The Zenith of 80s shred

I find Impellitteri is a much better riff and songwriter than lead writer. His leads are blazing nonsense most of the time, but he has great songs other than that.
 
I don’t get the Impelliterri hate. Guy smokes. Maybe he’s not your taste but his talent is undeniable. Great tone too. And he’s an East Coast guy !!!
 
paulyc said:
I don’t get the Impelliterri hate. Guy smokes. Maybe he’s not your taste but his talent is undeniable. Great tone too. And he’s an East Coast guy !!!
Click to expand...
You just have to watch his instructional video…ugh. Sixes blinding fast hitting any note close…then slow bend…repeat…repeat etc.
 
Racerxrated said:
Any of Paul Gilberts stuff eclipses most or all of the rest from that time, IMO. He's just so technically perfect, IMO with great vibrato. A machine if you will.
Click to expand...
From that time (or before) in terms of technique I’d think Shawn Lane, Jason Becker, Alan Holdsworth (maybe others I forgot) are probably better, but the only fast lead players I know of that I felt had anything to say/had any musical depth in what they played were Rhoads and Friedman and I guess they’re maybe at most borderline shred

Lots of players today though would make these guys come off comparatively sloppy/not well coordinated by today’s standards, although they still don’t play anything I’ve heard with much musical depth
 
Some people like ketchup. Some people like mustard. Some people like mayo.

I like any of them in the right context. Dude rips.
 
braintheory said:
From that time (or before) in terms of technique I’d think Shawn Lane, Jason Becker, Alan Holdsworth (maybe others I forgot) are probably better, but the only fast lead players I know of that I felt had anything to say/had any musical depth in what they played were Rhoads and Friedman and I guess they’re maybe at most borderline shred

Lots of players today though would make these guys come off comparatively sloppy/not well coordinated by today’s standards, although they still don’t play anything I’ve heard with much musical depth
Click to expand...
I'd definitely disagree with the 'players today' comment...in fact, not even close. I don't hear anything, in the flavor of the month 'YouTube' heroes that don't ever play in a band context, that even compares in shred talent to those players from the 80s. Players today seem to be too mechanical, robotic. While that is also a thing with the 80s guys, they at least had some feel in their ability. I don't hear anything that resembles that out of the guys I see on YouTube.
Sorry.
 
Racerxrated said:
I'd definitely disagree with the 'players today' comment...in fact, not even close. I don't hear anything, in the flavor of the month 'YouTube' heroes that don't ever play in a band context, that even compares in shred talent to those players from the 80s. Players today seem to be too mechanical, robotic. While that is also a thing with the 80s guys, they at least had some feel in their ability. I don't hear anything that resembles that out of the guys I see on YouTube.
Sorry.
Click to expand...
They are mostly robotic, but I meant technically a lot cleaner/more accurate and more coordinated thus to me making some of those players come off comparatively sloppier. Some players that are more recent have feel though like Brandon Ellis or Guthrie Govan (both of whom do play in bands and are not just YouTuber’s). The thing is, regardless of era, it’s just very difficult to write very fast passages that actually are also evocative of some emotions (that’s what music is really about). Even in classical it’s not as common. I agree those ‘80’s players had (in general) more feel in their playing, but it’s typically good feel over fast passages that are musically empty (like Yngwie as one example), sometimes so empty that all the feel or great vibrato in the world can’t (for me at least) save such poorly composed solos, but then again RR and Marty were from that time and exceptions in composing fast leads that had some depth to them
 
braintheory said:
They are mostly robotic, but I meant technically a lot cleaner/more accurate and more coordinated thus to me making some of those players come off comparatively sloppier. Some players that are more recent have feel though like Brandon Ellis or Guthrie Govan (both of whom do play in bands and are not just YouTuber’s). The thing is, regardless of era, it’s just very difficult to write very fast passages that actually are also evocative of some emotions (that’s what music is really about). Even in classical it’s not as common. I agree those ‘80’s players had (in general) more feel in their playing, but it’s typically good feel over fast passages that are musically empty (like Yngwie as one example), sometimes so empty that all the feel or great vibrato in the world can’t (for me at least) save such poorly composed solos, but then again RR and Marty were from that time and exceptions in composing fast leads that had some depth to them
Click to expand...
Yes, there are exceptions like those two of course. But there's a 'feel' that certain players exude that I just don't hear in many modern players. Gary Moore is a prime example of that 'feel'....Gilbert doesn't have that of course, not many do but he does have some of that when I listen to his catalog. That's the thing I like best about most players...being robotic with impressive chops is cool and all, but if there's no 'feel' that I can tell/hear then I'm bored pretty quick.
 
Racerxrated said:
Yes, there are exceptions like those two of course. But there's a 'feel' that certain players exude that I just don't hear in many modern players. Gary Moore is a prime example of that 'feel'....Gilbert doesn't have that of course, not many do but he does have some of that when I listen to his catalog. That's the thing I like best about most players...being robotic with impressive chops is cool and all, but if there's no 'feel' that I can tell/hear then I'm bored pretty quick.
Click to expand...
Yeah I think like anything it’s hard to find someone that has it all 10/10: feel, technique and actual musical content. For me I get bored and stop listening if the musical content isn’t doing anything for me even if the player has amazing feel or technique. Technique would be the least I care about of the 3, but at the same time there is something really beautiful when a player has their coordination/hand movements synchronized so on point, but I think that’s more applicable in classical
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top