4 x Vision 27.05.2009 17:29 |
Brian had great respect for Jeff Beck, but who was the better guitarist? I've not really listened to much of Jeff's guitar work so I'm curious to what some of our more serious guitarists on QZ think? |
Mr Mercury 27.05.2009 19:08 |
This really just boils down to everyone's personal opinion to be honest. I would say that Jeff has the better technical ability and so on, but Brian wins on having better feeling and arrangements in his work. Does that help? |
doxonrox 28.05.2009 00:15 |
Jeff Beck is one in a million. So was Brian May. Do yourself a favor and check out anything JB has done. While he is not as instantly recognizable as Brian, he is still on top of his game. An amazing, amazing talent. |
Yara 28.05.2009 00:56 |
Hi! How are you? Thanks for the thread. Wow, hard to say. As Mr. Mercury pointed out, I guess it boils down to personal taste given the fact that both are extraordinarily gifted. I'm proud of them, they are very good pupils of mine. Hehe. My 0,0001 cent: I'd chose Jeff Beck any time, but what makes me go for Brian is that he had Freddie to supply him with wonderful tunes, ideas and, well, amazing vocals. My feeling is that Freddie was part of Brian's musicianship - it's hard to think about Brian May without having Freddie as a reference. They matched. I can't say where Freddie "ends" and Brian begins. On the other hand, Jeff Beck could never count for such a long time on such a talented singer and musician to make a good part of his work *maybe* more appealing, interesting, wide-reaching and successful. That is, if a poor soul who owns a $50 bucks acoustic guitar is entitled to have an opinion on this. lol Take care and thanks for the thread! Yara |
john bodega 28.05.2009 02:22 |
Fools choice. That's like : "Which nut would you like to cut off, your left or right?" They're both insanely good for similar reasons. And they're both classy enough that they have excellent things to say about each other. What more could you ask for? |
Sebastian 28.05.2009 09:11 |
Everybody's left nut is different to his right one: more often than not, one is bigger than the other, even if by half an inch (or less). An apple and an orange can be compared, one's got more sugar than the other, one's more acid than the other... of course, the whole 'which one tastes better?' thing is completely subjective, but you can always draw objective comparisons too. That said, IMO, there are loads and loads and loads of good guitarist who can't hold a candle to Brian. But then again, there are also several guitarists who can actually play better than Dr May. Jeff Beck is one of them (again, IMO). |
4 x Vision 28.05.2009 09:21 |
Zebonka12 wrote: Funnily enough, that's why I asked... I was delighted that they both gave each other such good reviews... so it made me wonder which was one right lol? Cheers |
Amazon 28.05.2009 15:40 |
Mr Mercury wrote: This really just boils down to everyone's personal opinion to be honest. I would say that Jeff has the better technical ability and so on, but Brian wins on having better feeling and arrangements in his work. Does that help? I agree with this. I don't think that Brian is necessarily the most talented guitarist of all time; Beck is more talented and almost certainly more innovative but I think that Brian is more consistent, has better arrangements as Mr Mercury said and has better feeling. Certainly he thrills me more than Beck does; who in many ways I admire more than I love. I believe that Brian has cited Beck as a major influence so if it weren't for Beck, Brian might very well have been a different guitarist. Nonetheless, although I do love some of Beck's work, I much prefer to listen to Brian, who is one of my absolute favourite guitarists. [img=/images/smiley/msn/teeth_smile.gif][/img] |
Band Forever 28.05.2009 17:37 |
Like Freddie was Brian is a national icon (British) ah well international too, and Brian is very modest towards his contemporaries, but music history will show one day Brian May and his able assistant the red special as one of the all time greats, whereas Jeff Beck will be known as a talented guitarist. Don't be so modest Brian, even Slash has got the same hairdo! |
Band Forever 28.05.2009 17:44 |
Well fellow fans, Who played our National Anthem on the roof of Buckingham Palace at Her Majesty's Jubilee gig? Not Beck, Clapton, Iommi, Young et all but Queen's very own Brian May. over to the jury I rest my case. |
Dusta 28.05.2009 19:24 |
I've heard this said before. I am curious as to what is meant, in this case, by better, "technical ability."
Mr Mercury wrote: This really just boils down to everyone's personal opinion to be honest. I would say that Jeff has the better technical ability and so on, but Brian wins on having better feeling and arrangements in his work. Does that help? |
Mr Mercury 28.05.2009 19:54 |
Dusta wrote: I've heard this said before. I am curious as to what is meant, in this case, by better, "technical ability." Jeff tends to have better technical ability when it comes his use of the various scale patterns (such as major, minor, pentatonic, blues, harmonic minor and so on). He can mix them up when he wants to and even incorporate faster speed of playing than Brian can. And that is fine so long as it isnt just done for "showing off" purposes, again imo. Although he probably could do all that stuff, Brian tends to stick to creating solo's around a chordal structure most of the time, and again that is fine because it is what he feels. To me, he looks as though he has thought about what he wants to play before he has to play it and that where he wins hands down. A solo done with loads of feeling is always going to be better than one done with loads of technical ability. |
i-Fred 28.05.2009 19:56 |
Id say Brian is..... He has done quite alot with Queen... So many different styles, sounds. For all the styles of music queen produced, Brian was there making his mark... Not many, acutally there are none that have done that with the same flare and approach that Brian has with so many sounds over so many years.... Each to there own, what ever will be will be, same shit different smell, |
Dusta 28.05.2009 20:18 |
Do you think Brian is slower, and, not as proficient on use of scale patterns because he lacks the ability, or, because he simply favors a different style of playing? I truly am curious. I am abolutely NOT a musician, so, cannot make a Jeff Beck V Brian May argument with any sort of authority. Also, I enjoy Jeff Beck immensely. Truly top notch.
Also, I see Brian's arrangements and the rich, distinctive true melodies he achieves, along with his ability to embrace so many styles and musical structures as technical ability. I'd think it would take great skill on the guitar, as well as superb musicianship, in general, to achieve some of the haunting and complex sounds Brian has created with his guitar.
Mr Mercury wrote:Dusta wrote: I've heard this said before. I am curious as to what is meant, in this case, by better, "technical ability."Jeff tends to have better technical ability when it comes his use of the various scale patterns (such as major, minor, pentatonic, blues, harmonic minor and so on). He can mix them up when he wants to and even incorporate faster speed of playing than Brian can. And that is fine so long as it isnt just done for "showing off" purposes, again imo. Although he probably could do all that stuff, Brian tends to stick to creating solo's around a chordal structure most of the time, and again that is fine because it is what he feels. To me, he looks as though he has thought about what he wants to play before he has to play it and that where he wins hands down. A solo done with loads of feeling is always going to be better than one done with loads of technical ability. |
i-Fred 28.05.2009 20:50 |
Brian is the better Musician with out a doubt |
Amazon 28.05.2009 21:18 |
Dusta wrote: Do you think Brian is slower, and, not as proficient on use of scale patterns because he lacks the ability, or, because he simply favors a different style of playing? I truly am curious. I am abolutely NOT a musician, so, cannot make a Jeff Beck V Brian May argument with any sort of authority. Also, I enjoy Jeff Beck immensely. Truly top notch. Also, I see Brian's arrangements and the rich, distinctive true melodies he achieves, along with his ability to embrace so many styles and musical structures as technical ability. I'd think it would take great skill on the guitar, as well as superb musicianship, in general, to achieve some of the haunting and complex sounds Brian has created with his guitar.Mr Mercury wrote:Dusta wrote: I've heard this said before. I am curious as to what is meant, in this case, by better, "technical ability."Jeff tends to have better technical ability when it comes his use of the various scale patterns (such as major, minor, pentatonic, blues, harmonic minor and so on). He can mix them up when he wants to and even incorporate faster speed of playing than Brian can. And that is fine so long as it isnt just done for "showing off" purposes, again imo. Although he probably could do all that stuff, Brian tends to stick to creating solo's around a chordal structure most of the time, and again that is fine because it is what he feels. To me, he looks as though he has thought about what he wants to play before he has to play it and that where he wins hands down. A solo done with loads of feeling is always going to be better than one done with loads of technical ability. Dusta, I think you're absolutely right that Brian is an absolutely magnificent musician and the various arrangements he achieves and styles he investigates requires tremendous technical ability. However I think that Mr Mercury is correct about Beck being more technical gifted, but not because he's fast. Beck has always struck me as someone who's fascinated with what the guitar can do and throughout the decades he has investigated the mysteries of the guitar, so to speak, more than any other living guitarist. So, IMO, Beck's guitar playing is all about technical ability. I much prefer Brian, partly because I think he's a better composer (although Beck doesn't always compose) but also because I prefer to hear a solo drenched with feeling and consisting of an amazing melody, rather than one of Beck's solos which is often about just how much he can draw out of his guitar. He's flashy, incredibly fast, and is capable of some awesome stuff but he's not someone who services the song; the song services him. So, while I consider Brian to be one of the greatest musicians of all time, I think that purely in terms of technical ability as a guitarist, Beck is better, but Brian is a vastly superior musician overall. For one thing, Beck doesn't sing. Regardless though, I prefer Brian |
doxonrox 28.05.2009 21:59 |
Amazon wrote: Dusta, I think you're absolutely right that Brian is an absolutely magnificent musician and the various arrangements he achieves and styles he investigates requires tremendous technical ability. However I think that Mr Mercury is correct about Beck being more technical gifted, but not because he's fast. Beck has always struck me as someone who's fascinated with what the guitar can do and throughout the decades he has investigated the mysteries of the guitar, so to speak, more than any other living guitarist. So, IMO, Beck's guitar playing is all about technical ability. I much prefer Brian, partly because I think he's a better composer (although Beck doesn't always compose) but also because I prefer to hear a solo drenched with feeling and consisting of an amazing melody, rather than one of Beck's solos which is often about just how much he can draw out of his guitar. He's flashy, incredibly fast, and is capable of some awesome stuff but he's not someone who services the song; the song services him. So, while I consider Brian to be one of the greatest musicians of all time, I think that purely in terms of technical ability as a guitarist, Beck is better, but Brian is a vastly superior musician overall. For one thing, Beck doesn't sing. Regardless though, I prefer Brian Ehh, for the most part I can see your point. Brian has no peers when it comes to creating a solo that truly adds to the song. I think that is his true gift. BUT, listen to Beck on Rod Stewart's "People Get Ready" - he takes the song to a higher level. Yes, he rarely has the vehicle to do that with, but on that occasion he had a good song and he made it better with a soaring solo. So to say that "he's not someone that services the song" is a bit too general. I just don't think he had the songs to service. Also, I would point to his take on Stevie Wonder's "Cause We Ended as Lovers". He IS the song, and it is wonderful. Brian has done some good instrumentals, but most of them sound a hell of a lot like something JB had done before! Bijou is a good example - he even admitted that he lifted it off a a JB song (can't remember the name of it). I say that splitting hairs on these incredible musicians is a moot point. Enjoy them both - they are both once a rare, unique, and a true gift to music lovers. |
andreas_mercury 28.05.2009 23:53 |
David gilmour |
Amazon 29.05.2009 00:00 |
doxonrox wrote:Amazon wrote: Dusta, I think you're absolutely right that Brian is an absolutely magnificent musician and the various arrangements he achieves and styles he investigates requires tremendous technical ability. However I think that Mr Mercury is correct about Beck being more technical gifted, but not because he's fast. Beck has always struck me as someone who's fascinated with what the guitar can do and throughout the decades he has investigated the mysteries of the guitar, so to speak, more than any other living guitarist. So, IMO, Beck's guitar playing is all about technical ability. I much prefer Brian, partly because I think he's a better composer (although Beck doesn't always compose) but also because I prefer to hear a solo drenched with feeling and consisting of an amazing melody, rather than one of Beck's solos which is often about just how much he can draw out of his guitar. He's flashy, incredibly fast, and is capable of some awesome stuff but he's not someone who services the song; the song services him. So, while I consider Brian to be one of the greatest musicians of all time, I think that purely in terms of technical ability as a guitarist, Beck is better, but Brian is a vastly superior musician overall. For one thing, Beck doesn't sing. Regardless though, I prefer BrianEhh, for the most part I can see your point. Brian has no peers when it comes to creating a solo that truly adds to the song. I think that is his true gift. BUT, listen to Beck on Rod Stewart's "People Get Ready" - he takes the song to a higher level. Yes, he rarely has the vehicle to do that with, but on that occasion he had a good song and he made it better with a soaring solo. So to say that "he's not someone that services the song" is a bit too general. I just don't think he had the songs to service. Also, I would point to his take on Stevie Wonder's "Cause We Ended as Lovers". He IS the song, and it is wonderful. Brian has done some good instrumentals, but most of them sound a hell of a lot like something JB had done before! Bijou is a good example - he even admitted that he lifted it off a a JB song (can't remember the name of it). I say that splitting hairs on these incredible musicians is a moot point. Enjoy them both - they are both once a rare, unique, and a true gift to music lovers. I had forgotten about those songs. Yes, you're absolutely right, I did make a generization. True also that Beck hasn't always had the songs to service. But I think it's partly his fault, and partly his bad luck. You make do with what you've got, and I do think that Beck suffers due to his relative lack of strong material. You are right though that both are incredible musicians. However I prefer Brian. |
teleman 29.05.2009 15:59 |
Which do you prefer apples or oranges? They are different. I could happily spend hours listening to either Brian May or Jeff Beck but it was Jeff Beck who inspired me to play the guitar. Brian hasn't really done anything instrumental that compares IMO to Jeff Beck(listen to Nadia or Where Were You) but I can't imagine Jeff Beck playing with Freddie, John and Roger and coming up with anything close to what Queen recorded. I'm grateful we have both as we know them. |