I have a weird approach to music. I don't really "admire" many guitarists. And even now, it's hard to think of 5 players that have influenced me, not only into playing, but in my technique and style too. But I think I have 5 players who have pretty much defined how I play, but not limit my style to the kind of stuff they play. I'm gonna go in a time line order.
Thomas Erak (The Fall Of Troy) - Back when I was playing guitar, and never practiced, I was horrible. At that time, I could barely play power chord and pop punk shit, despite the fact that I had been playing for well over 6 years. Then in '06 I found out about TFOT, who's music was really complex for me at that time, and I loved the music. So I learned all the songs I possibly could, which increased my playing speed so much and just helped me play way more complex stuff.
Paul Waggoner (Between The Buried And Me) - I later on got into more heavy music, and BTBAM was just mindblowing for me. They had everything I'm into and always wanted to listen to. Unconventional time signatures, heavy ass riffs, and shredding. I learned a couple of song parts from these guys, learning a whole song would've been too much for me haha. I learned stuff like the Alaska intro sweep, the Foam Born A breakdown around the middle-end of the song with all that chromatic movement, and the White Walls solo at the end of the song, which helped me in even better technical playing.
Wes Montgomery - Years later, I started college as a music major and my teacher gave me a bunch of music recommendations, since I was absolutely new to jazz, having heard it only like 3 times at most and never played it. Wes Montgomery was amongst those, and he blew my mind. His way of playing is just unbelievable. It's crazy how he can recycle licks so much. He plays the same minor sweep in every single solo he takes and it always sounds fresh. I transcribed one of his solos and learned about 5 or 6 songs of his. Analyzing them made me look at music in a whole different direction.
Joe Pass and Jim Hall - I had to put these two together cause they both complement each other in what I learned from them. Jim Hall plays the best chords on guitar out of any guitarist. I don't care what anyone says. The rhythm and voicings he plays are just extremely good. He does things that I would have never thought of. Joe Pass, while at the same time of playing awesome chords, can add a beautiful melody at the same time. Watching his DVD, he showed me a lot of ways to play chords to play a melody at the same time, which is not the easiest thing to do.
Tosin Abasi - AAL came out a few months after I got in college. I heard this album and I came. This was the best thing I've ever heard in my life. He hasn't really influenced the way I play at all, since I kinda suck still so I can't play his stuff, but just the fact that I've heard his stuff and have the power to analyze and appreciate it is enough for me. He's pretty much the lever I want to be at, so he's basically my goal haha.
Thomas Erak (The Fall Of Troy) - Back when I was playing guitar, and never practiced, I was horrible. At that time, I could barely play power chord and pop punk shit, despite the fact that I had been playing for well over 6 years. Then in '06 I found out about TFOT, who's music was really complex for me at that time, and I loved the music. So I learned all the songs I possibly could, which increased my playing speed so much and just helped me play way more complex stuff.
Paul Waggoner (Between The Buried And Me) - I later on got into more heavy music, and BTBAM was just mindblowing for me. They had everything I'm into and always wanted to listen to. Unconventional time signatures, heavy ass riffs, and shredding. I learned a couple of song parts from these guys, learning a whole song would've been too much for me haha. I learned stuff like the Alaska intro sweep, the Foam Born A breakdown around the middle-end of the song with all that chromatic movement, and the White Walls solo at the end of the song, which helped me in even better technical playing.
Wes Montgomery - Years later, I started college as a music major and my teacher gave me a bunch of music recommendations, since I was absolutely new to jazz, having heard it only like 3 times at most and never played it. Wes Montgomery was amongst those, and he blew my mind. His way of playing is just unbelievable. It's crazy how he can recycle licks so much. He plays the same minor sweep in every single solo he takes and it always sounds fresh. I transcribed one of his solos and learned about 5 or 6 songs of his. Analyzing them made me look at music in a whole different direction.
Joe Pass and Jim Hall - I had to put these two together cause they both complement each other in what I learned from them. Jim Hall plays the best chords on guitar out of any guitarist. I don't care what anyone says. The rhythm and voicings he plays are just extremely good. He does things that I would have never thought of. Joe Pass, while at the same time of playing awesome chords, can add a beautiful melody at the same time. Watching his DVD, he showed me a lot of ways to play chords to play a melody at the same time, which is not the easiest thing to do.
Tosin Abasi - AAL came out a few months after I got in college. I heard this album and I came. This was the best thing I've ever heard in my life. He hasn't really influenced the way I play at all, since I kinda suck still so I can't play his stuff, but just the fact that I've heard his stuff and have the power to analyze and appreciate it is enough for me. He's pretty much the lever I want to be at, so he's basically my goal haha.
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