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GMC Forum _ PRACTICE ROOM _ What Techniques Made Them Great ?
Posted by: Ben Higgins Aug 5 2013, 06:45 PM
I focused my latest lesson on the guitar style of Dave Murray from Iron Maiden
http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/ls/Dave-Murray-Style-Lesson/
As we know, Dave's style is essentially built around the skilful use of hammer ons... and pull offs. Just two humble everyday guitar techniques. Yet he's incorporated them in such a way that they sound incredibly smooth and rival the legato techniques of many guitar players who make use of 3 note per string shapes, myself included.
With just 2 simple techniques, he's built a guitar identity recognisable to most metal fans around the world.
What guitar players (any genre) can you think of that have built a unique identity using mainly 1 or 2 techniques ?
Posted by: Bogdan Radovic Aug 5 2013, 09:46 PM
Very interesting thread and question! 
I think that John Frusciante has a very unique style that is built on very basic techniques. I would say the signature techniques for him are bending and long sustained notes (vibrato). He is really melodic and manages to make really powerful solos using basic techniques that are fairly doable.
Posted by: Headbanger Aug 5 2013, 10:20 PM
It's an interesting thread... I suggest that Hendrix wouldn't have sounded the same without his chord embellishments 
Posted by: sammetal92 Aug 6 2013, 12:20 AM
Maybe Mr. Vai? He does a lot of stuff but on a smaller scale compared to sliding and whammy usage, but it sounds awesome and whammy became Steve's identity sort of
Posted by: klasaine Aug 6 2013, 08:36 AM
I'd ague that we wouldn't know who any of these guys are if they couldn't' write a decent tune (write a melody)
and play musically. Those, IMO are the defining elements. There are literally thousands of players out there who utilize either the same techniques as the influential players or even have their own unique technical thing going on but no one really knows them because there's no compelling 'music' to go along with the technique.
Posted by: Ben Higgins Aug 6 2013, 08:57 AM
and play musically. Those, IMO are the defining elements. There are literally thousands of players out there who utilize either the same techniques as the influential players or even have their own unique technical thing going on but no one really knows them because there's no compelling 'music' to go along with the technique.
So that's the end of this thread, then !!
Posted by: Slavenko Erazer Aug 6 2013, 09:05 AM
Yeah, i would agreee with klasaine, don't know which tecniques made them great, it's the songs who did...
That's probably why zillions of shredders can't "get out" of their shred world, they know millions of techniques, but it's the song writing which counts...
Posted by: Cosmin Lupu Aug 6 2013, 09:07 AM
I have to agree with Ken
But if you want my opinion - a dude who is well know for his wonderful whammy technique is Michael Lee Firkins. I remember being totally in love with the works on his 1990 album - the self titled one. Here are my favorites:Posted by: Nether Aug 6 2013, 09:09 AM
B.B. King, John Frusciante and Slash might be using a similar set of techniques, but they sound very different. So I suppose that the technique is not the important thing, is how you use it
Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Aug 6 2013, 01:54 PM
and play musically. Those, IMO are the defining elements. There are literally thousands of players out there who utilize either the same techniques as the influential players or even have their own unique technical thing going on but no one really knows them because there's no compelling 'music' to go along with the technique.
This is so true, but besides this I find very interesting what Ben said on this thread. There are some guitar players that make their own style and identity just repeating 2 or 3 techniques. Another example that I can give is Vah Halen, he can play different techniques but he made his recognizable style using tapping everywhere.
Posted by: Ben Higgins Aug 6 2013, 03:26 PM
Yes Eddie was another that crossed my mind !
This is the kind of thing I mean. If you heard a guitarist play (regardless of the music behind it) you would know who it is. Because it didn't matter if Eddie was playing over a VH tune or Michael Jackson's Beat It, he sounded like Eddie and the world guitar world knows him.
Likewise with people like MAB or Rusty Cooley. Their individual tunes may not be as well known as their guitar playing itself. But unlike those guys I was looking for those players that used predominantly one or two techniques (not guitar virtuosos) most of the time and how well they made it work
Posted by: klasaine Aug 6 2013, 07:06 PM
Not the end of the thread at all:-)
These guys that pioneered a technique had/have something extraordinary in their head.
EVH was trying to play wide intervals as fast as Holdsworth and he couldn't do it with one hand ... so he used two. Technique in service of an idea.
* I do believe that solid body instruments and the volume levels available with them def influenced the newly emerging rock and roll music of the mid 50s.
Many say it was the adoption of the electric bass (fender bass) that allowed everybody else to 'get loud'.
Volume, maybe not a technique in itself but certainly causal, probably influenced what Hendrix, Townshend amnd Jeff Beck started to hear in their heads - ?
Posted by: bleez Aug 6 2013, 07:08 PM
Dave Gilmour maybe? his bends and rakes are very recognisable. He doesnt seem to do anything too 'exotic' ( to borrow the phrase from Ben's lesson ). He can take very simple blues runs and he just 'Glimours' the hell out of them
Posted by: Ben Higgins Aug 6 2013, 07:22 PM
Very interesting insight, I didn't realise that
He also said he used to try and emulate Eric Clapton.... it's amazing how trying to mimic someone in your own way can produce amazing new results, totally different from the original source of inspiration.
Very true... just good ol' plain string bending.. and he's made it almost synonymous with his name !
Posted by: Zaek Aug 6 2013, 08:05 PM
Hm, atleast in my mind, no one can play the killswitch like Buckethead. As far I know, his usage of that is quite unique. :-)
Posted by: leonard478 Aug 6 2013, 10:52 PM
Preston Reed and his 2 handed slap guitaring !
http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/ls/Dave-Murray-Style-Lesson/
As we know, Dave's style is essentially built around the skilful use of hammer ons... and pull offs. Just two humble everyday guitar techniques. Yet he's incorporated them in such a way that they sound incredibly smooth and rival the legato techniques of many guitar players who make use of 3 note per string shapes, myself included.
With just 2 simple techniques, he's built a guitar identity recognisable to most metal fans around the world.
What guitar players (any genre) can you think of that have built a unique identity using mainly 1 or 2 techniques ?
Posted by: waynedcoville Aug 7 2013, 01:20 AM
That's probably why zillions of shredders can't "get out" of their shred world, they know millions of techniques, but it's the song writing which counts...
agreed. Kurt Cobain wrote of of the most memorable songs ever and he was a very simple player
Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Aug 7 2013, 04:22 AM
And what about this guy?
Posted by: Cosmin Lupu Aug 7 2013, 07:38 AM
I was going to say that aside Buckethead, Morello is the King of the Kill.....switch
Posted by: Headbanger Aug 8 2013, 10:33 AM
Never heard of the 'Kill switch'...is it a foot pedal? Hows it used? Does anyone have one to demo?
Posted by: bleez Aug 8 2013, 12:47 PM
in bucketheads case its an arcade style button on his guitar that toggles the sound on / off
really effective.
Posted by: Headbanger Aug 8 2013, 10:30 PM
really effective.
Its definitely effective. When you said arcade style button ...I didn't think it would make arcade type sound effects as well...although I realise this is effectively an on/off switch for the pickups.
Posted by: bleez Aug 8 2013, 10:42 PM
yeah, TBH thats probably not the best example of how he uses it. Have a listen to the intro of this track, its more 'normal'
he kicks in at about 0.40 sec.
Posted by: Headbanger Aug 8 2013, 11:09 PM
he kicks in at about 0.40 sec.
Thanks Bleez...that definitely gave me a better understanding of its use..Somehow I got through my whole life up to now without knowing about the killer switch on a Guitar
Posted by: Bogdan Radovic Aug 9 2013, 12:47 AM
really effective.
That is a cool detail - arcade style button!
I knew about the kill switch feature but not what kind of button he used. So cool!
Posted by: Cosmin Lupu Aug 9 2013, 07:54 AM
Tom Morello does things in a different manner - I just read he actually doesn't use a killswitch
http://www.instructables.com/id/Guitar-Killswitch-Installation/
Here's a thorough guide on how to have one yourselves
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