Musicological analysis of guitar solos from the roots of rock through modern heavy metal

AbstractThe general techniques of guitar soloing have changed very little since the beginnings of the rock era in the 1950s, even though the style of playing has seen dramatic changes. Using the methods of analysis from the fields of statistics and musicology, we have looked into how soloing techniques have changed from 1950s’ rock to modern heavy metal. This not only helps in discerning the differences in playing between eras but is an addition to the toolbox of musicology. Pitch distributions were calculated and then analysed using cluster and tree methods. Speed and technique were analysed using the Generalized Estimating Equations. We found no distinct delineation between the decades for pitch distributions. There was an increasing, though non-significant, trend in the use of special techniques, which became significant when comparing the later decades grouped against the earlier decades. Most notably, there was a significant difference in speed between the decades, with an increase in the later decades.