What a fantastic player:

Bucket

I'm sure some of you will be familiar with Marco Sfogli, and indeed I've known his playing for years, but I just listened to this track again and... just, wow. He has all the best parts of John Petrucci's playing combined with a little bit of Satriani and some of the most stunning touch and tone of any shredder out there.



I love this piece too - some really strong melodies, and it's tastefully written. Obviously the guitar is the focus of it, but he plays to serve the music more than he tends to let rip for the sake of it. The 7/8 section at 3:58 onwards is fabulous. Also nearly impossible to play, as I have found out upon trying to learn it several times.

TTBZ

Not normally my sort of thing but I enjoyed that!

fandango

I don't think that's shredding, but I appreciate the talent. However it's so smooth. Too smooth. There's no relief and it's starts wearing on the ears towards the end. Basically it lacks a melody.

Reminds me of some of Thomas Blug's music. And at 2:07 for just 5-6 seconds, he plays a few notes that remind me of some of Zappa's finest work.

professorben

Absolute monster player 
He's on the last few James LaBrie records and they have brilliant playing. 

mgaw

must be something wrong with me cos i find it dull as..

professorben

mgaw said:

must be something wrong with me cos i find it dull as..

Yep 

stratman3142

Yet another great player I'd not heard of. Thanks for posting.

Chuffola

Instrumental shredded-type guitar music almost always leaves me cold, so not for me. 

MattFGBI

mgaw said:

must be something wrong with me cos i find it dull as..

Yes. And a terrible guitar tone. 

Technically very good as a player but quite forgettable. 

professorben

MattFGBI said:

mgaw said:

must be something wrong with me cos i find it dull as..

Yes. And a terrible guitar tone. 

Technically very good as a player but quite forgettable. 

I admit he used to sound a lot better when he used Mesa.

bingefeller

Technically brilliant but, like most of those shred guys, he can't write.  The melody is a rip off of Andy Timmons's Hiroshima, even the way it's phrased.  

fandango

There was me trying not to be negative in my earlier post, but having read other comments, I will say that shredding is rather gratuitous, and probably the biggest turn off in a musical setting. I've heard it said many times that playing an instrument is as much about "making music", and there's nothing musical about shredding.

Sassafras

I've tried to like stuff like this because as a guitar player I think maybe I should but I just can't. I've tried, really I have but I find it quite dull and unexciting. Just lots of notes for the sake of it.
And very self-indulgent. Fine if it's for your own enjoyment but I wouldn't subject anyone else to it.
I'm trying to be as positive as I can

bingefeller

The original and best.

equalsql

That tone is not for me, waaay too processed and synthetic, but Lord he is one hell of a player. I find the zippy sliding into notes a bit blah but the rest is bloomin' impressive. 

Winny_Pooh

It is super dull and the tone is terrible. Someone like Satriani, while less technical, makes far more compelling music. And on pure technique this guy is not a patch on Shawn Lane. I'm puzzled as to the appeal of this video basically.

Sassafras

These videos are very impressive to watch but when you shut you're eyes and listen, they become less so.

MattP

I can do that, I just don't want to.

EricTheWeary

I know instrumental rock guitar isn't usually my kind of thing so just watching this because of the divided comments (and waiting to get in the bathroom). 
Obviously technically it's very skilled, I don't find the tone awful but it sounds very dated, it's like the late eighties. There seem to be parts where either the programmed drums are completely wrong or he's completely wrong. I'm sure you can't be that good and that out of time so, presumably, this is clever stuff but it does sound wrong to me. 
I like that Bucket has enthusiasm for so much stuff but as a listener I need something that hangs together a bit more as a piece of music and less of a demonstration of technique. But I'm a man of simple tastes.
Anyway, off to have a shower...