What happened to guitar solos?

gregjohnson1229

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In general im 2000's rock music the guitar solos are 4 seconds long or non existent in most songs. Why does everyone think this trend is occuring?
 

Cosmic Harmony

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Re: What happended to the guitr solos

I'd put my money on it being the overall lack of skill in many modern musicians, or should I say the popular modern musicians, compared to those of the past. It's probably some degree of sheer laziness too. Like, rather than work really hard these days to perfect one's craft they just sort of fall back on all the bells and whistles to try and make up for lack of skill. That's what bad, lazy singers have autotune for.
 

Mr. Shadow

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Re: What happended to the guitr solos

In general im 2000's rock music the guitar solos are 4 seconds long or non existent in most songs. Why does everyone think this trend is occuring?

Lack of talent and originality. But another reason is that songs are getting shorter again. The days of ten minute plus jams are fading fast.
 

Magic

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Re: What happended to the guitr solos

There are still great solos out there, bands like Mastodon/ Dragonforce and guitarists like Tom Morello/ Buckethead are still cranking out some mind blowing solos.

For the most part, pop culture and the grunge movement killed the long guitar solo. (another reason to hate Cobain :tongue:) I dont think the 2000's guitarists lack the skill to create a great solo, I just think that the focus these days is on cranking out a product as quick as possible to the public to make a profit.........in essence laziness :D
 

troggy

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Re: What happended to the guitr solos

I'd put my money on it being the overall lack of skill in many modern musicians, or should I say the popular modern musicians, compared to those of the past.

Sheer baloney.

There weren't many long guitar solos in rock and roll before the late 1960's either. Maybe the Beatles should have stuck a long guitar solo in "I Saw Her Standing There" or even one of their more progressive album cuts, like "Tomorrow Never Knows". Those guys really lacked skill.

Think Chuck Berry lacked skill? Maybe he should have jammed for seven or eight minutes in the middle of "Johnny B. Goode".
 

CP/M User

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A Friend told me that The Beatles never took any Guitar lessons and that had members from the Beatles took Guitars lessons their music would have been the same ol' same ol'. So perhaps these days there's too much emphasis on those kinds of things - though obviously the Beatles must have known enough just to play a guitar - though it also explains why Cliff Richard is so against their music, mainly because they were making the music up as they went along, but that's what makes it interesting! :D
 

Magic

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I agree with you, Troggy. Who made the guitar solo popular anyway? Hair metal or progressive rock? I think Led Zeppelin, Iron Butterfly, or The Outlaws started the long guitar solos, but who really made it popular?
 

Magic

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A Friend told me that The Beatles never took any Guitar lessons and that had members from the Beatles took Guitars lessons their music would have been the same ol' same ol'. So perhaps these days there's too much emphasis on those kinds of things - though obviously the Beatles must have known enough just to play a guitar - though it also explains why Cliff Richard is so against their music, mainly because they were making the music up as they went along, but that's what makes it interesting! :D

CP/M, it would astonish you how many musicians never took any formal guitar or music lessons. This is what fascinates me about music, how people can create such fantastic music just by sheer talent and a good ear for sound. :)

Stevie Wonder is a prime example....that man is gifted beyond belief.
 

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Rock 'n' Roll made the Guitar a popular instrument. Hasn't anyone heard of The Shadows? In the 50s and 60s they brought the Guitar into the picture with songs like "Apache" and you had these other Rock 'n' Roll guys like Buddy Holly and Chuck Berry doing things like "Johnny B Goode" which are full on Guitar! :D
 

Magic

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Rock 'n' Roll made the Guitar a popular instrument. Hasn't anyone heard of The Shadows? In the 50s and 60s they brought the Guitar into the picture with songs like "Apache" and you had these other Rock 'n' Roll guys like Buddy Holly and Chuck Berry doing things like "Johnny B Goode" which are full on Guitar! :D

I realize the guitar is a staple of rock n' roll, but what about the long, hair raising solos? When did they become popular? and what genre uses them the most?
 

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