Fastest Player.

[Markie Boy]

...on a slight tangent - Has anyone seen the Metallica vids that were fimed during the 'Black album' recording & tour.

The is some footage of Kirk Hamster playing along to a cd in a hotel room - jeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeezus - It's soooooooo embarrassingly bad.....

I agree with the above - Guthrie is obviously a superb player, but I don't think it's that easy to rid the label of 'Guitar Columnist', although it's easy to go the other way!

[Globbits]

I've got a CD excerpt of Guthrie doing Metal licks on a Gibson 335. He's good!

[Drew]

Originally Posted by Gearjunky

I was absolutely flawed...

Sometimes, it's just too easy.

Rusty Cooley. Michael Harrison (If I'm remembering the name right) is pretty speedy as well, but Cooley plays faster than anyone else I've ever heard, while playing lines that I can't even play slow... His 4-note per string pentatonic licks???!!! And I quote...

|-------------------------------------------------------------12h15h17h20t22t24p22-|
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------------12h14h17h19----------------------|
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------12h15h17h19----------------------------------|
|---------5h8h10h12p10p8p5/8h10h12h15----------------------------------------------|
|-1h3h5h8--------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
etc.

I've NEVER seen anyone else pull off anything remotely close to that at even near that speed, and I've seen some incredible players either onvideo or in person...

And the worst of it is, I guess he's a pretty chill guy, too, if a little hyperactive. Some people have all the luck.

-Drew

[aloymetal]

u should put Rusty Cooley in this poll

[Allen Garrow]

Yngwie is fast,,, but Michael Angelo check out his old stuff! The guy is a freak! Now he has a mullit,,, but I bet he's every bit as fast however.

~A

[Ali___]

Allan Holdsworth anyone?

Or John Sykes?

[Ali___]

Allan Holdsworth anyone?

Or John Sykes?

[Anton]

nah...rusty cooley IS

[YaYoGakk]

I'll still take Shawn Lane.
Evidence

Alden

[Murray]

hmm, sounds horrible.

its fast yeah but i recon its because of the echo and he really isnt playing as fast as some others do.

i think that vai is the only player to actually sound good whilst playing fast, and to be honest thats what really matters.

[steeda]

Yeah, Jason Becker is just awful playing fast, pfft. ( sarcasm ) If you think Vai is the only player who sounds good while playing fast, you have heard a severely limited number of guitar players. Broaden your collection!

[Osmosis]

In Shawn Lane's defense, he doesn't play that fast all the time. He is actually very tasteful and has a great melodic sense, not to mention inhuman chops. Some "shredder" types play very fast, but only play simple scale and arpeggio forms. Lane plays crazy fingerings, wild fusion scales at lightning speed and makes it look easy. I think that clip was just him showing off or something, that's not how his actual playing sounds. He's definately up there with the fastest. Not that speed is all that important, but that's another discussion entirely.

Also, i'm surprised there's only been one vote for Buckethead. Have you guys seen his four-fingered tapping stuff? Somebody please post a video or something, it's insane!

[EyE]

It's nice if you can play fast but it's not the important thing in playing.
Al Di Meola, Paul Gilbert, Jason Becker, Steve Vai, Tony Macalpine,
Joe Satriani, Allan Hollsworth, Yngwie Malmsteen or John Sykes.
They all heve speed in there ownway.

[guitarkatana]

Bah!!!! All these guitar players are slow. I heard this Chinese chick playing one of those chinese lutes once on a radio station. She can finger pick faster than any guitarist with a pick I've ever heard. She wasn't using any distortion or compression either

[Artist]

that shawn lane demo made me feel physicaly ill. It's so pointless.

Something I have firm belief in is that compositional skills are by far the most important. If you write something, you can always have it played, but if you can play you cannot always compose.
Being able to play an instrument (or a number of instruments) opens your eyes to what can be played by them, what techniques and what sounds can be used.