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Thread started 05/28/21 8:27am

funkman88

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When did Prince become a virtuoso guitar player?

I ve Seen Wendy & Sonny T both state that Prince became a virtuoso guitar player later in his career

?? eek exactly what time was that? only virtuostic peformance I can remember was the 1st Montreaux jazz festival?? enlighten me please?

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Reply #1 posted 05/28/21 11:38am

SantanaMaitrey
a

On January 15, 1998, at 2 in the morning.
If you take any of this seriously, you're a bigger fool than I am.
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Reply #2 posted 05/28/21 12:03pm

nayroo2002

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Say "virtuoso" three times and click your Keds together.

Then, listen to "Get It Up" at high volume.

"Whatever skin we're in
we all need 2 b friends"
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Reply #3 posted 05/28/21 2:54pm

steakfinger

Prince was never a virtuoso. Not even close.
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Reply #4 posted 05/28/21 3:17pm

donnyenglish

Even though it is cliche, he took it to another level with the Purple Rain solo. Arguably, his best solos were on Get It Up and 7779311 prior to Purple Rain.

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Reply #5 posted 05/28/21 3:54pm

thebanishedone

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If i made this topic i would b crucified lol
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Reply #6 posted 05/28/21 8:28pm

thebanishedone

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steakfinger said:

Prince was never a virtuoso. Not even close.
maybe i should call you a synchopat like u called me but u know what i choose 2 respect your right to your own opinion. wink
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Reply #7 posted 05/28/21 8:29pm

thebanishedone

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funkman88 said:

I ve Seen Wendy & Sonny T both state that Prince became a virtuoso guitar player later in his career


?? eek exactly what time was that? only virtuostic peformance I can remember was the 1st Montreaux jazz festival?? enlighten me please?

why you think his playing on the first montreux was virtuoso?
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Reply #8 posted 05/28/21 8:47pm

masaba

Better question is when was Prince at his best on guitar? Or when did we him advance technically on the instrument?

I think it's a difficult one to answer, cuz you'll hear the 02 shows and be blown away but then you hear some solos from the early 80s and they're like his best on record. He's always been good, I think there was just times he tried harder on guitar or it was more at the forefront of his music.
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Reply #9 posted 05/28/21 9:15pm

thebanishedone

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masaba said:

Better question is when was Prince at his best on guitar? Or when did we him advance technically on the instrument?

I think it's a difficult one to answer, cuz you'll hear the 02 shows and be blown away but then you hear some solos from the early 80s and they're like his best on record. He's always been good, I think there was just times he tried harder on guitar or it was more at the forefront of his music.

In 1988 he was at his peak. But in the 2000's he had the fastest runs on guitar.
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Reply #10 posted 05/28/21 9:26pm

tab32792

masaba said:

Better question is when was Prince at his best on guitar? Or when did we him advance technically on the instrument?

I think it's a difficult one to answer, cuz you'll hear the 02 shows and be blown away but then you hear some solos from the early 80s and they're like his best on record. He's always been good, I think there was just times he tried harder on guitar or it was more at the forefront of his music.



He became a better musician as time went on. On guitar? I would say either 2002 or 2006 were his best years on guitar later on. 2013-2014 wasn’t bad either but he was playing with effects more too
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Reply #11 posted 05/29/21 2:40am

Hamad

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Well Prince by his own admission in the later years, stated that he would be embarrassed upon hearing his guitar playing from his early career. To me he has always been the best rhythm guitar ever - Roger Troutman is second - but as far as his soloing was concerned, that “Just My Imagination” solo from Small Club onward marked the journey of him as a guitar god IMO. The 2000s were my fave period of him as a guitar player though, don’t care about the effects or how technically fast he played, I cared more about how emotive his playing was, and he really knew how to convey his emotions freely during those years, actually both his rhythm guitar and solos were superior in that era.
[Edited 5/29/21 2:41am]
Every saint has a past, and every sinner has a future...

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Reply #12 posted 05/29/21 4:40am

Boydie

As a guitarist of over 30years myself I would completely agree with @thebanishedone and say that 1988 has my personal stand out performance

Go find “If I Had A Harem” from the Lovesexy tour, 1988 in Dortmund

His playing is slick, and the “one note teasing” is great

However, for me it is the “timing” of some his runs - and the long jazzy lick is just sublime

My first live Prince concert was the Wembley arena gig from 1995 - and not being a huge fan prior to this I didn’t appreciate his guitar chops...

...but from the moment I saw him shred out a rock solo on the symbol guitar, throw it across the stage, pick up an arch top jazz guitar, and then sit down and play a solo jazz guitar piece for about 5mins had me COMPLETELY hooked!
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Reply #13 posted 06/04/21 6:28pm

funkman88

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masaba said:

Better question is when was Prince at his best on guitar? Or when did we him advance technically on the instrument? I think it's a difficult one to answer, cuz you'll hear the 02 shows and be blown away but then you hear some solos from the early 80s and they're like his best on record. He's always been good, I think there was just times he tried harder on guitar or it was more at the forefront of his music.

nothing from early 80s was mind blowin.....just long as hell and people think the solos good cuz they so long

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Reply #14 posted 06/04/21 6:31pm

funkman88

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Boydie said:

As a guitarist of over 30years myself I would completely agree with @thebanishedone and say that 1988 has my personal stand out performance Go find “If I Had A Harem” from the Lovesexy tour, 1988 in Dortmund His playing is slick, and the “one note teasing” is great However, for me it is the “timing” of some his runs - and the long jazzy lick is just sublime My first live Prince concert was the Wembley arena gig from 1995 - and not being a huge fan prior to this I didn’t appreciate his guitar chops... ...but from the moment I saw him shred out a rock solo on the symbol guitar, throw it across the stage, pick up an arch top jazz guitar, and then sit down and play a solo jazz guitar piece for about 5mins had me COMPLETELY hooked!

yeah but he was no Eddie van halen

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Reply #15 posted 06/04/21 8:22pm

thebanishedone

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funkman88 said:



Boydie said:


As a guitarist of over 30years myself I would completely agree with @thebanishedone and say that 1988 has my personal stand out performance Go find “If I Had A Harem” from the Lovesexy tour, 1988 in Dortmund His playing is slick, and the “one note teasing” is great However, for me it is the “timing” of some his runs - and the long jazzy lick is just sublime My first live Prince concert was the Wembley arena gig from 1995 - and not being a huge fan prior to this I didn’t appreciate his guitar chops... ...but from the moment I saw him shred out a rock solo on the symbol guitar, throw it across the stage, pick up an arch top jazz guitar, and then sit down and play a solo jazz guitar piece for about 5mins had me COMPLETELY hooked!

yeah but he was no Eddie van halen

so whats your point cause to me Eddie was a onw trick pony.that trick was good but still nothing subtle to his playing? And Prince bag of tricks was wider.Eddie played pentatonic almost always cause he was coming from Claptons school of guitar even though it don't sound like.Prince was using. Dorian lidian mixolidian phrigian scales.But Eddie is more important because he popularised tapping and set the mark for the 80s shreaders but Prince knew more theory and harmony
.there is more dept to the voicings Prince had used.Eddie was a riff master ,Eddie was not a good composer.And i'm trying to be objective.remember this coming from a guy that made "Did we overrate Prince the musician " guy.
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Reply #16 posted 06/04/21 8:47pm

paraded

The solo of "Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad" still sends shivers down my spine. That's the first moment of virtuosity in my book. Doesn't mean he had the technical chops of xyz player at that stage, but he already had the soul of a master. From there he only got better and better until, by the time of the R&R HOF performance, there was no one better alive.

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Reply #17 posted 06/04/21 9:01pm

thebanishedone

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paraded said:

The solo of "Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad" still sends shivers down my spine. That's the first moment of virtuosity in my book. Doesn't mean he had the technical chops of xyz player at that stage, but he already had the soul of a master. From there he only got better and better until, by the time of the R&R HOF performance, there was no one better alive.


That solo have 1 fast run thats not easy 2 play.
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Reply #18 posted 06/04/21 10:26pm

funkman88

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thebanishedone said:

paraded said:

The solo of "Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad" still sends shivers down my spine. That's the first moment of virtuosity in my book. Doesn't mean he had the technical chops of xyz player at that stage, but he already had the soul of a master. From there he only got better and better until, by the time of the R&R HOF performance, there was no one better alive.

That solo have 1 fast run thats not easy 2 play.

i agree that lil run is a bitch ...
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Reply #19 posted 06/05/21 4:39am

Boydie

There is a huge difference between being a “virtuoso” player and being the “best” player

“Best” is sooooo subjective and there are guys and girls on YouTube that not many know about doing AMAZING things with the guitar

I agree that the Hall Of Fame solo was not Prince at his “best” but over his career I think he has proved his guitar chops - and that is without taking in to account the songwriting, singing, dancing, keyboard playing etc. etc. eek
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Reply #20 posted 06/06/21 4:44am

TheEnglishGent

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Virtuoso just means, a person who is extremely skilled at something. So yes, Prince was a guitar virtuoso. As to when he became one? I don't know, reasonably early on, I would say.

RIP sad
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Reply #21 posted 06/06/21 6:32am

savagedreams

steakfinger said:

Prince was never a virtuoso. Not even close.

.

how the F*#k you going to defend that statement?

.

.

vir·tu·o·so
.
noun
.
  1. a person highly skilled in music or another artistic pursuit.
    "a celebrated clarinet virtuoso"

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Reply #22 posted 06/06/21 6:49am

TheEnglishGent

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savagedreams said:

steakfinger said:

Prince was never a virtuoso. Not even close.

.

how the F*#k you going to defend that statement?

.

.

vir·tu·o·so
.
noun
.
  1. a person highly skilled in music or another artistic pursuit.
    "a celebrated clarinet virtuoso"

People tend to think that virtuoso actually means something more than it really does.

RIP sad
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Reply #23 posted 06/06/21 7:30am

Germanegro

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Why the every comparison to Eddie V.H.(R.I.P.)? He was fast & proficient but not the only cool tapper. I think that Stanley Jordan is nice and might be a reasonable comparison 2 make. I probably digress from the topic--sorry.

funkman88 said:



Boydie said:


As a guitarist of over 30years myself I would completely agree with @thebanishedone and say that 1988 has my personal stand out performance Go find “If I Had A Harem” from the Lovesexy tour, 1988 in Dortmund His playing is slick, and the “one note teasing” is great However, for me it is the “timing” of some his runs - and the long jazzy lick is just sublime My first live Prince concert was the Wembley arena gig from 1995 - and not being a huge fan prior to this I didn’t appreciate his guitar chops... ...but from the moment I saw him shred out a rock solo on the symbol guitar, throw it across the stage, pick up an arch top jazz guitar, and then sit down and play a solo jazz guitar piece for about 5mins had me COMPLETELY hooked!

yeah but he was no Eddie van halen


boxed
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Reply #24 posted 06/06/21 7:34am

Germanegro

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I remember a time on NPG Music Club when Prince solicited suggestions on the message board to name any jazz guitarist's style you would like to hear for him to play in. He peobably was feeling virtuosic around that time. I suggested Pat Metheny--he has many styles, hehe.
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Reply #25 posted 06/07/21 5:38am

Se7en

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TheEnglishGent said:

savagedreams said:

.

how the F*#k you going to defend that statement?

.

.

vir·tu·o·so
.
noun
.
  1. a person highly skilled in music or another artistic pursuit.
    "a celebrated clarinet virtuoso"

People tend to think that virtuoso actually means something more than it really does.


This. Google the definition of "virtuoso" and by all definitions Prince was a virtuoso (not just in guitar, either).

Prince was a great, great guitar player . . . but he's not recognized as having "invented" or "revolutionized" any guitar techniques. Maybe that's the hangup?

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Reply #26 posted 06/07/21 11:24am

thebanishedone

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Se7en said:



TheEnglishGent said:




savagedreams said:



.


how the F*#k you going to defend that statement?


.


.




vir·tu·o·so


.






noun

.










  1. a person highly skilled in music or another artistic pursuit.


    "a celebrated clarinet virtuoso"












People tend to think that virtuoso actually means something more than it really does.




This. Google the definition of "virtuoso" and by all definitions Prince was a virtuoso (not just in guitar, either).

Prince was a great, great guitar player . . . but he's not recognized as having "invented" or "revolutionized" any guitar techniques. Maybe that's the hangup?


Edge from U2 revolutionized guitar but he is far from virtuoso.Virtuoso is somebody who can play difficult guitar parts with easiness
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Reply #27 posted 06/08/21 1:27pm

TheEnglishGent

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thebanishedone said:

Se7en said:


This. Google the definition of "virtuoso" and by all definitions Prince was a virtuoso (not just in guitar, either).

Prince was a great, great guitar player . . . but he's not recognized as having "invented" or "revolutionized" any guitar techniques. Maybe that's the hangup?

Edge from U2 revolutionized guitar but he is far from virtuoso.Virtuoso is somebody who can play difficult guitar parts with easiness

Edge is a virtuoso. You're making up your own definition, The Edge is a highly skilled, expert guitar player.

RIP sad
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Reply #28 posted 06/08/21 8:00pm

Cerebus

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This may sound stupid, but I'm OK with that... I've been on the Purple Bus since I saw the videos from 1999 on the MTV. I bought Purple Rain and saw the movie in a theater and have been an obssessive collector ever since. I've always had every piece of Prince music I could get my hands on in whatever format I could get it. I always thought Prince was a really good guitar player, able to play many different styles. And the man could always lay down a great FEELING guitar solo. His feel for what a song needed in that regard was always stellar. Still, like others in this thread I'm not sure I would have called him a virtuoso. He spent too much time playing other instruments, for one thing. But for me, honestly, the Musicoloty tour and afterparties were the first time I remember thinking, "damn, he's gotten way better!" So I guess my answer would be sometime around 2004, although I would bet that's later than what Wendy and Sonny would say.

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Reply #29 posted 06/10/21 8:46pm

thebanishedone

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I think that Prince played guitar great until Rave era but during Rave era his playing seemed unfocused and his tone thin and plastic.On a hitnrun2001 tour he regein his great tone but his playing was still not what it become from 2002 until 2013.I didn't feel his playing during 3rd eye era
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