Hotel California guitar solo

It is such a great solo.

As a bit of an aside, I've always thought Don Felder soloing style reminded me a bit of David Gilmour in that they both seem to really craft tasteful solo's that are thought out and often faithfully played live. They recognize that fans know the solos by heart and just jamming or winging it won't cut it. Both are pretty blues based however elder seems a tiny more "jazzy"
For example the "One of These Nights" solo reminds me of "Another Brick in the Wall Part II" to me in feel and execution and the epic Hotel California solo remind me in spirit of the epic Comfortably Numb solo -where as the producer pieced together all the best parts (granted HC has 2 guitar players of course). Arguably both solos being regarded in the conversation of the best rock solo's of all time.

 

Love the song even though it's gone past the "overplayed" line by some distance. But the greatness of the song is revealed in many places. Like Gabriella Quevedo's version which I know you have all seen plenty of times.

 

It is both solos and a duet. They are playing solos but in duet form at times. They are solos because they are building melodic and rhythmic patterns using the songs harmonic structure as the basis. Its both. When they play in harmony, it is not duet form.
Regardless, it is a great solo/duet. Very melodic and singable. Great use of all of the tricks...legato, pulloffs, bends, compound bends, arpeggios all in a fine melodic package.

 

It is both. Guitar solos played in duet form at times. Your thread title is correct.

 

Yeah, me not remembering it says nothing of the quality of the solo, actually. I just have garbage memory

 

Heard it too many times on the radio.

 

Ha...you repressed them now you can't stop reprising them... okay I'd show myself out but, well, you can never leave...

 

To be honest, I can't stand this song anymore after hearing it a zillion times... the solo is pretty iconic, though.. great playing and memorable melodies, I'd have to admit.

 

Didn't Henley also have an issue with the key they were playing in? I seem to recall Felder saying they were trying to avoid having to play in B and they tried it in at least two other keys first, but Henley wanted B.

 

so Jimmy Page is soloing at the start (re the riffs) of "Black Dog"?

 

Aside from the part where I've made my living as musician, composer/writer and arranger for almost 40 years (plus where I started playing 50 years ago) and where I have a doctorate in theory/composition, I guess not.

 

Sammy should have brushed up on the lyrics before the camera rolled, but Felder rips it ..... looks like he could pull this off while reading the paper at the same time.

 

As I understand it ..it is a duet. Though often confused as a solo....

 

In the context we’re using it I would say no he’s not. I said that in my post that I would not call that soloing. A solo is for lead guitar and not riffs.

 

It’s both.

 

The solo is the solo, the rest is a duet and cannot be included in this discussion.

 

umm...wow

 

Don Felder was the Eagles best guitarist.. Wrote the music for "Hotel California" and a few other great songs. I like Bernie Leadon a lot, though I think one of their best solos was by Glenn, on "I Can't Tell You Why"

 

Okay, but Page's guitar there is the featured instrument, non-vocal, that is the focus of the music at that particular section of music.

So if that's our definition of "solo(ing)" we have a problem.

 

Joe Walsh!!


Glenn probably went off and got good and coked up and then came back.

 

Po-tay-to, po-tah-to. It’s a solo it’s not a solo.
I still think of Jethro Tull’s “We Used to Know” whenever I hear it.

 

Then why would you think a requirement for a solo is that it be improvised?

 

I recall hearing a radio DJ back in the day tell a similar story to this. The way I remember it was... Walsh and Felder were working on it. Henley listened to it and told them to work on it some more. Then he left to smoke a joint. He later came back, listened to the exact same version and told them it was perfect. The DJ followed that up with... that's why they call it dope.

 

The reason the HC soluet(tm) is so successful is because it is a fabulously crafted slow burn. It doesn’t just keep getting faster and faster (like Freebird) and it isn’t just repetitious scale noodling runs (like Allman Bros. ) and it’s not just harmony like Boston, LRB, and so many other ideas around the time.

It is a conversation with clear opposing and supporting POVs. I think it may have been so impactful because of the sounds /tones it used (with the subtle phaser effect already mentioned, the bends, the neck slides, etc.) and the velocity and movement it takes the listener through. Not just back-n-forth wankery (imho), but a walk through a dark place with ideas and questions about how to survive the walk if not to escape.

I even think the minor-mode phrasing probably provided a sweet tooth fix for ‘exotic’ sounds for a new generation (rather than overdoing ‘eastern’ music -I.e., LED Zep wankery or so many predecessor ideas).

Finally, let’s face it: solos that allow the sound of the electric guitar come through loud and clear and specific and intentional will always be valued and praised because you hear notes and actions that are real, definable. And there are a ton of those moments throughout the soluet(Tm). (I HATE to give Henley any credit, but his drum fills accomplish the same recognition embrace in the song as well.)

The song could have devolved into crescendo hell, elongated pelvic bumping 10 minutes self high five giving during live shows but it never did. That’s more than discipline and confidence - that’s the awareness that “I told you exactly what I wanted to tell you” and it’s a wonderful decision.

S-l-o-w burrrrnnnn...

P.s.it loses NOTHING by not being ‘improvised’. NOTHING.

 

Yes, according to Felder, it was originally recorded in E minor but it turned out to be too high for Henley’s vocals so they went with B minor, which Felder said was one of the worst keys for guitar. I’m no guitar player so I’ll just take his word for it.