Pro bassist Philip Bynoe reflected on the modern state of guitar-oriented music and explained why he thinks lead parts aren’t as good as they could be.
Byone is probably best known for his work with legendary guitar virtuoso Steve Vai and has been a constant member of his band since 2012. And we’re all more than aware that playing with someone like Vai requires incredible skill and knowledge. But apart from that, he’s also worked with Slash, Charlie Farren, and Kevin Eubanks, just to name a few.
So we can safely say that Philip’s judgment on what makes a good guitar solo has solid foundations. During his recent chat with the Bass Player magazine, he weighed in on the current state of the guitar-playing scene and the prevalent focus on technical abilities.
“Everything is going faster and faster,” Philip replied when asked to share opinion on modern guitar solos. “The technical abilities of the younger musicians coming out now are breathtaking. I do sometimes miss hearing a simple melody played with feeling – just something you can’t stop humming. That’s when you’ve got something.”
Obviously, having technical skills isn’t a bad thing. In fact, it can only help you be a better musician. After all, Philip is a technically proficient bassist and he plays for Steve Vai, who’s, obviously, one of the famous “shredders.” However, they’re both still aware that technical proficiency has its role and that it’s actually in the service of the artistic expression.
“I think as time goes by and there’s more information about how to play, the players just get better,” he added. “If you compare what rock ‘n’ roll was in the ’70s to what it is now, you come to the same conclusion. In 20 years, this music might seem like old blues songs compared to where it could be by then.”
In many ways, Steve Vai had similar remarks about modern guitar virtuosos. Speaking to Ultimate Guitar as part of their On the Record podcast, Steve admitted that he’s inspired by the younger generation but that there are also a few things that could be better.
“There’s the critical guitar player in me that has guided me through my voice on the instrument,” he said. “That guy can be kind of critical because he’s listening for intonation, he’s listening for clarity, he’s listening for feel, timing… Those ears listen with the same ears that listen to Jeff Beck and Alan Holdsworth.”
“So that’s my critical side. So when I look into the world, and I see new guitar players, first, I just love seeing people love what they do. And second, I’m fascinated by the evolution of technique that’s been happening, and it’s pretty obvious.”
Steve also added:
“One of the things that seems to be evolving a little slower is the thing that I respond to the most these days at my age, or whatever, is the melodic and harmonic portion of the show. New players rarely venture into deep, rich, exotic, sort of unconditioned melodic and harmonic atmospheres. It’s usually the same old chord changes.”
“So that’s rare. A couple of guys are venturing out. One of them is Tosin. I really love what Tosin is doing. I like Daniele Gottardo, he’s an Italian guitar player, because his notes are unexpected. Technique-wise, Matteo Mancuso, the Italian kid, has a technique that creates a whole different kind of clarity.”
“Guthrie is probably one of the most technically advanced. He’s almost like a bottomless well of inspired playing. It’s fascinating. I watch him play sometimes, and it’s just magnificent how technically proficient he is and how he can reach into his creative zone and just pull out these incredible things.”
“So there are a lot of fascinating technical players. And with the internet, it allows them to have a platform to build their story very quickly. My only sort of… It’s not a complaint, but it’s more of an interest is, I would love to hear somebody come along and just take the whole melodic, harmonic dimension of music to a different level.”
Photo: Cyberuly (An electric guitarist)
