Is Mayer overrated?

soma1975

There's a whole generation of players that cite him as an influence. And they all have youtube channels. 

musicman100

soma1975 said:

There's a whole generation of players that cite him as an influence. And they all have youtube channels. 

I was thinking exactly the same. 
Tbh I don’t get it. 

AlexO

richardhomer said:

The guy’s dated Jennifer Aniston and has a signature PRS guitar. He’s obviously done something right....

 & Katy Perry, 
 & Taylor Swift 
& Jessica Simpson
& Kim Kardashian 
& Jennifer Love Hewwit.

He's clearly a genius.

m_c

Barnezy said:

My question wasn't is he good. We all know he is, but has he done anything for guitar that puts him up there with SRV, Hendrix, Claptop, BB King etc.... which is where so many seem to put him. 

Personally I really like listening to him, possibly because it's so familiar, but I don't understand the legend status he seems to have. 

Ed Sheeran has a signature Martin and was banging a Nicole Scherzinger, doesn't mean he's a guitar legend.... and he's a more sucessful songwritter.

I personally think Mayer lucked out by becoming known before Spotify took over. There are thousands of great bands and guitarists out there but none of them become known because the way people consume music now. If Mayer came out now, he'd just be lost in the mass of singer songwritters, never to be known. 

My question in reply to your original post is, is there any guitarist that's done something "new" on a guitar to achieve "legend" status in the past 20 years?

In my opinion, there's nothing 'new' to be done on a guitar, so I can't see there ever being any new player that will be held to the same level of "legend" status as some previous players.


What I do think Mayer has achieved, is he's a brilliant guitar player and singer, and has raised the bar in what people think is possible to do.

digitalkettle

AlexO said:

richardhomer said:

The guy’s dated Jennifer Aniston and has a signature PRS guitar. He’s obviously done something right....

 & Katy Perry, 
 & Taylor Swift 
& Jessica Simpson
& Kim Kardashian 
& Jennifer Love Hewwit.

He's clearly a genius.

Some have greatness thrust upon them

thecolourbox

His music is not my thing in the slightest bit he's a super talented and skilled player and performer who fulfills his niche very well indeed, and consistently I'd say. There are enough "tear it up" type musicians to do the showy stuff but what he manages to do is blend his influences together and use his musicality to put it across. Plus, as others have said, trying playing and singing his stuff at the same time, it's insane.

I don't really hear blues in his playing though I must admit. When people say this, do they mean like the polished cheesy "blues in a suit" type stuff? He's not even that though to me. But when I think of blues I think of like gritty resonators and twangy 12 strings barely in tune with a growing voice yelping over the top - which definitely isn't Mayer, quite the opposite.

His skill is mixing together, and his musicality/phrasing/arranging

TINMAN82

https://youtu.be/tzfrXiD1_Rg

tone1

Well i think he's fab...

Winny_Pooh

tone1 said:

Well i think he's fab...

See, there are female members on theFB

Barnezy

digitalkettle said:

AlexO said:

richardhomer said:

The guy’s dated Jennifer Aniston and has a signature PRS guitar. He’s obviously done something right....

 & Katy Perry, 
 & Taylor Swift 
& Jessica Simpson
& Kim Kardashian 
& Jennifer Love Hewwit.

He's clearly a genius.

Some have greatness thrust upon them

Maybe this actually what contributes to his myth.... his celebrity. 

There is no doubt he's a great player, but there are thousands out there. Even though I like listening to him, he's not in the same league as the others mentioned before in my opinion.

So what if some of his songs are hard to play. Here's some video's of kids covering Neon just fine. There are hundreds more. 





Anyway, I'm going to see him in November so will report back. 

thecolourbox

Barnezy said:

digitalkettle said:

AlexO said:

richardhomer said:

The guy’s dated Jennifer Aniston and has a signature PRS guitar. He’s obviously done something right....

 & Katy Perry, 
 & Taylor Swift 
& Jessica Simpson
& Kim Kardashian 
& Jennifer Love Hewwit.

He's clearly a genius.

Some have greatness thrust upon them

Maybe this actually what contributes to his myth.... his celebrity. 

There is no doubt he's a great player, but there are thousands out there. Even though I like listening to him, he's not in the same league as the others mentioned before in my opinion.

So what if some of his songs are hard to play. Here's some video's of kids covering Neon just fine. There are hundreds more. 





Anyway, I'm going to see him in November so will report back. 

But writing that in the first place, not just imitating it...

Barnezy

TINMAN82 said:

https://youtu.be/tzfrXiD1_Rg

This is just Clapton trying to be relevant so he can sell another Blues cover album before he pops his clogs. It's like when Elton did that song with Westlife.

Danny1969

I think he's incredibly skilled .... try playing Heart of Life or Stop this Train with the effortless technique he does and then sing flawlessly over the top. 
Personally I find Hendrix, Clapton and SRV over rated in comparison and I'm not even a JM fan .....just someone who knows what he's actually doing on some songs and how difficult it is !

Sassafras

I don't think I've ever consciously listened to anything he's done. Might've been on in the background but it's never grabbed me as being very original or outstanding.

Kebabkid

This ^ ^

I'm not a fan of everything he's done but just taking the 'Continuum' album as a reference point should be enough to show off his excellent songwriting, playing and singing, plus, he can deliver it all live. So, for me, that's a 'No', he's not over-rated.

And yes, try playing 'Neon' properly (the low E is dropped to C for anyone wanting a go) and when you've got that under your belt, try singing over the top of your playing!

 

Barnezy

Innovation is the key to me, and I dont hear much of it in his music. I must say he is a master of tone though and that is probably my favourite thing about his stuff. 

Barnezy

Danny1969 said:

I think he's incredibly skilled .... try playing Heart of Life or Stop this Train with the effortless technique he does and then sing flawlessly over the top. 
Personally I find Hendrix, Clapton and SRV over rated in comparison and I'm not even a JM fan .....just someone who knows what he's actually doing on some songs and how difficult it is !

Is he as skilled as these guys? 

Strat54

Mary struggled with Why Georgia......so she'd have no hope with Neon.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LcVjirdrR1o

Gulliver

The live DVD Where the Light Is is I think testament to why JM isn't overrated...   He does solo acoustic, blues trio and large pop band sets in one show.   All of which are excellent. 

His acoustic technique is phenomenal, his blues phrasing outstanding, and writes really excellent songs.

Also - the main riff to this makes me want to touch myself:  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CzliomTo8S0

tomajoha

@Gulliver agreed a classy riff. Listening back to it 12 years on, to my ears it kind of fuses Give It Away by the RHCP and Cross Town traffic together?