Jeff Beck V Brian

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

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.

David gilmour

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 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.

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.

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.