As with most things I am no expert! However I know some of you guys/gals are in terms of guitarists and I wonder as to how good keith actually is and how do you know? Interested for your opinions.

Five Strings Two Fingers And an @#$%& - Is Keith's famous quote.

great rhythm player taking open tunings to electric guitar and his use of the
capo as a device to get the sound he wanted. A great example is him playing
MR in standard tuning capo at 7th fret.

Keith knew his limitations and kept it simple which is what rock and roll is all
about.

An unique rythm guitarplayer who developed his own unique sound and guitarsyle, and then influenced countless guitarplayers in the years to come. His music is timeless.

not as good as he used to be...still theman, tho

Keef is simply the best!

2 1 2 0

Listen closely to the playing on something like Beast of Burden then you got it.

Whenever that old chestnut of "who is the BEST guitar player ?" comes up.
I always say

"...I don't know who's the best, but I know who's the most effective ...."

how do you know ... well you hear the cat, that's how.
scenic grandeur at every turn, from that have-mercy-baby rhythm
to those phrasings and voicings that just bring you to your knees weeping in radiant gratitude -

ahem, i mean: some good insights can be found here: [www.timeisonourside.com]

The riff's which have come out of him put him on the top of the pile - I mean skill and soul aren't necessarily connected. He's not a fret-masterbator, but he's written the greatest rock riffs ever, several times over. His guitar playing channels rock itself.

That's right.
I think this discussion has reached a satisfactory conclusion.

He's a genius...'nuff said ;^)

Great for the notes played, and at least as great for the notes not played: a true genius in the art of musical time management (like Thelonious Monk, much admired by him).

----------------------------
"Music is the frozen tapioca in the ice chest of history."

"Shit!... No shit, awright!"

Great rhythm player. Great at coming up with catchy riffs that help turn songs into something special.

THE GOODEST!

i remember watching an interview with Keith......he was strummin an acoustic guitar while chatting......he reeled off some nice classical guitar runs........and i remember thinking: He's better than i already thought

Technically, you can find better guitarists down your local on a Saturday night, but Keiths strengths lay in his creativity. He bought open tuning to the mainstream and as others have said. You'd be hard topushed to find many better rythem players.

>> Technically, you can find better guitarists down your local on a Saturday night <<

okay, maybe now's as good a time as any to ask: i never understand what people mean by "technically" in statements like that.
does it mean "in terms of technique" or "in terms of insight into/fluency with the technical side of things", or something else?
i have no (0) reason to think Keith's anything *but* a master - THE master - of the techniques and technicalities
that are involved in getting what he gets out of his instrument, so ... so i wonder.
are you using "technically" to mean "in terms of flamboyantly nimble playing" or ... ?

Keith comes up with killer riffs and chord progressions time and time again,,some better than others,,and his Chuck Berry riffing is the best in the world besides Chuck in his heyday...as a lead guitarist I enjoy his leads in Bitch,Sad,Sad,Sad.,live version of Under My Thumb 81 Tour,,,plus many leads from the 64,65,and 66 era..also can't forget he is the only guitarist on Gimme Shelter 69!!!!

Coming Down Again

At his peak (which lasted for decades) a truly wicked rhythm player - the best this side of Young Lou Reed.
Excellent sense of space, tremendously patient, positively evil right arm.

An absolute hero for me as a rhythm player with a tribal drummer's heart.

... he looks like he is the best . . . . . websters should use rockman's thumbprint photo next to 'guitar player'............

Keith is a musician. He uses his guitar as a tool to create sounds that channel images and emotion -- images and emotion that frankly seem to be divinely inspired.

He is on a completely different level from the mortal guitarists...

Though not technically as good as some other guitarists of note, I have not heard his equal when it comes to and roll rhythm guitar. His accents and phrasing are often imitated but rarely duplicated. I can hear one note and know that it is him, such is his distinctiveness. Hearing him play when was I was a kid inspired me to pick up a guitar and I haven't stopped since. He is deservedly listed among the greatest and most influential rock and roll guitarists since the genre was born and he helped redefine how it should be played.

>> Though not technically as good as some other guitarists of note <<

okay, so maybe now is as good a time as any to ask :E
i never understand what people mean by "technically" in statements like that.
does it mean "in terms of technique" or "in terms of insight into/fluency with the technical side of things", or something else?
i have no (0) reason to think Keith's anything *but* a master - THE master - of the techniques and technicalities
that are involved in getting what he gets out of his instrument, so ... so i wonder.
are you using "technically" to mean "in terms of flamboyantly nimble playing" or ... ?

I don't think those so called technical players can play anything like Keith,,,the funny thing is when I jam with players into Satriani,Vai,Malsteem,or players like that they have no concept of timing,soul,feel,blues or anything except flying up and down the frett board,,,witch I can do also,,,but I can do both...

Coming Down Again

For me he is in a club of guys that, when I hear it I KNOW who is playing. Distinctive in the same way you KNOW a Brian May solo or one by Angus Young. He made the instrument his own and found a unique sound.

To answer Lady Sssoul, I think by "technical" people mean "schooled", "fast". "Having learned the PROPER accepted manner in which to express oneself on the guitar as taught in Berkeley". Vai, Satriani all those cats. To many people that is it. That is the way a good guitarrist is measured. They also are the ones who think the guy from Rush is the ultimate drummer and Charlie Watts is a poof. They are the people who don't know.
Keith is not the fastest player in solos. He (and especially Ronnie) don't even use the pinky of left hand when solo-ing. Yet everywhere Keith goes and plays he fills up a stadium with 75,000 people and gets them dancing, and puts a big smile on their face. So maybe "technical" means "dull, "boring", "non-danceable" but still "very very fast!"

"...no longer shall you trudge 'cross my peaceful mind."

ChelseaDrugstore Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> To answer Lady Sssoul, I think by "technical"
> people mean "schooled", "fast". "Having learned
> the PROPER accepted manner in which to express
> oneself on the guitar as taught in Berkeley". Vai,
> Satriani all those cats. To many people that is
> it. That is the way a good guitarrist is measured.
> They also are the ones who think the guy from Rush
> is the ultimate drummer and Charlie Watts is a
> poof. They are the people who don't know.
> Keith is not the fastest player in solos. He (and
> especially Ronnie) don't even use the pinky of
> left hand when solo-ing. Yet everywhere Keith goes
> and plays he fills up a stadium with 75,000 people
> and gets them dancing, and puts a big smile on
> their face. So maybe "technical" means "dull,
> "boring", "non-danceable" but still "very very
> fast!"

SOOOOO TRUE....

with sssoul Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> >> Technically, you can find better guitarists
> down your local on a Saturday night <<
>
> okay, maybe now's as good a time as any to ask: i
> never understand what people mean by "technically"
> in statements like that.
> does it mean "in terms of technique" or "in terms
> of insight into/fluency with the technical side of
> things", or something else?
> i have no (0) reason to think Keith's anything
> *but* a master - THE master - of the techniques
> and technicalities
> that are involved in getting what he gets out of
> his instrument, so ... so i wonder.
> are you using "technically" to mean "in terms of
> flamboyantly nimble playing" or ... ?


A VERY good point. I guess what I am getting at is you can go to the pub and watch a guy play Sweet Child O Mine or Voodoo Child. I don't think Keith has the ability to play those kind of things. I certainly think that is more the case than say, it just not being his style. However, Keith is the true master in different ways. As we've already discussed, his usage open tunings, the whole playing with 5 strings, the brain inside him which allows him to take the simplist of ideas and realise them where as most can't. He is, the RIFFMASTER

thank you kindly for the clarification, kind sirs, and for seeing the point i was trying to make at the same time:
Keith's technique/technical prowess isn't about flamboyant speed, but it's not a lack of technique/technical prowess.

>> Excellent sense of space, tremendously patient, positively evil right arm <<

ohh lord yeah: that sustained drive - like no other, baby - like no other can

>> He is on a completely different level from the mortal guitarists <<

Keith and the electric guitar were born at almost the same time.
the angels knew there was no point sending one of those blessings down here without the other.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2006-11-17 21:39 by with sssoul.

with sssoul Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> >> Technically, you can find better guitarists
> down your local on a Saturday night <<
>
> okay, maybe now's as good a time as any to ask: i
> never understand what people mean by "technically"
> in statements like that.


I think it means that they can speed up and down the neck like a bored ape masturbating wildly at the zoo.

Keith is the best rock guitarist ever.

I see what it is you are asking regarding technical ability Mss Soul. Curtis gave as good an explanation as any within a rock gutiar context. As for me seeing someone fly up and down the fret board at blinding speed and playing intricate and difficult passages are all good and well but if there is no feel behind it such antics cease to be music and become exhibitionism. However a few well chosen notes for the Human Riff blows guys lke Yngwie Malmsteem and guitarist of his ilk away, at least to me, becasue of the sheer heart behind Keith's playing. There's noone else quite like him.