I just wanted to make a post on this while it is fresh in my mind. I was talking to a friend and former guitar teacher who came out with the most nonsensical thing I have ever heard “Hendrix is overrated” he tells me “people like Yngwie Malmsteen are much better”. He is my friend, even though he hasn’t been my teacher for years, he is also entitled to his opinion but it will never be mine. He then told me that the only reason we believe Hendrix is the best is because everybody says it and it is an idea pushed in guitar magazines we are brainwashed into believing. I am afraid this just isn’t true…. how did I find out about Hendrix? Not in a magazine but through a friend in high school who asked “have you ever heard Hendrix?” and I said “Who’s that?”. I asked my Dad who he was and he came back home the day after with “Experience Hendrix” a Hendrix greatest hits (a great introduction by the way), I heard the album and I was blown away by Hendrix and like I said before it was one of the main reasons I just had to play guitar.
As far as guitar has progressed (for better or worse) into a world where millions of kids practice to reach dizzyingly fast speeds I still believe there is one element that is more important; musicality.
Musicality to me is what turns a guitarist into a musician, when he or she takes the time to decide what will benefit and further the song. Is this screaming fast appergios? It might be in one instance but surely not for every single song and this is where to me somone like Malmsteen could never be a better guitarist than Hendrix. Anyway I will keep the discussion open for you to post some comments on who you think is better but I will give some examples of each person.
Now when you are analysing the following songs, don’t think “who is faster?” or “who is more technical?” but “who is bringing musicality to their work?”.
Hendrix takes a Bob Dylan song and brings his own sound to it. It then becomes the definitive version of this song.
Malmsteen shreds over a beatles song.
Hendrix is diverse, he can write and record songs of different genre, here is a funky soul song called Dolly Dagger with a definitive Hendrix stamp.
“This is a new one” | but it could be off any album really |
However Malmsteen can just shred, it never really varies (except for his classical guitar solos which when he performs live are often just shredding on classical guitar).
Finally let’s see both of them play the same style, because I feel I am not being quite fair….
Blues, let’s hear them both do a blues number, that’s fair right?
Hendrix creates a blues classic in red house.
This is his attempt at a blues song.
I don’t hate Malmsteen but I sometimes just feel like I am watching the whiz kid who got his wish granted to play as fast as possible and now he can do that he never shuts up. Whereas Hendrix plays like a true master and many times he does that by not playing. I have even seen Malmsteen live, it gets old fast I can tell you that, I saw it to go with my friend who I told you about earlier and I didn’t mind going you should always go to see someone to at least have that experience.
Malmsteen claims he was never into Hendrix “it’s just noise” he says, I can’t believe him saying that when you hear both aritsts side by side. Maybe you can’t either having watched the comparisons. Well, let me know what you think!
Just one last thing I thought of is a G3 Jam, it is a Hendirx song called “Little wing” and I feel the only person who shows enough restraint and respect for the song (in the solo) is Joe Satriani. Check it out……
Adam teaches guitar 