In reading the posts here, I'm seeing a serious disconnect here between what I see as a great guitar solo and what many of you see as a great guitar solo.

Most of the posts are about solos with dazzling technique. But it is about something entirely different to me.

In my eyes, the solo first and foremost has to take the song higher. It does not have to be technically challenging or impressive in any way. It just has to grab me. Make me shudder. Make me well up. Even make me laugh.

That's not to say that a technically magnificent solo can't grab me ("Cause We've Ended As Lovers" is a perfect example -- I love that performance) but there is so much more than that.

And that's also not to say that I'm any "deeper" than any of you all. But I've had a couple of folks slagging on my picks. And, I just wanted to state clearly that we're coming from completely different perspectives on this. I guess that I'm a songwriter first and foremost... so the solo has to work for me in that context.

Oh, and something else: SRV is one of the only guitar players that I can listen to play forever and ever. IF he never stopped playing, I would be very happy. That is in complete contrast to my usual feelings on extended solos.

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