Greatest guitar solo of all time....

[The Tradition]

Okay, I always hated using the word "solo" to describe what I'm talking about.

Almost every classic rock song has a "guitar break" where the lead guitarist shows off his guitar chops in a musical way. It's not a "solo" (which means he's playing by himself) but that's what everyone calls it.

Anyway, pet peeves aside, what's your opinion on the greatest guitar break of all time?

Me personally?

I always thought the guitar work on Led Zep's Stairway to Heaven was both the most technically-brilliant and the most musically-perfect guitar breaks ever, and even today, professional musicians struggle to duplicate Jimmy Page's masterpiece.

You can see Jimmy thinking, "this guy isn't quite getting it right" in this video.... 4:50 mark.

 

[Hawki97]

Hard for me to narrow it down to one. But David Gilmour played it.

 

[jamesvanderwulf]

and/or


Disclaimer: I was told by sister Chrisologa in the 7th grade that " there are 88 notes on a piano and you can't hit any of them. Just mouth the words." I was Milli before there was a Vanilli...

 

[The Tradition]

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Nice pick.

 

[TJ8869]

If we’re including live performances then I submit this masterpiece by Jimi. The 3 1/2 minute guitar break starting at about the 2:30 mark is simply magnificent.

 

[Hawki97]

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I don’t know how to describe it, but this is one of the best “put together” songs ever to my ear. It’s perfectly and seamlessly put together even though the pieces are different, like an Incan wall of granite.

 

[Formerly Rockymtnole]

This is a fun concept:

 

[SeattleHawki]

Not a solo but Fender and Walsh playing tandem guitars to end Hotel Cal always amazes me. True solo? See Edward Van Halen.

 

[Formerly Rockymtnole]

I love the two guitars at the end of Boston’s Hitch a Ride.

 

[bhawk24bob]

It’s Stairway, Live Forever is a distant second

 

[Fan In Black]

I think about this all the time. I don't count Let There Be Rock or Orion because there are multiple solos in the songs. I used to say Wake Up Dead by Megadeth, but again multiple solos.

So I now choose Wasted Years by Iron Maiden.

 

[noleclone2]

I have always liked Prince’s solo at end of Purple Rain. He was an amazing guitar player.

 

[BrianNole777]

I agree with @The Tradition. This is #2.

 

[St. Louis Hawk]

Always like Frusciante’s work here:

 

[BNIBoiler]

To me, this discussion begins and ends with the guitar break in the song “Freebird” by Lynard Skynard. The Oakland Coliseum version.

 

[bagdropper]

Personal tastes differ of course. Some people like chops. Some like speed. Some like a mixture of those with enormous popularity of the song. My point is, nobody is really "wrong or right" with their opinions.

Me personally, I've always thought the ending solo of David Gilmour's "Comfortably Numb" fits in the context of a song better than anything else I've ever heard.

It's the most emotional piece of music I've ever heard. Just...gut wrenching emotion pouring out in a guitar solo. Absolute perfection. And what's amazing is through the years he added to it, polished it...and made it even better.

Just rips my heart out, every time I hear it.

 

[VodkaSam]

Always loved watching Eric Johnson perform “Cliffs of Dover” as it’s an absolutely incredibly skillful performance. Great song starts about 2:15, but stellar guitar performance both before and after the intro.

 

[THE_DEVIL]

 

[Scott559]

Personal tastes differ of course. Some people like chops. Some like speed. Some like a mixture of those with enormous popularity of the song. My point is, nobody is really "wrong or right" with their opinions.

Me personally, I've always thought the ending solo of David Gilmour's "Comfortably Numb" fits in the context of a song better than anything else I've ever heard.

It's the most emotional piece of music I've ever heard. Just...gut wrenching emotion pouring out in a guitar solo. Absolute perfection. And what's amazing is through the years he added to it, polished it...and made it even better.

Just rips my heart out, every time I hear it.

Nailed it!

 

[BrianNole777]

This is up there:

 

[BrianNole777]

Zeppelin..."Achilles Last Stand!"

 

[BrianNole777]

This solo sounds like lightning!

 

[Scott559]

 

[Next_In_Line]

Another Tiny Tim thread? Thanks for sharing this.

 

[the24fan]

 

[DFSNOLE]

Hard for me to narrow it down to one. But David Gilmour played it.

From my YouTube thread which I'm sure inspired Trad to start this one.

 

[Aardvark86]

Always a fan of this little break…seventh time’s a charm.

 

[Aardvark86]

And while not a break, I’ll take this as my favorite…

 

[h-hawk]

Eric - right channel opens up, Duane left channel joins on slide, Eric comes roaring back to join him.

 

[pablow]

Perfection from start to finish -

 

[hawkirugged17]

Joe Satriani ... all of his stuff.

One of his best ... with many different styles in one song.

 

[hawkirugged17]

The long version ... always, the long version. Fogerty masterpiece

 

[BrianNole777]

Personal tastes differ of course. Some people like chops. Some like speed. Some like a mixture of those with enormous popularity of the song. My point is, nobody is really "wrong or right" with their opinions.

Me personally, I've always thought the ending solo of David Gilmour's "Comfortably Numb" fits in the context of a song better than anything else I've ever heard.

It's the most emotional piece of music I've ever heard. Just...gut wrenching emotion pouring out in a guitar solo. Absolute perfection. And what's amazing is through the years he added to it, polished it...and made it even better.

Just rips my heart out, every time I hear it.

I think "Time" by Pink Floyd is also amazing.

 

[hawkirugged17]

This guy is good

 

[hawkirugged17]

Billy!

 

[seminoleed]

It's pretty brief, and half of it is just power chords, but damn, I love this song and the guitar work. For me, it's the epitome of what rock and roll can be.

 

[seminoleed]

And here, the solo is the beginning of the song, and a double solo to boot, which leads into the crashing intro. I get goose bumps when I hear this cranked up. Nothin' fancy, just power and melody rolled into one.

 

[gojojo]

Prince- WMGGW

 

[jawatkins]

My brother is pressuring me into giving one of my guitars to his nephew. The kid is alright but I’m not sure I want to give him my 78 hamer. It needs some work but it plays so nice.

 

[jellyfish10]

Ocean-Live at Res Rocks by John Butler trio. Cliche to pick that song but it’s unreal.