Whod you rather be...Songwriter or guitarist?

Bosko Schwartz · July 31, 2009, 03:40:50 PM

It's funny -- and cool -- that everyone here who has responded so far seems to be very comfortable with themselves. No one seems to aspire to be something they're not. Those who are more guitarist than songwriter want to stay that way, and vice versa.

I say, for me, you can't have one without the other. I will admit that I believe I am a much better songwriter than a guitarist, because I know I could never be the guitarist in a band. At least if I wanted the band to be any good.

But then again, without the miniscule guitar talents I possess, I would have written zero songs to date. Or maybe like three (there have been a few I wrote solely on piano). So in my case, they go hand-in-hand, and I cannot choose one over the other.

Wait -- I lied. I can choose. Would I rather be John Lennon, a great -- nay, the greatest (there's that superlative again, Hooper

) songwriter, with average guitar skills, or someone like, say, Stevie Ray Vaughn, who had (to me) average songwriting skills and did a lot of covers but completely shreds on the guitar?

Lennon, hands down.

What I just realized, though, when going through the list in my mind of who I believe to be the greatest guitarists ... Steve Howe, Jimmy Page, Jimi Hendrix, Jeff Beck, Brian May, Eric Clapton, etc., I found that most of these guys are also very good songwriters.

So who are the best guitarists that never wrote a song in their lives? That's something I'm very curious to find out.

Ted · July 31, 2009, 03:43:41 PM

Quote from: Bosko Schwartz on July 31, 2009, 03:40:50 PMSo who are the best guitarists that never wrote a song in their lives? That's something I'm very curious to find out.

I sense a new topic...

Blooby · July 31, 2009, 03:49:46 PM

Quote from: Ted on July 31, 2009, 03:43:41 PM
Quote from: Bosko Schwartz on July 31, 2009, 03:40:50 PMSo who are the best guitarists that never wrote a song in their lives? That's something I'm very curious to find out.

I sense a new topic...

Jeff Beck springs to mind. He was never much for writing his own tunes (although he has).

Blooby

Bosko Schwartz · July 31, 2009, 03:52:02 PM

Quote from: Blooby on July 31, 2009, 03:49:46 PMJeff Beck springs to mind. He was never much for writing his own tunes (although he has).

Blooby

Right, he has definitely written some tunes ...

Tony W · August 01, 2009, 12:20:49 PM

OK, so I have been thinking about this thread concept for a couple days now. I went to my cabin last night, took the electric and MBR, no acoustic this time. My girlfriend and I built a campfire, and I started strumming the electric. We decided to do a couple songs. I set the guitar down so that I could sing along with her (singing and playing issues, can't do it).

At that moment, I realized I can play songs throughout, but not know hardly any of the words to a song. I have a dozen songs under my belt that I can perform from beginning to end, and I thought I knew the lyrics but just drew blanks.

I can certainly confirm that I'm an aspiring guitarist now.

OsCKilO · August 01, 2009, 02:14:23 PM

Same here....

I could play you the music from start to finish, but don't know the words to any song!

I even mess up the words to my own! Lol

Davo · August 01, 2009, 07:03:31 PM

Ha yeah Im horrible with lyrcs too. And I have difficulty making out lyrics in songs too.

The Reverend 48 · August 02, 2009, 07:33:42 AM

Quote from: osckilo on July 30, 2009, 06:09:57 PMmusician.....

I'd rather be a Musician.........

I dont think you can seperate the creative process like that and have one without the other.....

Wise words T
but I aspire to be a musician but can't stop playing Blues