Favourite guitar solo?

[ViperPict]

Being a frustrated guitar 'player' I always appreciate a good guitar solo.

Just been listening to Couldn't Stand The Weather (SRV).

His solo on 'Things That I used To Do' is still just mind-blowing. Showing an complete understanding of the instrument.

[davepoth]

My favourite SRV is still Little Wing. I can never get away from how you can hear how thick the strings are, something I've never heard elsewhere.

In general though I think one of my big favourites is David Gilmour on "Time". I don't think I've ever heard anyone else manage to so perfectly capture emotion using a guitar solo.

[ViperPict]

davepoth said:

My favourite SRV is still Little Wing. I can never get away from how you can hear how thick the strings are, something I've never heard elsewhere.

In general though I think one of my big favourites is David Gilmour on "Time". I don't think I've ever heard anyone else manage to so perfectly capture emotion using a guitar solo.

Yup, true re. Gilmour and feeling. Had a chance to see Floyd live some ago and stupidly thought I couldn't afford it!

[Jaykaybi]

I don't think it's my favourite, I could never limit myself with such a decision, but Jeff Beck's 'A Day in the Life' is so very good. He really does tread a fine line between genius and mad man with his style. I love it. Incredible dynamics. Enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uwvBizKAwc

If I could play one note as well as he plays the one at 1:07 I'd be a happy guitar player.

Edited by Jaykaybi on Thursday 27th June 00:54

[Mojooo]

Time by Pink Floyd is also my fave solo

[Wacky Racer]

Walk on hot coals.....Rory Gallagher...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=03UD5xk1acc

[Big_Dog]

Gary Moore with a Les Paul: http://youtu.be/lbJI1y0i1mk?t=2m33s
and Gilmour with a Stratocaster for me. http://youtu.be/bDC3ade3JxU

[AnonSpoilSport]

Introduction to 'Cortez The Killer'

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6G0qroTL51U

by Neil Young - always gives me goosebumps, hairs really stand up!


Plus several by David Gilmour - so many it's hard to choose but 'Shine On You Crazy Diamond' and esp. the live versions like at the start of this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ViEOGiRrhSs


or a pretty piece of slide guitar at 3.36 on this from 'Live in Gdansk'

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=11i4U20emQY

[Sprouts]

I don't think anyone who likes a great guitar solo can have a favourite, as there are so many masterpieces. But this morning I woke up with I'm So Afraid by Fleetwood Mac in me head. The version from the Live album from 1980 is tremendous.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwcIDRH_LKE

Edited by Sprouts on Thursday 27th June 05:16

[Mastodon2]

For me it's got to be Tony Macalpine's outro solo on CAB's "Bernard".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5vL39j6UK8

He starts at around 3:10, opening the solo with a slower intro which builds tension, and utilises some tasty licks with open strings and pinch harmonics. Then, as is common in fusion, the solo moves with the rest of the band, and as they pick up pace, Macalpine lights the touchpaper and by 03:50 is is well and truly in flight. The major arpeggios start coming wit terrific pace and Macalpine utilises the "synthesiser" style tapping he is known for to slide the resolving octave tonic of the arpeggio up a 3rd or 4th and back to the tonic again, creating a really heavy fusion sound. Towards the end of the solo, there is some terrific alternate picking and his typically excellent vibrato before wrapping to solo up with a few more major sweeps and taps.

I love this solo because it really does have it all. It's got a great sense of melody evident all the way through, no matter how many notes Tony is throwing at it, you can still follow a strong melody from start to finish, it's a great example of modal playing, again so typical of fusion. It's played with incredible deftness and touch, Macalpine has a great touch on the instrument and you can hear that he picks and effects his vibrato with such conviction and confidence and his technique puts him right up there as a top tier player. I love the way the solo moves with the band, darting and changing course as the band change the tempo, as opposed to the static backdrop that so many bands create while playing a section that allows a guitarist to solo over the top of it. One of the incredible things about Macalpine, is that while the majority of his career output has been playing guitar, he is just as good at piano. He is one of those freakishly talented individuals.

[Nom de ploom]

Leaving aside the "virtuoso" guitarists for a second, I would find it hard to nominate a favourite guitar solo, always really loved the full solo from Sweet Child o' Mine - I know it seems like an obvious choice but it starts off melodic with great phrasing and builds into a classic wah-wah induced finger melter.

Little wing is timeless, Steve Vai's version of it on the astoria dvd is superb.

Sanitarium by Metallica has everything but includes Kirk's finest work imho.

I'll nominate Child in Time too - sense of build and tempo it has real colour alot like the solo from Stairway to Heaven in that way

As for my favourite "virtuoso" guitar pieces, I would say that although Satriani was never better than on Crystal Planet, Rubina's Blue Sky Happiness from The Extremist shows him at his versatile best.

Steve Vai - Blue Powder or Hand on Heart from Fire Garden Suite - a track I have tried to play several times and the nuances and timing is so spot on that I usualy end up 4 or 5 beats behind before I know what's happening.

[audidoody]

Albert Lee's solo in Emmylou Harris's version of "Luxury Liner" was like changing from a black and white TV to a colour TV for my guitar inspiration.

2:13

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jn77ZraSZ8A

[Animal]

I can't pick just one but the one I currently like the most is the first solo from Mr Crowley, as played by Randy Rhoads.

[wongthecorrupter]

I love the solo's in janes addiction's 3 days

[Marvindodgers]

I do love a lot of the "virtuoso" guys like Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, Tony Macalpine etc, but my favourite guitarist and therefore solo for pure "feel" (whatever that undefined parameter is?) is Dave Gilmour and it's a toss up between Comfortably Numb, Money or Time. I love all three of those and just couldn't choose between them.

[Justin Cyder]

One of my favourites, John Squire breaking into heaven. At this point, the Stone Roses were falling apart in a morass of drugs, indolence & internal politics but he still pulls out a soaring solo of shredding goodness.

There's much to criticise with him. He's not at all a technical innovator, instead at heart he's a pentatonic player albeit one with very fast fingers when he wants to make a point. The songs are guilty of being very heavy with guitar - there's at least two audible under tracks on this song alone, yet I still admire the elegance of the phrasing & the overall dynamic of how the solo rises, pounds away then once spent, the guitar descends once again & fades away with a few well chosen licks & Reni's peerless jazz tinged drumming comes to the fore as the song comes to it's conclusion.

OTOH you may just think it's st.


Vid starts at the opening bar of the solo.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbafSmvn6bI#t=4m50s

[LaurasOtherHalf]

Daft punk digital love,

http://youtu.be/cTuqxpimDqQ

[12v3pot]

Favourite changes from one mood to another. I'e always loved the more melodic soloists: Gilmour, Schenker, Moore, Roth, Landreth, Green, etc.

Today, I'm loving:

Leslie West's '80s solo and tone on Theme... (quite different to the Woodstock version): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVG7eQ1TcNo (solo at 1:50)

Randy Rhoads on Mr Crowley: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBMCxoSdn2k (solo at 2:00 and 3:55)

Tony Bourge on Parents (more of a through-song theme than a solo perhaps): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nHPCtgmtS68 (long song, solo gets going at about 4:30)

[singlecoil]

Hendrix, Third Stone from the Sun. Simple but superb. Based on the Coronation Street theme, BTW.

[ViperPict]

Indeed, I don't have a favourite, rather many that I spire.

Like Blackmore's solo on 'Long Live Rock 'n' Roll' - just super well created and executed. A tune that adds to the song rather than purely showing off.