Guthrie Govan is the best guitar player alive today

Guthrie Govan is the best guitar player alive today


  • Total voters
    118
Not really sure what 'best' means in this context...?

Edit: Hadn't read the rest of the posts before I chucked this up!

FWIW, I usually ask who the best painter is. Or sculptor. Who's the best scientist?

So many variables, so many points of view.... The only people who seem to ask the question are guitarists, and IMHO it's a search for independent validation of the asker's point of view.

One thing is for sure though. I don't want to become so educated in music that I lose my appreciation and boredom sets in. I would rather be mediocre in technique and a great musician than a greatly technical player whose listeners have to research my playing to appreciate it. There is beauty in simplicity.
 
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I've just come in from watching The Aristocrats play in my hometown tonight, and I must agree that while there's no such thing as 'best', in my opinion GG is the most 'complete' or 'all-rounded' virtuoso player I've seen. He can play phenomenally well in so many styles, effortlessly, he's almost like some kind of machine. And he is such a modest guy as well, it was a thoroughly humbling experience!!

I can't tell you how massively jealous I am - very much looking forward to seeing them live the next time they perform anywhere near here! Not only for Guthrie, but I love watching Marco on the DVD's... would be great to see him perform in person as well.
 
So far, from 26 to 37% agree opine he's the best player alive today (depending on how you take the 'want to father his children' choice).

If this poll was posted a few years ago, before Guthrie was breaking through. Is there any other guitarist that would get more than 10%? Maybe 15% max?

Doesn't mean Guthrie actually is the best, but it does seem like he comes closest to a guitarist that other guitarists can build a consensus around than anyone we've seen in a long long time.
 
While I no longer listen to him much Steve MOrse strikes me as one of the most talented, and diverse players ever, when one throws in his classical abilities. For my listening pleasure, Ive listened to no other guitar instrumental musician more than one TONY MACALPINE, who I believe can play anything, any style, under the sun, though he may not choose to. For amazing ease fluidity skill style and shred, I could listen to Michael Romeo all day (symphony x).
 
Yes, best is subjective, & U may be right. But IMHO soloing gets BORING after a while, Dont get me wrong I luv a great solo, but 1 that fits the song, ex. Hitch a ride, Comfortably numb, Sweet Home Alabama, La villa Strangiotto, just to name a few. I guess thats Y I like guitarist who sit in the mix & dont have to carry the band. This is Y I dont like subjective events in the Olympics;) My $0.02
 
Guthrie Govan has some of the most melodic and interesting instrumentals. I have already commented about him and this topic overall,which can be found on page number 2 of this thread. I am writing this because some folks say instrumentals get boring and all,well that depends who is playing,Guthrie Govan's are always interesting and fresh. Just my opinion on the guitar soloing aspect and guitar instrumentals.
 
Yes, best is subjective, & U may be right. But IMHO soloing gets BORING after a while, Dont get me wrong I luv a great solo, but 1 that fits the song, ex. Hitch a ride, Comfortably numb, Sweet Home Alabama, La villa Strangiotto, just to name a few. I guess thats Y I like guitarist who sit in the mix & dont have to carry the band. This is Y I dont like subjective events in the Olympics;) My $0.02

whoa...comic sans. why do you hate us??
 
Kind of like Bella fleck and the fleck tones, they have won more musical awards than anyone, yet nobody knows them

Awesome band! Saw them live about 16-17 years ago and was blown away :)

I stopped listening when Howard Levy moved on, but now that he is back I am on the train again!
 
actually i bought the the self titled album two years ago but have only listened to it once.
will give it another whirl again...:encouragement:

The new one (Culture Clash) is a a LOT more consistent, IMO. The self titled one has some good playing and tunes, but some of them just feel like exercises in weirdness ;)
 
Louisville Stomp is a killer tune...



Jesus! I think Brian Beller needs a few more speaker cabinets! Seriously, a small person could live in a space the side of the stack behind him :) Plus he has another smaller stack to the side of that... what does he think, he's in KISS or something? :lol
 
If Govan play's a G3 tour with Via and Satch................

I would SO be there! I happened to have seen the first *ever* G3 performance (1st show, 1st tour!): Satch, Vai and Johnson and the (then named) Concord Pavilion with Kenny Wayne Shephard opening.

Great show, although EJ had issues during his set - spent about half the show listening to ONLY his stage volume... no guitar in FOH (and we could still hear it!). He also dropped his slide in one of the tunes and then accidentally kicked it across the stage when he bent down to retrieve it for the next section (D'OH!).

That was the first time I realized how much stage charisma Mr Vai has... you almost didn't realize you were watching an instrumental gig :)
 
While I no longer listen to him much Steve MOrse strikes me as one of the most talented, and diverse players ever, when one throws in his classical abilities. For my listening pleasure, Ive listened to no other guitar instrumental musician more than one TONY MACALPINE, who I believe can play anything, any style, under the sun, though he may not choose to. For amazing ease fluidity skill style and shred, I could listen to Michael Romeo all day (symphony x).

I think Steve Morse is really great, however I don't feel he is nearly as versatile (although he IS very fluent in several styles). Quite frankly, I think he always sounds like "Steve Morse play X genre" to me, whereas I think Guthrie "blends" a bit more.

Does that make one better? That depends entirely on your opinion... and "best" definitely IS an opinion and always will be.

One thing I can say for sure: I am the best at playing exactly like me! :D
 
While I no longer listen to him much Steve MOrse strikes me as one of the most talented, and diverse players ever, when one throws in his classical abilities. For my listening pleasure, Ive listened to no other guitar instrumental musician more than one TONY MACALPINE, who I believe can play anything, any style, under the sun, though he may not choose to. For amazing ease fluidity skill style and shred, I could listen to Michael Romeo all day (symphony x).
Tony Macalpine sure is a great musician that's for sure!
 
Guthrie Govan has some of the most melodic and interesting instrumentals. I have already commented about him and this topic overall,which can be found on page number 2 of this thread. I am writing this because some folks say instrumentals get boring and all,well that depends who is playing,Guthrie Govan's are always interesting and fresh. Just my opinion on the guitar soloing aspect and guitar instrumentals.
I have to admit I love the Erotic Cakes album or I should say CD. I can listen to those songs and never get tired of them. I am a songwriter myself and have been writing ballads mostly for many years but I may put an instrumental together myself one of these years. I hope Vai and Satch do invite Guthrie to a G3 he deserves it.
 
that's another thing I really admire about him....how humble he is. He seems to be totally free of any ego or pretentiousness. Very refreshing...
 
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