Why is speed such a big deal for many guitar players?

[Robert]

I know I was into fast picking as a teenager. Back then, it seemed like it was a competition - you would get admiring looks if you could play faster than the other guys. Maybe it's the same today - I dunno. In any case, isn't this focus on speed kinda weird?

Do we have drummers trying to hit faster than other drummers, bass players doing the bumble bee at hundreds of BPM just to impress other bass players? Etc, etc.

My question is - why are guitar players often so focused on acquiring speed, meaning - playing note after note at the highest possible speed while maintaining accuracy?

The problem is, the faster you play, the less interesting it becomes, in my opinion. Rhythm and where and how you play over a musical piece has much more to do with the quality of the outcome, compared to how fast you can play single notes. Really fast lines that just keeps going, like a machine gun, gets utterly boring to me. You know, 32nd notes, or 64th notes that just sound ta-ta-ta-ta (or like a drilling machine) gets old really fast.

[Lev]

It's a competition thing I think, and you want to make girls go WOW! As you get older speed becomes less important... and with thinning hair and expanding waistlines impressing girls becomes a futile pursuit.

[Robert]

HEY! I am still thin and slim - being a marathon runner! Haha :D

[duhvoodooman]

Good question, Robert. While I can appreciate the technical aspect, I find the whole speed playing/shredding thing to be generally uninteresting musically, and very tiresome to my ear. There are a handful of supernaturally talented players who can play with both blinding speed and musicality (Paul Gilbert personifies this, IMO), but even then, a little goes a L-O-O-O-N-N-G way for me....

[Jimi75]

The longer the hair, the faster you play ;-)

I was into fast playing, too - but this was a big thing in the 80's wasn't it? Wasn't everything exagerated in the 80's? The looks, the playing, the singers?

Maybe it is also a psychological issue - MACHISMO...:whatever:

Who knows.

Robert the question is very good and very difficult.

[marnold]

We need to remember that speed is hardly an 80s phenomenon. Vivaldi wrote and played some blindingly fast music. I will grant you that someone who plays at 175 MPH constantly will likely be both boring and exhausting to listen to. But I categorically reject the notion that playing fast inherently means playing without soul or that playing slowly inherently means playing with soul. I find it equally tiring when a speed demon calls a bluesy guy a talentless hack and when a bluesy guy calls a speed demon a soulless robot.

Most of my guitar heroes (including my avatar) could play with quite a bit of speed but didn't stay at that level constantly. When someone can play really fast I'll always admire the talent and obvious massive amounts of practice time that it took to get there. I know I won't because I simply don't have the time or the dedication to do it.

As far as why is it such a big deal? It seems to be like asking why is the sky blue. It's like asking why somebody has a 400 HP engine. If you have to ask the question, it's doubtful that you'll ever understand the answer. :)

[Katastrophe]

When I first started taking lessons, I told my teacher that I wanted to play fast and aggressively. I was into metal at the time, and just wanted speed.

My teacher told me to play as fast as I could, so I ripped off a phrase or two in no particular key. He then showed me that it was possible to play fast and with a sense of melody at the same time. It was an eye opening moment.

My playing has slowed WAY down since that time. From listening to players like David Gilmour, I realized that playing a solo is like making a statement. I want to try and say something with my playing that will leave an impression on the whole audience, not just the guitar guys and gals that happen to be there.

I still get a ton of enjoyment from listening to speedy players like Paul Gilbert, Steve Vai and Yngwie Malmsteen. I think speed has it's place in music, but should never be used just for it's own sake.

[dabacosm]

You know that's a great question. I think that it has to do with adrenaline--it's exciting to watch somebody really wail away and admire the agility but the reality is it's hard to take after about 10 minutes full-throttle!! Perhaps one's speed on guitar is directly proportional to one's age (the younger the player the greater the desire for the need for speed):D .

I also think for live players, speed does get a crowd roaring and it is so easy to fall back on when one thinks one is losing his/her audience. I find I do that sometimes although, I'm no Steve Vai or EVH by any stretch!! But it does something to the crowd--forgive the blanket generalization but maybe folks just don't respond to music the way they once did or perhaps they don't have the attention span for a well-crafted solo, I don't know. . .all I know is that soloing gets treated like an action/adventure movie--the more action, the greater the thrill is the mindset. But I'm with you. . .it just gets boring!

[sunvalleylaw]

I like someone who can hit the throttle, but I like it a whole lot better when that throttle is used with some discretion and touch, and varies. Vivaldi did write some really fast stuff, but I love it because of the different moods he conveys through his use of a lot of things, including speed.

In skiing, the speed that relates is how quick is the turn tempo. One who is banging out short swing turns endlessly is interesting to watch for a while, esp. if they are a good bump skier, but it is more interesting to watch the cadence vary in my opinion. Big swooping turns down a large mountain, then nailing some short, quick cadence maneuvers and turns over rocks, jumps, bumps or obstacles makes it so much more satisfying to me. That varied turn or wave concept works the same way in music for me.

Bottom line, I like it when the speed gets turned on, but only when it is compared to some other tempos.

[dws]

Similarly to what marnold said, the key is to not stay at the same pace to sound good (like Robert said, playing a 20 minute string of 64th notes gets boring).

If a guitarist has mastered the art of playing extremely quickly, yet accurately, I'd consider him/her a very good technical player. But, if he/she has not figured out how to play a beautiful, slower balladesque type of thing, I wouldn't consider him/her a complete player.

Use somebody like Joe Satriani as an example. He is somebody who can play mind-bendingly fast, yet he also has the ability to play slowly, the ability to play a great piece of music.

Or, an earlier example, Duane Allman.

I also agree on the point that "playing fast means you have no emotion" is false. Again, I think the key is to vary the types of playing.

It's cool to be able to play really quickly, but to be able to play fast and slow is even better.

[aeolian]

My thoughts on the topic is this.

When I first started to learn guitar playing, it was pretty easy to figure out how to play something if it is slow. But if it is fast, I can't play it. So the impression is that playing fast is difficult and therefore impressive. The thing I did not realize at first is what the music sounds like when I played it, be it slow or fast. After playing for a while I began to realize that something slow that be very musical, but it has to be played right; and something fast can also be musical, again if it is played right. Conversely you can butcher something whether it is slow or fast. At that point I know that playing fast is not the most important in playing.

Some effects that gets lost when playing fast, but can add a lot to a melody when playing slow are use of sustain and vibrato.

[rkwrenn]

The amount of notes you play should be inversely proportional to the number of women in the audience. IE: More Women = Less Notes

Have Fun!

Bob

[just strum]

Never liked it, never impressed by it. However, as obvious here, there is a large fan base. I took off the 80's as the whole scene didn't really interest me.

[tot_Ou_tard]

People do what they can do. If they can go fast they do that. If they can squeeze the last drop of blood, sweat, & tears from a single note they do that. If they have an affinity for the quirky note that common wisdom says doesn't fit, but just it just rings their bell...they'll ring that bell.

If it is interesting & musical then I'll listen to it. Given a choice I'll take the one note with soul or the quirky asymmetric tune over many notes played really fast. If you can mix all those up while telling a truly moving musical story...well that gets all my votes & rings all the bells.

I listened to music all through the 80's. Just not the stuff that is considered 80s music.

[Spudman]

In my case I tend not to drink alcohol at gig but instead have a few large glasses of Coke a Cola. Usually by the middle of the second set I can't help but to play fast. ;) :)

Seriously, like Kat says, I try to make a statement or say something during an instrumental break and I like to hear that when I go see other players as well. It just seems more interesting if I'm given something melodically interesting that is not too big to digest. I like speed too but only if it seems appropriate. However I can't handle a whole night of listening to someone just riffing all over the neck and not saying anything, like "hey I'm playing fast because I can."

Maybe players do it because they think that people will think they are good on their instrument if they can zoom all over for a long time.

A good example is Steve Morse. On his own and with the Dregs he totally is a speed demon (tasteful of course) but with Deep Purple he slows things down and shows a different side that has some great rock and roll emotion. He supports the song. Maybe a lot of players that play fast don't know how to support the song?

[just strum]

For the record, my statement is not a reflection of what the talent level is - There are good shredders or just plain good fast players and there are bad.

Even if I liked it, I couldn't go that fast. Maybe I'll try the coca-cola trick - does it work with Pepsi?

[tot_Ou_tard]

For the record, my statement is not a reflection of what the talent level is - There are good shredders or just plain good fast players and there are bad.

Even if I liked it, I couldn't go that fast. Maybe I'll try the coca-cola trick - does it work with Pepsi?
You'll have to give yourself the blind Strum Shredding challenge to find out.

[wingsdad]

...Maybe a lot of players that play fast don't know how to support the song?

+1 :AOK:
It's what you don't play, as much as it is what you do play.

Speedy playing for shear display of prowess is fretboard masturbation.

[Rocket]

+1 :AOK:
It's what you don't play, as much as it is what you do play.

Speedy playing for shear display of prowess is fretboard masturbation.
+1000
Uh-huh!... Exactly right!

[just strum]

Speedy playing for shear display of prowess is fretboard masturbation.

Maybe Tot's suggested test is a result of fretboard masturbation.

[tot_Ou_tard]

Maybe Tot's suggested test is a result of fretboard masturbation.
Are you suggesting that you have a 12" radius?

[Brian Krashpad]

I never cared about speed.

It doesn't sound good to me. I can play what I want without that many notes.