Hey guys! I have been listening to many new Post Hardcore bands, as well as punk, pop, metal and I always find that there are less guitar solos in the songs nowadays than in the 80's for example. In the case of my band I only add solos to the songs when I feel that they add something extra to the song, not only because it's a must.

What are your thoughts about this??

I think it depends on what you mainly listen too. My main focus is Metal, all kinds, all genres, everything about it. And I find that there are plenty of amazing solos out there, and I personally think some of the best lead players have risen to a fame of sorts in just the past decade. With the exception of maybe synchopated style Metal (also called 'Djent') most genres of a healthy dose of guitar solos.

Ever since Nirvana - the solo has been replaced by vocals and rhythm. I think 80's rock is slowly cycling back into fashion though. I'm hearing more of it (the style) mainstream around my neck of the woods.

yes, it's true, I was talking about the last 20 years mainstream music (pop, rock, New metal, Grunge, Rock). However maybe you can prove that I'm wrong with some examples...

Yes, I am thinking this too, Gabe. Skillet didn't really have any guitar solos in Awake as they did in Comatose. RED never has guitar solos. But they only have one guitar player right now too.

Those are two Metal examples... I have been listening to Red yesterday! I love their sound, arrangements and songs. The orchestral arrangements makes the sound epic.

I think that the eighties brought forth such talent , that it got unattainable (shredding) that when Nirvana came along it hit a nerve with the people that still liked to rock but did not ( for one reason or another) play that well.
along with the fact that I think Americans ( and I am an American) are to fickle ( these metal acts are still roaming around Europe)
Americans move one with the trends and what some one else tells them what to like , when they tell them to like shreddy guitar again - They will like it and that will make it more feasible for artists to come out of the shadows and make a little money

hahaaha the problem is that they won't learn to shred in a few months!

Yeah, I was watching "Metal Evolution" on VH1 Classic. A lot of the guys they interviewed said Grunge killed metal. The record companies dumbed down the musicianship in favor of stuff that would sell.

that a great topic for a new thread man! Can I borrow it?

I think the term 'solo' has been associated too much with shreddy stuff or dazzling displays of technical prowess a solo is a musical statement which can be emphasized in many, many ways. Exactly as Gabe said it, if there's no need for a solo, why put one in? If your song transmits a message in its entirety, a solo is unnecessary in my opinion. People should stop saying music is bad or good, because it has a solo or not

On Sunday, we had the first ARIA gig - shall write a topic about that immediately and a lot of people who knew us as members of other bands and projects, came to see us perform. The night was great and it felt incredibly smooth for me, as being the lead vocalist (I was nervous as hell) but the idea is that many people (especially the ones knowing us for being guitarists rather than vocalists) were going: 'Awesome songs man, but too bad you didn't play any solos'

This only proves that some people's vision is kind of distorted - if this is how we evolved - being able to express ourselves without pouring with millions of notes, I see nothing wrong with it

Evolution presumes a lot of things, some may see them as bad, some may see them as good. I am only trying to become better and more and more able to use my abilities to better express myself.

What do you guys think?

I agree with this. I think that back in the 80' when lead guitars were allowed to take a lot of space in many different bands - people were mesmerized by the fact that rock guitarists had started practicing chops (just like everyone else had many hundred years earlier).

A decade later I guess people realised the solos needed more than speed to earn their place in strong songs. So I guess what was kept were those solos that sounded cool, fast or slow.

I think this is a symptom of our instrument being very young - one could call it a childhood illness

Very well said K-meister!

I have to admit I agree with Cosmin. I guess I am guilty.

In the 80's (in fact, all the way from the late 60's) it was an unwritten rule that the construction of a song had to include a solo spot of some kind whether it be Guitar, Keyboard, Saxa-ma-phone etc.
I actually think that there were certain tracks that were constructed and written around the solo. From the late 70's a new style of playing evolved and, as with anything else, certain people took it to it's limits and therefore their music had to include a solo to prove what pyrotechnics they could do!!!

That's the same that happens to me with Cirse!! I was tired of hearing people asking me why I don't add more solos... It was a bit frustrating because it seemed that nothing was important if you don't add a solo!
The latest album has some solos and people seems to be a bit more comfortable and less worried! hahahah.

Maybe the reason why I do this is because I see my band and the songs as a producer, and even a a listener not as the guitar player. I don't know if this is right or wrong but I try to forget that I'm the player and just try to find the song that I would like to hear, with the parts, the arrangements and structure that would make it a perfect song for me.

From several people I know it is because it takes more time to learn to do solos and many are star struck and want to play out or be in a band right away.

I too often here "I am a rhythm player"...I usually respond that I am a musician...there is a big difference. I still stink at soloing but I am working at it, it takes a lot of time and effort.

For pop I always thought Prince had a great balance of vocal leads and soloing in his music.

Good point Michael! and yeah, Prince is a very talented artist!

I think you are soooo right on there. +1

Eager to prove themselves, the composers and songwriters are pushing too much text (mostly bad) in a song and in fact they take away our playing time (which is actually the only bright spot in the song). They want to push us aside as the main driving machine in the band! Lead part is actually the culmination of each song! (shut up singers)!

Are you saying that Vocalmasterclass.net is behind all this????

Not only them, much larger and darker forces are in question

haha I never thought of it that way, I take back my analysis. Sinisa obviously knows what he is talking about

That's a good question! I think it's because people are more in to lyrics and don't really care about solos as much as they use to!
I believe it will come back in a few years cause it's always goes on circle!

yeah, you're right mate, I also believe that music goes on circle!

YES! My brother That's the whole point

The music industry distributes most popular songs today, and wetter we like it or not, solos will happen only if needed, it's the fact that everything boils down to This can have some good sides: alternative band, or fresh name can possibly have more chances of singing a contract.

On the other hand, when I watch the condition of music industry today, it makes me really sad, it's obvious that they are going down, without any real ideas, and those musicians who do have some ideas are forced to do their own work and market their music without the help of mass media. Personally, I like both cool simple solos, ala frusciante, or BB King, and also fast solos ala Wylde or Gilbert, it's all great, and everything should have it's place. I think it does actually. The choice is only: do you want to listen only to modern music, or you want to listen ALL music

It's about time Solo's became "Cool" again Everything goes through cycles/phases, as has been mentioned. It was really solo crazy for a while in the 80's, then died off, now it's swinging back that way again. The barrier to entry is much higher when you want to add a killer solo. The good news is, GMCers are well on their way!

Well, I don't think a solo is absolutely necessary in a song to make it good. Take Muse for example, they rarely do "old-school noodling" solos, they usually have small interludes which are not enough to be called "solos" but big enough to take the main attention from the vocal parts. Another example is Judas Priest's Nightcrawler. No solo - yet awesome song, has enough of what it takes to be good to listen to.

But I can't lie - I always have a big grin on my face when I hear a good solo - I just enjoy them, especially if they are creative and you can see that the composer really tried hard to make it "tell a tale". When I hear Dream Theater's "The Spirit Carries On" solo, my face just MELTS Or "Tears of the Dragon" solo. That solo is just pure brilliance.

On the other hand - mindless shred solos which are composed mainly to impress the crowd by a particular guitar technique, or just solos with no creativity at all - I can't stand them. Example - Bruce Dickinson's Abduction solo, it's just awful.

Yes music goes on cycles, I agree. So we have like 25 years of advantage to become guitar shredding gods!!! get ready to amaze the music industry in the year 2040!! and to do world tours at the age of 50 hehehe....keep on rocking grandpa they will shout to us!

Absolutely!

I think Slash got it about right with the amount of solos required!

Done!!

http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/guitar_fo...showtopic=42566

hahahaa! love that take Sinisa
Good topic Gabriel!
Did anyone notice that about the time we started hearing less guitar solos when Grunge came along in modern pop/rock etc, we started seeing pop/country music move towards more of a country rock thing and country guitar players were playing all kinds of flashy solo's?

I don't know if that's the actual reason, but nonetheless, I am a huge country music fan and in my opinion, 'country shredders' represent a special breed of guitarists with exquisite taste for phrasing and melodic sensibility

talking about country shredders I remembered this one!

Oh I never meant for this to be a reason as to why there were less guitar solos in modern rock/pop. It was just an observation of what was going on in modern country music durring this time.It just seemed to me that durring this time if you wanted music with a good guitar solo you were more likely to find it in country music or some metal rather than mainstream rock or pop. And yes I agree there are lots of great country music guitar players out there. I just think they really started stepping out durring this time. A good solo is a good solo no matter what the genre.

Oh, yes, I totally agree style doesn't have anything to do with a graceful selection of notes, fluidity and expression Brad Paisley is one hell of a player - check his stuff out (maybe you already know him) and I'm sure you'll be blown away!



Gabe, tell me, didn't you always feel that John 5 is more a country player than anything he is doing along Marilyn Manson or Rob Zombie? I think that somehow he is the most honest and sincere when he plays country

It's true!! His demoniac country style makes him unique and defines his style. Even his tone works better in the country tunes (at least for my taste).

oh man, haven't listen this in ages1

You just need more japanese music, there are solos everywhere

Sollesnes that looks like it would be a fun to be the guitarist for the live gigs

Great guitar job!! The solo in the middle of the song is amazing! Is Marty Friedman the player here?

No. Check out japanese and korean charts, there's amazing solos everywhere. Two days ago I had a few hours of free time before bed and decided to record a cover of a korean boyband/group, and there's even a solo there

Great suggestion mate! I was asking myself how you discovered all this bands... checking the charts is a great idea! I'll see what I find there...