If music is meant to convey and evoke emotion, then I agree Derek Trucks is "the greatest living slide guitarist". Ry Cooder leaves me cold, and always has.
There, I perpetuated the argument!
I once heard BB and Eric do a joint interview, where they went on about the search for the "One Note." In effect, too many notes, too much playing is the opposite of what they both felt was the pinnacle of playing an instrument. Technical mastery does not fit into that line of thinking. It's about emotion. I have heard Carlos Santana speak of the same thing.
You could argue of course, that technical mastery is a means to that end, but simply displaying that mastery will not make you a guitar god - for long anyway, until the next technical wizard shows up!
There, I perpetuated the argument!
I once heard BB and Eric do a joint interview, where they went on about the search for the "One Note." In effect, too many notes, too much playing is the opposite of what they both felt was the pinnacle of playing an instrument. Technical mastery does not fit into that line of thinking. It's about emotion. I have heard Carlos Santana speak of the same thing.
You could argue of course, that technical mastery is a means to that end, but simply displaying that mastery will not make you a guitar god - for long anyway, until the next technical wizard shows up!