Guitar shredding in drag?

[linda allen]

When I was young, music had a melody. I got paid to play it. It was called "playing", not "shredding".

[xdressed]

When I was young, music had a melody. I got paid to play it. It was called "playing", not "shredding".

Then you probably don't want to know about some of the slang for the REALLY brutal side of metal lol

[Tracii G]

Shredding is just a form and style and nothing wrong with it at all.I was never a super shredder and never tried to be.
I just wanted to be solid player and could lay a lead down if I felt the need to.Rhythm was my main forte but taking the spotlight was nice every now and then.
Any leads I do now are more fluid and border on the prog rock side.
Some shredding I see on YT seems like scale practice to me no heart or feeling.
Some shredding is pretty darn good in the context of a song.
Iced Earth is one of my fave bands in the last few years, Jon Shaffer I have met a few times and he is a very cool person.One of the fastest rhythm players I have ever seen.
They don't get more solid than Jon.
Evergrey are high on my play list too.Mercenary as well.

[NathalieX66]

I do not want to come off as snide here, so pardon me if I do....believe me, it come's from my mom.

Being a musician, and around lots of musicians who play out and perform in front of a lot of people, which I have done too, but not lately because I am recovering from a permanent injury (I fell off the roof and landed hands down on my patio and broke my left wrist a few years ago), there is a term musicians often refer to about shredding, and it is called guitar wank . I have nothing against guitar solos per se, but there is such a spirituality about music, that the solo is really the cherry on the top of the sundae, not the entire song.

My apologies to anybody if I come across as a complete jærk.

[Tracii G]

Some do call it wanking or meedly meedly.
Its a popular form of songwriting so I embrace it for what it is.Technically its very hard to do and speed is everything.
I had my period of it trying to be as fast as I could be but I burned out very quickly.
Music to me is a inner expression of how I feel at that one moment nothing more nothing less.
The 80's it was all about how good you were with the floyd rose doing dive bombs and over the shoulder guitar swinging,finger tapping all that stuff.Its moved on to some thing new and that is the way it should be.
Find the music that moves you put your spin on it take it to another level and pass it on.

[GeminaRenee]

I do not want to come off as snide here, so pardon me if I do....believe me, it come's from my mom.

Being a musician, and around lots of musicians who play out and perform in front of a lot of people, which I have done too, but not lately because I am recovering from a permanent injury (I fell off the roof and landed hands down on my patio and broke my left wrist a few years ago), there is a term musicians often refer to about shredding, and it is called guitar wank . I have nothing against guitar solos per se, but there is such a spirituality about music, that the solo is really the cherry on the top of the sundae, not the entire song.

My apologies to anybody if I come across as a complete jærk.

I feel compelled to respond to this and moderate a bit...

I certainly see where you are coming from. There is a lot of highly technical stuff that doesn't move me at all. But, of course, that's the beauty of music - what moves some people can fail to connect with others entirely. While many people (myself included) may find Yngwie's music, for example, to be largely soulless shredding, I think you'd be hard pressed to argue that Yngwie himself finds what he does to be devoid of feeling. And at the end of the day, if someone connects with it, well, mission accomplished. Personally, I find musical validity across a wide spectrum - from Dream Theater to Nirvana to Van Halen to The Roots to Shpongle. There's SO much good stuff out there!

To each his or her own, I say. Just my $0.02...

[Tracii G]

I feel compelled to respond to this and moderate a bit...

I certainly see where you are coming from. There is a lot of highly technical stuff that doesn't move me at all. But, of course, that's the beauty of music - what moves some people can fail to connect with others entirely. While many people (myself included) may find Yngwie's music, for example, to be largely soulless shredding, I think you'd be hard pressed to argue that Yngwie himself doesn't find what he does to be devoid of feeling. And at the end of the day, if someone connects with it, well, mission accomplished. Personally, I find musical validity across a wide spectrum - from Dream Theater to Nirvana to Van Halen to The Roots to Shpongle. There's SO much good stuff out there!

To each his or her own, I say. Just my $0.02...

Yep thats the way I look at it very well put Kali.

[Ressie]

I'll watch your vids! I've been playing for over 40 years and have some vids on youtube, but I don't mix playing music with crossdressing. The closest I ever got to metal is Led Zep or Black Sabbath. I play Jazz, blues, country, rock, fingerstyle, etc. I appreciate the shredders and have learned from some of their instructional videos. But I like music that breaths a little more. Space between the notes is just as important as the notes. I tried playing guitar en fem, but the big breasts got in the way! So post your videos and impress me with your playing and sexy outfits! I won't criticize unless you ask.

[RachelRoxx]

I feel compelled to respond to this and moderate a bit...

I certainly see where you are coming from. There is a lot of highly technical stuff that doesn't move me at all. But, of course, that's the beauty of music - what moves some people can fail to connect with others entirely. While many people (myself included) may find Yngwie's music, for example, to be largely soulless shredding, I think you'd be hard pressed to argue that Yngwie himself finds what he does to be devoid of feeling. And at the end of the day, if someone connects with it, well, mission accomplished. Personally, I find musical validity across a wide spectrum - from Dream Theater to Nirvana to Van Halen to The Roots to Shpongle. There's SO much good stuff out there!

To each his or her own, I say. Just my $0.02...

Yngwi does have a lot of just shredding but his first album is full of feeling. If far beyond the sun and icarus dream suite o. 5 doesnt move you you have no soul! lol

[RachelRoxx]

I do not want to come off as snide here, so pardon me if I do....believe me, it come's from my mom.

Being a musician, and around lots of musicians who play out and perform in front of a lot of people, which I have done too, but not lately because I am recovering from a permanent injury (I fell off the roof and landed hands down on my patio and broke my left wrist a few years ago), there is a term musicians often refer to about shredding, and it is called guitar wank . I have nothing against guitar solos per se, but there is such a spirituality about music, that the solo is really the cherry on the top of the sundae, not the entire song.

My apologies to anybody if I come across as a complete jærk.

Absolutely not! Youre right, a solo only works in the context of a song. Like Yngwie Malmsteen, love him but sometimes he just shreds, no feeling, no soul just pure speed. You can write the greatest solo ever but if it doesnt have the right song around it it usually doesnt work. The drums, the bass, the rythm guitar all play as much a part in the solo as the actual solo. Thats why the greats are great, they hear a song and can build an amazing piece of guitar work into it.

[jenny76]

there are some REALLY talented musicians in metal.. its also how "pigsqueals" were invented ; )

[Kaz]

there are some REALLY talented musicians in metal.. its also how "pigsqueals" were invented ; )

And divebombs? Though Hendrix really got there first!!!

[xdressed]

And divebombs? Though Hendrix really got there first!!!

Hendrix is much the prototype for most of the metal bands that came after him

I also think it's worth mentioning that people don't realise how diverse metal is, for example here's a song from my solo project Lifting of the Veil: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VORB0PMuFUA

About the only thing that has in common with say, Helloween, is that they are both long songs based around the guitar: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5aIZv-Auxk

[RachelRoxx]

Ok, first two song are going to be Megadeths "Holy Wars" since a lot of you like that one and Eric Johnsons "Cliffs of Dover." Stay tuned in the coming week for the first video! Thanks for the support girls, love you all!

[Tracii G]

Thank you Rachel!! Two great choices.