While listening to purple rain, i've noticed that Prince hasn't really given uss a Killer guitar solo on record. It seems to me that it's not his main priority to create solos. He plays what he feels. And theirs nothing wrong with that but his playing is pretty inconsisstent, and hasn't changed throughout the years. His playing has gotten better (faster) but his ability to construct decent solos is still not good. He's gotten close, (joy in repition, Shhh, The Sensual Everafter) But i have to say their isn't one solo that i myself said "Damn i wish i created that"
And as a guitar player, and soloist, i can vouch that prince prretty much doesn't know wtf he's doing...
Best solo i've ever heard him play was the r&r rendition of MGGW, but other than that nothing...
Maybe its something only a musician can see,
But am i alone on this?

EmbattledWarrior said:

You're not alone on this. I agree with every word you say.

I think the soloing on Play in the Sunshine, Extra Loveable, Let's Go Crazy, Computer Blue, When Doves Cry, Purple Rain , Bambi, I'm Yours, Dolphin and Gold are all pretty killer...

What would you consider a killer solo?

I do think he relies a little too much on improvising his solos on record... a little too many bends and vibratos...
[Edited 7/25/07 2:35am]

C'mon, 'Purple Rain' is one of the most recognisable guitar solos of all time.

But yes, he should have had more killer solos on record in his career.

What about ICNTTPOYM (the movie version's better I think)?

Yeah, I disagree, I think Prince has plenty of great guitar solos. stop belly-aching!
[Edited 7/25/07 4:00am]

coolcat said:

the 15 - 20 second solo on Zeppelin Tangerine beat any solo Prince has made in his life,

Neil Young, Cortez the killer
Isley Bros , Summer Breeze
Bell bottom blues, clapton, simple yet melodic
Thanks for the pepperoni - George Harrison
November Rain - GnR , Slash at his melodic best
Free Bird - Skynyrd
Marooned- Pink Floyd
Comfortabvly numb - Pink Floyd

i can go on and on,
it just seems to me when it comes to solos Prince is melodically challenged

oh and Vai , whispering on a prayer
and all of satrianis stuff

leecaldon said:

The solo at the end of purple rain any ass can do with with a half a year of training under their belt
its just a bo\unch of bends and alot of vibrato, one melodic run, and the end is a 3 note riff
albeitt, a memorable 3 note riff, but its a 3 note riff...
That song warranted a really killer Solo, i mean A Pagesque, Stairway to heaven type of solo
and Prince never delivered it, it always kinda irked me

EmbattledWarrior said:

OK, you're changing the tone of your original post I think here. Just about any solo most people, even melodically challenged but technically sound can replicate with a bit of practice. Thousands of guitarists can play Jimi, SRV and especially Page but very few could have come up with the solos in the first place. That part is invention. Copying many can figure out if they try hard enough, Go to guitar shows and you've got kids playing Vai stuff, but if they had to make a guitar record it would stink.

Purple Rain is a damn good solo, well constructed and melodic. It sounds like one he took some particular time on and it has paid off with longevity and substance. I also like the more raw sounding solos like "Lady Cab Driver", "Rock Hard in a Funky Place" and "I Like it there". But I agree there's not enough on record to appease hard rock fans for any length of time. You don't find the classic "guitar solo break" that makes everyone play air guitar that often like you would in AC/DC or Zep or even ZZ TOP. Not just the solos, but the sound I often have an issue with. Take Lion of Judah, good solo, lost in the mix with poor tone and mixing.

machinegun said:

I think all the solos on PR are well constructed... esp. Computer Blue imo...

EmbattledWarrior said:

I'll definitely agree with regards to Satch and Vai... they're masters of making the electric guitar the lead melodic instrument...

machinegun said:

i agree to disagree
i don't think the purple rain solo is that good
I think the Dirty sound of the Hohner is great
but the solo itself is simplistic, especially for such a great key and chord progression Purple Rain was...

Maybe u r right with reference 2 studio albums, but live on stage he is now a far better guitarist than 20 years ago.

Aloisio said:

speed wise,But i think he's melodically challenged though

EmbattledWarrior said:

Question of U or Alexa de Paris have the kind of solo I think you may be after? They both sound musical and melodic to me.

machinegun said:

Yah, but those solos are short lived
I'll give ya he has it in him, i just don't think hes done it yet
thats probably my only real complaint

Ok so the Purple Rain solo maybe lacking a little, i'll give you that. He has done some GREAT solos in his time though, The Question of U being my favourite.
[Edited 7/25/07 4:28am]

Dude , check out some live performances

Dewrede said:

When he plays live, he's mostly just shredding up and down scales...
least recently thats what he's been doing...
Link me one, you think i should see

The Purple Rain solo remains spine-chilling for me but in terms of 'construction', don't forget that it's an edited version of the August 3rd 1983 First Avenue performance where he doodled around for a while and then played the 3 note bit for about 3 minutes non-stop... probably wondering where to go next! Maybe he just liked it that much.

It was a good solo, but he took the best bits and did some mixing and matching to create the released version so I don't know to what extent we can say the solo was 'constructed' before being played. Afterwards, well totally...

kanoohead said:

thats an interesting way to create a solo,
...
with a song like that, im sorry you gotta take the time, listen to groove
trial and error it out until the solo forms itself...
but hey, its too late now

Purple Rain is an awsome solo.

I had the pleasure of performing it once at a tribute night, spent a few weeks getting it right. The croud went wild.
It's so distinctive and easily recognizable.

Lost of bands construct songs from long jams. Sonic Youth for example.

I think Prince is one of the best guitar players around, he's got a few tricks that he sometimes overuses, but overall he's got style and substance. His guitar sings.

EmbattledWarrior said:

Dude you have not attended many aftershows, have you ?

Those of you who complain that he doesn't play like Vai or Satriani et al. should remember that both of those guys rate Prince highly as both a guitarist and musician. I think people- especially some musicians -tend to assume that because Prince is a multi-instumentalist that he is merely 'ok' on those instruments rather than very good to excellent. I think Prince has a very distinctive style and personality to his guitar playing (both rhythm and lead)in addition to his piano/keyboard and bass skills and as another org member says, his leads often sing and are therefore memorable (a lot like his idol Santana). It's not a matter of how many notes you play ( as your repeated reference to speed indicates) but how you build the solo and I think Prince mixes the melodic and rhythmic aspects very well to create solos which convey emotion and build to an apex. He also uses speed when necessary but contrasts it nicely with sustained/feedback notes and muted rhythmical flurries and tones (ICNTTPOYM - live and The Ride). What I might criticise slightly is that the Purple Rain solo structure and build-up has been repeated thematically a few too many times in other songs. Also, his playing is not often well mixed on his CD output.

Anyway, if you want to hear shredded speed arpeggios listen to someone like Yngwie Malmsteen who while technically impressive seems more intent on showing off over really creating guitar parts that bring the songs to life, are memorable and which also reveal the soul of the player. Remember, music isn't just about technical proficiency and complexity for its own sake but creating something which speaks to people. On this latter point, Prince has reduced audiences (including myself) to tears (and yes,for a good reason) with the beauty, phrasing and sheer emotion of his guitar playing. How many of these 'technical wizards' can do the same?

Btw, Prince's solo at the 2004 Hall of Fame (USA) awards was really impressive and highly lauded by all accounts.

As a Musician myself..Playing guitar for over 20 years..i dont agree...I think he can do whatever he wants with his guitar..When i listen to him I take into account all the harmonies his piano and bass work..his Exceptional rhythm and his voice...I am sure that whatever he hears in his head, he can get out of the guitar ..and that a Hell of a lot more than the average "killer guitarist " can do !

coolcat said:

I think it's a musician thing. Musicians (and in particular guitar players) listen to music in a whole different way than non-musicians. When guitar players hear a guitar solo we immediately pay attention to: melody, timing, structure of the solo, sound, attack, sustain etc.
Prince is a good guitar player but that's it. Nothing great or brilliant. He can never beat Steve Vai or Joe Satriani. Not in a million years. Those guys are Masters on their instruments. The reason I love Prince so much is that he is so versatile. With Prince it's the entire package: singing, playing several instruments, songwriting, studio technique, performing, dancing.

Prince is an OK soloist, but a killer rhymthm guitarist

correction prince is killer guitar soloist and great rhythm guitar player

prince don't construct great guitar solos hahaha
then what about:

computer blue

i could never take the place of your man

so far so pleased

why you wanna treat me so bad is it enough?>??

or amazing solo of just my imagination.
so you are very wrong .
bell bottom blues give me a break.
clapton is the one forgot how to construct transcedental solos not prince.

prince have amazing ability to create very emotional solo that tells you a story.
how beautigul is solo on i hate you.

while i agree that prince always plays tehnicly better solos on purple rain everytime he plays it live(althought studio version is live )

that purple rain studio album version have realy special solo.
it's simple but very effective solo with that great noise like d note in the begining.
great sound,btw did you know album version is recorded on hohner not cloud guitar???