He's the perfect balance of interesting and catchy melody lines, lightning fast scale runs, single notes that are held for an eternity, and beautiful powerful but smooth tones. And he sells it all with his great looks and stage presence. Anybody who thinks Neal isn't the greatest guitar player of all time can kiss my ass man. Another point is his tasteful use of the tremolo bar. He doesn't just grab it and shake it wildly like some guys do. He bends it soulfully and does pulsing dips during some of his sustaining notes. He uses the bar a good bit, but he doesn't lean on it and use it constantly like Brad Gillis seems to do. That's overuse for my tastes. It was bad ass to hear him play part of his song "Deep Forest" on here by the way!!!
I read a comment at youtube about David Gilmour saying he doesn't play a lot of notes - just the right ones at the right time, and in the right order. And that too, is Neil Schon.
I had the pleasure of meeting Neal after a show maybe 25 years ago. Really great guy. Even then after playing all night, he just wanted to talk about guitar. He was like a kid who just got his first electric. You're right. He loves the guitar! Happy to see him still smiling up on stage.
Neal has great emotional feel when he plays. He seems to have two speeds melodic and super fast where the the notes can’t be distinguished. Not sure if that is just sloppy. The speed notes are at least in the right key when he does it.
This is phone audio …so there’s that. If you listen to Neil on professionally recorded audio or playing at home on his twitter or instagram you can make out all the notes. He’s not sloppy when playing fast. I’ve seen Journey live in recent years and will say I feel Neil uses too many wet effects when playing live now. Too much reverb, echo and (probably) chorus. His guitar likely sounds great to him in his in-ear monitors but his sound gets blurry and washed out-especially the fast stuff-in the big places Journey plays. I couldn’t carry Neil Schon’s guitar case 😊 but humbly offer this advice- take a cue from other great rock players who play fast and figured out how to make sure every note is heard throughout the hall (EVH comes to mind): Dial back the effects or if you want that sound in your ears-create a second much drier signal to send to FOH and let the sound guy add in whatever. I saw Journey many times in the 1970s and 80s and Neil always sounded great playing at any speed ..he was blazing fast back then too. I appreciate that he embraces technology but think he’s a victim of it sometimes these days. Def Leppard and Metallica also use Fractal Axe FX modelers live now but have their effects dialed in/back so the fast stuff doesn’t blur (much).
@@GuiitarBilly this response was literally everything my brain didn’t know how to put into words. Thank you. I will actually use a lot of this as an example to my band when it comes to our wet effects. Great response thank you!
Sammy Hagar kind of said the same thing about Neal’s fast and at at times undistinguishable notes perhaps. Check out this link ruclips.net/video/LdZ20MPLw_I/видео.html
I love Neil but I don’t think his gear sounds anything like it did live back then, sounds way to studio for me but I guess that’s what happens when your a well seasoned musician. I’d love to see Journey in their mid- late 80’s sloppy form, pounding drums and heavily distorted guitar riffs.
I saw Toto / Journey in KC recently. I have to say that it was no contest. Steve Lukather, hands down, was far and away the better musician and had a better bands than Neil. Neil was poor at best. He was off … and that is being kind. During a three song stretch we thought he was having “guitar problems”. Maybe pedals, amps, mixing … nope just the guy with the guitar. Unrelated- The cherry on the desert was Jonathan Cain. Is he the new Lawrence Welk or Liberace? He was also off. This was the word Journey I have every seen - and I have seen every tour. Toto however kicked ass! True professionals.
Listen to old journey albums if you want to really taste what a monster player Neal is. This commercial bubblegum stuff although made them made them zillionaires and yes, the guitar is tasty and melodic, does not showcase Neal's true talents. Just ask Richie Sambora.
Such a tasteful soloist! The melody never gets lost in the shuffle.
He's the perfect balance of interesting and catchy melody lines, lightning fast scale runs, single notes that are held for an eternity, and beautiful powerful but smooth tones. And he sells it all with his great looks and stage presence. Anybody who thinks Neal isn't the greatest guitar player of all time can kiss my ass man.
Another point is his tasteful use of the tremolo bar. He doesn't just grab it and shake it wildly like some guys do. He bends it soulfully and does pulsing dips during some of his sustaining notes. He uses the bar a good bit, but he doesn't lean on it and use it constantly like Brad Gillis seems to do. That's overuse for my tastes. It was bad ass to hear him play part of his song "Deep Forest" on here by the way!!!
Neal--- the living legend !! The best !!
Schon is surely one of a handful of the greatest electric guitar players of all time. No question, here’s proof.
Hello Ann
how're you doing
Comments like this are priceless, Thank you❤️
it's nice meeting you here
Nearly 70 years young and Neal can still shred with the best of em.
70 is no where near young sorry
Journey my fav band ❤ Neal so talented 👍👏👏👏
They sound phenomenal as a band unlike a lot of bands from back in the 80's.
Cool《☆》👍✔Good to see Neal playing a LesPaul again🖖🤓🏈
Definitely on my top guitarist list.💪🏾
Neal and Luke!!
That fella Neal should keep playing that guitar , he might end up been pretty amazing at it 💪
I read a comment at youtube about David Gilmour saying he doesn't play a lot of notes - just the right ones at the right time, and in the right order. And that too, is Neil Schon.
In concert and in other videos I've watched of Neal in interviews, soundchecks, etc., it is clear that he loves the guitar.
I had the pleasure of meeting Neal after a show maybe 25 years ago. Really great guy. Even then after playing all night, he just wanted to talk about guitar. He was like a kid who just got his first electric. You're right. He loves the guitar! Happy to see him still smiling up on stage.
Stellar, extraordinary pauses, never same location, schon".
What a fantastic video ,well done I really enjoyed that 👍✨😎
Stunning player, tasteful and passionate 🔥❤️🔥
Lovely vibrato.
ニールがモアイ像みたいだが、美しいソロ、初期の頃より本当にいい音になりましたね。
Sure is one of the best guitarists !
Neal has great emotional feel when he plays. He seems to have two speeds melodic and super fast where the the notes can’t be distinguished. Not sure if that is just sloppy. The speed notes are at least in the right key when he does it.
Not sure if your going by this recording or all his work. You can most definitely distinguish his note work. I respect your opinion, but disagree.
This is phone audio …so there’s that. If you listen to Neil on professionally recorded audio or playing at home on his twitter or instagram you can make out all the notes. He’s not sloppy when playing fast.
I’ve seen Journey live in recent years and will say I feel Neil uses too many wet effects when playing live now. Too much reverb, echo and (probably) chorus. His guitar likely sounds great to him in his in-ear monitors but his sound gets blurry and washed out-especially the fast stuff-in the big places Journey plays.
I couldn’t carry Neil Schon’s guitar case 😊 but humbly offer this advice- take a cue from other great rock players who play fast and figured out how to make sure every note is heard throughout the hall (EVH comes to mind): Dial back the effects or if you want that sound in your ears-create a second much drier signal to send to FOH and let the sound guy add in whatever.
I saw Journey many times in the 1970s and 80s and Neil always sounded great playing at any speed ..he was blazing fast back then too. I appreciate that he embraces technology but think he’s a victim of it sometimes these days. Def Leppard and Metallica also use Fractal Axe FX modelers live now but have their effects dialed in/back so the fast stuff doesn’t blur (much).
@@GuiitarBilly this response was literally everything my brain didn’t know how to put into words. Thank you. I will actually use a lot of this as an example to my band when it comes to our wet effects. Great response thank you!
Sammy Hagar kind of said the same thing about Neal’s fast and at at times undistinguishable notes perhaps. Check out this link ruclips.net/video/LdZ20MPLw_I/видео.html
@@GuiitarBilly He has a expression pedal that controls the wetness of the effects on the fm9. He needs to step off the gas and dry it up!
Orange strat is stellar, custom set-up schon mentioned.
looks like jenny Greig needs to give Neil a visit
I would go just for the solos
Check out the Sammy Hager Montrose bad motor scooter with Neil
Killer!!
One my favorite players, that setup is way too wet though.
Who's Crying Now
I love Neil but I don’t think his gear sounds anything like it did live back then, sounds way to studio for me but I guess that’s what happens when your a well seasoned musician. I’d love to see Journey in their mid- late 80’s sloppy form, pounding drums and heavily distorted guitar riffs.
Starting to look like Bruce Springsteen.. Using EVH amps.. Always the tastyist solo's
He's using Fractal FM9. The EVHs are pretty much stage volume only. There's a rig rundown on it
please God not Springsteen dont curse the man
Dean Castranova is back with Journey again?!! He was their better drummer!
Name of the second solo?
its from the song who’s crying now
I saw Toto / Journey in KC recently. I have to say that it was no contest. Steve Lukather, hands down, was far and away the better musician and had a better bands than Neil. Neil was poor at best. He was off … and that is being kind. During a three song stretch we thought he was having “guitar problems”. Maybe pedals, amps, mixing … nope just the guy with the guitar.
Unrelated- The cherry on the desert was Jonathan Cain. Is he the new Lawrence Welk or Liberace? He was also off. This was the word Journey I have every seen - and I have seen every tour.
Toto however kicked ass! True professionals.
Right! Not even in the same class as Lukather/Toto, for sure. And Toto’s discography just smokes Journey’s…
It would be great if he could lose some of that mud...
Neil’s guitar work is great. But it sounds like the keyboard player is on their first lesson. Sounds painful at times. The band has lost its tightness
New drums and bass. Sounds boring
Listen to old journey albums if you want to really taste what a monster player Neal is. This commercial bubblegum stuff although made them made them zillionaires and yes, the guitar is tasty and melodic, does not showcase Neal's true talents. Just ask Richie Sambora.
Even after all these years...Arnel still acts awkward...WTF?
He has too many effects that the notes when he plays fast gets lost in the reverb and delay
ドラムとベースが悪だくみをしていたようで、残念