Do people like watching other people noodle on guitar?

[_MonSTeR_]

I’ve watched the Jari video twice now. Mainly because I love the white JEM. Would I watch that same video if he was playing a solar guitar? Probably not. Would I watch it if he was playing a chapman guitar? Definitely not.

That said, I’d watch 1992 Satch noodle on a no-name Chinese Strat copy with 5 strings just to hear more of his playing from that era.

 

[Choop]

Watching guitar noodling can be interesting, just depends on the player/context. I like to see my friends play on social media, too. I don't necessarily seek out guitar noodling videos on youtube--it's usually experienced as part of a gear demo or whatever. A lot of the time the cool noodling comes from pedal demos, or from pro players just playing whatever at home if I am to wonder onto one of their vids.

 

[Randy]

Considering muckbanging is a thing, as is Twitch, I'd assume watching someone play guitar isn't a stretch.

 

[KnightBrolaire]

Considering muckbanging is a thing, as is Twitch, I'd assume watching someone play guitar isn't a stretch.

There's a lot of guitar players on twitch tbh. Some people do live covers or lessons, others do demos. It's a lot more interactive than just making a video and hoping someone comments on it.

 

[FILTHnFEAR]

I'll watch people if they're doing some cool rhythm playing, but if it's just mindless solo/lead wanking, no thanks. Bores me to tears.

 

[oompa]

to OP: no, it's usually boring. imo I smell a common misconception, which is that 'playing freely' is artsy or comes from the soul and has some sort of value to others. tbh most of the time it doesn't. It's great to do, do it all the time and so on, but what value it has to others is limited.

I feel that there is a difference between say.. great jazz guitarists who "improvise" live and people playing random shit that comes to mind from their bedside, and it's whether or not it is interesting for someone else to follow. I want someone with a guitar to talk to me, suggest a melody, then trick me, do something else, play with my expectations, work my head and so forth. It's an active communication with a purpose.

Don't play things fast because it is fun for you, I know it is fun to play fast but it's rarely fun for others to listen to unless you can do all the previous stuff I talked about, just faster, use your speed to accentuate every second note and look now you can troll me with the ghost notes in between or something. Make it a tool, not half a minute of your own satisfaction.

Are you actually trying to invent things, write them on the spot, through improvisation? Then for me that's an artistic process, hardly interesting either unless you're a magnificent theorist or technician and maybe you talk to me while you do it, in my opinion.

So for me, to generalise, noodling is great to do, but mostly not great for others to listen to unless you make it so, and that's a different thing, which I in contrast do like

 

[Shawn]

Only to a certain point. I love tasteful solos more with great phrasing. Guitarists with a good sense of melody. Tony MacAlpine is a great example. Maybe it’s the fact that he’s a great pianist/keyboardist too that allows him to naturally know what solos to put in. I grew up loving Satriani, Vai and Eric Johnson (and other greats, too many to mention) and even they noodle (like EJs version of the Star Spangled Banner) but it’s enjoyable to a point. I noticed Satriani has dialed back quite a bit and has that strong blues influence which is nice but I miss the days of Surfing With the Alien and Flying in a Blue Dream where he did more. So yeah, noodling and shredding is still nice but you can appreciate the simpler stuff too.

 

[Metropolis]

Per Nilsson noodling over Britney Spears, Haddaway, Eiffel 65... Improv over Rick Astley's Never Gonna Give You Up was one of the best.

 

[gunshow86de]

EDIT: Didn't read the newest posts, it's literally right above this one.

Only if it's Per Nilsson.

Exhibit A