guitar soloing over chords

GuitarBizarre · 09-23-2011, 01:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blastingas10

Thanks for all the help. Ive been working on my scales for a while. Ive got a few of them down. I was just having trouble with knowing what to play over a chord progression. But i think im starting to understand more. I guess you could say im working on the alphabet (scales) and im starting to make my way in to forming words (licks/phrases.) Ive found that jam tracks are very useful.

Ive got some questions for you all. What makes a good guitar player? Is the ability to play fast really important? For example, Is steve vai automatically a better guitarist than BB king just because he can play faster? Vai can play way faster, no doubt. But ill always enjoy listening to BB king more than i enjoy vai. I guess its just a matter of personal preference, but i want to know what you think.

I'm going to go with a halfway answer.

Steve Vai and BB King are just as good as each other.

HOWEVER.

Its ****ing bull**** when people claim a fast player has no 'soul' or feeling. Or prog bands. Or any other sort of highly technical music. People who don't believe in what they're doing get nowhere in music. Those bands mean every note just as much as the bluesmen. The nobodies and bedroom shredders are the ones to level that accusation at.

Not every slow half step bend denotes feeling. Not every shred passage denotes the absence of feeling. Both have their place and the greatest players use that to their advantage, including Steve Vai.

Oh, and just to note - Any guitarist who is really good at playing slowly, can probably play pretty damned fast when they want to just by virtue of having a ****alod of practice.