# Breaking tradition, electric guitar?



## mythil

Hello everyone.

There has been something that has interested me for a little bit, performing a song on an unintended instrument. From Apokalyptica playing heavy metal songs on the cello to Dream Theater and others playing classical music on electric guitars and the Yoshida Brothers playing traditional classical Japanese music next to electric rock.

I think one of my dreams would be seeing a whole opera of classical score played on electric guitars and other modern instruments and then a full heavy metal concert using an orchestra. 

Now, from watching videos of people doing this I can say one thing, I think that they are crazy talented. However, I was wondering what others think? What's the general consciousness of opinion?


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## mythil

Guess by the long time and no responses, people hate it 

Well can't help a person for trying. Personally, I'm learning Fur Elise on my electric


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## neoshredder

I would love to hear some electric guitar in classical music.


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## Lenfer

*Bach* didn't know the piano as we know it today so in essence all *Bach* (all pre-*Bach*) could never have intended it to be played on what we know as the piano. I partly agree however I cannot comment on *Apokalyptica* or other such artists because I haven't heard them, I would say I dislike most electric classical crossovers.

However I think this is party due to them not having enough understanding and trying to make the music to "rocky". I think if someone on the forum with a good understanding both genres like *KV* et al. played me some *Bach* on an electric gituar it would most likely be very good indeed.

For these two reasons I will have to disagree, interesting topic though I look forward to reading future posts.


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## BurningDesire

I love the idea of using whatever instruments you want. Genre barriers are silly and arbitrary. Electric guitar is an amazing instrument, and I love many pieces that its been used in, whether they be instrumental compositions or songs, and I think more composers outside of rock bands should utilize it. Also, crossovers between "classical" and "rock" are kind of silly to me, because it confines itself to stereotypes. The music always comes off as generic rock music mixed with stereotypes of classical music, and its frankly boring and a little insulting. When you really get a good cross between these different musical disciplines, it doesn't sound like a crossover, it just sounds like good music.


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## MaestroViolinist

It would certainly be interesting, but I can't say I would like it. Electric cello (and other instruments) sound cool sometimes, but on popular pieces, not classical.


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde

Electric guitar in an atonal avant-garde symphonic poem. That'll be my project for next year.


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## neoshredder

How about a duet with an electric guitar and violin done atonally.


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## mythil

Well I wouldn't say it's "classical" though one of my favorite types of music is folk metal (split into different styles). One of these styles if Viking Metal and the band Turisas uses violins, cellos, organs and other such instruments to bring a "fantasy" feel to their music. I think it's totally possible to incorporate electrical instruments in, but it depends how you're doing it and for what type of music.






Not everyone's cup of tea, but I like too many styles of music for my own good ;D


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## joen_cph

There´s an electric guitar in *Denisov*´s dark cello concerto, the Georgian/Kitayenko recording is vastly preferable to the Vista Vera issue.

Also, *Lukas Foss*´ "Phorion", recorded by Bernstein, might be of interest due to its soundscape, which includes an electric guitar in a Bach-reminiscent environment.

None of them are on you-tube.


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde

neoshredder said:


> How about a duet with an electric guitar and violin done atonally.


I don't have an electric guitar. If I ever compose anything for guitar and violin I'll probably always write for classical guitar so MaestroViolinist and I can play it.


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## MaestroViolinist

ComposerOfAvantGarde said:


> I don't have an electric guitar. If I ever compose anything for guitar and violin I'll probably always write for classical guitar so MaestroViolinist and I can play it.


Haha, for a while there I was planning on getting a blue, electric violin, just to annoy my family.


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde

MaestroViolinist said:


> Haha, for a while there I was planning on getting a blue, electric violin, just to annoy my family.


And I will get a red electric guitar to compliment the blue violin, and together we will make avant-garde atonal music!


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## MaestroViolinist

ComposerOfAvantGarde said:


> And I will get a red electric guitar to compliment the blue violin, and together we will make avant-garde atonal music!


Great idea!


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## matsoljare

Wow, lol, another furry on here..... now what is going on with this place


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## Crudblud

The thing with composing for electric guitar is that there are so many parameters to consider. Schnittke used it in a very primitive fashion, giving not so much as a hint to the staggering array of sounds made available through amplification alone, then consider all the added possibilities made available by effects pedals and other processing units and it becomes clear that the electric guitar (and indeed any amplified instrument) has limitless potential. The only arguments (that I have heard/read) against it are presumably based on the misperception that it is a mere social phallus proxy used by males for the purposes of attracting large numbers of potentially disease ridden females, unfortunately said misperception appears to be quite common but is something that can be changed if only the true potential of the instrument is revealed in practice rather than in theory.


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## Ukko

As soon as the 'pedals and other processing units' move in, my interest moves out. It is Electronic Music; the door to Hell is open.


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## BurningDesire

Hilltroll72 said:


> As soon as the 'pedals and other processing units' move in, my interest moves out. It is Electronic Music; the door to Hell is open.


Uh, so what if it is electronic music? Electric and electronic instruments are just more instruments. Its like saying "As soon as another voice encroaches on my lovely monophonic melody, my interest dies. It is Polyphony; the door to HELL IS OPEN!". I added a bit of dramatic flourish :3


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## Ukko

BurningDesire said:


> Uh, so what if it is electronic music? Electric and electronic instruments are just more instruments. Its like saying "As soon as another voice encroaches on my lovely monophonic melody, my interest dies. It is Polyphony; the door to HELL IS OPEN!". I added a bit of dramatic flourish :3


Your "Its like" is a travesty of the truth. [and missing a ['], but never mind]. Many of us geezers consider _electronic_ sound manufactured crap to be... crap. That's just the way it is, heading West.


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## clavichorder

Alright folks, listen up! Here's the real deal:


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## Art Rock

My ongoing series of unusual concertos in my blog Art for Art's Sake already lists a concerto for two electric guitars and orchestra (Rypdal) and one for electric violin and orchestra (Adams).


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## Guest

Well, there's always this pompous fool:


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## ErinD

Yngwie Malmsteen wrote a concerto for Electric Guitar and Orchestra.

Edit: Damn beaten.


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## BurningDesire

clavichorder said:


> Alright folks, listen up! Here's the real deal:


Holy crap! Thats like, the coolest thing I've ever seen O_O


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## millionrainbows

I want to start a marching band of guitarists, with battery-powered amplifiers strapped on their backs. :lol:


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## kv466

Lenfer said:


> *Bach* didn't know the piano as we know it today so in essence all *Bach* (all pre-*Bach*) could never have intended it to be played on what we know as the piano. I partly agree however I cannot comment on *Apokalyptica* or other such artists because I haven't heard them, I would say I dislike most electric classical crossovers.
> 
> However I think this is party due to them not having enough understanding and trying to make the music to "rocky". I think if someone on the forum with a good understanding both genres like *KV* et al. played me some *Bach* on an electric gituar it would most likely be very good indeed.
> 
> For these two reasons I will have to disagree, interesting topic though I look forward to reading future posts.


Wow, Lenf'...I'd never even come on this thread let alone seen you'd mentioned me. R.I.P.


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese

Hilltroll72 said:


> As soon as the 'pedals and other processing units' move in, my interest moves out. It is Electronic Music; the door to Hell is open.


An where is the problem here.................

The music is more interesting in hell!:devil:


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## Head_case

millionrainbows said:


> I want to start a marching band of guitarists, with battery-powered amplifiers strapped on their backs. :lol:


Over here, they'd all get electrocuted when it rains :lol:

I'd like an electric guitar which doubles up as a fold out umbrella. I really love mine, but I haven't worked out how to sight read music on it (well, not since the 24 hours since I started owning it). Don't forget that the electro guitar can be used to be played acoustically through a class A tube amp for a warm sweet sound. Mine has Duncan pickups and it sounds really lovely and 3am going acoustic, which I can control with a volume knob, even when thrashing the hell out of it in the middle of the night.

Also discovered that it's very straightforward making the kind of rock noise with a guitar, without any clue as to what I'm doing. I suppose replicating it is another step before I become a rock star. Now I just need the big hair do and Liam Gallagher catepillars.


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese

Head_case said:


> Over here, they'd all get electrocuted when it rains :lol:
> 
> I'd like an electric guitar which doubles up as a fold out umbrella. I really love mine, but I haven't worked out how to sight read music on it (well, not since the 24 hours since I started owning it). Don't forget that the electro guitar can be used to be played acoustically through a class A tube amp for a warm sweet sound. Mine has Duncan pickups and it sounds really lovely and 3am going acoustic, which I can control with a volume knob, even when thrashing the hell out of it in the middle of the night.
> 
> Also discovered that it's very straightforward making the kind of rock noise with a guitar, without any clue as to what I'm doing. I suppose replicating it is another step before I become a rock star. Now I just need the big hair do and Liam Gallagher catepillars.


Pssst - your letting out too many secrets, watch out you don't get a call from EC.................


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## PetrB




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## mythil

matsoljare said:


> Wow, lol, another furry on here..... now what is going on with this place


Some of us like Opera and Folk music


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## mythil

I'll add this too


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