For all you Clapton fans....

Perhaps I should have said that criticizing Clapton's technique is beside the point. It is more than adequate, adn serves his purposes. Technique is only a means to an end, and EC has produced some outstanding music. Other electric guitarists may have more advanced technique, but so what? There even seems to be almost an inverse relationship between techinque and emotional content (although that idea can be carried too far.) The electric guitar players whose music I enjoy most (e.g., Clapton, SRV, Hendrix, Garcia), it's not because they had the most advanced technique (although their technique was admirable and sometimes amazing); it's what they did with what they had.

Clapton is a musician’s musician. I can give you specific examples of musical giants gushing over his playing- people like: McCartney, Harrison, Guy, King, Berry, Dylan, Robertson, Cash, Santana, Beck, Allman, Knopfler, Trucks, Cray, Haynes and the list goes on and on. Celebrity back slapping? I don’t think so. Not from this crowd. Check out his Guitar festivals and you’ll see genuine respect and borderline worshipping from every musician he steps on stage with. From the old guys like JJ Cale to the young guns like Robert Randolph . Their reverence isn’t because of his celebrity status, it’s because they know they’re on stage with a legend and a pro that can play anything.
I understand people who think his concerts are boring because he is not going to put on a show. If you you want virtuosity and facial contortions then go see Eddie Van Halen or Joe Satriani. Enjoy the leg kicks and the satisfaction that you won’t be hearing something a guitar student can play.

Well said Lokie!

Lokie,

It's not surprising that so many musicians you cite applaud Clapton's playing - it's wonderful and expressive and deserving of all the praise it receives. I gush over him, too. He's one of my favorites and I've seen him perform live a dozen+ times. Unlike some posters here who supporter EC but wish for the old rock 'n' roll days, I actually find his recent acoustic blues performnces equally riveting.

My intention in posting here was never intended to diminish EC's playing. I was just supporting the observation made by Marakanetz that EC is limited technically (true) - and also agreeing with Marakanetz that these limitations don't seem to limit EC much musically. Those are not mutually exclusive statements.

I'll add that, with some practice, I can probably knock off most of EC's tabs....Adding that - even with a lifetime's practice - I'll never sound remotely as wonderful.

Actually, it's kind of nice to see folks defending EC in this thread, because he's so often bashed on A'gon. And that is -IMHO- just wrong.

Marty

Since when did blues guitar playing become about technical skill. As a music form blues is simple. The technical instrumental capabilities of playing nearly all classic blues tracks is well within the scope of any half way serious guitarist. But that's completely beside the point. Blues is about feeling. By that measure Eric Clapton has been a great blues musician. His technique is more than ample for the style his has chosen to play.

Albert King, Muddy Waters, Hubert Sumlin and Otis Rush didn't engage in guitar pyrotechnics either. You want to criticize them too?