Sting Named His Six Favourite Guitar Players

Summary

The transcript delves into Sting’s admiration for influential guitarists who have shaped his musical journey. It highlights the unique qualities of each guitarist, from Dominic Miller’s subtle artistry to Jeff Beck’s fearless innovation. The script reflects Sting’s deep appreciation for emotion, storytelling, and musical truth, emphasizing that these guitarists, including Andy Summers, Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Mark Knopfler, and Jeff Beck, have inspired him through their ability to make the guitar more than just an instrument. For Sting, music is about connection, not just technical mastery, and he honors these legends through his own emotional and honest approach to music.

Takeaways

• 😀 Dominic Miller has been Sting's principal guitarist, co-writer, and confidant since the early 1990s, known for his subtle and nuanced playing style.
• 😀 Andy Summers helped define the sonic landscape of The Police with his use of lush chord voicings, delays, and modulation effects, creating a distinctive sound.
• 😀 Jimi Hendrix had a profound influence on Sting, revolutionizing the electric guitar by blending blues, rock, and psychedelia to expand the emotional vocabulary of the instrument.
• 😀 Eric Clapton's emotional playing, marked by vulnerability and simplicity, has deeply impacted Sting’s own approach to guitar, emphasizing tone and feel over technicality.
• 😀 Mark Knopfler's fingerpicking style and storytelling through guitar playing influenced Sting's understanding of narrative possibilities within music.
• 😀 Jeff Beck’s fearless musical experimentation across genres, along with his ability to transcend technical virtuosity, inspired Sting to pursue his own genre-blending career.
• 😀 Sting admires guitarists who prioritize emotional connection over technical showmanship, seeking authenticity and the ability to communicate real feelings through music.
• 😀 Each of the guitarists Sting admires — Miller, Summers, Hendrix, Clapton, Knopfler, and Beck — represents a unique facet of what Sting values in music: emotion, innovation, and storytelling.
• 😀 Despite their different playing styles, all these guitarists share a commitment to emotional expression and musical honesty, which resonates deeply with Sting.
• 😀 Sting strives to honor these guitarists not by imitation, but by integrating their qualities into his own work, making every note and silence speak with purpose and emotion.

Q & A

Who is Dominic Miller, and how has he contributed to Sting's music?

Dominic Miller is Sting's principal guitarist, co-writer, and confidant since the early 1990s. He has contributed significantly to Sting's music by crafting delicate and intricate guitar work, such as the hypnotic guitar figure in 'Shape of My Heart.' His playing, characterized by classical precision and pop accessibility, complements Sting's fusion of genres.

What does Sting admire about Dominic Miller's approach to guitar playing?

Sting admires Dominic Miller's ability to complement his music without overwhelming it. Miller's style reflects restraint, with a focus on emotion rather than technical showmanship. Sting values the quiet brilliance of Miller's playing, which emphasizes saying something essential with the least amount of noise.

How did Andy Summers contribute to The Police's sonic identity?

Andy Summers' use of lush chord voicings, delays, and modulation effects played a key role in defining The Police's sonic identity. His ability to create shimmering, otherworldly textures and landscapes allowed the band to stand out, giving their music depth and character.

What was Sting's perspective on Andy Summers' role in The Police?

Sting recognized Andy Summers' ability to make The Police sound larger than life, saying he had the rare talent of creating a sonic landscape that made three people sound like six. Summers' subtlety and skillful use of effects like delay and chorus gave the band's music a distinctive sound.

How did Jimi Hendrix influence Sting's approach to the guitar?

Jimi Hendrix's influence on Sting was profound. Hendrix expanded the emotional vocabulary of the electric guitar, demonstrating that it could express a wide range of emotions like weeping, rage, and tenderness. His innovative approach to sound and technique inspired Sting's belief in emotional truth and creative freedom in music.

What aspect of Eric Clapton's guitar playing does Sting find most impactful?

Sting admires Eric Clapton's emotional depth and musical honesty. Clapton's guitar playing is marked by a focus on feel over speed, with a vulnerability that resonates deeply. Sting appreciates Clapton's ability to convey emotion with simplicity, often using a single, well-placed note to communicate more than technical virtuosity.

What was Sting's experience playing alongside Eric Clapton at the Bob Dylan 30th Anniversary Concert?

Sting described his experience sharing the stage with Eric Clapton at the 'Bob Dylan 30th Anniversary Concert Celebration' in 1992 as profound. He compared it to standing next to 'a river of history,' recognizing Clapton's long-standing influence and legacy in music.

How did Mark Knopfler influence Sting's view on guitar playing and songwriting?

Mark Knopfler's fingerpicking style and observational songwriting made a powerful impression on Sting. Knopfler's ability to create characters and stories through his guitar playing revealed to Sting the narrative possibilities within music. Knopfler's economical approach to expression, with every note serving a purpose, is something Sting strives to embody in his own work.

What was Jeff Beck's contribution to guitar playing, according to Sting?

Jeff Beck is seen by Sting as the epitome of musical adventurousness. Beck's fearlessness in constantly reinventing his style across various genres, from blues to jazz fusion, was a major inspiration for Sting. Beck's ability to make the guitar 'sing' with a human-like expression, full of breathing and nuance, served as a model for Sting's genre-blending career.

What common quality do the six guitarists Sting admires share?

The common quality shared by the six guitarists Sting admires—Dominic Miller, Andy Summers, Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Mark Knopfler, and Jeff Beck—is their commitment to emotional honesty and musical truth. They each elevated the guitar from an instrument to a voice capable of narrating stories, conveying moods, and connecting with listeners on a deep, emotional level.