Which of The Greats had/has the Greatest Command of the Instrument?

[Flyin' Brian]

Gee I wonder

 

[Yoknapatawpha Tape Echo]

Bill Frisell
Julian Lage
Ted Greene

I’d give a leg to have their command of the instrument and all notes in general.

 

[metropolis_4]

It's actually not a subjective question. There really is one person who exists on a different level from everyone else. He literally invented techniques. What he does here can only be described as impossible.

Yamashita is undoubtedly one of the most gifted guitarists of our time. But it's still a subjective answer to a subjective question

 

[fetishfrog]

It's actually not a subjective question. There really is one person who exists on a different level from everyone else. He literally invented techniques. What he does here can only be described as impossible.

I was wondering if you were going to post this.

FWIW I agree.

 

[DrewJD82]

I'm a bit of a cautious Vai fan, some of his recent records have been hard to listen to, but his newest, "Inviolate" kicks serious ass! It's been in rotation here for the past few days, I really dig it!

I feel the same way. I was a huge fan in the 90’s and between getting burned out on instrumental guitar music and changing genre preferences a bit, I don’t know the majority of his work after The Ultra Zone, but I always buy the albums and listen at least once. But Inviolate is GREAT!

It’s more of a return to his 90’s feel, a bit more rocked out and not as heavy in the Zappa influence. I think for a while he was really getting off on the composition aspect of things and the guitar was more of a vehicle for him to compose and this album is more of a focus on guitar again, while still doing some great composition stuff. Great tones on it, too.

 

[ccc]

I instantly thought of Chet Atkins, so that works for me. The guy I thought of that’s not on the list (probably thought of him because he and Chet both play different harmonics all over the place and fit them in perfectly) is Eddie Van Halen.

He had complete control of that instrument and was impossibly expressive in his playing given the high levels of gain. That to me was always his biggest strength.

Edward was a magician , what truly set him apart from everybody else was his rhythm mastery was just as incredible as his lead playing .

 

[vintagelove]

I was wondering if you were going to post this.

FWIW I agree.

There are so many other great players, even exceptional even, Holdsworth comes to mind.


But Yamashita...

I'm not sure whether he's proof of miracles, or life not of earth. Whichever it is, sign me up!!!

 

[DV52]

I don’t listen to any of these people! Where’s the Jimi Hendrix Option!

Need to expand one's options.Of course Hendrix is a good one.

 

[Binaural]

Joe Satriani

 

[vintagelove]

Yamashita is undoubtedly one of the most gifted guitarists of our time. But it's still a subjective answer to a subjective question

By every measurable consideration, he stands alone.


He does a better tremolo with his freakin pinky than most players do with a lifetime of work. Then passes it between fingers effortlessly. Multiple simultaneous tremolo with another voice or 2, why not...

Speed literally off the charts (I tried and failed to measure it one day).

The clean movement of the most difficult chords at seemingly impossible speeds. Unparalleled.

Dynamic range, arguably beyond the practical limitations of the instrument.

His endurance.

etc.

 

[tracyk]

Correction: Yngwie has full command of his style and is peerless in that regard; I even said specifically 'in his context'. There are no Yngwie clones, only people who play a neoclassical style but none even nearly so accomplished as the wingnut himself in that style. He owns that style. It is his more so than any other style 'belongs' to any other person. No one has taken that style and 'advanced' it; a few have taken it and worked it into their own box (Becker, Gilbert and Friedman come to mind), but it is Yngwie's box to borrow from.

I love Yngwie for being himself and he's the reason I started playing in the first place, but Joe Stump is almost more Yngwie than Yngwie, he even dresses like him and has been playing in Alcatrazz for awhile.



There are younger guys who do what I would probably call an update on that style too if you delve into that scene. I've not been paying attention for the past ~15 years but guys like Rusty Cooley, Michael Romeo, Jeff Loomis, Luca Turilli, Stéphan Forté, or Timo Tolkki (who even had the same keyboard player as Yngwie for years - Jens Johansson).

 

[Riffi]

Need to expand one's options.

Nah, I’m good. I’m a minimalist so it’s a lifestyle thing. I ascend the spiritual plains of both yesteryear and tomorrow, of both time and space, of eons and eras, from the bottom of the ocean to the highest mountain, I transcend the planetary solar system, and I will continue to look inside for the answer, for the universe cannot answer you if you don’t know what to ask it. Find the key to yourself, unlock that door and only then shall you find true peace and freedom of suffering and will thus be free from others opinions of yourself. Have yourself a nice trip friend, stay safe, best wishes, take care and cheers.

 

[Joe Bleaux]

Of course, there are lots of worthy choices here. Maybe even above all the others, though, this is the guy that to me pretty much defines complete command of his instrument:

 

[DV52]

Nah, I’m good. I’m a minimalist so it’s a lifestyle thing. I ascend the spiritual plains of both yesteryear and tomorrow, of both time and space, of eons and eras, from the bottom of the ocean to the highest mountain, I transcend the planetary solar system, and I will continue to look inside for the answer, for the universe cannot answer you if you don’t know what to ask it. Find the key to yourself, unlock that door and only then shall you find true peace and freedom of suffering and will thus be free from others opinions of yourself. Have yourself a nice trip friend, stay safe, best wishes, take care and cheers.

Wow !
Very condensending my friend . What did I say that Offended you ? You answer every post in the forum in some form or another and you take offence to that ?

 

[Riffi]

Wow !
Very condensending my friend . What did I say that Offended you ? You answer every post in the forum in some form or another and you take offence to that ?

Oh I’m sorry, no that wasn’t my intent to be condescending, nor was I offended, I’m just comfortable with what I like and not into expanding through musical taste at this time, I am however currently expanding my social circle and my lifestyle approach in various areas which are inappropriate to discuss here. I’m sorry if you feel offended or upset and that was not my intent, I’m just in a weird mood currently that is all, for what it’s worth I meant the part about best wishes, and I don’t answer every post nor every thread, I know I’m a lot to take and can be overbearing, annoying and quite frankly a bit of an eccentric rambler. I’m afraid you’ll just have to take me or leave me, no hard feeling either way, I’m not going apologize for my flaws, for I am beautiful both inside and out and I shall l love myself and others despite any perceived flaws both real or imagined. And that’s all I have to say about that.

 

[sdan]

Frisell?

 

[DV52]

Oh I’m sorry, no that wasn’t my intent to be condescending, nor was I offended, I’m just comfortable with what I like and not into expanding through musical taste at this time, I am however currently expanding my social circle and my lifestyle approach in various areas which are inappropriate to discuss here. I’m sorry if you feel offended or upset and that was not my intent, I’m just in a weird mood currently that is all, for what it’s worth I meant the part about best wishes, and I don’t answer every post nor every thread, I know I’m a lot to take and can be overbearing, annoying and quite frankly a bit of an eccentric rambler. I’m afraid you’ll just have to take me or leave me, no hard feeling either way, I’m not going apologize for my flaws, for I am beautiful both inside and out and I shall l love myself and others despite any perceived flaws both real or imagined. And that’s all I have to say about that.

 

[Beng2040]

Oh I’m sorry, no that wasn’t my intent to be condescending, nor was I offended, I’m just comfortable with what I like and not into expanding through musical taste at this time, I am however currently expanding my social circle and my lifestyle approach in various areas which are inappropriate to discuss here. I’m sorry if you feel offended or upset and that was not my intent, I’m just in a weird mood currently that is all, for what it’s worth I meant the part about best wishes, and I don’t answer every post nor every thread, I know I’m a lot to take and can be overbearing, annoying and quite frankly a bit of an eccentric rambler. I’m afraid you’ll just have to take me or leave me, no hard feeling either way, I’m not going apologize for my flaws, for I am beautiful both inside and out and I shall l love myself and others despite any perceived flaws both real or imagined. And that’s all I have to say about that.

Weird mood for sure.

 

[Riffi]

Weird mood for sure.

Fair enough!

 

[Riffi]

@DV52 it’s not you… it’s me.