Who do you sound like, and who do you wan't to sound like?

For alot of us, we find it very difficult to define our style when it comes to playing the guitar, (for the most part for the first few years we spend hours a day trying to develop something unique that no one else has ever tried before.) But as the years progress, although we swear by our name that no one else plays quite like we do, there are always simularities to some of our favorites,because alot of the times unconsciously we take a few key elements here and there from others. With the overall combination, I think we all have a pretty good idea who we sound like.

-Joseph, :).

I kinda sound like Eric Clapton, playing with his fingers broken! ;)

I've been told that I (and I'm quoting here) "have a lot of Les Claypool in my blood." That's because I often use a lot of rakes, chords, slap bass, and such when I'm playing. I'm trying to work two handed tapping, artifical/tapped/sliding harmonics into my playing. I'm also trying to be a bit tastier- playing less but having it go farther. I'de also like to be a funkier player (slap bass does not = funk per say). I come a lot closer to ripping off Robert DeLeo (STP) though if you go for actual licks. I don't think I cross any lines, but my favorite band is STP, and if you know what to listen for it shows. If you listen passivly then the Primus-esqu stuff stands out.

Anyway, I don't want to sound like anybody in paticular but me. I want to have a style that stands out all on it's own and redefines what people think bass can and should do.
::snicker::
yeah, right.

Who I sound like, I don't know. Who I'd like to sound like is probably metheny. My tone comes closer to his than any other famous guitarrists (archtop through chorussed, reverbed amp.)

Originally posted by Raskolnikov


Anyway, I don't want to sound like anybody in paticular but me. I want to have a style that stands out all on it's own and redefines what people think bass can and should do.
::snicker::
yeah, right. [/B]

Over the past several years Ive been absorbing so many different techniques when it comes the guitar, and from the very beginning although I knew what I liked to hear I wasn't 100 percent sure what type of music I felt comfortable playing as well as calling my own. Personally, I never really wanted to stick to one particular style, Ive just always tried to borrow certain key elements from others, and for the most part my sound is natural (but its safe to say its a cross between Eric Clapton and Kim Thayil. Clapton's precision, and Thayil's implusiveness. Its one thing when you can define your own style, but when others start noticing, thats really a great compliment. I think its safe to say that almost every serious musician has tried to sound like Hendrix, although Ive tried (and I swear I can play a mean Voo Doo child), I'm not quite there yet. I think I'm up for a little bit more soul searching. No matter how far Ive gotten over the past several years, no matter how technically proficient ve become, I'm never quite satisfied and Ive used this driving force to my advantage.

[Edited by Joseph on 02-13-2001 at 08:02 PM]

I like to sound like myself, and I working on!
My "style" is a mix of speed, cool licks, lot of tapping and sweepping and a good work with effects. But the trouble I have is that I haven´t got a good guitar, pity me!
By the way, I think the key is sound like yourself. You can like the style of other guys, but they are no more than an influence that goes to your blood, your figers and your brain, but your heart is only yours, and you play with your heart.

Dr. Saturno, from Argentina.

Satriani rules!
Brian May rules!
Vai rules!

My main influences are Dimebag Darrell, Mick Mars, and James Hetfield. I'd have to say that a lot of each comes out in my playing at certain times. But, I try my hardest to keep my style my own.

Originally posted by Vulgar Display of Jeff
My main influences are Dimebag Darrell, Mick Mars, and James Hetfield. I'd have to say that a lot of each comes out in my playing at certain times. But, I try my hardest to keep my style my own.

You know, Mick Mars doesn't get enough recognition as it is, this guy is one of the most creative guitarists that the 80's had to offer. And being that Jeff Beck was his primary influence its not surprise that this guy plays straight from the heart. I know with the whole over excessive lifestyle of the 80's alot of people refuse to take this guy seriously, but theres more than meets the eye. Whatever happens during the day, at the end of the day during practice sessions I always find myself throwing in a few Motley riffs here and there...What an awesome band...

-Joseph, :).

Even though Motley Crue has some "Sweeny" songs, Mick made up for it for a wealth of kick-ass jams!

Once I´ve heard Mr. Satriani saying

"The tone is in the fingers, effects just do the coloring"

What do you think about it?

It sounds a bit cryptic.

I think what he's getting at is half true... depending on the circumstances. Your fingers are a huge part of your sound, however some people rely too much on fx to make them sound good. I keep thinking about all of the effects pedals I want to get, but I've found that I'm using the two I have now a lot more sparingly. And I'm far more fussy about they way they sound. So for me, my tone is in what I'm playing almost exclusively because I'm running a pretty much dry signal most of the time. I've seen a guy who must have had about 5 distortion boxes in his chain and he used atleast one of them at all times. "House of the Rising Sun" was never ment to be distorted and I know this because of watching this guy.

I bought a B.B. King instructional video thinking, "Hey man I know the Pentatonics, I'll smoke through this!"
After getting down the licks through my archtop and stuff, all I sounded like was Elmo-trying-to-sound-like-B.B.
I once got a Ibanez Tube Screamer and gauged up my strings on my Strat to get a SRV sound along with an SRV book with the same results.
My point is, my heart and fingers will never sound like those guys, but I'll sound like a kewl Elmo with some good chops and licks!

Somebody told me one time, Look for stuff in your playing that doesn't sound like anyone but you. I've been trying to follow that rule. But I wouldn't mind playing like Page. SRV, Hendrix, Yngwie, or Eddie Van Halen. That is just my view on the subject.

Hmm, lets bring in a big gun on this one, though not a musical big gun. T.S. Eliot (see I told you, for those who don't know him, he is probably the most influential peot of the 20th century), once wrote an essay about radition, and he said that true originality was taking things form other people's work previously, and creating your own thing. That is a pretty basic way of putting it, but if you look at his major poem, The Waste Land, you'll see what I mean, if you understand it at all (I know I don't). The poem uses qoutes and paraphrases and references to heaps of other literature, yet he clamimed that that was being original. That in fact, that is what originality is, not mistakenly trying to be different.
Anyway, I thought that was interesting.
From my point of view, I try to sound new, but I am happy admitting influences, and sometimes I love writing things that use other people's stuff and changing it. I have this piece written as a tribute to Neil Young, that uses a few lines from his music, as well as some other qoutes, and I deliberately attempted a Young style rock sound. Sure you wouldn't want to always do this sort of thing, but it is interesting.

I have been told I sound like part Chuck Berry, part Alex Lifeson and part Eric Clapton (mostly by ppl that were a bit uhm...well...they had long talks with a fellow by the name of Jack Daniels:)).

As far as who I want to sound like?
I want to sound like myself.

I sound like crap. I wanna sound like Vai.

I think that answers that question.

Christoph, don´t worry, you might sound like yourself. Only Vai can sound like himself because he is the only Steve Vai in the planet. And as you´re the only Christoph in the planet, so you are an unique guitarist.

Hahaha, ok. I never thought about it like that before.

We all want to sound like someone else, but somewhere down the line we just have to realize that there is no equal to some of our all time favorites, but that doesn't necessarily decrease your creative energy. Because everything day we learn something new from someone else, and it helps give us just enough confidence to go with our own creative impulses and pull off what seems like the solos of our dreams. Before we can try and sound like our favorites, its important to remember how they got to where they are. You know, I don't think that we are ever quite satisfied as musicians but thats okay, because if you ask me that could be the great driving force for many, including myself.

-Joseph

I dont want to sound like anyone else. I spend my time developing differnet sounds which may or may not have helped me or held me back. The thing is that all the best musicians sand bands of the past like Cream, Zeppelin, Deep Purple, Beatles, Pink Floyd etc. are all remembered for talen6 and originality. Talent is talent but its up to you whether ornot your original. Thats one of the reasons why so many people hate pop music and rap music. I know I do and most of you do. My parents definitly do and they were around in the 60s and 70s and have seen the music industry undevelop.