Best Guitar Player by Category

[JAYMONSTER]

Here's a fun game....Name the best guitar-player of all time by the following categories:

SKILL:
INNOVATION:
COMPOSITION:
HISTORICAL IMPACT:
OVERALL:

Here's my pix:

SKILL: Satriani (faster than snot, classicaly trained,multiple styles)
INNOVATION: EVH (brought hammer-ons and harmonics into main-stream)
COMPOSITION: Jimmy Page (wrote a variety of styles and tunings)
HISTORICAL IMPACT: Chuck Berry (Opened the door for modern-day rock n roll)
OVERALL: EVH

The fact that Ed combines all these categories together is what puts him over for me.

[Unchained Wolfie]

cool Topic! [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

Skill - Ywinge Malmsteen (Just listen, alot of his stuff sounds the same, but he is really good)

Innovation - Edward Van Halen (Who has come up with more new, and original things than Eddie? He is also probably one of the best writers of songs, and he can really play! [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img])

Composition - Jimmy Page (Just listen to his song with Zep)

Historical Impact - Jimi Hendrix (He has influence many people on how to play, and change rick guitar forever)

Overall - Eddie Van Halen (Because he could arguably be on the top in all of these categories)

[mrblu]

I don't know or listen to many other guitarists, but here goes:

Skill:I'm picking Ed. He just knows TOO much. I don't think there is anything he can't do.

Innovation:Ed. He brought too much to the forefront and singlehandedly caused a MOVEMENT in modern guitar playing. He changed it all.

Composition: Dunno. As far as song structure, I guess that's what this means; I don't really listen to enough other bands. I like certain songs by other players, but don't know. I'd say it'd have to be a complex player like Petrucci from Dream Theater or someone like that.

Historical Impact: That's tuff. Clapton, Hendrix, Page; they all came first. I think Ed and a few other could play circles around them too. Most times I feel the originals are over-rated. I'll go with Hendrix I guess.

Overall: Ed. He's a total package. Like I said earlier; I don't think there is anything he can NOT do on a guitar; and probably better.

[Glenn]

This is a great topic, but given that it's not specific to VH necessarily, I'm going to throw it to the Music Only Forum.

I'll add my two cents later, because this requires some thought. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

[laner]

yngvie malmsteen (i think that he sucks as a writer, and i hate his music, but he's the fastest dude i've ever heard)

EVH (y'all know why)

page (dude's amazing, and he can play everything)

hendrix (how cool to play a right handed guitar upside down, plus i love his tunes)

EVH (y'all know why, again, he can play rhythm and lead so well)

[SactoFan]

This is a fantastic topic!!

SKILL:Andres Segovia...The man played Mozart on geetar and was self-taught!
INNOVATION:Eddie...He popularized EVERYTHING and did it all well...
COMPOSITION: Gotta concur with most posts and say Pagey...
HISTORICAL IMPACT:Can't settle on one, but I'll go with the top 3 and give reasons...
1. Robert Johnson-He inspired Keith and Clapton and that ripple effect is MASSIVE!
2.Chuck Berry-Like Lennon said,"If you renamed rock and roll, you'd call it Chuck Berry."
3.Jimi-You hear him everywhere and even people who don't own a Hendrix album know about him...

OVERALL: EVH...Jimi changed the way the instrument is played and Ed changed that formula again...The edge goes to Ed because he is a superior musician and songwriter, IMO...The sound of EVH's band is more complete than Jimi's was...

[Georgie]

SKILL: Eddie Van Halen. It was solely Eddie who broke down the door for fast solos and guitar playing techniques.

INNOVATION: Eddie Van Halen. All bias aside. Double hand tapping, artificial and natural harmonics, whammy bar screams and dives, volume knob tones, the drill, copper pics, the "Brown Sound", and the drop "D" tuning device clearly gives this to Ed. The best way to sum this up was something funny I read on the "Guitar World" message site after people were saying Eddie was over rated. Someone responded, " If someone punched you in the mouth every time you used one of his techniques on the guitar, you would be gumming your food in a matter of minutes." Nuff said!

COMPOSITION: Brian May. Some of his arrangements and music writing are phenomenal.

HISTORICAL IMPACT: I think there are two volumes to this book. As much as I think the guy is overrated, Hendrix would probably encompass volume one from 1965-1978. Eddie Van Halen would encompass 1978-today. Special foot notes in both volumes for Page,Les Paul, Chuck Berry, and Muddy Waters.


OVERALL: Eddie Van Halen. If it came down to Eddie and Jimi Hendrix, which more then likely would be the fight for the top, you have to give it to Ed. More innovations and influence on how the instrument is played go to Eddie. More sales and accolades as well. Sales may mean nothing to some of you but 80 million albums sold and 5 # 1 albums have not been accomplished by many artists in the last 50 years. Hendrix untimely death may not have made this a fair comparison, but on the other hand, it was his untimely death that made him this overblown and exaggerated icon to begin with.

[AxeSlinger84]

Virtuosos:
1. Yngwie Malmsteen
2. Steve Vai
3. Chris Impellitteri
4. Michael Angelo
5. Tony MacAlpine

Second Best:
1. Joe Satriani
2. Eric Johnson
3. John Petrucci
4. Jason Becker
5. Marty Friedman

Honorable Mention:
1. Eddie Van Halen
2. Jimi Hendrix
3. Dimebag Darrell

[Eddymon]

SKILL= George Harrison (shredding is cool, but George IMO can play anything and is very underrated).

INNOVATION= Mr. Eddie Van Halen (reasons are well known)

COMPOSITION= Pete Townsend/Jimmy Page tie. (what would happen if they ever collaberated?)

HISTORICAL IMPACT= Les Paul/Hendrix/Van Halen tie. (All 3 changed the way guitars are played and were most influential in ALL generations of rock and roll)

OVERALL= Eddie Van Halen (reason, he is still doing it better than everybody else after 24 years).

[img]smilies/devil.gif[/img]

[Dan Halen]

Skill: EVH
Innovation: Hendrix
Composition: Page
Historical Impact: Hendrix/VH
Overall: EVH

[YankeeRose]

Hmmm...let me think. [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]

Skill: Edward Van Halen

Innovation: Edward Van Halen

Composition: Edward Van Halen

Historical Impact: Edward Van Halen

Overall: Edward Van Halen

[LeadGtr5150]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by YankeeRose:
Hmmm...let me think. [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]

Skill: Edward Van Halen

Innovation: Edward Van Halen

Composition: Edward Van Halen

Historical Impact: Edward Van Halen

Overall: Edward Van Halen<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>


Amen!!!

[EDHEAD316]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by YankeeRose:
Hmmm...let me think. [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]

Skill: Edward Van Halen

Innovation: Edward Van Halen

Composition: Edward Van Halen

Historical Impact: Edward Van Halen

Overall: Edward Van Halen<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I couldn't have said it better myself!!!

[Long John Silver]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Eddymon:
SKILL= George Harrison (shredding is cool, but George IMO can play anything and is very underrated).

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Hey Eddy, I'm a big Beatles fan, infact they're my fav band. I'm interested in knowing why you say he's that skilled. I don't play guitar, so I don't really understand why he's still considered a good player today.

[Nick Lee]

SKILL: Joe Satriani. He taught some of the guitarists you idolize. (i.e Vai, Hammett)
NNOVATION: Edward. He started the trends and fads of the art of playing.
COMPOSITION: Edward again. Primary, Respect the wind, baluchitherium. Almost all of the instrumentals he's done with VH, they were all beautifully composed.
HISTORICAL IMPACT: Peter Frampton or Chet Atkins. They both are under rated and very skilled in the guitar.
OVERALL: Edward Van Halen [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]