Bumblefoot plays Guitars Suck & Guitars Still Suck at the RMA

Ron Bumblefoot Thal begins his performance clinic on June 13, 2015 at the Raleigh Music Academy with two of his most brilliant tunes...Guitars Suck and Guitars Still Suck.
Visit the Raleigh Music Academy's site at www.rmarocks.com
Thanks to Chris Vickery for the excellent footage!

[@ChaseTheHeat]

Honestly one of the greatest to ever touch the instrument

[@babarishka]

Every time I see this I want to give it another thumbs up.

[@Arkard9]

Ron may very well be the best rock guitarist who ever lived.

[@HoxVox]

I'm not sure, but he's at least in first three. Don't forget that Scott Mishoe did this in 1985, at the age of 13 kzbin.info/www/bejne/b4ichIVjmpmWg8U

[@ShredHeadJHJ]

Thal is not my favorite guitarist ever, but Guthrie Govan did say that he was the hardest guitarist to emulate. I just saw Sons of Apollo last night on their first ever headlining show and Thal fucking kicked ass hard. The guy is very clearly an above-AMAZING guitar player and performer. He played probably 90% of the show on the fretless guitar, and with great intonation. Even most of the riffs you would not guess were fretless he was playing fretless.

[@ShredHeadJHJ]

I watched that Scott Mishoe thing. He can obviously tackle the Van Halen type stuff really well, but you can't compare the kid to a virtuoso like Bumblefoot based on that very old video. Impressive at the time, of course. I'm sure the kid got better over the years, but I listen to a ton of guitar music and have never heard of him. I listen to A LOT of stuff, and watch A LOT of KZbin guys.

[@blekmetal8140]

+Hox Vox well the same thing and much better (with much better technique and using more techniques such sweeping,legato etc.) did Jason Becker at the age of 15 playing paganini and shawn lane too. No offense to kid's performance but he is far from a guitar virtuoso or a guitar prodigy.

[@EthnHayabusa]

Music is not a competition. You will enjoy it more when you realize this.

[@smedleybutlerjr.1877]

My god, it's just not fair. I can't even think that fast, let alone play that fast. What's wonderful about Bumblefoot is the humor he incorporates into his shredding, not to mention sick time changes, sick chords and the fretless guitar. Of course, there's room for everybody, not just insane shredders like Bumblefoot. David Gilmour and George Harrison are two genius guitarists who I, with my little Vienna sausage fingers, can play rings around, but really, what does that prove? Incredible speed and off-the-charts technique aren't everything, but it's sure fun to listen to and watch. Okay, I talked myself out of tossing my guitars out the window!!!!!

[@jacqlawalata5749]

God bless you Mr Ron 'Bumblefoot' Thal.. No other words

[@hectormancilla8304]

es muy talentoso

[@SawyerSmoak]

Amazing performance and workshop put on by Ron. Thanks for making it happen!

[@24Olivier07]

Just out of this world. Thanks for sharing.

[@2ShadesOfGray]

What incredible mastery

[@MatthewNorthArchive]

Insane level of musicianship

[@bienvenidovelasco6834]

Is that music to you? when you mature you'll realize you were wrong

[@bienvenidovelasco6834]

@Richard I am already matured, and you're right but I already know it, now kid would you please say nothing anymore, you annoy me kid, go home

[@ulascanpolat1]

@@bienvenidovelasco6834 then why are you here? get the fuck off instead.

[@misu1073]

@@bienvenidovelasco6834 to be honest he was probably at home when he wrote that

[@spacejockey4746]

@@bienvenidovelasco6834I’m 52. And this is INDEED “music.” So it’s not your thing or you’re jealous. Either way, you watched didn’t you.

[@yvancluet8146]

this guy will never cease to amaze me... And i've been a fan for 5 years

[@StephenChapman]

Yvan Cluet: I've been one for almost 20 years now, and no matter how many other amazing guitarists come and go, there's absolutely no one like Ron!

[@joshjoshson5999]

He makes it look damn easy.

[@sissyfist]

Sir Joshy idk, watch the fingers on his right hand...easy is not what comes to mind. He has hand eye coordination that 99% of people just will never have.

[@superlivelyrics2463]

If you look at this and find it easy, you probably the next bumblefoot of our generation

[@Bumblefatbumblefat]

The best !

[@dominiquerenault9407]

Ah la la !! King Ron.....

[@babarishka]

"Guitars Still Suck" reminds me of cartoon music, like the old Looney Tunes cartoons from the 50's and 60's. I'm an old guy (60 in June) and Steve Howe of Yes will always be my favorite guitarist and guru, but as far as shredders go, I'd have to give first place to Bumblefoot.

[@WarlokMetal]

HAHAHAHA!!! That was amazing!!!! I am honestly laughing at how insane this guy is! Love it!

[@davewhitehill3602]

Brilliant!!!!

[@James-fx8eb]

He has some serious voodoo hand shit going on!

[@BenjisBoxingChannel]

G3 should be Via, Govan and Thal!

[@handah-81]

Exactly

[@heavoc9793]

G3 could also be great Ron Thal, Christophe Godin & Buckethead

[@humbuccaneer84]

Thal.howe.govan. and something like terryberry or max ostro. Would be fun.

[@talalmaniazeem5814]

g3 cant be without the greatest Satch

[@jimkavanagh9521]

Wow.

[@luiznascimento7876]

ESSE CARA É UM ET!

[@tigersblood12212012]

This guy makes me feel like throwing my guitar in the trash

[@biergartner4947]

Wow, faster as light. :-)

[@masbro1901]

Long Live ROn...darn he's good, i didn't know him until i search mike portnoy.

[@docwill184]

virtuosity, really interesting, offkilter phrasing and making fun of himself and the rest of us in the guitar-playing universe

[@cioaeuirtert]

Ronnie Bumblefoot is God!

[@xxheathenxx6402]

GUITARS FUKN ROCK MAN🤘🤙!!

[@pauloguitar4366]

I can't even figure out what the hell he's doing, sweeps mid fretboard while tapping at the same time? This is ridiculously difficult

[@jorgdingler5904]

He´s practicing more than an hour after work, right?

[@tyg715]

he has practised guitar for like a 100 hours per day

[@aaronribnicky9917]

Did he just quote Jeepers Creepers in the fretless solo ?

[@bienvenidovelasco6834]

Music for cartoon network

[@Tadesan]

I hate it when they blur the guitarists hands for artistic effect...

[@diabeticmonkey]

The angry people in the comments amuse me. I assume they’re not guitarists or don’t get the joke

[@zeekmx1970]

Now that I've heard him AND seen him, I shall proceed to punish his fake fans. LOL I know just enough to follow what he did here. I didn't think that was possible. That's how these things go with guitar, one day you don't, the next day you do. If you do, Try it with as much humor as possible.

[@Cambodia69]

Are there any shredders that have a good guitar tone?

[@TheEnderBand]

Yngwie, Chris poland

[@johnbillson3767]

Just.....wtf

[@sissyfist]

As far as "shred" type guitarists he's up there with the most skilled and most musical I've ever seen...that said this is pretty bad in my opinion. Not the playing, as usual he's spot on, I just don't like the arrangement. Usually the musical choices he makes are enjoyable to my ear, but this piece just sounds like generic shred with notes for the sake of notes, and doesn't go anywhere.

[@StephenChapman]

sissyfist: The whole point of these songs is to play terrifying licks, and to convey a humorous context. They're tongue-in-cheek. They are also musical, but for the sake of terrifying technique, and humor. Ron is one of very few players who can convey humor through note choice, but some out there don't seem to be receptive to it. The first song is terrifying licks 100%. The second is like something you'd hear in a Looney Toons cartoon, but even more wacky. To hear an even more intentional take of his on humor and technique (especially as related to guitarists always being criticized for shredding), listen to his song, "I Can't Play The Blues."

[@BallisticaMetal]

That's what I get from these songs... he just makes fun of the "shred community" that's the reason he named those songs "guitars suck" and " guitars still suck". He doesn't always play like this (listen to Normal and Abnormal album) and listen to I can't play the blues that's just another level of mockery.

[@bordertown]

I agree. I've seen Ron perform live a few times and he's always played these two songs. Don't get me wrong, they are incredible displays of otherworldly technique and musical zaniness but they are a bit of a bore structurally-speaking. Ron's true strength and genius lies in being a singing guitarist in my opinion where his playing and songwriting come full spectrum with his humor, his whole Hands album being an example.

[@bertagriese8282]

5 seconds in I heard enough. What's the use of all this technique if there' s no music...?

[@StephenChapman]

Berta Griese: Oh, I don't know...maybe a ton of albums, touring as Guns 'n Roses' lead player for years, adoration and respect around the globe for being the prodigious musician he is, etc.? Why can't a guitarist just have fun and let loose without people shitting on them for a few hours of fun with other guitarists who are having a blast and learning music from one of the greatest, most talented musicians to walk this planet? I get so tired of the opinion that every fucking note from a guitarist's fingers HAS to "mean something," or else that player risks having their life's work distilled down to one moment of supreme judgment.

[@blekmetal8140]

Actually the first song is quite melodic... He is playing a lot of crazy arpegios which according to Harmony (music theory) have no mistakes in terms of their selection.

[@marcodesimone6163]

cant get used to that fretless sound...sorry

[@guyfrantz2865]

Horrible.

[@kuyakoi3469]

Bulcrap theres is no musicality it’s all show off

[@kuyakoi3469]

Conrad Nickelson clearly because this is the only played video. I dont question his mastery in guitar playing. But this video dont show any musicality in general its purely show off. Youre like watching a vocalist that can only do is pull off high notes by yelling at the microphone. But never really knew the lyrics neither can express the entire song.

[@JohnDoe-zf7nk]

Dude if you don't like neoclassics then, it's only your problem, for example some don't like your damn ukulele >.> do they have to start mocking you?

[@kuyakoi3469]

John Doe its good that you realise my point, both of us agreed that this is only a show off. Why the hell you wanna tap on my ukelele it has nothing to do with this video

[@JohnDoe-zf7nk]

LMAO I don't even agree with you, what do you know about playing guitar even? Guitar techniques? He doesn't show off, he plays what he likes and many people like it also

[@kuyakoi3469]

John Doe hahah! Really? playing what he likes meaning what to show off? Yeah right.. why would u even compare me to him? Youre making no sense

[@riccardodepaoli8871]

boring