GREAT Guitar Solos:

Inspector #20

Inspector #20

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Sitting on the balcony this morning having coffee with several musicians, when the conversation turned to great guitar solos.

Everyone, of course, has an opinion, but I quantified my entry for use of varied techniques, melody and fluidity, tone and note choice, musical relevance to the structure of the song and composition.

Having considered solos by Friedman, Moore, Jabs, Schenker, DiMartini, Hammet, Lifeson, Emmett, EVH, Sykes, and just about everyone else I can possibly think of, my vote was for Vivian Campbell's solo in "The Last In Line" because it really delivers everything in my evaluation criteria.

The other submissions were "Out In The Fields," "I'll See The Light Tonight," "Hotel California, " "For The Love If God," "Rock You Like A Hurricane, " "Limelight" and "Lay It On The Line."

So interesting to see how our detailed musical perceptions can be so varied.

For those unfamiliar, here's my submission. Solo begins at 2:52

 
I think the best guitar solo is the two part solo by Dave Gilmour on Comfortably Numb.

It is the most impactful, most consummately musical solo I’ve heard. It also fits the song better than other solos I’ve heard...it actually seems like it should be there and it actually says something.

Honestly, in many metal and rock songs, the solo doesn’t seem to serve a purpose to the song, other than giving a guitar player something to do. Many aren’t all that interesting, either.
 
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For me a great solo is only in very small part about technical ability. It must be meaningful in the tune's context and it must carry the tune somewhere new. It needs a structure - it can't be just a blues style string of stock phrases. This is what I mean

 
When it fits the song perfectly and seems so integral to the sonic message that you can't imagine it being played any other way. Doesn't have to be flashy, long, or full of wankage. To me, this is pretty much the perfect guitar solo (starts at 1:40):

 
smitty_p said:
The best guitar solo is...

...Honestly, in many metal and rock songs, the solo doesn’t seem to serve a purpose to the song, other than giving a guitar player something to do. Many aren’t all that interesting, either.
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This is something that I remember from the 80s...a lot. But it’s so very subjective...these players had their reasoning behind what they left behind for us. I suppose it depends upon what the listener is looking for, in the moment....stimulating conversation, or stunt work.

DonP said:
For me a great solo is only in very small part about technical ability. It must be meaningful in the tune's context and it must carry the tune somewhere new. It needs a structure - it can't be just a blues style string of stock phrases. This is what I mean

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I’m pretty much with you in this DonP. Ideally, any piece added to a song should contribute to the picture that is being painted sonically....with just as much importance as any included lyric.

iblive said:

Well. We’ll just go with it. Title of the song is “Hope.” Without going into details, our family had recently gone thru a pretty rough time. This song..... without any words.... just spoke to me.
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One of my favorite things about Rush(amongst others) is their ability to “speak” with their instruments, and music alone.


I guess it’s all about personal tastes, and what the listener is receptive to in the moment.
 
smitty_p said:
The best guitar solo is the two part solo by Dave Gilmour on Comfortably Numb.

It is the most impactful, most consummately musical solo I’ve heard. It also fits the song better than other solos I’ve heard...it actually seems like it should be there and it actually says something.

Honestly, in many metal and rock songs, the solo doesn’t seem to serve a purpose to the song, other than giving a guitar player something to do. Many aren’t all that interesting, either.
Click to expand...

I have several #1s. Here's 2: Comfortably Numb and Crossroads (Clapton)
 
I also think a lot of the guitar work by Boston was intriguing. A lot of it wasn’t “solos” per se, but nice musical interludes with the two guitars playing together.

I often felt those parts added value to the song.
 
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