Yngwie dont know nuffin!

[Ripper]

I was enjoying some guitarists on youtube, when I discovered a video of Yngwie Malmsteen. Now I have said in the past that Yngwie is a master...no question. I dont need to go over and over the skills and dedication that Mr. Malmsteen posseses. He is an arrogant S.O.B. but most people with talent like that are a little full of themselves. I understand that.
However...
The man could not play the blues if his life depended on it!
Before he started to play, he looked into the camera and stated he was going to play some blues riffs. He kind of poo-pooed it like it was beneath him to even put the energy into such and endeavour. But alas, he started to play.
GN2 brothers and sisters, it was horrid! Yes, he had the chops but that was it! It was hollow, almost cardboard like. There was no feeling, no tone...nothing! Afterwards I had to put on a little SRV to remind me of what the blues really is. Its feeling, its emotion, its a longing for something...or as they say, a good man feeling bad. I learned something today. I guess I always knew it, but to see it with my own eyes was quite something.
Yngwie stick to what you know. Neo-classical electric guitar, and Krispy Kreme donuts. Leave the blues for the real men.
Do I get an Amen for that?

[gfxbss]

AMEN! now doubt malmsteen, via and the like are virtuosos of shred. but they all seem to lack the heart for playing. without the heart, there is nothing.

[sumgai]

deep,

Malmsteen, Vai, and other 'shredders' albums have all exited my library long ago, for the exact same reasons you listed. If the music speaks to my fingers feeling inadequate, that's fine, but if it doesn't also speak to my heart, then it's not music, it's just background noise. Even Satriani doesn't get straight A's in my book, but some of his stuff is at least somewhat emotive, or at least fun to listen to (think Alien Surfer here).

So in answer to the question, not only do you get an "Amen", but I grant you an
Oh HELL Yeah!


sumgai

[dunkelfalke]

i know the video, it is rather old.

anyway, it is very old news that yngwie hates blues.

[JohnH]

I can't listen to Shred. Its impressive to watch, but there's no way I could do it. And I cant follow the musical ideas that may or may not be within the playing. It just makes me want to give up!

I wondered if this reaction was just an age thing from a bunch of old f@rts from the 60's and 70's. But I'm glad to see that gfxbss is part of generation Z!

John

[dunkelfalke]

i am not that old and i think the same, more or less, being a bit more tolerant to shredding, though.

still, gilmour's bluesy style is the way for me.

[JohnH]

I agree about Gilmour. I can't play his stuff either, but it really makes me want to try. The way he builds a solo is a work of art.

John

[dunkelfalke]

try some of his stuff like maybe shine on crazy diamond. it is not very difficult - even i can do it, but it is really a work of art

[gfxbss]

yeah, i get discouraged listening to it. i too, enjoy watching just for new ideas. ie different harmonics or one of my favs is doing finger tapping while tapping the whammy bar so it tightens the strings....

however, the fact remains that if i can listen to my 9 year old cousins very abstract version of smoke on the water, and hear more heart than when i listen to malmsteen and the like, then it cant be true music.

[ranchtooth]

I wish Nicolo Paganini was still alive, and had an electric guitar...

[johan]

;-)

no matter how few or many notes you play and how fast
it's all about putting it down right on the beat
and slightly off the beat at times (for good measure)

loved what satriani did on unplugged, but never found anything with so much feeling on any of his albums.

[dunkelfalke]

johan said:

;-)

;D

i love this comment:

"Ridiculously good. Kind of like Van Halen in that you have to sit through his goofy songs w/ subpar lyrics in order to get to the 25 seconds of virtuoso guitar playing."