Whether you’re looking to buy a new guitar or just want to learn a little more about the greatest guitarists of all time, you can find the information you need right here. The article focuses on Paul McCartney, Eddie Van Halen, Steve Vai, Big Jim Sullivan, and Mark Knopfler.Greatest Guitarists
Eddie Van Halen
Whether you know him by his stage name, Eddie Van Halen, or by his former band, Van Halen, the guitar player was a legendary musician who had a great impact on the guitar world. He was an early musical standout, and has become a role model for countless guitarists and music fans around the world. In fact, he was named the “World’s Greatest Guitarist” by Guitar World magazine.Greatest Guitarists
The guitar player was born in Nijmegen, Netherlands, but moved to California in the early 1960s. He studied classical piano, but switched to drums and guitar as a teenager. He became close friends with fellow musician Tony Iommi. After playing in his first band, Rat Salad, he formed Van Halen in 1972.
Eddie Van Halen is credited with introducing the “tapping guitar solo” technique, which involves playing notes with the fingers instead of with two hands. He also interspersed straight blues licks with tapped slides. He also used a delay pedal to produce a spacey sound.
Eddie Van Halen is known for his ability to produce a “ringing harmonic tone” on his guitar. He also had a unique sense of timing, and was able to play a “crazy barrage” of notes at the right time.
Nile Rodgers
Whether you are a fan of Nile Rodgers’ guitar style or not, he’s a multiple Grammy winner, a multiple Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, and one of the most influential artists of our time. He has helped shape hundreds of hit albums, and his work has sold over 500 million records worldwide.
One of his greatest contributions was to pioneer the uptempo funk grooves that became so popular in the 1970s. He also helped shape some of the biggest hits of the 1980s. His Fender Stratocaster is still heard on tracks such as David Bowie’s “Let’s Dance,” Duran Duran’s “Love Sublime,” and The Beatles’ “A Day In The Life.”
One of Nile’s biggest hits was “Everybody Dance,” which featured a cover version by Duran Duran. He also helped shape the classic Like A Virgin album, which spawned many of Madonna’s signature hits. He also played behind the likes of Screamin’ Jay Hawkins, Steve Perry, Ben E. King, and Parliament-Funkadelic.
Nile Rodgers co-founded Chic with Bernard Edwards, and the pair were one of the most successful groups of the disco era. They worked with a host of artists, including Madonna, David Bowie, Mick Jagger, and Sheena Easton.
Big Jim Sullivan
Known as Big Jim Sullivan, this English musician is a legendary session guitarist. His guitar is heard on dozens of hit records and albums. His guitar can also be heard on a number of recordings by Frank Zappa.
In the 1960s, Big Jim Sullivan was one of the most in demand session guitarists in Britain. He played on several recording sessions a day, seven days a week. He could play a rock ‘n’ roll song in the morning and play a jazz track in the afternoon.Greatest Guitarists
Jim Sullivan’s guitar was also heard on albums by George Harrison, Bobby Darin and Marty Wilde. Sullivan also contributed to more #1 hits than Elvis Presley and The Beatles.
Sullivan’s guitar is also heard on a number of albums by George Harrison, including “Wonderwall”. It is also heard on “Shout” by Lulu in 1964, and “Rhythm & Blues at the Flamingo” by Georgie Fame and the Blue Flames in 1964.
Big Jim Sullivan also contributed guitar parts to hundreds of singles. He was known for his fiery fuzz-filled solos. He also contributed orchestral arrangements to the Who’s rock opera Tommy.
Sullivan is also known for his use of the wah-wah pedal. His use of the pedal dates back to 1959. Sullivan is also known for his work with the Rickenbacker guitar. He used a variety of Rickenbackers during the 1960s. He also played on several albums by the Rolling Stones.Greatest Guitarists
Paul McCartney
Whether you are a Beatles fan or not, Paul McCartney is one of the best guitar players in history. His career stretches back to the days of the Quarrymen, the early skiffle group that evolved into the Beatles.
At the time, the Beatles were working class Liverpudlians. They grew up listening to Frank Sinatra and Billy Cotton on the BBC, and later on Radio Luxembourg. The Beatles also listened to Fat Domino and Chuck Berry. Eventually, they learned to play scores of covers.
After the Beatles broke up, Paul McCartney worked as a solo artist. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice. His songs have been recorded by Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, and many other artists. In 1997, he was knighted for services to music. It has sold more than 25 million RIAA-certified units in the US, making him one of the biggest selling musicians of all time.
Paul McCartney has toured as a solo artist since 1989. It has recorded and released seven platinum-selling LPs with Wings. He has written or co-written many of the band’s number one hits. Also he has worked as a session musician for other artists.
Mark Knopfler
Having a fingerstyle playing technique and a classic guitar tone has earned Mark Knopfler global acclaim. In fact, his guitar skills have been featured on countless recordings. He’s never made a bad record.
Mark Knopfler has played an endless variety of guitars in his career. He started out as a pro guitarist in the early 1970s. In his early band Cafe Racers, he played a second-hand PS80 double-cutaway Les Paul Special. This guitar became his signature instrument.
Later, he started playing Schecter-made Fender-alikes, available in Strat and Tele formats. These were a cheaper alternative to a custom guitar, and Knopfler played one of these in the early Dire Straits days.
He also owns a collection of vintage guitars, including a 1920s tricone National guitar and a sunburst Schecter ‘Strat’. He also has a large collection of vintage amps. For his stage performances, Knopfler uses Kemper Profilers. Among his more popular amps are a Mesa/Boogie MkIIB and a Schecter ‘Strat’.
In 2004, he donated his guitar to Eric Clapton’s Crossroads guitar auction. He also has a second-hand 1961/62 Fender Stratocaster that he bought around 1977. It has a vintage tinted ’62 maple neck and rosewood fingerboard.
Mark Knopfler has produced numerous solo albums. His latest is Down The Road Wherever. The album contains unsentimental portraits of his life as a gigging guitarist.
David Gilmour
Known for his soaring sound and sonic wonder, David Gilmour has been ranked as one of the greatest guitarists of all time. Besides his guitar solos, Gilmour is also known for his other talents as lead singer and producer of Pink Floyd. He is one of the most influential musicians in the world and has been in the limelight for a long time.
As the lead guitarist for Pink Floyd, Gilmour has played on some of the band’s most iconic albums. These include “The Dark Side of the Moon” and “The Division Bell,” the latter of which was released in 1994. The former of which was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996.
Gilmour’s solos have been voted into the top 100 guitar solos of all time by Guitar World readers. The guitarist’s most impressive feat is his ability to combine several techniques in the best possible way. He has a clean and bright lead guitar tone that is complimented by his mastery of bending string notes.
David Gilmour is also known for his riffs. His most famous riff is the “Flying” riff from “Shine On You Crazy Diamond.” His signature style is an edgy, bluesy, and lyrical soloing style that is best exemplified by the lead track on “Comfortably Numb.”
David Gilmour is also known for the ‘best Fender guitar player ever’ award he received from Guitarist magazine. He has also played on records with Jeff Beck, Paul Rogers, Tom Jones, and Paul McCartney.
Steve Vai
During his career, Steve Vai has sold more than fifteen million records. He is a three-time Grammy award winner, and has received fifteen nominations for various awards. His work has been featured in movies and television. He has received an honorary doctorate from the Berklee College of Music. His music has been heard on blockbuster films such as “Skyscraper,” “Vice City,” and “Ghostbusters.”
Steve Vai is a versatile guitarist. It has played with Frank Zappa, David Lee Roth, Alcatrazz, and Ozzy Osbourne. He is also a prolific composer, having released a number of bestselling video games, soundtracks, and music for corporate brand initiatives. Also he is known for his creative live performances with orchestras throughout the world.
Steve Vai has toured the world for nearly three years, with 253 shows in 52 countries. His tour was in support of his critically acclaimed The Story of Light album.
During the tour, Steve Vai took the time to teach key guitar technique points. Also he gave insights into his musical career and the guitar. He discussed the importance of practice and self-discipline. The explains how virtuosity and versatility are not mutually exclusive.
Steve Vai is now gearing up for a 250-date world tour. This tour will include a break to record orchestral music in Europe.