What makes a good guitarist ?

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Scoot

Scoot

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I have been asked this question by a guy I am teaching at the moment and being a man who can answer questions like this on the spot. :rolleyes: I told him I would give it some thought and let him know. This bloke is going to be a great talent one day so I thought I would put some effort into this.

So.......i had a fair few beers and wrote this. What do you guys reckon? Any add-ons, comments, criticisms or whatever would be great feedback.

* you don't have to be fast or flash...what you play and when you play it -matters most

*your right hand (assuming you are a right handed guitarist) and timing will make up for at least 3 of your left hands.

*listen, learn and explore - play with as many other musicians as you can.

* PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE

*How good you THINK you are and how good you REALLY are would probably be 2 different things.

*Never let your ego get in the way - it will inhibit the learning process.

*PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE.

Cheers

Scoot
 
Those sound pretty good, though I might add experiment with different styles. A great guitarist is someone who knows the instrument and how to use it in more than just one situation. Also, a great guitarist is one who can feel and make others identify with what he/she is playing. Just my opinion.
 
A good guitarist sounds good, a great guitarist makes everyone they play with sound better.

And, practice, practice, practice, then find more time to practice.
 
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the rproper balance between feeling and technique, and playing the right things at the right time.
 
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a good guitarist adds to a song, a bad one subtracts from it (constant gay jack off wankery) ;)
 
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A good guitarist can stir your emotions with a mere couple of notes.
As everyone else has said, practice, practice and more practice. And dedication.
 
I teach trombone and I tell my students pretty much the same things.

There's no substitute for practice.

Self-confidence is great. Self-adoration is not an option.

No matter how good you are there will always be some one who is better - in most cases deservedly so. When you meet these people - swallow your pride, which should not be an issue, and learn from them.

You must have a true love for your instrument and the music you play, as well as music in general.

Complacency leads to stagnation. Always aim a little higher than where you are at the moment.

It's not so much the notes/phrases you play but the spaces between them that matter.

There's no substitute for practice.

BTW - I really like the bit about the right and left hands!!
 
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Being a good guitarist is about knowing what not to play as it is about having the chops to play anything.

Being a good guitarist is about knowing when not to play as it is about having the chops to play anything.

Being a good guitarist is knowing how to play it in Db as well as E.

Being a good guitarist is not hanging around GC playing distorted Marshalls with some riff in E over and over trying to impress someone who is a good guitarist. Being a good guitarist is turning off this idiots amp and pointing him or her to a good music school for the sake of every customer in the store.

Mostly it is about having the chops and the taste to go along with them.
 
Riffmaster said:
Play with your heart as much as your brain.
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+1
First and foremost a good guitarist cares about the music he's playing.

Everything else is doing what it takes to serve what you care about.
 
Henry Mars said:
Being a good guitarist is about knowing what not to play as it is about having the chops to play anything.

Being a good guitarist is about knowing when not to play as it is about having the chops to play anything.
Click to expand...

Dani Pace said:
A good guitarist sounds good, a great guitarist makes everyone they play with sound better.
Click to expand...
The two key in prfectly. Right on.

Being a good guitarist is knowing how to play it in Db as well as E..
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Yeah but WTF's with 'Eb'? The thing only goes down to frikin E.

:D
 
mixsit said:
The two key in prfectly. Right on.

Yeah but WTF's with 'Eb'? The thing only goes down to frikin E.

:D
Click to expand...

A good deal of vocal music is in Eb. Body and Soul is written in Db. Lush Life is often played in Db. The range in these keys is limited for sure but sometimes you gotta do it.

Bottom line you never know what tune is going to be called or what key the Canary suffering with PMS is going to want to sing it in.
 
nice - good musicians know how not to OVERPLAY - I am still learning/aiming towards that.

And pedals are part of the instrument - so one must push them with his head :D

Henry Mars said:
Being a good guitarist is about knowing what not to play as it is about having the chops to play anything.

Being a good guitarist is about knowing when not to play as it is about having the chops to play anything.

Being a good guitarist is knowing how to play it in Db as well as E.

Being a good guitarist is not hanging around GC playing distorted Marshalls with some riff in E over and over trying to impress someone who is a good guitarist. Being a good guitarist is turning off this idiots amp and pointing him or her to a good music school for the sake of every customer in the store.

Mostly it is about having the chops and the taste to go along with them.
Click to expand...
 
Thanks for the feedback so far - some good stuff in there.

The canary with PMS line cracked me up :D
 
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A good guitarist, if a solo performer, who does not sing, has to be able to carry a tune in rhythm, melody and some semblance of percussion. Master the walking bass line + chords + melody, say like Joe Pass and he will have many women. This can take a life time unless you’re Tommy.

A good guitarist, if a solo performer, who sings, should have a good voice because that is what people will focus on. The guitar playing has to be good but not stellar. He has to have rock solid rhythm and the ability to split the mind between the voice and the hands.

A good guitarist who prefers to play in a band simply has to show up and carry gear.

But I could be wrong. :)
 
good guitarists listen as much as they play. Good gt's work in an ensemble to make a unified experience for the audience and strive to become better. my .02.
 
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It's more important to have passion and feel to your playing than straight technical skill. Good guitar players have mastered one or the other. Great guitarists have mastered both.


I know guys that can play circles around me with solos and super quick riffs. But I get bored because they're all skill and no passion. They play stuff that's cliche and unoriginal, no soul. I'd rather be somewhere in the middle. I strive to be both technical and passionate.
 
There are no wrong notes, just better choices.

Do or do not; there is no 'try'.
 
The answer to this question, as with most grown-up questions, is "it depends".
 
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