Guitarist of the year 2019 finalist

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WonkyWonky Frets: 188
https://www.musicradar.com/news/guitarist-of-the-year-2019-finalists-revealed

I think the standards and skills of some young guitarist these days is simply amazing.
I know there's so many resources available these days to learn from, but I don't think that accounts for the actual raw talent these guys all have.
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  • RockerRocker Frets: 4945
    Raw talent on its own is often not enough.  Ask Brush Shields. 

    Take professional golf for example.  Look at the last half dozen Walker Cup matches and count how many of the players in those competitions actually 'made it' when they turned professional.   The standard of Walker Cup is extraordinarily high - those guys can hit it long and straight - but that is not enough as all the professionals on the circuit can hit it long and straight too.

    Personally, I find GOTY (competitive) guitar playing - as in solo playing - to be pretty boring and often an opportunity for the player to display amazing technical ability.  Which, all too often, amounts to a big zero musically.
    Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. [Albert Einstein]

    Nil Satis Nisi Optimum

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  • axisusaxisus Frets: 28280
    As I mentioned in a thread a few weeks ago, I'm oversaturated with amazing widdly guitarists now. They are 10 a penny on the internet. I'd prefer to see a composition competition where you don't need amazing chops, just to write something memorable, like Sylvia by Focus for example.
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  • OctafishOctafish Frets: 1937
    Sorry, just don't get guitar playing competitions. Competitive guitar playing or guitar athletics always brings to mind the Zappa quote "dancing about architecture" and the James Brown line "Talking loud and saying nothing".
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  • WonkyWonky Frets: 188
    I think it's a good thing, not that guitar playing is really a competitive thing mind (how on earth can it be competitive FFS, it's subjective), but it does spotlight some amazingly talented players.  Some of whom have gone on to become halo players for the guitarist cause, inspiring new, fresh thinking talent to pick up the guitar.
    We need new blood in the guitar world, whether you guys like what they play or not.  It'll die out with out it, but there's still room for all us older guys too.  The real gift of all of this stuff is when some of the old style feel and some of that fresh thinking technique gets put together to create something more universal.
    And for no other reason than cos I think you guys will like it, here's a previous guitarist of the year, Guthrie Goven playing a Strat (I know you like Strats(by the way, did you notice one of the three finalists is playing a Tele!)).  Not so much new techniques on this, but surely one hell of a solo.  Guthrie does it all though, including the shred you all hate so much, but it's all part of a being a modern guitar player guys.  Just cos you don't listen to it, there's one hell of a lot of other guitarist that do and I suppose these competitions are maybe for those people.  Each to their own fellas, that's what makes the world interesting. :)


    Also, how about Acoustic Guitarist of the year (there's no Les Pauls,Tele's or Strats in this one) ;)
    https://www.musicradar.com/news/acoustic-guitarist-of-the-year-2019-finalists-revealed
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  • IamnobodyIamnobody Frets: 6887
    Yawn for me I’m afraid. Zero interest in widdly competitive playing.

    A great guitar solo for me compliments and is part of the whole song it doesn’t work in isolation. 

    Guthrie’s a great player though and has an exceptional knowledge of the instrument. Wasn’t he writing for guitar magazines when he was about 15?!

    That said I’m happy guitarist of the year is a thing and other people appreciate it.
    Previously known as stevebrum
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  • John_PJohn_P Frets: 2744
    Grumpy bunch.  I don’t think of music as a competition but watching the clips and they are all very good players who are actually getting some exposure and having Lukather, Petrucci and Abasi listening to them as well as playing at the guitar show is pretty cool.  

    The last guy Todd Blackmore has a nice melodic blues piece without any backing that shows a lot of feel and touch without any neck shaking and I’ll be checking out more of his songs.     
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  • WonkyWonky Frets: 188
    John_P said:
    Grumpy bunch.  I don’t think of music as a competition but watching the clips and they are all very good players who are actually getting some exposure and having Lukather, Petrucci and Abasi listening to them as well as playing at the guitar show is pretty cool.  

    The last guy Todd Blackmore has a nice melodic blues piece without any backing that shows a lot of feel and touch without any neck shaking and I’ll be checking out more of his songs.     
    To be honest, that's why I posted it, something for everyone I thought.  Shows what I know. Lol
    Glad you like it though, at least I'm not on my own. =)
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  • All great players and very diverse styles. Fun and educational to watch. Thanks for posting.

    It's not a competition.
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  • WonkyWonky Frets: 188
    All great players and very diverse styles. Fun and educational to watch. Thanks for posting.

    Thanks man.  Glad you liked
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  • Paul31Paul31 Frets: 22
    edited August 2019
    I think fast playing has been around since the late sixties so why not now i dont mind it as long as it fits a song or solo, also  speed in the right places can trigger all types of different emotions to a listens ear.

    So yes from me and Thanks! for posting.
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  • dubberdubber Frets: 34
    I remember thinking I was kind of good on guitar when I was 16 or so, then I heard Guthrie's entry into The Guitarist comp ... nearly stopped playing there and then!
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  • Paul31Paul31 Frets: 22
    dubber said:
    I remember thinking I was kind of good on guitar when I was 16 or so, then I heard Guthrie's entry into The Guitarist comp ... nearly stopped playing there and then!

    Not to be to disheartened though GG tried some of Shawn Lanes tunes as a tribute, and was nothing likes his speed and he tapped some of the hard ones, where Shawn just used the one hand stretching on the legato and GG has much longer fingers as well.

    So playing is alot about different styles suiting the player as well.



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  • LastMantraLastMantra Frets: 3822
    Wonky said:




    I'm not usually a fan, but that was pretty sweet.
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  • markvmarkv Frets: 459
    Of course music isn't a competition, but the format can inspire or challenge people - just like our own challenges do right here on theFB.

    None of the pieces were ones I'd listen to by choice but the in all cases they were superbly played, and not just from a technique point of view. If it gets people motivated, interested, and inspired, and gives players some exposure, what's not to like?

    (PS the quote "writing/taking about music is like dancing about architecture" is not Zappa's ...)
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  • Paul31Paul31 Frets: 22
    Wonky said:




    I'm not usually a fan, but that was pretty sweet.
    Yes GG is very good and he can play many styles which i have always liked also he can shred but uses sparingly, and also  knows theory inside out as well which helps.
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  • SassafrasSassafras Frets: 30273
    I've always thought were too many guitarists around.
    I would've got a lot more jobs if I'd played drums or keys.
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  • Wonky said:




    I'm not usually a fan, but that was pretty sweet.
    Great solo. And if there was a competition for best guitar face, Guthrie would win that as well.
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  • WonkyWonky Frets: 188
    Wonky said:




    I'm not usually a fan, but that was pretty sweet.
    Great solo. And if there was a competition for best guitar face, Guthrie would win that as well.
    He does pull some great faces doesn't he.  I seen Paul Gilbert do some amazing faces when he plays to.  I'm thinking I should work more on the face pulling myself.
    I did a video of myself playing a month or so ago and I looked really like my mind was else where and not at all as into it as Guthrie seems to be or Paul for that matter.  Maybe that'll help my playing if I do a bit of gurning!
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  • BarnezyBarnezy Frets: 2173
    I know a previous judge. The year he judged it, they gave it to a guy who sang as well. Apparently it was quite controversial, but his view was he was the most musical which is surely what guitar is meant to be. 

    Out of the 3 this year, only Todd is playing music imo, the others are just demonstrating their technical capability. It depends what this comp is meant to be... the most technically advanced player, or the most musical.
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  • WonkyWonky Frets: 188
    Barnezy said:
    I know a previous judge. The year he judged it, they gave it to a guy who sang as well. Apparently it was quite controversial, but his view was he was the most musical which is surely what guitar is meant to be. 

    Out of the 3 this year, only Todd is playing music imo, the others are just demonstrating their technical capability. It depends what this comp is meant to be... the most technically advanced player, or the most musical.
    I think musicality does come into it, but it's subjective.  Everyone likes different types of music and therefore different playing. 
    I personally think they're all playing music. 
    What tends to happen on here is that if it ain't blues related or somehow mainstream in someway people say it ain't music.  That's an opinion but there's obviously people out there that listen and enjoy more challenging stuff as well as the relatively easy listening blues, rock and pop.  
    As said previously, I'm a Jazzer, Fusionist and Rock and Metal stuff too.  It's all stuff I listen to and it's also all music made using a guitar.
    For me they're all great players and they're all furthering the cause of the guitar.  I think the competition (although like I said earlier, how can it be competitive?) is about highlighting talent on the instrument.  Without new techniques from other genres we may as well give up now, cos the guitar will always be about music of the past and not the future.  I can't be alone on this either, as these three guys have been chosen out of many and personally I can see why too.  They're doing something great in my opinion and I hope they all carry on doing it.  Makes for an interesting world and it's ultimately gonna be the future of our instrument after we're all done.
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