Recently in Inspiration
There has been a lot of talk lately about the '100 greatest solos of all time', well this has probably been talked about since the creation of mainstream music. I just thought i'd share the list that people have come up with and the order and sequence, and see what anyone else thinks? For me personally there are a lot on the list that should be where they are (maybe in a different order) but there are also some that didn't make the list which is a real surprise - Jason Becker for starters (I know he may not be as mainstream but listen to the album Perpetual Burn and tell me he shouldn't be on this list!).
I guess it comes down to what is popular and heard and voted by the masses, and that's where most lists come from. However it happens, i want to know what real guitarists think and what they would change and add to this list!
Here it is, all feedback is welcome...
01. Led Zeppelin - Stairway to Heaven
02. Van Halen - Eruption
03. Lynyrd Skynyrd - Freebird
04. Pink Floyd - Comfortably Numb
05. Jimi Hendrix - All Along the Watchtower
06. Guns N' Roses - November Rain
07. Metallica - One
08. Eagles - Hotel California
09. Black Sabbath - Crazy Train
10. Cream - Crossroads
11. Jimi Hendrix - Voodoo Child (Slight Return)
12. Chuck Berry - Johnny B. Goode
13. Stevie Ray Vaughan - Texas Flood
14. Derek and the Dominos - Layla
15. Deep Purple - Highway Star
16. Led Zeppelin - Heartbreaker
17. Eric Johnson - Cliffs of Dover
18. Jimi Hendrix - Little Wing
19. Pantera - Floods
20. Queen - Bohemian Rhapsody
22. Dire Straits - Sultans of Swing
23. RATM - Bulls on Parade
24. Metallica - Fade to Black
25. Jethro Tull - Aqualung
26. Nirvana - Smells Like Teen Spirit
27. SRV - Pride and Joy
28. Ozzy Ozborne - Mr. Crowley
29. Steve Vai - For the Love of God
30. Joe Satriani - Surfing With the Alien
31. Ted Nugent - Stranglehold
32. Jimi Hendrix - Machine Gun
33. B.B King - The Thrill Is Gone
34. Radiohead - Paranoid Android
35. Pantera - Cemetery Gates
36. Yngwie Malmsteen - Black Star
37. Guns N' Roses - Sweet Child O' Mine
38. Led Zeppelin - Whole Lotta Love
39. Neil Young - Cortez the Killer
40. Steely Dan - Reelin' in the Years
41. Queen - Brighton Rock
42. Beatles - While My Guitar Gently Weeps
43. ZZ Top - Sharp Dressed Man
44. Pearl Jam - Alive
45. Doors - Light My Fire
46. Van Halen - Hot for Teacher
47. Allman Brothers Band - Jessica
48. Rolling Stones - Sympathy for the Devil
49. Santana - Europa
50. Kiss - Shock Me
51. Ozzy Osbourne - No More Tears
52. Jimi Hendrix - Star-Spangled Banner
53. Led Zeppelin - Since I've Been Loving You
54. Smashing Pumpkins - Geek USA
55. Joe Satriani - Satch Boogie
56. Black Sabbath - War Pigs
58. Eric Clapton - Cocaine
59. Kinks - You Really Got Me
60. Frank Zappa - Zoot Allures
61. Metallica - Master of Puppets
62. Pink Floyd - Money
63. Red Hot Chili Peppers - Scar Tissue
64. Prince - Little Red Corvette
65. Allman Brothers - Blue Sky
66. Iron Maiden - The Number of the Beast
67. Michael Jackson feat. Eddie Van Halen - Beat It
68. Yes - Starship Trooper
69. Beatles - And Your Bird Can Sing
70. Jimi Hendrix - Purple Haze
71. Funkadelic - Maggot Brain
72. Aerosmith - Walk This Way
73. Phish - Stash
74. Deep Purple - Lazy
75. The Who - Won't Get Fooled Again
76. Neil Young - Cinnamon Girl
77. Alice In Chains - Man in the Box
78. Grateful Dead - Truckin'
79. Van Halen - Mean Street
80. AC-DC - You Shook Me All Night Long
81. The Velvet Underground - Sweet Jane
82. King Crimson - 21st Century Schizoid Man
83.
SRV - Scuttle Buttin'
84. UFO - Lights Out
85. David Bowie - Moonage Daydream
86. Allman Brothers Band - Whipping Post
87. Johnny Winter - Highway 61 Revisited
88. Steely Dan - Kid Charlemagne
89.
RATM - Killing in the Name
90. Eric Clapton - Let It Rain
91. Creedence Clearwater Revival - Heard It Through the Grapevine
92. Stray Cats - Stray Cat Strut
93. The Doors - The End
94. Rush - Working Man
95. Pearl Jam - Yellow Ledbetter
96. Rolling Stones - Honky Tonk Woman
97. Judas Priest - Beyond the Realms of Death
98. Dream Theater - Under a Glass Moon
99. Jeff Beck - 'Cause We've Ended as Lovers
100. Bon Jovi - Wanted Dead or Alive
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100 Greatest Guitar Solos
by Glenn Bird
Filed in
Inspiration
It's true that most guitarists have a different opinion on what should be in this list depending on the style you play and what you listened to growing up etc... but here's one that looks great to me (a couple of surprise entries but that's forgivable!).
What would be number one on your list? Send me your top song and the one with the most votes will be put up here with full video and tab!
Check the list out here and let me know what you think...
If you wish to not only learn how to play guitar solos, but master your own compositions then you'll need a plan. There's an old saying that is as useful here as it is in any area of life 'If you Fail to Plan you Plan to Fail'. If you want to create a guitar solo that is able to move everyone who hears it, then putting yourself in the right mindset and environment when in the writing stage can really pay off. Now, from playing guitar myself for 20 years I know that music just flows, and you can't really explain where it comes from but it's just in you - this is true. What I'm talking about is outside of that and works in conjunction with your existing talents, the technique with the inspiration if you will.
I will share 7 ideas here that will help to put you in the right frame of mind, and give you the best chance at getting inspired and capturing the moment when it arises, and believe me the more you do this the more you will want to do...
Environment - If you're learning how to play guitar solos it doesn't matter too much where you are because you're just replicating someone else's work. When creating your own on the other hand, it matters a lot. To create you need to feel creative, so find an atmosphere that enhances that side of you.
Improvise - You need to practice techniques regularly and master the fret board by knowing the notes it consists of, but in the creation phase it's time to be free flowing. There are a few ways to achieve this such as starting with a start & end note and let it flow, but to start I would suggest knowing the progression that you're playing over and picking common notes and root notes in the chords and incorporating them somewhere, until you get an idea of where you want to take it.
Chunk Down - Break your ideas down into small sections that you can practice individually. This helps you to create common themes and eliminate and change anything you don't like at a very focused level.
Record Your Ideas - When practicing this step is not necessary but when writing you'll find that you come up with so many ideas that you haven't got a hope of remembering it all. Record it all and you can go back over it after.
Create Themes - I mentioned this earlier, but creating a small section that repeats and hooks the listener back into something they recognize is a great way to sound professional while creating a memorable piece. Cover bands are popular because they play what people know, and a theme that repeats and flows through not just the solo but the song, can have the same affect.
Try Alternate scales and Modes - When you have found something that you think sounds good but could be better, try the same pattern in a different scale or mode. Sometimes just one note change from doing this can make all the difference to the mood and feel.
Stay in Touch - With the music that is. Get inspiration from wherever you can on a consistent basis whether that means going to gigs, subscribing to band websites and newsletters, videos, magazines, guitar workshops etc... The important thing is to know what is out there and take an active role in your scene.
Be yourself, play what is in you and not just want others want you to play and you'll do well. Add these 7 steps and learn how to market yourself and you'll be unstoppable!
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