10 Biggest Geniuses In Rock And Roll

There's no real way to declare what a musical genius really is. While some people might use terms like 'virtuoso' to describe someone who's competent at their instrument, being in rock and roll goes a little bit deeper than that. No, as far as rock is concerned, you need to do something more than just have the chops to back yourself up.

As opposed to just stringing together a million notes per second, these artists understood the reason why rock and roll worked so well to begin with. For some, this might come in the showmanship, as these artists are impossible not to watch once they take to the stage. On the other hand, some might see the bigger picture of the rock and roll lifestyle at the time, saving their shots for when they know they will leave the most impact. The chops certainly help in this department though, as most of these artists have riffs and tricks that are inconceivable for mortals to pull off effectively.

Above all else, these people understood the reason why rock and roll moved something in your gut whenever it comes on. Even if some of these artists have made questionable material in their time, you can't deny the raw brain power it took to make these things happen.

When talking about the greatest musicians in rock and roll, 9 times out of 10 it comes down to the guitar. From the blues legends of old to the speed metal masters, it takes a certain amount of determination to reach the Yngwie Malmsteen levels of guitar shredding. To shred is only one facet though...it's what you do with it once you have the chops down.

As opposed to just being able to play a million notes per second, Steve Vai is one of the few virtuosos able to put some real emotion into what he's doing. Being trained under the warped mind of Frank Zappa, Vai's intense knowledge of music theory has helped him reach new limits for the electric guitar that no one had ever thought of before. Even though his contemporaries like Joe Satriani also have their own type of chops, Vai seems just as interested in seeing what the electric guitar can do rather than put together a symphony of noise every time he picks it up.

Whenever you throw on one of Vai's songs, you're going to get a strong helping of mind-melting licks, off-the-wall kookiness, and some of the most daring musical pieces that the rock world has to offer. In the grand scheme of things, the guitar is still a relatively new instrument, and Vai is one of the few that's still interested to see what he can do with it.