Betcha Can't Play This, Betcha i don't wanna either

[knotty]

Well, first of all, I can tell a difference in the tone between many of the guitars. Second, I agree the tone is all very similar. However, there are many ways to achieve the same tone, just as there are many ways to combine tints to achieve similar colors. Consider a silver car from every manufacturer on the planet. How many will use the exact same formula? Third, there is a certain tone sought by shredders. It allows clarity and relative evenness of volume, timbre, etc, across 6+ strings and across 6+ octaves at different tensions. Many different amps attempt to produce the same famous sounds, many different pickups attempt to reproduce the PAF, or a slightly hotter PAF, or a slightly warmer PAF. The point being, they are all going for pretty much the same target, and the method they use to get to that target does result in similarity despite different inputs. That's the whole point of amp modeling, isn't it? You shouldn't feel betrayed when all available technology is being deployed to erase the differences. Fourth, sheesh: these guys are playing dozens of notes per second, so you get to hear almost nothing of any individual note's decay and overtone harmonics, and you think there is no difference in sound? If the guitars were played clean with chords and bends, with a chance to hear the guitar sustain for a few seconds, all on the same amp, you'd definitely hear a huge difference between almost all the guitars. If you go all around to every city in the world, but never leave the airport, yeah: you won't be able to notice much difference in culture, architecture, products, cuisine.

And so it begins

[kherman]

I liked the guy playing the SG at around the :50 mark, though maybe because that's the only thing on hear I think that I could play. I also thought the 8-handed tapping guy was good. But you're right, strung together like that, it's a hard, hard listen. BTW, I think the fact that there's a band called 'Metalocalypse" is hilarious.

Then you'll find it really funny that it's not a band.
But, a cartoon.

Anyways, I sure wish I had the chops they do.
It's just another tool in the tool bag to use.

On it's own, sure it doesn't make sense.
But, when put in the right context it does.

In blues, fast playing would be way out of context.
But, in metal, jazz, and classical it works quite well in context.

But, one again we're here with the
"Those that can? Do."
"Those that can't? Bitch"

never seems to get old on the H.C.

[wartoxin]

I think it's true, a lot of it seemed like noise, I liked Alexi's (the first one I think) but I already know I like his style. I like Gus G but he sounded bad in this. The other guys just seemed to be trying o make it sound "sophisticated" with diminished stuff or something. Studio recordings (on albums or whatever) generally sound cleaner, Tony MacAlpine or kiko loureiro for example have really clear sounding runs/sweeps.

I'm truly sorry you have crippled hearing. I truly hope someday you can get over the resentment over that disability that causes you to reject mechanical and acoustic engineering principles out of hand.

:lol:

[Brainfertilizer]

And so it begins

Well, personally, I think it ended there, too.

[Brainfertilizer]

Anyways, I sure wish I had the chops they do. It's just another tool in the tool bag to use.

 

 

I used to think that, as I sporadically worked on speed techniques.

 

But I haven't been able to shake a video I saw about 6 weeks ago of Paul Gilbert playing some Jimi Hendrix: He did a credible job both in singing and rhythm work, but then he launched off into stratospheric shredding for the solo section.

 

Now, I could see maybe sprinkling in some shredding techniques at the climax of the solo...but doing that the whole way?

 

It didn't fit.

 

Paul's got the chops and feel to do just about anything he wants. But when he gets a chance to solo, he shreds. At least in this example.

 

Maybe there are some other songs where he relies on feel to play a slow solo, but I haven't heard it.

 

So now I'm wondering: does focusing on shred technique really just add another tool to the toolbox, or does it actually replace other tools? Do you end up with a big f'n hammer so that all your solo opportunities look like nails?

[GilmourD]

Except for the Brendon Small video, I don't like any of this music--I much prefer rock and roll.

You, sir, have good taste.

 

I think the thing with his video is that it's a structured riff that's really {censored}ing hard to play, not some wankery.

[GilmourD]

 

I liked the guy playing the SG at around the :50 mark, though maybe because that's the only thing on hear I think that I could play. I also thought the 8-handed tapping guy was good. But you're right, strung together like that, it's a hard, hard listen. BTW, I think the fact that there's a band called 'Metalocalypse" is hilarious.

 

 

Actually, the show is called Metalocalypse. The "band" featured in the show is called Dethklok.

[BoneNut]

And so it begins

Don't say I didn't warn you all.

[MyEmergency]

"It's costing too much! PULL THE PLUG!"

 

 

I am a huge brendon small fan so I as well would like to play that lol

[honeyiscool]

So now I'm wondering: does focusing on shred technique really just add another tool to the toolbox, or does it actually replace other tools? Do you end up with a big f'n hammer so that all your solo opportunities look like nails?

I'm not sure. Take this piano piece:

 

 

 

It's nothing more than a 2 minute arpeggio exercise, it's the equivalent of listening to a shredder sweep for 2 minutes. So why does this sound better? I'm not sure.

[kherman]

I used to think that, as I sporadically worked on speed techniques. So now I'm wondering: does focusing on shred technique really just add another tool to the toolbox, or does it actually replace other tools? Do you end up with a big f'n hammer so that all your solo opportunities look like nails?

I think it depends on the player.
And knowing what tool to use at what time.
I'm sure sessions guys do this quite often. Or they lose jobs.

I'm sure Paul knows this too.
And in some of the Mr Big stuff he stays quite sparce at times.
Maybe, for some reason he just felt he needed a big f'n hammer in that particular tune.

[SDshirtman]

Endless rolling arpeggios just get boring as hell to listen to. The only people even remotely interested in listening to them is other guitarist. That being said I like the guy at 1:20 and 2:00

[Welladjusted]

It certainly doesn't help that a lot of the clips look and sound terrible, regardless of what they're actually playing.

[DaveAronow]

Dude with the flying vee and gold hardware is a buddy of mine. We grew up jamming in alot of the same clubs in Tampa and have done alot of shows together. His name is Ralph Santola. Hes on tour in eurkpe somewhere right now. Nice dude and a great player, but yeah, im pretty sure Ralph doesnt try to claim these videos are all that musical.

[MrPFloyd]

that thing with chris broderick still blows my mind. he is an amazing player. The stuff from the most of the others in the video sucked ass though lol

[svejkist]

 

But I haven't been able to shake a video I saw about 6 weeks ago of Paul Gilbert playing some Jimi Hendrix: He did a credible job both in singing and rhythm work, but then he launched off into stratospheric shredding for the solo section.

 

 

Have you seen this one? I nearly wet myself. He made it all the way through a song without ruining it. Sounds great.

 

 

 

When I was watching the OP video, all I could think was "betcha can't play this." Yikes.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6lHxWuNYG8g

[Oaksong]

what happened to all that {censored} we believed?

 

 

Pretty much everything sounds like ass when it is covered in {censored}. No worries.

[BoneNut]

 

 

 

Such a talented musician and basically unknown for most except guitar players.

[svejkist]

I like his version of Dancing Queen.

[video=youtube;DT1l9v-lKsc]

[captcoolaid]

What a bunch of no feeling hacks.

[kayd_mon]

 

 

 

I love Scofield's stuff.

[Brocken Jr.]

 

I'm not sure. Take this piano piece: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WpZr_cbYbXo It's nothing more than a 2 minute arpeggio exercise, it's the equivalent of listening to a shredder sweep for 2 minutes. So why does this sound better? I'm not sure.

 

 

It's simple, really. The piano is a better instrument than the guitar.

 

ACCEPT IT.

[Tommy Gun]

LOL@ the "feel" guys getting up in arms.

These arent supposed to be amazing musical statements. They're just little fun technique-oriented etudes.

[ashasha]

I agree that about 99% of these I wouldn't want to hear in a song.

 

But that isn't the point of these videos; these are the exception to the rule because music isn't a competition....the name of the series is "bet you can't play this"....it's a competition. It's supposed to be all about technique/speed/weird/difficult which as others have pointed out is usually kind of interesting to some other guitarists, but not to most humans.

 

With all that said the only videos out of these series that I found interesting and slightly educational was Mr Doug Aldrich's:

 

 

 

 

This one has a really cool slide into a chromatic lick that I've actually used in some of my playing:

 

 

[Ripping Rudy]

Aldrich has an VERY similar style to Dimebag Darrell on those quick hammer/pull off runs. He even holds his hands the same way... weird.