Top 10 Guitarists Who Play with the Most Feeling
David Jon Gilmour is an English singer, songwriter, composer, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer. He joined the progressive rock band Pink Floyd as guitarist and co-lead vocalist in 1968. Gilmour will admit he would never win an award for playing fast, but for us fans, that has been an absolute blessing. Gilmour's unique playing style was born on his first record with Pink Floyd, A Saucerful of Secrets. A master of bending notes, he somehow pulls emotion out of every note he plays.
While anyone who knows of David Gilmour is obviously familiar with his Pink Floyd work, many people aren't aware of his solo albums and his work as an anonymous live band member for Paul McCartney, Bryan Ferry, Paul Rodgers, Tom Jones, and Jeff Beck, among others. Hunt around on YouTube, and you'll be pleasantly surprised. Look for his performances with BB King and Mica Paris.
Robert William Gary Moore was a Northern Irish musician, most widely recognised as a singer, songwriter, and virtuoso rock and blues guitarist. In this day and age, with the internet and YouTube, we have access to some phenomenal players. If you take the time to listen to his playing, you will be staggered by his virtuosity but also by the emotion and feeling with which he played. He had amazing technique, speed, and tone, and covered a wide range of styles. His covers of Hendrix and Roy Buchanan are incredible. Without being disrespectful, The Edge and Slash are not even in the same league as Gary Moore.
I was astonished when I didn't find his name here. I see a list of great guitarists, but for me, he is definitely No. 1 here due to his ability to make the guitar "cry" and the fact that many of his songs are extremely emotional. "Empty Rooms" live in '87, "Still Got the Blues for You," and countless others.
Mark Freuder Knopfler is a British singer, songwriter, guitarist, record producer and film score composer. He is best known for being the frontman of the British band Dire Straits. Mark Knopfler's solos are well-structured, simple, and memorable at the same time. Any moderate songwriter would know that this is a challenging task and is very much needed. Also, a reasonably experienced guitarist would agree that guitar playing is neither about how fast he or she plays the instrument, nor about how many techniques he or she knows to play. A good song is one that will be remembered for a long time by music enthusiasts (not everybody). Mark gets full marks in this aspect. So does Dave Gilmour.
James Patrick Page is an English musician, songwriter, and record producer who achieved international success as the guitarist and founder of the rock band Led Zeppelin. Jimmy Page had both feel and skill! Just for pure emotion, David Gilmour is the best, no doubt, but he lacked skill. Skill-wise, Hendrix and Eddie Van Halen were superb, but they lacked emotion. But Page had both skill (Dazed and Confused, Heartbreaker) and feel/emotion (Stairway to Heaven, Since I've Been Loving You), and the true combination was Achilles Last Stand! That's why he is No. 1 of all time.
Just watch Led Zeppelin live for the "Song Remains the Same" tour. Watch "Stairway to Heaven," and I can ensure you that you will be blown away.
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... read more
In my opinion, the key to Hendrix's virtuosity is the way he expressed his feelings in guitar playing. The emotion in his playing is why he is considered the greatest electric guitarist ever by many. That, in a nutshell, is why I think Jimi Hendrix is the guitarist with the most feeling. Not even Page, Slash, or SRV can beat him.
People talk about the greatness of guys like Page, Gilmour, and Clapton, but they are just missing something in my eyes. There is nothing like a solo from Jimi.
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 He is a very technical player, and usually, people pay attention to only this side of his playing, but his trademark is to be a technical and soulful guitarist at the same time. What can be better? In addition to his well-known hard and heavy songs, try these soft instrumentals and be convinced: Rainbow - Anybody There, Maybe Next Time, Snowman.
Just listen to his beautiful songs like Smoke on the Water, Soldier of Fortune, and Highway Star. You will understand his talent. Just like David Gilmour and Jimmy Page.
Eric Patrick Clapton is an English rock and blues guitarist, singer and songwriter. He is the only three-time inductee to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, once as a solo artist and separately as a member of the Yardbirds and Cream. He has also been a member of Derek and the Dominos. I love Eric's music, but he uses a Stratocaster these days, which in my opinion, doesn't suit the music he currently plays. It's too plummy and lacks the top and bottom that blues should have. He would be better off sticking to a Les Paul. It has more bite. But leaving that aside, Eric has an undoubted gift for melody and timing.
Dealt with depression, loss, heartbreak, addiction, and many other emotions. And all of it shines through his hands.
Many can play the guitar, but few can make it cry like Clapton does.
Carlos Santana is a Mexican and American musician who first became famous in the late 1960s and early 1970s with his band, Santana, which pioneered a fusion of rock and Latin American jazz. It's ridiculous that Slash is this far above Santana. Slash is a bit overrated, and Carlos is the definition of soul! Europa? Black Magic Woman? Come on, people.
Come on, Synyster Gates is above Santana? I mean, Santana is the most emotional guitarist ever! (Gotta take off my hat to Jimmy Page and Buckethead though.)
This guy really feels what he is playing. A legend.
Stephen "Stevie" Ray Vaughan (October 3, 1954 – August 27, 1990) was an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer. In spite of a short-lived mainstream career spanning seven years, he is widely considered one of the most influential electric guitarists in the history of music, and... read more Stevie Ray Vaughan puts his soul into his music, not to mention the quintessential rags-to-riches story behind a great talent. His songs tell a story of his victory over the pain of addiction. He used his platform to testify about his recovery. Stevie Ray's earlier music came from the deep pain of the soul that blues is famous for but few people reach.
Don't forget "If The House Is Rockin'" became a pop culture phrase. The guitar duets with brother Jimmy are legendary.
Watch the Live at El Mocambo video. Texas Flood, So Excited, all of them. Amazing tone and feeling throughout. His face contortions translate onto the strings and out comes pure emotion. He belongs on this list, just like Gary Moore. Incredible! And of course, Gilmour.
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. Just watch his own emotions as he plays. Besides feeling it, you can really see it. I haven't seen many guitarists where raw emotion oozes from them! Such an underrated overall musician, but I would think that's the way he would want it.
Every John Frusciante song has different meanings in my life. His music is so pure, and it is not complicated. When you listen to John Frusciante, you don't only listen to notes. You feel them.
More than just a guitarist or even a musician, John is a true artist who creates as a way of communicating his own thoughts and feelings and doesn't care if anyone else listens.
The Newcomers
Peter Lennodo is a British musician. He is also a composer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He is best known as the vocalist, lead guitarist and main songwriter of the rock band The Arcana.
Adrian Frederick "H" Smith is an English guitarist, best known as a member of Iron Maiden, for whom he writes songs and performs live backing vocals on some tracks.
Riley B. "B.B." King was an American blues singer, electric guitarist, songwriter, and record producer. The King of Blues?! Never a technical genius, but each note counts! BB can play a one-note solo better than most guitarists can with the whole guitar. How he wasn't here is beyond me.
B.B. King, unlike the typical guitarist, uses very few notes, and in the process packs immense amounts of feeling into each one.
Brian Patrick Carroll, known professionally as Buckethead, is an American guitarist and multi-instrumentalist who has worked within many genres of music. Buckethead's playing is truly uncharted territory. He showcases his skills in many different styles and excels in every one of them. He is the Beethoven of our time, constantly putting out new music (he's released 38 albums from March 2013 to January 2014 and counting), and they are all unique and diverse.
In fact, he dedicated an entire album to his father, who has been very ill lately, even featuring a cover photo of his father hugging him as a teenager (the first time he released a picture without his mask to the public). I recommend visiting his Buckethead Pikes website or YouTube, as many of the albums are posted there (but support the artist, guys), and listen to some of his new stuff, as his style is more mature and heartfelt than ever before.
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
Saul Hudson, known professionally as Slash, is a British-American musician and songwriter. He is best known as the lead guitarist of the American hard rock band Guns N' Roses, with whom he achieved worldwide success in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Slash! The best thing Guns N' Roses ever had. His solos in November Rain, Civil War, and Estranged stunned me. He brings emotion to his music, which no one can do better than him.
For me, the best emotional guitarist! He can translate simple riffs to different emotions if you know what I mean.
November Rain, Sweet Child O' Mine, Don't Cry, Estranged. I hope you have some time because you'll be here all year.
Joe Bonamassa is an American blues rock guitarist, singer and songwriter. When he was only 12 years old, Bonamassa opened for B.B. King. He was born 8th May 1977. He is known to be one of the greatest blues guitarists ever. An absolute phenom. Tone, style, and voice. Joe has it all.
Freddie King was an American blues guitarist and singer. He has been described as one of the "Three Kings" of electric blues guitar, along with Albert King and B.B. King.
David Howell Evans, better known by his stage name the Edge, is an Irish musician and songwriter best known as the lead guitarist, keyboardist and backing vocalist of the rock band U2.
Lindsey Adams Buckingham is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and producer, best known as lead guitarist and one of the vocalists of the musical group Fleetwood Mac from 1975 to 1987, and then 1997 to the present day.
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.
Glenn Raymond Tipton is an English Grammy Award-winning guitar player and songwriter. He is most commonly known as the lead guitarist for English heavy metal band Judas Priest. Just give a listen to "Beyond the Realms of Death" by Judas Priest (the first solo).
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. Listen to Seize the Day, I Won't See You Tonight (Part 1, 2), Second Heartbeat, Bat Country, Critical Acclaim, God Hates Us, Afterlife. Those guitar solos alone are proof of Syn being the topper of this list.
Syn plays amazingly, and you can tell live he gives it his all. He puts his heart and soul into creating the masterpieces he does, and he blows away the minds of anyone who listens.
Angus McKinnon Young is an Australian guitarist of Scottish origin, best known as the co-founder, lead guitarist, songwriter and sole constant member of the Australian hard rock band AC/DC. When performing live he does his own version of Chuck Berry's "duck walk" and has also spun on his side while... read more Feel the fearless spirit and brave heart with:
Highway to Hell, Back in Black, TNT, Thunderstruck, Hells Bells, If You Want Blood (You've Got It).
And the rock and roll domination with:
For Those About to Rock, Let There Be Rock, Whole Lotta Rosie, Rock and Roll Train, It's a Long Way to the Top.
Howard Duane Allman was an American guitarist, session musician, and co-founder and leader of the Allman Brothers Band until his death in a motorcycle crash in 1971, when he was 24 years old. Eric tried to recruit him. He pioneered a genre of music and was a session player for the greats. His slide work is untouchable (Derek Trucks comes close though. Why isn't Derek on here?)
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. Oh, please. There is no other guitarist with so much feel. Just listen to Glasgow Kiss, and you'll know. The entire song is a solo full of feel. He may be the only one who combines speed with emotion. The arpeggios aren't "just arpeggios." They are emotions from his head into the music and flowing out through his Mark V. Exceptional tone as well. Beat that! But only next to Gilmour, hands down.
By far the most soulful and melodic guitarist. He can turn speed into power and emotion. Just listen to Lines in the Sand, Glasgow Kiss, Best of Times, Paradigm Shift, Universal Mind, Overture 1928, etc.
Michael Amott is a British-born Swedish guitarist, songwriter, founding member of the bands Arch Enemy, Spiritual Beggars, and Carnage, as well as a former member of the grindcore band Carcass.