Creating a Top Twenty Best Guitarist List

TockTockTock · 11-30-2010, 08:30 PM

Before I start, let me acknowledge the fact that this list will probably not be perfect, and that this thread solely exists for us all to compile a list of guitarists that seem worthy of being in the top twenty. Of course, this will be very difficult for different guitarists are skilled in their own way (unless they just suck). But I digress. Anyways, here's the plan:

1.) Let's establish a list of certain qualities that will help create a system of ranking (i.e. technical skill, innovation, etc).
2.) Let's appoint numerical denominators for each quality to represent (i.e. x/50 could represent technical skill). Of course, this is just an example and we'll look further into this once we have created the list of qualities.
3.) Let's compile a list of around 100 or more guitarists to choose from.
4.) Each person participating in creating this list will vote on twenty of the people they see fit for being in the top twenty. They will not be numbered yet. Just choose twenty. We'll count up the votes and include the twenty with the highest numbers. Post your twenty on the thread.
5.) Once the twenty have been chosen, each person will rate the person on each of the characteristics (i.e. Hendrix - technical skill - 45/50, etc). Post your numbers on thread.
6.) I'll do the averaging. When I have the averages of all the numbers together, then we'll numerically rank them.

This plan may of some flaws, so please suggest anything if you see fit. At the moment, though, let's establish the list of qualities. Here's a few proposals: technical ability, innovation, songwriting skill, live performance, sales, consistency, etc. I would love to have people who have interests in different genres to help, too. Jazz, avant-garde, etc. Not just blues and rock... Let's get at it...

mr dave · 12-01-2010, 01:31 AM

hi guy,

i'm gonna lay this out flat for you, this is a nice idea but really... it's going to fail.

first off it's too much work, on both sides, as a poster i don't care to peruse through a huge list to rank arbitrary qualities i really don't know or care much about. did Kim Thayil really have great songwriting skills? dunno. do sales matter? not in my world. on the other hand, you're lining yourself up for a mess trying to organize and maintain something of this scope. what's to say you won't get bored of the idea after only 4 people give honest replies? or what happens if you leave it in the preliminary mode forever while waiting for enough replies and the original people who started playing along move on?

every music forum has one of these type of threads pop up once a year or so and they all end up the same way. i mean really, arbitrary numerical rankings for various criteria, for a list of over 100?

i've been playing guitar for over 17 years now and i'd have a hard time making a list of 20 guitarists i honestly still give a crap about. there are maybe another dozen or so full on guitarists who are regular posters who could list off a few as well but ultimately, most people are going to look at that list and the only 20 people they're going to grab are the only 20 names they recognize.

and NO! posting a pile of youtube clips for every musician listed is not the solution.

it's nice that you want to leave a mark on the forum, but maybe you should try relaxing a bit first and seeing how it flows before trying to implement bigger things. maybe if you were on a forum specific to guitarists it could fly but this place is a bit too varied and laid back.

if you really want to make an epic activity thread check out the classic rock band competition threads (i think Comus used to run them). there was one initial thread to show the pairings and then weekly polls. clear and concise. best of all, it didn't force long term participation. if you checked the forum that week you could vote in the pairings for that week. if Comus got busy with reality for a while anyone else could theoretically step in and make the next week's poll.

a situation like this requires dedication. you've been here 5 days. you're still in the OMG! everything is new and awesome phase.

sincerely,

the thread crusher.

SATCHMO · 12-01-2010, 01:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mr dave

hi guy,

i'm gonna lay this out flat for you, this is a nice idea but really... it's going to fail.

first off it's too much work, on both sides, as a poster i don't care to peruse through a huge list to rank arbitrary qualities i really don't know or care much about. did Kim Thayil really have great songwriting skills? dunno. do sales matter? not in my world. on the other hand, you're lining yourself up for a mess trying to organize and maintain something of this scope. what's to say you won't get bored of the idea after only 4 people give honest replies? or what happens if you leave it in the preliminary mode forever while waiting for enough replies and the original people who started playing along move on?

every music forum has one of these type of threads pop up once a year or so and they all end up the same way. i mean really, arbitrary numerical rankings for various criteria, for a list of over 100?

i've been playing guitar for over 17 years now and i'd have a hard time making a list of 20 guitarists i honestly still give a crap about. there are maybe another dozen or so full on guitarists who are regular posters who could list off a few as well but ultimately, most people are going to look at that list and the only 20 people they're going to grab are the only 20 names they recognize.

and NO! posting a pile of youtube clips for every musician listed is not the solution.

it's nice that you want to leave a mark on the forum, but maybe you should try relaxing a bit first and seeing how it flows before trying to implement bigger things. maybe if you were on a forum specific to guitarists it could fly but this place is a bit too varied and laid back.

if you really want to make an epic activity thread check out the classic rock band competition threads (i think Comus used to run them). there was one initial thread to show the pairings and then weekly polls. clear and concise. best of all, it didn't force long term participation. if you checked the forum that week you could vote in the pairings for that week. if Comus got busy with reality for a while anyone else could theoretically step in and make the next week's poll.

a situation like this requires dedication. you've been here 5 days. you're still in the OMG! everything is new and awesome phase.

sincerely,

the thread crusher.

Yeah... this... pretty much... all of it.

11-30-2010, 08:30 PM	#1 (permalink)
TockTockTock They/Them Join Date: Nov 2010 Posts: 1,914	Creating a Top Twenty Best Guitarist List Before I start, let me acknowledge the fact that this list will probably not be perfect, and that this thread solely exists for us all to compile a list of guitarists that seem worthy of being in the top twenty. Of course, this will be very difficult for different guitarists are skilled in their own way (unless they just suck). But I digress. Anyways, here's the plan: 1.) Let's establish a list of certain qualities that will help create a system of ranking (i.e. technical skill, innovation, etc). 2.) Let's appoint numerical denominators for each quality to represent (i.e. x/50 could represent technical skill). Of course, this is just an example and we'll look further into this once we have created the list of qualities. 3.) Let's compile a list of around 100 or more guitarists to choose from. 4.) Each person participating in creating this list will vote on twenty of the people they see fit for being in the top twenty. They will not be numbered yet. Just choose twenty. We'll count up the votes and include the twenty with the highest numbers. Post your twenty on the thread. 5.) Once the twenty have been chosen, each person will rate the person on each of the characteristics (i.e. Hendrix - technical skill - 45/50, etc). Post your numbers on thread. 6.) I'll do the averaging. When I have the averages of all the numbers together, then we'll numerically rank them. This plan may of some flaws, so please suggest anything if you see fit. At the moment, though, let's establish the list of qualities. Here's a few proposals: technical ability, innovation, songwriting skill, live performance, sales, consistency, etc. I would love to have people who have interests in different genres to help, too. Jazz, avant-garde, etc. Not just blues and rock... Let's get at it...