Listening to vintage Pink Floyd, Gilmour is a monster!

Rick

Rick

Axe-Master
Threw on some Pink Floyd I came up listening to (Dark Side of the Moon, Animals, The Wall) and I am somewhat amazed at how well this music holds up, how inventive his playing is, and how well they created atmosphere and feeling by what they didn't play... using space like an instrument. Gilmour isn't the technician some are, but I would put his playing up with anyone for sheer note selection fitting the music and building a soundscape with notes/space/effects. This guy remains my favorite (or more correctly here, favourite) rock player, a huge influence.

Who influences you? Not just players you like, but people whose style and influence seeps into your playing in unexpected places. I'd be curious to hear, and it might give us all some listening options.
 
Love Gilmore's guitar work. He creates everything from funky to haunting to sinister. Sometimes all in one song! A big influence on me.
 
Gary Moore. He blew me away from the first time I heard him.

Sure the wardrobe choices were pretty 80's extreme, but man he ripped this cover up on a Strat...


And his final album "Bad For You Baby" was a great mix of blues based styles.


I can't rip like Gary could, but I try to capture some of his bends and amazing vibrato, as well as using techniques like pace changes to let my soloing breathe more.
 
Yes, I was into Moore from the Thin Lizzy days, Shapes of Things during the beginning MTV years, then didn't hear from him for a while. All of a sudden "Still Got The Blues" came out and blew everyone's mind. Great choice.
 
This s a true story & is in guitar player magazine.

it was the early 70's & we hitchhiked to see Pink Floyd @ Three Rivers. I was on a heavy dose of LSD & at set 2 got handed a set of field glass, David memorized me & I made a vow I would learn to play lead guitar. The day after I got home, I bought my first Gibson electric guitar. 40 yrs latter, I never made the big time but have & am still enjoying the ride playing guitar

As much as Dave influenced me to play & use single notes, I have never been told I sound like him

- the contrary; I never tried to sound like Carlos Santana, but have been told by more than a few, I must have studied him ??

Earliest influences were Jeff Beck (Rough & Ready ) & Roy Gallagher (live)

JD
 
As a young lad I was really struck by how ahead of the game floyd where back then, mainly the by tones and production of their albums. I always felt Hendrix's stuff sounded old and not produced as well as it could have been, I'm sure people will argue against this, but its like a few years later and albums like dark side of the moon, it could have been recorded today, they really did have a vision and an ear for pleasing sounds
 
Gilmour is all about the nuances. I've learned so much about vibrato from analyzing his solos. Incredible taste and tone. He's influenced a lot of my own pedalboard as well as AxeFX patches.
 
Ben Randolph said:
Gilmour is all about the nuances. I've learned so much about vibrato from analyzing his solos. Incredible taste and tone. He's influenced a lot of my own pedalboard as well as AxeFX patches.
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Agree. The way he just stops playing sometimes, leaves these gaping holes you just don't expect (or that I wouldn't have thought to do) that draw you in. It is so engaging. After posting this I put the "Live in Gdansk" video on while working out. 40 years on, still kicking it out.
 
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I have seen David Gilmour solo and also w/ Pink Floyd as early as 1979 the Wall and as recently the 2006 solo tour. He never ceases to captivate my attention and wonder with the subtle nuances and stellar tone as other have mentioned. He is truly in a class by himself and his music so timeless. I think there is so much to learn from his music and playing as I often listen to his music. Point me at the sky!
 
Rick said:
The way he just stops playing sometimes.....
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This is the essence of him. He doesn't overpower the ambience of the song, but adds texture to its framework. I'm not sure any musician underrates Pink Floyd...it sounded (and still does) like nothing out there. Both threatening and soothing in the same song, reminiscent of teetering on the fringe of sane and bonkers.

It also shows how simple blues riffs can be a very powerful tool when blended into a song just right.
 
Dave plays such emotional guitar. Certainly a favorite of mine. I also greatly enjoy Jeff Beck. Such muscular riffs. I also admire George Harrison. He made his mark back in the days of 2 1/2 minute recordings. Only had a few seconds to say what he wanted to say with the solo. Always seems to compliment the song well. Certainly not a technical monster, and unfortunately recorded a few turkeys, but still, what would you play if you had 8 to 10 seconds to solo?

Great post Rick.
 
Jeff was among the first "instrumentalists" that I really connected with. The Blow by Blow album, and Cause We've Ended as Lovers in particular, showed me how a song without lyrics can say a lot. I recently watched the Live at Ronnie Scott's DVD, and was impressed at how he still has the fire... and a spectacular bassist to boot. Thanks, I will have to go pull some JB CDs and put them in rotation with the Floyd material!
 
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