Lindsey Buckingham vs. Mark Knophler

[jeffles]

Fingerpicking is not the guitar style of choice for most rock guitar players, but two of the finest guitarist of the modern rock era use their fingers rather than a pick. They are Lindsey Buckingham and Mark Knophler. For anyone who isn't familiar with the latter, he is the guitarist/vocalist/songwriter of Dire Straits. As well as leading that band, Knophler has performed and produced for others, as well as recording his own solo albums.
I've often thought about who is actually a better guitar player, and its a tough one. I don't know if i can say who is better, since they are both tremendous. LB may be a better all around musician, which includes production and arrangment, and his voice is better than Knophler's, but I can't see how he's a better guitar player. I would place them on the same scale as guitarists.
I'd like to hear other people's thoughts are, keeping in mind that this is a LB message board and the opinions may be slightly biased...

[tuigirl]

Hmmm..I don't think you can compere either one against the other, their style of music is quite different and Lindsey appears to have many more strings to his bow as you have already suggested.The one thing I do find interesting, is the difference in technique with the actual fingers. Mark almost appears arthritic, whereas Lindseys fingers are much more open and fascinating to watch with that "how does he do that " look about them! Either way, the music is what counts and it's pretty good from both but hardly comparable. (my loyalities lie with the latter though!!!)

[seteca]

(Ok, not to be picky but I just wanna say that his name is spelt Mark Knopfler, not Knophler! )

I think that, although Fleetwood Mac and Dire Straits aren't exactly galaxies apart when it comes to music genre, Lindsey and Mark's style and intentions (if that makes any sense!) are very different. Lindsey's eternal method of Travis fingerpicking is essential to many of his songs, where you really need the ability to produce three pretty much independent bass, rhythm and melody sections from one guitar (e.g. The Chain, Big Love & Go Insane acoustics, Landslide, World Turning etc etc), whereas as far as I can tell (I obviously don't know anything near as much about Mark), Mark uses a freestyle fingerpicking method, which isn't really essential to any of his songs, but still sounds awesome.
I've always thought of Mark as a rock guitarist who uses his fingers simply because he prefers to use them to a pick, and Lindsey as a bluegrass-turned-rock guitarist, who seems to have ingeniously kept his bluegrass-rooted sound and style in his very much rock/pop dominated songs.
Mark is of course also nothing less than a musical genius (IMO), Sultans of Swing....Brothers In Arms.....need I say more??

[Justine]

It's an interesting topic. I really like both of them very much. THey are both excellent guitarists and very unique. I'm not sure i agree with you that Lindsey's voice is better - they both have very distinctive "imperfect" voices that have great emotion and depth, but I think it's definitely okay to disagree on such a thing. They're both awesome, as you pointed out and I hope they'll continue to make music for many years to come.

[bjk3047]

Originally posted by seteca
Lindsey's eternal method of Travis fingerpicking is essential to many of his songs, where you really need the ability to produce three pretty much independent bass, rhythm and melody sections from one guitar (e.g. The Chain, Big Love & Go Insane acoustics, Landslide, World Turning etc etc)
Lindsey as a bluegrass-turned-rock guitarist, who seems to have ingeniously kept his bluegrass-rooted sound and style in his very much rock/pop dominated songs.

Well put! That's what I would've said had I known how to put it into words.
-Brian

[madformac]

Here's my take on this as these two are my favorite guitarists anyway.

As far as vocal range is concerned Lindsey has it it the bag. MK's vocal range is fairly limited, although he uses what he has very well.
Both of them produce and arrange music as well, I would give Knopfler the edge here because although Lindsey's skills are amongst the finest, Mark Knopfler has written and produced numerous film scores including Local Hero and Wag The Dog (starring Anne Heche, if Lindsey is reading this!) and his latest work was on the new TV series of Auf Wiedersehen Pet over here in the UK. Lindsey's approach to arranging is amazing though, I have to say.
As far as guitar technique is concerned Lindsey uses a Travis picking style (three fingers and thumb with the thumb driving the bass and rhythm) and sometimes "frails" the strings, a la banjo style with his fingers as well. Knopfler uses what seems to be a kind of awkward style with his thumb doing the majority of the work and using his fore and middle fingers, looking like they are glued together at times to pick the top E and B (thinest two) strings. His palm seems to stick close to the guitar bridge at most times too.
I play with a style similar to Knopfler's although I do move my right hand a lot more than he does and I do sometimes use my ring finger as well. It works for me.

Both of these guys are self taught and neither ever had a lesson which explains their unorthodox styles when playing electric.

Both guitarists play amazing instruments. Lindsey's Turner 1CLB is quite incredible for a single pickup guitar. Knopfler's Pensa-Suhr (see my avatar) is also quite ridiculous with it's range of tones.

***Seteca, I eventually decided to get John Suhr to build me a guitar similar to the one he built MK instead of getting a Turner 1CLB.***

Anyway, I think there really is nothing between them as artists. Knopfler seems more well known which is odd because Fleetwood Mac are far bigger than Dire Straits ever were.
I personally would give MK the title of best player only because I have seen him play things that I as a guitarist cannot grasp and everything I have seen Lindsey play I can understand from a guitarists point of view (even if I can't play like him! Ha!)

Hope this long, pointless ramble helps!

[wondergirl9847]

Mark is quite impressive, but I don't listen to his music that much. I do love Sultans of Swing. I would have to say Lindsey's breathy, sexy voice is WAY better to my ears than Mark, but that's all about opinion. Don't forget that Mark also scored The Princess Bride, excellent movie and excellent soundtrack!! (BTW, I can play part of the theme on my guitar!! WOOHOO! ) I PREFER Lindsey as a singer AND as a guitarist, but Mark is great.

[seteca]

Originally posted by bjk3047


Well put! That's what I would've said had I known how to put it into words.
-Brian

lol.......thanks Brian...believe me I'm not usually that articulate...but LB gets my maximum respect so I try hard to be as expressive as possible!!...!!

Lindsey Buckingham.....we're not worthy..!! we're not worthy!!lol

[chiliD]

It's not a competition...please, no wagering.

Knopfler comes from, seemingly, a more country/jazz...um...Chet Atkins influenced finger-style, whereas Lindsey's Travis picking style is more of a Appalachian bluegrass roots thing. Apples & Oranges.

Let's really mix it up and toss in a third option of a WELL-KNOWN guitar player who doesn't use a pick and has a unique style of playing with his fingers that comes from neither of the same roots as Buckingham or Knopfler...but from rockabilly...his idols were Cliff...uh..um...oh, crap, can't think of his last name right now...but he was Gene Vincent's guitar player...oh, yeah, Cliff Gallup, Eddie Cochrane, & Duane Eddy; and despite being influenced by those late '50's rockabilly guys, went on to take psychedelic blues-rock, jazz/rock fusion, and techno jazz/rock to new heights...was most well known for being Eric Clapton's replacement in the Yardbirds...the one...the only...


...JEFF BECK.

[Justine]

getting a bit off-topic but I wanted to add that the Dire Straits song "Romeo and Juliet" is amazing and has always been one of my favorites. The Indigo Girls did a killer cover version of it on their album "Rites of Passage" aswell. As a mtter of fact, I'm not even sure which version I like better - it's very hard to choose. I love Mark's voice, but the Indigo Girls really are great on this song - and their version is extremely passionate and intense.

Chili - about Jeff Beck, I have heard a bit of his guitar work over the years and I thought it was amazing. I must admit though I seem to have a tendency to listen to singer/guitarists more than just guitarists - Jeff's guitarwork is world-class but I have heard that he is not considered much of a singer? Would you agree?

Justine

[chiliD]

I think he's credited on lead vocals on only about 3 or 4 songs in his entire career. So, yeah...he's not much of a singer...guitar-SLINGER, yeah, though.

[Skylark]

Very interesting Thread...Lindsey is the first
guitar player I could "understand"!!!But...I
also think there are many, awesome players
with unique guitar playing moves!

seteca...I agree with -Brian...Could not say IT
any better! My feelings exactly! Cheers! Sky

[madformac]

Don't forget as well that Lindsey really needs to get as full a sound as he can from one guitar and although he has Neale Heywood and Ray Lindsey helping him out on tour, Fleetwood Mac are really a one guitarist band. Lindsey's Travis picking style is essential to this without it this wouldn't work.
Lindsey's amazing ability to fingerpick multiple notes at a time makes you forget this now and again, and of course,when he left Fleetwood Mac in 1987 he was replaced by two guitarists. Says a lot about the man's ability.

If you listen to Knopfler live he is mainly a lead player on stage and really doesn't play a great deal of rhythm all by himself, although this is not the case in the studio.

Awesome talents, both of them.

[jeffles]

not only was Lindsey replaced by two guitarists in 1987, he was replaced by 2 truly exceptional guitarists. Rick Vito has been one of the most prolific studio guitarists of the 70's and 80's. His best moment was the awesome slide guitar solo on Bob Segar's song "Like a Rock"...

[chiliD]

Ok, fact...two guitar players joined when Lindsey left.

MYTH: it took two guitar players to replace Lindsey.

Billy was asked to joined because his VOCAL range was similar to Lindsey's. Billy knew that his guitar prowess wasn't up to the standards of Fleetwood Mac's needs, so Mick asked Rick Vito, who Billy'd been working with prior to joining the Mac and who Billy (strongly) suggested they add, too. It was, in essence, a similar situation to 1975...Billy was asked to join, he basically said, as long as Rick joins, too, we're a team, kind of thing. Which worked out well, in that they got the concert set material worked out in quick fashion.

So, in reality, Billy replaced Lindsey's voice, Rick Vito replaced Lindsey's guitar...that Billy played guitar was basically a bonus, but wasn't an essential factor in "replacing Lindsey".

I just wish the whole "It took two guitar players to replace Lindsey" BS would just stop, because it ISN'T true.