Is he for real

[DonnaT]

Is he really playing? http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid ... 1670441597

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[Celia]

I gather Yngwie Malmsteen did a rendition of Canon in D on electric guitar. Can't find even a sample mp3 clip of it on the internet, though. What this guy is performing(?) sounds awfully produced, and it's a heck of a lot easier to "guit-sync" a difficult solo than it is to actually play it. I have serious doubts - this is the internet, after all.

-Celia

[Lynne]

ummmm, interesting, but I wonder..........
Hugz
Lynne

[Jaye]

I agree that the performance is in the style of Yngwie, but it appears that the guitarist might actually be playing himself. The caption says the musician is Japanese, and that style of rock guitar is actually quite popular over there. Check out Yoko Kanno's compositions "Gonna Rice", "Yakitori" or "Train Search" from the "Stand Alone Complex" OST albums and you'll see what I mean.

The Japanese concept of rock and roll is somewhat different from what we have in the West, anyway. Appearances can be very deceptive. Some of their bands (Malice Mizer, for example) look like very stylized glam metal groups (big hair, heavy androgynous makeup/costumes), yet play very classical-sounding music. On the other end of the scale are their punk bands (Peelander-Z, anyone?), which defy description visually, yet play music that wouldn't be out of place on the Warped Tour.

[DonnaT]

For a better view of his hands: http://jerryc.tw/ click on [video] then click on 'download' for the video I'm Alright

He is playing. Note, he was born in Taipei , Taiwan.

[Stephanie W]

Watching the first video, there is no doubt he seems to know his way around a fretboard. However, I don't believe we are actually hearing him play in that video. Listening to the production values, there are other instruments in there such as drums and at least another guitar and the recording levels ALL appear consistent meaning the 'soundtrack' (with all instruments) was likely recorded at the same time. In my opinion, if he was playing that, we would hear his guitar with a different sound, (as a stand alone) and more obvious he was 'playing along' to the song. Everything seems to fit in too neatly. He's going through the motions quite capably though so I've no doubt he can play.

Stephanie

[DonnaT]

I think he's hooked into a good synthesizer that is also connected to a music output device for background accompanyment. When he takes his hands off the fret and strings, you can here the accompanyment. The synth is giving the unique sound, but he has to hit the right cords to get it.

[Elizabeth]

Hi girls,

He is playing along with the recording. It is how a lot of guitar players, myself included, learn songs. I can tell by how he is playing that he is making a lot of mistakes. His fingering techniques can not produce the sounds we are hearing, so when he makes mistakes, we are hearing the recording.

There are several of the fast riffs that I can see he is not actually playing, and many of the "chirps" he could not be making from a bar chord position. All in all, he is not a bad player, but he is far from being as good as Malmsteen.

I remember back in 1981 when Yngwie Malmsteen played in a local LA band callled "Steeler". They were at the top of the LA music scene, but never went past that. In 1984 Malmsteen released his first solo album called "Rising Force". His trademark being the fast, clean, melodic riffs have not been repeated by our teenage would be guitar virtuoso.

I am sure other guitar players from our forum will recognize this to be true.

Love always,
Elizabeth

[Marda]

~
Woe is me (maybe)
- my humble "Model T" system doesn't handle exotic video and audio files so I can only imagine what you're all on about
- I probably agree with the qualified assessments presented

On these notes, I recently heard a feature presentation (recording) on a local radio station of a jazz musician playing sax with one channel 'dry' and the other through a laptop equipped with some brainey software
(I preferred 'Switched On Bach' for listening enjoyment)

Supplemental note, I'm acquainted with a well respected session player (stringed instruments) who now earns a substantial income creating commercial 'audio products', especially in association with 'video products'
- since I'm not looking for any commercial "success" as a musician, as well as helping me learn songs from recordings, he's also helped me learn to better 'hear' (recognize) the difference between 'real music' and 'fabrications'
- as a result, I'm becoming better acquainted with more 'real' musicians and improving my own playing

/M