Favorite guitar solo - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

chingador · 12-14-2003, 07:56 AM

What is your favorite guitar solo of all time? This doesn't necessarily mean what solo you find to be the "best," but rather what just does it for you because of the style, emotion of the playing, a personal connection, etc.

To start, I'd have to say my favorite solo ever is by David Gilmour in Pink Floyd's Time. Technically, he doesn't do anything amazing in this solo. It's just the sound and the feeling of the thing. His guitar is just on the brink of feeding back, giving the solo a sense of urgency (which goes along with the lyrics of the song), yet it is quasi-laid back and mellow. The solo just seems to be very emotional, very thought out, and not a note is wasted.

---

Chingador

Derwood · 12-14-2003, 08:29 AM

The live version of David Gilmour's "Comfortably Numb" solo. It just goes on and on and on. Love every note of it.

brandon11983 · 12-14-2003, 09:30 AM

Joe Satriani - Summer Song. I love the tempo of the song. Sounds great on a good set of speakers. Good on my Definitive's, better (as much as it pains me to say) on a set of Klipsch.

BulletBob · 12-14-2003, 10:53 AM

Studio - John Frusciante's solo for Californication
Live - Jimmy Page's solo for Stairway To Heaven on How The West Was Won

forseti-6 · 12-14-2003, 11:18 AM

The many mini solos in SRV's version of "Little Wing"
I also love Mark Knopfler's solos in "Sultans of Swing"

castex · 12-14-2003, 11:44 AM

Obviously there are loads that are even better, but towards the end of Rough Boy by ZZ-top I tend to think that there the guitar was really being used properly. Sublime.

numberfive · 12-14-2003, 12:49 PM

The first solo to Master of Puppets by Metallica.

sailor · 12-14-2003, 01:38 PM

Hmmm... SRV's whole version of Little Wing is incredible.

I also like the Comfortably Numb solo.

Id have to say that overall, I like the Stairway to Heaven solo best though. It just works so well--it isnt really fast, but it just works, better than anything else I have heard.

perripken · 12-14-2003, 02:19 PM

Do I have to pick one? I have to think about it... there are so many!

Melwas · 12-14-2003, 02:41 PM

I really really love "Touching Tongues" by Steve Vai, but my favourite solo solo would have to be... yeh, Comfortably Numb I guess.

Dustallica · 12-14-2003, 05:20 PM

So many to choose from

Master of Puppets
One
Fade to Black
99 Ways to Die
Voodoo Chile
Number of the Beast
Kissing the Shadows
Hate Me

Thats really all i can think of at the moment.

Oh and just about anything from Steve Vai, Joe Satriani or Paul Gilbert

MahlerIsGod · 12-14-2003, 05:28 PM

Eddie Van Halen's in "Eruption" and The Edge's in "Silver And Gold." (Its had never heard Sinead O'Connors song "Heroine" but the first time you hear the guitar you know who it is. I really like what Edge does what that song but its not really a solo). The Edge has to be the most under-utilized guitar player in rock today. I have heard bootlegs and sound checks and the stuff he does if absolutely outrageous. He has skills that no one knows about. Finally take your pick from Tom Morello. That man is a fucking magician. There are a few more but thats it for now.

P.S. Robby Krieger at the beginning of Spanish Caravan.

sailor · 12-14-2003, 06:35 PM

I like Halen, and he can play like a fiend, but I never thought his solos went much beyond that. Its a totally personal preference, but they always struck me as more show than substance.

high_way · 12-15-2003, 12:04 AM

i love the last solo by slash on november rain... just a great feel and when he is on the piano in the film clip... magic

omega2K4 · 12-15-2003, 01:36 AM

Ted Nugent - Stranglehold, it happens mid-song and seems to go on forever.

EDIT: Oh shit, I almost forgot about Dream Theater - The Glass Prison

castex · 12-15-2003, 04:24 AM

Slash plays incredibly well all over those Use your Illusion albums. Estranged, Locomotive, Double Talking Jive...Fantastic!

lightning · 12-15-2003, 09:53 AM

I have to go with Sweet Home Alabama, great guitar licks...
(although the SRV Little Wing and Nugent are also great)

Tophat665 · 12-15-2003, 02:06 PM

Zappa's lead in to Po'Jama People is smokin' hot. That's the one I play for people who say, "Oh sure, he's technically perfect, but he has no soul." It really puts the lie to that.

Of the full length solos, I think Steve Vai, For the Love of God is incredible.

PeaceFrog · 12-15-2003, 03:17 PM

I'm partial to George Harrison's backwards solo in "I'm Only Sleeping". The Beatles were damn innovative for their time, not to mention it just sounds neat.

supafly · 12-16-2003, 08:01 AM

My fav is Steve Vai - For the love of god. The start is a bit boring but after a minute or 3 he starts to play some really good stuff.

dunkelhelmut · 12-16-2003, 07:13 PM

Emotional / Powerful:
I've got a 12 min version of Comfortably Numb that blows my head away
Steve Vai - For The Love of God
Ozzy Osbourrne - No More Tears
King's X - Cigarettes (especially the live version)

Skill / Wanking:
Metallica - Disposable Heroes
Joe Satriani - Borg Sex
Liquid Tension Experiment - Paradigm Shift (or any of their songs, really)

Anything by:
- Greg Howe
- Marty Friedman
etc

I could go on and on. To pick one perfect solo is nearly impossible (I guess it would have to be Comfortably Numb though). As a musician, I appreciate talent and know what it takes to play this stuff as well as these guitarists do.

wilbjammin · 12-16-2003, 07:30 PM

Any solo by Neil Young live - he's so ugly that it is beautiful. He has that look of intense pain of his face, and it just flows out of him. He looks like he's channeling something from deep, deep inside that he doesn't even understand.

I'm not much of a guitar solo kind of guy... but here's another guy I'll throw out there:

Kim Thayil

The guy is weird, known for starting a song by playing it with his beard (actually he was just blowing on the strings). His picking style and note selection is crazy. Somehow it always seemed to fit the music, though. Salute to Kim Thayil!

I wonder what happened to him... he seemed to have fallen off the earth since Soundgarden broke-up.

paddyjoe · 12-16-2003, 07:33 PM

Dickie Betts in Blue Sky

Picking one is damn near impossible, but this jam always makes me feel good.

Aborted · 12-17-2003, 04:42 AM

My favourite solos are in "Domination" by Pantera and "Sweet Child O'Mine" by GNR. They're by no means the most technically profficient solos one could find, but bring a tear to my eye and involuntary clenching to my fists each time I hear them.

Sho Nuff · 12-17-2003, 07:59 AM

Queen - Princes of the Universe
Janet Jackson - Black Cat

gtr71 · 12-17-2003, 03:48 PM

Eric Johnson-Zap

Jadey · 12-18-2003, 02:36 AM

Dimebag Darrel (Pantera) - Cemetary Gates
Eric Johnson - Cliffs of Dover
David Gilmour (Pink Floyd) - Comfortably Numb
Dimebad Darrel (Pantera) - Walk
Zack Wylde (Ozzy) - No More Tears
Vernon Reid (Living Colour) - Cult Of Personality
David Gilmour ( Pink Floyd) - Time
Tom Morello (RATM) - Bulls On Parade

rideough · 12-18-2003, 04:28 AM

Achilles Last Stand

-Led Zeppelin

perripken · 12-18-2003, 10:24 AM

Just to mention a few:
Robin Trower "Bridge of Sighs"
GNR "Sweet Child of Mine" (Slash is the man)
Styx "Man in the wilderness"
Stevie Ray Vaughn - all his tunes
Jimi Hendrix- "Stone free"
Ted Nugent- "Stranglehold"
Peter Frampton "Do you feel like I do"
I'll think of more........

Tophat665 · 12-18-2003, 12:20 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by perripken
Styx "Man in the wilderness"

Now there's one I haven't thought about in years! Good choice.

tooth · 12-18-2003, 02:13 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by paddyjoe
Dickie Betts in Blue Sky

I'll second that one! It moves me everytime.

Also, The Knack's 'My Sharona'(full version of course) has a solo that takes a so-so '80's pop song and tuns it into a bit of a tour-de-force on guitar.

Lastly, The Cars 'Just What I Needed'.

woolley bear · 12-18-2003, 06:43 PM

John poppers song a man can't dance jeez ive tried t o play it fior years i'm just not fast enough

woolley bear · 12-18-2003, 06:49 PM

Joe Satriani

Summer song
ALways with you always with me

kiwiman · 12-18-2003, 07:05 PM

Apart from the classics, anything by Shadows Fall, or even some Chimaira have amazing solos in them

Chimaira - Implements of Destruction is the definition of brilliant modern metal.

Midnight_Son · 12-19-2003, 06:08 AM

any solo ever done by Steve Lukather....
well, save some of the Toto crap..........I'm thinking more along the lines of his work on solo albums like Candyman.

dy156 · 12-19-2003, 07:48 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by forseti-6
I also love Mark Knopfler's solos in "Sultans of Swing"

I thought of the beginning of money for nothing-not long, probably not real difficult, but I like it.
I like Slash and many of the ones mentioned above too.

TopRamen66 · 12-23-2003, 10:41 PM

Stairway to Heaven for the smooth kinda flowing solo.

Eruption for the Look at me shred kinda thing

Chingal0 · 12-23-2003, 11:26 PM

The Black Dahlia Murder - Funeral Thirst.. and yea, anything by Dire Straits

TopRamen66 · 12-23-2003, 11:44 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Chingal0
The Black Dahlia Murder - Funeral Thirst.. and yea, anything by Dire Straits

Good song, but I think i missed the solo under the growling somewhere along there...

Viking1064 · 12-24-2003, 06:55 AM

Very hard to choose. Comfortably Numb and Jimmy's solo in All Along the Watchtower are my 2 favorites. Allman Bros Bly Sky is a favorite also.

12-14-2003, 07:56 AM	#1 (permalink)
chingador Junkie Location: WI	Favorite guitar solo What is your favorite guitar solo of all time? This doesn't necessarily mean what solo you find to be the "best," but rather what just does it for you because of the style, emotion of the playing, a personal connection, etc. To start, I'd have to say my favorite solo ever is by David Gilmour in Pink Floyd's Time. Technically, he doesn't do anything amazing in this solo. It's just the sound and the feeling of the thing. His guitar is just on the brink of feeding back, giving the solo a sense of urgency (which goes along with the lyrics of the song), yet it is quasi-laid back and mellow. The solo just seems to be very emotional, very thought out, and not a note is wasted. --- Chingador

12-14-2003, 08:29 AM	#2 (permalink)
Derwood Who You Crappin? Location: Everywhere and Nowhere	The live version of David Gilmour's "Comfortably Numb" solo. It just goes on and on and on. Love every note of it. __________________ "You can't shoot a country until it becomes a democracy." - Willravel

12-14-2003, 09:30 AM	#3 (permalink)
brandon11983 Stereophonic Location: Chitown!!	Joe Satriani - Summer Song. I love the tempo of the song. Sounds great on a good set of speakers. Good on my Definitive's, better (as much as it pains me to say) on a set of Klipsch. __________________ Well behaved women rarely make history.

12-14-2003, 11:18 AM	#5 (permalink)
forseti-6 Existentialist Location: New York City	The many mini solos in SRV's version of "Little Wing" I also love Mark Knopfler's solos in "Sultans of Swing" __________________ "Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened." - Dr. Seuss

12-14-2003, 12:49 PM	#7 (permalink)
numberfive You + Me = Us Location: California dreaming...	The first solo to Master of Puppets by Metallica. __________________ P.S. Always remember: to forget is a form of suicide. (If I could only remember to forget myself.)

12-14-2003, 10:53 AM	#4 (permalink)
BulletBob Psycho Location: Rupp Arena	Studio - John Frusciante's solo for Californication Live - Jimmy Page's solo for Stairway To Heaven on How The West Was Won

12-14-2003, 11:44 AM	#6 (permalink)
castex Psycho Location: france	Obviously there are loads that are even better, but towards the end of Rough Boy by ZZ-top I tend to think that there the guitar was really being used properly. Sublime.

12-14-2003, 01:38 PM	#8 (permalink)
sailor beauty in the breakdown Location: Chapel Hill, NC	Hmmm... SRV's whole version of Little Wing is incredible. I also like the Comfortably Numb solo. Id have to say that overall, I like the Stairway to Heaven solo best though. It just works so well--it isnt really fast, but it just works, better than anything else I have heard. __________________ "Good people do not need laws to tell them to act responsibly, while bad people will find a way around the laws." --Plato

12-14-2003, 02:19 PM	#9 (permalink)
perripken Now a registered fossil Location: Home of the shrinking Kodak	Do I have to pick one? I have to think about it... there are so many! __________________ And in the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years. Abraham Lincoln

12-14-2003, 02:41 PM	#10 (permalink)
Melwas Tilted	I really really love "Touching Tongues" by Steve Vai, but my favourite solo solo would have to be... yeh, Comfortably Numb I guess.

12-14-2003, 05:20 PM	#11 (permalink)
Dustallica Crazy	So many to choose from Master of Puppets One Fade to Black 99 Ways to Die Voodoo Chile Number of the Beast Kissing the Shadows Hate Me Thats really all i can think of at the moment. Oh and just about anything from Steve Vai, Joe Satriani or Paul Gilbert

12-14-2003, 05:28 PM	#12 (permalink)
MahlerIsGod At The Globe Showing Will How Its Done Location: London/Elysium	Eddie Van Halen's in "Eruption" and The Edge's in "Silver And Gold." (Its had never heard Sinead O'Connors song "Heroine" but the first time you hear the guitar you know who it is. I really like what Edge does what that song but its not really a solo). The Edge has to be the most under-utilized guitar player in rock today. I have heard bootlegs and sound checks and the stuff he does if absolutely outrageous. He has skills that no one knows about. Finally take your pick from Tom Morello. That man is a fucking magician. There are a few more but thats it for now. P.S. Robby Krieger at the beginning of Spanish Caravan. __________________ "But a work of art is a conscious human effort that has to do with communication. It is that or its nothing. When an accident is applauded as a work of art, when a cult grows up around the deliciousness of inadvertent beauty, we are in the presence of the greatest decadence the West has known in its history." Last edited by MahlerIsGod; 12-14-2003 at 05:31 PM..

12-14-2003, 06:35 PM	#13 (permalink)
sailor beauty in the breakdown Location: Chapel Hill, NC	I like Halen, and he can play like a fiend, but I never thought his solos went much beyond that. Its a totally personal preference, but they always struck me as more show than substance. __________________ "Good people do not need laws to tell them to act responsibly, while bad people will find a way around the laws." --Plato

12-15-2003, 12:04 AM	#14 (permalink)
high_way Addict Location: Australia	i love the last solo by slash on november rain... just a great feel and when he is on the piano in the film clip... magic __________________ A stranger is just a friend you havent met yet. Impostor of the imposturous

12-15-2003, 01:36 AM	#15 (permalink)
omega2K4 Natalie Portman is sexy. Location: The Outer Rim	Ted Nugent - Stranglehold, it happens mid-song and seems to go on forever. EDIT: Oh shit, I almost forgot about Dream Theater - The Glass Prison __________________ "While the State exists there can be no freedom. When there is freedom there will be no State." - Vladimir Ilyich Lenin "Reason has always existed, but not always in a reasonable form."- Karl Marx Last edited by omega2K4; 12-15-2003 at 08:52 PM..

12-17-2003, 03:48 PM	#26 (permalink)
gtr71 Upright	Eric Johnson-Zap

12-18-2003, 04:28 AM	#28 (permalink)
rideough Insane Location: Ottawa...the greatest city in Canada...down the road from silentjay!	Achilles Last Stand -Led Zeppelin __________________ i may or may not be on acid right now....

12-15-2003, 04:24 AM	#16 (permalink)
castex Psycho Location: france	Slash plays incredibly well all over those Use your Illusion albums. Estranged, Locomotive, Double Talking Jive...Fantastic!

12-15-2003, 09:53 AM	#17 (permalink)
lightning Tilted Location: Texas	I have to go with Sweet Home Alabama, great guitar licks... (although the SRV Little Wing and Nugent are also great)

12-15-2003, 02:06 PM	#18 (permalink)
Tophat665 Minion of the scaléd ones Location: Northeast Jesusland	Zappa's lead in to Po'Jama People is smokin' hot. That's the one I play for people who say, "Oh sure, he's technically perfect, but he has no soul." It really puts the lie to that. Of the full length solos, I think Steve Vai, For the Love of God is incredible. __________________ Light a man a fire, and he will be warm while it burns. Set a man on fire, and he will be warm for the rest of his life.

12-15-2003, 03:17 PM	#19 (permalink)
PeaceFrog Tilted Location: Halifax, Nova Scotia	I'm partial to George Harrison's backwards solo in "I'm Only Sleeping". The Beatles were damn innovative for their time, not to mention it just sounds neat. __________________ The only people for me are the mad ones...

12-16-2003, 08:01 AM	#20 (permalink)
supafly Psycho Location: Rotterdam	My fav is Steve Vai - For the love of god. The start is a bit boring but after a minute or 3 he starts to play some really good stuff. __________________ Thumbs up

12-16-2003, 07:13 PM	#21 (permalink)
dunkelhelmut Insane	Emotional / Powerful: I've got a 12 min version of Comfortably Numb that blows my head away Steve Vai - For The Love of God Ozzy Osbourrne - No More Tears King's X - Cigarettes (especially the live version) Skill / Wanking: Metallica - Disposable Heroes Joe Satriani - Borg Sex Liquid Tension Experiment - Paradigm Shift (or any of their songs, really) Anything by: - Greg Howe - Marty Friedman etc I could go on and on. To pick one perfect solo is nearly impossible (I guess it would have to be Comfortably Numb though). As a musician, I appreciate talent and know what it takes to play this stuff as well as these guitarists do.

12-16-2003, 07:30 PM	#22 (permalink)
wilbjammin * * *	Any solo by Neil Young live - he's so ugly that it is beautiful. He has that look of intense pain of his face, and it just flows out of him. He looks like he's channeling something from deep, deep inside that he doesn't even understand. I'm not much of a guitar solo kind of guy... but here's another guy I'll throw out there: Kim Thayil The guy is weird, known for starting a song by playing it with his beard (actually he was just blowing on the strings). His picking style and note selection is crazy. Somehow it always seemed to fit the music, though. Salute to Kim Thayil! I wonder what happened to him... he seemed to have fallen off the earth since Soundgarden broke-up. __________________ Innominate.

12-16-2003, 07:33 PM	#23 (permalink)
paddyjoe through charlatans phone Location: Northcoast	Dickie Betts in Blue Sky Picking one is damn near impossible, but this jam always makes me feel good.

12-17-2003, 04:42 AM	#24 (permalink)
Aborted Tilted Location: London	My favourite solos are in "Domination" by Pantera and "Sweet Child O'Mine" by GNR. They're by no means the most technically profficient solos one could find, but bring a tear to my eye and involuntary clenching to my fists each time I hear them.

12-17-2003, 07:59 AM	#25 (permalink)
Sho Nuff Addict Location: Harlem	Queen - Princes of the Universe Janet Jackson - Black Cat __________________ I know Nietzsche doesnt rhyme with peachy, but you sound like a pretentious prick when you correct me.

12-18-2003, 02:36 AM	#27 (permalink)
Jadey This Space For Rent Location: Davenport, Iowa	Dimebag Darrel (Pantera) - Cemetary Gates Eric Johnson - Cliffs of Dover David Gilmour (Pink Floyd) - Comfortably Numb Dimebad Darrel (Pantera) - Walk Zack Wylde (Ozzy) - No More Tears Vernon Reid (Living Colour) - Cult Of Personality David Gilmour ( Pink Floyd) - Time Tom Morello (RATM) - Bulls On Parade

12-18-2003, 10:24 AM	#29 (permalink)
perripken Now a registered fossil Location: Home of the shrinking Kodak	Just to mention a few: Robin Trower "Bridge of Sighs" GNR "Sweet Child of Mine" (Slash is the man) Styx "Man in the wilderness" Stevie Ray Vaughn - all his tunes Jimi Hendrix- "Stone free" Ted Nugent- "Stranglehold" Peter Frampton "Do you feel like I do" I'll think of more........ __________________ And in the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years. Abraham Lincoln

12-18-2003, 06:43 PM	#32 (permalink)
woolley bear Crazy Location: the sun (AZ)	John poppers song a man can't dance jeez ive tried t o play it fior years i'm just not fast enough

12-18-2003, 06:49 PM	#33 (permalink)
woolley bear Crazy Location: the sun (AZ)	Joe Satriani Summer song ALways with you always with me

12-18-2003, 07:05 PM	#34 (permalink)
kiwiman Crazy Location: New Zealand	Apart from the classics, anything by Shadows Fall, or even some Chimaira have amazing solos in them Chimaira - Implements of Destruction is the definition of brilliant modern metal.

12-19-2003, 06:08 AM	#35 (permalink)
Midnight_Son The Cover Doesn't Match The Book Location: in a van down by the river	any solo ever done by Steve Lukather.... well, save some of the Toto crap..........I'm thinking more along the lines of his work on solo albums like Candyman. __________________ SWM, tattooed, seeks meaningful tits and beer. Enjoys biker mags, pornography, and Sunday morning walks to the liquor store. Winners of erotic hot dog eating contests given priority.

12-23-2003, 10:41 PM	#37 (permalink)
TopRamen66 Insane	Stairway to Heaven for the smooth kinda flowing solo. Eruption for the Look at me shred kinda thing

12-23-2003, 11:26 PM	#38 (permalink)
Chingal0 Something like that.. Location: Oreygun.	The Black Dahlia Murder - Funeral Thirst.. and yea, anything by Dire Straits __________________ "Eventually I became too sexy for my gym membership fee."

12-24-2003, 06:55 AM	#40 (permalink)
Viking1064 Insane Location: New Jersey	Very hard to choose. Comfortably Numb and Jimmy's solo in All Along the Watchtower are my 2 favorites. Allman Bros Bly Sky is a favorite also.