Swoon02: How To Recognize Good Guitar Playing?

Swoon02 05.21.14	These are not the only bands I listen to. I actually listen to more hip hop than anything. Trying to branch out. Only actually like 1, 3-9, & 12. I would really appreciate some insight into generic guitar playing (and how to identify it) verses unique/ambitious playing. Thanks in advance!
tommygun 05.21.14	listen to the smiths you will understand
Ire 05.21.14	listen to kc they are better
Swoon02 05.21.14	Recs are appreciated, but I'm looking more for literal reasons/comparisons (with these 20 as examples). Otherwise, how will I differentiate guitar playing in the future? AmIRite?
tommygun 05.21.14	fripp sucks at guitar tho
PunchforPunch 05.21.14	nah listen to brain drill if u want technical mindfuck shizz
Swoon02 05.21.14	Guys. Not looking for recs. Looking for good guitar vs. bad guitar and why. The why part is the most important part.
Ire 05.21.14	meat is murdr!
PunchforPunch 05.21.14	idk ask yngwie
demigod! 05.21.14	gotta balance dexterity and creativity i think
Friday13th 05.21.14	If you're wondering about "technicality" alone you may not be able to tell unless you pick up a guitar and figure out which solo is harder or ask someone who does play etc. Speed, unconventional note patterns and fancy execution techniques are evaluated but as most agree it doesn't necessarily matter. Everyone says Dave Mustaine is a better guitarist than Kirk Hammet but who really cares. Some of Kirk's solos sound sweet as do Mustaine's.
tommygun 05.21.14	good guitar playing is whatever sounds good to your ears you shouldn't need other people to tell you if you like it
Swoon02 05.21.14	It is just when I read reviews stating that the guitar is generic, the riffs are boring, and the like, I don't exactly recognize that for myself without being told. For someone who would like to be a critic himself, I would like to have some insight into every aspect of music, and I believe guitar knowledge is my weakest area.
Swoon02 05.21.14	And I have my own opinions, but some things can be proven. Nickelback's guitarist is not as talented as Poet of the Fall's guitarist, and so on. OR at least I don't think he is.
sapient 05.21.14	It's all subjective, I'm a guitar player and even some of the most critically acclaimed "guitar albums" don't do anything for me
mandan 05.21.14	@Swoon: it really depends on what you look for. Often, hearing 2 or 3 things from others does help a bit in developing a personal opinion. But no one can tell you what to like. Anyways, with regards to riffs, I personally like meaty, grinding, pummeling riffs that make me want to destroy stuff (a bit of hyperbole really). With regards to soloing, I mostly prefer leads that speak to me, which have melody, good tone and feel unique. A bit of energy or emotionality can help, definitely, but that's more or less my criteria. But this is something where I encourage you to think for yourself and reach your own conclusions.
Swoon02 05.21.14	It is just for someone who doesn't know what a "riff" is, it's quite difficult explaining why you enjoy a solo, etc. I want to back up my opinions with legitimate reasons. Not all drumming has to be complex, but I can at least point out weird offbeat drum beats, rudiments, time changes, and multi-rhythm patterns.
tommygun 05.21.14	listen to marquee moon you will understand
Ire 05.21.14	listen to yes they are better!!
mandan 05.21.14	Jam Black Sabbath - Master of Reality for a riff clinic. I'll let someone else rec you something for leads.
tommygun 05.21.14	if you want to know what a riff is listen to into the void by black sabbath
tommygun 05.21.14	damn danny too quick for me
mandan 05.21.14	It's best if he jams MoR in its entirety, the impact will be much bigger.
Jasdevi087 05.21.14	If you're not talking about technicality, then when a guitarist is good, you'll feel it. It's all subjective of course, everyone might think x is better than y, but you might think x is ok but y is incredible because you can feel y and you'd listen to it over and over and never get bored. Take David Gilmour for example; his solos are out of this world, but they're simple as fuck to play where as Bring me the Horizon can play fast and use lots of different scales and techniques, but they're boring as shit to listen too. When a guitarist is good, you'll know.
PunchforPunch 05.21.14	its kinda stupid to see music that way (from technical side) and judge it from one instrument alone.
SharkTooth 05.21.14	the best way to understand the concept of technicality is to first find 'instrument-wank', basically the living embodiment of technicality, where the talents of musicians can be easily noticed. this isn't a rec, but I just want you to go through the first track(only the first track is necessary) off Animals As Leaders-The Joy In Motion (stream here) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AqtQH2Y-ekQ In order to pick up guitar talent, you first need to see it at its most obvious, then you might be able to notice it later on in other music where its more subtle, or at least that's how it worked for me
Swoon02 05.21.14	Thanks for the help. I just take reviewing seriously (obviously this is an alt. so I don't ask dumb questions on my actually username). Back in middle school, I listened to a lot of nu metal and post-grunge (like everyone else). I still enjoy a couple acts from these genres (breaking benjamin, nonpoint, thousand foot krutch, and I can still tolerate most of it). When I got to high school and found this site and read reviews, I didn't understand why no one liked these bands/genres. With age and maturity (I graduate high school this Saturday:)) I understand the straightforward drum patters, absent base lines, and repetitive and angst-ridden lyrical themes are the cause for this, but I never understood why the guitar riffs/solos were hated, when other bands did them and people loved them. Guess it is like you guys say and it is all opinion. Thanks again for the help!
SharkTooth 05.21.14	I'm not sure if guitar technicality is exactly 'subjective'... but hey, it's all up to you
BlueW 05.21.14	Rin Toshite Shigure
NorthernSkylark 05.21.14	that's just silly. Of cource this is an alt account, I don't write futile comments like this on my real acc
SitarHero 05.21.14	Riffs don't necessarily need to be technical, but they do need to be original, catchy and propulsive. A great riff is one that will get stuck in your ear, but the greatest will get stuck in your ear while pushing the song in the direction its supposed to go.
sniper 05.21.14	i feel like it's awesome that you're interested in music and performance enough thatyou would ask questions like this, but the bottom line is basically that you just need to keep listening to music and it will come to you naturally with experience. recognizing technicality is trickier than recognizing originality but tbh the technical ability of a player should hardly matter as long as they are capable of performing music that is inspiring and hopefully also original. happy listening, cheers.
sniper 05.21.14	don't worry about whether something is technical, the talent that really matters is the ability to perform a style convincingly.
tempest-- 05.21.14	how to recognise good guitar playing: is it john petrucci? if the answer is no, then it's not good guitar playing.
ButteryBiscuitBass 05.21.14	emotion, emotion, emotion.
mandan 05.21.14	Dang it Lloyd, you know how I feel about Petrucci, lol. But nah, if the guy digs Petrucci, who am I to blast him? I guess the man couldn't go wrong with the first 3 Deep Purple albums for some baddass leads.
demigod! 05.21.14	^^^ listen to jason becker and you'll understand~
mandan 05.21.14	Check early Genesis too. Hackett isn't one of my fave guitarists personally, but he might inspire you. Also, check Camel's Moonmadness for some wicked ass leads.
tempest-- 05.21.14	that was a joke, dan my man
mandan 05.21.14	No prob. I play guitar myself, it's just that I'm stuck in the matter of style development.
GnarlyShillelagh 05.21.14	if you want feedback listen to converge
ButteryBiscuitBass 05.21.14	lol
SpiritCrusher2 05.21.14	Ugh dumb list
Trebor. 05.21.14	idk it helps a lot if you play guitar
Madbutcher3 05.21.14	A good riff is generally one that progresses well or with a decent melody and has good rhythmic flow. For example, lots of thrash metal riffs blatantly rely on lots of focused tremolo picking, but lots succeed on the merit of having a lot of energy or good melody. For example, When The Sun Burns Red by Kreator has quite a few great riffs on it which are mostly just tremolo picking but they're all pretty great because they have some melody thrown in quite effectively. An example of a bad thrash riff is one the verse riffs in Skull Fracturing Nightmare by Demolition Hammer, following the first break (even though it's a better song than my previous example), which is just kinda uninteresting because it doesn't try very much, having only a few notes from which it goes to and from. Generally riffs that have a little swing and irregularity in how the main chords or notes fit together, as simple as varying 8th and 16th notes, are better, simply. yeah this is garbage sorry i shouldn't try to be smart
SpiritCrusher2 05.21.14	"Generally riffs that have a little swing and irregularity in how the main chords or notes fit together, as simple as varying 8th and 16th notes, are better, simply." so wrong
theacademy 05.21.14	between the buried and me colors between the buried and me lolors between the brueeeee buttween heheh
PappyMason 05.21.14	Perhaps the most common signs of a bad guitar player are string bends that are out of tune. Of course the majority of professional musicians are quite proficient. So whatever the style, just enjoy it man. It definitely helps if you begin playing guitar though, your ears pick up things in greater detail.
PappyMason 05.21.14	I'm completely self-taught. I wish I had lessons now....
SpiritCrusher2 05.21.14	"Back in middle school, I listened to a lot of nu metal and post-grunge" well this might be your problem
ConorIsNotHere 05.21.14	Rin Toshite Shigure [2]
StallionMang 05.21.14	Does it sound good? Then it's probably good
PappyMason 05.21.14	'i am totally sure you guys are all warlocks of the six strings' This totally encapsulates me.
Skull917 05.21.14	There's technical playing and then there's having unique style of playing. The latter is very distinctive and you'll be able to notice it. And it is the most important characteristic of a guitarist. You haven't been able to differentiate between good or average(everyone can usually tell if something is bad) because, from the examples you've given the playing is based on technicality and getting the job done not being the focus and dragging force of an entire album. For unique guitarists look up Jimi Hendrix, Marc Ribot, Robert Quine, John Fahey, Jeff Beck, Sandy Bull, Paco De Lucia. Also there's no formula for great guitar riff or solo, so there's no point in arguing about that.
ZombicidalMan 05.21.14	Lol dumb list I can remember both Dave's riffs in Tornado of Souls and Marty Friedman's very tasteful solo. I don't remember shit from Cryptic Writings. A good riff or solo is memorable, it doesn't need "technicality" to be good
sniper 05.21.14	i gave the only solid advice in this whole thread
Relinquished 05.21.14	pretty much
hexfix93 06.02.14	It's all subjective. Something that is generic and boring to some people might be considered unique and amazing to others. Technicality is simply playing instruments with extreme precision, but sometimes it's hard to tell which riff or solo is more difficult to play unless you play an instrument yourself. Sometimes it's a little more obvious though, just depends on what you're listening to. Like if 'Band A' has all kinds of crazy sounding riffs, odd song structures, multiple riff/tempo changes, etc. and 'Band 2' has a simple sounding riff that they pretty much repeat over and over with little variation, obviously 'Band A' is more technical. But simply being technical doesn't make the music good. Good guitar playing is just guitar that sounds good to you; when the melodies get stuck in your head, you get chills/goosebumps from the riffs, or the guitars seem to just suck you in, then it's good guitar playing. When you hear a song and the guitar feels boring and the riffs sound like a crappy rehash of a million other bands, then you might consider it "bad" guitar playing. It really is all subjective, not everyone gets moved by the same music.
FuzzyxPickles 10.06.14	when you get over flashy guitar playing then youll start to appreciate structure and songwriting, not sweep arpeggios.
FuzzyxPickles 10.06.14	a solo isnt shit without a backing band. with a bad rythm section the soolo mihgt even sound like crap.
FuzzyxPickles 10.06.14	also, contemporary music is always gonna be shat upon by the older gen. thats why the music u liked in highschool was considered crap(nu metal) but is now getting recognition via nostalgia. trends come back. its all relativity. you cant even trust critics. google "pitchfork andrew wk"
Storm In A Teacup 10.06.14	I liked snipers answer. Some of you your parents should be worried. Or they're dumb too.