Top 15 Favorite Guitar Solos

[architect]

I just thought of another good one, and it starts only 15 seconds into the song!

 

[Fisha]

Basically I agree. The instrumental breaks in songs after the second or third verse are there for guitar or other instrument solos. But they should have a close connection to the repeated melody of the song and not veer off into uncharted territory on their own.

^pretty much sms up my thoughts

funny I usually don't like songs under 3 minutes. A song just gets going and the band ends it. What is your rush? Do you only read books under 50 pages too? I consider the guitar solo like a specialist who comes in to help. Yeah some take it to far but these days it seems the other way around bands don't take it far enough and just end the song without finishing it.

Well there are some songs which are good enough to warrent 5 minutes or more, but I tend to find that a song that stays under 3 minutes can never really go that wrong. I mean the theme isn't going to get boring of overused. Also it restricts the amount of different themes which can be used which menas it keeps the song to a particular style. I mean normally when I'm flicking through music I'm looking for songs with particular feelings and if it's going through 1000 different emotions who could be bothered.


@ cosmic: if you're into odessys and all that, here's a fun one for you, 18 minutes of punk

 

[Cosmic Harmony]

Well there are some songs which are good enough to warrent 5 minutes or more, but I tend to find that a song that stays under 3 minutes can never really go that wrong. I mean the theme isn't going to get boring of overused. Also it restricts the amount of different themes which can be used which menas it keeps the song to a particular style. I mean normally when I'm flicking through music I'm looking for songs with particular feelings and if it's going through 1000 different emotions who could be bothered.

I think you have a misinterpretation of what makes up longer songs. Just because a song is over 3 or 5 minutes doesn't mean it's jumping in and out of a dozen different theme, ideas, or emotions. For example, Dream Theater's "Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence" is over 42 minutes (albeit it's broken into sections for convince while progressing through the CD) and it's sole theme is about mental illness. I don't think I've even ever heard a song that is that long and not been about a singular theme. Even tracks like "Alice's Restaurant" follow the formula that they tell a story.

@ cosmic: if you're into odessys and all that, here's a fun one for you, 18 minutes of punk

Hmm....an odyssey isn't how I'd describe this. :/

 

[Fisha]

Lol it was never oging to be an odessey, just long.

As far as theme goes I meant musically not not just conceptually. I've never heard a song over 6 minutes which doens't have noticable fast and slow sections as well as variations in key and style. Most of the time there is no reason that they couldn't be different songs

 

[Soot and Stars]

Lol it was never oging to be an odessey, just long.

As far as theme goes I meant musically not not just conceptually. I've never heard a song over 6 minutes which doens't have noticable fast and slow sections as well as variations in key and style. Most of the time there is no reason that they couldn't be different songs

I disagree with your views man! A song is a journey and there's a huge difference between some dude going off in la la land on his guitar and there being changes in tempos, mood, etc. that actually take you through a song! A lot of my favorites are up to ten minutes long!

 

[Cosmic Harmony]

Yes I agree with Soot. The variations in tempo, tone, song structure, and use of dynamics are what keep long songs interesting. I mean, anyone can play a song or just run right through in a straight line but to be able to integrate all of the different things into a single song is more difficult and (at least to me) a much more pleasing outcome. I could even go as far as to say that doing the latter is sign of more talented musicians.

 

[tomcat]

No particular order, Some of my absolute favorite guitar solos, listed as they pop into my head:


*Jimmy Page - Whole Lotta Love
*Jake E Lee - Bark at the Moon (Ozzy)
*Ritchie Blackmoore - Stoned Cold (Rainbow)
*George Harrison - Something
*Jimmy Page - Heartbreaker
*Eddie Van Halen - Ice Cream Man
*Randy Rhodes - Over The Mountain
*Scott Hill - I Remember You (Skid Row)
*Jerry Cantrel - Man in the Box (Alice in Chains)
*Glen Tipton - You've Got Another Thing Commin' (Judas Priest)
*Slash - November Rain
*Jimmy Page - Ten Years Gone
*Jeff Beck (with Rod Stewart) - People Get Ready
*Henry McCullough - My Love (Paul McCartney 's Wings).
*Randy Rhodes - Mr. Crowley

 

[Cosmic Harmony]

Good pick on "Ice Cream Man". That's a Van Halen fave of mine.

 

[tomcat]

Good pick on "Ice Cream Man". That's a Van Halen fave of mine.

That's a wicked effing excellent solo indeed!

 

[Cosmic Harmony]

It's just a wicked good song in general.

Further props on the inclusion of Jake E. Lee, Slash, and Randy Rhoads as well.