If one guitarist plays music with more speed and accuracy, and with more feeling...

[Pointguard]

It's just a 7 chord with a #9. Dissonant... not inaccurate.

Yeah I was gonna respond to others with a rant about how Hendrix would claim "most innovative" and "most mimicked" by leaps and bounds over anyone else, but I wasn't sure it was worth the effort.

It weird but sometimes you wonder what people really know. I would love to hear a guitarist make a breakthrough like Hendrix.

Yeah, I'm sure the chord is the sound he wanted. But when you first hear it, it kind of throws you off, even though he set it up perfectly and then it sounds beautiful after you hear it several times.

[Prometheus]

It weird but sometimes you wonder what people really know. I would love to hear a guitarist make a breakthrough like Hendrix.

What do you mean by this? Are you suggesting he didn't know what he was playing, like he just found it by exploring? He didn't invent the #9, he just liked it and used it a lot. Jimi knew how to play blues. It isn't rocket science, he definitely knew what he was playing.

That chord itself was no innovation... Hendrix's biggest contribution was his pioneering of the thumb-over style (and the way he utilized the drastic increase in freedom this mechanic bestows on the player).

Yeah, I'm sure the chord is the sound he wanted. But when you first hear it, it kind of throws you off, even though he set it up perfectly and then it sounds beautiful after you hear it several times.

You're describing dissonant harmony in general. Hendrix is due credit for a lot, but he didn't invent dissonance.

[Pointguard]

What do you mean by this? Are you suggesting he didn't know what he was playing, like he just found it by exploring? He didn't invent the #9, he just liked it and used it a lot. Jimi knew how to play blues. It isn't rocket science, he definitely knew what he was playing.

I said I would love to hear another guitarist make a breakthrough like Hendrix overall. I wasn't talking about the chord at this point. That's why I separated the paragraph.

That chord itself was no innovation... Hendrix's biggest contribution was his pioneering of the thumb-over style (and the way he utilized the drastic increase in freedom this mechanic bestows on the player).

You're describing dissonant harmony in general. Hendrix is due credit for a lot, but he didn't invent dissonance.

Please show me where I said his innovation was in his dissonance??? Please show me where I talk about his technical playing??? I asked a question about the Hendrix chord and it can't be construed as anything other than a question. I never made a statement.

But I do have a question for you? Do you really believe that the thumb over style was a bigger contribution than his importation of a blues into rock???

[Overdrive]

But I do have a question for you? Do you really believe that the thumb over style was a bigger contribution than his importation of a blues into rock???

Cream existed, others did it aswell.

[Pointguard]

Cream existed, others did it aswell.

Chuck Berry kind of started Rock and Roll and he was a Blues Player that came out of a Blues label. He doesn't sound like Hendrix though. Cream used to do Blues classics. If you put something here I will put Hendrix on afterwards. You will see the difference in influence.

[Overdrive]

Chuck Berry kind of started Rock and Roll and he was a Blues Player that came out of a Blues label. He doesn't sound like Hendrix though. Cream used to do Blues classics. If you put something here I will put Hendrix on afterwards. You will see the difference in influence.

Berry made it famous, others were before who had Berry's sound down, but not as polished.

First of all Fresh Cream came out a year before Hendrix appeared in Monterey.

Honestly I don't need to see the difference. I know both bands very well and actually prefer Hendrix over Clapton, but:

-If Hendrix didn't exist his style would've have been there by Clapton albeit in a milder form.
-Hendrix was a bigger pop culture icon. He presented the counter culture way better than Bruce, Clapton and Baker. They had the music and looks down, but they lacked the charisma and intensity.
-Clapton used to heavily overdrive his Plexi. Creating an almost fuzzy tone. Hendrix used a pedal for that, but also incorporated the overdriven Plexi.
Nothing he really invented there.
-Clapton used the wah first. Tales of Brave Ulysses.
-His biggest sonic influence though was his "clean" tone, they way he played on "Hey Joe" for example. Many gitarrists tried to incorporate that later on. See Pearl Jam, John Frusciante.

Listen to "I Feel Free", it's not a blues classic. It incorporated the "woman tone" already. There's no Hendrix song from '66 you can raise me that will convince that had he not existed Cream wouldn't have taken his place as greatest 60s guitar influence.

Also, Jack Bruce was a god. Redding was ok for a guitarist turned bass player. Mitchell was good, but not Ginger Baker good.

[72-10]

It's just a 7 chord with a #9. Dissonant... not inaccurate.

Yeah I was gonna respond to others with a rant about how Hendrix would claim "most innovative" and "most mimicked" by leaps and bounds over anyone else, but I wasn't sure it was worth the effort.

Dissonance usually does not work well. It's amazing what one can get to work well on a guitar and not on other instruments.

Also, one can bend notes on the guitar, which is why accuracy isn't as important there.

[72-10]

Cream existed, others did it aswell.

Do you know what chord Cream nail at the beginning of I Feel Free?

[nathanjizzle]

speed and accuracy aren't really good barometers of a great guitarist. but sure all great guitarists should be able to control their speed and accuracy. but its just not the primary indicator. Look at basketball. is the best player in the nba the fastest and accurate shooter? LeBron james is definitely not the fastest or the most accurate. neither is Gianis. But the feeling is important, but that's hard to gauge as everyone feels and reacts to music differently. There is a phrase for some form of music that is "in the pocket" which means whatever your playing is in sync to everything else, the other instruments and the people listening. great instrumentalists seem to always be " in the pocket". the instrument seems to be an extension of themselves.

[Pointguard]

Berry made it famous, others were before who had Berry's sound down, but not as polished.

Who are you talking about that preceded Berry in Rock and Roll. Sure there were Jazz and Blues guitarist before him.

First of all Fresh Cream came out a year before Hendrix appeared in Monterey.

Didn't they already meet on stage before Monterey? Clapton was considered God BEFORE they met but definitely wasn't God after Hendrix had asked to play with Cream onstage in England. And Hendrix was already playing with his teeth at this time. In England this story is told over and over again. So they are contemporaries. I'm pretty sure Hendrix had already done his gigs with Little Richard and Ike Turner by this time.

-If Hendrix didn't exist his style would've have been there by Clapton albeit in a milder form.

Yes but a lot of the guys mentioned here played more like Hendrix

-Clapton used to heavily overdrive his Plexi. Creating an almost fuzzy tone. Hendrix used a pedal for that, but also incorporated the overdriven Plexi.
Nothing he really invented there. -Clapton used the wah first. Tales of Brave Ulysses.

Hendrix used technology much harder, with more gusto, and with a much bigger presence. No examples needed.

Listen to "I Feel Free", it's not a blues classic. It incorporated the "woman tone" already. There's no Hendrix song from '66 you can raise me that will convince that had he not existed Cream wouldn't have taken his place as greatest 60s guitar influence.

Good example! Hendrix didn't have a Band at that time and I agree without Hendrix Clapton would be of the most influence. Hard to say if it goes hard Rock or not. The way Hendrix captured that time period is hard to rival - and I don't have Clapton doing that in such a big way. Woodstock has its place in history.

Also, Jack Bruce was a god. Redding was ok for a guitarist turned bass player. Mitchell was good, but not Ginger Baker good.

You know your stuff and its always a pleasure to have someone on these boards to exchange with.

[Prometheus]

Hendrix didn't import blues into rock... rock music grew straight out of the blues in the first place. That's a big dead end right there... like I can't imagine what you're even thinking when you say that.

[Prometheus]

Dissonance usually does not work well. It's amazing what one can get to work well on a guitar and not on other instruments.

Dissonance usually does not work well? Okay I guess we can't have any cadences then, so no chord progressions at all. Everything from now on will just be a vamp on a single major chord. If we play anything else, it will be dissonant.

I guess there's no chance we could play any blues or jazz, since those particular styles are built on dissonant harmony more than any others. No metal either I suppose.

[Pointguard]

Also, Jack Bruce was a god. Redding was ok for a guitarist turned bass player. Mitchell was good, but not Ginger Baker good.

Yeah Jack Bruce
He influenced this guy whom is one of the greatest https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnq3ZW6OyTI

[Prometheus]

I like how he started off with the moonlight sonata, wish he would have kept it going

[FatComputerNerd]

This topic is really subjective

Pickers like Tony Rice would blow most of you away but most of you've never heard of him, let alone listened to him.

Then there are people like Jack White who while not the best technically, play with such emotion that they take you to another place...

Then you have your guitarists like Roy Clark (RIP) who were on another level talent-wise.

Never mind people like Django Reinhard...


I'm just glad people like Derek Trucks are keeping the blues rock legacy alive, channeling Duane every time he plays.