Jason Becker was an amazing guitarist. He even continued to write music after he couldn't play guitar due to ALS. Why isn't more recognized as a great guitarist/musician?
2007-03-16 06:47:37 · 6 answers · asked by Anonymous in Entertainment & Music ➔ Music
he was a wonderful guitarist. you're right. but to discredit everyone who doesn't like that "neo-classical" super-picking stuff as people who don't know music like that other kid just did is a bit elitist....and closed-minded. probably the exact thing YOU'RE trying to counter with this question, right? lol.
i loved his guitar playing when i was younger, but after my music degree, i kinda got....well....bored. (no disrespect) he started to lack a voice....like many of the others in that group.
he's lumped together in that group of super-fast/limited feeling players, whether he deserves it or not. he's not like a total feel player like jimi or jimmy, but neither was he a complete overplayer like yngwie. either way, though, he got put in that category....and that's a very, very limited market. (especially today; you can practically count today's successful musicians who consider themselves influenced by yngwie on your hand.)
here's a question for you, in your pursuit of becoming a great player. (which i'm sure you're well on your way to. :) ) : is being a very good technical guitarist the same as being a very good musician? as i got {even a little bit} older, i came to the conclusion that they're actually mutually exclusive. players like wes montgomery, jimmy page, pat martino, hendrix, leo kottke, joe diorio, nuno bettencourt,etc (all the greats) aren't great because they have the chops, but because their VOICE is so well-developed. you don't have to ask who's playing guitar when you hear them. you just know. and if it ISN'T them, then that person's paying tribute!
jason becker sounded (in SO MANY ways) like the other guys...who had been doing it before...or at least, had established themselves before. you know?
good question.
now, tell me why nick drake isn't considered on the same level as bob dylan. (that's another one that hurts)
good luck with your playing, man. bust out that metronome!!
2007-03-16 07:16:35 · answer #1 · answered by blue-in-groove 6 · 0⤊ 2⤋
He didnt get crossover success. He was in with the neo-classical guitar movement and they got respect among guitar fans but nobody else was gonna hear him. David Lee Roth was past his prime when Becker did stuff with him so he couldnt get recognized for that. And the instrumental stuff wasnt nearly as popular as cds by Satriani or Vai. I think Becker is going to be remembered more for what he could have done if he was healthy and being an inspiration compared to what he was actually able to write and record with himself playing.
2007-03-16 07:00:28 · answer #2 · answered by james r 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
i know who he is. i know he is great and amazing. people don't recognize him because he name didn't get out by the time people were teenagers. he was diagnosed around 1991 and that shocked everyone.
not many people know where he is or what happened to him.
they tried to move on. i mean there are a lot of greats. jason did the best he could and still contiues after having ALS. he will recover one day hopefully and amaze the world again.
i personally like vai, satch, gilbert, and a lot more.
everyone knows jason is a great guitar player and musician but it is always good to move on and talk about what is new. a lot of the guitar gods are looking for the 'next best thing' which hasn't came along yet. so yeah.
i know what you mean.
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added details:
the people who don't know him don't appreciate music. they think music is hiphop. i dont think that's music at all.. just girls trying to look hotter than the other..
2007-03-16 06:53:26 · answer #3 · answered by best cuddler =) 4 · 2⤊ 1⤋
You need to play the guitar in order to listen to and appreciate his music. I have one of his albums with Marty Freidman of Megadeth and although it is musically impressive, its never going to cross over to popular music like some more pop-ish guitar songs from Satriani (Summer Song) or Eric Johnson (Cliffs of Dover). I saw a video of Jason Becker playing guitar with one hand doing a yo-yo with the other and it was pretty amazing. However, outside of guitar players, he really doesn't have much of an audience, and I'm not suprised.
2007-03-16 07:14:27 · answer #4 · answered by Rebbew 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Who's that?
2007-03-16 06:51:51 · answer #5 · answered by Captor of Sin 6 · 1⤊ 3⤋
Never heard of him
2007-03-16 06:52:57 · answer #6 · answered by djbobbybob 4 · 1⤊ 3⤋