How do you rate Prince as a Guitarist?

I saw him do a cover on a Foo Fighters song once. It was better than the original by far.

 

I counted at least 3 orgasms of him while playing that solo.

 

Frank... as in Frank Zappa...?

Zappa was boldly experimental, innovative and technically apt... a rare combination worth admiring...

Prince plays a conventional style... one, I might add, that was perfected well before he came onto the scene... Technically, his competence is merely amplified in a mainstream genre that's been increasingly soiled, muddled, and mired by complacent subjective attitudes that insists on 100 greatest-of-all-time lists where everyone's equally exceptional because people simply say they are...

 

yep...prince can shred.

 

Saw him at compaq center in 04 and he was one of the best live guitarists i have ever watched. Seriously he was insane. Had no idea...

 

That Bass player impressed me more than his guitar-work did. He does the same thing on all of his solos. He holds a screeching high note, then plays a secession of notes rapid-fire. It's crowd-pleasing sure, but not innovative at all.

Joe Bonamassa would school him.
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"Shred" is a guitar reference... similar to "flow" when rapping. Learned something new.

Not very knowledgeable about guitars, but Prince seemed great. He's probably a top 5 musician in history and could be argued as the greatest. He plays several instruments well.

 

I don't think Prince's guitar playing is innovative or unique but he is very very good and also a master showman. Prince's brilliance isn't in mastery of any individual instrument but that he is an all around musical genius.

 

I have never heard of Prince's music. Is he like the 80's version of Drake?

 

If you listen to it without the video it's not as cool(though still very good) but Prince puts on a show and that counts for something. Certainly when you look at some of the guys who are always talked about, there is some visual appeal to what they're doing and that's part of what gets people talking. It helps to look badass.

 

Never knew Prince played the guitar until that first video. I thought he just sang and danced. Wicked dance moves.

 

Prince is sort of like Drake, but with a lot less swag.

 

You can't separate Prince the guitarist from Prince the musician. He is just a musical genius that understands music at a different level than normal people.

 

You've heard Prince's music, just didn't know it.

Purple Rain, Little Red Corvette, Kiss

 

He's very good technically, but as someone already noted he's not really doing anything new. There are no signature Prince-styled runs or licks. You'd never hear a guy and say, "he's got a lot of Prince in him."

During his Super Bowl show a few years back someone on here (can't remember who) complained that anyone can play as well as Prince does if they'd use a ton of overdrive effects and .008 (very light gauge) strings, but I don't really buy that. He's a fantastic player, but one that doesn't move me much.

Same with Bonamossa. Flashy overwrought "emotion" that really isn't anything new, and leaves me cold. It's the unfortunate aftereffect of a generation or two growing up with Stevie Ray Vaughn (who I like, but he ruined things).

 

Haha... you're a music snob.