Who's Licks are Hard to Steal?

clydeclyde
edited February 2015 in Root
I'm not talking hard because they are played super fast but hard mainly because of unconventional phrasing, or note choice, or position on the neck, etc. I think peoples answers will be different because everyone's ear is different and I also think each person has their own natural phrasing "window" so to speak. Anything inside their window will be easier than stuff outside it. Anyway, here are a few that are tough for me:

Hubert Sumlin (Howlin Wolf) - raw and slippery. A lot of those in between bends all over the place. Plays exclusively with his fingers.
Vince Gill - super slippery. Seamlessly slides from one lick into something completely different without missing a beat.
Jimi Hendrix - The first thing I tried to do when I first got a guitar was learn the solo from Hey Joe off of Smash Hits. I figured out the notes. Why doesn't it sound like him?
Cliff Gallop - it was a long time ago, but I think I had problems with him.
Jimmy Colvard (Dave Dudley) - doesn't help that it's hard to hear it on the recordings.

Honorable Mention: Gene Moles, Don Rich

Comments

  • RogerioFerrazRogerioFerraz
    edited February 2015
    For me it would be Jimmy Bryant and Duke Levine - very hard but a lot of fun trying though :-)
  • JimCampilongoJimCampilongo
    Allan Holdsworth
  • BlueCajunBlueCajun
    Albert Collins - his phrasing is often odd, and the way he tunes and capos his guitar doesn't make his licks any easier to figure out
  • cwilliamscwilliams
    I have a lot of difficulty learning from ppl who I think I "have" to learn from. Sometimes I feel overwhelmed when I am listening to music and feel like I have to try to learn this or that lick or know every jazz standard not because I love it but because it is "required". I do not know how to say this, but I found Jim's and Roy Buchanan before I heard Jim's guitar playing easier for me to learn and I think it is because I love it so much, maybe it just doesnt feel like "work"! Not that either of their styles are easy. Jim Hall is always tough for me but I try everyday!
  • clydeclyde
    Jim...I said hard not impossible.

    cwilliams - I think it's always good to try players that are tough for us, like you with Jim Hall. It's got to be the best way to break out of our usual patterns and phrasing ruts.
  • SzabiNagySzabiNagy
    Michael Hedges?
  • campinoutcampinout
    Scott Metzger. I tried to play this *one* chord he plays...went at it for about 10 minutes, put the guitar down and went to the chiropractor.
  • RyanRyan
    John Scofield.
  • broadcasterbroadcaster
    Danny Gatton! Every phrase is complex.
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