@@diontillman3132 Yeah because Clapton, Hendrix, David Gilmour, SRV, etc never influenced anyone to buy a strat....I'm sure Fender would go out of business without Yngwie* lol *Sarcasm
If his accident was that severe, and he was in a coma for a week, with any damage to his left motor cortex, then it’s miraculous that he plays at all. I’m glad he’s still astonishing us.
Couldn’t say it better. Before the accident He was playing near the limit of human ability, and to still be in that neighborhood of capability after a brain injury is miraculous. If he was in a coma for a week, then he lost tissue/ connections. I wasn’t aware of his alcohol and stimulant usage, but alcohol is pretty toxic to the brain. I love him. He’s still a force and he’s out there doing shows and driving his Ferraris. Good on him
No matter what happened, he is proof that a man with such determination, will never let anything stop him from what he needs to do. For the same reasons that he got up there and changed what guitar is inside millions of minds, he also overcame such damage from the accident. Like him or not, there's not gonna be another Yngwie ever again.
@gun_toting_lefty Same...after Fire and Ice I pretty much checked out but up until Odyssey...I loved his stuff. (I know Odyssey is a divisive album but I definitely still like it....Marching Out is hands down my favorite)
Saw Yngwie in 1986 and EVERYONE in that auditorium was blown away. Period. Twisted Sister opened for them and Dee Snider after he cleaned up, sat in the last row on the top of the chair and watched him play like a teenager. That's how good Yngwie was before the accident.. But he's still a great guitarist.
Yngwie's playing has evolved quite a bit since the mid-80's. He spawned a million "shred'/neo-classical clones, and he no longer had to focus on being "fastest", as he has mentioned in several interviews. Not to mention the simple truth of musical maturity and personal growth as a player. None of us are the same as when we were starting out or as we were in our younger playing days. Practice brings knowledge, knowledge brings wisdom, wisdom brings maturity. Basically the albums from "Rising Force" to "Magnum Opus" document that process. In any event, whether you care for his music or not, his contribution to music and the world of guitar is undeniable. Thank you for the video and all the best from the Bay Area. MK
I saw Malmsteen play in Birmingham, UK, on the Odyssey tour in November 1988. It was probably about his 60th show after his accident. What I can say, because I met him before the show, is that he had been drinking quite heavily that afternoon before arriving late for soundcheck. I have no way of comparing his performance that night to a pre accident performance, but I recall his playing was very good and not like I have seem him play in later years. I’m certain that the accident changed his playing, especially his picking, but I wonder if Yngwie’s playing deteriorated through the late 80s and 90s more due to his use of alcohol.
Yeah, read his book. He talks about it a lot in there. When he first hit the US, pre and post accident, he was drinking *a lot*. Perhaps some of his best and worst performances were coloured by the timing of whether he was drunk or not. 🤷
The difference of his playing is as clear as day. What was most shocking about Yngwie appearing on the music scene was not the neoclassical phrasing or the speed, it's the clarity and accuracy of his playing. MANY has duplicated his licks and speed, but not his accuracy. If you play guitar yourself you understand the level of difficulty to get to his level. Years and YEARS of going about it relentlessly. You might play his songs but you could never play it like he once did. Yngwie himself can't duplicate it.
I saw Yngwie on the Trilogy tour third row at the Henry J. Kaiser Convention Center in Oakland California, 12/19/86. I was 20 years old. Yngwie was at his peak during the Trilogy era.
This is true he peaked in 86, the Trilogy tour was the height of his phrasing, feel, tone and technique. He did get most of his chops back years after accident but something was lost; I am not sure if its all related the the physical injury. FYI: I saw every live show he played in SoCal until the 90s. Including his first Rising Force gig; I did record it and many others and will post soon. Also side note Geoff Tate also peaked in 86; it was a special year for these special talents.
Been saying that for years. It was night and day difference. Pre accident Yngwie was like no one else ever, untouchable...Post accident, his tone, articulation, improv skills, phrasing...it all changed for the worse. I still get the same excited feeling listening to the Alcatraz stuff and first two Rising Force albums...I never really liked Trilogy, but it was the peak of his playing for sure. Nothing since then had the same impact. I've been lucky to see him live before the accident. I used to live about ten minutes from him and visited pre and post accident, was cool to see him play in his home, I was around 16 then.
According to his Wikipedia webpage the maestro was in a coma for a week suffering nerve damage to his right hand and in my humble opinion since recovery he has been awesome all the way up to right now. LONG LIVE THE MAESTRO!!!
His pre accident playing was the best he ever played. I'm taking about the Trilogy tour. He was fast, articulate, clean, aggressive and had an incredible tone. His tone was also surprisingly very clean (I mean not using a lot of distortion) and you couldn't notice if he even used reverb. After the accident all of that just worsened. The tone became too distorted and full of delay and reverb. He was no longer as articulate and smart with his phasing and he began implementing legato a lot more. I've always been blown away by his right hand technique, tho. However I think his super economy picking technique was more of a necessity cause he no longer could be as fast and picking every single note hard like pre accident. IMO is in the Leningrad video where you can notice how vastly different his playing changed compared to the Tokyo concert.
Without a question. 1985-1986 era Yngwie is arguably one of the most impressive guitarists to have ever graced the stage. His solo on that Milwaukee Summerfest bootleg gives me the shivers whenever I hear it. He went from his usual ripping leads to almost clean with the same aggression and articulation not found in many other "virtuosos".
Yngwie was very focused and precise in the 80’s. He was building a reputation, you know. As he established himself, his tone and attitude really started to slip and by time we reach mid to late 90’s, he got sloppy whilst playing live with all that distortion he probably can’t hear the sloppyness. He has pretty much remained that way ever since. He played in Japan with their philharmonic orchestra and he was excellent. He needs to drop the massive distortion and take more care in his playing.
I've seen him twice and I have to admit he seemed bored the first time and the the second time he arqued with the mixing engineer and lighting technician, I love the guy and for me he changed everything for me when I first started playing, he's a tremendous inspiration but like so many hyper talented people it comes at a price
It's nothing to do with distortion. Most things that Yngwie says are arrogant BS, but one thing he said in the mid 80s was that his guitar tone wasn't clean - it sounded clean because he had control. It's the lack of coordination between hands, the inability to silence strings etc that makes ham-fisted amateurs (and now Malmsteen's) playing sound more distorted. This was especially the case when people try to play faster than they can. Hence a lot of people tried to play Malmsteen riffs, the result sounded comparatively noisier and distorted and they concluded (erroneously) that Malmsteen had less gain. No, he had simply practised enough to play those riffs quickly and cleanly. Typically though, if they turned the gain down the fact their picking isn't even and their hands are not coordinated shows up as "missing" notes, it doesn't sound like Malmsteen pre car crash. Try it, get some guitar player to record themselves with a gain tone in a daw using an amp modelling plug in, then switch the plug in off and hear what their guitar signal sounds like dry. The instagram guitarists that play really clean tones should educate you that Malmsteen's tone in the mid 80s is not clean (and also how limited Malmsteen's technique is - they are better in pretty much every regard by a significant margin)
He has definitely more gain since 90's album but seventh sign and magnum opus were really excellent. Yngwie don't try to be as accurate as before and focus more on the show, that's why in my opinion his playing is faster now but sloppier
His mind has always been faster than his fingers, the improvisational capacity he has is from another world. He never plays the same song exactly the same
@@monsirto no he doesnt You havent work on any of his songs , try working on some of his songs correctly, learn the solos note by note, youll change your mind.
@tonyflorez703 no he won't bcuz he's jst a jealous lil troll boy who only wishes he could play like Yngwie... As are all the haters... Jealous lil cry babies...😢
No, don’t learn the solos note by note. Learn how to play arpeggios in that style, rather than trying to copy the solos. You’ll play more like him that way.
He played incredibly well after the accident as well. His live performance with the Japan Philharmonic was some of the best guitar playing in history. It's only the last 10 years that he's gone downhill. Fair enough and understandable. Can't stay at the top forever.
Yeah his general studio production has been pretty terrible for more than 20 years now. Facing the Animal was his last great album, after which Cozy died untimely, and everything went south. Just when he thought he had a fantastic band, which he certainly did, he lost it all again.
I think he was better before. I've seen him several times before and after. As a guitarist myself it's very obvious. It's still amazing that he came back as fast as he did and released oddesy. He still plays incredible stuff that only a select few can duplicate. Everything gets worse with age.
its not the tone and playing differences its the recordings. One is clearly guitar and the next is the mic of the whole arena. You can clearly hear none of them are mic'd the same and recorded the same, one might just be a camera sound.
I've seen Yngwie DOZENS of times from local bars to sold out arenas. I picked up the guitar because of him and I threw my guitar away because of him. My personal opinion is he simply gets tired of playing the same thing over & over (he has to play the classics for his fans). He's such a technical lunatic, I feel like he tries to improve on some of the older stuff each time he plays it. I'm not a "gear buff" so what I am telling you comes from what I can hear (and see) after listening to him since 1982.
George lynch does the same thing, I think it's is possible that Yngwie isn't quite as clean playing as he was, but I give him credit, his new CD is full of classic Yngwie shred fun
I saw him with Vai and Satch in 2003. Vai and Satch somehow could not figure out what to play over teh cover of Neil Young's "Keep on Rockin' In The Free World". Only Yngwie had his head wrapped around this simple tune. He played all the rhythm guitar, sang and was able to solo around it and all.
I think another thing to note (albiet a bit more personal) is that he had a deinking problem especially during the kate 80's and early 90's that greatly affected the way he would play so that also could attribute to his sloppier playing. I also remember reading his biography "Relentless" where he insists that his playing actually got better and attributes the sloppier playing with the aforementioned drinking
Without question..his articulation, his tempo, and more importantly, his tone was beautiful.. Not the way too reverberated saturated tone he favors now.
@@UptempoMusicLessons 100% You're so welcome! Lately, he has been playing better than recent years, and with less reverb. He still has an amazing level many of us, speaking mainly me, will never acheive!
"He hit a tree with his Jaguar and broke the steering wheel with his head. He was in a coma for almost a week, then woke up unable to use his right hand. Doctors discovered that he’d suffered a concussion from the ordeal, which damaged the nerves running into his right hand." If all this is true, it would be miraculous if it didn't affect his playing.
I hear this all the time.hid behind distortion.. .he changed just like every player does..he'll evh chased tone til he passed. He developed his ampa and pedals to his liking ..his quest for sound at that given moment..as a 37 year player.ive played coast to coast jumped pond and I've never met a GUITARIST who isn't always searching ..He is a monster player who doesn't need to hide behind anything ..I just don't get these posts ...
EXCELLENT video! Your playing is outstanding. As a huge Yngwie fan since 1984, I suppose it is that old saying "it will never feel like the first time." In some respects, Yngwie is not quite as good, in some respects he is AS GOOD, and, in some respects, his playing is better (example: the orchestra album, Alchemy, and even World on Fire have amazing moments). I think the main "problem" is the fact that Yngwie has been obsessed with outdoing Yngwie LOL---he wants to play those old passages even faster...and it sometimes backfires (less articulation). I don't know; I am torn. I see some 2019 videos of Yngwie live and he is amazing...then there are others were he seems on auto pilot or worse. He was probably more CONSISTENT back in the day...and it was so mind-blowing and revolutionary back then, too. NOT that it should be about image, but Yngwie became (very) heavy (at least a bloated face and belly) from approximately 1998-2003 and his image took away somewhat from his playing; sad but true (witness the G3 video--yikes!). Then, Unleash The Fury came out and I thought the photos were old and photoshopped until I saw many other photos and videos live that confirmed the authenticity. But I am rambling...I have seen Yngwie 9 times live (twice in 1984, twice in 1985, once in 2001, once in 2013, once in 2017, once in 2018 and once in 2019) and I still get the same thrill from his playing and I walk away with that "Yngwie is God" feel...but, at the same time, he has become very "notey" these days and doesn't let things "breathe" as much as in days of old. I think THAT is what people miss the most.
Thanks for the kind words and for watching Vince! You have as good a theory as any there. You are so lucky to see him in several eras! I have never had the chance but I am not sure if I would not because, well, he doesn't seem like the same player with the same fire. Anyway, all the best for 2020 to you!
@@UptempoMusicLessons I would say if you are going to catch him live these days to avoid his solo act, but definitely go to anything like a G3, especially if Steve Vai is on the bill because those shows will have extended jams at the end and the friendly competition seems bring out the best in Yngwie. Particularly with Vai, he really seems to want to do his best. I don't know if that has anything to do odd meanderings that their careers did and did not take in the 80s when Vai was Malmsteen's replacement in Alcatrazz, and then got the call to join David Lee Roth's solo band after Roth's first pick, Yngwie had turned the gig down! I think that paved the way for an interesting bond and respect between them. I have been deeply into his playing style since I first heard him in late 1983 with Alcatrazz. Even in kind of a pop metal tune like "Island in the Sun" there something about his playing dynamics that came across as explosive and refined at the same time that had me instantly hooked. I think everyone who heard him back then asked the same two questions once they were able to retrieve their jaws from floor: Who the hell is this guy? And where in the world did he come from? Most beginning players at the time were learning basic stuff like AC/DC riffs, and hoping to graduate to playing some Van Halen or Randy Rhoads songs and solos when this absolute hurricane Yngwie Malmsteen comes along and just a little over a year later everybody is studying music theory and scales and trying to learn violin and organ pieces--Yngwie is responsible for a generation of rockers that actually WANTED to go to music schools and learn about proper harmony and how to connect scales and to endure classic ear training and some to even learn how to sight read! He spawned that as a movement AND as something cool. It was astonishing to behold. Eddie and Randy did things that made people woodshed to learn how to tap or to play classical guitar, but Yngwie made idea of proper music education cool!
Agree totally,vince.lost a lil articulation and maybe improv creativity.but when the man is on he is still that man!that orchestra performance was breathtaking like when i was 12 and heard the rising force album ...and said :wtf is that?i want to do that!
Watch his live performance from 1986 and 1988 there is clearly a difference not only on his playing but also how he moved, also how he improvised and less creativity. Before his car accident he was an alien after he was still an amazing guitarist but from earth not from far beyond the sun...
His tone is dirtier and his picking is off after the accident as you mentioned but he's still a giant and I've been a fan of his when he was in Steeler.
I saw him a la mour in Brooklyn right after the accident He played great. His change in style i think had to do more with his writing, playing triads instead of full arpeggios on the Elipse , which was a top selling collaboration with songwriter Goran Edmund, and his work on 7th star which was a collab. alchemy is a world of difference from the 1st 2 records, Alchemy is amazing !
I don't understand how so many people say he hides behind distortion. .man This guy doesn't need to hide behind anything .He changed his sound .. I've never met a guitarist who isn't searching ...EVH chased it til he passed.
He was great at G3 w Vai and Satriani. Also, his gear has changed over the years. Of course, he gained substantial weight and thus, stubbier fingers. For me, biggest point would be his performance of Black Star. He was more “by the book” pre-accident while over the 90s, now it’s all improv.
I love YM for the energy and attitude. Big fan! That said, he's not an emotional player and is therefore easy to replicate. It's the same with Matteo Mancuso when attempting to cover Jeff Beck. At the end of the day, the heart remembers and the mind forgets.
My theory is that after the accident he had a short period of time to get his speed back so he put absolutely everything into that to the point that everything else fell by the wayside
He was better pre all around. His playing was more refined, and more varied. Plus he played a lot of his runs, including sweeps, on the bridge pickup, which is harder to play clean, than on the neck pickup. Neck hides imperfection and sounds more bubbly. Mentally, nowadays, actually since over 20 years, he just craps out some solo you heard a million times.
On some of his recordings _after_ the accident he sounds crisp and fast as ever. Take for example his lead guitar in _Never Die_ on the _Seventh Sign_ album. The reason why he's not bringing his A game is most likely because he's older now and not practicing 8 hours a day like when he was younger. It happens to everyone as we get older. Playing an instrument is a physical activity and you can't expect a guy in his 50s to be as good as when he was in his 20s. Your reflexes aren't the same anymore, and the same goes for muscle control.
What about Al Dimeola? John Mclaughlin? Steve Vai and Michael Angelo Batio? These guys are as old or older and they still shred it up. Just playing devil's advocate. :) Thanks for the comment and for watching.
Joe Stump is 60 this year and he can play circles technically to Yngwie at this point. Does he have the finesse and deft approach of early Yngwie? No, but his instrumental albums have been better than Yngwie past few albums
I also think the fact that he used to play with less gain made him work more for the notes. He seemed to play fast but still a tad slower than post accident and he made sure to hit everything. No doubt that his hand/wrist must have gotten buggered a bit in that accident because you notice that he is sloppier and plays with more gain and speed to cover for that fact. Still an unbelievable talent but for sure, the older stuff was more enjoyable to listen to. Him in Steeler and Alcatraz is a treat to watch. So clean.
I knew about Yngwie in the 80s from guitar magazine articles, and ads for DiMarzio pickups. I only heard his music in 1988 after the accident: it was Marching Out. After that, I got my hands on all the available Yngwie material I could easily find. To me, there was an obvious difference in the guitar picking in the Odyssey album, not to mention tone. I found out about the accident in some magazine interview about Yngwie, which explained everything.
He seemed alright on his last tour, there were lots of videos uploaded by the crowd. Possibly it's just a function of how often he's playing. I suspect he's gotten a bit deaf playing with all those Marshalls, so his tone probably sounds right to him, but sounds a bit different to us.
When I was 33 I had an accident where I severed all the tendons in my right wrist. The length of recovery time seemed for ever. Of course, I was much better, pre-accident. But I never let that stop me from doing what I love. No one should. You just have to learn to adjust to your bodies limits, and find ways around it.
I'm the same age a Yngwie and it maybe a combination of things. Not just the accident but he's getting older as well. I find myself that I don't have as much stamina in my hands as I did when I was younger which definitely is affecting my overall speed and endurance. Eventually time gets us all.
I think with proper nutrition and exercise, you don't have to succumb, at least not as quickly. I am 50 years old and my hands still move as fast as ever, despite having severe overuse/wear arthritis in my pinky finger on my fret hand. Anyway, thanks for commenting and watching.
@@UptempoMusicLessons Thank you very much for the response and the advice. I'll definitely boost my protein in take. I'll try an Insure or two before and after my practice sessions.
I think Yngwie's actual peak was right after the accident, 1987-1992, when he had to show people that he's stronger than ever. The albums he released in that time period (Odyssey, Eclipse and Fire & Ice) are his absolute best and some of my favorites from that time period from any band. The actual decline started right after Goran Edman sued him for publishing rights
Yngwies best stuff is from 1983 to 1989.. Fire and ice was ok and The seventh sign was ok..and that's all I got into..oh yeah and the Japanese orchestra thing was cool..Yngwie did 1 good album with Ripper Owen's 2..
The original Far Beyond The Sun video is what made me want to play and fall in love with shred guitar. It was absolutely jaw dropping. I had never heard, nor seen anyone play like that up to that point. It was literally life changing.
the most important is that after his accident he lost his creativity not only his technique. Today he plays faster but he has never found his creativity
Still hoping for it to get released on DVD someday, but luckily I kept my Live in Japan '85 VHS (and a player) so I can watch pre-accident in-his-prime Yngwie when I feel the need. :)
I have it on DVD. It's called "Yngwie Malmsteen: Far Beyond The Sun". Look closer at the cover and you see it contains both "Rising Force: Live in Japan '85" and the Leningrad 89. Get it before its gone
One of my first and all time influences and from the first time I heard him play , was hooked on everything from tone to phrasing. I think as with all things we do over and over again in life we find ways to short cut, lose the animal drive for perfection and without knowing, lose a step in our confident walk. Add on top of that he proved himself almost imidiately out of the gate so nothing to prove. And as we all would be, he is a millionare and very comfortable not HUNGRY like he was way back when. When you lose the fuel, no need for fire. But I still keep tabs on him and will still wear out the first 3 albums. And I still want his strat but I've heard theres issues with the high e string slipping off the neck.
No issue with my Yngwie strat, and even if there was, there are a few free and easy fixes for that such as unscrewing the neck a little, pushing the neck down so the E string is moved over a tad, and then tightening screws. Thanks for watching.
Goodness! THE video I have waited a lifetime for after I have exhausted myself commenting elsewhere on this subject! I will try and do the Cliffs Notes version. First let's be clear that Yngwie is a composer and a musician first in his own perception of himself and then a he is also a guitarist. Because of that we have to evaluate him as both the composer/musician AND the guitarist before and after the accident. Second item is we must keep in mind his musical creation during his teenage years in Sweden were flabbergastingly prolific and that at least as far into his career as the Eclipse album we can find songs and instrumentals that were on demo and practice tapes from his youth before even Mike Varney had heard him! This distorts are perception of his musicality after the accident because it is quite possible that nearly everything he recorded into the early 90s could have been written before the accident. Third, the accident itself absolutely is the dividing moment of his career. I saw him very soon after that guest live with Dio to play "Man on the Silver Mountain" at the old Irvine Meadows Amphitheater in California, and the damage he had suffered was on display for all (guitarists, anyway) in the crowd to see. As Vivian Campbell stepped back to let Yngwie play the solo, he seemed to be doing fine at first, but as has he attempted to sweep pick a line the problem became clear--He had been playing the song entirely with his left hand until he needed his pick hand to perform what his head wanted him to and his right hand failed him! Ronnie noticed and being a professional, ran up threw his arm around Yngwie's shoulder and yelled into the mic something along the lines of "Everybody! Yngwie Malmsteen!" as Vivian finished up the rest of the solo beneath the volume of the crowd's cheers. Yngwie finish the tune, but continued fretting left hand only and simply resting his right forearm against the body of his Strat to look as though he was using it. Rumors had been flying all over GIT where I was a student that Summer that either Yngwie would never be able to play again due to neurological and brain damage or that he had even died and info was being withheld from the public until his family in Sweden could be notified. The guest spot with Dio was sort of a proof of life performance. It does show us the seriousness of his injuries. In later interviews he has mentioned how devastated and frightened he was that his career was over. There are several other things that went South for over that Summer personally, and he left LA and moved to Westchester County in NY state where he had some extended family. Another thing that happened is that he had been loaned a PRS guitar by Steve Trovato (a GIT instructor-- Not sure Trovato ever got it back!) and Yngwie began practicing again, very intently focused on his picking hand....So, my take Yngwie the composer/musician and in terms of musicality was consistently better BEFORE the accident. Composition (and improvisation when live) is not just about choices and timing of notes, but also rests. While Yngwie's early notoriety was due to his guitar playing his sense of melody and musicality actually took precedent over his technique. The impact of his technique was made potent and mind-blowing because of the musicality it was serving. Pre-Accident he was slightly less technical in a very specific area: His one "weakness" is that he was not the most precise alternate picker (per the man himself). A (positive) consequence of that was some of the individual peculiarities in how and when he picked notes interspersed with legato to create his characteristic bubbling note effect when he plays outrageously busy scalar runs and pattern fragments. He spent so much effort post-accident working on his alternate picking that he actually became better at the technique than he had been before the accident. This has affected both his playing and the non-equipment aspects of his tone. Changing from DiMarzio pickups to Duncans, having Fender do their version of his old DOD preamp pedal and removing the old Echoplex from his signal line in favor of only digital delays have colored his tone toward the square-wavy and treble sound we hear from him live today. To sum up my opinion, he was more musical before the accident, but in purely technical terms is actually a better guitarist since. A lot of times we mix these two aspects into one because of how we are impacted as listeners. Yngwie remains the most mind-blowing conventional player (one who does not rely significantly on the tremolo bar or effects or tapping as their identity) I have had the privilege to see live before and after that tree ran out in front of his Jaguar! Even though for me as a listener the sensation of every note he played having an almost supernatural quality to it is in the past, he does at times show inspired moments. When he is "ON" there are still few that compare to him live. That G3 tour with Satch and Vai!!! Forget about it! As accomplished as the other two are as a musicians you can see with the three of them together on stage that this is the guy that still has them go "Whoa!!" live. And it isn't like they couldn't predict 90% of what YJM would play, but oh that 10%!!!!!!! I also think it is important to appreciate that his comeback from the brain and nerve damage suffered in the accident is itself one hell of an achievement. Seriously, most people would have given up, but Yngwie the Relentless couldn't be stopped! I think the downside is the new habits and tendencies he formed by having to practice so rigorously to restore his picking hand changed not only his playing to the non-stop-notes player he is today, but in turn also reconditioned his brain toward thinking of his music as non-stop practicing. Do not get me wrong here--Nothing is quite 100% one way or the other so much as just in an overall sense his playing AND his musical output post-accident assaults the listener with endless streams of notes, whereas prior to the accident those streams of notes were separated by twists and turns that were every bit as exciting as all of thd swept arpeggios and 3 octave scales and diminished madness. That's my opinion! So much for the Cliffs Notes, but sincerely Gang this issue of the Yngwie that was and our only being able to rue and to speculate about the musician he could have been has haunted me for more than 3 decades. The last thing I would point out is that while there are those that can now legitimately criticize him as the caricature some always accused him of being as a guitarist, he has achieved a success that has escaped almost all if his peers--At least half a dozen of his compositions can be found on TH-cam being performed by musicians on instruments other than the guitar! And not just stringed instruments. If only he could have done a few more electric guitar and orchestra works he may actually have become as popular in the classical genre!
Wow, thanks for the pithy answer, I read it all. Very interesting. Yes, it is sad but still far better than not having Yngwie at all, ala Hendrix. I mean, who knows what that youngster would have been up to. Thanks again for the detailed response and for watching!
UptempoMusicLessons Thank you for the reply as well as your insightful video. I often find that providing some background on this issue helps people (especially younger generations) to better understand Yngwie. I was in a relationship years ago where my Stepson was getting really good on the guitar and also interested in 80s metal so I suggested he check YJM and he initially didn’t care for him because his first exposure was one of the overweight Yngwie singing live while the rest of the band was relegated to the side of the stage. But when I showed him videos with Alcatrazz, at the start of his solo career and from Malmsteen’s teen years in Sweden, then explained about the accident it all left a really big impression on him. Later on G3 came to the Greek Theatre in the Hollywood Hills (which very much deserves its title as the best small amphitheater in America) and he was even more blown away by Yngwie, especially during the jam, because he didn’t expect Yngwie’s style would mesh well with the more modern tones and ideas of Vai and Satriani. Anyhow, I don’t think the Maestro has done badly for himself. It’s probably pretty good to be him, because he broke through at a juncture in time where he was able to mainly do things his “Yng-Way”. He has giving us plenty of inspiring music and really was (along with Vai) the catalyst that made so many guitarists get serious about their musical education and becoming complete musicians instead of just guitar players.
Can you say that again? Just kidding. I really enjoyed what you wrote. As a fan from the 80’s I never considered the before and after issue so I guess to me this wasn’t an issue. I did find the music largely repetitive after the first 4 albums but there was always a gem in there somewhere, Concerto suite, Requiem... I saw him in a small club in England, front row ,👏, and was amazed to see his technique with my own eyes. I realised that the reason he made it look easy is because to him it is easy. His hands are totally relaxed, I had a death grip left hand at the time and it was a great lesson. I still have the plectrum he flicked to me. (That’s what I tell myself anyway). In an age when some folk posting comments believe that being able to play Malmsteen licks makes you Malmsteen I find the question interesting, but redundant. Yngwies’ place in guitar history is assured. Cheers. 🍻🍻
He was different. I think that is the best way to say it. He was more articulate and clean. his right hand was what was affected and that really never got back to pre accident. It just sounded different and was delivered differently. It got more mid and less highs because I think there is some slop in there that comes through with the ultra clear top end.
I’ll tell you what think aboot Yngwie pre and post accident; I think he still rips, eh! As sweet as Maple syrup on Canadian bacon or hotcakes. As aggressive as the RMCP during Canadian winter. He never lost his Viking edge, I’ll tell you what!
Saw Yngwie perform at the Spectrum in Philadelphia opening for AC/DC. He was on the Marching Out tour at that time. It was a mind blowing and for me life changing experience for sure! His articulation, speed, stage performance, and tone were unlike anything I had ever experienced. Favorite part of that night was when he was performing I'll See The Light Tonight and right before the interlude he hits the A chord and throws the guitar way up, disappears behind the hanging PA, comes down, catches it and launches right into the 16th note Interlude section without missing a beat! I, of course have followed Yngwie through out his career and remember the accident clearly, and how different Odyssey sounded when it came out. (Though some of that had to do with Jeff Glixman and the production of that album) I anticipated his playing to be a bit different, and thought the fire was there, it was clear that the accident had an effect on his playing. After all his right hand had suffered paralysis at one point and he had to re train his picking hand. His tone was different, and he was diving deeper into substance abuse as well, and that I believe contributed to his growing inconsistencies as a player, compared to what he was. Keep in mind he was still a monster player and a prolific writer and producer. I started to hear a comeback a bit on the Fire and Ice recordings but it wasn't until Facing The Animal that I started to hear hints of a maturing Yngwie in phrasing and attack, but in a technical level his work on Alchemy was a return to form, not sound wise but in terms of sheer playing. His tours behind that album and WTEAW shows footage of Yngwie performing at speeds and clarity he didn't posses even in his early days. Lately it has been difficult to see him perform or listen to his recent recordings, it is not the Yngwie that inspired me to play. I will always love his playing, will always cite him as my biggest influence on the guitar, and I will always remember the young 21 year OLD Swedish kid that changed my view of music!
I think these are tough samples to compare if seeking an answer to this. Those Alcatraz videos and early vids might be studio overdubs, and thats where his playing sounds most precise. Random recorded live videos with live audio are going to be a crapshoot audii quality wise and performance wise.
In the nicest way possible, he is getting older now. Obviously that isn't a good reason though because there are plenty of guitarists who still shred hard to this day.
I'm not sure about him playing,, I think it did affect him, he seems to be more obsessive (100 guitars which are exactly the same for example) he also seems very stuck in the time of his accident, hasn't evolved even in his look,, I personally like the original tones he used more aggressive and still organic, his guitar had a more baroque violin character now he's very much more of a metal guitar tonality. he's still ridiculously amazing. I think maybe the "accident" affected him more mentally and that affects his perception of him self and his performance. plus just a side thought he sounded better playing the lower output dimazios than the high gain seymour duncans, that change may actually prove point though, a lot of people trying to play like yngwie use higher gain because it makes it easier and smoothes out the mistakes with distortion, so maybe now yngwie is playing more like the way other people play when they play his music
Yeah...wrong. Alchemy was news to Metal Guitar, A great record, Eclipse, and 7th sign are great song writing, yngwie has written well over 200 songs . I don't think any of the things you mentioned were an issue. Although his mother passed around that time and his Brother died a trajic death in a train accident in his 30s So yngwie is like a lottery winner, and his fam is dieing around him . It was in his book
Yes, he was better in terms of technique. His technique was something out of this world before the accident! Clear as crystal! Despite this, his career was incredible and unique. For me, he is the best shredder of all time.
I think a combination of the accident and him just resting on being an elite shredder is what caused this to happen. I mean when he came out no one was even close but over time it doesn’t seem he evolved much beyond what he was doing in the early 80s. I should also say I’m a big fan and think he’s an amazing guitarist pre and post accident.
I've been a studio/session musician for 30+ years and if there is any difference from one video to the next it is perfectly natural. If you had watched a video filmed 13 years before the first one it would have been different. A video filmed 13 days before or after either would have been different. No two performances are ever exactly alike. Consider also that the second recording was done after he'd been playing this song for 13 more years! Look at any musician and watch them play one of their "hits" after a few decades. 99% of them get more and more sloppy and change things up out of boredom and just plain experimentation. Also, he's 13 years older. I'm 51 now and can't sweep as fast and smooth as I could at 21. Your hands (and sometimes back) take a beating after playing for millions of hours decade after decade. Very few players, of any instrument, retain the same abilities as they age. For most of my career I have been primarily a hard rock and metal player. As I've aged and (hopefully) matured I've expanded my palette. So, while I can no longer compete with the likes of Jason Richardson for speed and technique I can play the sh*t out of some blues! ;-) I think Yngwie's playing has followed the natural progression of any musician who started as a teenager and is now nearing 60 years old! Stay safe everyone. Cheers.
after the accident Yngwie said he was determined to play better than ever so maybe this also changed his initial style and his REH video and Leningrad might have been re recorded but alot of it syncs up with his hand so it is still him at the time playing.
Yngwie’s playing is still phenomenal. As a player Ive gone through countless incarnations of my playing. I don’t play like I did back in the day. I’m not as technical but more musical not because of age either. I guess I could play like I did back in the day but my heart just isn’t into it. 😹👍🏼
The real answer to this questions is a bit simpler... he still is a great player... he got an accident where de "doctors" said he would never play again, and he said: "fuck them" ;)
I remember mentioning this a few years back on some forum and I surely wasn't expecting an overall negative reaction. You can A/B his playing on the Alcattraz video and Leningrad '89; it's way different.
I suppose that bad habits and loosing focus on playing might be the reasons combined with the car accident. The early tone was so defined and clean so that he was "forced" to play better. Great video!
His most ferocious playing to date is on Alchemy. It’s the fastest, most aggressive, “fuck you!!” playing he has committed to tape. I think he definitely got faster and more proficient after that accident. I can play most of his Alcatrazz through Trilogy licks well enough, but from Fire and Ice onwards FORGET it. It’s like trying to keep up with Usain Bolt, you can train all you want, he’s still going to run faster than you. The biggest contributor to the discussion, is time in general. When Malmsteen first came out it was like an atom bomb hit. He was never going to outdo that initial impact on the scene as once he was there, he was there. He was young, full of testosterone, cocaine, and Viking bravado. He was obsessed with the instrument, inspired and actively trying to push the envelope on a playing style barely existent. It wasn’t just his lead work, his songs were an INCREDIBLE display of composition. He knew song structure. He blended elements of Deep Purple-like hard-rock, with the glam/thrash/heavy/metal music of the era, baroque and classical music, pop music, and had a killer ear for a vocal hook. He’s stuck to his thing for so long, added a little extra gain, started self producing in his own studio, going through the motions. It’s his songwriting and production that is my biggest gripe these days. He’s older, healthy, wealthy, has a hot wife and a kid he loves. That’s going to be your priority. And slow you down a great deal. He has nothing left to prove, and little to be pissed off or upset about: for inspiration.
Regardless of injuries, it's a different man in a different context: Young and driven and something to prove vs older, crazy successful and self-indulgent. He's a viking, he can do whatever he wants. lol
It was noticeable on Odyssey though, and it never got better in my opinion. Sloppier and not as good ideas. Unfortunate. He is still a great musician though.
Yngwies best albums are Alcatraz , and his first 3 solo albums.. And i like bits and peices off his other solo albums.. But Every song off Alcatraz and his first 3 solo albums are great..
the tone shift to more treble is caused by hearing loss. playing every night infront of big marshall stacks kills the ability to hear higher stuff. paul gilbert is one of the few who amids it.
Rising Force,Marching Out and Trilogy are his first three albums and his best work(not to leave out Alcatraz live in Japan album. This is one of those questions that if you ask the question, you probably already know the answer.
There was a documentary about Yngwie's young life with lots of pictures from Sweden around his home town. It showed the trashed Jaguar. Man, that thing looks like it wrapped around the tree like tin foil. It's amazing the guy survived at all.
I think that camera work from the Tokyo show was the reason it's their favorite. There really hasn't been any footage that close on his guitar live since then.
Yngwie Malmsteen said once that he's not playing the same solo twice, so i can't really tell if it's because the accident or because Yngwie Malmsteen choose to do so, i listen to YM since 1986 when a friend of mine introduced me to his first 3 albums, i became a fan and i have most of his albums and know also the albums that i don't have, i saw him live twice, i know almost every guitar player and i saw a lot of them live, YM is the most consistent guitar player in the 20 century and the 21 century, of course his best albums are those with a great vocalist like Mark Boals, for me it's better to have a great vocalist and a great guitar player on the same album, there's a little decline with his albums from 2012 till today, but just a little, thanks for sharing your thoughts, all the best.
Yngwie used Marshall’s cranked Max with bass on zero. He had to play very clean. Later he used distortion pedals and tons of bass. He didn’t lose speed, but he tends to rush the tempo. I thinks he’s the same but his tone has changed that’s all
Hello you there Dion Tillman here love your humble opinion, and skill, you are a great, great player and making it seem easy heck,,I would have to smoke krack,just to keep up with you,,🎶
Great Job !, I can attest from being able to do Yngwie in 85 to now, when you step away, you step away from that crisp clean mountain you have climbed. I play it all now like Far Beyond The Sun and all and it feels REALLY good inside, but on the outside, your 30+ years removed. In shows locally , I STILL slay it and jam it out, but come on bro, are you 18? I say that as a wise ass because when Yngwie was 20 we all thought he was 18, and at the time I was pissed he was ahead of me. So I worked super hard , HARDER to get it done, and I DID get it. But thats neither here nor there , just human nature. BEST EVER THING TO HAPPEN TO MY GUITAR PLAYING ALONG WITH ALAN HOLDSWORTH AND EVH. AMEN
Ha ha ya but we had it wrong. Copying is just flattery and you really only get noticed if you do something unique and original, a tall order for 99.9% of people but not Yngwie. Thanks for the comment and for watching!
Listening to the comparison recordings is very subjective. Yngwie rarely plays the same solo twice the same way. His tone is also subject to the venue. I say he's still awesome. Regardless if he was better or not before any accident. His tone has largely stayed unchanged since '83, because he's using much of the same gear. Above and beyond his virtuosity as a player, the first thing that struck me about his playing was his tone, and he never over used effects like Vai and Satch(my opinion). Something about the overdriven single coils in Hard Rock and Metal is very appealing to me. He has stayed true to what he loves...Marshalls, and Strats.
Thanks for the comment. I think his tone changed, same as Eric Johnson's or EVH or any of these guys with hearing damage. I mean, you cannot stand in front of an amp putting out 110db for years and not expect it to affect your ability to hear high end.
@@UptempoMusicLessons What im saying is...He's basically using the same gear. Same Strats, Overdrive, Same Marshalls, Digital Delay. His tone can't change that much. Albums can sound different. Live recordings always sound different. I saw him in a fairly small venue about 4 years ago, He played awesome, and he sounded the same as he always had. Also, I am very familiar with hearing loss. Ive been playing in live bands for 35+ years. EVH tone changed because his gear changed. Thanks for for replying.
Yngwies playing back in the 80’s was simply untouchable, so articulate & precise….amazing tone & technique. Today not so much however he has etched his place in history & is a living legend……but the playing is not there like it used to be sadly
Personally i hear his left hand got way better. However if i remember right his right hand was injured so take ur picking on his picking technique. Personaly i enjoy early yngwie for his creativity over magnum opus chop master malmsteen. Just my 2 cents
I believe he was a lot better b4 the accident in regards to his songs melodic arrangements that supported a lot of good vocals. The albums that really showcase his best arrangements were: Trilogy, Odyssey, Eclipse, Fire&Ice, Mangum Opus, Facing the Animal. He had some really good singers back then such as Joe Lynn Turner and Göran Edman. As far as i am concern the above mentioned albums all had commercial vibes to them and had his best playing which leads me to conclude this was because he was dealing with producers back then. The stuff that he his doing now sounds so much different and is significantly devoid of his melodic catchy beat approach of the 90's. This major fall off is a direct result of his self producing abilities which is not good and in my opinion started after his "Facing the Animal" album.😡 As far as his mind blowing technique it's all there but since he isn't creating those melodic catchy beat oriented songs anymore to showcase some really sweet Rhythm and lead guitar playing everything that i am hearing from him now sounds like arrangements created to showcase lengthly overindulgent unapologetic mindless guitar wanking.
IMO Biggest difference is not the fingers / technical ability, it's the ideas. If you listen to his playing on Rising Force, Marching Out and Trilogy, there are lots of different stylistic tropes, different ways of playing, whammy bar slurs, melodic devices etc. Post accident his soloing repertoire seems considerably reduced, much more just straight scale and arpeggio runs. Much of the invention is gone. To put it another way, pre-accident he sounded like someone who learned to play from speeded up tapes of great players. Post-accident he sounded much more like someone who learned to play by practicing scales with a metronome. Either way that doesn't take anything away from him. He's an incredible player that changed the world of guitar playing. Also, that vibrato....
NO, and I don't know why it's even said. The most extreme album of his career, from a pure chops perspective(and the album songs/performances are incredible too) was Alchemy. He really did some inhuman shit on that album. His most intense and over the top technique album to date, and from start to finish IMO one of his best albums. ALCHEMY!
Learn all of Yngwie's techniques and cool licks here! th-cam.com/video/Tl-hZWQvAwA/w-d-xo.html
Seems like if he did not play a strat, no one would have wanted one
Most definitely in the mid 80s! Thanks for watching and commenting!
Thank you, let me know guys
@@diontillman3132 Yeah because Clapton, Hendrix, David Gilmour, SRV, etc never influenced anyone to buy a strat....I'm sure Fender would go out of business without Yngwie* lol
*Sarcasm
@@diontillman3132 whatts the matter with stratss? They are fair god guitars,
If his accident was that severe, and he was in a coma for a week, with any damage to his left motor cortex, then it’s miraculous that he plays at all. I’m glad he’s still astonishing us.
Absolutely!
Couldn’t say it better. Before the accident He was playing near the limit of human ability, and to still be in that neighborhood of capability after a brain injury is miraculous. If he was in a coma for a week, then he lost tissue/ connections. I wasn’t aware of his alcohol and stimulant usage, but alcohol is pretty toxic to the brain. I love him. He’s still a force and he’s out there doing shows and driving his Ferraris. Good on him
No matter what happened, he is proof that a man with such determination, will never let anything stop him from what he needs to do.
For the same reasons that he got up there and changed what guitar is inside millions of minds, he also overcame such damage from the accident.
Like him or not, there's not gonna be another Yngwie ever again.
Yup he rocks.
His first 3 LPs are incredible. The influence he had on players is amazing.
True That! I can listen to those 1st 3 forever on a loop. After Fire and Ice I got burned out on him.
@gun_toting_lefty Same...after Fire and Ice I pretty much checked out but up until Odyssey...I loved his stuff. (I know Odyssey is a divisive album but I definitely still like it....Marching Out is hands down my favorite)
Saw Yngwie in 1986 and EVERYONE in that auditorium was blown away. Period. Twisted Sister opened for them and Dee Snider after he cleaned up, sat in the last row on the top of the chair and watched him play like a teenager. That's how good Yngwie was before the accident.. But he's still a great guitarist.
Wow, you are so lucky to have seen him pre-acc. Thanks for watching!
Lol! Standing there with makeup, and mascara running.
Twisted Sister Opened for Rising Force in 86? Wow....2 years after Stay Hungry they fell that far
@@shredguitar7680 Yeah, somehow, opening for Yngwie cannot be what that song "We're Gonna Make It" is about.
Yngwie's playing has evolved quite a bit since the mid-80's. He spawned a million "shred'/neo-classical clones, and he no longer had to focus on being "fastest", as he has mentioned in several interviews. Not to mention the simple truth of musical maturity and personal growth as a player. None of us are the same as when we were starting out or as we were in our younger playing days. Practice brings knowledge, knowledge brings wisdom, wisdom brings maturity. Basically the albums from "Rising Force" to "Magnum Opus" document that process. In any event, whether you care for his music or not, his contribution to music and the world of guitar is undeniable. Thank you for the video and all the best from the Bay Area.
MK
I saw Malmsteen play in Birmingham, UK, on the Odyssey tour in November 1988. It was probably about his 60th show after his accident. What I can say, because I met him before the show, is that he had been drinking quite heavily that afternoon before arriving late for soundcheck. I have no way of comparing his performance that night to a pre accident performance, but I recall his playing was very good and not like I have seem him play in later years. I’m certain that the accident changed his playing, especially his picking, but I wonder if Yngwie’s playing deteriorated through the late 80s and 90s more due to his use of alcohol.
Or a combination and age of course. Thanks for commenting!
Yeah, read his book. He talks about it a lot in there. When he first hit the US, pre and post accident, he was drinking *a lot*. Perhaps some of his best and worst performances were coloured by the timing of whether he was drunk or not. 🤷
The difference of his playing is as clear as day. What was most shocking about Yngwie appearing on the music scene was not the neoclassical phrasing or the speed, it's the clarity and accuracy of his playing. MANY has duplicated his licks and speed, but not his accuracy. If you play guitar yourself you understand the level of difficulty to get to his level. Years and YEARS of going about it relentlessly. You might play his songs but you could never play it like he once did. Yngwie himself can't duplicate it.
I saw Yngwie on the Trilogy tour third row at the Henry J. Kaiser Convention Center in Oakland California, 12/19/86. I was 20 years old. Yngwie was at his peak during the Trilogy era.
Awesome! You are so lucky to have witnessed that. Thanks for sharing and for watching!
I think I saw that show. Saxon opened
Christian Powell Yes Saxon opened with another band Black and Blue.
Yep, that was the show. I miss the Kaiser. That was a great venue.
This is true he peaked in 86, the Trilogy tour was the height of his phrasing, feel, tone and technique. He did get most of his chops back years after accident but something was lost; I am not sure if its all related the the physical injury. FYI: I saw every live show he played in SoCal until the 90s. Including his first Rising Force gig; I did record it and many others and will post soon. Also side note Geoff Tate also peaked in 86; it was a special year for these special talents.
He still on top level after the accident , but he changed technique , less right hand picking , more legato .
A valid point. Thanks for commenting and watching.
Been saying that for years. It was night and day difference. Pre accident Yngwie was like no one else ever, untouchable...Post accident, his tone, articulation, improv skills, phrasing...it all changed for the worse. I still get the same excited feeling listening to the Alcatraz stuff and first two Rising Force albums...I never really liked Trilogy, but it was the peak of his playing for sure. Nothing since then had the same impact. I've been lucky to see him live before the accident. I used to live about ten minutes from him and visited pre and post accident, was cool to see him play in his home, I was around 16 then.
According to his Wikipedia webpage the maestro was in a coma for a week suffering nerve damage to his right hand and in my humble opinion since recovery he has been awesome all the way up to right now.
LONG LIVE THE MAESTRO!!!
His pre accident playing was the best he ever played. I'm taking about the Trilogy tour. He was fast, articulate, clean, aggressive and had an incredible tone. His tone was also surprisingly very clean (I mean not using a lot of distortion) and you couldn't notice if he even used reverb. After the accident all of that just worsened. The tone became too distorted and full of delay and reverb. He was no longer as articulate and smart with his phasing and he began implementing legato a lot more. I've always been blown away by his right hand technique, tho. However I think his super economy picking technique was more of a necessity cause he no longer could be as fast and picking every single note hard like pre accident. IMO is in the Leningrad video where you can notice how vastly different his playing changed compared to the Tokyo concert.
Without a question. 1985-1986 era Yngwie is arguably one of the most impressive guitarists to have ever graced the stage.
His solo on that Milwaukee Summerfest bootleg gives me the shivers whenever I hear it. He went from his usual ripping leads to almost clean with the same aggression and articulation not found in many other "virtuosos".
Yngwie was very focused and precise in the 80’s. He was building a reputation, you know. As he established himself, his tone and attitude really started to slip and by time we reach mid to late 90’s, he got sloppy whilst playing live with all that distortion he probably can’t hear the sloppyness. He has pretty much remained that way ever since.
He played in Japan with their philharmonic orchestra and he was excellent. He needs to drop the massive distortion and take more care in his playing.
I've seen him twice and I have to admit he seemed bored the first time and the the second time he arqued with the mixing engineer and lighting technician, I love the guy and for me he changed everything for me when I first started playing, he's a tremendous inspiration but like so many hyper talented people it comes at a price
I wish I could play like him on his worst days lol
It's nothing to do with distortion. Most things that Yngwie says are arrogant BS, but one thing he said in the mid 80s was that his guitar tone wasn't clean - it sounded clean because he had control. It's the lack of coordination between hands, the inability to silence strings etc that makes ham-fisted amateurs (and now Malmsteen's) playing sound more distorted. This was especially the case when people try to play faster than they can. Hence a lot of people tried to play Malmsteen riffs, the result sounded comparatively noisier and distorted and they concluded (erroneously) that Malmsteen had less gain. No, he had simply practised enough to play those riffs quickly and cleanly. Typically though, if they turned the gain down the fact their picking isn't even and their hands are not coordinated shows up as "missing" notes, it doesn't sound like Malmsteen pre car crash. Try it, get some guitar player to record themselves with a gain tone in a daw using an amp modelling plug in, then switch the plug in off and hear what their guitar signal sounds like dry. The instagram guitarists that play really clean tones should educate you that Malmsteen's tone in the mid 80s is not clean (and also how limited Malmsteen's technique is - they are better in pretty much every regard by a significant margin)
He has definitely more gain since 90's album but seventh sign and magnum opus were really excellent. Yngwie don't try to be as accurate as before and focus more on the show, that's why in my opinion his playing is faster now but sloppier
Less distortion? No, More is More dude!
His mind has always been faster than his fingers, the improvisational capacity he has is from another world. He never plays the same song exactly the same
...but he does play only one song.
@@monsirto no he doesnt
You havent work on any of his songs , try working on some of his songs correctly, learn the solos note by note, youll change your mind.
@tonyflorez703 no he won't bcuz he's jst a jealous lil troll boy who only wishes he could play like Yngwie...
As are all the haters...
Jealous lil cry babies...😢
No, don’t learn the solos note by note. Learn how to play arpeggios in that style, rather than trying to copy the solos. You’ll play more like him that way.
@@Gk2003m well said, he says "ITS NOT SWEEP PICKING FOLKS"
He played incredibly well after the accident as well. His live performance with the Japan Philharmonic was some of the best guitar playing in history. It's only the last 10 years that he's gone downhill. Fair enough and understandable. Can't stay at the top forever.
It's subjective for sure. Thanks again.
Yeah his general studio production has been pretty terrible for more than 20 years now. Facing the Animal was his last great album, after which Cozy died untimely, and everything went south. Just when he thought he had a fantastic band, which he certainly did, he lost it all again.
Guthrie's last pub gig was far superior. I'm dead serious.
@@monsirto Guthrie 😂
@@douglasnisbet1189 Hold onto your hero there, champ. He's a sensitive little cunt these days, your Yngrid. 😘
Good thing is even if he lost 99% of his skills he would still be a monster lol
There's something to say for just getting old and maturing too. Speaking as as 51 years old guitar player, you just change as you get older.
My name is Richard. Hello pardon. Do you want me to tickle you? I have got a brown moustache. Would you like some of my pickled mussels?
It is not a question of "was he". It is a question of "by how much".
I think he was better before. I've seen him several times before and after. As a guitarist myself it's very obvious. It's still amazing that he came back as fast as he did and released oddesy. He still plays incredible stuff that only a select few can duplicate. Everything gets worse with age.
Yeah. Exactly. His playing is very athletic, and age gets to athletes
its not the tone and playing differences its the recordings. One is clearly guitar and the next is the mic of the whole arena. You can clearly hear none of them are mic'd the same and recorded the same, one might just be a camera sound.
I think there is a difference but thanks for watching and offering your opinion. Cheers!
I've seen Yngwie DOZENS of times from local bars to sold out arenas. I picked up the guitar because of him and I threw my guitar away because of him. My personal opinion is he simply gets tired of playing the same thing over & over (he has to play the classics for his fans). He's such a technical lunatic, I feel like he tries to improve on some of the older stuff each time he plays it. I'm not a "gear buff" so what I am telling you comes from what I can hear (and see) after listening to him since 1982.
Thanks for your perspective, some valid points!
George lynch does the same thing, I think it's is possible that Yngwie isn't quite as clean playing as he was, but I give him credit, his new CD is full of classic Yngwie shred fun
Does any guitar player play the same 20 years later !!
Dimeola, Mcglaughlin, Vai is still pushing the boundaries with his new string bending techniques. Thanks for the comment and for watching.
Ehhh yep, most of them.
No
@@UptempoMusicLessons naw vai di meola are actually worse today too lol.
Panos Arvanitis can play like him and better than him but Malmsteen is a guitar legend. That's a point.
I saw yngwie with Steve vai in like 2018 and he sounded amazing. From the internet vids it sounds kinda rough but live it's pretty great
Interesting. Ya video is a little more honest I think than being there. Thanks for watching!
@@UptempoMusicLessons but definitely he was way better in the past.
I saw him with Vai and Satch in 2003. Vai and Satch somehow could not figure out what to play over teh cover of Neil Young's "Keep on Rockin' In The Free World". Only Yngwie had his head wrapped around this simple tune. He played all the rhythm guitar, sang and was able to solo around it and all.
I think another thing to note (albiet a bit more personal) is that he had a deinking problem especially during the kate 80's and early 90's that greatly affected the way he would play so that also could attribute to his sloppier playing.
I also remember reading his biography "Relentless" where he insists that his playing actually got better and attributes the sloppier playing with the aforementioned drinking
Without question..his articulation, his tempo, and more importantly, his tone was beautiful..
Not the way too reverberated saturated tone he favors now.
100%. Thanks for watching.
@@UptempoMusicLessons 100%
You're so welcome!
Lately, he has been playing better than recent years, and with less reverb.
He still has an amazing level many of us, speaking mainly me, will never acheive!
"He hit a tree with his Jaguar and broke the steering wheel with his head. He was in a coma for almost a week, then woke up unable to use his right hand. Doctors discovered that he’d suffered a concussion from the ordeal, which damaged the nerves running into his right hand."
If all this is true, it would be miraculous if it didn't affect his playing.
Absolutely. Amazing comeback for him. Thanks for commenting and for watching.
To many factors for you to judge his tone. The Venue, power & recording equipment.
Yes it's true and it did affect his playing.
I wasn't aware of this but if its true its miraculous he can play at all.
When and where did the accident happen?
His real early stuff is my favorite ..his picking was so clean and his tone was great .he never hid behind distortion, it was clean.
I hear this all the time.hid behind distortion.. .he changed just like every player does..he'll evh chased tone til he passed. He developed his ampa and pedals to his liking ..his quest for sound at that given moment..as a 37 year player.ive played coast to coast jumped pond and I've never met a GUITARIST who isn't always searching ..He is a monster player who doesn't need to hide behind anything ..I just don't get these posts ...
His acoustic playing was great though
EXCELLENT video! Your playing is outstanding. As a huge Yngwie fan since 1984, I suppose it is that old saying "it will never feel like the first time." In some respects, Yngwie is not quite as good, in some respects he is AS GOOD, and, in some respects, his playing is better (example: the orchestra album, Alchemy, and even World on Fire have amazing moments). I think the main "problem" is the fact that Yngwie has been obsessed with outdoing Yngwie LOL---he wants to play those old passages even faster...and it sometimes backfires (less articulation). I don't know; I am torn. I see some 2019 videos of Yngwie live and he is amazing...then there are others were he seems on auto pilot or worse. He was probably more CONSISTENT back in the day...and it was so mind-blowing and revolutionary back then, too. NOT that it should be about image, but Yngwie became (very) heavy (at least a bloated face and belly) from approximately 1998-2003 and his image took away somewhat from his playing; sad but true (witness the G3 video--yikes!). Then, Unleash The Fury came out and I thought the photos were old and photoshopped until I saw many other photos and videos live that confirmed the authenticity. But I am rambling...I have seen Yngwie 9 times live (twice in 1984, twice in 1985, once in 2001, once in 2013, once in 2017, once in 2018 and once in 2019) and I still get the same thrill from his playing and I walk away with that "Yngwie is God" feel...but, at the same time, he has become very "notey" these days and doesn't let things "breathe" as much as in days of old. I think THAT is what people miss the most.
Thanks for the kind words and for watching Vince! You have as good a theory as any there. You are so lucky to see him in several eras! I have never had the chance but I am not sure if I would not because, well, he doesn't seem like the same player with the same fire. Anyway, all the best for 2020 to you!
@@UptempoMusicLessons I would say if you are going to catch him live these days to avoid his solo act, but definitely go to anything like a G3, especially if Steve Vai is on the bill because those shows will have extended jams at the end and the friendly competition seems bring out the best in Yngwie. Particularly with Vai, he really seems to want to do his best. I don't know if that has anything to do odd meanderings that their careers did and did not take in the 80s when Vai was Malmsteen's replacement in Alcatrazz, and then got the call to join David Lee Roth's solo band after Roth's first pick, Yngwie had turned the gig down! I think that paved the way for an interesting bond and respect between them. I have been deeply into his playing style since I first heard him in late 1983 with Alcatrazz. Even in kind of a pop metal tune like "Island in the Sun" there something about his playing dynamics that came across as explosive and refined at the same time that had me instantly hooked. I think everyone who heard him back then asked the same two questions once they were able to retrieve their jaws from floor: Who the hell is this guy? And where in the world did he come from? Most beginning players at the time were learning basic stuff like AC/DC riffs, and hoping to graduate to playing some Van Halen or Randy Rhoads songs and solos when this absolute hurricane Yngwie Malmsteen comes along and just a little over a year later everybody is studying music theory and scales and trying to learn violin and organ pieces--Yngwie is responsible for a generation of rockers that actually WANTED to go to music schools and learn about proper harmony and how to connect scales and to endure classic ear training and some to even learn how to sight read! He spawned that as a movement AND as something cool. It was astonishing to behold. Eddie and Randy did things that made people woodshed to learn how to tap or to play classical guitar, but Yngwie made idea of proper music education cool!
his last blues album is f genius , same thing for world of fire
album: world on fire - song: In the machine -> headphones on vol 11
Agree totally,vince.lost a lil articulation and maybe improv creativity.but when the man is on he is still that man!that orchestra performance was breathtaking like when i was 12 and heard the rising force album ...and said :wtf is that?i want to do that!
I saw Yngwie live in '88 and he played phenomenally well. I was standing very close to a PA speaker and he did not miss a note the whole night.
Nice! Thanks for watching and commenting!
Watch his live performance from 1986 and 1988 there is clearly a difference not only on his playing but also how he moved, also how he improvised and less creativity. Before his car accident he was an alien after he was still an amazing guitarist but from earth not from far beyond the sun...
His tone is dirtier and his picking is off after the accident as you mentioned but he's still a giant and I've been a fan of his when he was in Steeler.
Of course! Even his diminished form is still better than 99.9% of rock guitarists out there. Thanks for watching and commenting.
Never mind his pre- and post-accident playing. I'll never play like he does.
I saw him a la mour in Brooklyn right after the accident
He played great.
His change in style i think had to do more with his writing, playing triads instead of full arpeggios on the Elipse , which was a top selling collaboration with songwriter Goran Edmund, and his work on 7th star which was a collab.
alchemy is a world of difference from the 1st 2 records, Alchemy is amazing !
Have you heard c'est la vie? The solo and rest of the song out is incredible. Definitely evolved
I don't understand how so many people say he hides behind distortion. .man This guy doesn't need to hide behind anything .He changed his sound .. I've never met a guitarist who isn't searching ...EVH chased it til he passed.
He was great at G3 w Vai and Satriani. Also, his gear has changed over the years. Of course, he gained substantial weight and thus, stubbier fingers. For me, biggest point would be his performance of Black Star. He was more “by the book” pre-accident while over the 90s, now it’s all improv.
I love YM for the energy and attitude. Big fan! That said, he's not an emotional player and is therefore easy to replicate. It's the same with Matteo Mancuso when attempting to cover Jeff Beck. At the end of the day, the heart remembers and the mind forgets.
My theory is that after the accident he had a short period of time to get his speed back so he put absolutely everything into that to the point that everything else fell by the wayside
He was better pre all around. His playing was more refined, and more varied. Plus he played a lot of his runs, including sweeps, on the bridge pickup, which is harder to play clean, than on the neck pickup. Neck hides imperfection and sounds more bubbly. Mentally, nowadays, actually since over 20 years, he just craps out some solo you heard a million times.
On some of his recordings _after_ the accident he sounds crisp and fast as ever. Take for example his lead guitar in _Never Die_ on the _Seventh Sign_ album.
The reason why he's not bringing his A game is most likely because he's older now and not practicing 8 hours a day like when he was younger.
It happens to everyone as we get older. Playing an instrument is a physical activity and you can't expect a guy in his 50s to be as good as when he was in his 20s. Your reflexes aren't the same anymore, and the same goes for muscle control.
What about Al Dimeola? John Mclaughlin? Steve Vai and Michael Angelo Batio? These guys are as old or older and they still shred it up. Just playing devil's advocate. :) Thanks for the comment and for watching.
Joe Stump is 60 this year and he can play circles technically to Yngwie at this point. Does he have the finesse and deft approach of early Yngwie? No, but his instrumental albums have been better than Yngwie past few albums
I also think the fact that he used to play with less gain made him work more for the notes. He seemed to play fast but still a tad slower than post accident and he made sure to hit everything. No doubt that his hand/wrist must have gotten buggered a bit in that accident because you notice that he is sloppier and plays with more gain and speed to cover for that fact. Still an unbelievable talent but for sure, the older stuff was more enjoyable to listen to. Him in Steeler and Alcatraz is a treat to watch. So clean.
I knew about Yngwie in the 80s from guitar magazine articles, and ads for DiMarzio pickups. I only heard his music in 1988 after the accident: it was Marching Out. After that, I got my hands on all the available Yngwie material I could easily find. To me, there was an obvious difference in the guitar picking in the Odyssey album, not to mention tone. I found out about the accident in some magazine interview about Yngwie, which explained everything.
He seemed alright on his last tour, there were lots of videos uploaded by the crowd. Possibly it's just a function of how often he's playing. I suspect he's gotten a bit deaf playing with all those Marshalls, so his tone probably sounds right to him, but sounds a bit different to us.
When I was 33 I had an accident where I severed all the tendons in my right wrist. The length of recovery time seemed for ever. Of course, I was much better, pre-accident. But I never let that stop me from doing what I love. No one should. You just have to learn to adjust to your bodies limits, and find ways around it.
For me the best time is between 85 and 86, in terms of speed, way of playing and tone. I agree with you that something changed after the accident.
I'm the same age a Yngwie and it maybe a combination of things. Not just the accident but he's getting older as well. I find myself that I don't have as much stamina in my hands as I did when I was younger which definitely is affecting my overall speed and endurance. Eventually time gets us all.
I think with proper nutrition and exercise, you don't have to succumb, at least not as quickly. I am 50 years old and my hands still move as fast as ever, despite having severe overuse/wear arthritis in my pinky finger on my fret hand. Anyway, thanks for commenting and watching.
@@UptempoMusicLessons Thank you very much for the response and the advice. I'll definitely boost my protein in take. I'll try an Insure or two before and after my practice sessions.
I think Yngwie's actual peak was right after the accident, 1987-1992, when he had to show people that he's stronger than ever.
The albums he released in that time period (Odyssey, Eclipse and Fire & Ice) are his absolute best and some of my favorites from that time period from any band. The actual decline started right after Goran Edman sued him for publishing rights
Yngwies best stuff is from 1983 to 1989.. Fire and ice was ok and The seventh sign was ok..and that's all I got into..oh yeah and the Japanese orchestra thing was cool..Yngwie did 1 good album with Ripper Owen's 2..
Thanks for watching and commenting!
The original Far Beyond The Sun video is what made me want to play and fall in love with shred guitar. It was absolutely jaw dropping. I had never heard, nor seen anyone play like that up to that point. It was literally life changing.
the most important is that after his accident he lost his creativity not only his technique. Today he plays faster but he has never found his creativity
You're probably not wrong. Thanks for the comment and for watching.
Still hoping for it to get released on DVD someday, but luckily I kept my Live in Japan '85 VHS (and a player) so I can watch pre-accident in-his-prime Yngwie when I feel the need. :)
Yes, it should. The guy was on fire back then.
I'm also hoping for Queensryche Live in Tokyo too (which I don't still have on tape), but I'm not expecting it. :(
I have it on DVD. It's called "Yngwie Malmsteen: Far Beyond The Sun". Look closer at the cover and you see it contains both "Rising Force: Live in Japan '85" and the Leningrad 89. Get it before its gone
I personally like the 'Marching Out' album best.......there are some solo's on that one that are just awesome.
One of my first and all time influences and from the first time I heard him play , was hooked on everything from tone to phrasing. I think as with all things we do over and over again in life we find ways to short cut, lose the animal drive for perfection and without knowing, lose a step in our confident walk. Add on top of that he proved himself almost imidiately out of the gate so nothing to prove. And as we all would be, he is a millionare and very comfortable not HUNGRY like he was way back when. When you lose the fuel, no need for fire. But I still keep tabs on him and will still wear out the first 3 albums. And I still want his strat but I've heard theres issues with the high e string slipping off the neck.
Absolutely no issues with that high e string slipping. I think it must be clumsy players putting out this rumor 😁
Thank you so much for replying. That’s all I need to hear.
No issue with my Yngwie strat, and even if there was, there are a few free and easy fixes for that such as unscrewing the neck a little, pushing the neck down so the E string is moved over a tad, and then tightening screws. Thanks for watching.
@@UptempoMusicLessons Thank you for the reply, much appreciated.
Goodness! THE video I have waited a lifetime for after I have exhausted myself commenting elsewhere on this subject! I will try and do the Cliffs Notes version. First let's be clear that Yngwie is a composer and a musician first in his own perception of himself and then a he is also a guitarist. Because of that we have to evaluate him as both the composer/musician AND the guitarist before and after the accident. Second item is we must keep in mind his musical creation during his teenage years in Sweden were flabbergastingly prolific and that at least as far into his career as the Eclipse album we can find songs and instrumentals that were on demo and practice tapes from his youth before even Mike Varney had heard him! This distorts are perception of his musicality after the accident because it is quite possible that nearly everything he recorded into the early 90s could have been written before the accident. Third, the accident itself absolutely is the dividing moment of his career. I saw him very soon after that guest live with Dio to play "Man on the Silver Mountain" at the old Irvine Meadows Amphitheater in California, and the damage he had suffered was on display for all (guitarists, anyway) in the crowd to see. As Vivian Campbell stepped back to let Yngwie play the solo, he seemed to be doing fine at first, but as has he attempted to sweep pick a line the problem became clear--He had been playing the song entirely with his left hand until he needed his pick hand to perform what his head wanted him to and his right hand failed him! Ronnie noticed and being a professional, ran up threw his arm around Yngwie's shoulder and yelled into the mic something along the lines of "Everybody! Yngwie Malmsteen!" as Vivian finished up the rest of the solo beneath the volume of the crowd's cheers. Yngwie finish the tune, but continued fretting left hand only and simply resting his right forearm against the body of his Strat to look as though he was using it. Rumors had been flying all over GIT where I was a student that Summer that either Yngwie would never be able to play again due to neurological and brain damage or that he had even died and info was being withheld from the public until his family in Sweden could be notified. The guest spot with Dio was sort of a proof of life performance. It does show us the seriousness of his injuries. In later interviews he has mentioned how devastated and frightened he was that his career was over. There are several other things that went South for over that Summer personally, and he left LA and moved to Westchester County in NY state where he had some extended family. Another thing that happened is that he had been loaned a PRS guitar by Steve Trovato (a GIT instructor-- Not sure Trovato ever got it back!) and Yngwie began practicing again, very intently focused on his picking hand....So, my take Yngwie the composer/musician and in terms of musicality was consistently better BEFORE the accident. Composition (and improvisation when live) is not just about choices and timing of notes, but also rests. While Yngwie's early notoriety was due to his guitar playing his sense of melody and musicality actually took precedent over his technique. The impact of his technique was made potent and mind-blowing because of the musicality it was serving. Pre-Accident he was slightly less technical in a very specific area: His one "weakness" is that he was not the most precise alternate picker (per the man himself). A (positive) consequence of that was some of the individual peculiarities in how and when he picked notes interspersed with legato to create his characteristic bubbling note effect when he plays outrageously busy scalar runs and pattern fragments. He spent so much effort post-accident working on his alternate picking that he actually became better at the technique than he had been before the accident. This has affected both his playing and the non-equipment aspects of his tone. Changing from DiMarzio pickups to Duncans, having Fender do their version of his old DOD preamp pedal and removing the old Echoplex from his signal line in favor of only digital delays have colored his tone toward the square-wavy and treble sound we hear from him live today. To sum up my opinion, he was more musical before the accident, but in purely technical terms is actually a better guitarist since. A lot of times we mix these two aspects into one because of how we are impacted as listeners. Yngwie remains the most mind-blowing conventional player (one who does not rely significantly on the tremolo bar or effects or tapping as their identity) I have had the privilege to see live before and after that tree ran out in front of his Jaguar! Even though for me as a listener the sensation of every note he played having an almost supernatural quality to it is in the past, he does at times show inspired moments. When he is "ON" there are still few that compare to him live. That G3 tour with Satch and Vai!!! Forget about it! As accomplished as the other two are as a musicians you can see with the three of them together on stage that this is the guy that still has them go "Whoa!!" live. And it isn't like they couldn't predict 90% of what YJM would play, but oh that 10%!!!!!!! I also think it is important to appreciate that his comeback from the brain and nerve damage suffered in the accident is itself one hell of an achievement. Seriously, most people would have given up, but Yngwie the Relentless couldn't be stopped! I think the downside is the new habits and tendencies he formed by having to practice so rigorously to restore his picking hand changed not only his playing to the non-stop-notes player he is today, but in turn also reconditioned his brain toward thinking of his music as non-stop practicing. Do not get me wrong here--Nothing is quite 100% one way or the other so much as just in an overall sense his playing AND his musical output post-accident assaults the listener with endless streams of notes, whereas prior to the accident those streams of notes were separated by twists and turns that were every bit as exciting as all of thd swept arpeggios and 3 octave scales and diminished madness. That's my opinion! So much for the Cliffs Notes, but sincerely Gang this issue of the Yngwie that was and our only being able to rue and to speculate about the musician he could have been has haunted me for more than 3 decades. The last thing I would point out is that while there are those that can now legitimately criticize him as the caricature some always accused him of being as a guitarist, he has achieved a success that has escaped almost all if his peers--At least half a dozen of his compositions can be found on TH-cam being performed by musicians on instruments other than the guitar! And not just stringed instruments. If only he could have done a few more electric guitar and orchestra works he may actually have become as popular in the classical genre!
Wow, thanks for the pithy answer, I read it all. Very interesting. Yes, it is sad but still far better than not having Yngwie at all, ala Hendrix. I mean, who knows what that youngster would have been up to. Thanks again for the detailed response and for watching!
UptempoMusicLessons Thank you for the reply as well as your insightful video. I often find that providing some background on this issue helps people (especially younger generations) to better understand Yngwie. I was in a relationship years ago where my Stepson was getting really good on the guitar and also interested in 80s metal so I suggested he check YJM and he initially didn’t care for him because his first exposure was one of the overweight Yngwie singing live while the rest of the band was relegated to the side of the stage. But when I showed him videos with Alcatrazz, at the start of his solo career and from Malmsteen’s teen years in Sweden, then explained about the accident it all left a really big impression on him. Later on G3 came to the Greek Theatre in the Hollywood Hills (which very much deserves its title as the best small amphitheater in America) and he was even more blown away by Yngwie, especially during the jam, because he didn’t expect Yngwie’s style would mesh well with the more modern tones and ideas of Vai and Satriani. Anyhow, I don’t think the Maestro has done badly for himself. It’s probably pretty good to be him, because he broke through at a juncture in time where he was able to mainly do things his “Yng-Way”. He has giving us plenty of inspiring music and really was (along with Vai) the catalyst that made so many guitarists get serious about their musical education and becoming complete musicians instead of just guitar players.
Ripping reply. I just wrote a little spiel too, then saw yours. Thanks for the insider info!!
Can you say that again?
Just kidding.
I really enjoyed what you wrote. As a fan from the 80’s I never considered the before and after issue so I guess to me this wasn’t an issue. I did find the music largely repetitive after the first 4 albums but there was always a gem in there somewhere, Concerto suite, Requiem...
I saw him in a small club in England, front row ,👏, and was amazed to see his technique with my own eyes. I realised that the reason he made it look easy is because to him it is easy. His hands are totally relaxed, I had a death grip left hand at the time and it was a great lesson. I still have the plectrum he flicked to me. (That’s what I tell myself anyway).
In an age when some folk posting comments believe that being able to play Malmsteen licks makes you Malmsteen I find the question interesting, but redundant.
Yngwies’ place in guitar history is assured.
Cheers. 🍻🍻
He was different. I think that is the best way to say it. He was more articulate and clean. his right hand was what was affected and that really never got back to pre accident.
It just sounded different and was delivered differently.
It got more mid and less highs because I think there is some slop in there that comes through with the ultra clear top end.
About the tone. Yngwie used a peddle that he always used, then lost it, and could never get that sound back. Along with changing of pickups etc...
The grey DOD pedal? I have one. I still don't sound like Yngwie lol.
I’ll tell you what think aboot Yngwie pre and post accident; I think he still rips, eh! As sweet as Maple syrup on Canadian bacon or hotcakes. As aggressive as the RMCP during Canadian winter. He never lost his Viking edge, I’ll tell you what!
Thanks for being brave enough to discuss this subject. Beware of the Viking, I hope he doesn't make a copyright claim against this. 👊
Saw Yngwie perform at the Spectrum in Philadelphia opening for AC/DC. He was on the Marching Out tour at that time. It was a mind blowing and for me life changing experience for sure! His articulation, speed, stage performance, and tone were unlike anything I had ever experienced. Favorite part of that night was when he was performing I'll See The Light Tonight and right before the interlude he hits the A chord and throws the guitar way up, disappears behind the hanging PA, comes down, catches it and launches right into the 16th note Interlude section without missing a beat! I, of course have followed Yngwie through out his career and remember the accident clearly, and how different Odyssey sounded when it came out. (Though some of that had to do with Jeff Glixman and the production of that album) I anticipated his playing to be a bit different, and thought the fire was there, it was clear that the accident had an effect on his playing. After all his right hand had suffered paralysis at one point and he had to re train his picking hand.
His tone was different, and he was diving deeper into substance abuse as well, and that I believe contributed to his growing inconsistencies as a player, compared to what he was. Keep in mind he was still a monster player and a prolific writer and producer. I started to hear a comeback a bit on the Fire and Ice recordings but it wasn't until Facing The Animal that I started to hear hints of a maturing Yngwie in phrasing and attack, but in a technical level his work on Alchemy was a return to form, not sound wise but in terms of sheer playing. His tours behind that album and WTEAW shows footage of Yngwie performing at speeds and clarity he didn't posses even in his early days. Lately it has been difficult to see him perform or listen to his recent recordings, it is not the Yngwie that inspired me to play. I will always love his playing, will always cite him as my biggest influence on the guitar, and I will always remember the young 21 year OLD Swedish kid that changed my view of music!
Well said Chris. I agree completely. Thanks for watching!
Totally agree!
Very on point!
I think these are tough samples to compare if seeking an answer to this. Those Alcatraz videos and early vids might be studio overdubs, and thats where his playing sounds most precise. Random recorded live videos with live audio are going to be a crapshoot audii quality wise and performance wise.
In the nicest way possible, he is getting older now. Obviously that isn't a good reason though because there are plenty of guitarists who still shred hard to this day.
I'm not sure about him playing,, I think it did affect him, he seems to be more obsessive (100 guitars which are exactly the same for example) he also seems very stuck in the time of his accident, hasn't evolved even in his look,,
I personally like the original tones he used more aggressive and still organic, his guitar had a more baroque violin character now he's very much more of a metal guitar tonality. he's still ridiculously amazing. I think maybe the "accident" affected him more mentally and that affects his perception of him self and his performance.
plus just a side thought
he sounded better playing the lower output dimazios than the high gain seymour duncans, that change may actually prove point though, a lot of people trying to play like yngwie use higher gain because it makes it easier and smoothes out the mistakes with distortion, so maybe now yngwie is playing more like the way other people play when they play his music
All good points! Thanks for watching and for the comment!
Yeah...wrong.
Alchemy was news to Metal Guitar,
A great record, Eclipse, and 7th sign are great song writing, yngwie has written well over 200 songs .
I don't think any of the things you mentioned were an issue.
Although his mother passed around that time and his Brother died a trajic death in a train accident in his 30s
So yngwie is like a lottery winner, and his fam is dieing around him .
It was in his book
Yes, he was better in terms of technique. His technique was something out of this world before the accident! Clear as crystal! Despite this, his career was incredible and unique.
For me, he is the best shredder of all time.
First 4 albums are his best for sure, clean execution and ultra precise right and left hands.
I think a combination of the accident and him just resting on being an elite shredder is what caused this to happen. I mean when he came out no one was even close but over time it doesn’t seem he evolved much beyond what he was doing in the early 80s. I should also say I’m a big fan and think he’s an amazing guitarist pre and post accident.
Yes he was I was listening to him from the start of his career not the same at all
I've been a studio/session musician for 30+ years and if there is any difference from one video to the next it is perfectly natural. If you had watched a video filmed 13 years before the first one it would have been different. A video filmed 13 days before or after either would have been different. No two performances are ever exactly alike. Consider also that the second recording was done after he'd been playing this song for 13 more years! Look at any musician and watch them play one of their "hits" after a few decades. 99% of them get more and more sloppy and change things up out of boredom and just plain experimentation. Also, he's 13 years older. I'm 51 now and can't sweep as fast and smooth as I could at 21. Your hands (and sometimes back) take a beating after playing for millions of hours decade after decade. Very few players, of any instrument, retain the same abilities as they age. For most of my career I have been primarily a hard rock and metal player. As I've aged and (hopefully) matured I've expanded my palette. So, while I can no longer compete with the likes of Jason Richardson for speed and technique I can play the sh*t out of some blues! ;-) I think Yngwie's playing has followed the natural progression of any musician who started as a teenager and is now nearing 60 years old! Stay safe everyone. Cheers.
Great and insightful comment. Thanks for sharing.
Well if he's not playing as well then. I'd be happy to play as well post accident. And remember he is older now , and yes it makes a difference
after the accident Yngwie said he was determined to play better than ever so maybe this also changed his initial style and his REH video and Leningrad might have been re recorded but alot of it syncs up with his hand so it is still him at the time playing.
That isn't what Jens Johansson (sic?) says. His account is that the only thing left alone was drums. Anyway thanks for the comment and for watching.
Yngwie’s playing is still phenomenal. As a player Ive gone through countless incarnations of my playing. I don’t play like I did back in the day. I’m not as technical but more musical not because of age either. I guess I could play like I did back in the day but my heart just isn’t into it. 😹👍🏼
Fair enough. Thanks for watching and commenting!
The real answer to this questions is a bit simpler... he still is a great player... he got an accident where de "doctors" said he would never play again, and he said: "fuck them" ;)
Very true. Thanks for watching and commenting.
I remember mentioning this a few years back on some forum and I surely wasn't expecting an overall negative reaction. You can A/B his playing on the Alcattraz video and Leningrad '89; it's way different.
I suppose that bad habits and loosing focus on playing might be the reasons combined with the car accident. The early tone was so defined and clean so that he was "forced" to play better. Great video!
Thanks for the kind words and for the comment. Ya his tone changed. Hearing damage probably.
No.
Still a beast though.
But well never get 80s Yngwie back. His tone was out of this world too.made me change. My mind how i hear the strat
Everything changes my friend.
His most ferocious playing to date is on Alchemy. It’s the fastest, most aggressive, “fuck you!!” playing he has committed to tape.
I think he definitely got faster and more proficient after that accident. I can play most of his Alcatrazz through Trilogy licks well enough, but from Fire and Ice onwards FORGET it. It’s like trying to keep up with Usain Bolt, you can train all you want, he’s still going to run faster than you.
The biggest contributor to the discussion, is time in general. When Malmsteen first came out it was like an atom bomb hit. He was never going to outdo that initial impact on the scene as once he was there, he was there. He was young, full of testosterone, cocaine, and Viking bravado. He was obsessed with the instrument, inspired and actively trying to push the envelope on a playing style barely existent.
It wasn’t just his lead work, his songs were an INCREDIBLE display of composition. He knew song structure. He blended elements of Deep Purple-like hard-rock, with the glam/thrash/heavy/metal music of the era, baroque and classical music, pop music, and had a killer ear for a vocal hook.
He’s stuck to his thing for so long, added a little extra gain, started self producing in his own studio, going through the motions. It’s his songwriting and production that is my biggest gripe these days.
He’s older, healthy, wealthy, has a hot wife and a kid he loves. That’s going to be your priority. And slow you down a great deal. He has nothing left to prove, and little to be pissed off or upset about: for inspiration.
Good take, I agree with a lot of what you said. Thanks for watching and commenting!
I agree with your post, more than any others I read.
Well written
Regardless of injuries, it's a different man in a different context: Young and driven and something to prove vs older, crazy successful and self-indulgent. He's a viking, he can do whatever he wants. lol
It was noticeable on Odyssey though, and it never got better in my opinion. Sloppier and not as good ideas. Unfortunate. He is still a great musician though.
His picking was surely faster and more accurate before the accident💯
Yngwies best albums are Alcatraz , and his first 3 solo albums.. And i like bits and peices off his other solo albums.. But Every song off Alcatraz and his first 3 solo albums are great..
I agree completely. Thanks for commenting.
@@UptempoMusicLessons Thank You. 👍
I don’t know if anybody has noticed, but the guy on the left in the thumbnail isn’t a young Yngwie, that’s John Norum, the lead guitarist of Europe..
Ha ha funny, that is who came up when I Googled a pic of Yngwie. Good catch!
5:56-- the bassist thinks "will anyone notice my two handed licks here?"
LOL!
the tone shift to more treble is caused by hearing loss. playing every night infront of big marshall stacks kills the ability to hear higher stuff. paul gilbert is one of the few who amids it.
Yngwie write his best music when he was young beetween 1984 -1986 never be the same after Odyssey.
Fair assessment. Thanks for watching and commenting.
Rising Force,Marching Out and Trilogy are his first three albums and his best work(not to leave out Alcatraz live in Japan album. This is one of those questions that if you ask the question, you probably already know the answer.
There was a documentary about Yngwie's young life with lots of pictures from Sweden around his home town. It showed the trashed Jaguar. Man, that thing looks like it wrapped around the tree like tin foil. It's amazing the guy survived at all.
Yes, he is still amazing, even with the accident behind him.
Hey Ed, Awesome!! Love Yngwie!! Any chance of a lesson on Vito Bratta? Thank you!!
I will see what I can scare up. Thanks for watching!
Hey Ed, Thank you!!
I think that camera work from the Tokyo show was the reason it's their favorite. There really hasn't been any footage that close on his guitar live since then.
Yngwie Malmsteen said once that he's not playing the same solo twice, so i can't really tell if it's because the accident or because Yngwie Malmsteen choose to do so, i listen to YM since 1986 when a friend of mine introduced me to his first 3 albums, i became a fan and i have most of his albums and know also the albums that i don't have, i saw him live twice, i know almost every guitar player and i saw a lot of them live, YM is the most consistent guitar player in the 20 century and the 21 century, of course his best albums are those with a great vocalist like Mark Boals, for me it's better to have a great vocalist and a great guitar player on the same album, there's a little decline with his albums from 2012 till today, but just a little, thanks for sharing your thoughts, all the best.
Yngwie used Marshall’s cranked Max with bass on zero. He had to play very clean. Later he used distortion pedals and tons of bass. He didn’t lose speed, but he tends to rush the tempo. I thinks he’s the same but his tone has changed that’s all
Thanks for watching and for the comment!
Hello you there Dion Tillman here love your humble opinion, and skill, you are a great, great player and making it seem easy heck,,I would have to smoke krack,just to keep up with you,,🎶
Great Job !, I can attest from being able to do Yngwie in 85 to now, when you step away, you step away from that crisp clean mountain you have climbed. I play it all now like Far Beyond The Sun and all and it feels REALLY good inside, but on the outside, your 30+ years removed. In shows locally , I STILL slay it and jam it out, but come on bro, are you 18? I say that as a wise ass because when Yngwie was 20 we all thought he was 18, and at the time I was pissed he was ahead of me. So I worked super hard , HARDER to get it done, and I DID get it. But thats neither here nor there , just human nature. BEST EVER THING TO HAPPEN TO MY GUITAR PLAYING ALONG WITH ALAN HOLDSWORTH AND EVH. AMEN
Ha ha ya but we had it wrong. Copying is just flattery and you really only get noticed if you do something unique and original, a tall order for 99.9% of people but not Yngwie. Thanks for the comment and for watching!
Agreed, I had noted that. Still a killer player. I think he changed tones on Odyssey album. Plus his pick ups later to Seymour Duncan.
I saw yngwie first in 1985,
@@Truthinshredding1 Wow, you are a lucky man! Thanks for commenting and watching.
Hi Laurie
Listening to the comparison recordings is very subjective. Yngwie rarely plays the same solo twice the same way. His tone is also subject to the venue. I say he's still awesome. Regardless if he was better or not before any accident. His tone has largely stayed unchanged since '83, because he's using much of the same gear. Above and beyond his virtuosity as a player, the first thing that struck me about his playing was his tone, and he never over used effects like Vai and Satch(my opinion). Something about the overdriven single coils in Hard Rock and Metal is very appealing to me. He has stayed true to what he loves...Marshalls, and Strats.
Thanks for the comment. I think his tone changed, same as Eric Johnson's or EVH or any of these guys with hearing damage. I mean, you cannot stand in front of an amp putting out 110db for years and not expect it to affect your ability to hear high end.
@@UptempoMusicLessons What im saying is...He's basically using the same gear. Same Strats, Overdrive, Same Marshalls, Digital Delay. His tone can't change that much. Albums can sound different. Live recordings always sound different. I saw him in a fairly small venue about 4 years ago, He played awesome, and he sounded the same as he always had. Also, I am very familiar with hearing loss. Ive been playing in live bands for 35+ years. EVH tone changed because his gear changed. Thanks for for replying.
I feel like now he plays how he wants before when he was young he played with precision and super aggressive now he prob enjoys him self on stage more
Yngwies playing back in the 80’s was simply untouchable, so articulate & precise….amazing tone & technique. Today not so much however he has etched his place in history & is a living legend……but the playing is not there like it used to be sadly
Personally i hear his left hand got way better. However if i remember right his right hand was injured so take ur picking on his picking technique. Personaly i enjoy early yngwie for his creativity over magnum opus chop master malmsteen. Just my 2 cents
I believe he was a lot better b4 the accident in regards to his songs melodic arrangements that supported a lot of good vocals. The albums that really showcase his best arrangements were: Trilogy, Odyssey, Eclipse, Fire&Ice, Mangum Opus, Facing the Animal. He had some really good singers back then such as Joe Lynn Turner and Göran Edman.
As far as i am concern the above mentioned albums all had commercial vibes to them and had his best playing which leads me to conclude this was because he was dealing with producers back then. The stuff that he his doing now sounds so much different and is significantly devoid of his melodic catchy beat approach of the 90's. This major fall off is a direct result of his self producing abilities which is not good and in my opinion started after his "Facing the Animal" album.😡
As far as his mind blowing technique it's all there but since he isn't creating those melodic catchy beat oriented songs anymore to showcase some really sweet Rhythm and lead guitar playing everything that i am hearing from him now sounds like arrangements created to showcase lengthly overindulgent unapologetic mindless guitar wanking.
You could very well be right about the producer thing. Thanks for watching and commenting.
He was never the same after swapping from di marzio to Seymour Duncan aswell hehe
IMO Biggest difference is not the fingers / technical ability, it's the ideas. If you listen to his playing on Rising Force, Marching Out and Trilogy, there are lots of different stylistic tropes, different ways of playing, whammy bar slurs, melodic devices etc. Post accident his soloing repertoire seems considerably reduced, much more just straight scale and arpeggio runs. Much of the invention is gone.
To put it another way, pre-accident he sounded like someone who learned to play from speeded up tapes of great players. Post-accident he sounded much more like someone who learned to play by practicing scales with a metronome.
Either way that doesn't take anything away from him. He's an incredible player that changed the world of guitar playing. Also, that vibrato....
Very true, all of what you said. Thanks for commenting and watching.
I think you're right in everything that you said. But I can add that is guitar soloing isn't as tasteful as before, in my opinion.
NO, and I don't know why it's even said. The most extreme album of his career, from a pure chops perspective(and the album songs/performances are incredible too) was Alchemy. He really did some inhuman shit on that album. His most intense and over the top technique album to date, and from start to finish IMO one of his best albums. ALCHEMY!