Firstly, I didn't say you were a virtuoso if you could play at 180bpm+, I said you were knocking on virtuosity's door. Virtuosity is not the same as being a full-blown virtuoso.

If you want to take the real definition of virtuoso, there are very few guitar virtuosos---and even Yngwie wouldn't be one, because he cannot read music. A virtuoso is someone with NO musical weakness whatsoever on their chosen instrument.

Virtuosity is having some of the characteristics of a virtuoso--in this case having somewhat the speed of a virtuoso.


Second, with regard to Zakk Wylde--actually if you are talking about real speed, it is important that Zakk Wylde be consistent in his playing. As I said before, he cannot sustain the high speeds without resorting to legato to give the appearance of keeping the same tempo.

In that solo, he starts off pretty fast but then can't keep the steady stream going and so he stops alternate picking---the result is that the line still sounds like it is flowing at the same tempo when in fact his playing becomes MUCH slower overall.

Ask any professional guitar player about how hard it is to alternate pick at 180 versus how hard it is to legato at 180 and they will tell you that the former is harder because it requires both hands to be coordinated.


As to who I regard as virtuosos, there are not many. Going to Berklee you're exposed to a lot of brilliant musical minds on every instrument, and you start to see that it's not just speed or technique--even though its a huge part--that determines this quality. I think John Petrucci is a virtuoso, an all-round talent that has no real weakness. Al Di Meola is in the same vein, even though he refuses to use more practical techniques for some things.