fluidity, tension, phrasing, intensity... that's what people want to hear. people like to hear speed, too, but make sure you're not driving fast to nowhere...
oh, and all those people that you mentioned were masters of their genres.
Although speed is not everything, I do think it matters. One band for you: Cacophony. Listen to their "concerto".
I make stupid faces when people say speed has no feeling, and that people like Yngwie Malmsteen or Marty Friedman just play any notes without any feeling. Listen to Yngwie Malmsteen's "Brothers" and try to tell me that doesn' have feeling without your face turning red. Besides, for some people...speed=feeling.
One guy to remember is Jason Becker. Feeling? Who am I talk to Jason Becker about feeling.
Speed doesn't have feeling - musicians do. Speed is only a tool in the box.
If you have lots of tools, you're better prepared to build things (whether they have feeling or not). But if you only have a hammer, the whole world looks a lot like a nail, and that's the trap a lot of speed-idolizers fall into.
There are some truly incredible pieces that are very fast, or that have very fast sections. One of my favorites is the cadenza at the end of DiMeola's solo for "Mediteranean Sundance" on the album with de Lucia and McLaughlin. It's the perfect way to cap the solo, it's blisteringly fast, and it's definately got feeling.
But speed by itself is nothing more than a parlor trick. It will not improve the content of a bad solo. Technically impressive? Sure. Something to aspire to? Only if you have something worthwhile to build with the 'fast tool' from the box.
Remember that speed talker that did FedEx commercials some years ago? If he did that while reciting Dylan Thomas poems, the speed would detract from the meaning. It would be different, but definately not "better".
On the other hand, some things can be improved by ratcheting up the speed. Three Dog Night turned a bunch of slow Laura Nyro tunes into big hits by cranking up the tempo.
There's no question that speed matters. If you don't have speed, you can't play things that should be played fast. I really appreciate a lot of very fast music - which is not the same thing as saying I appreciate a lot of music played very fast :)
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Generally speaking, those guitarists who display speed are technically great but don't make me feel anything (other than awe and envy). By the same token, those who do make me feel something are generally considered "slow."
But, IMHO, one guy's got it all: Jeff Beck. While not considered a typical speed demon or shredder, he's anything but slow unless it's time to be. :twisted:
Love and Peace or Else,
CC
