Name a guitarist who has improved in the last 20 years?

[IANSPA]

YOU CAN NEVER STOP IMPROVEING ON GUITAR BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY STYLES TO BRANCH INTO. IF YOU COME TO A STICKING POINT WITH YOUR METAL LICKS YOU CAN TRY INCORPORATING THINGS FROM OTHER STYLES LIKE CHICKEN PICKING(ZAK WYLDE, JOHN 5) ETC HAVE DONE

[bammbamm]

Originally Posted by IANSPA

YOU CAN NEVER STOP IMPROVEING ON GUITAR BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY STYLES TO BRANCH INTO. IF YOU COME TO A STICKING POINT WITH YOUR METAL LICKS YOU CAN TRY INCORPORATING THINGS FROM OTHER STYLES LIKE CHICKEN PICKING(ZAK WYLDE, JOHN 5) ETC HAVE DONE

You can easily stagnate if you don't challenge yourself.
There is also a line that should be drawn, if you're just learning chickin' pickin' to throw it someplace in a song, or does the song actually call for it?

I've improved in some ways and stagnated in other areas.
One thing that challenges me is when writing or co-writing new music is if the song requires something I'm not proficient in, I have to force myself to learn that style.
My slide playing has improved a bit recently, and hopefully my overall solo technique as well.

[Ayrton]

Originally Posted by IANSPA

YOU CAN NEVER STOP IMPROVEING ON GUITAR BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY STYLES TO BRANCH INTO. IF YOU COME TO A STICKING POINT WITH YOUR METAL LICKS YOU CAN TRY INCORPORATING THINGS FROM OTHER STYLES LIKE CHICKEN PICKING(ZAK WYLDE, JOHN 5) ETC HAVE DONE

[andy7jem]

[GLG421]

I guess that depends on your definition of improvement. If it's just pure technical ability, then very few of the "shredders" will have shown technical improvement in the last 20 years. To become a "Shredder" 20 years ago took an insane amount of technical ability.

Yet I find Satch's music to be way more mature. I feel like he's grown musically. And I say growing musically is most assuredly an improvement. I've found his last two albums to be among the very best of his career.

[Silver Sable]

Devin Townsend and Alex Skolnick.

That and just about everyone under the age of 30.

[jim777]

I would agee on Al DiMeola, and add Steve Morse and John Petrucci. At some point in your career, if you are lucky enough to get a recording contract and make money, you need to focus your attention on songwriting to keep your fans. So, while it can seem that playing chops are getting stagnant, there are other areas to work on. Just sayin'

[Clonetool]

Steve Stevens

[LonePhantom]

Definitely Paul Gilbert. His phrasing, sense of melody and timing has grown heaps. He talks about it himself quote a bit in the video and magazine lessons he's done over the past few years.

He may not be shredding quite as fast as the early Racer X days, but it sounds so much better as he's synced in so much more to the tempo and groove, and his phrasing is fantastic. The string skipping stuff is insane too.

[The Euphor]

Mattias Eklundh. With his influence from indian music these last years, he has become very good with reduction. 1234567 123456 12345 1234 123 12 1. Hooray!

[Variant]

I'd have to vote for Michael Amott... not that he was ever bad, but I was just listening to the new Arch Enemy album and he's gotten better in just about every respect. Technical prowess, the ability to meld styles seemlessly, the ablitly to write memorable phrases, overall songwriting, simply making songs heavy AND fun.