Hi everyone, mabey it's just me but have you noticed that all of the music nowadays is all power chords with no lead guitar solos what so ever ? Anyone these days can be a rock star ! I think if any of these bubble gum bands had to play even the easiest passages by Jimmy Page there would be no bubble gum bands ! Rock on ,John

[metalkour]

i read in a local paper that the guitar solo was dead
(i personoly dont think its any were near dead)

[cshude]

From what I can make out from listening on the radio, here's the current formula:
Intro w/fairly clean fingerpick style guitar
Vocalist comes in with much angst in voice
Kick in the drums, heavy distortion, mucho rhythm heading into chorus. Vocalist begins monotonic screaming.
Rinse and Repeat.

Whoooo, maybe I'm starting to get old. That's the same stuff my parents were saying about 80's metal and rock. They just couldn't understand what I saw in Def Leppard, Crue, etc.

Originally Posted by cshude

From what I can make out from listening on the radio, here's the current formula:
Intro w/fairly clean fingerpick style guitar
Vocalist comes in with much angst in voice
Kick in the drums, heavy distortion, mucho rhythm heading into chorus. Vocalist begins monotonic screaming.
Rinse and Repeat.

Whoooo, maybe I'm starting to get old. That's the same stuff my parents were saying about 80's metal and rock. They just couldn't understand what I saw in Def Leppard, Crue, etc.

at least Def Leppard and Crue had lead guitar parts. CC Deville used to frown down on bands that had no creativity or lead solos, Can we blame him? I should think not !

[r1p32]

Originally Posted by johnny64

Hi everyone, mabey it's just me but have you noticed that all of the music nowadays is all power chords with no lead guitar solos what so ever ? Anyone these days can be a rock star ! I think if any of these bubble gum bands had to play even the easiest passages by Jimmy Page there would be no bubble gum bands ! Rock on ,John

yea i notice that too, wen my friends tell me about new bands i often ask, do they do solos? and most of the time the answer is no. really makes u question the talent level, if a band just strums a power chord and calls it a song.

Originally Posted by r1p32

yea i notice that too, wen my friends tell me about new bands i often ask, do they do solos? and most of the time the answer is no. really makes u question the talent level, if a band just strums a power chord and calls it a song.

Thats exactly what i mean by saying '' anyone can be a rock star these days '' ! Thanks for the feed back . Johnny

[allthumbs]

I remember back in the day, a ten minute solo was not uncommon. It got really old after a year or two. There just weren't that many players who could solo for ten minutes and keep it interesting. I much prefer a 2 or 3 minute solo unless the player has totally mastered his or her craft.

[Lcjones]

Lead solo's are cool. But in a band situation, a massive lead solo takes away from the band itself and serves only the guitarist playing. Imho, a lead guitar guitarist should make the most of a melody with a well executed amount of minimum notes that enhances the entire song.

Michael Campbell, lead guitarist for TP and the Heartbreakers, is a classic example of a lead guitarist who knows and understands the purpose of a lead guitar. He is meticulous in choosing exactly the right amount of lead in any song he is a part of.

**

[Chaotic Kittie]

I like long, long, long solos. But not in any song or in any genre. As lcjones say, they take away much from the rest of the band.
However, I don't agree with solos disappearing... maybe in the more popular genres, but among harder rock, metal and so on they throw in solos in nearly every song, just because "there has to be a solo".

[allthumbs]

I also remember back in the day that when the lead player stepped forward for a solo, the rest of the band would go backstage and drink beer till it was over.

thank you all, I just want to make things a little clearer here ok ? As far as back in the days when 10 min. guitar solos go, those were just a few bands that did that,like Led Zeppelin, the Hendrix Experience, Black Sabbath, and such. But you know what ? Jimmy Page, Jimmy Hendrix, and Tony Iommi, were capable of doing it ! Now as far as the rest of the band not getting in on the guitar solos and going back stage and drinking alcohol thats a bunch of crap ! Everyone can get it on it ! I don't mean the guitarist just plays while everybody sits back ! All i mean is there needs to be more creative and constructive lead guitar playing, not shut the rest of the band down ! Think more like on an Iron Maiden based level, where the bassist and drummer still play durring Dave Murray, Adrian Smith, and Janick Gers killer lead riffs and solos ! That my friends is what in the *#&& i was talking about ! And all in all i don't hear this going on anymore ! Its all power chord crap ! take for instance System of a down's Daron Malakian, yeah he knows alot of cool heavy metal riffs but notice how theres no lead guitar besides ? This is only a fraction of what goes on now a days ! I don't know about any of you, but i love nothing more than to shred it up as often as i will, because thats just me !!! John

[r1p32]

Originally Posted by johnny64

thank you all, I just want to make things a little clearer here ok ? As far as back in the days when 10 min. guitar solos go, those were just a few bands that did that, like Led Zeppelin, the Hendrix Experience, Black Sabbath, and such. But you know what ? Jimmy Page, Jimmy Hendrix, and Tony Iommi, were capable of doing it ! Now as far as the rest of the band not getting in on the guitar solos and going back stage and drinking alcohol thats a bunch of crap ! Everyone can get in on it ! I don't mean the guitarist just plays while everybody sits back ! All i mean is there needs to be more creative and constructive lead guitar playing, not shut the rest of the band down ! Think more like on an Iron Maiden based level, where the bassist and drummer still play durring Dave Murray, Adrian Smith, and Janick Gers killer lead riffs and solos ! That my friends is what in the *#&& i was talking about ! And all in all i don't hear this going on anymore ! Its all power chord crap ! take for instance System of a down's Daron Malakian, yeah he knows alot of cool heavy metal riffs but notice how theres no lead guitar besides ? This is only a fraction of what goes on now a days ! I don't know about any of you, but i love nothing more than to shred it up as often as i will, because thats just me !!! John

actually daron from SOAD does do solos. and they're pretty good too although he doesnt do them in every song. personally from him i like the peephole, lonely day, and soil solos. and i guess it depends where u look for solos. for instance u definetly wont hear them from mtv bands, but current bands like dragonforce and trivium have great long shred solos.

[WernHalen]

Originally Posted by allthumbs

I also remember back in the day that when the lead player stepped forward for a solo, the rest of the band would go backstage and drink beer till it was over.

Jip remeber that, Brain May did a solo for about fifteen minutes on stage with no one else... Freddy and the gang would go backstage and have a drink, get changed and then come back for the next set... The particular solo he did at their Wembly show inspires me everytime I hear it...

Melodic solos are an endangered species... I think it has a lot to do with the fact that not many people can do it well these days because of the SCALES bandwagon people jump on. Young guitarists dont want to put in hours of practice everyday to learn scales. That is the reason I think Kirks method rocks big time... I mean, I dont practice soloing or improvising but I rather jam along to a song and improvise on the fly... I dont practice music I play music... or at least I try...

I also blame MTV for the bemise of the Solo. They are all uppety about the boy bands, and back track artists and never really feature the real rock bands of today. Dont get me worng some of the music they play is nice but only for about two months. There are no real anthems anymore...

When last did you hear something like Stairway to heaven, Paradise City, We will rock you, Enter Sandman, Parisiene Walkways, Nothing Else Matters, Thunder or Purple Rain? They play these types of songs in the wee hours of the morning when nobody is listening. The rest of the time it is all GOOMSH GOOMSH music with a bunch of people winning about their loves and lives that are up to Sugar Honey Ice Tea...

Ok now i have ranted enough for the day...

No i don't listen to MTV ! Mabey i was hearing all of Darons less quality tunes, however he's not really my bag to begin with.I have heard one or two of his more complex pieces come to think back on it and i was'nt impressed never the less ! Sorry but anyone can belt out some shred with a delay effect, try playing straight out with just distortion and lets see what he's got ! John

Ok so i forgot mr. Mays one deal. I still look for all out music from every aspect, rhythms, harmonies where applicable, and good lead playing ! Everyone these days are getting away with playing crap ! I look for music with the aspects i mentioned because thats the way i play. I believe in giving people music to remember for its beauty of complexity and not because it sucked. My personal belief is ; If you got the skill to do it do it ! If you can't then i guess you fall into the ''only power chord'' category sorry to say. I love playing creative lead style guitar like Mr. Page , i would'nt have it any other way man. Peace my friend, John