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keefriff99

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SomeGuy

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DandelionPowderman

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SomeGuy
Without a doubt, 1969-1974

Technically?

Yes, but also creatively. As was said, his playing is all about touch, hard to imitate. And around 1970 he occasionally played rather good solos as well, not that same 'lick' (I hate that word btw) that was repeated in about every solo on the 97/98 tour. The 60s and 70s were when Keith earned the distinction of being innovative as a guitarist.

For sure, Keith has never been about fancy virtuoso technique, but if the question is really technical proficiency versus creativity, then I think the high point of his playing is '89-'99, with a special emphasis on the Steel Wheels tour.

There's a huge difference between 89 and 99, though. Technically, there is no doubt he peaked round 89/90, imo.

[www.youtube.com]
Guitar Moves with Keith Richards: "There's Two Sides to Every Story" (Part 1)



at 1.12 Keith says its all in the right hand.


For me Keith was and still is perfect on acoustic - with electric these days thank
god we have capos so Keith can play all the songs.

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TheflyingDutchman
To me technically Keith's best achievement was his guitar solo on SFTD, the studio version. Quite fast. In the beginning I thought it was sped up.

Did you hear him do this in 1968?

[youtu.be]

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OpenG
[www.youtube.com]
Guitar Moves with Keith Richards: "There's Two Sides to Every Story" (Part 1)



at 1.12 Keith says its all in the right hand.


For me Keith was and still is perfect on acoustic - with electric these days thank
god we have capos so Keith can play all the songs.

Watched that vid just last nightOpenG!

I'd say Keith was most technically proficient the day he mastered Malaguena as a child.
From there it was all downhill after being corrupted by the blues and rock and roll.

_____________________________________________________________
Rip this joint, gonna save your soul, round and round and round we go......



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2019-08-12 18:11 by Hairball.

1989.

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TheflyingDutchman
To me technically Keith's best achievement was his guitar solo on SFTD, the studio version. Quite fast. In the beginning I thought it was sped up.

After Malaguena ( ) hard to disagree with this.
Such an iconic solo, and a major part of why the entire tune itself is perfect.

Remember the rumours that it was actually Clapton playing it?
For Keith to be compared to, or mistaken for Clapton, says alot.

Sort of a unique/one-off solo from Keith, and one that he's never really replicated and/or matched in a live setting imo.

_____________________________________________________________
Rip this joint, gonna save your soul, round and round and round we go......

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Hairball

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TheflyingDutchman
To me technically Keith's best achievement was his guitar solo on SFTD, the studio version. Quite fast. In the beginning I thought it was sped up.

After Malaguena ( ) hard to disagree with this.
Such an iconic solo, and a major part of why the entire tune itself is perfect.

Remember the rumours that it was actually Clapton playing it?
For Keith to be compared to, or mistaken for Clapton, says alot.

Sort of a unique/one-off solo from Keith, and one that he's never really replicated and/or matched in a live setting imo.

Check my clip above for Malaguena on speed

Some of Keith's greatest live playing was with the Winos and with Waddy those shows are up their with Keith playing with MT or RW.

The Sympathy solo by Keith on Get Yer Ya Ya's Out! is pretty cool too, I think, in all its simplicity and almost childish ruggedness as it were.

Soloing on the Love You Live version is somehow acceptable (not great), but after that, Keith played a longer solo and definitely a much worse one, in the 90s and after, to the extent than many (on this forum also) would want him to stop doing that

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DandelionPowderman

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keefriff99

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SomeGuy

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DandelionPowderman

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SomeGuy
Without a doubt, 1969-1974

Technically?

Yes, but also creatively. As was said, his playing is all about touch, hard to imitate. And around 1970 he occasionally played rather good solos as well, not that same 'lick' (I hate that word btw) that was repeated in about every solo on the 97/98 tour. The 60s and 70s were when Keith earned the distinction of being innovative as a guitarist.

For sure, Keith has never been about fancy virtuoso technique, but if the question is really technical proficiency versus creativity, then I think the high point of his playing is '89-'99, with a special emphasis on the Steel Wheels tour.

There's a huge difference between 89 and 99, though. Technically, there is no doubt he peaked round 89/90, imo.

I think Keith showed off on the guitar the most on '89-'90 because that was the fashionable thing to do back then. The '80s was the decade of the guitar hero, so Keith played longer, flashier solos.

By '94, guitar heroics were considered dated and corny, so he went back to playing more compact solos.

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keefriff99

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DandelionPowderman

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keefriff99

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SomeGuy

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DandelionPowderman

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SomeGuy
Without a doubt, 1969-1974

Technically?

Yes, but also creatively. As was said, his playing is all about touch, hard to imitate. And around 1970 he occasionally played rather good solos as well, not that same 'lick' (I hate that word btw) that was repeated in about every solo on the 97/98 tour. The 60s and 70s were when Keith earned the distinction of being innovative as a guitarist.

For sure, Keith has never been about fancy virtuoso technique, but if the question is really technical proficiency versus creativity, then I think the high point of his playing is '89-'99, with a special emphasis on the Steel Wheels tour.

There's a huge difference between 89 and 99, though. Technically, there is no doubt he peaked round 89/90, imo.

I think Keith showed off on the guitar the most on '89-'90 because that was the fashionable thing to do back then. The '80s was the decade of the guitar hero, so Keith played longer, flashier solos.

By '94, guitar heroics were considered dated and corny, so he went back to playing more compact solos.

True, but his playing had also somewhat slipped a bit. The licks were fewer, and he started to rest more on bum notes in his solos (as opposed to root notes ).

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DandelionPowderman

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keefriff99

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DandelionPowderman

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keefriff99

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SomeGuy

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DandelionPowderman

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SomeGuy
Without a doubt, 1969-1974

Technically?

Yes, but also creatively. As was said, his playing is all about touch, hard to imitate. And around 1970 he occasionally played rather good solos as well, not that same 'lick' (I hate that word btw) that was repeated in about every solo on the 97/98 tour. The 60s and 70s were when Keith earned the distinction of being innovative as a guitarist.

For sure, Keith has never been about fancy virtuoso technique, but if the question is really technical proficiency versus creativity, then I think the high point of his playing is '89-'99, with a special emphasis on the Steel Wheels tour.

There's a huge difference between 89 and 99, though. Technically, there is no doubt he peaked round 89/90, imo.

I think Keith showed off on the guitar the most on '89-'90 because that was the fashionable thing to do back then. The '80s was the decade of the guitar hero, so Keith played longer, flashier solos.

By '94, guitar heroics were considered dated and corny, so he went back to playing more compact solos.

True, but his playing had also somewhat slipped a bit. The licks were fewer, and he started to rest more on bum notes in his solos (as opposed to root notes ).

Agreed.

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DandelionPowderman

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TheflyingDutchman
To me technically Keith's best achievement was his guitar solo on SFTD, the studio version. Quite fast. In the beginning I thought it was sped up.

Did you hear him do this in 1968?

[youtu.be]

That are relaxed triplets? SFTD studio sets the record as far as I have heard
Keith.

I would say his fills and solos on Hold On To Your Hat from Steel Wheels is the flashiest he ever tried to be, and with success that is.

[www.reverbnation.com]

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TheflyingDutchman

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DandelionPowderman

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TheflyingDutchman
To me technically Keith's best achievement was his guitar solo on SFTD, the studio version. Quite fast. In the beginning I thought it was sped up.

Did you hear him do this in 1968?

[youtu.be]

That are relaxed triplets? SFTD studio sets the record as far as I have heard
Keith.

Triplets? It's a bad recording, but even I can hear all the notes

Stripped features some really enjoyable playing from both guitarists.

1981 to 1999 for me - but 1989, 1990 was probably a peak technically...

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Bjorn
1981 to 1999 for me - but 1989, 1990 was probably a peak technically...

Absolutely spot on, 89' 90' so much footage out there to prove it too, those tours had hundreds of dates, Keith got so fluid and practiced, but even by 93' with the Winos he'd lost something though IMHO.
What people expect from Keith now mortifies me, just 15 to 17 tour dates a year, it's just not long enough for a player like Keith to get rid of the rust.

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keithsman

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Bjorn
1981 to 1999 for me - but 1989, 1990 was probably a peak technically...

Absolutely spot on, 89' 90' so much footage out there to prove it too, those tours had hundreds of dates, Keith got so fluid and practiced, but even by 93' with the Winos he'd lost something though IMHO.
What people expect from Keith now mortifies me, just 15 to 17 tour dates a year, it's just not long enough for a player like Keith to get rid of the rust.

It's amazing how different Keith looks and sounds now compared to just a month ago at Foxborough, when he was still tentative and a bit withdrawn onstage.

He's beaming and moving around so much better now...almost looks like a different person. Sadly, as soon as he starts to hit his stride, the tour's almost finished.

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keefriff99

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keithsman

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Bjorn
1981 to 1999 for me - but 1989, 1990 was probably a peak technically...

Absolutely spot on, 89' 90' so much footage out there to prove it too, those tours had hundreds of dates, Keith got so fluid and practiced, but even by 93' with the Winos he'd lost something though IMHO.
What people expect from Keith now mortifies me, just 15 to 17 tour dates a year, it's just not long enough for a player like Keith to get rid of the rust.

It's amazing how different Keith looks and sounds now compared to just a month ago at Foxborough, when he was still tentative and a bit withdrawn onstage.

He's beaming and moving around so much better now...almost looks like a different person. Sadly, as soon as he starts to hit his stride, the tour's almost finished.

I know , it's such a pity, he really does love it when he gets into it, it's like he becomes Keith Richards again, like wow yes this is what I do, and i can still do it and he's face is beaming with smiles and he looks and moves like he's 20 years younger again.

video: [www.youtube.com]

1977? Can't beat this...

Maybe not the most technically proficient, but this is the fastest playing I've heard from Keith (around the 8:25 to 9:00 mark, from One Plus One):

video: [www.youtube.com]

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keithsman

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keefriff99

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keithsman

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Bjorn
1981 to 1999 for me - but 1989, 1990 was probably a peak technically...

Absolutely spot on, 89' 90' so much footage out there to prove it too, those tours had hundreds of dates, Keith got so fluid and practiced, but even by 93' with the Winos he'd lost something though IMHO.
What people expect from Keith now mortifies me, just 15 to 17 tour dates a year, it's just not long enough for a player like Keith to get rid of the rust.

It's amazing how different Keith looks and sounds now compared to just a month ago at Foxborough, when he was still tentative and a bit withdrawn onstage.

He's beaming and moving around so much better now...almost looks like a different person. Sadly, as soon as he starts to hit his stride, the tour's almost finished.

I know , it's such a pity, he really does love it when he gets into it, it's like he becomes Keith Richards again, like wow yes this is what I do, and i can still do it and he's face is beaming with smiles and he looks and moves like he's 20 years younger again.

Having said that, I think the way they tour now is the smart play. Doing longer tours simply aren't feasible anymore.

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keefriff99

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keithsman

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keefriff99

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keithsman

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Bjorn
1981 to 1999 for me - but 1989, 1990 was probably a peak technically...

Absolutely spot on, 89' 90' so much footage out there to prove it too, those tours had hundreds of dates, Keith got so fluid and practiced, but even by 93' with the Winos he'd lost something though IMHO.
What people expect from Keith now mortifies me, just 15 to 17 tour dates a year, it's just not long enough for a player like Keith to get rid of the rust.

It's amazing how different Keith looks and sounds now compared to just a month ago at Foxborough, when he was still tentative and a bit withdrawn onstage.

He's beaming and moving around so much better now...almost looks like a different person. Sadly, as soon as he starts to hit his stride, the tour's almost finished.

I know , it's such a pity, he really does love it when he gets into it, it's like he becomes Keith Richards again, like wow yes this is what I do, and i can still do it and he's face is beaming with smiles and he looks and moves like he's 20 years younger again.

Having said that, I think the way they tour now is the smart play. Doing longer tours simply aren't feasible anymore.

If Keith was so inclined/ready and willing, he could continue to play live one way or another after these limited Stones tours finish.
Either some solo shows, or a bunch of guest appearances at other shows, but he probably misses home and can't be bothered with any more performances - even if he's just getting in his groove.

_____________________________________________________________
Rip this joint, gonna save your soul, round and round and round we go......

I would say around 1981-1999. He obviously tried to play faster in 1989/1990, sometimes it sounded great but sometimes a bit sloppy. One more sloppy example would be SFTD in Dallas 1989: [www.youtube.com]. The solo goes on for too long with some licks played out of time and missed notes here and there. His style changed back to a more tasteful approach in 1994 with a more careful selection of notes and licks, of course with a few mistakes here and there as always but he didn't overplay the same way as in 89/90.

[www.youtube.com]

The SFTD Dallas 1989 solo was "underwhelming".

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audun-eg
I would say his fills and solos on Hold On To Your Hat from Steel Wheels is the flashiest he ever tried to be, and with success that is.

Yeah, the closest the Stones ever got to shredding that one !

On the other side of the coin , someone mentioned the SFD solo from Ya Yas .

That one also highlights another side of Keith's guitar prowess... TONE.

The guitar sound is sublime.

Keith's sound has changed over the years with his taste in amplification...

,...but from the Vox days to his latter day preference for old "Tweeds" ...he has always been a master of finding the right voice for every song.

In general 69-82. But sometimes there are good performances earlier, e.g. the live performance on SFTD during the Circus 68. Since Brian was out of the game, Keith had to play rhythm and solo - not an easy situation to manage ...

How do we define the term "technically" considering the different opinions about
Keith"s "most technically proficient" years? In the traditional sense, just like
Bach is difficult to play on a classical guitar, or Ingwie Malmsteen's almost senseless speed?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2019-08-13 15:58 by TheflyingDutchman.