is he the next EvH? (probably not)

I think this kid is pretty damn good, he's obviously a farkin' speed freak, but I agree, instead of getting the speed at which it was played down, he should spend more time on getting the notes to ring out more clearly. That, to me, is also more impressive than the pings and pongs he was getting out. Kid doesn't deserve half of the "not worthy" bows he's getting in the video.

Although (and this is not bias or me being a pain in the butt) I would have to say that despite his speed, my 16-year old guitar/violin virtuoso cousin could solidly whip him in a headcuttin' duel. If I took nearly as many guitar lessons with some headstock-up-his-butt neoclassical tapmeister who works at a local Sam Ash as this kid has, hell, I'd sound like EVH too.

If there was any whole footage of him playing a show, i'd be able to make a better judgement over whether he's actually a good lead guitarist or simply a scale-freak. Fact remains, speed does not a good player make.

Fact remains, speed does not a good player make.

Amen to that. Actually, my friend showed me this one link to a guy who was able to play Eruption on the violin, it was mindblowing, hopefully I'll be able to get the link from him again.

He isn't fast, he is trying/pretending to be fast. A fast player is able to play a slow lick in a fast way, without dead-notes or other such faults creeping in. This kid simply can't play it correctly.

He's got talent but he's making mistakes and such. Give him more time to develop as a player and he could be somthing.

I think he's like Eddie in that he's all technical play and no "soul". One long note with emotional content is better than a flurry of notes mindlessly blurted out. It's all flash and no substance, a big reason why I really don't care for EvH's playing.

He isn't fast, he is trying/pretending to be fast. A fast player is able to play a slow lick in a fast way, without dead-notes or other such faults creeping in. This kid simply can't play it correctly.

:lol: That was the general reaction from all the people who played guitar that were commenting on the video!

All the non-guitar playing commenters seemed to think the kid was awesome... :?

I think if he could clean up his technique he could bve really good.

I didnt enjoy watching that. I thought it was boring and the playing wasnt solid. He needs to work on muting and stuff. He can get somewhere eventually if he practices.

If the kid has ever heard the song before he would know that he can not play it correctly.

With that said, I think the people around him (mom, dad, friends, the school etc.) are putting to much pressure on him. It has to be true because as a guitar player, you never want to play something "half-finished".

Don't get me wrong though, I think that kid has a lot of potential.

And let that video be a reminder, PRACTICE - PRACTICE - PRACTICE !!!

I found that really depressing, a kid that young, already infected with over-showmanship and heartless play

Yeah that video had muted and extraneous notes all over the place. My roommate was in the room when I was watching it and he was like who is that? that kid's amazing! Then we got into this huge discussion about why it wasn't that impressive. The kid spent too much effort trying to look cool than to make it sound right and play it with emotion.

I'd rather watch that video of the guy playing the Super Mario Theme on the guitar than that kid.

I love EVH, and this felt like sacriledge almost. Definately got lots of potential, but he's got as much work to do still as he's got talen, like my first guitar teacher told me, it takes 5% talent and 95% effort/work to become a musician, and 6% talent and 120% effort to become great.

Sounds about right to me. This kid seems to have the 6% talent, now he just needs to get through the piles and piles of work still ahead of him.

E

Hmm, Nick's video of his Eruption thingy was much, much, more impressive. And according to him, everyone could play like that if they would spend a few weeks just practicing that tapping technique. This kid basically does nothing but tapping, and in a rather bad way.

6% talent? I think he needs to come to GN, spend the next two weeks on Nick's article, show his uber elite skills to his mom and dad, and then start on 'Horse with no name' to become a proper musician. This may sound very weird, coming from someone like me, but I don't consider that kid to be even remotely more talented then any member here. He just likes tapping, and he obviously spend some time practicing it.

On a sidenote: A 13 year old kid that can tap isn't more talented then a 70 year old geezer, who started a few years ago, who can tap. How long you have been playing matters, not how long you have been living.

The kid is good. He should work on playing cleaner. He will.

Is he the next EVH? Yes. But we've already had one, and I liked the first one better. I really don't think we need any more.

Arjen brought up something. Someone older just learning guitar would probably not be going for this style anyway. When you are young it is everything to be fast and flashy. There is nothing wrong with that, it is a natural reflection of that person's age. As you get older your personality mellows. It is natural just like grey hair. Older players tend to be more musical. It is not so important to play fast as it is to play something beautiful with style.

Everybody put Metallica down when they cut their hair and started playing mellower (still pretty heavy) music. People said they sold out, that they were has-beens. No, what happened is they got older and their personalities mellowed as I mentioned before. It will happen to all you young people too. It is a natural process.

Anyway, the kid is good, just needs to clean it up. But to be a great guitar player you have to have your own style.

That kid obviously has put in tons of time to play that song. I heard some ringing notes that likely should not. The kid's impressive for showmanship, but I could only get through half the video because it just didn't sound right. Like a bunch of fast noise. Honestly, I like Nick's version better. It seems more like music.

But, hey, if the kid likes to play that way and there is an audience for it that's great. Hopefully he'll mellow out a bit and not just shred without soul.

SRV could floor this guy with one note!
Sometimes less is more.

Pretty impressive for a kid though.
-Dcarroll