Go Petrucci!! Ra-ra Vai!! Die 182!! ****ers...
What does it take to be a guitar legend? (Satriani, Vai, Malmsteen, Petrucci etc.)

I just want to know what you guys think makes a guitarrist a legend, or just a very good guitar player, someone that is.. well, there's no other word for it. Just legend.
# 1

Doing something great nobody else has done. It doesn't matter who else is able to do it, it's who actually goes out and makes history.
Creativity, originality, and just plain having good musical sense are just as if not way more important than technical skill.
Creativity, originality, and just plain having good musical sense are just as if not way more important than technical skill.
"If one has realized a truth, that truth is valueless so long as there is lacking the indomitable will to turn this realization into action!"
-A.H.
-A.H.
# 2

it always helps to have some sort of gimmick
i.e. Van Halen and tapping, Jimmy Page and the violin bow, Toni Iommi and his insane trills
Satch, Vai, Malmsteen etc. those guys are legend among the guitar community, but if you asked most people who they were they wouldn't know (unfortunatly)
i.e. Van Halen and tapping, Jimmy Page and the violin bow, Toni Iommi and his insane trills
Satch, Vai, Malmsteen etc. those guys are legend among the guitar community, but if you asked most people who they were they wouldn't know (unfortunatly)
Alas Gandalf lives, Middle Earth is again safe...
# 3
Hard work and determination. Don't listen to what anyone says. Keep going until the end of time.
The Gods Made Heavy Metal, And They Saw That It Was Good
They Said To Play It Louder Than Hell, We Promised That We Would
Hulk Smash!!
Whatever you do, don't eat limes. A friend of mine ate a lime once and BAM!! Two years later. Herpes.
They Said To Play It Louder Than Hell, We Promised That We Would
Hulk Smash!!
Whatever you do, don't eat limes. A friend of mine ate a lime once and BAM!! Two years later. Herpes.
# 4

# 5
Dare I say the obvious? Like...uhh..Skill? or maybe talent?
# 6

Obvious, many people have talen, but the thing is that you have to have more than talent and skill. I think it has something to do with doing something that defines your skill. Like a gimmick, how they already mentioned. Petrucci and his tremolo picking, etc etc.
Go Petrucci!! Ra-ra Vai!! Die 182!! ****ers...
# 7

I think creating original music is probably the most important thing. You dont have to be really technical to be famous... well it does sometimes get peoples attention. Usually i become interested in a guitarist because they are different from other guitarists.
Practice is the other thing that will help you to become very good.
Practice is the other thing that will help you to become very good.
By virtue of their electrical properties, tubes generate a special waveform when they're saturated, which is why tube engineering has tremendous tonal advantages over solid state or DSP solutions, particularly for crunch and lead sounds. Tubes enter the saturation zone gradually or softly, which lends tube-driven tone its trademark yet totally unique character.
# 8

Breaking the rules and being original!!!
All these greats don't follow the book 100%. You have to think of certain sounds and put them on a guitar. Of course, it has to be some what with theory and has to be technical. But other than that . . . go for it.
ie. Jimi Hendrix, he is considered one of the greatest guitar players by many, yet look how he playes. A left handed player using a right handed guitar with LOADS of distortion. How more original can u get. ( yes i know, Hendrix is a very controvercial guitarist and many people will flame me complementing him.)
Its not all about being the shed king and playing at like 190bpm. It helps ALOT, but you can live without it.
;)
All these greats don't follow the book 100%. You have to think of certain sounds and put them on a guitar. Of course, it has to be some what with theory and has to be technical. But other than that . . . go for it.
ie. Jimi Hendrix, he is considered one of the greatest guitar players by many, yet look how he playes. A left handed player using a right handed guitar with LOADS of distortion. How more original can u get. ( yes i know, Hendrix is a very controvercial guitarist and many people will flame me complementing him.)
Its not all about being the shed king and playing at like 190bpm. It helps ALOT, but you can live without it.
;)
# 9

Originally Posted by: alucard0941
Its not all about being the shed king and playing at like 190bpm. It helps ALOT, but you can live without it.
;)
I cant live without it. I love to shred. But its true that you dont have to be able to shred to be good. Its always a nice thing to be able to do though.
By virtue of their electrical properties, tubes generate a special waveform when they're saturated, which is why tube engineering has tremendous tonal advantages over solid state or DSP solutions, particularly for crunch and lead sounds. Tubes enter the saturation zone gradually or softly, which lends tube-driven tone its trademark yet totally unique character.
# 10

6 billion people in the world. Everybody's better than who you see.
So how does their face become a household item? Beats the **** out of me.
Luck and decent social skills. Well toned body, a symmetrical face. The ability to take it up the ass lubeless and enjoy it. One guy behind a desk flipping through a PHOTO book who says to some other guy who's playing with some other guys ass, "Hey, you know this Joe?"
"No, but I'd love to feel his throat."
Next day you're famous. It's a business, not an art anymore. A marketplace. An illusion. You're all a product of a corporate illusion.
So how does their face become a household item? Beats the **** out of me.
Luck and decent social skills. Well toned body, a symmetrical face. The ability to take it up the ass lubeless and enjoy it. One guy behind a desk flipping through a PHOTO book who says to some other guy who's playing with some other guys ass, "Hey, you know this Joe?"
"No, but I'd love to feel his throat."
Next day you're famous. It's a business, not an art anymore. A marketplace. An illusion. You're all a product of a corporate illusion.
# 11

# 12

That didn't really apply. A guitar legend. One that inspires legends or achieves legendary fame.
You get and stay famous. lol. Maybe die at a key point in time.
You get and stay famous. lol. Maybe die at a key point in time.
# 13

Theory and technical knowledge will help but I think it can go to hell.
Shredding helps but you cant get the same emotion and feeling across to the listener as you can playing slow and smooth so it can go to hell.
You feel happy or sad or mad or whatever while your playing and it will change every aspect of youre playing.
Get youre audience to feel what your feeling through your guitar alone and youve got what it takes in my eyes.
Shredding helps but you cant get the same emotion and feeling across to the listener as you can playing slow and smooth so it can go to hell.
You feel happy or sad or mad or whatever while your playing and it will change every aspect of youre playing.
Get youre audience to feel what your feeling through your guitar alone and youve got what it takes in my eyes.
# 14

It probably helps if you havent got a face like a horse's arse (ass to you) as well...then again this never stopped the Rolling Stones. I guess you need charisma and bucket loads of stage presence. Let's face it, Jimi Hendrix had it by the shedload. Would he have become a legend if he'd been quiet and reserved?
I've seen many brilliant players who have crap rapport with their audiences..no chat or witty repartee. Shame, because you tend to forget the quality of music and come away thinking you should've stayed at home and listened to their CDs instead. Bottom line is, charisma is probably what separates legends from merely great technical fretboard wizards.
I've seen many brilliant players who have crap rapport with their audiences..no chat or witty repartee. Shame, because you tend to forget the quality of music and come away thinking you should've stayed at home and listened to their CDs instead. Bottom line is, charisma is probably what separates legends from merely great technical fretboard wizards.
# 15
Originally Posted by: FruitbatIt probably helps if you havent got a face like a horse's arse (ass to you) as well...then again this never stopped the Rolling Stones. I guess you need charisma and bucket loads of stage presence. Let's face it, Jimi Hendrix had it by the shedload. Would he have become a legend if he'd been quiet and reserved?
I've seen many brilliant players who have crap rapport with their audiences..no chat or witty repartee. Shame, because you tend to forget the quality of music and come away thinking you should've stayed at home and listened to their CDs instead. Bottom line is, charisma is probably what separates legends from merely great technical fretboard wizards.
Word.
67890
... and that's all I have to say about that.
[U]ALL[/U] generalizations are [U]WRONG[/U]
[/sarcasm]
[U]ALL[/U] generalizations are [U]WRONG[/U]
[/sarcasm]
# 16
a guitarlegend.. iĀ“m not sure if this is still possible, but back in the day where all of todays legends came into beeing guitarplaying was far form where it is now. it was "easier" to do somethin gnobody has done before like tapping or playing ultrafast and whatnot.
plus back then the crowd was more interested in music and musicians (iĀ“m talking about real music btw) than they are now. i mean - there were times when gentle giant played infront of some 25,000 folks! put them on stage now with their wierd music and all youĀ“ll have will be like 100 enthusiasts or fanatics.
todays above-average players would have been gods back then.
standards have changed. plus there was a large industry behind such acts.
apart form that you have to be good in selling yourself. to the industry and to the crowd.
plus back then the crowd was more interested in music and musicians (iĀ“m talking about real music btw) than they are now. i mean - there were times when gentle giant played infront of some 25,000 folks! put them on stage now with their wierd music and all youĀ“ll have will be like 100 enthusiasts or fanatics.
todays above-average players would have been gods back then.
standards have changed. plus there was a large industry behind such acts.
apart form that you have to be good in selling yourself. to the industry and to the crowd.
[FONT=Times New Roman]Holiness is in right action and courage on behalf of those who cannot defend themselves. What you decide to do every day makes you a good person... or not.[/FONT][br][br]
# 17
So...you're saying...if I get a time machine...I'll be a god?
# 18
Originally Posted by: Jolly McJollysonSo...you're saying...if I get a time machine...I'll be a god?
Word. Can I get a "testify"?
... and that's all I have to say about that.
[U]ALL[/U] generalizations are [U]WRONG[/U]
[/sarcasm]
[U]ALL[/U] generalizations are [U]WRONG[/U]
[/sarcasm]
# 19
Originally Posted by: iamthe_eggmanWord. Can I get a "testify"?
SILENCE HEATHEN!!! YOU WILL GET NOTHING!!! *ZAP* (lightning)
# 20