Al Di Meola

@RobertM20 7453 wrote:

Ya know, I really have yet to see anything here about him so I think I am going to take the time to put a shout out to this incredible guitar player, songwriter and musician.

I really only recently got into him; it’d be about 3 or so months ago that I really started listening to him. Sure I had heard alot about him before but never took the time to really get into him until I got his first 4 solo albums. Was I floored. 😮 Some of the stuff he does puts 1st class “shredders” today to shame, and he was doing this stuff back in the early 70’s!

Land Of The Midnight Sun
Elegant Gypsy
Casino
Splendido Hotel
Live In San Francisco (Paco De Lucia, John McLaughlin, Al Di Meola)

All of those are a must have for guitar players, IMO.

I have spent time going through his songs trying to dissect his playing and perhaps take away some things from him that could help define my playing and my sound as a guitar player.

(I know that his whole career started with “Return To Forever” with Chick Corea but I haven’t gotten that stuff yet, and I also realize I left out many of his other works like “World Sinfonia,” “Scenario,” “Flesh On Flesh,” “Electric Rendezvous” and so on but I guess they don’t really hit me as hard as his first 4 albums do. Perhaps I need to listen to them more. :p)

Hey Rob, 🙂

I’ve been a big “A.D.” Fan for a long time (about 27 years – although you’d never guess from my “sub-standard right-hand alternate-picking technique!” – LOL!) Anyways, some great stuff! BTW, guys like John Petrucci, Zakk Wylde, and Steve Morse are all self-proclaimed “DiMeola Disciples” (thus their picking-prowess!) Ya know what I like about DiMeola? (besides the obvious picking prowess) I always thought his guitar-tone and his compositional skills were underrated! Also, check out some of the “latin” elements in his rhythms…Wow! What a GREAT rhythm player (an oft-overlooked element in many guitarists’ skillsets – IMO!) 😉 😎

BTW Rob, did you ever read that Private Message I sent you bro? Lemme know! :confused:

~Bill Meehan~ 😀

@RobertM20 7464 wrote:

Also, I’ve never heard of Zakk Wylde being influenced by Di Meola. Where did that come about cause judging by his playing, he really doesn’t seem like he’s the player who would have been into him that much.

Hey Rob, 🙂

I’m surprised that you don’t connect the DiMeola influence in Zakk’s playing? :confused: Certainly Zakk’s note-selection (or lack thereof I should say!) and choice of genre is totally different. However, alternate-picking (seemingly) every note on a Les Paul, whilst palm-muting, is enough of a technical connection for me to hear and make! (LOL!) I know what you mean about overall style though, as Zakk bears little resemblance to the worldly and sophisticated “Mediterranean Shredmeister!” (LOL!) The three influences I hear in Zakk Wylde are: 1) Tony Iommi – 2) Randy Rhoads – and 3) Steve Morse. 😎 In fact, some people are surprised ( I know that I was when I first saw him do it) to find out that Zakk is a huge fan of and can rip on some “Country-Chicken Pickin’!” 😎 No kidding bro! Have you ever seen him play that stuff? I’ll link a clip of that while I’m at it. What the hell, right?!? am certain that Zakk said it in one of his lesson-snippet videos. I’ll try to find it. If I do, I’ll reply to this thread with a link, so keep an eye out for a forthcoming YouTube link bro! 😉

TTYS! 😉

~Bill Meehan~

Al is incredible. I’ve not long discovered him though! Deff a person who’s playing i will look into a lot more. Also…his signature PRS is STUNNING! 😀