As 2014 rapidly approaches, Guitar World is taking a nostalgic look back at the most popular GuitarWorld.com stories, videos, lessons and features of 2013. Be sure to check out our other 2013 Year in Review stories here!
Today, we're revisiting the 10 most popular "viral" videos to be shared on GuitarWorld.com. How did we determine what was the most popular? Let's just say it all came down to page views!
Note that we've kept this top-10 list to videos that do not feature famous, world-recognized artists. In other words, you won't find our exclusive John Petrucci lesson videos on this list, nor will you find clips of Yngwie Malmsteen shredding at a small TV station in Memphis.
You will, however, find videos that shine the spotlight on regular people whose skills captured the attention of a wide online audience in 2013. Spoiler alert: There is one exception, since a famous guitarist does appear in one of the clips. However, he's accompanied by a 6-year-old drummer.
What can we determine from this list? GuitarWorld.com readers like watching other guitarists — of all sexes and age groups (but mostly women, it's safe to say) — shred. And there's one teenage girl from France who almost has a monopoly on our top five.
On that intriguing note, sit back and enjoy the shredding! Vive le shred!
P.S.: In the spirit of the holidays, we've provided an extra video for your viewing pleasure — for a grand total of 11! Enjoy!
11. Video: A Brief History of Rock and Roll — Guitarist Plays 100 Famous Riffs in One Take (Read the full story here.)
In the very cool video below, guitarist Alex Chadwick at Chicago Music Exchange plays 100 well-known guitar riffs — in one take — providing a chronological history of rock and roll.
And while some of you might've seen this clip before (It was posted in June 2012 and has been viewed almost 7 million times), you might enjoy a recent update to the video — TABS for everything Chadwick plays.
You can check out the tabs, in real time (as Chadwick is playing the 100 riffs), RIGHT HERE, courtesy of Sound Slice.
10. Sergiy Putyatov — the Fastest Guitarist in the World? (Read the full story here.)
This video is titled "Fastest guitarist in the world: 27 notes per second on guitar (Sergiy Putyatov) Guinness Record 2012," and it was posted to YouTube earlier this year. Here's the info that was posted with the video:
"Sergiy Putyatov is one of the fastest guitarists in the world. His official Guinness Record is 27 notes per second."
So that's all we know about this clip (except that it looks like it was shot in Liverpool, England, and that Putyatov bears a passing resemblance to Perfect Strangers-era Ritchie Blackmore), but we think you might appreciate this guy's blinding speed.
09. Video: Guitarist Plays "Flight of the Bumblebee" at 1300 BPM (Read the full story here.)
As you might know by now, we often share YouTube videos (usually on Fridays) that claim to feature the "fastest guitarist in the world."
There seem to be several organizations that run six-string-speed contests — and therefore, there seem to be a few "fastest guitarists" (For instance, watch Sergiy Putyatov play 27 notes per second in this video).
Anyway, you might remember this video of John Taylor of Colorado playing Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov's "Flight of the Bumblebee" at 600 BPM.
Well, below, you'll find a more recent video of another guitarist playing "Flight of the Bumblebee" at 1300 BPM on an Ibanez. Yes, you read that correctly — 1300 BPM.
His name is Daniel Himebauch, and the event took place September 8, 2012, in Raleigh, North Carolina. Like the 2011 John Taylor video (See the link above), Himebauch starts off slowly and works his way up to a mind-blowing 1300 BPM.
At the beginning of the clip, Himebauch writes, "This is not a demonstration of musicality or tone and should not be viewed as such." While I completely agree with Himebauch, I have to point out that his guitar sounds more and more like an Eighties-era video game that's about to explode!
08. Video: Bride and Groom Play Loud Electric Guitar Duet Before Getting Married (Read the full story here.)
Below, check out a video of a couple who performed a guitar duet before getting hitched. And if that sounds normal (and we admit it does sound normal), be sure to check out the video.
Jordan Strauss, 30, who teaches guitar in Hatboro, Pennsylvania, taught his bride-to-be, Andrea Strauss, 25, how to play a few chords so they could perform something together on their wedding day (at the church).
"We wanted to do something we knew would stand out and put our own personal stamp to make it even more memorable," Jordan Strauss told Yahoo.
The ceremony took place in May (and it's just getting noticed now) at a church in Long Valley, New Jersey. Jordan is playing Pachelbel's "Canon" with one of his groomsmen as the priest stands nearby. Andrea enters in white, with a guitar strapped on, and joins in (Note: She seems to be tuned to an open D chord, not that there's anything wrong with that!). At one point, there are four guitarists playing the song.
"She was an easy student to teach. She's a natural. I told her that from day one," Jordan said.
07. Video: 8-Year-Old Girl Plays Guthrie Govan's "Fives" (Read the full story here.)
We thought we'd share this just-posted video (August 27) of an 8-year-old girl named Li-Sa-X playing a Guthrie Govan tune, "Fives." The song is from Govan's Erotic Cakes album from 2006 (It is, of course, track 5 on the album).
No, it's not perfect, but it's quite impressive for an 8-year-old (or a 38-year-old). Come on — she's tapping!
For a bit of reference, we've also included a clip of Govan performing the song live a few years back. Enjoy!
And while you're at it, check out a pair of video lessons Govan recorded for Guitar World!
06. Video: From Vai to Dimebag to Yngwie, Guitarist Imitates 30 Shredders in One Solo (Read the full story here.)
Here's a video of a talented British guitarist named Ben Higgins, who imitates the styles of 30 famous shredders in one guitar solo. Actually, it's 29 famous shredders, and Higgins includes himself as No. 30, which is justified, to be honest.
He starts things off with some Yngwie Malmsteen-style runs, moves into Eddie Van Halen territory and then pays visits to Steve Vai, Slash, Dimebag Darrell, Zakk Wylde, Uli Jon Roth, Paul Gilbert, Jason Becker, John Petrucci and many more.
Higgins even supplies the tabs for the entire solo, and you can access them here.
For more about Higgins, head in this general direction.
05. Video: 14-Year-Old Girl Plays Electric Guitar Tribute to Vivaldi (Read the full story here.)
This time, we'll re-visit a 14-year-old French guitarist named Tina; you might remember Tina from her effortless performance of Eddie Van Halen's "Eruption."
This time she's performing a piece called "Vivaldi Tribute," inspired by — and featuring music written by — Italian composer Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741).
I'm not going to pretend I'm a Vivaldi expert, so I'll simply quote the information that was posted with the original video on YouTube:
"'Presto' is the third movement from Vivaldi's 'Summer' from 'Four Seasons.' This version is an extract from Patrick Rondat's guitar adaptation on his 1996 Amphibia album."
Tina, who was filmed by her guitar teacher, Renaud Louis-Servais, is playing her Vigier Excalibur guitar.
For more about Tina, visit her YouTube page and follow her on Twitter. For more about Patrick Rondat (He's mentioned above ...), visit rondat.com.
BTW: It seems Tina has been 14 for a long time ... Just sayin'!
04. Video: "Guitar Duel" Featuring Classical Guitarist and Female Seven-String Guitarist (Read the full story here.)
Below, check out a new video of classical guitarist Thomas Valeur performing Sarasate's Zigeunerweisen Op. 20 with a female seven-string guitarist from Norway called "The Commander-In-Chief."
The performance is interesting right off the bat because this piece is normally played on violin.
If you want some background info before diving into the video (which features shots of a nice Laney amp at various points), here's the information that is included with the video on YouTube:
"The two guitarists met when they performed at the Bergen [Norway] International Festival in June 2013. They agreed to cooperate and soon started to work on this piece of music. It took five months to prepare, and the recording took place in November at Modern World Studios in the Cotswolds in England."
The Commander is playing an EMG-equipped prototype Ibanez X Series Falchion 7, which is the only one of its kind (Only six-string models are currently available).
For more about the Commander-In-Chief, visit her official website and Facebook page. For more about Valeur, visit thomasvaleur.com.
NOTE: The faster stuff starts at around the 5:41 mark. Enjoy!
03. Video: Brad Paisley Plays Van Halen's "Hot For Teacher" with 6-Year-Old Drummer (Read the full story here.)
Here's a video of country shredder Brad Paisley rehearsing and performing Van Halen's "Hot for Teacher" (three times) with a 6-year-old drummer on Good Morning America earlier this year.
The video was posted by the family of the young drummer, Avery Molek, who appeared on GMA with Paisley on April 12, 2013. First you see their rehearsal, followed by three different live performances of the song.
For more about Avery, visit his official website and Facebook page.
For more about Paisley, check out the May 2013 issue of Guitar World or our new special edition, Guitar One Presents Country Guitar!
02. Video: 14-Year-Old Girl Plays Van Halen's "Eruption" Solo (Read the full story here.)
While it's not unusual to find 12-, 13- and 14-year-old guitarists on YouTube who make adults feel like, well, lame-o guitar players, we thought you'd appreciate this recently posted (May 20) video of 14-year-old "Tina" playing a convincing — and effortless — cover of Eddie Van Halen's "Eruption" solo.
In terms of extra information, all we know is that Tina was taught by Renaud Louis-Servais, who also shot and posted the video. Tina is playing a Vigier Excalibur Custom guitar.
Enjoy! And start practicing!
01. Video: 14-Year-Old Girl Performs Steve Vai's Version of Paganini's 5th Caprice from 'Crossroads' (Read the full story here.)
Let us re-visit a 14-year-old French guitarist named Tina; you might remember Tina from her effortless performance of Eddie Van Halen's "Eruption."
This time she's performing a piece called "Vivaldi Tribute," inspired by — and featuring music written by — Italian composer Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741).
I'm not going to pretend I'm a Vivaldi expert, so I'll simply quote the information that was posted with the original video on YouTube:
"'Presto' is the third movement from Vivaldi's 'Summer' from 'Four Seasons.' This version is an extract from Patrick Rondat's guitar adaptation on his 1996 Amphibia album."
Tina, who was filmed by her guitar teacher, Renaud Louis-Servais, is playing her Vigier Excalibur guitar.
For more about Tina, visit her YouTube page and follow her on Twitter. For more about Patrick Rondat (He's mentioned above), visit rondat.com.
