The guitar solo is dead.

[Demon-Xanth]

IMO, having a solo vs. not is really dependant on if it fits in the song. Not a matter of being cool or not.

 

[pulse8]

Originally posted by: Vegitto
Well, I think the problem with most bands today is:"OMG, if we add solo's nobody will like our music! It must be chewed out for the sheep that is the masses.", whereas garage bands et al just make music they like, without caring about the money.

I don't think that's it at all. I think that most bands playing popular rock these days aren't even good enough musicians to play a solo.

 

[Fritzo]

That person is a complete idiot. Solos are dead because of singer vanity- the singer doesn't want the spotlight taken off them. Everyone loves a good guitar solo- the air guitar was invented to show their love of it!

This is the reason music today sucks. People with influence are pushing their own ideas about what makes good music instead of letting the people choose what they like to listen to. Kids are getting saturated with drum machines and cookie cutter "singers" that have to look good more than sound good, so they think that's the way it should be. Clear Channel dictates what gets radio play instead of request from callers. Artists are being turned away from record contracts because they "lack the right look" or "they're not marketable".

It's just such a bunch of crap it makes my blood boil. The last 10 years will probably go down as the dark ages of music.

 

[Fritzo]

Originally posted by: elmro
All I have to say is DRAGONFORCE

This band has such a ridiculous amount of buzz right now. I recognize recommending this band isn't a good example to counter your argument because it is metal, but the solos on their tracks are mind-blowing. The momentum this band is gaining is amazing - I've heard them on college radio, seen their new video of public access, and on their first American tour they are playing the main Ozzfest stage.

While solos may be dying, bands like these make sure they never go away.

dragonforce.com - listen to their media player.

😕 They sound like Mannheim Steamroller playing death metal.

 

[Feldenak]

Originally posted by: Fritzo
That person is a complete idiot. Solos are dead because of singer vanity- the singer doesn't want the spotlight taken off them. Everyone loves a good guitar solo- the air guitar was invented to show their love of it!

This is the reason music today sucks. People with influence are pushing their own ideas about what makes good music instead of letting the people choose what they like to listen to. Kids are getting saturated with drum machines and cookie cutter "singers" that have to look good more than sound good, so they think that's the way it should be. Clear Channel dictates what gets radio play instead of request from callers. Artists are being turned away from record contracts because they "lack the right look" or "they're not marketable".

It's just such a bunch of crap it makes my blood boil. The last 10 years will probably go down as the dark ages of music.

Exactly, I bet a band like Heart wouldn't be able to get a contract if they started out today.

 

[Fritzo]

Thank god. I'm glad music has evolved from that annoying monotony. Change with the times people. You realise that there is NEW music being made?

I think you have it backwards- it's DE-evolving. Songs are pretty much turning into drum tracks with vocals. All of this is the reason the music industry is in the crapper today. People keep going back to older stuff because the sounds they want aren't being produced today.

 

[Pacemaker]

Originally posted by: Feldenak

Originally posted by: Fritzo
That person is a complete idiot. Solos are dead because of singer vanity- the singer doesn't want the spotlight taken off them. Everyone loves a good guitar solo- the air guitar was invented to show their love of it!

This is the reason music today sucks. People with influence are pushing their own ideas about what makes good music instead of letting the people choose what they like to listen to. Kids are getting saturated with drum machines and cookie cutter "singers" that have to look good more than sound good, so they think that's the way it should be. Clear Channel dictates what gets radio play instead of request from callers. Artists are being turned away from record contracts because they "lack the right look" or "they're not marketable".

It's just such a bunch of crap it makes my blood boil. The last 10 years will probably go down as the dark ages of music.

Exactly, I bet Heart wouldn't be able to get a contract if they started out today.

Yeah and the RIAA keeps saying "Piracy is killing the recording industry". Nope bad music is killing the recording industry. Go sue some more dead people 'cause that seems to be helping sales.

 

[Fritzo]

Originally posted by: Feldenak

Originally posted by: Fritzo
That person is a complete idiot. Solos are dead because of singer vanity- the singer doesn't want the spotlight taken off them. Everyone loves a good guitar solo- the air guitar was invented to show their love of it!

This is the reason music today sucks. People with influence are pushing their own ideas about what makes good music instead of letting the people choose what they like to listen to. Kids are getting saturated with drum machines and cookie cutter "singers" that have to look good more than sound good, so they think that's the way it should be. Clear Channel dictates what gets radio play instead of request from callers. Artists are being turned away from record contracts because they "lack the right look" or "they're not marketable".

It's just such a bunch of crap it makes my blood boil. The last 10 years will probably go down as the dark ages of music.

Exactly, I bet Heart wouldn't be able to get a contract if they started out today.

Neither would Aretha Franklin, Jannis Joplin, or most of the top performers from 1960-1975.

 

[Feldenak]

Originally posted by: Fritzo

Originally posted by: Feldenak

Originally posted by: Fritzo
That person is a complete idiot. Solos are dead because of singer vanity- the singer doesn't want the spotlight taken off them. Everyone loves a good guitar solo- the air guitar was invented to show their love of it!

This is the reason music today sucks. People with influence are pushing their own ideas about what makes good music instead of letting the people choose what they like to listen to. Kids are getting saturated with drum machines and cookie cutter "singers" that have to look good more than sound good, so they think that's the way it should be. Clear Channel dictates what gets radio play instead of request from callers. Artists are being turned away from record contracts because they "lack the right look" or "they're not marketable".

It's just such a bunch of crap it makes my blood boil. The last 10 years will probably go down as the dark ages of music.

Exactly, I bet Heart wouldn't be able to get a contract if they started out today.

Neither would Aretha Franklin, Jannis Joplin, or most of the top performers from 1960-1975.

Agreed. I could have phrased it better...I was using Heart as an example. 🙂

 

[StrangerGuy]

Am I the only guy who thinks it was all the guitar, keyboard and sax solos that made Pink Floyd truly great?

 

[LumbergTech]

Originally posted by: StrangerGuy
Am I the only guy who thinks it was all the guitar, keyboard and sax solos that made Pink Floyd truly great?

of course..

solos have been misused at times, there is no doubt about that, some guy just wanting to show off his skills and not truly melding it into the song, but when it is done correctly it its the greatest....and its true, songs that are super repetitive are crappy and lack depth

 

[SirChadwick]

Originally posted by: mercanucaribe

In any case, most of the time I hate guitar solos. They usually have nothing to do with the song and just seem like the lead guitarist being an asshole to the rest of the band. It's typical hair band attention whoring. When I hear a guitar solo from Bob Dylan I'll change my mind.

.

Dual guitar solo FTW!

 

[fallensight]

Solos took a bit of a bad rap from all those really bad 80s hair bands and groups wanted to distance themselves from the aimless 'shredding' that sounds really out of place when the guitar player sucks. Every song doesnt need a solo, but a well done one from someone with some skill is still great. Putting a solo in for the sake of a solo is where part of the bad rap came from. But really, if you do listen to a large volume of different bands, there is getting to be a resurgence of solos in songs. Now they are not the several min things done in the 80s, but longer doesnt mean better, it needs to feel seemless wit h the rest of the song.

 

[nageov3t]

Originally posted by: fallensight
Solos took a bit of a bad rap from all those really bad 80s hair bands and groups wanted to distance themselves from the aimless 'shredding' that sounds really out of place when the guitar player sucks. Every song doesnt need a solo, but a well done one from someone with some skill is still great. Putting a solo in for the sake of a solo is where part of the bad rap came from. But really, if you do listen to a large volume of different bands, there is getting to be a resurgence of solos in songs. Now they are not the several min things done in the 80s, but longer doesnt mean better, it needs to feel seemless wit h the rest of the song.

QFT

and really, what's the point of a long solo when the radio station is just going to cut it anyways so they can fit in more commercials per hour?

 

[Kalmah]

Originally posted by: loki8481

Originally posted by: fallensight
Solos took a bit of a bad rap from all those really bad 80s hair bands and groups wanted to distance themselves from the aimless 'shredding' that sounds really out of place when the guitar player sucks. Every song doesnt need a solo, but a well done one from someone with some skill is still great. Putting a solo in for the sake of a solo is where part of the bad rap came from. But really, if you do listen to a large volume of different bands, there is getting to be a resurgence of solos in songs. Now they are not the several min things done in the 80s, but longer doesnt mean better, it needs to feel seemless wit h the rest of the song.

QFT

and really, what's the point of a long solo when the radio station is just going to cut it anyways so they can fit in more commercials per hour?

Why listen to the radio if they are going to cut up the music? Music is an art, if you only listen to it to hear the words then you are not getting all that it has to offer. Most people don't want to take the time to try and appreciate good music. If it's not the cliche' pop song that everybody else is listening to they don't want to hear it.

"whats the point of a long solo....."
Answer: for those that truely appreciate music to be able to hear it the way the artist wanted it to be. If this so called "long solo" is a burden to the music you listen to then you are ignorant to what music really is.

 

[fallensight]

Originally posted by: Kalmah

Originally posted by: loki8481

Originally posted by: fallensight
Solos took a bit of a bad rap from all those really bad 80s hair bands and groups wanted to distance themselves from the aimless 'shredding' that sounds really out of place when the guitar player sucks. Every song doesnt need a solo, but a well done one from someone with some skill is still great. Putting a solo in for the sake of a solo is where part of the bad rap came from. But really, if you do listen to a large volume of different bands, there is getting to be a resurgence of solos in songs. Now they are not the several min things done in the 80s, but longer doesnt mean better, it needs to feel seemless wit h the rest of the song.

QFT

and really, what's the point of a long solo when the radio station is just going to cut it anyways so they can fit in more commercials per hour?

Why listen to the radio if they are going to cut up the music? Music is an art, if you only listen to it to hear the words then you are not getting all that it has to offer. Most people don't want to take the time to try and appreciate good music. If it's not the cliche' pop song that everybody else is listening to they don't want to hear it.

"whats the point of a long solo....."
Answer: for those that truely appreciate music to be able to hear it the way the artist wanted it to be. If this so called "long solo" is a burden to the music you listen to then you are ignorant to what music really is.

My argument gets down to this basicly. Saying a song sucks because it has a guitar solo is as stupid as saying is sucks because it does not have a solo. Every song needs to be judged on an individual basis.

 

[EyeMWing]

Originally posted by: Megadeth
Megadeth will have a new CD coming out in a couple months... I don't think they would do away with guitar solos.... Iron maiden is also coming out with a new CD soon

Iron Maiden? I thought they were all dead.

 

[Dedpuhl]

Originally posted by: Megadeth
Megadeth will have a new CD coming out in a couple months... I don't think they would do away with guitar solos.... Iron maiden is also coming out with a new CD soon

Dave doesn't play around. I can't wait when Gigantour 2 hits Tampa. I'll have my platinum tickets ready to go.

 

[nageov3t]

Originally posted by: Kalmah

Originally posted by: loki8481

Originally posted by: fallensight
Solos took a bit of a bad rap from all those really bad 80s hair bands and groups wanted to distance themselves from the aimless 'shredding' that sounds really out of place when the guitar player sucks. Every song doesnt need a solo, but a well done one from someone with some skill is still great. Putting a solo in for the sake of a solo is where part of the bad rap came from. But really, if you do listen to a large volume of different bands, there is getting to be a resurgence of solos in songs. Now they are not the several min things done in the 80s, but longer doesnt mean better, it needs to feel seemless wit h the rest of the song.

QFT

and really, what's the point of a long solo when the radio station is just going to cut it anyways so they can fit in more commercials per hour?

Why listen to the radio if they are going to cut up the music? Music is an art, if you only listen to it to hear the words then you are not getting all that it has to offer. Most people don't want to take the time to try and appreciate good music. If it's not the cliche' pop song that everybody else is listening to they don't want to hear it.

"whats the point of a long solo....."
Answer: for those that truely appreciate music to be able to hear it the way the artist wanted it to be. If this so called "long solo" is a burden to the music you listen to then you are ignorant to what music really is.

I can appreciate good music.

but sometimes I just want some fvcking background noise in the car and don't want to have to deal with some 80's hairband's huge ego trip 😉

 

[91TTZ]

Yeah, guitar solos are so outdated. They suck because they're old.

All the good new music such as Britney Spears, the Backstreet Boys, Nsync, Justin Timberlake, etc have no guitar solos.

Which brings me to my point: FOR THE LOVE OF GOD PLEASE BRING BACK THE GUITAR SOLO

 

[phreakah]

Originally posted by: Megadeth
Megadeth will have a new CD coming out in a couple months... I don't think they would do away with guitar solos.... Iron maiden is also coming out with a new CD soon

i will be at the iron maiden concert in irvine on oct 21 🙂

iron maiden f'n pwns

 

[Legendary]

Just shuffled to "Blues Jam" on the Beatles Ultra Rare Trax Volume 4, fantastic guitar on that reminded me of this thread.
Guitar solos rock.

 

[Ns1]

I don't think that's true at all; however, you definately gotta look harder. While the EXTENDED guitar solo is definately dead in mainstream music, if you know where to look the 3-5 minute guitar rapage is definately still there.

Notables IMHO: Dream Theater, RHCP live (yes, I know radiowise they do 30 second solos, but jamff live is quite a treat), many of the non radio bands

Solution: stop watching mtv/mainstream radio

 

[Vic]

Originally posted by: turunturun
Actually the lack of the guitar solo is a product of nu-metal to which modpop caught on. It will actually be the period dater that Hammett referenced. Lets face it, from Chuck Berry to BB King to Jerry Garcia to Tom Petty the guitar is the heart and soul of Rock and Roll. Antisolo is a marker of a vien, not a genre wide sentiment, just like the flismy synthesizer sound and 808 drum beats of pop in the 80s. Dan Donegan of Disturbed, formerly a lynchpin of the numetal antisolo camp, was quoted in a recent article as sayng that his band pushed him to churn out the solos for the latest record, because that was direction the material wanted to go in.
The solo is not any more dead than Jimi Hendrix is. err I mean than Jimi Hendrix isn't. or whatever

Solos actually reflect rock's jazz roots, where solos were king. That's why even the earliest rock 'n' roll had instrumental solos.

The lack of solos represents a loss of musicianship IMO. Plus sometimes it would be nice if the singer would shut up every once and a while.

The solo will return.

 

[destrekor]

the guitar and bass work from Coheed and Cambria is half of what makes their music so enjoyable to me. Songs like The Final Cut are sheer brilliance in the beauty of the guitar work.