Jump to content
Hamer Fan Club Message Center
  • 0

The perfect guitar solo.


fasteddie

Question

Is there such a thing? What is it? A solo that takes a mundane song and elevates it. A guitarist that you thought didn't have it in them, comes out with a blinder. A solo, perhaps, with many guitaring techniques showing off the capabilities of the player, but still able to be melodic and tuneful. Marillion's Jigsaw and Gary Moore's Rock n Roll are crackers for me, Tornado of Souls by Megadeth also is a great "building up" solo. Que dire vous?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Answers 68
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Recommended Posts

Marc Ford's solo on "Ballad In Urgency" from The Black Crowes' "Amorica" always does it for me. It's not "the best" solo or the flashiest, but there's an amazing lyrical quality to his phrasing that makes me wish I could create like that. It's also just a killer song!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, joshoowah said:

Marc Ford's solo on "Ballad In Urgency" from The Black Crowes' "Amorica" always does it for me. It's not "the best" solo or the flashiest, but there's an amazing lyrical quality to his phrasing that makes me wish I could create like that. It's also just a killer song!

I saw the Black Crows once in London, and that dudes Les Paul just sang like a bird, it was a great sound live.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The solo in "Symphony of Destruction" is good to my ears. To me, it builds slowly, then faster, then goes higher, eventually ending in its climax.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 minutes ago, Dave Scepter said:

Michael fukin Schenker UFO Strangers in the Night Lights Out both solos one at about 2:00 and the other at 3:48...

Then Randy Rhoads mr. Crowley

 

Saw UFO 18 months ago with Vinnie Moore on guitar, great guitarist, great band. BTW Mind's Eye still THE best guitar shred album of all time.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

While I like Floyd quite a bit, "Another Brick in the Wall" benefited immensely from Gilmour's closing solo. Typical Gilmour: brilliant note choice, phrasing, and use of blank space. Rick Wright's faux crescendo organ part behind the solo is a critical element, too, helping add drama and building up to the Gilmour's last note. The song would have garnered attention without the solo, but it certainly would not have been as listenable, emotional, and complete. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

By the way while we're chatting about Gary Moore, if any are old enough to remember when he played a strat, check out the solo from "Always gonna love you" from Corridors of Power and tell me that is not THE most powerful sounding, screaming, singing strat you're ever heard. Really, really good stuff.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There are so many that check this box...but I’ll start with an obvious one: Page’s Tele solo on Stairway. Perfectly crafted, melodic, builds in intensity, and brings the flash on the last lick for good measure.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I had a bit of a think earlier on today and then though some more and came up with the same thing.

 

I think the guitar breaks in Save me by Queen are pretty amazing for a solo in a song a single song...acoustic picking, harmonised guitar sounding like classical harpsichord lines, <bit of Freddie to set up> big screaming rock with a bit of major thrown in to the mainly minor line are bloody magic.

 

Listen to it all obviously, but it kicks off around 2:30 in to the song.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wonderful song, wonderful solo, and wonderful video. I liked it very much when it came out in 1980. 

A perfect solo emerges into the song flow and leverages for the final. Ideally creates its own line and remains in ear and heart.

I think Killer Queen has that kind of perfect solo. Same for Bohemian Rhapsody whilst talking of the same band.

There might be only a few guitarists that are playing and composing on the level to create the perfect solo. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Gorch - there are SO MANY Brian May solos that are flat out perfect.  Technically flawless, musically brilliant, and highly emotive.  His playing is the guitar version of Freddie’s voice.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Perhaps a bit overly analytical but isn't the "perfect" solo something wholly subjective? And I'd agree with crunchee that it's contingent, to a large degree, on the song it is crafted in/around.

For my money, despite my love of flamboyant and reckless 80's shred and overuse of whammy bar,  the perfect solo always seems to come back to Hendrix, Hey Joe stands out, along with Little Wing and the outro solo in Axis Bold As Love.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 minutes ago, JGravelin said:

Cinnamon Girl is pretty great. I'm still practicing and hopefully one day I'll get it right. 😎

Too many notes!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have many favorites, but this one is almost an anti-solo, but I like the stuff that just fits the song rather than acts as a separate showpiece most of the time.

Here’s another one where I never loved the song, but LOVE the solo...

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well you're all wrong. 'Cause I played a solo this morning in my jim jams, while my kids were having breakfast that was a combo of Page Jimi Eric Eddie Vai and Yngwie all rolled into one, with a bit of extra flash thrown in for good measure, you should have heard it. It was the biz. Stairway to where?...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Elliot Easton on numerous Cars songs. His solo's fit just right, aren't too short but also aren't so long they wear out there welcome and they all seem to stand the test of time.

A few others that do it for me:

Van Halen - Push Comes to Shove

MSG - Attack of The Mad Axeman

MSG - On and On

Alcatrazz - Sky Fire

Alcatrazz - Wire and Wood

PIL - Ease

Europe - The Final Countdown

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, HAMERMAN said:

Elliot Easton on numerous Cars songs. His solo's fit just right, aren't too short but also aren't so long they wear out there welcome and they all seem to stand the test of time.

A few others that do it for me:

Van Halen - Push Comes to Shove

MSG - Attack of The Mad Axeman

MSG - On and On

Alcatrazz - Sky Fire

Alcatrazz - Wire and Wood

PIL - Ease

Europe - The Final Countdown

 

The Push comes to shove solo is a VERY serious contender for best pinched harmonic.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 5/3/2019 at 10:09 AM, Biz Prof said:

Typical Gilmour: brilliant note choice, phrasing, and use of blank space

Typical is right.  Comfortably Numb has become cliche it's so freaking perfect, but Gilmour offers many to choose from..  For me, he is the perfect soloist. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.


×
×
  • Create New...