Posted: Sat Aug 12, 2006 8:38 pm Post subject: Is this a new golden era of shred ?
Has anyone else noticed how vibrant the shred guitar scene has become recently ?
Avenged Sevenfold (the new Racer X ?) and Children Of Bodom (the new Rising Force ?) are on MTV. Dragonforce are on Ozzfest.
Guitar teachers are reporting that the current generation of kids are asking for help playing old Maiden and Metallica solos. You can watch videos of young kids playing 'Scarified' on YouTube. MySpace has become the new 'Spotlight' (officially so as of the next issue of Guitar World).
ESP/LTD, Jackson and Ibanez are offerring huge arrays of Floyd Rose powered super-strats (which were almost extinct 5 years ago). Kramer is back (sort of).
Guthrie and Andy Timmons are re-vitalizing the instrumental guitar genre. Paul Gilbert just released his first 'shred' solo album. Even Marilyn Manson's alumni (John5) is getting in on the action. Ron Thal is in GNR.
Shred is gaining more popularity than it's had in years, but I doubt it will be as big as it once was, nor do I hope it will. I want good guitarplaying back in the spotlight, not specifically shred.
In general the guitar solo's are starting to become more popular again, and I'm not quite sure if that's a good thing.
Personally I think Dragonforce is a disgrace to performing musicians everywhere, as they market theirselves as the fastest band this fastest band that, blahblah, but I've seen them live 3 times and every time the guitarists were EXTREMELY SLOPPY. And I don't mean Kirk Hammett sloppy either. I mean completely out of key, guitars not in tune, extremely SHITE. Just look at their betcha can't play this on youtube... And then think the concerts were about 100 times worse.
I have absolutely no respect whatsoever for Dragonforce.
I haven't seen A7X live, but by what I've heard and seen of them live on video and audio, I was less than impressed, and it seems their major skill is (like DF, even though I don't doubt A7X are better) ... Pro Tools.
Joined: 10 Sep 2004 Posts: 2783 Location: Chino, CA
Posted: Sun Aug 13, 2006 6:22 am Post subject:
Yngtchie Blacksteen wrote:
Shred is gaining more popularity than it's had in years, but I doubt it will be as big as it once was, nor do I hope it will. I want good guitarplaying back in the spotlight, not specifically shred.
I concur. I just wish a new term would come up that would replace the word "shred". It's got such negative connotations with the guitar community in general and when the guitar community doesn't get behind it, it's that much harder for it to filter into the mainstream. Still, it's good to know that G3 has carried on the torch through the dark ages that was the 90's. It got stomped on by grunge and Nu-Metal, but it wasn't obliterated.
No one wants to go back to the late-80's at the height of the shred craze when Shrapnel was releasing an awful new album every few weeks, it seems, that was supposed to blow away everything that came before it. And I was a sucker for it, too, buying 'em all up until I revulsed against the whole movement myself.
I wouldn't say a new golden era of shred has come back or that it will ever come back to how it was in the 80's, but musical trends always do move in cycles and good guitar playing will seem very new to a new generation of music fans. Also, all those fans of the 80's (myself included) do want to hear great guitar playing again - albeit with tone, creativity, musicality, feel, and individual character.
Guthrie seems well-positioned to spearhead that movement although being the "leader" of something like that is not what Guthrie himself is interested in. He's just going to do what he does - make music and play the guitar the best he can. But even if he's averse to all of those things that really don't have anything to do with making music, I do believe he'll serve as an influence and inspiration to many, even players and musicians who are not into "shred". The key is that the music will have to be good, not just the guitar playing. _________________ Ed Yoon
Certified Guthrie Fan-atic
BOING Music LLC - Managing Partner
.strandberg* Guitars USA
Ed Yoon Consulting & Management
Guitar Center Inc.
The "New Generation" of shredders, ie dragonforce, trivium etc, in my opinion dont have anything positive to offer. from what ive seen of them they are just throwing some sweeps in, taps, and some legato runs with swapped hands for show, i think because they are the first people to do it in a mainstream sense for 2 decades or so, all the younger generation think they are the best guitarits or fastest guitarists or whatever. But i feel that true "shred" or guitar playing in general has never really had a low point, youve always got greg howe, Tmac, vai, as well as the new masters like guthrie, shaun baxter etc always doing something. Aside from that you've had so many bands throwing out awsome albums throughout the last few years, like symphony x, nevermore, dreamtheatre etc who just arent phased by trends etc, thats where true guitar playing lies and in a sense true "shred". So in that sense weve always been in a golden era of shred from where i'm been standing.
The "New Generation" of shredders, ie dragonforce, trivium etc, in my opinion dont have anything positive to offer. from what ive seen of them they are just throwing some sweeps in, taps, and some legato runs with swapped hands for show, i think because they are the first people to do it in a mainstream sense for 2 decades or so, all the younger generation think they are the best guitarits or fastest guitarists or whatever. But i feel that true "shred" or guitar playing in general has never really had a low point, youve always got greg howe, Tmac, vai, as well as the new masters like guthrie, shaun baxter etc always doing something. Aside from that you've had so many bands throwing out awsome albums throughout the last few years, like symphony x, nevermore, dreamtheatre etc who just arent phased by trends etc, thats where true guitar playing lies and in a sense true "shred". So in that sense weve always been in a golden era of shred from where i'm been standing.
I would like to get out of the habit of considering Guthrie 'shred' because now for me the word 'shred' only carries pejorative, unmusical connotations.
Joined: 23 Sep 2004 Posts: 146 Location: Not behind Tesco's any more but still in in Whitstable
Posted: Sun Aug 13, 2006 1:18 pm Post subject:
James W wrote:
I would like to get out of the habit of considering Guthrie 'shred' because now for me the word 'shred' only carries pejorative, unmusical connotations.
I totally agree, with Guthrie the guitar is a vehicle for his music and songs rather than the music being the vehicle for the guys ability to play millions of notes a second, that really is the difference with Guthrie, the music comes 1st, the bonus for us is that he just happens to be the greatest player out there _________________ GoldFish Don't Bounce.
Guthrie is like many of the great composers who were also the greatest pianists (it's usually piano) of their generation. So what he is is not particularly unusual - it just seems unusual, because we are so used to dealing with technical virtuosos of the electric guitar who are second-rate musicians.
we are so used to dealing with technical virtuosos of the electric guitar who are second-rate musicians.
Well said. Too many people have realized that 'shred' isn't all that hard when you think about it, you just have to learn some fast and flashy licks, and the kids will go "wow!". There were tons of these in the '80's, and there are just as many nowadays, the only difference being that now they don't all have record deals.
The best rock guitar virtuosos, as I prefer to call them, are the ones who know how to use their technique to serve the music. This doesn't mean never ripping it up, it just means they have possess the ability to do so whenever the music calls for it.
Joined: 10 Sep 2004 Posts: 2783 Location: Chino, CA
Posted: Sun Aug 13, 2006 7:02 pm Post subject:
I've seen all the video clips of this new generation of shredders and shred bands. Needless to say, I won't be buying their CD's or try to seek them out to play Suhr guitars.
Quote:
ESP/LTD, Jackson and Ibanez are offerring huge arrays of Floyd Rose powered super-strats (which were almost extinct 5 years ago). Kramer is back (sort of).
Well, we'll be going after these guys hard in the higher-end of the market with the planned Pro Series 24-fret models with or without Floyd Rose, including a GG Artist model that will have a US street price of well below $2000 (probably in the $1700~1800 range). It'll be based on Guthrie's Cherry SB Mahogany Standard with the reverse headstock. It's going to be an awesome guitar for the money that more serious players will be able to afford.
We'll also have a Rob Marcello Pro Series Artist model with Alder body and Maple neck, reverse headstock, Floyd Rose, our hottest humbucker in the bridge position, a DiMarzio Fast Track single-coil in the neck and just one volume knob. Should be a killer shred machine.
I'm happy that the kids are getting into these new bands with fast guitar playing and whatever. They'll eventually grow up and grow out of it and will soon discover Guthrie. Then they'll see what really great guitar playing is all about and get to enjoy real music! _________________ Ed Yoon
Certified Guthrie Fan-atic
BOING Music LLC - Managing Partner
.strandberg* Guitars USA
Ed Yoon Consulting & Management
Guitar Center Inc.
I've seen all the video clips of this new generation of shredders and shred bands. Needless to say, I won't be buying their CD's or try to seek them out to play Suhr guitars.
Quote:
ESP/LTD, Jackson and Ibanez are offerring huge arrays of Floyd Rose powered super-strats (which were almost extinct 5 years ago). Kramer is back (sort of).
Well, we'll be going after these guys hard in the higher-end of the market with the planned Pro Series 24-fret models with or without Floyd Rose, including a GG Artist model that will have a US street price of well below $2000 (probably in the $1700~1800 range). It'll be based on Guthrie's Cherry SB Mahogany Standard with the reverse headstock. It's going to be an awesome guitar for the money that more serious players will be able to afford.
We'll also have a Rob Marcello Pro Series Artist model with Alder body and Maple neck, reverse headstock, Floyd Rose, our hottest humbucker in the bridge position, a DiMarzio Fast Track single-coil in the neck and just one volume knob. Should be a killer shred machine.
I'm happy that the kids are getting into these new bands with fast guitar playing and whatever. They'll eventually grow up and grow out of it and will soon discover Guthrie. Then they'll see what really great guitar playing is all about and get to enjoy real music!
Will there be a maple fretboard edition available?
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Register
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
