Music producer Max Norman, known for his work with Ozzy Osbourne and other hard rock and metal acts, recently shared his thoughts on modern guitarists and music production during his appearance on the Talk Louder Podcast.
Norman expressed worries about today’s music scene. He pointed out that modern music often lacks a dynamic range, especially in symphonic bands, and misses the value of silence. Norman believes this problem is partly due to the short attention spans people have developed from using social media. The producer then addressed the focus of today’s guitarists on technical proficiency over musical expression, saying:
“It seems to me that I have the same problem with today’s guitar players, who are astonishingly good — and all kudos to these guys — but very few of them that actually speak to me, musically. And I can see there’s a thousand of Yngwies, but there’s only one Uli Jon Roth, for instance.”
Technical Skills And Musical Substance
Norman emphasized the importance of creating beautiful music over showing technical skills with the following words:
“If you want longevity, it’s not about how many notes you’re playing. It’s really about how beautiful can you make this piece of music. People seem to be going past the musicality and into some technical realm — which is very fine and good, but let’s leave that for the practice room and come out and play me something tasty.”
The Challenge Of Modern Guitar Solos
Mirroring Norman’s thoughts, in a discussion with Total Guitar last month, Nita Strauss also shared her admiration for Jimmy Page’s unorthodox approach to guitar solos. Strauss highlighted the potential backlash a modern guitarist might face for replicating Page’s style and talked about the value of playing from the heart:
“He’s showed us what we play doesn’t always have to be perfectly time-coded or on the grid, the bends can go a little sharp, the vibrato can be a little erratic, and that can work even better than perfectly executed and punched-in stuff. He’s organic and real… there’s all that feel in what he comes out with because he plays from the heart, not the head.”
In the 1980s and 1990s, Norman was behind the production and engineering of several top hard rock and metal albums. Besides his contributions to Osbourne’s initial three albums, he also collaborated with bands like Megadeth, Grim Reaper, Savatage, and Lizzy Borden, among others.
Watch the producer’s full chat below.
