Do all guitarist cheat except for Al Dimeola?

[Jacksons Shred]

I love Jason, but Al is the man, i don't think Jason could touch him in overall musicianship and flat out tone or melody, and Jason was a bit sloppy not on record, however we may never know the true extent of Jasons capabilities, but don't give up hope

I'm going to have to disagree, but I'm probably one of the most arrogant Jason Becker fanboys out there. Also take into consideration Becker was between 17-19 when he did that video, and most of his albums were between that age too. He never got to reach his full potential (sadly), and I think if he had, he would still run laps around Di Meola.. Even his new stuff is just orgasmic.

But I do love Al and his playing, Casino is a great album.

[horns666]

Dude, Al Dimeola could Slap Eddie Van Halen with his pud send him flying into Chuck Norris, splitting his skull, and creating a BlackHole sucking exsistence as we know it into the Superunknown, where there we would find Chris Cornel still alive! but going hungry.

..Very nice!!!

But Ed never did it with his pud. It is something I've been doin' for 20+ years now. I did it a couple times live and the people love it. Except the time I entered Guitarmageddon. Everything was going great..I had 1st place in the bag (pun). I was in a zone and it happened! The Dark Marsupial was unleashed and in fine form..fully engorged. All hell broke loose. The cops came..kids crying..people giving me the finger..they pulled the plug. ..disqualified!

[Endrik]

I'm going to have to disagree, but I'm probably one of the most arrogant Jason Becker fanboys out there. Also take into consideration Becker was between 17-19 when he did that video, and most of his albums were between that age too. He never got to reach his full potential (sadly), and I think if he had, he would still run laps around Di Meola.. Even his new stuff is just orgasmic.

But I do love Al and his playing, Casino is a great album.

Al could play circles around Jason even playing with his eyelashes... Al changed the way jazz is played in the whole world when he was 20. He and Allan Holdsworth have by far the most pure technical control over electric guitar than anyone else I've ever seen/heard. All this fast playing wich Yngwie, Gilbert, Becker did in the 80's was already done by Al in the 70's but Al did it with more melody and rhythm..... oh yes the rhythm, no one else comes close to his percussive rudimental-like playing and against the beat leads.

[thetroy]

Al is a "better" player than Jason, but I would rather listen to Altitiudes or Speed Metal Symphony than anything Al has done.

[Endrik]

anything by Al is a pretty big amount of music... over 20 solo albums covering dozens of different music genres and even more collabration albums + his songwriting for Pavarotti, Borcelli etc.

[Newc]

You know:

Hammer ons
Pull offs
Economy picking
Sweep picking
Position shifting by sliding from fret to fret
gliss
tremelo picking
tapping

I think that's most of the devious short cuts, but anyone feel free to name more!

#1: Please explain how each of those is considered "cheating"
#2: Please elaborate on how you came to the conclusion that these are "cheats".

Then we'll talk.

[J_A / 540s]

#1: Please explain how each of those is considered "cheating"
#2: Please elaborate on how you came to the conclusion that these are "cheats".

Then we'll talk.

I'm equally interested in what techniques are not considered cheating & why

[petedz]

Cheating:
-fake shredding with a delay pedal
-pushing play on the sequencer/arpeggiator/tape deck/cd player

Everything else:
-not cheating

Al is awesome.

[jim777]

You know:

Hammer ons
Pull offs
Economy picking
Sweep picking
Position shifting by sliding from fret to fret
gliss
tremelo picking
tapping

I think that's most of the devious short cuts, but anyone feel free to name more!

Al uses medium guage strings and pretty high action as well, for "added tone" or something

But Al is a God, no question!

[Partial @ Marshall]

You know:

Hammer ons
Pull offs
Economy picking
Sweep picking
Position shifting by sliding from fret to fret
gliss
tremelo picking
tapping

I think that's most of the devious short cuts, but anyone feel free to name more!

Well then...YES... I am one cheating MFer. Al who?

[thetroy]

anything by Al is a pretty big amount of music... over 20 solo albums covering dozens of different music genres and even more collabration albums + his songwriting for Pavarotti, Borcelli etc.

I know.

We like different things. That's fine.

[airjamie]

Uh....id always understand that cheating was done because it was easy. Most of the "cheats" listed arent exactly things anyone who picks up at guitar can pull off....

[tanpsi]

#1: Please explain how each of those is considered "cheating"
#2: Please elaborate on how you came to the conclusion that these are "cheats".

Then we'll talk.

#1: Please explain how each of those is considered "cheating"
#2: Please elaborate on how you came to the conclusion that these are "cheats".

Then we'll talk.

Well, first I have to confess that I not only do those cheats, I work on practicing most of those cheats!

So I guess I kind of phrased it that way for shock or humor.

But, the grain of truth in the humor is that all those techniques kind of move you away from the control and evenness of strict alternate picking. And move you away from playing what's "in your head". to playing things that come easier due to the physical qualities of a guitar and a hand.

For example with 3 note per string scales, hammering on going up, or pulling off going down, tends to have a triplet feel, at least for me. I'm actually practicing on smoothing that out, because I think I've reached my limit for strict alternate picking, and it's not fast enough for what I want to play, but I don't always want to play with a triplet feel.

[Trem]

I didn't even know about alternate picking for a couple of years, and i couldn't figure out why i couldn't play Yngwie right
I spent so much time trying to do it after that , that i kinda lost out on just making music, and letting technique ride bitch. I always wanted to just rip non stop lines, but for whatever reason, probably my first few infant years on guitar, legato was more engrained in me, because i never tried alternate, like all the shredders i admired, but i couldn't do it well after 10 years of playing still, i got burnt on playing cause it would frusterate me so much, it affected my happiness in life, and i quit.
Now comming back to it after a decade, i have a different outlook.
I still practice my picking now, but, instead of trying to shred for 16 bars,
i try to say something. I still suck, but i don't care as much, because it's more of a personal thing, i'm not out to impress the world anymore,...there's already some 6 year old kid on youtube somewhere that blows me away
The guitar player now that influences me the most is Frank Zappa, he played completely from inspiration, and didn't care if it was nesecarilly Great, but tried to create in that very moment.
Most people will disagree, but Zappa made the guitar talk better than anyone, and had the best tone ever, and as far as i can tell zero technique.
And Al Dimeola can be counted as another genious that worked with Frank

Al Di Meola performed with FZ at a concert at the Ritz in New York, 11/17/81. Frank wanted to release this performance officially, but Al refused because he didn't think his solo was good enough. Oddly enough, Guitar Player Magazine conducted a poll to create a list of memorable concerts and this particular show at the ritz was named "best concert ever by anyone".
Played on Clowns On Velvet and Ride Like The Wind.

[Newc]

Well, first I have to confess that I not only do those cheats, I work on practicing most of those cheats!

So I guess I kind of phrased it that way for shock or humor.

But, the grain of truth in the humor is that all those techniques kind of move you away from the control and evenness of strict alternate picking. And move you away from playing what's "in your head". to playing things that come easier due to the physical qualities of a guitar and a hand.

For example with 3 note per string scales, hammering on going up, or pulling off going down, tends to have a triplet feel, at least for me. I'm actually practicing on smoothing that out, because I think I've reached my limit for strict alternate picking, and it's not fast enough for what I want to play, but I don't always want to play with a triplet feel.

If your Hammer-Ons and Pull-Offs are sounding like Triplets, that's got nothing to do with Alternate Picking vs Hammer/Pull. That's your own phrasing technique. You can get an even flow with either method.

As for "moving you away from playing what's in your head", that's entirely subjective, and again, tied to your own personal phrasing.

There's nothing wrong with an analytical approach to playng, but none of those are cheats, or "bad technique", or any other negative term.