Most incredibly guitar solo of all time.

[BlingShyne2]

Not to big on Van Halen, never been a huge fan of there music, but Eruption is the most incredible guitar solo ever played by a human with merely 10 fingers.
Black star is a close second.
I'm not asking you to post your opinion on what you think the greatest guitar solo ever is, but you are allowed to post and agree with me.
(I kid, post away).

[surrender]

<P>It does seem like Eddie Van Halen must have an extra finger sometimes, especially trying to play his solos myself.&nbsp; </P>
<P>My vote goes to David Gilmour for the Comfortably Numb solo,&nbsp; it might not be the most difficult solo but it might be the most majestic.</P>

[megadeth]

now you see why i wanted to do a free play solo kinda like eruption now you know. also my uncle can play the solo while eating a sandwich ive heard

[CipollinaFan]

<p>John Cipollina's solos in Terry &amp; the Pirates' Inlaws and Outlaws. Now I know it is not the most known song of all time (Hell I doubt that half of you all have even heard of John Cipollina). Now as for complexity they are not really the hardest solos of all time but they still have their complexity. What really makes it a great solo is the fact that it just blends so well with the song and it just sounds so good.<br> </p>

[Insane3]

<P><FONT face=verdana,geneva>I do love Pink Floyd but comfortably numb is (I think) not&nbsp;SO incredible. I like lots of Jimi Hendrix solos like the one at Woodstock or Machine Gun's (too long) solo.</FONT></P>

[DJ_Xero]

I like a bit of Dragonforce, and their solos are incredible (Herman Li has to be a Robot.) but I also like the song Aerodynamic, and even though that is really a sampler/sequencer (I doubt both of those parts were played by both of those guys, with the drums in there and all) I think that would be fun, albeit hard.<br>

[Avenida_Guitarist]

I like a bit of Dragonforce, and their solos are incredible (Herman Li has to be a Robot.) but I also like the song Aerodynamic, and even though that is really a sampler/sequencer (I doubt both of those parts were played by both of those guys, with the drums in there and all) I think that would be fun, albeit hard.<br>

Through The Fire and Flames. i can listen to that part between 4 minutes and 6 minutes for the rest of my life and not get tired of it. every time i hear it i am amazed at how insane it can be and still fit so perfectly with the rest of the song. to me a great solo like this one just sounds epic.

[EvilHerb]

Through The Fire and Flames. i can listen to that part between 4 minutes and 6 minutes for the rest of my life and not get tired of it. every time i hear it i am amazed at how insane it can be and still fit so perfectly with the rest of the song. to me a great solo like this one just sounds epic.


I like Herman Li too but I wouldnt say that Through The Fire and Flames is the best solo ever .

If I had to say the BEST solo ever . I would say Jimi Hendrix , Axis/Bold as Love solo or All Along The Watch Tower. You just gotta think about the time those came out . NO ONE was shredding like that . People must have been AMAZED at what they were hearing . Just like we were the 1st time we heard Herman Li , but Jimi didnt have the luxury of todays recording eqt and Herman cant doesnt play it that clean live . Then you got Dime to deal with . I dont know now .lol dammit !! You gotta admit , the solo to Cemetery Gates is pretty sweet . This is a hard topic .:(

[BlingShyne2]

Yeah but Jimi had these big friggin' hands and was holding the top string with his thumb.

[Wachman]

there is nothin that can come close to the blend of imagination and originality to machine gun by the band of gypsys. any noise or sound you can think of, jimi can project it through his stratocaster.

who in the hell could've ever reinvented the sound of a bombing in vietnam through a musical instrument?

[benjamin]

I am a big fan of BOC so I am going to throw Astronomy on the table, a 8 minute opus with a gentle beginning rising into an explosive Guitar Solo by the ever awesome Donald "Buck Dharma" Roeser.

Check out the song if you have not heard it, it is so damn awesome.

[eljeffe]

Anything Tom Morello. I have yet to hear anyone who can make a guitar sound like a harmonica and still have the technical skills that he does.

[Rocky_Raccoon]

One of my favorites of all time has to be Duane Allman's solo on Story Monday. Very beautiful, just go hear it for yourself.

Speed isn't everything, kids. Music is an expression, not an impression.

[benjamin]

First don't call us kids.

Second go listen to Astronomy.

[Cookster]

I am the resurrection by Stone Roses. Then Mountain Jam w/ Duane Allman.

[Tendoza]

I dont really judge solos on how hard they are, but here are some ones I love:

Daune Allman- Layla
Ritchie Blackmore- Highway Star
Eric Clapton- Crossroads
Brain May- Brighton Rock

[Ardius]

Iron Maiden - Caught Somewhere In Time......Adrian Smith's solo is just inspiring.

Of course, any Iron Maiden song's solos would do......but Adrian is my fave guitarist and thats my fave solo by him.

[MasterFlex86]

Tony iommi's solo in lonely is the word its like 2mins long or something but he is dancing with that fretboard it is F'N awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:D

[SweetLikeGravy]

Benjamin, are you benamingaska for GFaqs? He always talks about astronomy.

[Rev0lver]

if you like dragonforce's guitars. you should listen to jeff loomis of nevermore. he's pretty good too.

my favorite soloist would probably be zakk wylde. some of his solos are just him jacking off the fretboard, but his softer stuff is awesome.

[3kage3]

i say the guitar solo for bark at the moon that majorly fast and very hard to keep up with

[Zero82087]

Has anyone heard of or checked out Michael Angelo Batio? His stuff is crazy!

[benjamin]

You know, this title can be read in a different way. Maybe the spelling is not a typo, instead he is asking which solo is the most incredibly guitar. Which solo defines the guitar.

And that is a complicated question.

That would mean that the guitar is defined only by its use and has no existence seperated from its use. But not even its sole use, it is defining the guitar only by its solos ignoring all the other uses, such as ryhthm, or as the middle range of the string instruments.

Thank You TC, you have created a profoundly interesting topic.

[leviathan667]

Honestly, my favorite solo of all time is probably Timothy Leery by Nevermore. Jeff loomis just tends to be god a lot.

[Thrashguitarist1165]

http://guitar.about.com/library/bl100greatest.htm

100 Greatest guitar solos voted by Guitar World Mag

[Thrashguitarist1165]

Double post

[_Zoso_]

For the Love of God- Steve Vai

[militiagung64]

Not neccesarily solos, but Jimmy Page's guitar work in the (I think) second "I Can't Quit You Baby" on disc 1 of Zep's BBC sessions is nothing short of godly. Possibly the most impressive I've heard. But dayum, I've heard a lot. It's hard to pick #1.

[shokkerrokker14]

Well, Jimi Hendrix, Ozzy Osbourne, and Zakk Wylde are all awesome guitar players along with Van Halen. Their solos are awesome!!

[bounchfx]

man, eruption is not as hard to play as you think it is. when it debuted it sure sounded like it was insane, and it SOUNDS insane.. but it's just finger tapping, almost any intermediate player including myself can play it fine.

[sonic064]

I think that best solo is from Michael Angelo Batio and Far Beyond the Sun from Yngwie Malmsteen.

Eruption is good but a like that 2 solo more.

[Overkill89]

I Agree, Eruption is a incredibly fast solo, and it's only like 2 minutes long.
I think this song would be a great addition to "Rock Band", it'd definatley be one, if not the hardest song(s) in the game.

- Overkill89

[leviathan667]

man, eruption is not as hard to play as you think it is. when it debuted it sure sounded like it was insane, and it SOUNDS insane.. but it's just finger tapping, almost any intermediate player including myself can play it fine.

SPANISH FLY
try doing that on a classical guitar... then say Van Halen is easy to imitate.

[Frostbitten_Norseman]

Almighty Aura Of The Steel Warhorse With Metal Eyes - "Steely Gaze"

The guitar solo goes for 84 minutes and had to be editted down to fit on the CD.

[newwaytodie]

No Boundaries - Michael Angelo Batio

Anything classical by Yngwie Malmsteen

Van Halen is over-rated.

[Wachman]

No Boundaries - Michael Angelo Batio

Anything classical by Yngwie Malmsteen

Van Halen is over-rated.


jeez you have no taste in music at all. batio and malmsteen are two very fine examples of artists who have spent more of their days on just studying being technically proficient rather than undergoing real musical study and exposure to further their advancement as musicians.

so instead of focusing on what really matters as a musician, those types just put most of their time and effort into playing the fastest riffs and lightning fast solos or playing two-handed AND playing the fastest licks. i am not detesting these feats as being mediocre, but to say that artists like malmsteen and batio could pass back and forth the award for greatest guitar solo of all time, well, didn't even ballpark.

i'm sorry, but you can only call yourself a real fan of music when you're enthusiasm doesn't lie in blinding fast, sweep-picked solos. in fact, it's when it lies in not just what wows the general public's eye for amazement, but also professional musicians' opinions of 'real' musical geniusness as well.

[JudasHendrix]

Ram It Down by Judas Priest.

Lock this thread.

[aprime]

zakk wylde's solos own van halen's solos

[Wachman]

it seems that the people who post in this thread have very different opinions on what we each consider to be amazing....or incredible.

many people are really caught up on how technically proficient many artists are......like van halen, zakk wylde, malmsteen, mike batio, or any other speedy-fingered fretman you can think of.

and others, (like me) seem to think we have a little more class in the appreciation of the more musically creative artists and the original classics like jimmy page, hendrix, slash, stone gossard, etc....

if you haven't noticed already, alot of these artists are from different eras/decades which could mean that everyone's opinions could be based on the timeframe of when they grew up and the artists that were heavily active at that time in music.

so this article was only bound to cause hostility just by calling it "Most incredible guitar solo of all time"

[JudasHendrix]

I agree and don't.

Zakk Wylde has had some *****ing solos - Bark at the Moon and Fire It Up, off the top of my head - but after awhile... they kinda all sound alike, don't they?

[Eaglesdude1525]

Is everybody forgeting the solo in "Stairway To Heaven"?

And Randy Rhodes from Ozzy Osbourne's band was an insane guitarist.

[zankfrappa]

I agree and don't.

Zakk Wylde has had some *****ing solos - Bark at the Moon and Fire It Up, off the top of my head - but after awhile... they kinda all sound alike, don't they?



yeah but eventually a lot of artists guitar solo's sound the same, especially since most are in the keys of E or A arent they, and using pentatonic scale's.

[benjamin]

jeez you have no taste in music at all. batio and malmsteen are two very fine examples of artists who have spent more of their days on just studying being technically proficient rather than undergoing real musical study and exposure to further their advancement as musicians.

so instead of focusing on what really matters as a musician, those types just put most of their time and effort into playing the fastest riffs and lightning fast solos or playing two-handed AND playing the fastest licks. i am not detesting these feats as being mediocre, but to say that artists like malmsteen and batio could pass back and forth the award for greatest guitar solo of all time, well, didn't even ballpark.

i'm sorry, but you can only call yourself a real fan of music when you're enthusiasm doesn't lie in blinding fast, sweep-picked solos. in fact, it's when it lies in not just what wows the general public's eye for amazement, but also professional musicians' opinions of 'real' musical geniusness as well.


Let me guess, you are the one who decides what is "real" music? It is incredibly pretentious of you to dismiss the personal opinion of another music fan simply because they like fast music.

[zankfrappa]

I am the resurrection by Stone Roses. Then Mountain Jam w/ Duane Allman.

John Squire is like the greatest guitarist of his generation, very under-rated guitarist.

[franknfurter1000]

Botnus, muthaf*ckers.

[Dodobird]

David Gilmour's solo in Comfortably Numb. Okay, it's not that complex, but it sends shivers down my spine every single time I listen to it, and I don't think there's another song that can claim to do that. Just the way the song slowly builds, and builds, and builds, then erupts in this amazing piece of work that epitomizes emotion in the form of music. You feel it down in your soul, it strikes you to the core, it makes you want to cry. This is proof that speed and technicality aren't everything. It feels like he is pouring his entire being into the strings of his guitar, and when it ends, it sticks with you. There is nothing that can compare with sitting in a dark room, getting some good headphones, and cranking the volume as far as it goes for the length of this song.

[mtadashi19]

Burn, Child in Time, Black Night or Highway Star - Blackmore is the best

[3kage3]

Well, Jimi Hendrix, Ozzy Osbourne, and Zakk Wylde are all awesome guitar players along with Van Halen. Their solos are awesome!!

um ozzy only sings and your forgetting steve ray vaghuan

[DudesDontDude]

The first time I listened to Revolution Deathsquad, I was left speechless. I still fart in astonishment every time I listen to it.

[JudasHendrix]

Jesus, I almost forgot about Slash.

I mean, I don't know if he had any of the best solos of all time, per se, but in my opinion that man is a god of our generation.

And as an interesting side note, I will now detail the reason I bought a guitar! I had a dream where I met Slash due to winning a contest or something. We hung out, it was cool, drank some Pepsi, you know, and when it was time to leave he held out his hand and said "It was cool hanging with you, amigo". I reached out to shake it, barely touched his hand, and he recoiled as if burned and said "Your rock is strong". I immediately woke up.

I swear to whatever god you choose that I'm not making this up.

[Hastyl3]

im not going to say the best of all time but im going to say the worst. i like nirvana but i mean the teen spritit solo sucks. he just converted the lyrics.

[GreySkull07]

This probaly is not one of the hardest but its one of the best
Styx - Renegade
i dont know if its its tommy shaw doing it or not

[darthrick10]

My top ten guitar solos:

1 - Comfortably Numb - David Gilmour (Pink Floyd)
2 - Stairway To Heaven - Jimmy Page (Led Zeppelin)
3 - All Along The Watchtower - Jimi Hendrix
4 - Freebird - Allen Collins (Lynyrd Skynyrd)
5 - Maggot Brain - Edie Hazel (Funkadelic)
6 - Texas Flood - Stevie Ray Vaughan
7 - Eruption - Eddie Van Halen (Van Halen)
8 - Highway Star - Ritchie Blackmore (Deep Purple)
9 - Cause We've Ended As Lovers - Jeff Beck
10 - Hotel California - Don Felder/Joe Walsh (Eagles)

In my opinion these solos where ranked mainly for the overall quality of its composition. Originality, complexity, influence, and lasting appeal where also considered.

[Deelenzero]

With rock theres just to many badass solos to nail it down as "The most incredible of all time" but i'd have to say something by Halen or Vai


With death metal id have to say "Job For A Cowboy"'s solo from Embedded is fruckin badass (not to menton the singer is relitivly understandable 0_o) or "0Behemoth"'s Conquer All

[Seattle_Sound]

im not going to say the best of all time but im going to say the worst. i like nirvana but i mean the teen spritit solo sucks. he just converted the lyrics.

Was that really neccesary? Teen Spirit the worst solo ever? Thats bull****, just because the song was overrated as hell doesnt make it the worst solo ever.

[leviathan667]

whoever says Yngwie and Batio don't under go REAL musical study is stupid, because they know every scale in the book and know how to bend a note.
second, ZAKK WYLDE DIDN'T PLAY BARK AT THE MOON AND COMES NO WHERE CLOSE TO VAN HALEN. listen to spanish fly and you should agree. All zak wylde does is play a mid speed power chord progression on end, throws a harmonic wherever, then goes into a solo with a bunch of hammer ons and random harmonics.

I will have to say, Ron Jarzombek has the best guitar solos ever. He has pretty much learned every scale, bent, broke, and abused musical theory and did it with humour. If you don't know who he is he is a modern day metal Frank Zappa.

[JudasHendrix]

im not going to say the best of all time but im going to say the worst. i like nirvana but i mean the teen spritit solo sucks. he just converted the lyrics.

I don't know man. I love Megadeth but the solo for "Kill The King" is worse.

[Cosmicstar]

Well...technicality and melody are two things I guess so..

Tech: Nottingham Lace-Buckethead (JESUS CHRIST)

Melody: Comfortably Numb-Pink Floyd

[Jsnkr9216]

Too bad people don't realize Herman Li sucks and misses half the notes and goes off key during concerts. Sam Totman is semi-decent, but overall, Dragonforce sucks and tries to compensate with speed.


If this is live, i'd have to say..

Black Sabbath - War Pigs (Saw this at Ozzfest 2005 and had a joygasm)
Trivium - A Gunshot To The Head Of Trepidation (One of the sweetest solos ever, and so much energy live)

And i'd have to say, my favorite solo of all time is..

[drumroll]

Pink Floyd - Comfortably Numb

It may not be very complex, but jesus christ is it amazing and alluring. It also puts you in a trance with how amazing David Gilmour is.

[Rev0lver]

Too bad people don't realize Herman Li sucks and misses half the notes and goes off key during concerts.

it's not because he's untalented, it's because he's drunk. they always play drunk.

[GameWiz68]

a real guitar god


Steve Vai

:)

[WingsOfSteel]

My personal favorite is Child of Innocence (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I44xJLn20hA) by Kansas. It just has a frickin' awesome solo at 2 minutes in, and it's not the hardest, but when it's on full volume, it is the most HELL YEAH moment in music ever.

Also, it did the whole "the Grim Reaper isn't evil, he's actually a pretty chill dude" thing a year before Blue Oyster Cult, so THERE.

[Carrs_Ghost]

I think just about any of SRV's solos are awe inspiring, just watch his first appearance on austin city limits, where he is playing the solo to lovestrucjk bnaby behind his freakin head!!!! I know Jimi is a guitar god but the main problemm i have with him is that he nver could oplay the same song the same way twice. Pound for pound one of the greatest guitarist alive today would have to be richard johnston.. if you havent heard him i highly recommende going to his website and listening to some of his tunes, and read about his hill harp.

And another great guitar solo would have to be the "shock me" solo forom kiss alive II, I have seen them live twice and ace can reproduce this solo even today.

[Rev0lver]

i know it's nothing special when you compare it to something like led zeppelin/metallica/etc but i'm really into the solo in He Is Legend's "Cape Fear"

[newwaytodie]

jeez you have no taste in music at all. batio and malmsteen are two very fine examples of artists who have spent more of their days on just studying being technically proficient rather than undergoing real musical study and exposure to further their advancement as musicians.

so instead of focusing on what really matters as a musician, those types just put most of their time and effort into playing the fastest riffs and lightning fast solos or playing two-handed AND playing the fastest licks. i am not detesting these feats as being mediocre, but to say that artists like malmsteen and batio could pass back and forth the award for greatest guitar solo of all time, well, didn't even ballpark.

i'm sorry, but you can only call yourself a real fan of music when you're enthusiasm doesn't lie in blinding fast, sweep-picked solos. in fact, it's when it lies in not just what wows the general public's eye for amazement, but also professional musicians' opinions of 'real' musical geniusness as well.

I underlined your stupidity for convienience's sake.

You are a classic example of a guitar snob. Would you have been happier if I said Muddy Waters or Robert Johnson? Django Reinhardt? Who?

Come on man, stop circling your nerd wagon. I know a good guitarist when I hear one. Stop pretending like you are the answer to all the tastes of everyone.

This post had the heading of incredible. Batio can play this solo and the rythm at the same time on his double guitar.

It is incredible to watch and hear. It's guitar acrobatics. It's not because he plays blazingly fast and with amazing accuracy.

I know what you are trying to convey, one note played with the emotion of Robert Johnson does more for me than 1000 from Herman Li! You don't come in here and start *****ing about "young whipper-snappers don't know **** about music" allright?

[NYwRiter94]

I personally think Free Bird is the best ever, because even without the length, it is one of the best, and for someone to play at that level for 5 minutes is pretty tough.

[jewfrothunder]

the guitar solo on HIM's Razorblade Kiss

[S1NS71CK]

In my opinion...Dime's solo from Floods. Dime just pours out his soul as he plays it. I still get goose bumps hearing it.

[MadassAlex]

stuff


/applause

Agreed. I think some people are just sore that their favourite guitarists don't have the technical proficiency that other guitarists do and say those things to boost their opinion's status or whatever. I'm not saying that some forms of music are less worthy, I'm just saying that technical proficiency is a valid measurement for a favourite guitarist.

My choice is the entirety of Lotus Feet, by the way.

[Rev0lver]

another i really like, but isn't anything incredibly fast or freebirdish is Sky by Ra. it just sounds so cool.

[SpeedMetal09]

the guitar solo on HIM's Razorblade Kiss

your an idiot

[Rev0lver]

^^^

agreed.

[Gear_RA_RA_RA]

your an idiot

OH, THE IRONY!

Images by Cacophony.

[Teh_Jakester]

...This is a tough question...

Suicide Solution by Ozzy Osbourne or Images by Cacophony.

[TylerSalak]

I dont wanna stops solo with zakk wylde is pretty good

[kindmortal]

All of Kirk Hammett's solos in one.

[AquaZombies]

Frank Zappa Black Napkins Live is the best solo the whole song is a solo and it lasts for 10 minutes

[whofan]

Myself, I like a lot of Brian May's solos. Much like Jimmi and Eddie I swear the man has an extra finger, or maybe even hand.

In terms of best guitar solo, well in studio it has to be Explosion by Eddie Van Halen

Live - Without a doubt Brian May's Guitar Solo (Live From Wembley 1986, available on CD and DVD ;)). Man, the man really knows how to use echo to great effect!!

Bass Solo - No one could possibly tell me there is a better bass solo than the one offered by John Entwistle during the 2000 Live At The Royal Albert Hall (available on CD and DVD) "5:15". The man's fingers are literally a blur (See the DVD to see what I mean) and the way he can fool with the tuning and get it back to almost pitch perfect is nothing short of amazing (There are clips of this on Youtube for those who are curious. Best way is to search for "John Entwistle 5:15" and find one with "Royal Albert Hall" in the description)

[metalupyourass]

the solo in feremented discharge by necrophagist. i think thats what the songs called anyway.but can you call any solo the greatest?

[Monsterpoptart]

anything by dimebag. everything by him sounds so perfect.
r.i.p

[The_Lizard_King]

a guitar solo should never be about speed or skill, a good solo should be in correspondance with the song. i dont have a favorite solo but my favorite soloist is derek trucks

[The_Lizard_King]

nevermind this is my favorite solo
http://youtube.com/watch?v=Vuadh1o0yC8

[tharshmetalUK]

Almost every solo on the rust in peace album. The solo at the beginning of no remorce by metallica, the master of pupets solo, the solo in and justice for all the song and the sollo in the struggle within.

[JB4GDI]

Yeah, I'm pretty sure it's not actually human-playable on a real guitar, Strong Bad's Trogdor has the greatest dueling guitar solos ever. Through the Fire and the Flames by Dragonforce is also pretty amazing.

-Jaime

[RiffMeister]

The most amazing guitar solo that I've heard live, in person, was Jimmy Page in 1975 performing "DAZED AND CONFUSED".

Also very impressive was Mark Farner of Grand Funk Railroad:

INSIDE LOOKING OUT

FOOTSTOMPIN' MUSIC

ARE YOU READY ?

LONELINESS

Pete Townsend of The Who perfroming the extended live version of:

MY GENERATION

That said.... I'm not into the "Olympics" of Guitar soloing: ie, who's got the longest, the loudest, the fastest, etc....

Over time my favortie Guitar solos change..... So there is no "Most Incredible Guitar Solo of all time".... because as time changes.... so does one's perferences..... If your 20 wait until you're 40, you may actually burn out on some songs that absolutely cannot get enough of now..... ahhh.... but time WILL tell, won't it !! :D

[coheedandcambriaman1]

rhandy rhoads al the way van healen wouldnt be **** if it wasent for him

[benjamin]

Isn't it kind of nihilistic to argue that there is no greatest guitar solo simply because people have differing opinions.

While this is true, to an extent, to say that all argument is pointless and that everything is purely subjective is rather depressing. If only because it says it can be logically deduced from this idea that everything is pointless and subjective.

Though I may be looking to deep into this topic, it is 3 AM. I get weird at 3 AM.

[KingColon]

Crush My Battle Opponent's Balls was pretty damn right on. Brendon Small gets extra points for being a man of such comedy and still being able to rip a guitar to shreds up there with/beyond many professionals.

God, I hope he does a full version on the Dethklok album.

[The_Lizard_King]

i like relaxing solos my favorite relaxing solo used to be light my fire but now its dreams by the allmans