Best Technical Guitarists
Yeah now we all know there is a Greatest Guitarists Ever List, but a lot of them are not very technical compared to some other guys. Vote for the best technical guitar player. Who's technique is awesome?The Top Ten
John Peter Petrucci is an American guitarist, composer and producer. He is best known as a founding member of the progressive metal band Dream Theater. Compared to his level of skill, John Petrucci is relatively unknown in the modern music industry. Other than John Petrucci and Steve Vai, this is a horrible list. No way that the guitarist for 30 seconds to mars should even be here, or the guy from muse. Van Halen was good BACK THEN. I could name 10 dudes who blow these guys out of the water easy. Kirk should not be above Dime, and I don't think herman deserves to be here because he basically only plays the same major scale and taps a lot.
This is just a bad list.
I've never heard of tomo milicevic, so I won't say anything about him, but petrucci not only plays fast, he uses the right techniques at the right time. His well placed arpeggios and screaming pinch harmonics add that extra bit to his songs. He also does all this while changing time signatures every couple bars
Who the hell is Tomo Milicevic compared to him? He is just very popular and no matter what the question is his fans vote for him. That is just wrong, only because he has lots of fans doesn't mean he is the best guitarist. Try looking at John Petrucci's solo's and Tomo's solos and just admit it
This guy should be on the top. As far as technicality and discipline he is the best. He shows his mastery in music theory and the tone of his guitar is just awesome in every song he plays. And again... Who the heck is Tomo Milicevic?
Brian Patrick Carroll, known professionally as Buckethead, is an American guitarist and multi-instrumentalist who has worked within many genres of music. .no doubt the GOAT Must not have a pretty face, seems to like chicken...But DAMN can he play the CLUCK out of a guitar
obvious choice is obvious. Matt Bellamy's good too. Who's Tomo Millicevic with 47. 3 votes? Oh and Tom Morello should be in the top 5. TECHNICAL GUITARIST! - AymanKabir
People who would put Matt Bellemy up there obviously have no knowledge of the guitar what so ever.
How are Tomo and Matt more technically proficient than this ultra prolific (13 albums in a single year) man?
Ron Jarzombek is an American metal guitarist hailed as one of the most influential progressive metal guitarists and has been called "the Godfather of Technical Metal". He's best known for his work with WatchTower, Spastic Ink, and Blotted Science, featuring Alex Webster of Cannibal Corpse. His older ...read more. This dude must be the most incredibly, unbelievably, inhumanly technical guitarist ever. He synchronises his guitar with scenes from movies and cartoons (see 'A Wild Hare by Spastic Ink- synchronised to Bambi, or 'Cereal Mouse' by the same band) He writes loads of stuff in 12 tone, which is one of the most difficult ways of writing, and he does this thing where he assigns notes to letters of the alphabet and spells out words, like his name for example. The songs still sound amazing after all this!
He is the most unbelievably awesome guitarist ever. He has written an album with 45 songs, which can be played from any song and still sound great, and sounds like one 45 minute song if played from the start. He has written an album of songs synchronised to scenes from movies. And, he writes everything in twelve tone, a really complicated system of playing instruments. Listen to 'Cretaceous Chasm' by Blotted Science and you will know what I mean...
My favorite. He does things that you only imagine doing. All of his music is creative and gets the brain-juices flowing. He destroys everyone on this list. He can tap on every genre and not have it sound silly or lame. I liken his music to the classical greats that many don't know or have forgotten. He is at the top of my favorite guitar players. From elderly to young, when you play people the music that he has done everyone enjoys it. I can't think of a more accomplished player when it comes to writing, playing and creativity. My favorite stuff he's done is his Blotted Science stuff. When is the new album coming out?
This guy is so talented I swear he isn't even human...
Tomislav "Tomo" Miličević is an American musician and record producer. He was the lead guitarist of the rock band Thirty Seconds to Mars from 2003 to 2018. Everyone who voted for this guy has clearly never sean a 30 seconds to mars tab compared to a megadeth tab or maybe they've never even heard a technically proficient guitarist because this is just beyond wrong
I am not saying he isn't technical or bad. But seriously on top 2! - zxm
Technical...really
Steven Siro "Steve" Vai is an American guitarist, composer, singer, songwriter, and producer, born and raised on Long Island, New York. People often pick guitarist from their favorites bands and while they might be a good guitarist, technically they often are not even close to Steve Vai and I am certainly not a Vai fan. I have my own favorites but this is about being technical wether you the music like it or not. Steve Vai is in control of his instrument but what he actually does might not always be clear to everybody, his amazing skills go by unnoticed.
Steve Vai is unreal I mean he shouldn't only be top of this list he should be at the top of best guitarists of all time as well I mean he quite obviously has shoul because he looks like a dork whilst playing guitar so therefore he has soul and his tremolo bar work is unreal and so is his speed I just tried to play the intro of speeding (one of his songs that he recorded but choose not to release that early on forgot what that type of song is called) and I literally found it impossible clearly someone with no musical talent and listens to chart music has been voting on this list
Technique is about control of one's instrument; this is about playing precisely as well as quickly. And in songs like 'Tender Surrender' and 'Call it Sleep' Vai's ability to control every tiny noise of his instrument is mind-blowing. And this is still technique, rather than musicianship or artistry or whatever.
Saw Steve Vai, Joe Satriani & John Petrucci live in a G3 concert. Steve Vai could play whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted with ease.
John Petrucci was very good but was obviously putting a lot of effort into things. Joe Satriani was a step up from Petrucci - just a pity that the guys he had in his band were just like background noise.
Joseph Satriani (born July 15, 1956) is an American instrumental rock guitarist and multi-instrumentalist. Early in his career, Satriani worked as a guitar instructor, with many of his former students achieving fame, such as Steve Vai, Larry LaLonde, Rick Hunolt, Kirk Hammett, Andy Timmons, Charlie ...read more. This is a music theory encyclopedia...He's forgotten more chords and scales than the rest of this list put together - that said... I don't think his feel can match several of these guys but the list is for TECHNICAL players
Joes range of Skills is endless, The guy can play "AnyThing"! ( Sounds like a hands down winner to me! )
How can Satriani not be in the top ten? another crappy list - vinzomo
most technical for me. He does so many different techniques in just one song - sharm7064
Charles Michael "Chuck" Schuldiner (1967-2001) was an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist, best known as the founder and vocalist, guitarist and bassist of the American heavy metal band Death. He is considered the most influential figure in Death Metal, with some publications referring to Chuck ...read more. God took him away from us because he knew he couldn't let him become more physically powerful otherwise God would lose in a guitar contest. Good chance God lost. Because we all know, Death is inevitable. R.I.P Chuck
From brutal riffs, to the sheer speed of his solos. This guy has it all. He is the godfather of death metal for a reason.
He is the God of Technicality along with Trey, deserves to be #1. - GREYBOYY
metal god
Muhammed Suiçmez was born in Karlsruhe, Germany, to Turkish immigrants. He is the frontman and guitarist of the German technical death metal band Necrophagist. My gosh! This guy is THE most technical guitarist that ever stepped earth! He made one album by himself and played guitar on Necrophagist 's Epitaph... Like a boss. People should appreciate the master skills of Mr. Muhammad Suicmez.
Come on guys he's like the KING of guitar techniques. Just listen to one of his solos and you will understand.
He...is...not... human...like...not!
Damn.
Lars Mikael Åkerfeldt is a Swedish musician, prominently known as the lead vocalist, guitarist, and primary songwriter of progressive death metal band Opeth, as well as being the former vocalist of death metal supergroup Bloodbath for three albums up until 2012. ...read more. This guy is amazing.
Jeff Loomis is an American musician, best known for his role as lead guitarist in the progressive metal band Nevermore and death metal band Arch Enemy. He came after the greatests yngwie malmsteen, jason becker and marty friedman to develop their style and music, very fast and einstein of metal music
The Contenders
One of the fastest guitarists in the world.
He is the best
Trey >>> Chucki Schuldiner!
Michael Angelo Batio also known as Mike Batio or MAB, is an American heavy metal guitarist and columnist from Chicago, Illinois. Michael Angelo is the best when it comes to being flawless and technical, he is also faster than anyone out there. Number 1 shredder for sure... He also can do this right handed or lefty. Super underrated considering he's is better than anyone on the list.
Michael Angelo Batio can smoke Petrucci and Buckethead no problem. And which other guitarist can play two guitars at once without even picking it, and invented the under over technique and can play a guitar upside down. No guitarist in the world can really reach Michael's level of technical proficiency and speed. He is the only guitarist that was able to smoke his teachers at age 12 after two years of playing. Not to mention he has advanced knowledge of music theory and is one of the most versatile players ever.
Technically he's already been voted the fastest guitarist.
How isn't MAB the first? this guy plays 2 guitars at once and I have never seen somebody more technical than him
Yngwie Johan Malmsteen is a Swedish guitarist, songwriter and bandleader who was born on June 30th, 1963, in Stockholm, Sweden. He was known for his neoclassical metal playing style back in the 1980s. Ygnwie Malmsteen is easily as technical as the majority of the people on this list and is only really NEAR equaled by the likes Of John petrucci, Ron Jarzombek, Joe satriani, Chris boderick (although chris is much lower on this list) and Fredrik Thordendal (depending on which song. )
The only guitarist on this list who actually plays more complex pieces of music (and only for brief moments.. usually less than 1 minute at A time. ) is MUHAMMAD SUICMEZ.
How Ygnwie Malmsteen is behind SYNYSTER GATES is completely beyond me.
I'm not saying he should top the list either... nor is he my favourite guitarst (that would be someone like Christian Meunzer, Jari maenpaa or something along these lines. ) but he most certainly deserves to be above at least 99% of the players on this list.
I'm also shocked that kirk and dimebag even got A mention on this list, sure you could argue they make great music but neither of them play anything as complex as your average MODERN ...more - technicalbrutaldeath
Inspired and entire generation of shredders and neoclassical music in general
Extremely technical player, should be FAR higher
YNGWIE!
Ihsahn is a Norwegian composer, multi-instrumentalist, and vocalist. He is best known for his work with Norwegian black metal band Emperor.
Jason Eli Becker (born July 22, 1969) is an American neoclassical metal guitarist and composer. At the age of 16, he became part of the Shrapnel Records-produced duo Cacophony with his friend Marty Friedman. They released the albums Speed Metal Symphony in 1987 and Go Off! in 1988. Cacophony broke up ...read more. Best and most technical guitarist ever
Well off the radar, up there with the best. Listen to his solo album and Cacophany with Friedman. If ALS hadn't taken his hands, he would be the best ever.
Karl Sanders is an American musician, most widely known as the founding member of the American ancient Egyptian-themed technical death metal band Nile. I really appreciate Karl's guitar playing and the music he makes. His note choices, phrasing, tone and touch are unique and heartfelt. Those string bends and vibrato are like no one else's.
How Karl plays some of the things he plays I don't know. I have to pick tremolo just to reach his normal picking speed. If Yngwie was death metal and more song oriented.
Oluwatosin Ayoyinka Olumide "Tosin" Abasi (born January 7, 1983), is a Nigerian American musician, best known as the founder and lead guitarist of the instrumental progressive metal band Animals as Leaders. Before founding Animals as Leaders, he was the guitarist for the technical metalcore band Reflux. ...read more. If we are talking pure technicality, this guy has to be Number 1. He can sweep pick like a god, tap like a god, play the most intricate Rhythms, overall even more technical than Petrucci. - MattAffterburner
He's insane. John Petrucci is very impressive too, but this guy is CRAZY. - JoLeKosovo
The only reason this guy isn't number one is that he isn't particularly well know. Google 'Animals As Leaders' and listen to a song or two. He is one of the most, insanely, ridiculously technical guitarists ever, along with Jeff Loomis and Ron Jarzombek.
Just watch him. Please. Do yourself a favor. Doesn't get any better than Tosin.
Edward Lodewijk "Eddie" Van Halen is a Dutch-American musician, songwriter and producer. He is best known as the lead guitarist, occasional keyboardist and co-founder of the hard rock band Van Halen. All right, whomever thinks that Eddie isn't the most technically proficient guitarist ever is an Ass. Rolling stone even ranked him no.2 after Hendrix saying and I quote "Eddie is the most technically proficient Guitarist that ever lived, but hendrix had much, much more soul!. "
His technical innovations are unrivaled;
He revolutionized tapping, used a power drill at the beginning of the song "Poundcake", and used the tuning dials on the guitar not only to adjust but used them in the Instrumental "Cathedral" to sound like a synthesizer. He also had his guitars made of chainsaw parts, and other weird shit not normally used giving him that unique sound that no matter if you can pick like him, or play as fat as him. You will never duplicate his playing. EVER!.
Eddie Van Halen is the best technical guitarist of all time. He can do things that only a few others can do. Steve Vai is right up there with him, but Eddie gets the crown by a nose.
Pretty overrated, but great guitarist, however I don’t think he was the first guitarist who used the tapping technique. - Userguy44
Greatest guitarist of all time. Most influential.
Fredrik Thordendal (born February 11, 1970) is a Swedish musician, best known as the lead guitarist and backing vocalist for the Swedish extreme metal band Meshuggah. He's considered the originator of the djent technique. Thordendal was rated No. 35 by Guitar World in the top 100 greatest heavy metal ...read more. This man needed to be in the list! He deserves to be in the top ten lists! Listen to Vanished, Sane, and Soul Burn. The main reason to listen to the great technicality of Meshuggah.
Should be much higher than #22. How is Kirk Hammett higher than him? - Metal_Treasure
Hey, this guy invented djent! Should be much higher than this. - Metal_Treasure
Morello/Hammet/Bellemy certainly do not belong in this list and in my humble opinion Paul Gilbert beats them without touching his guitar.
LOL, he technical? Compared to whom? - Metal_Treasure
Quite overrated. But he is actually very technical. He has awesome skills on effects, pedals, tremolo picking, tapping, hammer ons- pull offs etc. - zxm
Herman Li is a Hong Kong-born, British Chinese musician, record producer, and lead guitarist for the British Power-Metal band Dragonforce.
Paul Brandon Gilbert is an American hard rock/heavy metal guitarist. He is best known for being the co-founder of the band Mr. Big. He was also a member of Racer X, with whom he released several albums. His alternate picking is near unmatched. Plus his string skipping arpeggios are scary. This dude is the real deal.
I admit I can't believe that Paul wasn't part of the best list until now. He's amongst the best out there, both in technique and song-writing
Paul is the most technical guitarist in the world. No one can beat him he's a guitar God.
Paul should definitely be in the top 5
Alexi "Wildchild" Laiho is a Finnish guitarist, composer, and vocalist. He is best known as the lead guitarist, lead vocalist and founding member of the melodic death metal band Children of Bodom, and is also the guitarist for Sinergy, The Local Band and Kylähullut. Compare Laiho to other fast playing guitarist. Hear how cleanly Laiho plays those complex rifs.
Guthrie Govan is an English virtuoso guitarist and guitar teacher, known for his work with the bands The Aristocrats, Asia, GPS, The Young Punx and The Fellowship, as well as his solo project Erotic Cakes. Guthrie Govan at 28... he is quite literally the most technically proficient guitarist on Earth right now. Tosin Abasi has even said 'he is the most complete guitarist on the planet'. He rejected an album recording offer from Steve Vai. Surely that should be enough to at least put him in the top ten.
Guthrie at 18 and '30 seconds from Mars' guitarist at number 1. This is quite possibly the most hilarious list I have EVER seen. Anyone who honestly believes this list needs a serious psychological intervention.
Why is he so low... My guitar teacher has been playing guitar for over 20 years and struggled to ear transcribe the first minute of waves let alone play it... And that's the easy bit
Well...Guthrie should not be included in this list. Firstly he is a guitarist's guitarist. He has reached a robotic level not comparable to humans. He is easily the 'scariest' guitarist alive! He has mastered every possible style and surpassed it. He is on a league on his own.
Darrell Lance Abbott, also known as Diamond Darrell and Dimebag Darrell, was an American guitarist and songwriter best known as a founding member of two bands, Pantera and Damageplan, alongside his brother, Vinnie Paul. Abbott died in 2004 after he was shot by a mentally unstable fan. I agree... The ability that he had to use harmonics make a guitar squeal was amazing.
Just cover some of his song and you will understand!
Why isn’t he in the top 10? - Userguy44
Thomas Morello is an American musician, singer-songwriter and political activist. He is best known for his tenure with the band Rage Against the Machine and then with Audioslave. Not technically a virtuoso, but his lack of playing scales at extremely fast speeds is replaced by using his instrument in a way no other guitarist has. He used every noise producing facet of his instrument in a ways that weren't just unique but fit in perfectly with his compositions. His riffs are also unsurpassed by anyone except perhaps Nuno Bettercourt. Listened to Tomo Milicevic and Matt Bellemy who are in the top three. They shouldn't even be listed in the top million. I know guys who sit in their bedroom with higher guitar virtuosity and talent than those two players. The rest on the list can be subjectively argued as amazing guitarists. Kirk Hammetts solos were pretty hacky though. Amazing riffage though. This lists voting should be directed at musicians only, otherwise it's just a popularity contest of what band you like best..
Brian Elwin Haner, Jr., better known by his stage name Synyster Gates or simply Syn, is an American musician, best known for being the lead guitarist and backing vocalist of the band Avenged Sevenfold. He's very good, but I don't think he's very technical. - zxm
Her riffs and sweep picking is awesome
this boss
Zakk Wylde is an American musician, singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and occasional actor who is best known as the former guitarist for Ozzy Osbourne, and founder of the heavy metal band Black Label Society. This guy is a Viking
He made his own signature
Desert Storm 1 & 2, Oshamajik, Guti (the finale), Boshe Achi, Arrival, Omanush, Hotasha, Na, Shomoy etc. He's technical cause he followed neoclassical metal guitarists most when he was young. Yngwie Malmsteen, Paul Gilbert, Steve Vai etc. He doesn't care much about rhythm guitar.He mostly cares about lead guitar (solos). - zxm
David Scott "Dave" Mustaine (born September 13, 1961) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, actor and author. Mustaine is best known as a pioneer in Thrash Metal, being the former lead guitarist of Metallica before his dismissal in 1983, leading to finding and becoming the front man of his own ...read more. Well I've seen guys that are just as technical as mustaine but no one more technical (ever heard a song called rattlehead? Or maybe this day we fight? ) but in addition to this he also does vocals which I've never seen the other ultra technical guitarists do so I'll pick mustaine. Also I feel it's worth mentioning that I haven't seen anyone surpass him in any level of guitar playing ability (not just technical ability) but there are tons of guys who are as good as him in most or al areas but they don't do vocals. Although I'll admit that I'm biased because megadeth us my favourite band and I don't play guitar so I might be mistaken. But I'm stil going with mustaine.
Is technically much better than kirk
Steven Lee Lukather is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, arranger and record producer, best known for his work with the rock band Toto. A prolific session musician, Lukather has recorded guitar tracks for more than 1,500 albums representing a broad array of artists and genres. He has also contributed ...read more. The most underrated player in the most underrated band in the music industry. Lukather has it ALL. He applies his incredible jazz licks and scales to soft and hard rock songs, creating amazing, unique sounds. I can't believe buckethead is 3rd... that's ridiculous. The rest of the top ten is terrible as well. Lukather should definitely be in top 5.
Steve should be Top 5 at least! So Under rated. If you want to hear his insane yet subtle technical genius, spend a couple of hours listening to "Falling in Between Live in Paris" Just Incredible!
What to say he can make that guitar cry and sounds like there are 3 guitarist as the same time he sing very good!
He is one of the very best- as a player myself for 50+ years-
Shawn Lane was an American musician who released two studio albums and collaborated with a variety of musicians including Ringo Starr, Kris Kristofferson, Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Reggie Young, Joe Walsh, Jonas Hellborg and many others. He was the GOAT; it's a tragedy he's so low on the list. Not only a technician, but also a soulful intellectual. To quote Guthrie Govan (who I'd place second on this list) "I love Shawn Lane's playing. Unbelievable player, unbelievable mind! That wasn't just a guy who practiced a lot at being fast; he had this huge brain, and this big warm heart and this special music came out of him. He will be missed."
People. This man was the fastest shredder who ever lived at speeds of up to 19 notes per second while doing extremely wide stretches. Satriani, Petrucci, Vai, Paul Gilbert, Michael Angelo Batio, and Guthrie Govan all agree that he was a terrifying and unstoppable guitar player. Look up "how to develop an outside sound" on YouTube and it will show his insane speed.
No one had the TOTAL package like this guy. He had top end speed, pin point accuracy, perfect tone, insane melodic lines and not to mention his unbelievable ability to pick every note while doing insane stretches at high speeds. Just listen to the solo at the end of Get you back.
Shawn is definitely the greats of all time, better than any.
Eric Johnson (born August 17, 1954) is an American guitarist, songwriter, and vocalist from Austin, Texas. Best known for his electric guitar skills, Johnson is also a highly proficient acoustic, lap steel, resonator, and bass guitarist as well as an accomplished pianist and vocalist.
Richard Hugh "Ritchie" Blackmore is an English guitarist and songwriter, best known for his work in the hard rock/metal bands Deep Purple and Rainbow. He was ranked number 16 on Guitar World's "100 Greatest Metal Guitarists of All Time" in 2004, and number 50 in Rolling Stone magazine's list of the ...read more. Richie was probably the first actual metal guitarist I tried to emulate - he put the zing in the metal strings by bringing in classical riffs and shreds. Fabulous!
How the first metal shredder is so low? - Metal_Treasure
Martin Adam "Marty" Friedman is an American guitarist, known for his tenure as the lead guitarist for heavy metal band Megadeth which spanned nearly the full decade of the 1990s, as well as Cacophony alongside Jason Becker until 1989. Friedman has resided in Tokyo, Japan since 2003, where he has hosted ...read more. I just simply can't understand how a guitarist of this calibre is so deep down here at 42. Marty is a God!...He is unique in his ability to merge emotion with speed...Highly underrated! Easily deserved to be in Top 10
Believe me tommo milicevic can't play the solo from tornado of souls, hangar 18. And another god guitarist who deserves to be in top 10 is Jimmy page Led zeppelin. His solo in stairway to heaven is regarded as the best solo and the hardest to play along with eddie van halen's solo in eruption.
Way better than almost everyone above jim
Randall William "Randy" Rhoads was an American heavy metal guitarist who played with Ozzy Osbourne and Quiet Riot. He was killed in a plane crash. He was a pioneer mixing classical with metal.
Nuno Duarte Gil Mendes Bettencourt is a Portuguese-American guitarist, singer-songwriter, and record producer. He became known as the lead guitarist of the Boston rock band Extreme. I'm familiar with most of the skilled guitarists and Nuno is best of them.
He isn't the best technically, maybe on rhythms and soloing he is really good too, so yes he is really cool
George Lynch is an American hard rock guitarist and songwriter. Lynch is best known for his work with heavy metal band Dokken and his band Lynch Mob. Master of octaves (especially the gothic octave), classical chromatics, and legato techniques. Marty Friedman #2.
Michael James Romeo is an American guitarist and a founding member of the progressive metal group Symphony X.
John Anthony Frusciante is an American guitarist, singer, producer and composer.He is best known for his time with the Funk Rock California based band the Red Hot Chili Peppers. He was also part of the Mars Volta, Swahili Blonde, Ataxia and more.
Christopher Alan Broderick is an American musician, best known as the former lead and rhythm guitarist of the American heavy metal band Megadeth. Kirk hammett is not good technical guitarist a great technical guitarist is Broderick he's not my favorite but in technical view he almost beat anyone Petrucci is another great technical guitarist My favorite guitarist is Mustaine I don't vote for him so stop putting Hammett and Synyster Emo
Chris broderick must be at top 5, just hear
This is about the best technical guitarist not best guitarist, you guys must see chris' shred or his mozart cover then you can vote and stop voting for dave mustain or kilk hammelt
Steffen Kummerer (born June 1, 1985) is a German guitarist, multi-instrumentalist and producer. He is the leader, main songwriter, vocalist, and guitarist for the (technical) death metal band Obscura as well as the black metal band Thulcandra. Oh yes, definitely! - Metal_Treasure
Jimi Hendrix (born November 27, 1942 - September 18, 1970) was an American rock guitarist, singer, and songwriter . Although his mainstream career spanned only four years, he is widely regarded as one of the most influential electric guitarists in the history of popular music, and one of the most celebrated ...read more. He was the most (one of the) technical guitarist in 60s. But not now. - zxm
He might not be the most technical but he was still technical
What is this? - zxm
Alvin Lee was an English singer and guitarist, best known as the lead vocalist and lead guitarist of the blues rock band Ten Years After.This guy is a machine.