Greatest American Guitarist: Jason Becker vs Marty Friedman

[shredmaster100]

becker was a better player than marty and we may never know whos better today as marty has got much better since the cacophony days and unfortunatly jason hasnt held a guitar for nearly 20 years so we will never know

[hapkidotim]

2 great players even though jason hasnt played in years... but how good would he be if he would have not had his disease? thats like trying to compare someone to randy rhoads... marty has had more time to get better while jason has not. Nevertheless, I give it to jason for renewing the classical style and being a key founder in merging classical with metal.

[fulcilives92]

Marty

[jarkanciofan]

Jason becker vs Marty friedman = Chuck norris vs Chuck norris.

[MegadethAcdclover]

uuummm why is this here??/They played together. It makes no sense -_-

& they are different. No comparison, they both are amazing & number one. <3

[rampage222555]

i really can choose between these 2 guitar gods.

[prodirockerd]

They are both better than each other...

[jovany69]

funny marty plays in both songs



[vitantoniom0n0]

@jovany69 friedman doesn't play in perpetual burn, he does in the album, but not in that song

[jovany69]

@jovany69 True.



[SamI124QRiley]

Jason Becker all the way.

I think he deserves it from becoming a virtuoso at such a young age, his unfortunate mishaps and simply because of his adventurous guitar melodies :)

[joeyonacid]

@SamI124QRiley yeah, i always have mad respect for Jason and we all know hes a true genius, but original is Marty, by original, i mean his middle eastern or eastern sounds with strong bending

[TerrorizerGrindspeed]

lol why would you put the 2 best guitar players in the world against each other? they both win in speed, technique, feeling, composing and phrasing

[Bolsud0]

Jason is nice but marty wins

[BroadswordTULL]

both gods. jason wins.

[youreallcrackheads]

only guitar battle on youtube worth watching

[ConorLaganTM]

Obviously Marty

[MrCobra285]

There's no superior here, they are both metal gods.

[silverarrowslk]

@MrCobra285 Yip I would agree with you that they are on a par with each other. Fantastic together though!

[vgrzen34]

marty's definitely my favorite guitar player, just cuz of his unique style, but i have to say that jason was the superior guitarist, he wins.

[Dionese17]

@vgrzen34

jason is superior if he is your favorite guitarist

[vgrzen34]

@Dionese17 eeehhhh...... i see what you're getting at, but i disagree. marty friedman is just my personal favorite. i acknowledge that jason becker was more skilled, but marty friedman just sorta stands out more to me. if it were a contest, i'd chose becker over friedman, not to say that i like friedman any less. 

[Dionese17]

@vgrzen34 Do not know if you know but only jason becker is faster than marty friedman. The most valuable techniques in a guitar are the bends and vibratos (in the words of Satriani,Malmsteen guitar and all that good), I do not know who does it better than Friedman.Musically, Marty has a rare feature, which is a unique sound, you listen and has nodoubt that he is playing this, Santana is another. Detail Becker called  Marty master see why the song Black Stallion Jam notice the difference

[vgrzen34]

@Dionese17 as a guitar player i have to say that this is the most common misconception there is about guitarists. bends and vibrato are some of the least important techniques to master. they're kinda like icing on the cake, without a strong foundation of other techniques, namely scales, arpeggios, basic alternate picking, these techniques fall short. slash is a good example, he uses bends and vibrato as filler, because the only scale he really feels comfortable in is the blues scale and (cont.)

[vgrzen34]

@Dionese17 (cont.) his arpeggios aren't developed to where they should be. not saying he isn't a good guitarist, but because these techniques aren't developed to where they should be, he has limited himself. also, there are many guitarists that are faster than marty freidman. the fastest is tiago della vega, malmsteen and batio are also faster than him, i'm sure there are more, but i can't think of them off the top of my head.

[Dionese17]

@vgrzen34 This is the question, who decides where it should or should not apply to certain arpeggio? That's what differentiates Marty does not work so many musical concepts by pre-established. His flirtation with atonal music makes it stand out from the others he creates unique nuances. faster guitar has several, but few have the melodic control and speed as marty. sorry my english is terrible

[codebabe]

@vgrzen34 who cares if Friedman isn't the fastest. His playing has emotional content. And Slash isn't limited to blues(November Rain) And btw, how is one limited when they've written so many memorable and highly soulful solos as Slash has? Not every player needs to be Jason Becker. I love to use arpeggios/sweeps but many great players don't use them. Solos are about playing with soul, not showing off what you can do with a piece of wood with strings attached to it. Slash has soul, Batio doesn't.

[vgrzen34]

@codebabe how do you define soul? who are you to judge whether or not someone can play with it or not? playing with "soul" is just the ability to "hear" the next note in the solo before you've written it. someone who has less skill will naturally be more limited in their options of where they can move. like i was saying, slash is a good player. he has soul but he is limited because he hasn't evolved technically. listen to the song "a new day" by batio, then tell me whether he has soul or not.

[codebabe]

@vgrzen34 You can't define soul.There are intangible elements to playing, you can listen to two guys play the same thing but one guy gets your foot tapping or your head banging and the other doesn't. That's not an accident, thats soul and it can't be explained. And btw why would you pick on Slash when there are SO many other players who fit your disciption of not evolving, like Angus Young. Btw Slash is MUCH better techincally than he was in GnR. He's much cleaner and faster now.

[vgrzen34]

@codebabe that's what i was getting at. and, yeah, you have a point. i only picked slash cuz he was the most convenient and recognizable, angus young does fit the description. i wouldn't know about slash's career after GnR, cuz that was all i heard of his material and i didn't hear much of it at that. so your right in implying that i'm ignorant of slash's improvement. but the point was your favorite star in the sky doesn't have to be the brightest, or in marty's case, the most skilled

[codebabe]

@vgrzen34 I agree, and yes..getting back to marty, he only lacks the speed of other shredders. He has some licks that are just as complex as you will ever hear. It's just the speed at which they're played isn't as fast as say, Yngwie. For instance watch(on youtube) exotic metal solo 1 and you can hear that he doesn't lack skill in complexity. He's just not playing them at lightning-pace speed.

[1madaboutguitar]

@codebabe You say some interesting things there. I think Marty makes up for the lightening speed with sheer cleverness. His melodies frazzle you brain more hen Yngwies/Satch's, even though they are at half the speed. Anyway, Marty can really play as fast as he likes , ive never seen him struggle for speed ever.

[codebabe]

@1madaboutguitar me either. a great way to look at it is the ending solos in hangar 18. Dave's alternate picking is A LOT faster in that section. But try and learn both of them and I guarante you it would take one longer to perfect Marty's licks than Daves. The same woul go for Marty over a lead player like Gary Holt or Jeff Hanneman. Those guys can tremelo pick faster than Marty probably, but that can be perfected over a holiday. To be melodic and fluid takes years.

[1madaboutguitar]

@codebabe In my experience you are dead right. 

[1madaboutguitar]

@codebabe Yer were on the same page man

[hugopereira14]

@1madaboutguitar marty has blazing speed too man...

[1madaboutguitar]

@hugopereira14 Indeed man, was just saying.... what makes him stand out from the shredders is not his speed but sheer cleverness/originality

[hugopereira14]

@1madaboutguitar hum yeah,you're right about that.

[codebabe]

@vgrzen34 it depends what your criteria is for a player. to my knowlege marty is a more experimental, versatile, and creative player. love jason, but his style(at least in his early career) is a but generic in comparison to marty's mainly because i dont think his solos are arranged as meticulously.

[codebabe]

@vgrzen34 @vgrzen34 it depends what your criteria is for a player. to my knowlege marty is a more experimental, versatile, and creative player. love jason, but his style(at least in his early career) is a bit generic in comparison to marty's. mainly because i dont think his solos are arranged as meticulously

[SoulGuitarMan]

there is no "greatest american guitarist," it all has to with taste. and Obviously Jasons got Marty on technicallity, you have to keep in mind though that marty was one of Jason's biggest influences, and there's not really such thing as soul if you think about it, so I'm not going to get started on that. As for the songs you've chosen by these 2amazing musicians..come on, it's Tornado of Souls!?! What can beat that?? :D not contradicting jason in anyway, hes my biggest inspiration

[assdestroyer666]

@SoulGuitarMan concerto can beat every solo song...

[novemberrain1994]

as much as I love Marty im going with Jason here, his solo albums are just amazing.

[ConspireToConspire]

Its pretty obvious that one couldn't have reached the pinnacle without the other. They both really cut their teeth with Cacophony. The development of their playing between the first Cacophony album and their respective shrapnel records solo albums is incredible.

[1madaboutguitar]

One is not better then the other.... its that SIMPLE!!!

[ter50]

I don't know, surely they both are way better than Kirk Wahammett.

[WEISsGEBeter]

Jason and Marty are just fucking awesome!!!!! Favorte guitarists ever.

[Kakhaufan]

I'm sorry. But your round one was already pretty much the final :D

[deadpool971]

marty all the way hes m fav guitar player

[mrexodia1]

they are both awesome

[jpetruccii]

OF COURSE JASON IS THE BEST..I LOVE MARTY SO MUCH..BUT HE CANT BEAT JASON..JASON IS BETTER BY FAR..AND MARTY SAYS=JASON CAN PLAY EASYLY WHAT I CANT PLAY...

[gunsproof]

@jpetruccii

thats because jason is in a wheel chair

[schuldiner19]

i love both of them ... i know jason is still composing music even though he got als , but still , he barely had a carriere . So whoever saying becker is better than friedman who have 35 years of legacy ,experience is not being objective and just feeling sorry for jason's sad destiny.

Marty is by far superior now cuz he experienced way more than jason and had time to evolve his playing... It's not a fair comparaison so let's just enjoy the music

[martyfriedman666]

they're such good friends so its kinda crap comparin em. as one guy said, jason was like the next mozart, but i thik marty is amazing aswel and marty influenced jason alot! jason always said that marty was better hands down and that he learnt a lot from marty. but i dont know, i honestly couldnt pick between the two cos they're both so so amazin but also very very different!! they were perfect together!

[becker02100]

i think both are vere fucking good guitar players, but becker is better for me

[ranclassical]

jason is better! !

[Zosozeppelinn]

This is a really good idea, can't think of two more technically skilled guitarists...

[ClydeRockwaY]

Becker is power

[tylerbate420]

this matchup i take jason becker, perpetual burn was phenomenal....especially from a 16 year old, that's some serious mozart shit right there

[thatplate0778]

honestly its an insult to Jason's memory to compare these two. there were both Absolute Gods at a guitar. no comparison.

[kytrev27]

Cummon assholes stop comparin them both.They both are the best.Jason and Marty rule forever and so does Cacophony.

[7BassAss7]

marty friedman and dimebag are the best guitarists

[tylerbate420]

@7BassAss7 marty, dimebag, becker and laiho, cant forget alexi man

[RandyRhoadsisGod82]

@tylerbate420 i agree with that but...what about randy? cant forget randy rhoads dude :-p

[tylerbate420]

@RandyRhoadsisGod82 very good point, thanks for throwin him in there, but i guess since this is greatest american guitar player, which i didn't notice earlier i'll scratch out alexi and throw stevie ray vaughn and steve vai in there to battle over

[Starchild132]

@tylerbate420 thats basically my list of idols except instead of jason it would be jeff loomis

[metalhammer104]

wow thats a fuckin intimidating match up. the 2 of them are exceptional guitar virtuosos but thats like comparing dave mustaine & randy rhoads. the answer cannot be determined but what can be said is marty by far is the greatest metal guitarist ever and jason is the greatest shred guitarist ever, better than malmsteen, satriani, lynch, vai, van halen etc.

[MrBildslash]

stupid! mother fucker

[7VicRattlehead7]

they r both guitar gods and in my opinion they are the best guitarists ever...

[ranclassical]

jason becker is great

[LateMetaL93]

I think jasons better, but probably because of marty. also if jason never got ALS, nobody would stand a fucking chance

[DiegoWolfFox]

I love them both. Just that it's hard for me to decide who is better of the Two.

They are both amazing =)

[RootbeerInAFrostyMug]

Jason Becker!

[AMINULBST]

stop comparing both of them..they are good friends .. they respect each other..actually i marty hard die fan .. but they're both very great ..

[1madaboutguitar]

Marty is amazing and they both are unique in the same way they bring something to the table no other guitar players have I cant possibly imagine ANYONE doing a better job than Marty did in megadeth but Jasons solos stuff is beyond GENIUS, no one can touch that, not even Marty. In fact , hes not even close, no one is. Its that simple

[gre1990]

I prefer marty...i like becker, a lot...but marty is just such a complete musician, maybe technically not superior to becker but no so far, and in terms of knowledge of harmony and melody he may be the more versatile metal guitarist

[swordstainet]

Jason is better

[Nunez87]

If Marty Posted, he would say Jason was the better. If Jason posted he would say Marty. They were like that. But remember that Marty nurtured Jason. Helped him with his phrasing and understanding of music back in cacophony. They were fucking gold together.

[Ramsey1010]

This is hard.

Marty is a musical genius and a composer who is just on another level. He has such a vast musical vocabulary and is the cleanest "shredder" I think i've ever heard.

Jason is a far better sweep picker, but his style is almost strictly neoclassical. However, he was amazing in how he chose to play that style.

Honestly they are prbly tied for speed. Jason sweeps faster marty string skip licks are way faster.

SO I go by these two solos. Marty wins. ToS is memorable and pure genius.

[Nunez87]

I agree, Jason was a talent like no other and nurtured by Marty he could conquer the world. But It would be with Marty's help. And yes Jason's style was strictly Neoclassical, however he did that so fucking well. My personal favorite of the two is Marty however. He's the real genius behind the early cacophony and his improv skill, knowledge and feel is out of this world. and yeah he's one of the cleanest shredders along with paul gilbert imo.

[SilverPingvinen]

i cant choose they are to good both of them becker technicue is godless but friedman is a musical genious

[mickiew4]

becker

[apollominor]

oh hell no..you did not just try and compare these two....damn man all hell will break loose...........marty has an unusual style and unique combination of eastern music and metal while jason has some of the best sweeps and composed some of the best guitar pieces ever. marty is a better improviser while jason is a better composer. jason got me into swweeping while marty influences my improvising quite a lot................i can't choose.

[dhr0014]

Guys I think we should stop comparing them.

[1madaboutguitar]

If Marty commented on this page he would say Jason.

So Martys fans, lets not argue with him vote Jason!

[mingebag851]

Jason is better technically.. But Marty wins because of his improvise skills and knowledge of music.

[RHMETAL]

Jason Becker. I will not explain myself again, so look at my comment on either the Rossington vs. Betts video, or the Collins vs. Walsh video.

[Doomzdayxx]

Becker was a certified musical/guitar prodigy, Friedman, while still world class, didn't come close in ANY category except possibly improv, Marty's strongest point. I'm thankful for both guyss music, but depressed about Jason's condition.

[ccrisp16]

becker

[Bastubeer]

why does everyone think altitudes is better then perpetual burn? those two and air are easily the best songs of the album

[walshy0001]

personally, i think becker completely beats friedman by a long shot. i think becker's technique was better, and you guys have to consider that becker was only 17 when he made perpetual burn. marty was closing in near thirty when he wrote tornado of souls

[deth2tallica]

@walshy0001 YOU'RE RIGHT DUDE.

BECKER IS THE BEST

[hugopereira14]

@walshy0001 yeah man but jason started to play when he was like 3 or 5...marty only started when he was 15,almost 16.i think.

[MikeLamb24]

I say Marty Friedman but I am probably biased because I would easily say Becker if Marty was never in Megadeth

[lagartolya]

Obvious Becker !!! the god of guitar!!!!

[aaaadga]

wasnt tornados solo written by dave mustain?

[MikeLamb24]

Not the solo, that was all Marty

[aaaadga]

buckethead

[jim9999999]

becker, a fallen god

[gtarjason69]

i like marty more... personally i hate shred i paly blues..... but hey martys alright hes got some kool stuff

[spore2045]

yeah you paly blues

[1madaboutguitar]

Jason does it for me but that doesn't mean he is better...its just my opinion

[acdcislaw]

becker is better

[rattnroll5150]

jason becker, both great guitarists, but becker is in an entirely different league than friedman.

[ThuXthetrooper]

becker but... next time pick Altitudes instead of perpetual burn

[metal4life160]

becker.

[F1revolution]

Jason Becker's ALS is a huge loss to unique music.....really sad. Shoulda been the Jonas Bros LOL

[jareds1007]

I've heard one of these names ...never before seen either.....In these two takes I pick Friedman's lead.....but....maybe there is a better song for Becker? I pick Friedman here.

[hardrocker90]

and becker is better in technicality, but marty seems to me that he is more versatile so i pick marty

[mingebag851]

Marty Friedman wins! (I like his music more, even though Becker is technically better)

[lagartolya]

= two masters!!!

[madezecke]

Becker.

[RageAgainstTheDisco]

Wow tough one but it's complete bullshit that Slash fucking beat Marty Friedman it makes me sick it's a tie Becker has a better out take on neo-classical pieces where as Marty is more exotic.

[CARVCAMUZ]

becker is the best in tecnis, and friedman on felllings,  you can see it on the video, Carvin presentation : the time os this video is 9:24, something like that

[Balk20]

BECKER IS BETTER.........

[westimer93]

I really like Martys playing, But Jason is the greatest who ever lived.

[lewisbassett]

Marty Friedman!!

[beseeingyou6]

i like becker's sound better

[neoclassic09]

becker easy but marty was his teacher so kudos to him

[hardrocker90]

that is not right at all...marty was a fan of becker and then they made cacophony together

[neoclassic09]

uh actually marty hadn't heard of jason. mike varney introduced them.

[hardrocker90]

hmm, i thought i read that in a guitar mag somewhere...maybe i am thinking of paul gilbert and billy sheehan

[neoclassic09]

perhaps. i'm not as familiar with gilbert

[rhcp4life16037]

Jason Becker