Guitar Players: Is Edge That Good?

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Badyouken

Badyouken

Acrobat
Joined
Nov 1, 2000
Messages
488
Location
Canada
Of course, we all love Edge's signature guitare sound, his creativity, his ability to make an atmosphere just by himself, etc...

Some of us in Interference play the guitar. I am just learning, but I find that U2 songs are very easy to play. There are harder ones, of course. But when I see Clapton songs, I find it much more difficult to play.

My question is for those who are good guitar players: Is Edge that good?

I think so, but I'm an unexperienced player, maybe you guys think he's not the guitar God some of us claim he is...

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"You see things and say 'Why?'; but I dream things that never were and I say 'Why not?'" -- George Bernard Shaw
 
yes he is incredible. but that doesnt mean that johnny greenwood is any less.

to be honest i think theyre at the same level. just that johnny is more willing to be more wiered because thats the way radiohead is right now.

good question, good topic.

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-death bear
 
You may be able to play the notes, but how well do you paint the picture? Set the mood?

I've been playing U2 for years, and I still struggle to get the right tones....

Of course, having equipment helps, but remember, it's FAR easier to copy, than to create this stuff. And it is MAGICAL stuff....
smile.gif


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I'll tell you a story about Johnny McGory.
Shall I being it? Well, that's all that's in it
 
Originally posted by RufusYoungblood:
You may be able to play the notes, but how well do you paint the picture? Set the mood?
Click to expand...
mmm, yes
I can play the notes to "I Still Haven't Found ...", but it still sounds crap
frown.gif


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Salome
Shake it, shake it, shake it
 
I've played for 2-3 years he has inspired me more than any guitar player...the sound and atmosphere he gets is what I'm interested and love about this guy...thats all that matters to me..if your talking about U2 acoustic numbers then yes they are simple and great fun to play..but if your talking about Bullet The Blue Sky, The Fly, Mysterious Ways etc. through an electric then I have heard nobody that can get the same out of these songs..sure they can get the notes, tone, speed accurate..but Edge has an incredibly individual style to how he delivers these combinations...I remember reading in I think Flannagens bible how Bono and some of the studio techs would plug in the same guitar, same effects, same studio settings play away to their hearts content and not get that Edge sound....individuality is what singles him out from other players..back to point one...if you like what he produces then the answer is you think he is a good guitarist, nobodys elses opinion should sway you
smile.gif


[This message has been edited by ACROB@T (edited 10-24-2001).]
 
Just ask Dallas Schoo. You can still see his excited explanation of why Edge is a great guitar player at u2.tiscali.com

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you've got the right shoes to get you through the night
 
I always thought of Edge as a guitar anti-hero. He isn't some virtuoso like Van Halen or Clapton and he doesn't rely on solos. I don't think being able to move quickly up and down the fretboard alone makes a good guitarist. Dallas, his tech, has said a few times that Jimmy Page, the guys from Limp Bizkit, and other big names asked him how Edge got that amazing tone. IMO he has reinvented rock guitar and many guitarists cannot claim that.
 
I think he's amazing and I won't be influenced by any of these responses, Acr@bat, I have my own opinion.
wink.gif


But looking at different point of views is always interesting!

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"You see things and say 'Why?'; but I dream things that never were and I say 'Why not?'" -- George Bernard Shaw
 
Badyouken, I am in no doubt that you have an opinion...for years I've had arguments in guitar shops around my area and in London over Edge's work, the only reason I mention it is because of the number of snobs you get to meet are unbelievable, and trust me your gonna get a lot of people who'll think your crazy for singling out the guy
biggrin.gif
 
Originally posted by Zoomeranger:
I always thought of Edge as a guitar anti-hero. He isn't some virtuoso like Van Halen or Clapton and he doesn't rely on solos. I don't think being able to move quickly up and down the fretboard alone makes a good guitarist.
Click to expand...

I agree, Zoomeranger.

I find most guitar solos pretty boring, when The Edge comes up with a solo it's more of a surprise and that makes me appreciate it. His solos are also relevant to the song (eg Bullet, The Fly, UTEOTW) and add to it. A good example of over reliance on guitar solos is Dave Gilmour on the last Pink Floyd album.


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Rain from Heaven.
 
I listen to clapton for the guitar, I listen to U2 for the soul... Edge may not be THE best technical guitarist so far as music is concerned, but at the same time, there are very few that compare to him. There are punk and metal bands where theres too much feedback to even tell what the hell the note played was. Some people just plain suck. Others of various bands are unoriginal. But U2, bono and edge, theyre both creative, and theres noone out there that can convince me that edge is a BAD guitarist. So be default he is automatically good. But anyways... my posts say a whole lot of nothing so imma just shup now.
 
Edge himself has stated that he's rather limited, technically speaking, but he uses this "disadvantage" to his advantage. He works around his own limitations to find his sound.
Red this short but nice article:
http://www.guitar.com/g2kfeatures/viewfeature.asp?featureID=27

By the way, it was Edge's creativity part of what inspired me to start playing guitar at age 27!
biggrin.gif


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k e r c

La aventura del comienzo
La intriga de lo incierto
No temas y busca lo nuevo
S?lo empieza desde cero
 
occasionally he doesn't play his own pedals, when he's roaming around. It gives him the freedom to interact with the crowd. Doesn't mean he doesn't operate the pedals the majority of the time. What do you think that NASA contraption at his feet is? There was a tech special recently that had Dallas Schoo showing all the controls that the Edge has at his feet. Trust me, the guy's in charge.

Anway, all the sounds he creates himself.

U2 is the reason I started playing guitar, and it's the reason I didn't take guitar lessons. I figured the best way to learn was to figure it out myself, and forge my own path.

And the first song I learned, and first solo....Party Girl. So cool
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I can't change the world, but I can change the world in me.
 
I dont' think you can rank guitarists as "good and bad" at the professional level it's about "are they creative?, are they unique"..and I would have to say edge is both. Also you'll notice on albums he's very conservative..but live he let's loose. It'a great thing to see them live because of that. If you think u2 is good...it's cos of the sound edge gives them. He is very talented.
 
Yea, I'd say he's fookin' good. I mean, he don't do none o'that pansy shit, d'youknowhaImean? He actually fookin plays guitar, nothing stupid, does a damn good job of it. It's like him, the guitar, and maybe some other crap, but never too much of that crap. Not much like me, which is just me, don't need no fancy shit. But that Gibson, when he pulls that out, just blows ya away, mate.

Trust me, I know a good fookin bit about guitar. Check out some o'that Morning Glory fer yerselves.

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Reporter: Can you sum up Oasis in one word?
Me: ME!
 
The magic of Edge's playing is in the subtlety. Eric Clapton is less subtle, obviously. His complex licks and twangs and twoohs are shown off in the raw, whereas Edge weaves his skill into the music so that his guitar doesn't become the star as much as Clapton's is.

foray
 
Well said fors...he sets up U2's songs so well- I think its a credit to the musician that he can keep discovering riffs and effects that are so simple yet so original and such trademarks of his style...
 
Originally posted by popkidu2:

U2 is the reason I started playing guitar, and it's the reason I didn't take guitar lessons. I figured the best way to learn was to figure it out myself, and forge my own path.

And the first song I learned, and first solo....Party Girl. So cool
biggrin.gif
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Click to expand...

Thats either a TOTALLY weird coincidence.. or we got a lot in common popkid!!
I decided to learn guitar myself earlier this year (thanks to inspiration from Edge). The first song i learned to play was also Party Girl. hmm...
!!!
OH, and whoever started this thread.. take a look at my signature.. that might help u determine something about Edge's guitar playing... and why we love him so much
biggrin.gif


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"The Edge plays a mournful, ejaculatory guitar solo in 'Love is Blindress', stabbing out thick emotional blues notes that linger and then fall away like tears. "A more eloquent prayer than anything I could say," Bono reflects.
 
Originally posted by popkidu2:
U2 is the reason I started playing guitar, and it's the reason I didn't take guitar lessons. I figured the best way to learn was to figure it out myself, and forge my own path.
Click to expand...

You should learn a bit about basic theory, anyway. Wouldn't you know that knowing theory will actually free your creativity? I discovered this myself, because I am also a self-taught guitarist. When you know how things are "built", for example, what makes a chord, you can the play with those elements and will help you improvise and find new melodies, your melodies.

It's been three years now, and finally I am the singer, songwriter and rhythm guitar player in a band (yes, I'm the Bono of the band
biggrin.gif
). We play a sort of punk, kinda like very early U2, music. And the music theory has paid off! Believe me, things can be easier when you know a few basic things.

I can recommend you a book called "Fretboard Roadmaps". Amazon.com has it for about $6. Believe me, the book is great! Buy it...it has helped me a lot.

Keep on rockin'!

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k e r c

La aventura del comienzo
La intriga de lo incierto
No temas y busca lo nuevo
S?lo empieza desde cero
 
If any of you have ever seen the New York U2 tribute band THE UNFORGETABLE FIRE the "Edge" from that band comes very, very close to imitating the real Edge's sound. Too bad they seem to have broken up (the guy doing BONO left the group).

Imitating is one thing, to do what Edge does and come up with it from scratch is amazing.
 
Originally posted by u2zed:
Just ask Dallas Schoo. You can still see his excited explanation of why Edge is a great guitar player at u2.tiscali.com
Click to expand...

I ran into Dallas on 33rd street (I think 33rd). It was around 7:30 and he was running towards 8th ave. He seemed to be in a crazy rush but managed to stop and chat for a bit.

CK
 
Is Edge the greatest guitar player ever? Just listen to Streets, Acrobat, UTEOTW, Kite, WILATW and New York and then the answer should be yes!
I was listening to New York last night and just listening to those extraordinary guitar sounds - he's like magician.
 
Is Edge the greatest guitar player ever? Just listen to Streets, Acrobat, UTEOTW, Kite, WILATW and New York and then the answer should be yes!
I was listening to New York last night and focusing on those extraordinary guitar sounds - he's a magician with a guitar.
 
Originally posted by Zoo Station:
Is Edge the greatest guitar player ever? Just listen to Streets, Acrobat, UTEOTW, Kite, WILATW and New York and then the answer should be yes!
Click to expand...

Without a doubt, NO.
 
Johnny...Edge does what he does better than anyone else around...i really dont give a shit about how fast or how intricately he can play...you are right that he prolly aint the best guitar player around...but for providing simple sounds that seem both natural and original all the time, edge is without peer...I dont think u can rate him by conventional guitar god standards...
 
Is he my favorite guitar player? Yes.

Can I be objective and say that he is not even near the best guitar player ever? Yes.

Favorite and best are 2 very different things.
 
Swallow--I agree 100%.

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k e r c

La aventura del comienzo
La intriga de lo incierto
No temas y busca lo nuevo
S?lo empieza desde cero
 
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