Jimi Hendrix - as a guitarist |
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dreadpirateroberts
Forum Admin Group Joined: 06 Jul 2011 Location: AU Status: Offline Points: 1836 |
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Posted: 20 Mar 2012 at 8:14am |
Hi everyone, thought I'd get some opinions on the great fellow - from a stylistic/technique viewpoint.
I've had a large amount of his material for years and have always meant to ask a guitar-player what it is about Jimi that's so very distinctive. I know as a listener, what I think, what impresses me, but as a guitarist (or a proper musician of any other instrument) what's the key to his playing? I've heard someone say that something like Little Wing shows the way he blends lead and rhythm playing, how's that as a starting point? Interested in other thoughts. I'll post it here anyway, though doubtless we're all familiar with the song: |
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js
Forum Admin Group Site admin Joined: 22 Dec 2010 Location: Memphis Status: Offline Points: 35255 |
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Although most go for his guitar playing, i like his introspective song writing such as "Drifting" and "Midnight Oil".
From a musicians standpoint, I guess what is remarkable about his guitar playing is the way it flows,. His playing sounds like a steam of thought, a lot of musicians can't do that. A guitar player who I thought took what Jimi was doing to the next level is Pete Cosey on Miles albums like "Agharta" and others.
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Kazuhiro
Forum Admin Group Joined: 15 Jan 2011 Location: Tokyo, Japan Status: Offline Points: 3774 |
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The guitar player such as Jimi Hendrix was surely originality. And probably musicians affected by Jimi Hendrix will be enormous. It was said that Miles Davis looked for a guitar player such as Jimi Hendrix in the 80s.
However, I thought that it was really rock guitar that Mike Stern went. It is not a performance such as much Jimi Hendrix. In any case Michael Landau where I was always a favorite. |
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dreadpirateroberts
Forum Admin Group Joined: 06 Jul 2011 Location: AU Status: Offline Points: 1836 |
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^ cool, Kazu - got the Hendrix vibe there all right! Yeah, I'd heard the same about Miles, I understand, I'd have been looking for something like him too, for sure.
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dreadpirateroberts
Forum Admin Group Joined: 06 Jul 2011 Location: AU Status: Offline Points: 1836 |
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Ah yes, the flow is so seamless, good point. I will have to check out Pete - and I still don't own 'Agharta' so I should stat there perhaps! |
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Atavachron
JMA Collaborator Jazz Reviewer Joined: 26 Jan 2011 Status: Offline Points: 189 |
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Hmm, it's a very good question; to me the most significant thing Jimi
did was uncovering what the electric guitar was really capable of as an
instrument wholly unlike its acoustic version, or any other instrument
for that matter. He saw that the amp could be as important and
expressive as the guitar, and pushed that pairing past what anyone
could have imagined in their wildest dreams. This came out
particularly live, e.g. Band of Gypsys or Live at Berkeley, but
also on albums as Axis and Ladyland. Had Hendrix just been the
bitchin' guitarist and exciting hard blues songwriter he was he still
would've been successful but not a legend. It's when Jimi let go and
just played that he was at his best.
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dreadpirateroberts
Forum Admin Group Joined: 06 Jul 2011 Location: AU Status: Offline Points: 1836 |
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Expressive use of the amp, that's another great example - mixing it with his playing so well.
What did you think of the Blue Angel live stuff? |
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Sean Trane
Forum Senior Member Joined: 19 Apr 2011 Location: Brussels Status: Offline Points: 789 |
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I just borrowed from the library the album Gil Evans plays the music of Jimi Hendrix
Let you know how that is during the next week
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my music collection increased tenfolds when I switched from drug-addicted musicians to crazy ones....
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dreadpirateroberts
Forum Admin Group Joined: 06 Jul 2011 Location: AU Status: Offline Points: 1836 |
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^ that sounds interesting indeed
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Chicapah
JMA Special Collaborator Jazz Reviewer Joined: 20 Jan 2011 Location: Forney, Texas Status: Offline Points: 56 |
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What attracts me most about Jimi's playing is that he was so open to anything that could give him a new angle or a new sound. I agree that he made the amp a vital part of his technique but he also used electronic effects fearlessly. For example, "All Along the Watchtower" is a virtual tour de force of gadgets yet he never let them overpower his performance or become his trademark.
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Make a joyful noise unto the Lord...
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dreadpirateroberts
Forum Admin Group Joined: 06 Jul 2011 Location: AU Status: Offline Points: 1836 |
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Ah, great example - I've just re-listened to 'All Along the Watchtower',
trying to pay very close attention to the guitar sound and I see what
you're saying, great stuff - I'd forgotten about the effective sound he
gets with the reverb or delay before the solo and then the wah and so
on. There sounds like heaps more stuff I can't name too.
But as you say, they're subtle enough that they don't jump and shout for attention. |
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