, I pride myself on my own definitions, so here goes:

 

A) ThRasH3r who likes to ride on the edge, and kill the bystanders. http://burns.thefinaldimension.org/contrib/ruinkai/FIREdevil.gif (translation: thrash metal with plenty of death and some black influence) I do play some leads here, though not much. That part varies; it can either be banshee wail, whammy bar freakouts (thank you very much Floyd Rose!!!), staccato picked blues runs, and some two handed tapping and legato stuff (usually done chromatically). Not a perfect style, but hey, at least I don't try too hard! ;) Band influences: Metallica (pre black album), Coroner, Death, Morbid Angel, Slayer

 

B) Clean, ethereal sounds. I sometimes play totally clean, drop the pick and fingerpick slow, lilting pseudo classical guitar runs. If I use any effects, it's usually gentle mixes of reverb, delay, chorus, and even some phasers. If I played a Strat instead of an Ibanez (like my RG560) this would just sound great. I'm talking like maybe a Highway 1 or American Standard guitar, not a hot Strat.

 

C) I dabble in jazz... :D

 

D) I play some "classic" rock, like Beatles, CCR, Ted Nugent, etc.

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It seems to me that i have a blues style of playing, although i can never just stick with one syle. Im always jumping around playing new things and changing quite often, but thats to be expected for someone who wants to try everything.
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I am mainly influenced by blues and rock. Sometimes some Folk or Folk/Rock thrown in there. My sound is sorta like Page meets Clapton meets Bob Dylan meets Jerry Garcia. Of caourse i could never play as well as them but I can sense a little of their style thrown in there.
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Originally posted by RichardAshkenazi:

Originally posted by Boggs:

I prefer to be the color that doesn't really stand out but you miss when it is not there. Boggs

Totally.

 

(I'm a man of few words...)

DUDES!!! YES!!!

 

Boggs...are you sure you're not really an ancient Chinese sage or something? BRAVO!!!

"Cisco Kid, was a friend of mine"
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Originally posted by Sjonesmusic:

This clip sums up my preferred style:

 

A jam I did over a Brecker Brothers backing track....

 

Sjones-Skunk Funk Jam

 

I play a bit everything, but fusion is my main thing...

 

Peace,

 

Scott

Scott, You're a great player but you don't have to be so "CARMINE" about it.

 

Personally, I've been an "Americana" player when there was no such genre...

 

Our Joint

 

"When you come slam bang up against trouble, it never looks half as bad if you face up to it." The Duke...

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Originally posted by daklander:

Originally posted by Sjonesmusic:

This clip sums up my preferred style:

 

A jam I did over a Brecker Brothers backing track....

 

Sjones-Skunk Funk Jam

 

I play a bit everything, but fusion is my main thing...

 

Peace,

 

Scott

Scott, You're a great player but you don't have to be so "CARMINE" about it.

 

Personally, I've been an "Americana" player when there was no such genre...

:(

 

How was I being "CARMINE" about it?

 

:cry:

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As I long ago lost track of my electric, I play only acoustic. When strumming out a rhythm pattern, I can incorporate many different styles.

 

However, my solos are still steeped deeply in blues.

 

Whitefang

I started out with NOTHING...and I still have most of it left!
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My main influences have been Hendrix, Alex Lifeson, Steve Howe, Eric Johnson, Robert Fripp and SRV.

 

Not that I play like any of them. It's more inspiration than trying to copy a style.

So Many Drummers. So Little Time...
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On electric I'm Lennon/McCartney/Harrison, EC, Brian May, Elliot Easton, Roger Fisher, Brian Setzer, BB, Dave Edmunds, Carlos, Albert Lee, Chuck Berry, Steve Cropper with a little Steve Howe thrown in.

 

On acoustic I'm Jim Croce, Lindsey Buckingham, Richard Thompson, James Taylor and as always, Lennon/McCartney/Harrison.

 

On bass I'm McCartney, Colin Molding, Nick Lowe, that Bruce guy from The Attractions and whoever played bass for the original JC Superstar.

 

I'm nothing like a lot of these fine folks, but that's where I'm coming from... :D;):P

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Originally posted by Tedster:

Originally posted by RichardAshkenazi:

Originally posted by Boggs:

I prefer to be the color that doesn't really stand out but you miss when it is not there. Boggs

Totally.

 

(I'm a man of few words...)

DUDES!!! YES!!!

 

Boggs...are you sure you're not really an ancient Chinese sage or something? BRAVO!!!

Thanks, Tedster, but unless there's an Armenian sector of China, I don't think so... ;) Boggs
Check out my Rock Beach Guitars page showing guitars I have built and repaired... http://www.rockbeachguitars.com
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