How good of a guitar player is Elvis?
How good of a guitar player is Elvis?
Simple question directed to the people who might know...
I'm no good at any instrument,
and I don't know anyone who is,
but I am curious, because I never hear/see anyone mention it,
but after all, he carries along a zillion guitars on tour...
So who can tell me?
Is he good/average/what?
I'm no good at any instrument,
and I don't know anyone who is,
but I am curious, because I never hear/see anyone mention it,
but after all, he carries along a zillion guitars on tour...
So who can tell me?
Is he good/average/what?
Zombies man, they freak me out.
This is a great question, and I assume a few of the posters who are also musicians, will chime in.
He is not a guitar virtuoso by any means.
In my opinon, his rhythm guitar playing is pretty good. He certainly knows lots of chords and can play rather well in a variety of styles.
His lead guitar playing has improved over time.
I like when he plays the staccato low end-type leads (like you'll hear in Watching the Dectectives and in several songs on When I Was Cruel (one of the Dusts and --I think --Soul for Hire, someone help me out here)).
In tours supporting WIWC and The Delivery Man he has been playing extended guitar solos. He has been experimenting with different effects and techniques. I particularly like his use of volume swells on Nothing Clings Like Ivy from The Delivery Man. (For example, when he played at Lincoln Center with the Dutch orchestra -- not the Il Sogno shows -- I noted that EC's lead guitar, usually not one if his strong points, was excellent (and a little trippy) on Dust. He used a volume pedal to create volume swells that sounded really cool.
I'm sure others will have a different opinion.
He is not a guitar virtuoso by any means.
In my opinon, his rhythm guitar playing is pretty good. He certainly knows lots of chords and can play rather well in a variety of styles.
His lead guitar playing has improved over time.
I like when he plays the staccato low end-type leads (like you'll hear in Watching the Dectectives and in several songs on When I Was Cruel (one of the Dusts and --I think --Soul for Hire, someone help me out here)).
In tours supporting WIWC and The Delivery Man he has been playing extended guitar solos. He has been experimenting with different effects and techniques. I particularly like his use of volume swells on Nothing Clings Like Ivy from The Delivery Man. (For example, when he played at Lincoln Center with the Dutch orchestra -- not the Il Sogno shows -- I noted that EC's lead guitar, usually not one if his strong points, was excellent (and a little trippy) on Dust. He used a volume pedal to create volume swells that sounded really cool.
I'm sure others will have a different opinion.
//I can't forgive you for things you haven't done yet
- King Hoarse
- Posts: 1450
- Joined: Thu Apr 22, 2004 11:32 pm
- Location: Malmö, Sweden
He's called the Little Hands Of Concrete for a reason.
His right hand style is edgy and rough, but I like it, especially when playing electric guitar. His few leads are either written and rehearsed melodies or rhythmic and often dissonant spurts.
I don't think he's done a lot of scales and runs practising, but seeing as he's got such an ear for melody/harmonies, good sounding chord fingerings seems to have come naturally for him from the get go.
Maybe he is a fine rhythm guitarist when he isn't singing at the same time, but I doubt it.
He HAS improved a lot these last ten years, though.
His right hand style is edgy and rough, but I like it, especially when playing electric guitar. His few leads are either written and rehearsed melodies or rhythmic and often dissonant spurts.
I don't think he's done a lot of scales and runs practising, but seeing as he's got such an ear for melody/harmonies, good sounding chord fingerings seems to have come naturally for him from the get go.
Maybe he is a fine rhythm guitarist when he isn't singing at the same time, but I doubt it.
He HAS improved a lot these last ten years, though.
What this world needs is more silly men.
I liked it better when he played mostly rhythm and BT was doing the soloing on bass. I heard EC mention this in the HiTone DVD. He likes it better now with a true rhythm section. I have seen many of the great electric guitar players (jazz, fusion, blues, country) in action so my standards are very high.
-
- Posts: 17
- Joined: Thu Jul 14, 2005 12:22 am
- Location: Calgary, Canada
- Contact:
-
- Posts: 743
- Joined: Sun Feb 27, 2005 2:25 pm
- Location: TN, USA
I agree !!! but there's a difference betwixt "brilliant" and "great". Twas a "brilliant" solo, but he's not a "great" guitarist," by any means. He's a great artist/songwriter, likely the greatest of MY generation, but definitely not great as far as guitarability....not that there's anything wrong with thatstaggerlee wrote:I always thought the solo on "I Want You" was one of the brilliant guitar solos of all time.
- noiseradio
- Posts: 2295
- Joined: Tue Jun 03, 2003 12:04 pm
- Location: Dallas, TX
- Contact:
He's a very good rhythm player. And he's got an occasional lead that's impressive. But most are not hard to play.
But that said, I'm so glad he's not a fretboard wanker. What he does is just right.
But that said, I'm so glad he's not a fretboard wanker. What he does is just right.
"There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy."
--William Shakespeare
--William Shakespeare
- verbal gymnastics
- Posts: 13655
- Joined: Wed Jun 11, 2003 6:44 am
- Location: Magic lantern land
What is the definition of this? I might want to use this in future!noiseradio wrote:But that said, I'm so glad he's not a fretboard wanker.
My friends in band camp also say that Elvis is not a great guitarist but he is competent.
All I would say is I know what I like and I like what I hear.
Who’s this kid with his mumbo jumbo?
At Chastain Park, EC actually "played" slide on Needle Time. It was really not much more than a few well placed squeels but it was fun to watch. His guitar playing during the rest of the show displayed the continued growing confidence (if not expertise) that has been evolving over the past few tours.
- Otis Westinghouse
- Posts: 8856
- Joined: Tue Jun 03, 2003 3:32 pm
- Location: The theatre of dreams
He has surely never used as many guitars in one set as on the current tour. I can't remember how many times he changed it in 2002, but now it's pretty well every song. I love this guitar-obsessive aspect of the showm and the special relationship between Elvis and his Guitar Man that allows him to pull this off. I love the sounds he's getting out of the big Gretches or other fat semi-acoustic type things, e.g. on Country Darkness (maybe that's a Gibson?).
There's more to life than books, you know, but not much more
- stormwarning
- Posts: 516
- Joined: Tue Jun 03, 2003 8:56 am
- Location: Manhattan
- Otis Westinghouse
- Posts: 8856
- Joined: Tue Jun 03, 2003 3:32 pm
- Location: The theatre of dreams
But Elvis pulls off the changes with almost no break in the flow. I'm with Elvis, and I love the idea that each song has its particular guitar needs. he could probably get the range with fewer guitars and more effects, but that's not the point. It's a shame Pete doesn't apply the same rule with drumkits.
There's more to life than books, you know, but not much more
Me too, VG.verbal gymnastics wrote:
All I would say is I know what I like and I like what I hear.
I'm not a guitarist so I can't really analyze or pick apart his performances but I'd agree that he's competent. Not one of the all time great guitarist by any means, but I do like what I hear. Like Noise said, it's just right.
(His guitar collection is really growing. He's got quite a selection. He must have played a half dozen different guitars at the show last night.)
How come now, after all these years? Money? Just a bigger variety of sounds? Actually, does he still play his old acoustic guitar, the one with ELVIS COSTELLO on it? I don't think I saw him use it last night.
I'm not angry anymore....
- verbal gymnastics
- Posts: 13655
- Joined: Wed Jun 11, 2003 6:44 am
- Location: Magic lantern land
He definitely still has and uses that one (I assume you're referring to the one with the yellow sticker). At least he did in May. He uses it for You Really Got A Hold On Me amongst other songs.SweetPear wrote:Actually, does he still play his old acoustic guitar, the one with ELVIS COSTELLO on it? I don't think I saw him use it last night.
Who’s this kid with his mumbo jumbo?
- Miss Macbeth
- Posts: 125
- Joined: Fri Apr 15, 2005 7:04 am
- Location: North Carolina
- spooky girlfriend
- Site Admin
- Posts: 3007
- Joined: Mon Jun 02, 2003 5:19 pm
- Location: Huntsville, Alabama
- Contact:
I do believe that acoustic is an epiphone John Lennon EJ-160 E. The reason he has that Elvis sticker on it is probably because there is a John Lennon signature underneath it. I actually have one on order.
Unless its the much more expensive Gibson version which it could well be I guess.
Unless its the much more expensive Gibson version which it could well be I guess.
echos myron like a siren
with endurance like the liberty bell
and he tells you of the dreamers
but he's cracked up like the road
and he'd like to lift us up, but we're a very heavy load
with endurance like the liberty bell
and he tells you of the dreamers
but he's cracked up like the road
and he'd like to lift us up, but we're a very heavy load
- verbal gymnastics
- Posts: 13655
- Joined: Wed Jun 11, 2003 6:44 am
- Location: Magic lantern land
- Extreme Honey
- Posts: 622
- Joined: Fri Jun 03, 2005 3:44 pm
- Location: toronto, canada
So it used to have a john lennon signature, now it's got a an elvis sticker
It would be good competition amongst others under the christmas tree
It would be good competition amongst others under the christmas tree
Preacher was a talkin' there's a sermon he gave,
He said every man's conscience is vile and depraved,
You cannot depend on it to be your guide
When it's you who must keep it satisfied
He said every man's conscience is vile and depraved,
You cannot depend on it to be your guide
When it's you who must keep it satisfied
Yeah, yeah, you're right, VG...I know he still uses the one with the yellow sticker on it and I did see him play it on the Today Show.
I was talking about the (it's probably electric) guitar with Elvis Costello written in script down the neck. I was probably too far away to see that detail if he did play it the other night at the Tower.
Never mind me. I'm way too far out of my element. I don't know anything about guitars, not to mention my feeble memory.
(I can tell you, though, that it does have a name......for my feeble memory, that is. I have "chemo-brain". I just finished chemotherapy not too long ago and they say it comes from that. A little side effect. The doctors tell me it'll get better...I mean, like my hair has stopped falling out.....but I don't find that any brain cells are growing back!)
Oh my kids love it! Mom's going senile...she doesn't know what's going on!!
I was talking about the (it's probably electric) guitar with Elvis Costello written in script down the neck. I was probably too far away to see that detail if he did play it the other night at the Tower.
Never mind me. I'm way too far out of my element. I don't know anything about guitars, not to mention my feeble memory.
(I can tell you, though, that it does have a name......for my feeble memory, that is. I have "chemo-brain". I just finished chemotherapy not too long ago and they say it comes from that. A little side effect. The doctors tell me it'll get better...I mean, like my hair has stopped falling out.....but I don't find that any brain cells are growing back!)
Oh my kids love it! Mom's going senile...she doesn't know what's going on!!
I'm not angry anymore....
- Extreme Honey
- Posts: 622
- Joined: Fri Jun 03, 2005 3:44 pm
- Location: toronto, canada
Sweet Pear, just say that you're into Elvis Costello and they'll take you for a musical genius! Anywho, I agree, stay strong...the battle ain't over 'till it's over!
Last edited by Extreme Honey on Mon Jul 25, 2005 12:18 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Preacher was a talkin' there's a sermon he gave,
He said every man's conscience is vile and depraved,
You cannot depend on it to be your guide
When it's you who must keep it satisfied
He said every man's conscience is vile and depraved,
You cannot depend on it to be your guide
When it's you who must keep it satisfied