swdee said:

3 Chains Of Gold is a complex track with some great guitar work.

YES. I'm glad I actually read what others have written before posting.

In terms of complexity in composition and arrangement, "3 Chains O' Gold" is certainly the "winner".

thebanishedone said:

Strange but the most complex guitar solo in

a Prince song is not even played by Prince

Sexy MF guitar solo

That's not the most complex guitar solo by far and Prince is more than capable of playing it.

One that easily beats that (and this is just one example) is Prince doing the solo for "If I Had A Harem" on the Livesexy video. Much more complicated and features some really clever pick movement (watch closely as he moves from the octave strumming towards the end - he rolls the pick between all his fingers back to his thumb and forefinger ready to pick the lead line again, all without dropping a note (or the pick)!) Marvellous stuff.

"Had U"

swdee said:

The last song on his first album "I'm Yours" is very conplex, lots of instruments seamlessly blended together and he was only 19!

Him being 19 doesnt make it more complex, haha. It makes it more impressive though. But the song is pretty damn generic and similar sounding to other music compared to later releases. It's just his funky bass playing, over playing on the guitar, dull drum playing plus his high and squeeky voice that made it "original". He matured on each of these instruments only a year after, and on dirty mind and controversy he really started to perfect the Prince sound.

Another Lonely Christmas is imo pretty complex. And songs on Parade, Purple Rain and ATWIAD had some pretty complex, creative and complete compositios.

XNY said:

Check out 'Just My Imagination' from Small Club. Wow.

I always thought Miko was playing guitar with him, but it's all Prince. Blows my mind.

The "build" in that solo is absolutely unreal.

how about Crystal Ball?

the rainbow children

Mindflux said:

thebanishedone said:

Strange but the most complex guitar solo in

a Prince song is not even played by Prince

Sexy MF guitar solo

That's not the most complex guitar solo by far and Prince is more than capable of playing it.

One that easily beats that (and this is just one example) is Prince doing the solo for "If I Had A Harem" on the Livesexy video. Much more complicated and features some really clever pick movement (watch closely as he moves from the octave strumming towards the end - he rolls the pick between all his fingers back to his thumb and forefinger ready to pick the lead line again, all without dropping a note (or the pick)!) Marvellous stuff.

i thought he fluffed that solo on "If I Had A Harem" when he started to play fast. about 4 seconds into the fast bit he gets stuck on a bad note and manages to play in key again. i remember the next day after it was on tv, a friend of mine, a springsteen fan, said the same thing about that solo.

there are lots of complex pieces, things like crystal ball (though i dont think he played the orchestral pieces, Clare Fischer would have supplied that i presume, who creates arrangements that could be considered complex on many prince songs).

RodeoSchro said:

Most of "Purple Rain" pushes the edge of the envelope; actually, bursts it wide open. How did he come up with the bridge in "Take Me With U"? And how did he change it 20 years later?

The chord progressions in "Let's Go Crazy", "The Beautiful Ones" and "Darling Nikki" are sublime. As are all the songs, actually.

Also, "The Ladder" is a great composition. So is "Condition of the Heart". And of course, the entire "Parade" album bespeaks years of learning, as Rolling Stone magazine put it.

I agree on this one!

spoida said:

Mindflux said:

That's not the most complex guitar solo by far and Prince is more than capable of playing it.

One that easily beats that (and this is just one example) is Prince doing the solo for "If I Had A Harem" on the Livesexy video. Much more complicated and features some really clever pick movement (watch closely as he moves from the octave strumming towards the end - he rolls the pick between all his fingers back to his thumb and forefinger ready to pick the lead line again, all without dropping a note (or the pick)!) Marvellous stuff.

i thought he fluffed that solo on "If I Had A Harem" when he started to play fast. about 4 seconds into the fast bit he gets stuck on a bad note and manages to play in key again. i remember the next day after it was on tv, a friend of mine, a springsteen fan, said the same thing about that solo.

there are lots of complex pieces, things like crystal ball (though i dont think he played the orchestral pieces, Clare Fischer would have supplied that i presume, who creates arrangements that could be considered complex on many prince songs).

I'll have another listen soon and get back to you on that - but I don't recall hearing a bum note at all.....

It may not be his most complex but Beginning Endlessly has some great funky guitar on it. I love like the last 2 minutes of the song when hes just playing. Fantastic

Rioub said:

Eyeofthelotus said:

I wanna see how they look and watch them on youtube or something...Im bored...

Search for Prince "While My Guitar Gently Weeps"

The Old Chestnut gets rolled out again. Seriously if you enjoy listening to guitar playing as opposed to just pentatonic wankery then look for "Blues on Later... with Jools Holland". You can still get it on BBC iPlayer. There you'll see some 'real' guitar playing from the likes of Jeff Beck, BB King, Seasick Steve, Buddy Guy and Eric Clapton (to name most but not all).

If you really want complexity then Steve Vai or Frank Zappa.

And yes, I know, someone asks a question and someone posts something that really doesn't answer it. Hey, the net is just one big conversation isn't it? With people shouting over each other most of the time admittedly...

SPYZFAN1 said:

Co-sign with "Crystal Ball". Real intense and complex musicmanship. Besides the backing vox and orchestration did he do it by himself?

Computer Blue for me.............

paisleypark4 said:

SPYZFAN1 said:

Co-sign with "Crystal Ball". Real intense and complex musicmanship. Besides the backing vox and orchestration did he do it by himself?

Think Sheila is on the drums.

Nope - its Prince.

paisleypark4 said:

Probably Crystal Ball

true