Instrumental Music

[OmerV]

Blues is my favorite instrumental music. I wouldn't mind if there were never lyrics to blues songs. SRV, Clapton, Jimi, ZZ Top....When these guys play electric guitar blues, my whole body feels it, and I see where the idea of having a soul comes from.

Other than that, Pink Floyd instrumentals are incredible.

I'm with you on all of this. If you aren't into Buddy Guy already, you need to check him out. Great blues guitar player. Clapton once called him the best guitar player ever.

Santana does a lot of pure instrumentals too, some bluesy, and some more jazzy. Frank Zappa has a couple of albums that are pure instrumentals as well. Pretty strong guitar player.

 

[Runwildboys]

I'm with you on all of this. If you aren't into Buddy Guy already, you need to check him out. Great blues guitar player. Clapton once called him the best guitar player ever.

Santana does a lot of pure instrumentals too, some bluesy, and some more jazzy. Frank Zappa has a couple of albums that are pure instrumentals as well. Pretty strong guitar player.

I don't know a lot of Buddy Guy's stuff, but I like what I've heard. SRV does a good job with Leave My Girl Alone, but if you've never heard Travis Tritt's rendition, take a listen. Personally, I think it's the best one, mostly because of the vocals, but the guitar and piano are excellent as well.

I realize Zappa was a great guitarist, but I really don't care for most of the songs I've heard. I think the lyrics are immatue...but I would like to hear some purely instrumental stuff.

 

[OmerV]

I don't know a lot of Buddy Guy's stuff, but I like what I've heard. SRV does a good job with Leave My Girl Alone, but if you've never heard Travis Tritt's rendition, take a listen. Personally, I think it's the best one, mostly because of the vocals, but the guitar and piano are excellent as well.

I realize Zappa was a great guitarist, but I really don't care for most of the songs I've heard. I think the lyrics are immatue...but I would like to hear some purely instrumental stuff.

I don't care for Zappa at all unless it is instrumental. Even the instrumental can be kind of unusual and quirky at times. I agree completely about the lyrics.

If you like SRV you will like Buddy guy too. You can hear a lot of Buddy Guy in SRV's playing - clearly a huge influence on SRV. I've seen Buddy Guy live twice, and it's unbelievable what he can do with a guitar. I never got to see SRV live, but I'm sure I would have been similarly stunned. It's amazing even on TV.

I'll have to check out the Travis Tritt version of Leave My Girl Alone.

 

[CouchCoach]

Look up Andy McKee if you aren't already familiar.

I am and really enjoy that style of picking with Stanley Jordan as well.

 

[CouchCoach]

I don't know a lot of Buddy Guy's stuff, but I like what I've heard. SRV does a good job with Leave My Girl Alone, but if you've never heard Travis Tritt's rendition, take a listen. Personally, I think it's the best one, mostly because of the vocals, but the guitar and piano are excellent as well.

I realize Zappa was a great guitarist, but I really don't care for most of the songs I've heard. I think the lyrics are immatue...but I would like to hear some purely instrumental stuff.

Never was a Zappa guy, there are just some artist/bands I never got like The Band and Grateful Dead and any that sounded like that. Not into the acoustic versions or unplugged ones either.

I am odd about live music, I prefer the studio versions and the truer they are to re-creating that, the better I like it. The exception to that is the Allman Brothers Band. I do like a tight jam band.

 

[Runwildboys]

Never was a Zappa guy, there are just some artist/bands I never got like The Band and Grateful Dead and any that sounded like that. Not into the acoustic versions or unplugged ones either.

I am odd about live music, I prefer the studio versions and the truer they are to re-creating that, the better I like it. The exception to that is the Allman Brothers Band. I do like a tight jam band.

It boils down to The Allman's being more bluesy than other rock bands, that's why I like them live, more so than most.
Heart was incredibly true to the studio recordings, when I saw them live...and that was outdoors. The sound was amazing.

 

[CouchCoach]

It boils down to The Allman's being more bluesy than other rock bands, that's why I like them live, more so than most.
Heart was incredibly true to the studio recordings, when I saw them live...and that was outdoors. The sound was amazing.

The most unreal show I ever saw was the Thick As A Brick tour by Tull, the re-creation was phenomenal to the point that everyone around us was talking about that. Helped they did TAAB and Aqualung in album order but only most album junkies and liner notes nerds like myself would have noticed that. Second to that was Toto but those guys were pro studio musicians before they became a band so they should have had that down.

I miss the experience of The Album. My older son between 10-15 got all goofy when each Friday would come and I had bought new album(s) and we'd sit together as we listened and read the liner notes and lyrics. He gained a respect for all the players and not just the stars and carries that with him today. Some albums were a complete work of art with a great deal of thought given to the artwork throughout.

 

[CouchCoach]

I must apologize. In my listing of great film score composers, I left out one that has long been one of my favorites and his feelings would be hurt if he knew. Ennio Morricone, you are one of the true film score masters.

His spaghetti westerns were great but his score for The Untouchables was a true masterpiece. One of the best ever created.

 

[OmerV]

Never was a Zappa guy, there are just some artist/bands I never got like The Band and Grateful Dead and any that sounded like that. Not into the acoustic versions or unplugged ones either.

I am odd about live music, I prefer the studio versions and the truer they are to re-creating that, the better I like it. The exception to that is the Allman Brothers Band. I do like a tight jam band.

I'm with you on the Grateful Dead. I never got their popularity either. I don't necessarily dislike them, but I don't at all get the rabid fan base. With The Band, there are a couple of great songs, a number of good songs, and a lot that are mediocre as hell - at least that's my take.

The thing with Zappa I think, is to separate his instrumental work from his songs with vocals. I never was a Zappa fan either, and still don't consider myself a "fan", but at the urging of a friend I listened to some of the pure instrumental work, and found it generally impressive. Still not the top of my list of things to listen to, but I had to admit the pure instrumental is good, and I think often overlooked because of the more known weird and sometimes kind of sick lyrics in a lot of his stuff.

I understand your thoughts on the studio versions, and I hate it when a band strays too far from that version in a live show. A little liberty is fine, but we are paying for what we know and fell in love with. But there also is a feel, and an exhilaration that goes with a live show - at least with some artists. Not all are as good at live shows.

 

[yesfan]

 

[yesfan]

I have always been drawn to instrumental music since I first got into music. The Ventures were my favorite band, Duane Eddy my favorite guitarist, along with Chet Atkins, and Sandy Nelson, my favorite drummer. I bought their albums when 45's were the thing.

I was an easy sell on Classical music when introduced to that by my wife when we first started dating which would evolve into a love for film scores by John Williams, James Newton Howard, James Horner, Jerry Goldsmith, Howard Shore. Basil Poledaris and this generation's Wagner, Hans Zimmer.

So, I have rekindled that passion with new artists and bands that capture the essence of music for me, the music itself. And as I continue this search I am on the lookout for more and looking for recommendations.

My current favs are: the incomparable Explosions in the Sky, Collapse Under the Empire, Tycho, Ratatat, Above and Beyond, Eric Prydz which encompasses organic music as well as electronica. I also love Shoegaze and that ethereal use of voices as instruments.

I think film scoring is an art unto itself and am amazed at how good these composers are but one stands out above all others to me in capturing the feel of a place. If you have ever been out in West Texas and just gazed on the vastness and seemingly emptiness of it, Explosions in the Sky captured that for the film "Friday Night Lights". It is amazing blend of emotion with music and sets a tone for a film that completes it. Neither could exist without the other.

So whachyagot in the way of instrumental music to suggest?

Loved this one

 

[nightrain]

As in bag pipers like Scotland the Brave or the music that pipers like to listen to when they're piping? I get to piping and I can Shoegaze myself into a coma.

Every time Scotland the Brave is played, I get goosebumps. First time we went to EPCOT a long time ago, they had these Scottish lads playing that with the drummers and I cried, it was beyond beautiful and moving. My wife's side of the family is about 50% Scottish so she was really moved.

I actually tried playing one and besides having absolutely no musical ability except to listen, I felt like I was trying to dress an octopus.

For you, my friend.

 

[CouchCoach]

For you, my friend.

Wow, that's a lot of pipers piping and drummers drumming. Now if only the lords would be a leaping on the nine ladies dancing and the eight maids a milking, we could get this party started. The 12 Orgies of Christmas. I've got dibs on the turtledoves because I am a fool for a menage a trois.

I should be ashamed but I am not which means I should really be ashamed for not being ashamed.

 

[Quickdraw]

Ahhh, a horny man. Uhhhhh, make that a horn man. One Y can make all the difference. Y? Y because we like you. OK, for 10 bonus points, where is that from?

Mickey Mouse club.

 

[Runwildboys]

Mickey Mouse club.

Yes, but who said it?

 

[jsb357]

I had Herb Albert's Greatest Hits on 8 track

Currently have it on cassette and CD

Good travel music.

 

[OmerV]

Wow, that's a lot of pipers piping and drummers drumming. Now if only the lords would be a leaping on the nine ladies dancing and the eight maids a milking, we could get this party started. The 12 Orgies of Christmas. I've got dibs on the turtledoves because I am a fool for a menage a trois.

I should be ashamed but I am not which means I should really be ashamed for not being ashamed.

I thought it was the geese doing the laying.

 

[CouchCoach]

Mickey Mouse club.

Ding, ding, ding, winner!!! 10 bonus points for Quickdraw. Now he's only -42. The hardest climb for any poster is out of CC's Negative Cellar because he is oh so kind to himself and oh so mean to others. He awards points to himself for just awakening and y'all lose points for going to sleep. Whoa, another 10 for ole CC for speaking of himself in the 3rd person.

 

[CouchCoach]

I thought it was the geese doing the laying.

Omer, get your mind out of the gutter.

 

[OmerV]

Omer, get your mind out of the gutter.

You're just mad that I'm getting 6 geese a laying for my party and you are only getting 2 turtledoves.