I can't stand his playing or U2. I find his guitar work to be lifeless. However, I am wondering if his guitar playing technically difficult or particularly skillful from those here who play guitar.

It's odd. He's got some brilliant things, actually. Some people find him boring. But some of what he does - have you ever had to do something that you find boring and laborious but you have to do it well? That's probably what it is, that chime thing that he does. One must be very dedicated to that kind of playing.

That could be one way to look at his playing.

He's done some pretty interesting things I think. And he gets some very interesting sounds. I guess it depends on how you view it. If you are comparing him to others, good luck. You can only compare a few to a few and the rest are under that. He's done his thing. He's certainly melodic. I think he's good. Great? At times he's done some great stuff. But what's that? I really wouldn't bother going into that here. There's just too many people here that are a bit...off.

But you're not going into that here so who knows, I'm sure you'll get lots of detractors chiming in.

Well he's managed a pretty good career outta it?

He creates a nice atmosphere, due to all those special effects.
But if you give him a Spanish guitar and ask him to play some interesting stuff,
I got my doubts.

He's a sonic architect and his approach to guitar is innovative and unique. Having said that his style doesn't do much for me. He himself comments on the relative simplicity of his guitar playing sans effects in the movie "It Might Get Loud" Check it out!

i agree, amsterdamned.
i seem to recall an interview with him where he basically said that he'd be lost without his guitar effects.
also, i think "the edge" is the dumbest name in rock and roll. i wonder if he demands that people call him that, like "the maestro" in seinfeld.

I guess that explains all those live acoustic versions of the songs they've done over the years then eh?

i think it was the comedian/musician bill bailey who "took off " the Edge in his show and slowly reduced the effects on his guitar and ended up with something simple like frere jaques or the like.
funny and probably not far from the truth!

I've said this before, but that band needs Taylor (go ahead and groan, but think about it). U2 can layer its sound in the studio, but on stage there is not enough going on to hold my interest. I like Edge's playing, but the band's live sound is one dimensional to my ears. It needs something going on on top of it to send it through the roof.

He does what he does pretty well. There's no rule book saying you gotta play like Segovia or Charlie Christian. ChrisM described him perfectly as a sonic architect. Overall, he's helped write some great songs.

The Edge is great, I think. He uses his guitar (and effects) in a unique way, and it works for him and U2. If it sounds good, it is good. U2 fans wouldn't have it any other way.

I think U2 would be a boring rock band without the Edge. His creativity as a sonic architect has helped them enormously. What you also have remember is that he uses the effects as an instrument not just to colour the tone of the guitar and amp. He uses effects to create songs....think Elevation and Streets.

NickB

You can't always get what you want.....

www.myspace.com/thesonkings

i've never been able to get past bono's annoying singing and u2's bombastic songs to even bother analyzing the guitar player...

I find his style unique in that its so freakin' boring!

cal him "one-note edge"

not a guitar-player here but imo yes, he's good. makes great sounds and songs, if not necessarily the greatest 'technically'... seems like i've heard of another guy like that.

He is a decent player of course, but he stole everything he knows from Keith Levene and Tom Verlaine who are infinitely superior musicians in my opinion.

Quote
Amsterdamned
He creates a nice atmosphere, due to all those special effects.
But if you give him a Spanish guitar and ask him to play some interesting stuff,
I got my doubts.

My sentiments exactly Amsterdamned. IMO, take away Edge's big bloody effects board and you have what Walter Becker from Steely Dan would undoubtedly call, with his usual scorn and ridicule, a "guitar owner". Not necessarily a guitar player.

As far as a bunch of effects creating a huge sound, I reckon David Gilmour, for example, had Edge's shtick down in about 1972 or so...

I like him - he's better than me.

Yeah....if you hear one U2 song you heard them all

__________________________

Oh come on. he may not be Jimmy Page but he's got his own chops right and he does play some excellent solos even if they are not the most technically demanding ones.Saying that The Edge is a bad guitar player is like saying that Keith and George Harrison are bad as well.

Quote
stones_serb
Saying that The Edge is a bad guitar player is like saying that Keith and George Harrison are bad as well.

and your point is...?

Quote
stones_serb
Saying that The Edge is a bad guitar player is like saying that Keith and George Harrison are bad as well.

With respect no it isn't.

Quote
T&A

Quote
stones_serb
Saying that The Edge is a bad guitar player is like saying that Keith and George Harrison are bad as well.

and your point is...?

there's that fantastic wit that i like !

One thing with Edge is he is a very consistent player live. He always hits the mark. A real pro.

Put another way he does not F--k up live, unlike other train wrecks we know of.

i think he is perfect for the type of band u2 is.which i think is a highly over rated band.

He's a good guitar player for U2, much like Keith is a good guitar player for the Stones but necessarily just any band.

I have no clue if he has any virtuoso abilities because he chooses not to go that right, but I like his style and his ability to communicate with layers, sound, and atmosphere.

Being a good guitar player doesn't always require heroics to me. Sometimes imagination goes a long way.

Quote
The Greek

Quote
T&A

Quote
stones_serb
Saying that The Edge is a bad guitar player is like saying that Keith and George Harrison are bad as well.

and your point is...?

there's that fantastic wit that i like !

My point is that while Keith and George have never been considered technically proficient as guitar players, they are still hailed as being some of the most influential ones.Now The Edge is surely nowhere near those two in terms of influence and quality of his playing but he does his job well

Edge is a great rhythm guitar player and very innovative in terms of the sound that he has created. You rarely see him bend a note, and his leads are quite simple, but he makes everything sound very sweet.