Do you ever get a bit fed up with guitar solos?

[Baddass]

This guy plays a great solo:thu:

[3shiftgtr]

Why is it that there are 3 camps: solos are wankery, solos should be used judiciously, and solo for the sake of soloing?

The solos are wankery breeds bands like Nickelback. Their songs are PERFECT representations of themselves. I don't like them, but they are perfect at what they are, but {censored}....could we break up all that McDonald's metal with some art? An instrumental break or a solo...or something. When the vocals provide the only melodic element, I don't care how cool the {censored} is, I get restless. I need art in my art.

The solos should be used judiciously mindset breeds bands that don't seem to want to take a stand. Everything is all nice and neat and I feel like I'm being sold something..."Here's a solo for you geetar pickers, but we won't make it too long so we don't loose the rest of you and your tiny little attention spans." I guess I need my art to be artistic.

And the solo for the sake of soloing camp breeds the basement jam 1 chord say nothing noddle fests. If you are going to do some instrumental sections, it must SAY something. A lack of words does not give you the excuse to SAY NOTHING. I guess I need depth in my art.

The bottom line? A good solo is just that...a good solo. It must have depth, humanity, connectivity and add an aesthetic that helps define the piece. Period.

[MickSlick]

The problem with so many solos is that they are just filler, forgettable wankery, there are exceptions - Gilmour comes to mind. I think well placed riffs / hooks are what works more often than a formal solo break. Many dis The Edge for his lack of "soloing" ability, but he is a master at well placed riffs and underlying simple lead lines to enhance and add to the music not showcase a guitar part, Radio-head and even (putting on flame proof coat) cold play, prior to their last crappy album, do this well as well.

[Hubert Stumblin]

I want real passion and anger not some idiot in a wind tunnel with endorsements. (hello he's off again:lol:)

Anger?

You must be a young 'un.

[csm]

Typical that a bluesman should say "three to five minutes" instead of, say, 30 seconds.

 

 

He meant the whole song ... not just the solo!

[jrockbridge]

There will always be some room in my heart for the overblown solo within certain instrumental, metal and neoclassical stuff. But, for most songs, I think less is more! Any time you do a LOT of something, you run the risk of overstaying your welcome. Better to leave the audience wishing the solo was longer rather than have them wish it was shorter.

[thick_mike]

At the risk of cliche...less is more.

This is why I like e.g. Axis Bold as Love better than Electric Ladyland. I love Wait Until Tomorrow and can't listen to Voodoo Chile (not slight return).

White Stripes songs without guitar solos >>>>> White Stripes songs with guitar solos.

Just my 2 pence.

[bengerm77]

I'm trying to avoid playing a solo in songs that I write now. Seems every single song I wrote for the last two of three bands had a guitar solo in it. Not only am I running out of ideas for solos, but I'll bet it's pretty stale to the listener.

[johanneswiberg]

He meant the whole song ... not just the solo!

Yeah I might have figured that out if I had paused to think about it, but mine was funnier!

[mistersully]

yep... it's all about impact for me... sometimes one double bend can say a whole lot more that 45 seconds of widdy widdly woo

the way i've been looking at it lately is this

as musicians we love listening to ourselves wank on... we notice in detail all the little intricacies of our playing... "man did you catch that harmonic right there... f'n awesome!!"
but nobody else really gives a {censored}

when i buy an album i just want a bunch of cool songs... i like some solos but i get bored quickly if there are too many and they're too long... after i few listens i generally just skip those songs

i think it pays to look at your own music the same way

of course there are exceptions though

[Josh S]

This might sound strange from someone who is the Gilmour in a Floyd band, but... Yes. Yes, I do.

Sometimes soloing is rad. Sometimes I'm very happy to be playing the few songs where I don't have a solo.




...Also, in my various original projects I always voted to remove solos from songs, and was always voted down. I swear if I ever write another song I'm not putting a solo in it. Scout's honour.

[Mr_GoodBomb]

I've never been a solo guy. I just find them generally tasteless. I know no one but guitarists give a {censored}.

[pigman]

Some think that "rhythm"
Is the boredom before the "solo,"
To them I say stop using words
That oppose them, quid pro quo.

I was suckered from an early age
When I thought I was a rebel,
'Til my Les Paul copy taught me
Up was RHYTHM, down was TREBLE.

Then I learned a song is more
Than a bridge of weedly wee,
And songs that send a message
Get your name on the marquee.

But then there's Malmsteen, Vai, and Satch;
They solo and they sell,
But their audience is other guitarists,
Look around you; couldn't you tell?

Each one's playing air guitar
'Cause for them the solo is all,
And for each the idea of rhythm
Is just, "Another Brick In The Wall."

[Ratae Corieltauvorum]

Cool rap:confused:

Some think that "rhythm" Is the boredom before the "solo," To them I say stop using words That oppose them, quid pro quo. I was suckered from an early age When I thought I was a rebel, 'Til my Les Paul copy taught me Up was RHYTHM, down was TREBLE. Then I learned a song is more Than a bridge of weedly wee, And songs that send a message Get your name on the marquee. But then there's Malmsteen, Vai, and Satch; They solo and they sell, But their audience is other guitarists, Look around you; couldn't you tell? Each one's playing air guitar 'Cause for them the solo is all, And for each the idea of rhythm Is just, "Another Brick In The Wall."