I keep posting sound clips on different guitar forums. Everyone says that everything that I post sounds like the 80's. Some love the tones and some say it sounds really cheesy. I used to hear of monster guitar players years ago, but I never hear much about them anymore. Now everyone seems to just seem to get lost in the mix.
The guys that I use to listen to a lot are, Steve Morse, Al Di Meola, Neal Schon, Steve Lukather, Van Halen, Steve Vai, Malmsteen, Satriani, Michael Lee Firkins, Paul Gilbert, Kirk Hammett, Jason Becker, George Lynch, Stevie Ray, Brent Mason, Albert Lee, Eric Johnson and on and on.
A lot of the post 80's "radio" music, Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Oasis, Green Day, has no lead guitar or very simple lines, and a lot of the more recent "radio" music has really rough and unpolished guitar tones, some of which sound like my first $50.00 amp and guitar. I had that sound, and tried everything I could to get rid of it. I have always liked the Boston, Eric Johnson, tight distortion polished tone. The distortion is packed so tight that it almost sounds clean, and has a sweet sound. Hardly anyone uses this tone anymore, and laughs about anyone trying to use it. I have always thought that it is the best sound that I have ever heard.
When I listen to a song, the instruments are at least, if not more important, than the vocals. If the nice solo sections, drum fills, and instrument fill parts do not exist, I really don't care to hear the song at all unless the song has a really strong message or story.
Here is a sample of a tone I was trying to get last night. I realize that the effects are too much. The small room that I record in has sound bouncing all over the place and it's hard to hear how much effects to add or subtract for the recording. I need to put my amps in another room and listen to the studio monitors.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iE7xA7fn_gc
