🔊 Legendary guitarist Jake E. Lee, known for his powerful work with Ozzy Osbourne on albums like Bark at the Moon, has weighed in on the evolution of guitar technology, arguing that modern digital gear is inadvertently robbing today’s musicians of a critical element of rock and roll performance. According to Lee, the shift away from massive, cranked-up analog rigs to compact digital simulators and apps has eliminated the raw, visceral experience that defined earlier eras.
🐉 Taming the Dragon: The Lost Art of Loud Playing
Lee’s central critique revolves around the volume—or lack thereof—in many modern guitarists’ setups. While acknowledging that today’s technology has made life easier by making lugging huge stacks of amps a relic of the past, he insists that playing at a lower volume fundamentally alters the art.
“I feel like it’s got to be loud,” Lee stated in a recent interview. “I feel like that art is getting lost. A lot of modern guitar players, really low volume. And it’s just not the same.”
For Lee, true rock guitar mastery came from controlling an almost uncontrollable sound force. He likened the experience to “riding a dragon,” emphasizing the excitement of playing loud, distorted music that is not perfectly controlled.
🖐️ The Muting Masterclass: Harnessing Feedback
The loss of volume directly impacts another essential technique Lee feels is disappearing: the creative use and suppression of feedback. Playing at extreme volumes required constant vigilance and a specific skill set to mute unused strings to prevent uncontrolled squeals and noise.
“And the whole feedback thing,” Lee noted. “I mean, you hold a note, and then you move this way and changes pitch. And that you have to mute strings is something you have to learn when playing loud… And that’s definitely a lost art.”
He explained the complex hand movements required—muting top strings with the fingers or using the palm across the bridge—skills that are largely irrelevant when playing through low-volume digital simulations.
💡 Analogue Excitement vs. Digital Control
Lee cited classic performers like Carlos Santana at Woodstock, noting how he was constantly manipulating his volume knob to interact with his gear. For the veteran guitarist, the connection between the player, the loud amplifier, and the resulting sonic chaos provided a unique thrill.
In the digital era, where tone is often modeled and controlled precisely, Lee believes the visceral, untamed excitement is sacrificed for convenience and perfect fidelity. He concludes that when the music isn’t “blowing your hair back,” the performance is fundamentally diminished.