Is Billie Joe Armstrong a BAD Guitar Player??

#greenday #billiejoearmstrong #nofunmondays #guitar #guitarist #guitarplayer #guibson #fender #gretsch

[eamonmac]

Bedroom guitarist :”his riffs are so easy”


yes, but he wrote it. You used tabs and YouTube to learn how to play it.

[MrHaydnHarry]

I’m surprised you didn’t mention the fact he plays hard and fast while singing. He’s a showman. He does play power chords maybe 95% of the time, undeniably, but that’s the sound of pop punk. He doesn’t do it because it’s easy, he does it because it SOUNDS RIGHT. He’s not bad, but not exceptional either. He’s an exceptional song writer though.

[amirmasjid]

not to mention, the millions of people he has inspired to pick up a guitar and get interested in music.

[erikmcconnon]

The thing that impresses me the most about Billy Joe's playing is how fast and clean he changes chords. A lot of Green Day's songs have a ton of really fast chord changes with very syncopated rhythms and he nails them so cleanly that it just punches you in the gut. It's even more impressive that he does it while singing

[brendanmanning]

Shred guitar solos don’t really compliment a lot of green day music. He knows what he writes and he does it very well

[MJKarkoska]

He is a great guitar player. What impresses me most about his playing is the coordination. He can play an entire show as the only guitar player, while doing all the lead vocal work. Adding a touring guitar player is not done because he needs him, and one reason is simply because touring is difficult, and tiring, thus it makes it easier. You don't often hear his guitar stop during the vocal parts, and while playing power chords and singing at the same time is pretty easy for simple and slow patterns, I've seen him play some incredibly involved rhythm guitar parts while simultaneously singing. You can't do that if you're not a good guitar player as well as a good musician in general. Also, it is virtually impossible to play guitar so often and for so long and not become proficient.

[noahhossman]

Never understood the argument that a band or musicians music has to be “complex” to be good.

[LoadPast]

John Lennon once said something to the effect of, "sure I'd love to be able to play like BB King, but I dont think I fucking need to"

[yoboisteven]

"Billie Joe Armstrong sucks at guitar" - Teenager who just picked up guitar and only plays "Iron Man" and "Come as you are" and has never actually played at a gig.

[ravciozo]

"Green Day doesn't have good hard solos"
*Dirty Rotten Bastards entered the chat*

[donttalktome]

Even if he isnt the best player, his song writting is undeniable.

[GreatCanadianMusic]

save yourself 9 minutes: Is Billie Joe Armstrong a bad guitar player? No.

[rubievale]

As a professional player I can attest that Mr Armstrong is a beast of a player with nothing to prove anyone anymore. Green Day as a band are as tight as it gets, rock solid, and have been since practically day one.

[DrJagstang]

When I started playing guitar Green Day songs like "Welcome to Paradise" and "Longview" were among the first I learned among Nirvana and Ramones stuff. I have to say the older I get the more I respect and admire Green Day and Billie Joe. He is one of the most consistent players ever and just about as on point as one can be. He chooses not to shred as a stylistic choice not because he can't do it. And all those wannabe shredders who judge him could not write what he does even if their life depended on it.

[TheDreamingInsomniacs]

I have seen Green Day live 5 times and Billie Joe Armstrong is nowhere near a bad guitar player, lead or rhythm!

[AutoEquipmentInc]

Eddie Van Halen said Billie Joe was one of his favorite guitar players.

[jayess]

BJA is one of the world's musical treasures.

[tvnorminstudio]

Billie has a forceful punk energy that he utilizes while playing minor pentatonic classic hard rock style solos. The vibrato is pretty superb with that kind of energy. Severely underrated guitar player.

[lathspell]

No one would confuse Billie with an expert guitarist, but it blows my mind that someone would consider him bad. He is a good guitar player and an even better producer of music. Funny to hear someone who shreds a bunch of covers mock a rock n roll hall of famer who has sold millions of records.

I will say this, Green Day is one of the tightest live bands that exists. They may play a lot of power chords, but those damn chords are struck perfectly, and on time with the drums and bass.

Also, I've seen them live over 7 times and no one has the energy and gives it their all like Billie does. That SoB is all over the stage and, I would say, one of the top 10 rock front men of all time.

[LDQBBQ]

Certainly he plays power chords. One of the things I've most admired about Green Day is their ability to write simple songs with power chords that everybody knows and turn them into hits. There's beauty in simplicity.