Rusty Cooley Video

[willo]

The issue of speed is one that interests me a lot. The other week I went to see some free jazz guys, there was this pianist called Irene Schweizer, it was incredible. Some of the best live music I have ever experienced.

Anyway, she played technically brilliantly. But it was also harmonically excellent. But would you say that was 'aimless noodling' or rubbish?

I think there is a tendency, a hangover from the 80s, that when you see a guitarist playing fast to just dismiss it as noodling, of no harmonic interest. But if it was another instrument, in another genre, people probably wouldnt be so overtly critical.

Anti-shredders suck more than shredders, simply because they are often so blinkered in their views, IMO. Sure, some shredders are repetitve and metronomic, but not all

[_tom_]

Fair enough. I think i just see the guitar as a musical instrument to make music with. I don't get it when people play fast for the novelty of playing fast. I'm not against shredding or anything at all! i love metal, but only when theres a tune to it. Sorry i had to argue!

I tend to agree but then again some well thought out shredding (Dragonforce!) sounds so good in the right song. I appreciate it takes time and determination to master but in the end its all a bit boring, especially in an instrumental. I think Satch has the balance just right. Emotional, yet rippin!

[HJM]

I've got the same Charvel as Shawn!! :twisted: I dont like the 2nd to 5th fret stretch between index and middle fingers...


Anyway - speed is good, without being able to play scales to a decent speed even blues will be difficult. Just because you can play fast doesn't mean you have to, but having the ability opens up what you can do emotionally because your technique will be less of a boundary. So in the middle of the solo if you feel the need for a fast run, your technique isn’t limiting that expression.

This is only an issue with guitarplayers it would appear.....

[Searcher]

There's a clip of Rusty I saw recently that made my jaw drop. At first I thought  the clip had been sped up. But, nope, he was just playing ridiculously fast.

Of course, that kinda thing gets boring after a while. Being able to play fast is a useful ability, but doing it all the time is robbing your songs of the dynamics that comes with variety.

It's kinda like that old joke:

Q: What is the definition of a true country gentleman?
A: Someone who can play the banjo, but doesn't.

[Johnny Mac]

That link is for Shawn Lane. I can't say that i like what he used to do though. The Rusty Cooley video was him giving an awesome demo of his skill. Then some teaching stuff. If speed is used in the right context of the song it's fantastic stuff. E.G Vai, Satriani and Zakk ect. Too much like Shawn Lanes stuff then I glaze over. Less is more and all that!

[nuntius]

Just because you can play fast doesn't mean you have to, but having the ability opens up what you can do emotionally because your technique will be less of a boundary. So in the middle of the solo if you feel the need for a fast run, your technique isn’t limiting that expression.

That's basically my viewpoint on it too.





If you want out and out speed and want to be shocked, this guy is hard to beat

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=2787039226673188860&q=tiago

Also see Danny Joe Carter.. I want to think these video's are sped up, because the picking is beyond insane.


http://www.dannyjoecarter.com/html/videos.htm

Watch the first picking video and the sweeps...

[nuntius]

Too much like Shawn Lanes stuff then I glaze over. Less is more and all that!

Did you watch the performances of his songs?

I'll PM you something in a few minutes, just let me upload it first..  8)

[Johnny Mac]

No sorry.. :(

[schmendict]

Wow, did you see that Della Vega guy!?
Well, obviously, but look how fluid he is!
D'ya think he can play Smoke On The Water though? 8)

[nuntius]

No sorry.. :(

You have PM  :)

[Johnny Mac]

No sorry.. :(

You have PM  :)

Ahh! Now I like that. That's a real tune. Very nice stuff. It does sound so much better and musical in that context rather than a load of guitar shop spoo. Thanks for that I didn't know he played music like that!

[chrisola]

just pimped that dannyjoe guy on the HC, they all hate shredders on there it seems :p

shawn lane, i had a video of him and some guy playing bass, was all improv, the whole concert... was ok but boring after a while.. fusion not my thing.

i thought his instructional vid was naff, it was all hyper picked scales with no real point :(

On a side note, do a limewire search for 'Live Bass Extremes', 2 bass players doing shred\neo classical\fusion bass solos for an hour.. actually quite cool some of the stuff they pull off!!

[nuntius]

shawn lane, i had a video of him and some guy playing bass, was all improv, the whole concert... was ok but boring after a while.. fusion not my thing.

Hellborg, or something like that...

Yeah that was later on in his life; I'm not really that into that either.

Watch the videos I posted in the other thread!  That's the Lane stuff I like.  It's not fusiony-improvy, it's structured etc..

[Muso]

I love shredding and all types of music but I must say cooley is absolutely pants at writing music. Someone mentioned that cooley is a genius, i don't see how playing a scale up and down really fast classes you as a genius.
I would class people like beethoven, Mozart and Jason Becker as real music geniuses, there are a million bedroom shredders out there who can play sextuplet semiquavers at 140bpm, but can any of them writing a meaningful song?

This whole speed issue is really sad I mean at the end of the day if someone wants to wank their guitar let them, its not gonna get them laid in fact quite the opposite. Guitarists are the most jaded people on the planet dunno whats up with that?

[Johnny Mac]

I love shredding and all types of music but I must say cooley is absolutely pants at writing music. Someone mentioned that cooley is a genius, i don't see how playing a scale up and down really fast classes you as a genius.
I would class people like beethoven, Mozart and Jason Becker as real music geniuses, there are a million bedroom shredders out there who can play sextuplet semiquavers at 140bpm, but can any of them writing a meaningful song?

This whole speed issue is really sad I mean at the end of the day if someone wants to wank their guitar let them, its not gonna get them laid in fact quite the opposite. Guitarists are the most jaded people on the planet dunno whats up with that?

I haven't heard any of Rusty's music but I take your point on playing scales really fast ect doesn't make you a genius. Writing amazing music on the other hand does, like the examples you gave.