Paul Gilbert

Paul Gilbert is one of the most influential guitarists in the neoclassical and hard rock style. Best known as the co-founder of Mr. Big and as the leader of Racer X, he is among the musicians who, in the 1980s, showed that the electric guitar could be simultaneously incredibly fast and exceptionally musical.

Together with names like Yngwie Malmsteen, Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, and Tony MacAlpine, he shaped the era of virtuoso guitarists. But Paul Gilbert has his own face – while Malmsteen is like a classical violinist from the Baroque era, and Vai is like a musical fantasist, Paul Gilbert is a rock and roll musician with the brain of an engineer and the heart of a bluesman.

His style is a combination of hard rock, heavy metal, blues, classical music, pop melodicism, and rock and roll. His greatest trademark is the incredible balance between speed, precision, melody, and feeling – he never plays fast just to show he can; with him, technique always has a musical purpose.

His tone is bright, clean, aggressive, very distinct, with great dynamics. Unlike many modern guitarists who use massive amounts of gain, Paul prefers a sound where every note is clearly heard. Main elements of his sound are the Ibanez PGM (his own signature model), Ibanez Fireman, Marshall amplifiers, and minimal use of unnecessary effects.

In string bending, Paul shows great respect for the blues tradition – his bends are very precise, musical, with an excellent sense of pitch; although he is known as a speed guitarist, he never loses connection with classical blues expression.

His vibrato is wide, controlled, and emotional – not as dramatic as Gary Moore's, but exceptionally suited to his style. In alternate picking, he is among the absolute masters – incredible speed, perfect synchronization, and clarity with every note.

One of his trademarks is string skipping – a technique he developed to an exceptional level. Instead of moving only along adjacent strings, he jumps between them, creating huge intervals and a very characteristic sound. One of the most famous examples is the solo Scarified with Racer X, which became a textbook for thousands of guitarists.

Paul uses legato, but his main strength is the perfect combination of picked strokes, hammer-ons, and pull-offs – he can transition between techniques without loss of speed and clarity. He also uses tapping, but unlike Eddie Van Halen, who revolutionized the technique, he treats it as just another tool in his arsenal.

His rhythm guitar is often underestimated – in Mr. Big, he shows that he is a superb rhythm guitarist, and songs like Daddy, Brother, Lover, Little Boy, Green-Tinted Sixties Mind, and Addicted to That Rush show his sense of rhythm and composition.

In soloing and phrasing, Paul Gilbert is special – he plays incredibly fast, exceptionally cleanly, and with a lot of emotion, but most importantly, his solos can be remembered. He doesn't create just 'guitar exercises' – he creates melodies.

As an improviser, he is excellent, with a huge musical vocabulary – blues phrases, rock ideas, classical motifs, jazz elements – but unlike some virtuosos, he never loses his sense of fun; on stage, he often looks as if he's playing with the guitar.

Paul Gilbert is much more than a technical guitarist – he creates songs with strong melodies, memorable choruses, and excellent riffs. With Mr. Big, he achieved worldwide success with To Be With You, while true guitar fans also know Technical Difficulties and Scarified by Racer X.

Objectively, Paul Gilbert is not as innovative as Eddie Van Halen or Hendrix – he didn't create a completely new way of playing. His strength lies in bringing existing techniques to an exceptionally high level, although the enormous emphasis on technique can sometimes overshadow the emotional side.

Paul Gilbert is one of the most complete guitarists of his generation. He proves that virtuosity doesn't have to be cold and inaccessible. His playing is simultaneously incredibly difficult to perform and incredibly enjoyable to listen to – a musician who can make the guitar sound like a racing machine, but also like an old 1960s rock and roll instrument.