Amazing Pat Metheny Video

lowmagnet

lowmagnet

Enthusiast
Now I'm listening to "Letters from Home" thanks so you..



...so thanks. ;)
 
Resident Loser

Resident Loser

Senior Audioholic
Way more...

...impressed with the luthier's handiwork than with the performance...as there really wasn't much to it...the performance that is...

From a guitarists POV, he was simply hammering-on the bass notes using the more traditional neck portion of the instrument...the other sets of strings, resembling a Picasso-like impression of a guitar, seemed to be tuned to specific chords which could either be strummed with a pick (as happened near the end of the piece) or plucked harp-like as multiple stops or individual notes as needed...as was the shorter upper neck, sounding to these ears as sixths, ninths or suspended chords...and using the guitar top as a percussive tool is no biggie, just listen to some flamenco...

Guitarists like Paul Galbraith who use custom instruments that deviate from the basic six-string format initially may invite some curiosity-seekers, but they do play the more established classical repertoire which requires infinitely more technical ability than that exhibited by Metheny...When someone like Galbraith performs Bach or Sor counterpoint sounding like two guitarists at work rather than some near-random noodling based more on fixed-tuning, arpeggiated note sequences, then I'm impressed...

While it may have sounded ethereal and moody, give any experienced guitarist about 10-20 mins. with the Metheny instrument in order to familiarize themself with the layout and they will also be able to produce such sounds...

jimHJJ(...complexity can be simple, it's simplicity that is often much more complex...)
 
gene

gene

Audioholics Master Chief
Administrator
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

...impressed with the luthier's handiwork than with the performance...as there really wasn't much to it...the performance that is...

From a guitarists POV, he was simply hammering-on the bass notes using the more traditional neck portion of the instrument...the other sets of strings, resembling a Picasso-like impression of a guitar, seemed to be tuned to specific chords which could either be strummed with a pick (as happened near the end of the piece) or plucked harp-like as multiple stops or individual notes as needed...as was the shorter upper neck, sounding to these ears as sixths, ninths or suspended chords...and using the guitar top as a percussive tool is no biggie, just listen to some flamenco...

Guitarists like Paul Galbraith who use custom instruments that deviate from the basic six-string format initially may invite some curiosity-seekers, but they do play the more established classical repertoire which requires infinitely more technical ability than that exhibited by Metheny...When someone like Galbraith performs Bach or Sor counterpoint sounding like two guitarists at work rather than some near-random noodling based more on fixed-tuning, arpeggiated note sequences, then I'm impressed...

While it may have sounded ethereal and moody, give any experienced guitarist about 10-20 mins. with the Metheny instrument in order to familiarize themself with the layout and they will also be able to produce such sounds...

jimHJJ(...complexity can be simple, it's simplicity that is often much more complex...)
You obviously know very little about Pat Metheny to be making such statements. This was not nearly his most complex song and I linked to it more b/c of his creativity in the music and the instrument he had custom made for this purpose.

IMO Pat has no equal in playing or creative skills - he is a unique talent in the music industry that will especially be cherished when he is gone.
 
jeffsg4mac

jeffsg4mac

Republican Poster Boy
Guitarists like Paul Galbraith who use custom instruments that deviate from the basic six-string format initially may invite some curiosity-seekers, but they do play the more established classical repertoire which requires infinitely more technical ability than that exhibited by Metheny
While it may have sounded ethereal and moody, give any experienced guitarist about 10-20 mins. with the Metheny instrument in order to familiarize themself with the layout and they will also be able to produce such sounds...

jimHJJ(...complexity can be simple, it's simplicity that is often much more complex...)
That is the most ridiculous thing I think I have heard in a while. You obviously have never really seen Pat play and know very little about him. Pat is very well respected among the best guitar players in the world. He has won 17 grammys and 10 of those consecutively. He has also composed an amazing amount of music. That one song was cool sounding but does not showcase Pat's talent. The guy is amazing and if you are at all interested in good guitar playing then you owe it to yourself to listen to a lot more of Pats work than just that one song. Pat is a jazz-fusion pioneer and one of the best musicians alive today. He is a modern equivalent of a Mozart. Rent some of his concerts and check out some of his CD's. Secret Story and Letter From Home would be a good start.

What is with Pat's hair though, man he has to fix that!
 
Last edited:
jaxvon

jaxvon

Audioholic Ninja
Great video. I saw Pat play that thing live at Hill Auditorium here in Ann Arbor. It was an amazing performance.
 
stratman

stratman

Audioholic Ninja
When most of my friends wanted to sound like Van Halen I wanted to sound like Metheny.
 
billy p

billy p

Audioholic Ninja
I guess everyone has their own guitar hero!! All 3 links sounded very cool, but I'd take a Angus solo anyday:D :p :)!!!
 
highfihoney

highfihoney

Audioholic Samurai
While it may have sounded ethereal and moody, give any experienced guitarist about 10-20 mins. with the Metheny instrument in order to familiarize themself with the layout and they will also be able to produce such sounds...

jimHJJ(...complexity can be simple, it's simplicity that is often much more complex...)
While i agree that complex can be simple (simple sounding) i think your missing the point,its not always about who can play the most complex notes.IMO what made the video extra cool for me was the composition itself & the arrangement,what that clip showcases is his extreme compositional talent & a keen ear for arrangement.

Sure,there are a bunch of players that can easily play what Pat has done but there are not that many that can compose/arrange & play what he does on the level of consistency that he has done.

Do i thing Pat's the end all of guitar players,no i dont but there is no way to take away from that man as an extremely talented composer/arranger/player.
 
A

Audiacc

Junior Audioholic
nice.
A bit like harp playing. Kudos for the instrument maker, unnamed carpenter...
It could have been mic'ed with stereo pair I'd say for better panorama
 
Resident Loser

Resident Loser

Senior Audioholic
I'm sorry...

You obviously know very little about Pat Metheny to be making such statements. This was not nearly his most complex song and I linked to it more b/c of his creativity in the music and the instrument he had custom made for this purpose.

IMO Pat has no equal in playing or creative skills - he is a unique talent in the music industry that will especially be cherished when he is gone.
...but you posted a link and stated these words: "Need I say more?"

So "making such statements" re: your specific citation is not allowed? I don't need to know more about PM to critique that specifc performance, do I? Perhaps you can't say more but I certainly can and simply chose to do so...Plucking at pre-tuned, open string arrays and playing with performance specific, custom built "instruments" simply doesn't impress me one wit...It's about a half-step above a keyboardist who relies on midi or sequencers IMHO...

But you are right, I know zero of the man's body of work...so I took the liberty to sample some of it on other you tube selections...still not impressed...Strikes me as this psuedo jazz/fusion, borderline new-age sonic landscaping...Playing an electric sitar? Sounding harmonics with accompanying arm flourishes? Am I supposed to be impressed? There was one solo piece that was pleasant enough but, wrapping the thumb around to the fret-side of the neck? Bad form...his teacher should have given him a whack for that transgression...

Much rather listen to Segovia, Los Romeros, Django, Byrd, Atkins, Klugh, Howe, Gilmour, May...those fellows...I'm sure if I investigated, I would come across PM performances atypical of what I have briefly seen, but there is so much else available that I actually have some interest in...

jimHJJ(...not my cuppa' gov...)
 
stratman

stratman

Audioholic Ninja
Metheny is to guitar, as Jaco Pastorius was to the bass. BTW Pastorius attended The UM School of Jazz regarded as one of the best in the world. Of all places in Suntan U.
 
newsletter

  • RBHsound.com
  • BlueJeansCable.com
  • SVS Sound Subwoofers
  • Experience the Martin Logan Montis
Top