100 Greatest Instrumental Rock Guitar Albums
The melodic screaming of a wailing electric guitar elegantly soothes the wax in our ears. Thanks to guitar players all over the world, when it comes to instrumental rock, the flag is waving high. Method and technique showcased by guitarists on instrumental albums are beyond imagination. This article explores the best instrumental rock guitar albums.
The melodic screaming of a wailing electric guitar elegantly soothes the wax in our ears. Thanks to guitar players all over the world, when it comes to instrumental rock, the flag is waving high. Method and technique showcased by guitarists on instrumental albums are beyond imagination. This article explores the best instrumental rock guitar albums.
Although instrumental albums have been in the limelight since the 50s, the 80s and 90s were important decades for guitar instrumental albums. A large number of rock guitarists released solo albums in the late 80s and 90s. When a guitarist breaks into a solo, the world around becomes non-existent.
If you are passionate about guitar, you know that unexplainable feeling. Guitar solos breathe a new lease of life in song. That’s the reason why most popular forms of music have instrumental guitar parts interspersed in a song. Every guitarist has a story to tell with his solo in an instrumental. Aside from a strong technique, a guitarist needs to have a unique sense of phrasing. A soul stirring guitar solo is that which exudes passion and conveys a language the heart knows.
Thought the 70s had its fair share of guitarists releasing instrumental albums, a large number of guitarists from rock bands, and session guitarists came out with instrumental albums on independent record labels in the 80s and 90s. Solo careers of a number of virtuoso guitar players (neo-classical in particular) took off in the early 80s and 90s. Instrumental guitar ballads became popular in the late 80 and 90s, and since have become an essential part in albums. Post 2000 it has been an encouraging sign with a number of guitarists from the progressive metal genre and several heavy metal sub-genres releasing solo albums. Instrumental albums bring upon the listener a sense of calm. Composing an instrumental piece is no easy task. The guitar solos we hear in instrumental guitar albums leave auidences floored.
Instrumental guitar parts should be written keeping the structure in mind, however, for each… his own. There is no fixed format when it comes to composing a guitar tune. Technicality and feel are of prime importance for a guitar player. Every guitar player uses a technique or style that helps establish his signature sound. In a rock instrumental, the guitar becomes the voice. Writing guitar parts for an instrumental requires an imaginative sense and creative juices to flow in unison. Included in this list are complete instrumental albums and largely instrumental albums and solo albums by guitar players. Please note this list is in no way an attempt to rank guitar players, it is just a showcase of some of the best albums in realms of instrumental rock.
100 Greatest Guitar Albums- Instrumental Rock
- Greg Howe-Greg Howe
- Joe Satraini- The Extremist
- Steve Vai- Passion and Warfare
- Frank Zappa- Hot Rats
- Paul Gilbert- Burning Organ
- Jeff Beck- Blow by Blow
- Eric Johnson- Ah Via Musicom
- Michael Lee Firkins- Michael Lee Firkins
- Marty Friedman- Dragons Kiss
- David T. Chastain- Within The Heat
- Richie Kotzen- Richie Kotzen
- Bret Garsed- Big Sky
- Andy Timmons- Resolution
- Vinnie Moore- Mind’s Eye
- Jason Becker- Perpetual Burn
- Neil Zaza- Sing
- Shawn Lane- Powers of ten
- John Petrucci- Suspended Animation
- Tony MacAlpine- Edge of insanity
- Jeff Loomis- Zero Order Phase
- Michael Romeo- The Dark Chapter
- Joey Tafolla- Infra-Blue
- Frank Gambale- Coming Back to Your Senses
- Allan Holdsworth- Metal Fatigue
- Joe Stump- Guitar Dominance
- Tiago Della Vega- Hybrid
- Blues Saraceno- Never Look Back
- Shaun Baxter-Jazz Metal
- Vinnie Moore- Meltdown
- Buckethead- Population Override
- Andy James-Andy James
- Rusty Cooley- Rusty Cooley
- Marco Sfogli-There’s Hope
- Eric Johnson- Bloom
- Tony MacAlpine- Chromaticity
- Alex Masi- Attack of the Neon Shark
- Daniele Gottardo- Frenzy of Ecstasy
- Kiko Loureiro- No Gravity
- Steve Morse-Stressfest
- Dave Martone- When The Aliens Come
- Jeff Kollman- Shedding Skin
- Tony Smotherman- Universal Melody
- Marcel Coenen- Guitartalk
- Alex Masi- Vertical Invader
- David T Chastian- Instrumental Variations
- Guitars That Rule The World- Vol 1 (Various)
- Hedras Ramos- Atoms and Space
- Michael Angelo Batio- No Boundaries
- Richie Kotzen/ Greg Howe- Tilt
- Jeff Beck- Wired
- Greg Howe- Extraction
- Adrain Weiss- Big Time
- Steve Morse- Structural Damage
- Joe Satraini- Surfing With The Alien
- Mattias IA Eklundh- Freak Guitar
- Prashant Aswani- Visions
- Buckethead- The Elephant Man’s Alarm Clock
- Guthrie Govan- Erotic Cakes
- Al Di Meola- Casino
- Joe Stump- Virtuostic Vendetta
- Wayne Krantz- 2 Drink Minimum
- Joe Satraini- Flying In a Blue Dream
- Greg Howe- Hyperacuity
- Yngwie Malmsteen- Rising Force
- Patrick Rondat- Just For Fun
- Lars Eric Mattsson- Aurora Borealis
- Kiko Loureiro- Fullblast
- Todd Grubbs- Toddities Volume 1
- Dean Cascione- Neoclassical Fire
- Michael Lee Firkins- Chapter Eleven
- Gary Hoey- Gary Hoey
- DC Slater- Decisions
- Rob Balducci- Balance
- Garsed/ Helmerich- Quid Pro Quo
- Patrick Carlsson- Phraseolgy
- Neal Nagaoka- The Crossing
- Borislav Mitic- Borislav Mitic
- Steve Vai- Alien Love Secrets
- Michael Angelo Batio- Planet Gemini
- Chris Francis- Chris Francis
- Ioannis Anastassakis- Suspension of Disbelief
- Matt Rach- Redemption
- Dave Sharman- 1990
- Dweezil Zappa- Go With What You Know
- Paul Gilbert- Get Out Of My Yard
- John 5- Vertigo
- George Bellas- Dawn Of Time
- Marc Bonilla- EE Ticket
- Jennifer Batten- Above Below and Beyond
- Richie Kotzen- Electric Joy
- Jeremy Barnes- On
- Timmo Tolkki- Classical Variations and Themes
- Neil Zaza- Two Hands One Heart
- Theodore Ziras- Hyperpyrexia
- Ethan Brosh- Out of Oblivion
- Steffen Schackinger- ElectriGuitartistry
- Jan Cyrka- Beyond The Common Ground
- Hittar Cuesta- Language of The Spirits
- Dave Uhrich- Fret-no-tized
- Chris Brooks- The Axis of All Things
Indeed, it was painstakingly difficult to compile a list of 100 instrumental guitar albums, considering the number of guitar gods that there are. This list does not have an end, contribute, and keep it growing. Feel free to mention your favorite guitar albums and guitar players that have not made it to this showcase, let the world know. Cheers!