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Topic: Good\Bad guitarist< Next Oldest | Next Newest >
Sweetpea Offline




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Posted: June 27 2007, 21:32

I'd not concerned myself over who the greatest guitar players were. I'd enjoyed well-played guitar when encountered, but I was more interested in the melody and composition of a piece rather than an isolated instrument. Back when I only had a few of MO's albums, I loved them for the overall composing/crafting/musicmaking.

After seeing bits of live footage, (and adding to my CD collection) I've been paying closer attention to Mike's musicianship, and I've often been amazed with the guitarwork. I'm in no way a voice of authority since I don't play an instrument and I'm not very musically knowledgable. What I can say is that I'd rather listen to Mike's guitar than anyone else's.


On a sidenote... I'm still surprised whenever I import a new MO CD into iTunes and it lists it under 'New Age'. I realize he's practically impossible to classify, but I think I might prefer just 'Other'. :laugh:


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"I'm no physicist, but technically couldn't Mike both be with the horse and be flying through space at the same time? (On account of the earth's orbit around the Sun and all that). So it seems he never had to make the choice after all. I bet he's kicking himself now." - clotty
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Sweetpea Offline




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Posted: Aug. 22 2008, 05:54

Quote (TheMan @ Aug. 21 2002, 05:13)
Mike plays rather different from other guitarists, doesn't he? Almost like a violin as they are played in typical classical concerts; all those ornaments and that 'narrow' very pure sound. Not typical for a rock guitarist...

...his right-hand technique (you know, killing all the strings except the sounding one) and the fluent scaling across the board...

My guess is that most people need to see Mike play before they really can understand the high level of his technique.

But of course, any reasonably musically talent person would realize Mike ability after having heard the solos...

One would think that hearing would be enough, but you may have a point, there, TheMan. I lack any musical talent and, in my case, it was the seeing that convinced me of Mike's level of virtuosity.


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"I'm no physicist, but technically couldn't Mike both be with the horse and be flying through space at the same time? (On account of the earth's orbit around the Sun and all that). So it seems he never had to make the choice after all. I bet he's kicking himself now." - clotty
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The Caveman Offline




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Posted: Aug. 27 2008, 14:26

Virtuosity is a bit of a double edged sword.On the one hand it's a usefull thing if there's substance then the technique to execute the ideas is good and adds excitment.On the other it can eclipse the musical ideas and become a means to an end (and Sir M i know you're about and will probably reply to this statement but as we've said before you and i have diffrernt view on this mate  :) )
I'd agree with you about Mike's virtuosity though.What i like most about his playing is it's (nearly)always subserviant to the song.That's not to say he doesn't indulge in a little fret...er how does one make the phrase as polite as possible....um...er....sounds like banking,but very rarely.I also like the fact that he doesn't do the whole guitar hero bit with the throwing shapes and all that crap that a lot of players (including some of my favourite players.Stand up Mr Page)seem to feel they have to do.All told he's a bloody good guitarist with a wierd ass technique but criminally underated.Why this is i really do not know.Perhaps it's because people think of him as a keyboardist (after all mention Mike and people say TB and that's a piano)or as a jack of all trades,master of non.This is a very unfair view as he himself doesn't see himself as a multi instrumentalist and is on record as saying so.Isn't life unfair! :laugh:


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THE COMING OF THE GREAT WHITE HANDKERCHEIF IS NIGH.
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Sweetpea Offline




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Posted: Aug. 28 2008, 04:01

Quote (The Caveman @ Aug. 27 2008, 14:26)
All told he's a bloody good guitarist with a wierd ass technique but criminally underated.

I'm pretty ignorant about guitarists' techniques. How is Mike different? I know that he often applies fingerpicking - is that very uncommon?


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"I'm no physicist, but technically couldn't Mike both be with the horse and be flying through space at the same time? (On account of the earth's orbit around the Sun and all that). So it seems he never had to make the choice after all. I bet he's kicking himself now." - clotty
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The Caveman Offline




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Posted: Aug. 28 2008, 04:45

On an electric guitar it is fairly uncommon yes.Also his vibrato technique is more akin to a violinists.For a players viewpoint it's a very demanding style.And of course as mentioned the fact that he stops every string that not in use to stop extranious noise.Very strange style.

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THE COMING OF THE GREAT WHITE HANDKERCHEIF IS NIGH.
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Ugo Offline




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Posted: Aug. 28 2008, 18:51

If I recall correctly (I remember having read it somewhere, maybe on the Elements booklet?), the technique that Mike has always used (and still uses) on electric guitar is a result of all his youth years spent playing folk music on acoustic guitar. All of the features of his technique (fingerpicking with nails, violin-like vibrato, muting strings etc.) which look weird or uncommon on electric guitar are actually very common in folk music played on acoustic guitar. I've recently played with an Irish folk guitarist, and most of the fingerpicking he did (at an amazingly fast speed, I have to say - almost flamenco-like) was pretty similar to Mike's. So, I guess that, as soon as he moved from the acoustic guitar to the electric one, he just changed the instrument, not the technique. Indeed, today he does still play fingerpicking-style with his nails, and that's what he sounds unique - no other guitarist plays electric guitar like that. (OK, there's Mark Knopfler - but he plays with his fingertips, not with his nails... :D)

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Ugo C. - a devoted Amarokian
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Sweetpea Offline




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Posted: Aug. 29 2008, 20:57

Oh, that's right. I remember seeing a brief video where Mike demonstrated his string-muting technique. I got a little frustrated when the camera would pan up to his face, thinking 'No! Show his hands!'. Normally I wouldn't complain about that, but I was in student-mode.

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"I'm no physicist, but technically couldn't Mike both be with the horse and be flying through space at the same time? (On account of the earth's orbit around the Sun and all that). So it seems he never had to make the choice after all. I bet he's kicking himself now." - clotty
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Silver Negus Offline




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Posted: Sep. 01 2008, 07:56

I really do quite agree, that Mike Oldfield has not been given the recognition he deserves as a guitarist. He plays it properley, not like musicians now. I don't think many bands these days know what a guitar solo is.
He has a unique sound and a fast vibrato.
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The Caveman Offline




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Posted: Sep. 01 2008, 08:03

There are pockets of guitarists who recognise Mike's huge talent but the wider world is ignorant of it.He's been interviewd in guitar magazines a few times but i remember around the time of TBII a quote that said "it slightly pisses me off that i'm not thought of as a guitarist.I can play just about anything written and then some".Some boast in an American guitar magazine but justified i think. :laugh:

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THE COMING OF THE GREAT WHITE HANDKERCHEIF IS NIGH.
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Sweetpea Offline




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Posted: Sep. 08 2008, 04:24

Quote (The Caveman @ Sep. 01 2008, 08:03)
There are pockets of guitarists who recognise Mike's huge talent but the wider world is ignorant of it.He's been interviewd in guitar magazines a few times but i remember around the time of TBII a quote that said "it slightly pisses me off that i'm not thought of as a guitarist.I can play just about anything written and then some".Some boast in an American guitar magazine but justified i think. :laugh:

If it were me, I'd be more than "slightly" pissed off. What does a guy have to do? Grow extra fingers and play the "Light Cavalry Overture" and "The Stars & Stripes Forever", simultaneously, while bongo-ing with his feet?


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"I'm no physicist, but technically couldn't Mike both be with the horse and be flying through space at the same time? (On account of the earth's orbit around the Sun and all that). So it seems he never had to make the choice after all. I bet he's kicking himself now." - clotty
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ex member 419 Offline




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Posted: April 11 2009, 01:00

Mike is truly the most versatile guitarest to have produced original, at times complex and ecstatic pieces, long remembered and loved, even by younger generations, deb
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The Caveman Offline




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Posted: April 20 2009, 09:46

Lets's get this straight once and for all.Mike Oldfield is one of the best guitarists EVER to come out of the UK.He palys with pure emotion and with a staggeringly developed technique yet never lets his playing become a souless display.
In short he rocks and don't let anyone tell you any different(unless they can play Amarok beginning to end)!Nuff said! :laugh:


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THE COMING OF THE GREAT WHITE HANDKERCHEIF IS NIGH.
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Tati The Sentinel Offline




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Posted: April 20 2009, 13:15

After all those years being a MO fan(almost 8 years)...I can say,how amazing is Mike's guitar playing,I never get bored while listening to his guitar work!

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"But it's always the outsider, the black sheep, that becomes the blockbuster." - Mike Oldfield, 2014

"I remember feeling that I'd been judged unfairly and that I was going to prove them wrong." - Peter Davison, 2011
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Glen Offline




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Posted: June 27 2009, 06:01

I've been playing guitar for over 30 years now, and although I say it myself, I'm pretty good, too. That's not arrogance, it's a statement of fact. But then after 30 years you'd expect me to be quite good.

Anybody who knows a thing or two about guitar playing will be universal in their praise for Mike Oldfield.

Put simply, the man can play...and how!!
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ex member 419 Offline




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Posted: June 28 2009, 11:02

You would be an expert by now glen! i only started playing a year ago, inspired by my friends on this site, i admire and respect mikes talent as not only a guitarist but multi instrumental ability! deb
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The Caveman Offline




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Posted: June 29 2009, 08:40

And the more you try to learn Mike's style the more you realise just how damn good he is. :laugh:

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THE COMING OF THE GREAT WHITE HANDKERCHEIF IS NIGH.
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ex member 419 Offline




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Posted: June 30 2009, 01:39

Lol caveman i will never be able to play like mike, at the moment progress is pathetic, not enough time, mike is a genius, only when you try to learn his technique do you realise how brilliant he is, its way hard, need more than a century! deb
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The Caveman Offline




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Posted: June 30 2009, 08:23

LOL.Ain't it a bitch.

Give yourself a break and go try to figure out JUngle Gardenia.Nice and easy and between the 12 and 15 fret.Or Celt is a nice easy one too. :)


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THE COMING OF THE GREAT WHITE HANDKERCHEIF IS NIGH.
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ex member 419 Offline




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Posted: July 01 2009, 07:38

Caveman my friend i just dont have any reason to really, i best stick to my job, some are born to play, i wasnt, giving it away while im ahead, it wouldnt have meant playing in a band, kidding myself lol, deb
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The Caveman Offline




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Posted: July 01 2009, 08:18

Aw Deb.All guitar or just electric?

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THE COMING OF THE GREAT WHITE HANDKERCHEIF IS NIGH.
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