The most distinct guitarists.

Originally posted by The_Modulus


My addition for distinctive sounds:

Yngwie Malmsteen... just because he's so fast.



Has anyone heard of a guy called Michaelangelo?
Anyways...

Hey, and yeah... Malmsteen's sound at hiting loads of notes per second is recognizable.

The name you are looking for is.. Michael Angelo Batio, he was in a band called Nitro. I know the name but ain't familiar with his/their music.

I think Steve Vai is pretty distinctive, well... when he starts going crazy with the tremolo bar .

Eric Johnson is another, I think his tone... songs such as pavilon, camels night out.... it resembles.... a harp, violin.

Eddie van Halen with his brown sound. Tapping, phasing etc

Randy Rhoads with his awesome guitar solos, most were really fast but soo clear, especailly on his live stuff when you expect to hear errors.

not a single mention for frank zappa. that is a shame.

It is really too bad that EVH has turned into a drunken bum who cannot play anymore. I wish him luck with recovery.

My vote goes to Charley Patton. He is the guy who taught Robert Johnson how to play guitar.

Does Buckethead count?

Originally posted by Boondock78

not a single mention for frank zappa. that is a shame.

That's because this thread is for the most distinct guitarists, not necessarily the best. I've mentioned Zappa in this thread regarding best solos: There's a Zappa video here

There is a #load of guitarists whom are easily recongized.

Infact every decent rock/metal band has one....

Originally posted by Hellmutt

Originally posted by Boondock78

not a single mention for frank zappa. that is a shame.

That's because this thread is for the most distinct guitarists, not necessarily the best. I've mentioned Zappa in this thread regarding best solos: There's a Zappa video here

well, zappa was teh master...i'd say that makes him pretty distinct. his use od the wah wah. extensive use of the pignose and the wah as a sort of filter. his little scrapey noises when he pickes noted.
the signatures he used..'frank zappa was the most unique guitarist there ever was. i have to give a nod to allen holdsworth. zappa held holdsworth in very high reguard.
search youtube and there is a wealth of videos.
if you guys want to see them i can post the ones worth watching for guitar solo;s.
zappa was very much known for his improvisitation. i have read interviews with him and with vai(seperately) and they both talk of extended improvisitations lasting sometimes an hour. there is a killer 'duel' on youtube from ital in 82..stevies spanking...killer improv with frank and vai.'you sometimes see frank with a cigarette burning on his headstock. he used this as a sort of timer to know when to come in and out of a solo.
this is also a man that would take a melody from song a from 1965, a solo from song b from 1981, add in a percussion track from song c from 1975 and he's have a complete song. redo the arrangement and it all fit. everything he did was part of a larger project. i have been studying zappas works for many years. i have every single cd officially released and many, many boots. i have been to 2 zpz concerts to i did at least get to experience the music live.

his stuff covers all genreas. on one album you get rock and on the next you get jazz fusion. you get 1:33 long narratives and 27:00 long instrumentals. you get chamber music and shuffles. you get doo wop and some say the first ever rap song. you get concept albums and double albums. you get guitar solo albums and albums totally realized on the synclavier.

frank taped all of his concerts starting in the early 70's. he had a mobile truck. he recorded all of the rehearsals. he recorded phone calls and ambient noises. he sampled every instrument he could find and would put it in disc for the synclavier. he woul sample as many vocalists as he could. he would travel with note paper for lyrics and notation paper for songs..
he worked 17-20 hours a night for 30 years...he either was rehearsing, composing, touring, editing, arranging, or doing any numer of things in the UMRK all night long. there is an UNBELIEVABLE amount of material in the vault.
this man was a musicians musician, he never saw color. he never cared about things like that.

on his debut album, frak out in 1965 his song trouble everyday das many references to the watts riots(he wrote parts of it while watching it on tv). it talks about the media and how fast they are to break the story, no matter if it is an actual story yet.
one famous line is "you know something people. i'm not black but theres a whole lotsa times i wish i could say i'm no white"
people didn't look like they looked and say those things back in those days. of course everyone thought he was a druggie but totally sober..

check out a few of these lyrics

'trouble everyday from the album freak out

Well, I seen the fires burnin'
And the local people turnin'
On the merchants and the shops
Who used to sell their brooms and mops
And every other household item
Watched the mob just turn and bite 'em
And they say it served 'em right
Because a few of them are white,
And it's the same across the nation
Black and white discrimination
Yellin' "You can't understand me!"
'N all that other jazz they hand me
In the papers and TV and
All that mass stupidity
That seems to grow more every day
Each time you hear some nitwit say
He wants to go and do you in
Because the color of your skin
Just don't appeal to him
(No matter if it's black or white)
Because he's out for blood tonight

--

'i am the slime' from the almum over nite sensation

I am gross and perverted
I'm obsessed 'n deranged
I have existed for years
But very little has changed
I'm the tool of the Government
And industry too
For I am destined to rule
And regulate you

I may be vile and pernicious
But you can't look away
I make you think I'm delicious
With the stuff that I say
I'm the best you can get
Have you guessed me yet?
I'm the slime oozin' out
From your TV set

You will obey me while I lead you
And eat the garbage that I feed you
Until the day that we don't need you
Don't go for help . . . no one will heed you
Your mind is totally controlled
It has been stuffed into my mold
And you will do as you are told
Until the rights to you are sold

That's right, folks . . .
Don't touch that dial
--

'whats the ugliset part of your body' from we're only in it for the money

What's the ugliest
Part of your body?
What's the ugliest
Part of your body?
Some say your nose
Some say your toes
(I think it's your mind)
But I think it's YOUR MIND
(Your mind)
I think it's your mind, woo woo

ALL YOUR CHILDREN ARE POOR
UNFORTUNATE VICTIMS OF
SYSTEMS BEYOND THEIR CONTROL
A PLAGUE UPON YOUR IGNORANCE & THE GRAY
DESPAIR OF YOUR UGLY LIFE

Where did Annie go
When she went to town?
Who are all those creeps
That she brings around?

ALL YOUR CHILDREN ARE POOR
UNFORTUNATE VICTIMS OF LIES YOU BELIEVE
A PLAGUE UPON YOUR IGNORANCE THAT KEEPS
THE YOUNG FROM THE TRUTH THEY DESERVE . .
--
it's very hard to explain...with zappa you either get it or you don't. it helps to know a bit about music but if you don't get the lyrics and the stuff thats buried in there and give songs several listens and do some digging, you will miss so much..
some albums are meant to be played in order.
don't eat the yellow snow segues directly into nanook rubs it which flows directly into father oblivan..if you don't hear it in order, you won't get it..
just the insane amount if insanely hard material deserves the not.
ask vai, keneally, ray white, ruth underwood, vinnie coliouta(who is a sought after studio musician), warren cucurullo, terro bozzio, chad whackerman and a host of others about the complexities and intricicies of zappas works

Originally posted by rynaldo82

The name you are looking for is.. Michael Angelo Batio, he was in a band called Nitro. I know the name but ain't familiar with his/their music.

OK you asked for it... Nitro




But to tell the truth I would not call Nitro a band.. Michael Angelo, sold metal guitar lessons in ever guitar mag in the 80's.. the singer Jim Gillette sold vocal lessons. Nitro was kinda of a promo for their lessons.

BTW Jim is now bald, and built like a pro wrestler. Oh and he is married to Lita Ford. Drooooooooooool

I think Zack Wilde has a pretty distinct sound it's that harmonic vibrato he hits on every song he's ever played. no one does it quite like he does IMO. That Micheal Angelo guy from nitro has insane speed, Guitar one magazine named him the fastest shredder alive.

i think batio is a tool. super fast and super terrible.

i really try to like zakk wylde. i want to but i just can't. i got one of his dvd's and i couldn't stand his little parlor tricks. sliding up the neck a certain way for effect, the pinch harmonic every 10 seconds.
not my bag at all.


where are the mentions for
buckethead(saw 1)
allen holdsworth
zappa
derek trucks
gary moore

and hello, try anastasio anyone....has anyone actually paid attention to trey's style?

Originally posted by Boondock78
i think batio is a tool. super fast and super terrible.

i really try to like zakk wylde. i want to but i just can't. i got one of his dvd's and i couldn't stand his little parlor tricks. sliding up the neck a certain way for effect, the pinch harmonic every 10 seconds.
not my bag at all.

Which Zack video did you get?? someone gave me a BLS video of him a couple of years back and I think the same footage might be on it, I remember him doing those tricks anyway, I brought him up as distinct due to those harmonics you mentioned, like him or hate him, he is unique in that the those harmonics have a unique tone that is only his, he's not one of my favorites but I have to admit he's unique.

it was boozed and broken or some crap like that. i'd have to go look. i was not to impressed. there was a huge wall of marshalls behind them and zakk would shred super duper fast and hit those pinches...boring stuff

Okay. Not only is he distinct, but he is absolutely one of the most underated guitarists of all time. His sound is unique and has been refined over the years. If you ever get a chance to see him perform live, you too will get caught up in the repetitive standing ovations. In my eyes, Lindsey Buckingham is a living legend.

Trouble



Go Your Own Way






[edit on 12-7-2007 by Myrtales Instinct]

Self-censored for pointless repetition.

Sorry la.

[edit on 6-1-2008 by Astyanax]

Rock is an important part of Guitar playing but let's not forget other genres.

This Guy stands alone....

For me there is more than speed, however I do like shred,
but phrasing, sense of melody, timing and that intangible "soul"
I feel should be taken into account when analyzing any musician.

[edit on 6-1-2008 by whaaa]

A few who haven't been mentioned yet:

* Richard Thompson -- I can pick out a Thompson track almost instantly. The intro to The Calvary Cross is still one of the best intros of all time (that was the only youtube link I could find with that song -- luckily the video is pretty cool).

* Kurt Cobain -- Though his sound is to some extent imitable, no Nirvana cover band has ever fooled me into thinking they were anything but. I can tell the difference between Cobain and someone trying to sound like him.

* Keith Richards -- You gotta do better than tune to Open G to be KR.

* Mark Knopfler -- MK is really distinct, IMO. Consider The Sultans of Swing as a perfect example.

* Ron Asheton -- A Stooges riff is a Stooges riff is a Stooges riff. Great example? Gimme Danger.

* John Fogerty -- Anyone ought to be able to spot a Fogerty riff. IMO, he is the easiest to identify out of anyone listed so far in this thread. Though his sound is admittedly rather simple, it's quite distinct. He's also notable on this list because I consider him more of a rhythm player than a lead guitarist and few rhythm guitarists have seen mention. He certainly gets my vote for most distinct rhythm player if nothing else.

* Tom Verlaine -- There can be only one... Verlaine on Marquee Moon is it.

/tn.

EDIT:
I'd be totally remiss if I didn't also include Vernon Reid.


[edit on 6-1-2008 by teleonaut]

reply to post by intrepid


For me, (1 slash, (2 van halen (3 Hendrix. Easiest playing to pick out

Satriani is a very distinct and prolific guitar player in my opinion. Steve Vai and Santana will do just fine also.

Only takes one note and you know its May!His organic tone is amazing

A lot of other players only get their sig sound when they start playing their chops-and they can blend together to sound alike.May is just one of those who you latch on to straight away and know its him

George Lynch has a distinct sound too,that verby delayed flat 5th and pinched harmonic with wide vibrato is a dead give away

knopfler is another with his tone and sig stlye coming from his right hand fingers as he plucks his licks

There are so many out there with their own style from Vai's lydian slippery lines to YJM's Harmonic minor induced pedal licks and swept arps,to Greg Howes Mixolydian wide interval bluesy phrases to Brett Garseds fusiony out note playing

But one note from May is all it takes!

Allan Holdsworth was distinctive. He died today. RIP.