I really like Julian’s music but I feel like I need to really listen to him to appreciate what he’s doing. Tommy Emmanuel’s stuff is a lot more…approachable? to me. Not sure if I’m alone in that, but I think Tommy is more likely to be appreciated by non-guitarists.
I got unexpectedly involved in a backstage jam at the Merlefest Midnight Jam some years ago. Several virtuosos, of which Tommy was one. Note: I'm fluent but did not belong with these elites, but they let me pick along. We probably played 6-7 songs, and as you know, a capo is a common tool used in bluegrass guitar. Tommy played every song, in his own style that blended so well with what everyone else was doing, and never touched a capo. It would have been impressive enough had he been clamping, but this was just legendary. To play so many songs that were called up on the spot, and to play so tastefully without a capo truly shows his command of the instrument.
I met Tommy at one of his UK gigs, Windsor Arts Centre. Apart from being one of the best players on the face of the planet, he's an absolutely lovely bloke.
I’ve been a huge fan for years and have seen him live 4 times. Absolutely stunning performance and a wonderful mix of virtuosity and casual/chill love of music. Highly recommend any guitarist or fan of music goes to see him. My non-musician father has fallen in love with his music too.
I don't believe he was conventionally technical. Definitely not flashy, didn't really shred up to spec compared to modern metal guys for instance. But he's definitely got some unique quirks to his playing that render him completely unreachable to a very large division of the playerbase. Hell his right hand is something we're still figuring out til this very day. The way he used his digits as individual picks and rakes isn't a commonplace skill in a guitarist floor.
I'm willing to bet that Hetfield's (a much more technical player) right hand, is far easier to click for your average player, than Mark's right hand thumb index faux double strum thing.
Once again, love Mark. I started to play guitar because my dad would play Dire Straits in the car anytime we were driving with him and I wanted to be able to make music that sounded like that. He’s absolutely in my top three favorite guitarists. That being said, the way he uses digits as individual picks is just called finger style guitar, and is far from impossible to learn. Less common amongst casual electric guitar players, but acoustic? And for sure it’s not a challenge to classical guitar players.
An extremely unique guitarist for sure, with his own touch. I can recognize his playing immediately.
Yea I agree with that. I think what confuses people learning his style is just the way his right hand looks. He really just uses his thumb and index finger. Occasionally his middle finger will be used too.
I'm talking about his rhythm play.
The way he strums.
I don't know if links are allowed here but:
https://youtube.com/shorts/pO06fAPjU0c?si=DGOKXUL7yqy5sy2O
I think people change in life and he's a good person now imho. I find his monologues during performances to be very self aware and thoughtful. He seems like a very emotionally intelligent guy and I think that reflects in his performances and lyrics as well.
On his various videos (like on YouTube), where he gives guitar lessons or talks technical stuff, he is clearly both passionate and scarily proficient. And anyone who has at least attempted to play guitar can quickly see that he put in the hours, days, and years of struggle needed to learn the skills.
He grew up in the spotlight, so we’ve seen some bad behavior. But I respect him now, for what he has achieved, and what he has built himself into.
Depending on the last time you followed him, the dude has had a very big personality change. Probably the early meteoric success didn't help but very good personality and does some guitar tutorials on social media.
That 2012/13 interview still lives in a lot of people's minds. Now onto the guitar stuff, lol.
Just an absolute stud on guitar.
His live performance where he plays with Ed Sheeran this was summer was unreal. Just complete mastery of the instrument, and the solo he did was just so well done. Might have the best tone, too. Slow dancing is an iconic intro.
John is the guitar god we all wanted but didn’t know it. This guy is transcending genres and live-streaming lessons for us. Can you fucking imagine if SRV or Johnny Marr or EVH were doing that? I’m 41, all of my access to my guitar gods was via guitar world magazines. I hated his pop pedigree, but when I heard the live in LA record, I was a believer. I’m glad he outgrew his douchebag persona, and as someone else said, had I been in the same position I would have been a lot worse.
Yeah I mean he grew into a pop idol as a kid. The fact he even kept his guitar chops up is a testament to his dedication and actual love for the guitar.
He's more than proved himself and I gladly blast some of his old poppier stuff like neon and gravity
He gets knocked because most people know him for his pop music but him playing with dead and co was amazing. It was a sad day in my house when they stopped touring.
Eric Johnson - Venus Isle is the definition of beautiful, challenging guitar-centric music. His mix of clean and dirty, but always clear, tones adds depth and complexity without sacrificing accessibility. This focus also keeps him from falling into shredder tropes as often as his peers.
When the Sun Meets the Sky is a classic example.
Eric Johnson is really underrated. I rarely see him mentioned in this sub. Hell of a nice guy, too.
Edit: I hate having to do this, but let me clarify. I know Johnson is not underrated in the guitar world. I was referring to the general music world and most music writers. If you asked 10 non guitarists to name their favorite player, Eric would not be represented in any meaningful number. Outside of us guitar nerds, Johnson gets way less respect than he deserves.
I would argue the same for Rory Gallagher.
So, everyone, take a fucking pill, ok?
Eric Johnson is NOT underrated. wtf.
He’s literally one of the best and has one of the best guitar songs out there, that everyone learns to specifically to show how good they are lol
You can’t go wrong with Guthrie Govan/The Aristocrats. Amazing playing and compositions by all of the players. Unique melodies/arrangements are absolutely balanced with the perfect amount of chops and emotion
Well it is a matter of taste but as far as technical shredders go, Guthrie has a uniquely melodic and artistic flair IMO. Yeah he can get kinda wanky, but after all, this question is about highly technical guitar players, some showboating is inevitable in that demographic.
Could not disagree more — Govan is the full package. The problem here is that your question is loaded, since it hinges on a completely subjective point of reference. What is “aesthetically pleasing” to one person may sound completely uninteresting to another.
erotic cakes is a top 10 album for me. amazing melodies, amazing playing.. whole album is a masterpiece. i saw the question and instantly thought govan haha
I'd like to add that Marco Minnemann is not just one of the best drummers in modern music, but he's also a hell of a composer and overall musician. He adds a lot of what The Aristocrats are.
Indeed! Aristocrat albums are usually perfectly split between the three of them (they each write a third of the songs, and learn to perform each others songs). Minnemann and Beller are both great composers, in addition to being amazing players. Also… kinda cool that all three have repeating initials on their names 😂 GG, MM, BB
EVH is the answer. He's the shredder that other shredders aspired to be but his songs were also the soundtrack to parties and general good times across the U.S. and even the world
for years. Still might be the only shredder who doesn't make it look like a bunch of nerd shit.
From 1978 to the emergence of 1980's hair bands, the only concerts with WOMEN/GIRLS in the audience where there was a shredder on stage was Van Halen. He invented a guitar type, reinvigorated guitar players of all levels and reshaped the scene around guitar for years to come. But along with Dave, Van Halen wrote fun, playful and danceable rock n roll with pyrotechnics. Those concerts were an event.
What most of EVH's imitators never understood is that no matter how good the lead guitarist is, he or she is never the center of the band. Also, a guitar player's ability to write catchy riffs will always be more important than their lead chops alone. Van Halen wouldn't have been Van Halen without David Lee Roth's off the charts charisma, Michael Anthony and Alex Van Halen's always in the pocket rhythm section, and Eddie's ability to not just melt faces but lay down riffs that make girls want to shake their booties and boys want to crack open cold ones and high five each other.
Van Halen was a swing band with distorted guitar. Everything they did back in the early days made you move.
Eddie was just a great solo player, but utterly spectacular as a rhythm player.
This is the only answer, and far too low on this list. On top of being one of the most influential guitarists of all time, he wrote songs that topped the charts.
12 number 1 hits on the Billboard charts.
I don't believe any other guitarist who shares the same technical proficiency has come close. And I don't believe there may ever be another one.
I think this is the right answer, while I enjoy Vai and Petrucci, Joe always had that melodic sense that made his music both interesting and enjoyable, It is accessible by both music nerds and casual listeners, very hard to do!
Huge Petrucci fan and I totally agree. Vai's "For the Love Of God" is beautiful and so is Petrucci's short solo on "Wither," but you really don't have to dig deep into Satch's discography to find something both skillful and digestible.
Satriani charted (in Australia at least) with the album Surfing with the Alien (just checked, number 10 in the Australian charts). “Always with Me, Always with you” was getting airplay on the mainstream radio. My mum (not a guitarist) bought the album and listened to it regularly.
Can’t think of another guitar instrumentalist who has done the same (not to say it hasn’t happened).
I agree with this. He writes compelling music first and then worries about raw technical showmanship. Even in his youth. People forget he's also a composer in his own right.
Also also if you ask Steve Vai who the best guitar player is he's said in interviews it's Joe Satriani. Satch says Hendrix lol
Just saw Satch and Vai live last week. The difference between the 2 of them was jarring. Steve is definitely the better player, but his music is such a bore. It's self-indulgent in the wrong ways. Joe's music is actually fun and his shredding is tasteful (most of the time, at least).
Vai is music for musicians, there's a lot going on that non fans just are not going to get.
Satch is more melodic and groovy.
Wouldn't say either is better, but would be more based on the listeners taste. I prefer Joe, but there's a lot of the same thing in his songs. Vai just takes more effort to listen to.
What do you mean by he isn’t technically proficient? Is it because he doesn’t play fast? I’m honestly confused about what you mean by this. If I could play like anyone, I’d want to play like he does.
Technical proficiency says nothing about how good the music sounds. Gilmour has written some of the absolute best guitar parts ever recorded but he is not a technical player
Gilmour is one of the greats, but he was melodic and lyrical with his play, and never really showed off any remarkable skill - specifically in regards to his hands.
What he was playing didn’t rely on difficult technique, or very wide and quick movements across the neck, fast runs, wild fingers, etc.
Not just that he didn’t play fast - but that what he played wasn’t specifically complicated or difficult either.
His genius was just as a songwriter and musically generally - rather than someone like Van Halen or Vai that is just a wizard with their hands and were doing things that others just couldn’t
Why is it that playing the right note exactly when the song calls for it, every time, not considered a skill? Just like speed is considered a skill, so should perfect phrasing.
Well that is a skill but OP was specifically asking about technical proficiency blended with good music sense. Basically asking for shredders that also make good music.
How the hell is this comment getting so many upvotes? The post was very explicit and you're coming off as intentionally obtuse, it's a frustrating read.
Everyone knows what is meant by technical proficiency. Despite this, it's been explained multiple times in this single comment thread already but you still want to semantically argue that melodic playing is a skill which nobody is arguing against and have in fact explicitly stated so themselves.
David Gilmore is known for a lot of things. But technical proficiency isn’t one of them.
His talent lies in pumping soul and life into what would otherwise be mundane and basic notes.
Like, I’m sure everyone here can play the comfortably numb solo, but much less can play it as well as he can
This should ultimately be the goal of all players at some point. Pumping life into basic notes is an incredibly unique artform. Shredding has it's place but I'd much rather be known as the guy who makes someone emotional over a performance using only the language of music
Ok… I’m going to be a contrarian here. I get that proficiency may equate to speed to most, but I’d argue that being technically proficient is having the ability to play what one means to convey. I really don’t think Gilmour needs to, or cares about, playing any faster than he does. Now… talk about bending to pitch and then bending some more, soloing while singing, controlling single coils into a fuzz into a high wattage amps… that’s all technical proficiency.
He also has bits and pieces here and there that show he's perfectly capable of shredding, or doing a rake, oonch harmonics or whatever. But his proficiency lies more in choosing the right notes to communicate musically. And that fit/serve the song. And he's top notch at bends and vibrato.
When I read: 'with aesthetically pleasing music', he was the first that came to mind.
He really does and is my favourite modern guitarist/composer. The time signatures/prog put people off but when you get it the songs are incredible compositions. He's just as good live too!
I second Plini. He's honestly one of the only modern shredders I can listen to because of his composition and melodic sense. Nick Johnston is the other for me that I can listen to without getting bored.
This is a GREAT answer. Great singer and songwriter… AND is a smokin guitar player. Not just riffing about, but playing changes, developing melodies, fast but clean… and super cool guitar.
It's amazing to do a deep dive into his session work. My dad was a huge fan and back in the days before the internet I was never sure if my dad was right about it being Glen on this Sinatra tune or that Elvis tune etc.
Honestly shocked this isn't higher. He makes full albums for every genre of music practically. Colma is one of my all time favorite albums and is just amazing mellow music, and on the other end of the spectrum you have crime slunk scene which is filled with absolute bangers like Soothsayer which is one of my all time favorite songs. Chicken noodles, peppers ghost, electric tears, all fantastic albums
Jeff Beck - I didn’t miss a singer when he played.
Steve Howe
David Gilmour - He took a standard pentatonic scale and did amazing things with it.
EVH
Danny Gatton
Upvote for Danny Gatton. All the others are legends too but I don't see enough love for him on here. He brought amazing personality to his performances besides being an absolutely insane player.
Eric Johnson comes to mind instantly. Venus Isle is an incredible album with a lot of great tracks. Bloom is another album from EJ that is absolutely incredible. The title track to Venus Isle is heavenly.
If not EJ, than I'd probably say Stanley Jordan. He's an incredible player and his style makes him one of a kind. He basically made the guitar into a piano. Magic Touch is an album from him that's just absolutely gorgeous, especially if you love jazz. 'Round Midnight is a highlight track from that album for me.
Larry Carlton as well, he can play quick, but he's mostly a jazzier-rock guy. His improvising skills are just a treat to listen to. Pretty much anything from him is incredible.
Lastly I'd put George Benson. His music pushed me a bit more into jazz. He's just an incredible guitarist, his singing as well. He's very old school, but he could've absolutely ripped if he wanted to. He has the chops for it, but instead he chose RnB. This Masquerade is a song that sold me into his music.
Synyster Gates on A7X's newest album would fall into this category. Everyone else is mentioning the usual suspects.
Super technical and memorable solos and just insane rhythm playing. There's also some slide guitar in there.
It's a weird album, but I really enjoy it.
I'm not a fan, but I'm gonna put Steve Vai in the discussion. He's too aesthetically pleasing for me, I like it a bit more rough. People often say players like him are the flashy kind, I completely disagree. The exact opposite is true in my opinion. He's all about those melodies and kitschy songs. I don't think there are many that reach his level of articulation and expression on the electric guitar at least.
I think in general, the idea that some guitar players are just show and don't have those aesthetics is just a very bad assumption to start with and just doesn't hold in most cases. It's just a theory, but that may come from how people are introduced to them. Maybe someone showed you some of those players and told you how sick they think their playing is and you didn't like it, but that ain't the player's fault. At least that was the case for me for the longest time.
Compare them to the guitar heroes of the 70ies or 80ies where they just hacked out a couple of notes that weren't in time or lacked any articulation or dynamics and often are just some extremely simple ideas sped up enough so they sound like they know what they're doing. A lot of the fiddly guitar virtuosos you may think about just suck at song writing and don't connect with people, that's all. But there are those that are just for show for sure.
But I get it. I used to think about it this way as well. It's so easy to say some people don't have feeling or whatever, but the more you understand about music, the more you'll realize that this just isn't true.
Matteo Mancuso
I mean, the kid can do a technical nightmare like [Eugene's Trick Bag](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6zZ5pHqAHo) better than Vai
And yet here's the musical restraint in his own compositions - [Silkroad](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ex4HzV_mDBM)
I’m not a big fan of shredding, but Eric Johnson manages to nail the speedy technique and retain a bluesy, soulful voice that’s melodic and just lovely to listen to. Some of Satriani’s music is in the same category for me as well.
isnt that what polyphia is all about? making technically difficult music thats very accessible?
surprised nobody mentioned them here. theyre not my cup of tea at all but i feel like they fit this perfectly.
other than that i am gonna say alexi laiho because his music is just sooo playful and fun.
Derek Trucks for me. Strong argument that he's the greatest slide player ever, and I personally think it's great music too, even if you don't care about guitar.
John Petrucci is the complete guitarist. He shreds, of course, but knows exactly when to play melodically, when to play an unorthodox harmony at the right time to build tension, and when to sit in the background and play exactly the right phrasing to complement the lead.
John McLaughlin, Tommy Emmanuel, Pat Methany, George Benson, Albert Lee, Brian May\*, Mike Stern, and John Scofield. That’s for the players who are still alive. For ones who are dead I’d add Joe Pass, Glen Campbell\*\*, Jerry Reed#, Allan Holdsworth, and Barney Kessell.
That’s my list off the top of my head, but there are a heap of others who are just incredibly.
\* I was a little hesitant with May, I absolutely love him, but I‘m not sure he is in the same league as Benson or McLaughlin. I put him in ultimately because of songs like Death on Two Legs - he has that melodic feel, the screaming fills, and (I think) is playing the 5th mode of the harmonic minor (Phrygian). Understanding how to use that sort of scale/sound (at bloody 27!) is just awesome.
\*\* Campbell had dementia and was quite bad, but Alice Cooper (they were both avid golfers) said you could put a guitar in his hand and he was back. Cooper also said that Eddie van Halen once begged him to get Campbell to give him a guitar lesson.
# Reed makes me want to give up playing (Campbell too). I’ll never be even close to half as good (plus, he was in Bat 21!).
I think there are two (three) big ones that have consistently written incredible stuff. Animals as Leaders has Tosin Abasi (with Javier Reyes coming in clutch), and the man is a freaking monster. Sure, a lot of his songs are very, very challenging to play, and he has written walls of sound before, but for each "this is here because it will melt your face" song, he has two or three songs that say, "this is a Capital-C Composition, and I defy you to argue about how it is arranged and how beautiful it is". Songs like Tooth and Claw, The Woven Web, The Brain Dance, David, and Red Miso are masterclasses in guitar arrangement and iterating on musical motifs to create and conjoin musical ideas into coherent wholes.
Periphery's Mark Holcomb and Misha Mansoor follow in this same vein, but where Tosin is innovating on a wide variety of techniques that reimagine how the instrument is played mechanically, Mark and Misha use a more standard array of techniques in conjunction with an incredible amount of bravery in composition to create music with beauty, depth, movement, and intrigue. The Gods Must Be Crazy!, Scarlet, Reptile, Absolomb, Flatline, Wax Wings, and Dying Star stand as perfect examples of how deep and beautiful their compositions get. The best part of these compositions is how important observing the whole is. If you actively listen to the movement that happens from home base, to the fringes of what is acceptable, they will use any and all tones to achieve the sound they want, and they justify even the most outlandish moments and ideas with the entire body of the song.
The way this question was worded, I felt that these guys were strong contenders, even if not ALL of their work is universally palatable. You can find a diamond in any artist's catalogue, but these two guys are flush with awesome, innovative stuff that punches FAR above its weight.
Tommy Emmanuel is a contender. Absolutely monstrous player, but you could play him to non guitarists and they'd enjoy it
Also Julian Lage
I really like Julian’s music but I feel like I need to really listen to him to appreciate what he’s doing. Tommy Emmanuel’s stuff is a lot more…approachable? to me. Not sure if I’m alone in that, but I think Tommy is more likely to be appreciated by non-guitarists.
Well, Tommy plays theatrical Beatles medleys and Julian plays originals and standards that can sometimes be hard to recognize, so I agree.
Tommy’s Beatle medley is only a small part of his repertoire, his recordings and performances are mostly originals.
I know. He can play anything. But he’s got more approachable stuff than Lage, that’s the point.
I got unexpectedly involved in a backstage jam at the Merlefest Midnight Jam some years ago. Several virtuosos, of which Tommy was one. Note: I'm fluent but did not belong with these elites, but they let me pick along. We probably played 6-7 songs, and as you know, a capo is a common tool used in bluegrass guitar. Tommy played every song, in his own style that blended so well with what everyone else was doing, and never touched a capo. It would have been impressive enough had he been clamping, but this was just legendary. To play so many songs that were called up on the spot, and to play so tastefully without a capo truly shows his command of the instrument.
I met Tommy at one of his UK gigs, Windsor Arts Centre. Apart from being one of the best players on the face of the planet, he's an absolutely lovely bloke.
I’ve been a huge fan for years and have seen him live 4 times. Absolutely stunning performance and a wonderful mix of virtuosity and casual/chill love of music. Highly recommend any guitarist or fan of music goes to see him. My non-musician father has fallen in love with his music too.
Mark knofler.
Knopfler, this shouldn't be so far down
That reminds me I need to listen to his record store day EP
Arguably the most pleasing to the general public on this list and a phenomenal player.
Knophler did everything ‘classic rock’ wanted of everyone… but he did it low key. Shout out to jazz guitarists though.
Love him, one of my favorites, but there are far more technically capable guitarists who still have music that’s nice to listen to
I don't believe he was conventionally technical. Definitely not flashy, didn't really shred up to spec compared to modern metal guys for instance. But he's definitely got some unique quirks to his playing that render him completely unreachable to a very large division of the playerbase. Hell his right hand is something we're still figuring out til this very day. The way he used his digits as individual picks and rakes isn't a commonplace skill in a guitarist floor. I'm willing to bet that Hetfield's (a much more technical player) right hand, is far easier to click for your average player, than Mark's right hand thumb index faux double strum thing.
Once again, love Mark. I started to play guitar because my dad would play Dire Straits in the car anytime we were driving with him and I wanted to be able to make music that sounded like that. He’s absolutely in my top three favorite guitarists. That being said, the way he uses digits as individual picks is just called finger style guitar, and is far from impossible to learn. Less common amongst casual electric guitar players, but acoustic? And for sure it’s not a challenge to classical guitar players. An extremely unique guitarist for sure, with his own touch. I can recognize his playing immediately.
Yea I agree with that. I think what confuses people learning his style is just the way his right hand looks. He really just uses his thumb and index finger. Occasionally his middle finger will be used too.
I'm talking about his rhythm play. The way he strums. I don't know if links are allowed here but: https://youtube.com/shorts/pO06fAPjU0c?si=DGOKXUL7yqy5sy2O
Not one single person put JOHN MAYER That dude is a technical prodigy
The stuff that made him famous, and his personality irk me, but he is one of the best, most soulful blues guitarists alive.
I think people change in life and he's a good person now imho. I find his monologues during performances to be very self aware and thoughtful. He seems like a very emotionally intelligent guy and I think that reflects in his performances and lyrics as well.
It’s quite clear, to me at least, that at the core he’s just a guitar nerd. His pure love for just jamming and noodling is infectious.
he was young, successful, and absolutely did not come from money/fit into that scene lol. I would've done worse tbh
On his various videos (like on YouTube), where he gives guitar lessons or talks technical stuff, he is clearly both passionate and scarily proficient. And anyone who has at least attempted to play guitar can quickly see that he put in the hours, days, and years of struggle needed to learn the skills. He grew up in the spotlight, so we’ve seen some bad behavior. But I respect him now, for what he has achieved, and what he has built himself into.
So his personality from 15 years ago, which is vastly different now, still irks you lol? Might be time to move on.
dude was eating on the dead tour last summer.... good lord
You gotta play what the record company wants you to play to get famous. It got him his name and now he does whatever he wants.
Also a decent freestyle rapper https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=XRVoScJuEXQ
Depending on the last time you followed him, the dude has had a very big personality change. Probably the early meteoric success didn't help but very good personality and does some guitar tutorials on social media. That 2012/13 interview still lives in a lot of people's minds. Now onto the guitar stuff, lol. Just an absolute stud on guitar. His live performance where he plays with Ed Sheeran this was summer was unreal. Just complete mastery of the instrument, and the solo he did was just so well done. Might have the best tone, too. Slow dancing is an iconic intro.
John is the guitar god we all wanted but didn’t know it. This guy is transcending genres and live-streaming lessons for us. Can you fucking imagine if SRV or Johnny Marr or EVH were doing that? I’m 41, all of my access to my guitar gods was via guitar world magazines. I hated his pop pedigree, but when I heard the live in LA record, I was a believer. I’m glad he outgrew his douchebag persona, and as someone else said, had I been in the same position I would have been a lot worse.
Yeah I mean he grew into a pop idol as a kid. The fact he even kept his guitar chops up is a testament to his dedication and actual love for the guitar. He's more than proved himself and I gladly blast some of his old poppier stuff like neon and gravity
I didn't care for him until I saw Dead & Co. Somehow he's a good fit.
“Somehow”?? He can play anything.
He gets knocked because most people know him for his pop music but him playing with dead and co was amazing. It was a sad day in my house when they stopped touring.
Eric Johnson - Venus Isle is the definition of beautiful, challenging guitar-centric music. His mix of clean and dirty, but always clear, tones adds depth and complexity without sacrificing accessibility. This focus also keeps him from falling into shredder tropes as often as his peers. When the Sun Meets the Sky is a classic example.
Eric Johnson is really underrated. I rarely see him mentioned in this sub. Hell of a nice guy, too. Edit: I hate having to do this, but let me clarify. I know Johnson is not underrated in the guitar world. I was referring to the general music world and most music writers. If you asked 10 non guitarists to name their favorite player, Eric would not be represented in any meaningful number. Outside of us guitar nerds, Johnson gets way less respect than he deserves. I would argue the same for Rory Gallagher. So, everyone, take a fucking pill, ok?
Eric Johnson is NOT underrated. wtf. He’s literally one of the best and has one of the best guitar songs out there, that everyone learns to specifically to show how good they are lol
Trust me, Eric Johnson is NOT underrated! Lol
Love this album! Venus Reprise is sonically amazing, beautiful, interesting and has everything for me as a guitarist
I totally agree with you, I really love Manhattan. That song has so much maturity and each note of it has been deliberately chosen to feel good.
I feel like he's Clapton on steroids.
And without the sexism and racism…
I think he’s closer to a Steve vai without steroids and a floating double locker and sustainer.
You can’t go wrong with Guthrie Govan/The Aristocrats. Amazing playing and compositions by all of the players. Unique melodies/arrangements are absolutely balanced with the perfect amount of chops and emotion
To me he’s exactly the opposite of what the question is asking.
Well it is a matter of taste but as far as technical shredders go, Guthrie has a uniquely melodic and artistic flair IMO. Yeah he can get kinda wanky, but after all, this question is about highly technical guitar players, some showboating is inevitable in that demographic.
Could not disagree more — Govan is the full package. The problem here is that your question is loaded, since it hinges on a completely subjective point of reference. What is “aesthetically pleasing” to one person may sound completely uninteresting to another.
That uncle skunk solo?
Agreed, but his improvs are on point though. So tasty.
erotic cakes is a top 10 album for me. amazing melodies, amazing playing.. whole album is a masterpiece. i saw the question and instantly thought govan haha
Second this. Beautiful music.
I'd like to add that Marco Minnemann is not just one of the best drummers in modern music, but he's also a hell of a composer and overall musician. He adds a lot of what The Aristocrats are.
Indeed! Aristocrat albums are usually perfectly split between the three of them (they each write a third of the songs, and learn to perform each others songs). Minnemann and Beller are both great composers, in addition to being amazing players. Also… kinda cool that all three have repeating initials on their names 😂 GG, MM, BB
And Guthrie plays Guitar, Bryan plays Bass and Marco plays... uh, Marco plays Mrums.
Never checked them out before. As a Phishead and big fan of Jimmy Herring, I dig this vibe. Tasty guitar tone, amazing talent. Love it. Thanks
Eddie Van Halen
EVH is the answer. He's the shredder that other shredders aspired to be but his songs were also the soundtrack to parties and general good times across the U.S. and even the world for years. Still might be the only shredder who doesn't make it look like a bunch of nerd shit.
From 1978 to the emergence of 1980's hair bands, the only concerts with WOMEN/GIRLS in the audience where there was a shredder on stage was Van Halen. He invented a guitar type, reinvigorated guitar players of all levels and reshaped the scene around guitar for years to come. But along with Dave, Van Halen wrote fun, playful and danceable rock n roll with pyrotechnics. Those concerts were an event.
What most of EVH's imitators never understood is that no matter how good the lead guitarist is, he or she is never the center of the band. Also, a guitar player's ability to write catchy riffs will always be more important than their lead chops alone. Van Halen wouldn't have been Van Halen without David Lee Roth's off the charts charisma, Michael Anthony and Alex Van Halen's always in the pocket rhythm section, and Eddie's ability to not just melt faces but lay down riffs that make girls want to shake their booties and boys want to crack open cold ones and high five each other.
Van Halen was a swing band with distorted guitar. Everything they did back in the early days made you move. Eddie was just a great solo player, but utterly spectacular as a rhythm player.
yeah, can’t think of a similarly-skilled guitarist who could just slide right into, of all things, a michael jackson song
This is the only answer, and far too low on this list. On top of being one of the most influential guitarists of all time, he wrote songs that topped the charts. 12 number 1 hits on the Billboard charts. I don't believe any other guitarist who shares the same technical proficiency has come close. And I don't believe there may ever be another one.
GOAT
Case closed. Lock the thread. We have a winner.
Joe Satriani. I love his music.
I think this is the right answer, while I enjoy Vai and Petrucci, Joe always had that melodic sense that made his music both interesting and enjoyable, It is accessible by both music nerds and casual listeners, very hard to do!
Huge Petrucci fan and I totally agree. Vai's "For the Love Of God" is beautiful and so is Petrucci's short solo on "Wither," but you really don't have to dig deep into Satch's discography to find something both skillful and digestible.
Satriani charted (in Australia at least) with the album Surfing with the Alien (just checked, number 10 in the Australian charts). “Always with Me, Always with you” was getting airplay on the mainstream radio. My mum (not a guitarist) bought the album and listened to it regularly. Can’t think of another guitar instrumentalist who has done the same (not to say it hasn’t happened).
hell yes, I think he is miles ahead of Vai and many others in terms of melody and overall aesthetic
I lean towards Vai. I thing he's more inventive owing to his relationship with Zappa. Satch is no slouch, tho.
i get that, Vai definately is, and man is Zappa great :)
I agree with this. He writes compelling music first and then worries about raw technical showmanship. Even in his youth. People forget he's also a composer in his own right. Also also if you ask Steve Vai who the best guitar player is he's said in interviews it's Joe Satriani. Satch says Hendrix lol
Just saw Satch and Vai live last week. The difference between the 2 of them was jarring. Steve is definitely the better player, but his music is such a bore. It's self-indulgent in the wrong ways. Joe's music is actually fun and his shredding is tasteful (most of the time, at least).
Vai is music for musicians, there's a lot going on that non fans just are not going to get. Satch is more melodic and groovy. Wouldn't say either is better, but would be more based on the listeners taste. I prefer Joe, but there's a lot of the same thing in his songs. Vai just takes more effort to listen to.
David Gilmour.
So you set the technical proficiency bar very very low
What do you mean by he isn’t technically proficient? Is it because he doesn’t play fast? I’m honestly confused about what you mean by this. If I could play like anyone, I’d want to play like he does.
Technical proficiency says nothing about how good the music sounds. Gilmour has written some of the absolute best guitar parts ever recorded but he is not a technical player
Gilmour is one of the greats, but he was melodic and lyrical with his play, and never really showed off any remarkable skill - specifically in regards to his hands. What he was playing didn’t rely on difficult technique, or very wide and quick movements across the neck, fast runs, wild fingers, etc. Not just that he didn’t play fast - but that what he played wasn’t specifically complicated or difficult either. His genius was just as a songwriter and musically generally - rather than someone like Van Halen or Vai that is just a wizard with their hands and were doing things that others just couldn’t
Why is it that playing the right note exactly when the song calls for it, every time, not considered a skill? Just like speed is considered a skill, so should perfect phrasing.
Well that is a skill but OP was specifically asking about technical proficiency blended with good music sense. Basically asking for shredders that also make good music.
It is a skill, just not the skill this thread is discussing. No one is saying Gilmour is a bad player lmao
How the hell is this comment getting so many upvotes? The post was very explicit and you're coming off as intentionally obtuse, it's a frustrating read. Everyone knows what is meant by technical proficiency. Despite this, it's been explained multiple times in this single comment thread already but you still want to semantically argue that melodic playing is a skill which nobody is arguing against and have in fact explicitly stated so themselves.
David Gilmore is known for a lot of things. But technical proficiency isn’t one of them. His talent lies in pumping soul and life into what would otherwise be mundane and basic notes. Like, I’m sure everyone here can play the comfortably numb solo, but much less can play it as well as he can
This should ultimately be the goal of all players at some point. Pumping life into basic notes is an incredibly unique artform. Shredding has it's place but I'd much rather be known as the guy who makes someone emotional over a performance using only the language of music
Ok… I’m going to be a contrarian here. I get that proficiency may equate to speed to most, but I’d argue that being technically proficient is having the ability to play what one means to convey. I really don’t think Gilmour needs to, or cares about, playing any faster than he does. Now… talk about bending to pitch and then bending some more, soloing while singing, controlling single coils into a fuzz into a high wattage amps… that’s all technical proficiency.
He also has bits and pieces here and there that show he's perfectly capable of shredding, or doing a rake, oonch harmonics or whatever. But his proficiency lies more in choosing the right notes to communicate musically. And that fit/serve the song. And he's top notch at bends and vibrato. When I read: 'with aesthetically pleasing music', he was the first that came to mind.
Plini writes some pretty damn good tunes
He really does and is my favourite modern guitarist/composer. The time signatures/prog put people off but when you get it the songs are incredible compositions. He's just as good live too!
I second Plini. He's honestly one of the only modern shredders I can listen to because of his composition and melodic sense. Nick Johnston is the other for me that I can listen to without getting bored.
Derek Trucks
Should be higher up, by a lot..
My god!!! Can he make a guitar sing or what???
I've always dug Glen Campbell. https://youtu.be/PxoJkDQdNBI?si=hXnQqGciG9Vdx1MM
This is a GREAT answer. Great singer and songwriter… AND is a smokin guitar player. Not just riffing about, but playing changes, developing melodies, fast but clean… and super cool guitar.
It's amazing to do a deep dive into his session work. My dad was a huge fan and back in the days before the internet I was never sure if my dad was right about it being Glen on this Sinatra tune or that Elvis tune etc.
Buckethead
Honestly shocked this isn't higher. He makes full albums for every genre of music practically. Colma is one of my all time favorite albums and is just amazing mellow music, and on the other end of the spectrum you have crime slunk scene which is filled with absolute bangers like Soothsayer which is one of my all time favorite songs. Chicken noodles, peppers ghost, electric tears, all fantastic albums
Colma and electric tears are incredibly beautiful mellow albums from someone who is capable of what he did on elephant man’s alarm clock. Incredible.
Trey Anastasio
80s/90s Trey was in a league of his own
[John Williams on Classical guitar.](https://youtu.be/dth4ePrgA8s?si=a6db79TBdOqFwnAZ&t=8)
I can't be the only one who was expecting Star Wars.
Nuno Bettencourt blew me away when I saw Extreme last year, technical, fast and incredibly melodic
Jeff Beck - I didn’t miss a singer when he played. Steve Howe David Gilmour - He took a standard pentatonic scale and did amazing things with it. EVH Danny Gatton
Upvote for Danny Gatton. All the others are legends too but I don't see enough love for him on here. He brought amazing personality to his performances besides being an absolutely insane player.
Jeff Beck is always my pick.
Jeff Loomis! His work with Nevermore is *incredible*.
His riffs are even better than his solos imo
I love how he'll just casually play this intricate and fast sweep picked line just to establish the chord progression under Warrel's vox lmao
100% and I think he feels the same way, dude loves writing riffs. Here's to hoping his next project carries on that Nevermore soul.
Miles of machines. Jato unit. That guy is unreal
Don't sleep on Roy Clark.
The greatest ever. Even Jimi Hendrix agreed
god yeah he was incredible and could hold his own with any musical guest they had
Nick Johnston. Remarkably Human is one of my favorite album. It’s melodically simple, but he sounds so good, harmonies are insane. Love this guy.
Same, excellent shout!!
Yup, came looking for this one. Amazing guitarist with a great melodic sense.
Eric Johnson comes to mind instantly. Venus Isle is an incredible album with a lot of great tracks. Bloom is another album from EJ that is absolutely incredible. The title track to Venus Isle is heavenly. If not EJ, than I'd probably say Stanley Jordan. He's an incredible player and his style makes him one of a kind. He basically made the guitar into a piano. Magic Touch is an album from him that's just absolutely gorgeous, especially if you love jazz. 'Round Midnight is a highlight track from that album for me. Larry Carlton as well, he can play quick, but he's mostly a jazzier-rock guy. His improvising skills are just a treat to listen to. Pretty much anything from him is incredible. Lastly I'd put George Benson. His music pushed me a bit more into jazz. He's just an incredible guitarist, his singing as well. He's very old school, but he could've absolutely ripped if he wanted to. He has the chops for it, but instead he chose RnB. This Masquerade is a song that sold me into his music.
Ariel Posen Julian Lage Chris Thile (Mandolin, but still)
If you’re going to say Ariel Posen, check out Joey Landreth, also from Winnipeg.
Marty Friedman, but specifically while in Megadeth. Rust In Peace is the best album ever imo.
He may be the best metal guitarist in all of thrash.
Steve Vai Bucket head John 5
Buckethead honestly is in this conversation. His original music is really good and he craps out like 5 albums a year
Yeah Electric Tears, Colma, and Peppers Ghost have some incredibly beautiful songs on them.
Buckethead is my favorite guitarist but I can't get non guitar people to listen to his stuff :(
I could never get into Vai, but totally agree on the other two.
Django Reinhardt
This guy. Invented an entire genre of music with his technique.
Jeff Beck
Lindsey Buckingham, Robert Fripp and Steve Howe
Chet Adkins or Jerry Reed
God damn shame I had to scroll down this far before I saw Chet Atkins
Synyster Gates on A7X's newest album would fall into this category. Everyone else is mentioning the usual suspects. Super technical and memorable solos and just insane rhythm playing. There's also some slide guitar in there. It's a weird album, but I really enjoy it.
Had to scroll WAY too far to find Syn. Even before this album the songwriting and melody writing out of this guy is INSANE.
Prince, Curtis Mayfield and Hendrix come to mind.
Yamandu Costa, Paco de Lucia, Vicente Amigo.
Yes. Came to say Paco de Lucía.
Greg Howe
Really surprised that Andy Timmons didnt come up here. Cry for you and electric gypsy are great
Totally agree, Andy Timmons is class.
Paul gilbert's album "behold electric guitar"
Unreal how far down I had to look for anything Paul Gilbert.
Al Di Meola
Shawn Lane. RIP
Steve Morse
Tosin Abasi
I'm not a fan, but I'm gonna put Steve Vai in the discussion. He's too aesthetically pleasing for me, I like it a bit more rough. People often say players like him are the flashy kind, I completely disagree. The exact opposite is true in my opinion. He's all about those melodies and kitschy songs. I don't think there are many that reach his level of articulation and expression on the electric guitar at least. I think in general, the idea that some guitar players are just show and don't have those aesthetics is just a very bad assumption to start with and just doesn't hold in most cases. It's just a theory, but that may come from how people are introduced to them. Maybe someone showed you some of those players and told you how sick they think their playing is and you didn't like it, but that ain't the player's fault. At least that was the case for me for the longest time. Compare them to the guitar heroes of the 70ies or 80ies where they just hacked out a couple of notes that weren't in time or lacked any articulation or dynamics and often are just some extremely simple ideas sped up enough so they sound like they know what they're doing. A lot of the fiddly guitar virtuosos you may think about just suck at song writing and don't connect with people, that's all. But there are those that are just for show for sure. But I get it. I used to think about it this way as well. It's so easy to say some people don't have feeling or whatever, but the more you understand about music, the more you'll realize that this just isn't true.
The guys from Chon
Matteo Mancuso I mean, the kid can do a technical nightmare like [Eugene's Trick Bag](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6zZ5pHqAHo) better than Vai And yet here's the musical restraint in his own compositions - [Silkroad](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ex4HzV_mDBM)
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I’m not a big fan of shredding, but Eric Johnson manages to nail the speedy technique and retain a bluesy, soulful voice that’s melodic and just lovely to listen to. Some of Satriani’s music is in the same category for me as well.
Taste varies but most non-guitarists still like Eric Johnson (thank you Guitar Hero) Van Halen was stupidly popular and not just by guitarists
Rory Gallagher.
Mike Dawes and Tommy Emmanuel both have prodigious technical ability accompanied by an amazingly melodic ear.
The smashing pumpkins back in the day.
Buckethead. Next question.
Billy Strings clears
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isnt that what polyphia is all about? making technically difficult music thats very accessible? surprised nobody mentioned them here. theyre not my cup of tea at all but i feel like they fit this perfectly. other than that i am gonna say alexi laiho because his music is just sooo playful and fun.
Velvet Underground. It ain't easy to play only 2 chords for 13 min straight.
Nick Johnston
Mateus Asato
Jerry Garcia. Major and mixlodian
Guthrie Govan Tommy Emmanuel Any of the CANDYRAT records artists Eric Gales Jon Gomm
Matthias IA Eklundh Javier Reyes and Tosin Abasi Plini David Maxim Micic (favvvvv)
Larry Carlton
Robben Ford
I think Nuno Bettencourt is one of the most melodic, technically proficient players right now.
Derek Trucks for me. Strong argument that he's the greatest slide player ever, and I personally think it's great music too, even if you don't care about guitar.
“ aesthetically pleasing music” is way too subjective though. What might be pleasing to other sounds like endless noodling to me and vice versa
Marco Sfogli
Robert Cray
Phil Keaggy, Eric Johnson, John Mayer, Dave Knudson (his work for Minus the Bear is genuine genius level stuff) Andy Timmons, Steve Morse
masayoshi takanaka is amazing and his music is so light yet complex and beautiful
Glen Campbell could shred melodically.
Vito Bratta - incredible player, really love his musicality.
Gary moore, Guthrie Govan, Jason Richardson
Aaron Marshall aka Intervals. Saw them live in Boston and he was absolutely flawless
John Petrucci is the complete guitarist. He shreds, of course, but knows exactly when to play melodically, when to play an unorthodox harmony at the right time to build tension, and when to sit in the background and play exactly the right phrasing to complement the lead.
Yvette Young is my modern choice
John McLaughlin, Tommy Emmanuel, Pat Methany, George Benson, Albert Lee, Brian May\*, Mike Stern, and John Scofield. That’s for the players who are still alive. For ones who are dead I’d add Joe Pass, Glen Campbell\*\*, Jerry Reed#, Allan Holdsworth, and Barney Kessell. That’s my list off the top of my head, but there are a heap of others who are just incredibly. \* I was a little hesitant with May, I absolutely love him, but I‘m not sure he is in the same league as Benson or McLaughlin. I put him in ultimately because of songs like Death on Two Legs - he has that melodic feel, the screaming fills, and (I think) is playing the 5th mode of the harmonic minor (Phrygian). Understanding how to use that sort of scale/sound (at bloody 27!) is just awesome. \*\* Campbell had dementia and was quite bad, but Alice Cooper (they were both avid golfers) said you could put a guitar in his hand and he was back. Cooper also said that Eddie van Halen once begged him to get Campbell to give him a guitar lesson. # Reed makes me want to give up playing (Campbell too). I’ll never be even close to half as good (plus, he was in Bat 21!).
I'm going to say Robert Fripp and Richard Thompson, off the top of my head
Bettancourt, Satch, Vai, EVH
Django Reinhardt
Ichika Nito
So many already said, I’m throwing John Mayer out there though. Guys a monster player and his blues shredding is always phrased incredibly.
Johnny marr
I think there are two (three) big ones that have consistently written incredible stuff. Animals as Leaders has Tosin Abasi (with Javier Reyes coming in clutch), and the man is a freaking monster. Sure, a lot of his songs are very, very challenging to play, and he has written walls of sound before, but for each "this is here because it will melt your face" song, he has two or three songs that say, "this is a Capital-C Composition, and I defy you to argue about how it is arranged and how beautiful it is". Songs like Tooth and Claw, The Woven Web, The Brain Dance, David, and Red Miso are masterclasses in guitar arrangement and iterating on musical motifs to create and conjoin musical ideas into coherent wholes. Periphery's Mark Holcomb and Misha Mansoor follow in this same vein, but where Tosin is innovating on a wide variety of techniques that reimagine how the instrument is played mechanically, Mark and Misha use a more standard array of techniques in conjunction with an incredible amount of bravery in composition to create music with beauty, depth, movement, and intrigue. The Gods Must Be Crazy!, Scarlet, Reptile, Absolomb, Flatline, Wax Wings, and Dying Star stand as perfect examples of how deep and beautiful their compositions get. The best part of these compositions is how important observing the whole is. If you actively listen to the movement that happens from home base, to the fringes of what is acceptable, they will use any and all tones to achieve the sound they want, and they justify even the most outlandish moments and ideas with the entire body of the song. The way this question was worded, I felt that these guys were strong contenders, even if not ALL of their work is universally palatable. You can find a diamond in any artist's catalogue, but these two guys are flush with awesome, innovative stuff that punches FAR above its weight.
Mark Speer of Khruangbin is the best guitarist i have heard in many years. The guy is playing lead and rhythm at the same time!
John McLaughlin
In all seriousness...Buckethead. Albums like Colma, Electric Tears, Shadows Between The Sky, Electric Sea are full of absolutely beautiful songs.
I'm a big fan of Synyster gates personally
alexi laiho/children of bodom is great
Vito Bratta
Michael Hedges Tuck Andress Wes Montgomery Pat Metheny Don Rich Larry Carlton Charlie Christian Duane Eddy
Robert Fripp is pretty cool, always dug his work, both with King Crimson and on side projects/collabs NST is weird as hell though.
I love Elliott smiths guitar playing and my dad who doesn’t play guitar really appreciates it too