Shredding (guitar playing technique)

This article is about the musical technique. For other uses of the word, see Shred

Shredding refers to a guitar playing style where technical proficiency is the major goal. It is a term that is most often connected to the music style of Neoclassical Rock. Tony MacAlpine, Yngwie Malmsteen, Paul Gilbert, Rusty Cooley and Michael Angelo are considered to be examples of the finest shredders in this genre. Al Di Meola can be seen as a pioneering shredder player with his jazz-rock recordings with Return to Forever and solo albums released in mid-1970s. This playing style has become popular in other music styles as well.

Progressive Rock, Progressive Metal, and Jazz rock have adapted the style successfully. Greg Howe and Randy Rhoads are two examples of famous shredding players that became popular in 1980s. John Petrucci is the foremost Progressive Metal shredder. Ed Van Halen and Joe Satriani are two prime examples of shredding blues rock players. Greg Howe is able to use guitar techniques that few others, to this day, have been able to copy. Allan Holdsworth (originally a member of Soft Machine) could be considered as another example of an outstanding shredder. Yngwie Malmsteen pioneered and laid down the basis of neoclassical shred guitar.

When guitarists such as Di Meola and Holdsworth played technically difficult pieces during the 1970s, the term "shredding" had not been invented.

Guitar playing techniques commonly involved in shredding are:

• Alternate-Picking
• Tapping
• Legato
• Sweep-picking

External links

• Top 10 greatest shredders of all time by Mike