Not necessarily the most Technically brilliant
- But, the Most CREATIVE in exploring realms of the Guitar that others hadn't ventured into..
- If possible - BREAK-DOWN YOUR LIST, INTO DECADES.
Have fun :-)
2007-12-26 05:05:55 · 32 answers · asked by ? 2 in Entertainment & Music ➔ Music ➔ Rock and Pop
NOTE: While van halen popularized the 6th-finger "tapping"; Steve Hackett was 1st to record to do 10-finger tapping; use of octave-dividers; and experimentation with phase-shifting.
2007-12-26 05:47:56 · update #1
...also "backward" playback whild PLAYING LIVE!! Some form of delay and playback box...
2007-12-26 05:49:09 · update #2
Actually, PRINCE is a very astute choice!! ...good one Jennywren
2007-12-26 07:09:58 · update #3
Lotz of great ideas, so far -- this may go to group vote...
2007-12-26 07:10:43 · update #4
1950's - early 60's
Les Paul
Dick Dale
Chet Atkins
Scotty Moore
Link Wray
Duane Eddy
And many more...
60's-70's -
Eric Clapton
Eddie Phillips - The Creation (1st to bow an electric guitar)
Peter Green
Mike Bloomfield
Jimi Hendrix
Harvey Mandel
Jimi Page
Larry Coryell
Jeff Beck
And many more...
70's -
Jan Akkerman
Steve Hackett
Luigi "Gigi" Venegoni
Steve Howe
Phillipe Catherine
Joe Walsh
John McLaughlin
Ollie Halsall
Manuel Gottsching
Tom Verlaine
Steve Morse
Al Dimeola
Robert Fripp
Daryl Stuermer
Frank Zappa
Ritchie Blackmore
Steve Hillage
Alan Holdsworth
And many more...
80's - present -
Yngwie Malmsteen
Steve Vai
Joe Satrianni
Vinnie Moore
Adrian Belew
Sorry, not many too many others have impressed me in recent years. They all seem to be treading ground previously traveled. Whether it's John Petrucci, David Fiuczynski, Akira Takasaki, Ritchie Kotzen, Fredrik Thordendal, Marty Friedman...all great guitarists, but I'd hardly say they explored realms that others hadn't ventured...been there...done that!
Oh, and the early delay processors that you are referring to employed the use of analog tape loops. The 'Echosonic', and the 'Echoplex' were used in the 50's and 60's by composers such as Karlheinz Stockhausen, and Pierre Henry.
Roland developed the RE-201, or 'Space Echo' as it became known in the early 70's. David Gilmour was a huge fan of this device.
Edit - Your correct about Steve Hackett. The man was way ahead of his time. I'm a huge fan!
2007-12-26 07:30:20 · answer #1 · answered by Smiley 4 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Hm...I can only think of one right now, but let's see if selecting one for each decade will help.
50's: Link Wray. C'mon, that guy used distortion. Way ahead of his time.
60's: Jimi Hendrix. Guitar feedback, distortion, psychedelic stuff, combinations of many genres, wah-wah, experimentation, etc. Maybe he wasn't the first to use or do all this stuff. But he definitely was one of the first to do a combination of all of them.
70's: Jimmy Page. He was somewhat experimental too, using backwards echo, bowed guitar, overdubbing several times, etc. He wasn't the first guy, but he was pretty creative.
80's: Um... Hard to say. Most good guitarists of the 80's were virtuosos. And I'm not a big fan of virtuosos, save a couple, like John Petrucci. I'm gonna have to say Peter Buck. If you don't know who that is, he's from R.E.M. He's simple, but his jangly style drives R.E.M.'s songs. Ha, most people are gonna disagree with me here.
90's: Tom Morello. Definitely. Have you ever heard a guitarist make a guitar sound like a harmonica or turntable? Maybe doing that is easy. But it's never been done before.
I can't say anything about 00's guitarists though. Maybe Jack White.
And none of these guys are the most technically brilliant. Far from it actually. Replace Link Wray with Chuck Berry and that's pretty much my favorite guitarists list also.
2007-12-26 05:27:53 · answer #2 · answered by Montag 5 · 5⤊ 1⤋
50's: Chuck Berry - No brainer.
Frannie Beecher (Bill Haley and the Comets) He was the EVH of the 50's.
James Burton - He sounded like no one else.
60's: Dick Dale
The Ventures
Jimi Hendrix - No brainer II.
Jeff Beck - One of the first to use feedback.
70's: Jeff Beck - Brought jazz fusion to rock.
Roy Buchanon - He was ahead of his time in many ways.
Carlos Santana - Carved out a unique place in rock.
Steve Morse (Dixie Dregs) - He infused classical, baroque, jazz and chicken-picken country into rock.
Shawn Lane - Yngwie before Yngwie.
Eddie Van Halen - I know he didn't invent tapping but he brought it to the masses. I remember Pat Travers was 2nd in the Guitar Player 'GP of the year' to EVH. Travers said mockingly 'Yeah, I want to play just like Eddie Van Halen when I grow up'. The reason was, EVH obsoleted PT and a lot of other rockers (including myself) in just a moment.
Andy Summers (Police) - As I recall, Summers was the one of the first to think outside the box and used the guitar in a more sonic way instead of a tonal or melodic way.
80's: The Edge - I know he's not a great technical player but he was able build on the foundation Andy Summers made. He has(had) a unique sound. Because of his initial lack of technique he wasn't limited by what everyone already knew.
90's: Tom Morello
Joe Satriani
Buckethead (hey, it's my list!)
00's: ummm...?
2007-12-26 08:38:28 · answer #3 · answered by chinmusic851 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Steve Vai is the most creative guitarist I've ever heard.
Jeff Beck and Joe Satriani are close behind.
Montag: I love Tom Morello but all 3 guitarists I mentioned can make their guitars sound like other instruments long before Tom Morello.
2007-12-26 05:42:33 · answer #4 · answered by Beatle fanatic 7 · 3⤊ 2⤋
60s -- Jimi Hendrix -- He paved the way for all of the other rock guitar innovators by showing that the electric guitar could make sounds that were inconceivable a few decades earlier.
Other major 60s innovators: Eric Clapton and Robert Fripp (founder of King Crimson)
70s -- Allan Holdsworth -- He's both a brilliant technician and a true innovator to rival Hendrix. He developed his own technique, with a fluid sound many have tried to imitate but none have exactly matched. His sense of melody also remains fresh and startling to this day. His solo lines were never predictable, always veering off in unexpected directions.
Other 70s innovators: Steve Morse (the genius behind the Dixie Dregs), Steve Howe, Steve Hackett, David Gilmour (one of the most melodic rock guitarists ever, and a major influence on many later guitarists), Larry Carlton (played some dazzling solos with Steely Dan; "Don't Take Me Alive" still gives me goosebumps)
80s -- Adrian Belew -- After a little reflection I changed my mind on this one. Van Halen may have been more popular and influential, but Belew was more truly creative, often outshining his King Crimson bandmate Robert Fripp with his innovative use of unique electronic effects, whammy bar, and unorthodox playing techniques. Who else would have even thought of making a guitar trumpet like an elephant?
Other 80s innovators: Eddie Van Halen (raised the bar for heavy metal chops and still influences guitarists to this day) and Prince
90s to Present -- John Petrucci -- Mix all of the above with a triple dose of virtuoso chops and you have John Petrucci. The members of Dream Theater may wear their influences on their sleeves, but they all bring something fresh to the mix. Petrucci is dazzling whether he's playing solos or playing frighteningly fast note-perfect unison and harmony licks with Jordan Rudess. His playing can make even the most jaded listener's jaw drop.
Other innovators: Roine Stolt of the Flower Kings (brilliant on both Transatlantic CDs, combining David Gilmour's unerring melodic sense with Hendrix's psychedelic innovations)
2007-12-26 05:18:25 · answer #5 · answered by ConcernedCitizen 7 · 4⤊ 1⤋
1960's- Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton
1970's- Jimmy Page, Santana, Tony Iommi
1980's- Randy Rhoads, Van Halen, Michael Angelo Batio, George Lynch, Joe Satriani.
1990's- Dimebag, Tom Morello
2007-12-26 06:33:22 · answer #6 · answered by Rex 4 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Ozzy's guitarist- Zach Wylde
2007-12-26 05:16:50 · answer #7 · answered by slowly_twiztid_juggalette 3 · 2⤊ 1⤋
I think that the most creative guitarist has got to be Eric Clapton as #1.
2007-12-26 06:53:03 · answer #8 · answered by kylelee08 3 · 0⤊ 2⤋
I agree with almost all the names I see on here but everyone has left one guy off. Come to think of it I don't believe I've ever seen his name on here. That guy is Rik Emmit from Triumph. I know there music isn't among the greatest ever but If you've ever seen them live you have seen Rik's amazing guitar playing. I watched him use the finger tapping techniques in a solo that was one of the best I've ever seen. His Jazz influenced playing is one of the reasons I liked Triumph's music.
2007-12-26 23:30:03 · answer #9 · answered by wowwhatisthatthing 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Jeff Beck
Richard Thompson
Clapton stopped being creative in 1970
SVR never was very creative, just a very good blues player and Hendrix imitation.
2007-12-26 05:33:07 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋