Impossible Germany - Wilco

Solo starts at 2:41. Really thoughtful, melodic, and articulate. Doesn't overplay; it says more with less. I love how the band builds around the solo guitar as well.

Some obvious ones here but:

Comfortably Numb
Californication
Stairway to Heaven

fav13andac1)c said:

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Impossible Germany - Wilco

Solo starts at 2:41. Really thoughtful, melodic, and articulate. Doesn't overplay; it says more with less. I love how the band builds around the solo guitar as well.

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Oh man....so good. That solo could go on with those interplay twin guitars much, much longer and I wouldn't complain. I feel similarly about the guitar at the end of Yes Starship Trooper.

Lathspell said:

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I'll give you Californication.

I would not call Comfortably Numb or Stairway "simplistic". Comfortably Numb's solo, the middle one, has rakes and beautiful vibratos at the top of full bends. Minimalistic? Sure. Simplistic? Not to me, and i"ve been playing guitar for decades. Stairway's solo takes a lot of practice and dexterous playing to nail all those licks.

I would consider simplistic to be a solo that any intermediate guitar player could play with little to no practice.

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Yeah. I was hoping he was using sarcasm.

Lathspell said:

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I'll give you Californication.

I would not call Comfortably Numb or Stairway "simplistic". Comfortably Numb's solo, the middle one, has rakes and beautiful vibratos at the top of full bends. Minimalistic? Sure. Simplistic? Not to me, and i"ve been playing guitar for decades. Stairway's solo takes a lot of practice and dexterous playing to nail all those licks.

I would consider simplistic to be a solo that any intermediate guitar player could play with little to no practice.

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I was wondering about this too....if the OP was directed at players. Clapton, Gilmore, Page, etc. have multiple solos that sound "simple", but are definitely not simple to play. I never seem to get Gilmore's bends correct.

Go to the 2:40 mark...

Surprised no mention of Smells Like Teen Spirit. Fun song, easy solo, mirrors verse melody.

Lathspell said:

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I definitely think Gilmour has a special talent to make minimalistic solos seem simple, but they are anything but. Truly one of the greats.

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His use of vibrato and bends is so great.

Bonus Rachel Hunter

Lathspell said:

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I definitely think Gilmour has a special talent to make minimalistic solos seem simple, but they are anything but. Truly one of the greats.

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Agreed.

MSFC Aggie said:

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Go to the 3:50 mark...



And outro solo starting at 4:50....

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Love this one. Like Comfortably Numb, two great solos in one.
I'd add Tom Petty/Mike Campbell's Breakdown...short, simple, tasteful, and easy.

Sooper Jeenyus said:

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amg405 said:

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I've always like the one from "What I've Got" by Sublime

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WAY overplayed on radio. Can't stand hearing anything from that album now. Instant station switch.

40 oz to Freedom is still OK though.

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Ha, I am the opposite. So many songs that I used to hate that were super overplayed back in the 90's and early 2000's that I dig now for the nostalgia. And some of it, i realize I just slept on musically...bc I thought I was too cool or was into other stuff at the time.

But I don;t remember Sublime being on the radio all that much at all personally. No more than any other popular bands at the time.

I personally love all their music...even the "pop" hits like "Santeria". But I respect the first amendment and your God given right to be wrong

Lathspell said:

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Finishing Rumours and was reminded how amazing the ending solo to The Chain is, as well. Basic and awesome!

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It's like music back then was made almost exclusively for rolling around in muscle cars. I drove one in the late 90's in HS and so many classic rock songs just gave me the urge to punch it.

2:15 mark

Tool. Adam Jones purposefully writes very simple solos that fits within the atmosphere of the song. No shredding, no theatrics, no complexity.

Tom Petty American Girl
U2 - Still Haven't Found


And y'all are crazy if you think Elliott Easton and David Gilmour solos are "simple"!

It has some riffs, but mostly simple and fantastic:

Thank you for this. Grew up on SP and absolutely loved seeing them a few years back. Corgan, Iha and chamberlain still got it.

3:30 mark

2021 Remaster "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" Prince, Tom Petty & More | Rock Hall 2004 Induction

You think that's simple?

The Boys are Back in Town. Dual guitar but serves the song well and allows for one of my all-time favorite bass lines.

Sooper Jeenyus said:

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Surprised no mention of Smells Like Teen Spirit. Fun song, easy solo, mirrors verse melody.

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Came to say this as well. Minimalist and simple, reinforces the melodies already in your head.

re: What I Got - it is minimal and there isn't much dexterity required, but the timing after the double-stops won't come naturally for most. That short solo was very much an artist feeling it when he played and it is brilliant.

Every Rose Has Its Thorn is a good one. Any intermediate guitarist can learn it in 2 minutes. It has a few flashes that sound tricky but they're really easy. CC Deville always gets sh*t from guitarists but I've never understood the hate. Dude just writes catchy solos that fit songs.

I guess it's technically a bass, but the solo in Marty Robbins's song "Don't Worry". One of the first uses of distortion, caused by a faulty amp.