Favorite Instrumental Solos

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Serendiapity

Serendiapity

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Another music thread, but a new topic.

Whatever the instrument, what is your all-time favorite solo in music you like, and what are some other notable ones?

As for me, I really love Clarence Clemons' tenor sax solo in Bruce Springsteen's "Jungleland". Being a tenor saxophonist myself, I am inclined to like it, but I can honestly say that if you haven't heard this song, you really should listen to it. It is absolutely grand. (Although U2 is by far my favorite band, Bruce Springsteen comes in second.)
 
h3g3l

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If synthesizers count, I'd have to say Alan Parsons Project.

Specifically, the entire song "I Robot."
 
dogboy

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You're not going to believe this Kovalchuk, but one of my notorious newspaper boys when I was in college, not John, but Tommy plays sax. When he was in high school he went to The Stone Pony where Springsteen was playing and brought his sax along. During the break he went up to Clarence Clemmens and asked if he could sit in, and he said yes. Tommy played three songs with The Boss. How incredible is that!!! After I graduated from college and moved to Ohio, I got a phone call, and it was Tommy just traveling on the road. He crashed at my place and had three saxes with him. That's when he told me the story. He later became the sax player for Zydako (spelling, damn).

One of my favorite solos is the sax solo on Sting's "Little Wing". It's a great arrangement of the Jimmy Hendrix classic. Then of course there are all the great Hendrix guitar solos, my favorite being "All Along the Watch Tower".
 
boogalah

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My favorite solo of all time has to be from the song Red House by Jimi Hendrix, particularly a live version played at the NY Pop Festival on July 17, 1970. I know you could make a whole list of just Hendrix solos, but this one really moved me because of how well it flowed. It's very emotional, very powerful, and blew me away when I first heard it. If Jimi could play one thing really well, it was the blues.

YouTube - Jimi Hendrix - The BEST EVER Red House (Live 1970)
 
avery

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my favorite guitar solo of all time is at the end of this song. i have no idea how the guitarist produced those noises, and i would give a lot to know. it's probably the strangest and most beautiful 60 seconds of music i know about.

YouTube - Cloud Blood AMV
 
DLGrif

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Having gone through my archive, I came to what should have sprung up in my mind immediately...#4 best solo of all time according to Guitar World readers...David Gilmour's outtro to Pink Floyd's Comfortably Numb.

Honorable mention goes to Dan Hyer (aka lidpeeler) for Mahogany Head Grenade, which is arguably one 6-minute-long solo.
 
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kite

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Turntables:
Cut Chemist - Drums of Fire
 
spacemanBEN

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Well, this is much too tough for me. I will state that the best soloing I have ever heard is probably the Allman Brothers on the album Live at Fillmore East. Simply incredible. Duane Allman and Dickey Betts duking it out. If you are a guitarist and haven't heard this album, you better give it a listen. It will change your life! My personal favourites on the album are Whipping Post and Statesboro Blues, but the entire album is amazing.

Other notable songs
Had to Cry Today - Blind Faith
Spoonful (Live) - Cream
Key to the Highway - Derek and the Dominos
Sultans of Swing - Dire Straits (cliche yes, but so good)
Shapes of Things - Jeff Beck Group
Machine Gun / Bold as Love / Red House / Voodoo Chile... - Jimi Hendrix
Hideaway - John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers
Since I've Been Loving You / Achilles Last Stand - Led Zeppelin
Shine on You Crazy Diamonds - Pink Floyd
Scuttle Buttin' - SRV
anything off of Live at Leeds - The Who
Yeah, there's a very concise list
 
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mizzycub

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Part of what I love about music is the interplay of lyrics and the music. Although I like Pink Floyd, it isn't the instrumentals I like them for. Instrumentals just don't appeal as much to me. I can here when something is good musically, but I don't derive nearly as much enjoyment from an instrument on its own as one combined with sharp lyrics and other instruments, all working together. So I don't have a favourite instrumental.
 
Titus

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mzkkbprmt said:
Part of what I love about music is the interplay of lyrics and the music.
Click to expand...
I know exactly what you mean! I feel the same way.

I'm very much a fan of singer / pianist Tori Amos. And I think her songs really illuminate my thoughts about the interplay between lyrics and music.
If you're interested, look up any of these songs of her: "A pretty good year", "Winter", "Bells for her", "A sorta fairytale" "Happy phantom"

I'm as much into the hardcore scene as the next guy, but her songs however, is something quite close to perfection. I'm a sap, I know that, but I love her music.
 
Mysterious

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Hmmm, I don't know I could choose just one, so here's a few.


I find the intro solo with John and Flea here to be amazing.
YouTube - Red Hot Chili Peppers - Californication

Also I love this live version of Pantera's Floods solo + outro.
YouTube - Pantera - Floods Solo (Live)

Another one I really like is this song Zakk Wylde did called Farewell Ballad.
YouTube - Zakk Wylde Solo

Then there's Slash playing the Godfather theme, amazing every time.
YouTube - Slash - Solo GodFather Theme

I've always really loved the intro solo to Fade to Black by Metallica.
YouTube - Fade To Black - Metallica (Live 1992)

The shredding here by Petrucci I just find amazing.
YouTube - Dream Theater Glass Prison Guitar solo Arpeggios Live(Alter)

And this solo by Michael Angelo Batio to finish my list.
YouTube - Michael Angelo Batio Double-Guitar Solo
 
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It's hard to beat the keyboard solo in "Light My Fire" (The Doors). The opening keyboard solo in the extended version of "Won't Get Fooled Again" (The Who) is pretty good too.
 
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