Shredders

Ok guys, a lot of you like shred (fast technical virtuosic playing) and a lot of you don't :p
This thread is not to debate whether shred is good or not, just to help ascertain what people consider to be quality shred. The reason being it is always helpful and interesting to know what the majority consider to be the best. We all have our own styles but can be influenced to a certain degree by listening to superior players of any genre - if you read a name here and don't know who it is - check them out first before voting. I'll post links where more obscure players are involved.

Hopefull this thread will introduce some new influences to some of you guys out there. We all know Satch and Vai so you won't see them in this thread!

Very difficult choice for me... David Valdes is my current favourite for melodic shred, Vinnie Moore for technical prowess and unusual song structures.... but my favourite has be Jason Becker for overall influence and technique.

From that list, my vote goes to Vinnie Moore.

I'd also suggest checking out Ritchie Kotzen, Blues Saraceno and Shawn Lane for technical guitar... although Kotzen doesn't have any idea what he's doing technically, man can he play... :cool:

Tough list to compile, Kotzen is a great player too. FOr me it was a very close call between Vinnie Moore and Jason Becker. I went with Becker because all of his tracks score 10/10 for me whereas VM would have about 70% great tracks and the balance as fillers - to my ear. Also Becker was in his teens when he wrote and played his best works.

Marty For the weird timing stuff.

Great thread!

My personal fave from this list is Malmsteen because I like his sense of voice leading more than the other guitar shredders. The way he approaches soloing over the very tonal chord progressions he uses is a thing of beauty to me.

Ren mentioned Shawn Lane. And to my knowledge he is by far the most impressive in terms of sheer technical facility. But I don't like the majority of what he plays. Just not my aesthetic style.

Also, Allan Holdsworth is worth mentioning in this context, even though he is more jazz fusion than rock, per se.

Finally, don't forget the original shredders: Niccolo Paganini (violin) & Franz Liszt (piano). Search for some people playing pieces by those guys. Yikes! And I must mention another personal fave of mine that was a shredder but on piano and in the genre of jazz: Art Tatum. That guy was amazing. :)

I chose Becker.... before he was paralyzed.... kid was INSSSSANE

I picked Marty as well - very creative melodies and improvisation, beautiful technique, and a broad range of really well-incorporated influences. I also find him easy to listen to, because most of his work is part of a band's music (Megadeth and Cacophony).

Paul Gilbert was a close contender, though.

i voted for paul gilbert because i loved his old virtuoso stuff with racer x and i like his new solo stuff, it's a lot less, well, lemme just say it's easier to listen to, but he never stops shredding. :cool: