Possessed by an nearly unnatural ability to play the guitar

[Guildedagain]

See how you feel about your fretboard dexterity after watching this somewhat unreal guitar playing.



Lately I've been reconsidering guitar wizards and Beck stands clearly at the top of the heap right now, but this guy...

At the same time, I'm not that attracted to what he's playing, except for the occasional moan and wail, but still one of the most exhilarating guitar compositions of all time.

I'm amazed every time I see it, it's like watching a magic trick, it's wizardry.

 

[walrus]

...I'm not that attracted to what he's playing.

+1.

walrus

 

[Stuball48]

An amazing player. My imagination will not, even, take me to that level.
I love Country and Bluegrass and will pitch Billy Strings as one of the top Flatpickers.

 

[NewOM240]

I'm always amazed at how clean these guys sound. When I play it sounds like three monkeys banging coconuts on separate guitars. Gotta be some version of auto-tune or something...

 

[Walter Broes]

He's a pretty amazing player, and I recently saw two different online interviews with him and he seems like a super nice guy, but his music does nothing for me.

 

[Rebosbro]

And ended by tripping over his pedal board without missing a beat or falling on his ass!

 

[Rebosbro]

An amazing player. My imagination will not, even, take me to that level.
I love Country and Bluegrass and will pitch Billy Strings as one of the top Flatpickers.

Billy Strings is an AMAZING player!

 

[Cougar]

....I'm not that attracted to what he's playing....

Despite his incredible dexterity, speed, etc., that piece was entirely unrecognizable to me. I guess it was more a vehicle to show his skill, but without rhythm or appreciable composition. Part of being an excellent musician is selecting what you play, as much as how you play it.

 

[davismanLV]

Despite his incredible dexterity, speed, etc., that piece was entirely unrecognizable to me. I guess it was more a vehicle to show his skill, but without rhythm or appreciable composition. Part of being an excellent musician is selecting what you play, as much as how you play it.

I'm with you on that one..... sheer skill and licks are wasted if they don't go somewhere. We're all on a journey. Tell me where you're going or where you've been..... either one.

 

[beecee]

And ended by tripping over his pedal board without missing a beat or falling on his ass!

I have to admit I FF'd to the end to see that...

 

[jp]

He's a pretty amazing player, and I recently saw two different online interviews with him and he seems like a super nice guy, but his music does nothing for me.

In my youth, my quest to learn from all the guitar greats brought me to Eric Johnson, amongst others.

It took me a while to understand this kind of melodic and flashy rock-ish way of composing songs in a jazz form, i.e., melody, melody, solo a bunch, melody. I was impressed as a young-un with the whole musical approach and his creative soloing and technique, however, it didn't move me either.

Seems like a super nice guy, though. Astounding chops, and great tone for that kind of playing.

 

[Westerly Wood]

he some great videos of him playing acoustic as well.

 

[Westerly Wood]

LOL, in that 2nd video, there seems to be a fly resting on the guitar top.

 

[walrus]

I'm with you on that one..... sheer skill and licks are wasted if they don't go somewhere. We're all on a journey. Tell me where you're going or where you've been..... either one.

Agreed. It's about the song, and it's emotional connection.

walrus

 

[davismanLV]

And he doesn't leave until the end. I think he likes the vibes...... (the fly)

 

[walrus]

And he doesn't leave until the end. I think he likes the vibes...... (the fly)

Ha! That's funny! Given the vibrating top, he may have had the best time of his short life!

walrus

 

[NewOM240]

Some musicians are too good for their own good. Instead of making relatable, popular music, they favor highly-technical, flashy, complicated songs that turn most people off. Malmsteen, Satriani, and Vai are in that category as well. John Denver probably never played a blistering solo, but he's a guitar legend.

 

[Cougar]

he some great videos of him playing acoustic as well....

OK, those were much better! I so prefer a piece with rhythm, a beat!

 

[Guildedagain]

The second video is some of the finest fingerstyle blues picking I've seeing, and it's so clear what he does, it could be very instructional if you broke it down. Whatever he does on guitar has some magic in it, like Knopfler and a few others.

 

[steve488]

OK, those were much better! I so prefer a piece with rhythm, a beat!

Couger you likely would not recognize that first video unless you were a fan but the primary song did not really start until about halfway through. I have heard it before and did not recognize any of the first part..... all flash as many have noted not much substance. The acoustic stuff is better.