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Was Joni Mitchell a great guitarist?

Author

James Craig

Published Jan 12, 2026

Joni Mitchell is not a technically brilliant guitarist, but she is one of the most inventive players of all time. What makes Mitchell a standout is her creative use of tuning.

Is Joni Mitchell a good musician?

“The truth is she's much better as a musician and much better as a singer.” David Crosby has expressed his opinion that Joni Mitchell is just as good a lyricist, and “10 times the musician and singer” when compared to her fellow legendary singer-songwriter Bob Dylan.

Who is the greatest guitar player of all time?

Listen to our Rock Classics playlist, here, and check out our 20 best guitarists, below.

  • 8: Mark Knopfler. ...
  • 7: Eddie Van Halen. ...
  • 6: Brian May. ...
  • 5: Chuck Berry. ...
  • 4: Eric Clapton. ...
  • 3: David Gilmour. ...
  • 2: Jimi Hendrix. ...
  • 1: Jimmy Page.

Who is the best guitar player according to Eric Clapton?

However, the greatest, according to Eric Clapton, the bonafide guitar god, is Albert Lee. The guitarist has worked with some big names, including Emmylou Harris and The Everly Brothers. Considering Clapton's appraisal, we all should be listening to Lee: “He's the greatest guitarist in the world. The ultimate virtuoso.

What guitar tuning did Joni Mitchell use?

Octave and unison tunings

Specifying the tuning in 'Joni notation' makes it clear. The tuning is Ab 12 7 5 4 3, so the bottom two strings are in fact tuned an octave (12 frets) apart.

32 related questions found

Did Joni Mitchell tune her guitar differently?

While most guitars are kept at standard tuning, strung E-A-D-G-B-E from low to high, Mitchell almost never uses a standard tuning set-up for anything. Instead, her guitar could be tuned to any number of wild intervals that would baffle even the most complex jazz players.

What guitar did Joni Mitchell play?

Throughout her career, a Martin D-28 dreadnought acoustic has been a mainstay of her line-up. First used by the singer songwriter from 1966, D-28s remain her guitar of choice when playing an acoustic set, though she has also been known to use the smaller Martin D-45 guitar on occasion as well.

What is the greatest guitar solo of all time?

The Greatest Guitar Solos of All Time

  1. Pink Floyd | “Comfortably Numb”
  2. Van Halen | “Eruption” ...
  3. Led Zeppelin | “Stairway To Heaven” ...
  4. Queen | “Bohemian Rhapsody” ...
  5. Eagles | “Hotel California” ...
  6. The Jimi Hendrix Experience | “All Along The Watchtower” ...
  7. Dire Straits | “Sultans Of Swing” ...
  8. Lynyrd Skynyrd | “Free Bird” ...

Who was Prince's favorite guitar player?

However, without a doubt, the greatest influence on Prince as a guitarist and, therefore, likely his favourite of all time, was Sonny Thompson, Prince's longtime friend. When asked the question of his favourite guitarist in 1994, Prince picked his bandmate and bassist, Sonny T by saying: “I listened to everybody.

Who is the greatest female guitarist of all time?

6 Best Female Guitarists of All Time

  • 1 Mother Maybelle Carter.
  • 2 Sister Rosetta Tharpe.
  • 3 Lita Ford.
  • 4 Nancy Wilson.
  • 5 Sharon Isbin.
  • 6 Yvette Young.
  • 7 Finding your inspiration in history.

Who is considered the greatest rock guitarist of all time?

Jimi Hendrix has been voted the Greatest Guitarist Of All Time by readers of the Louder website. Over 70,000 votes were cast in the poll, with Hendrix topping a list of 50 guitarists, followed by Jimmy Page, Eddie Van Halen, David Gilmour, Eric Clapton and Stevie Ray Vaughan.

What is the hardest guitar solo to play?

The 10 most difficult guitar solos to play

  • Intervals – Libra.
  • Megadeth – Tornado of Souls. ...
  • Plini - Electric Sunrise. ...
  • Unprocessed - Prototype. ...
  • Born of Osiris - Follow the Signs. ...
  • Pantera – Domination. ...
  • Metallica - One. ...
  • Born of Osiris - Dissimulation. ...

Who is the best acoustic guitarist of all time?

13 Of The Greatest And Most Famous Acoustic Guitar Players Of All...

  • Paul Simon.
  • Nick Drake.
  • Chet Atkins.
  • Maybelle Carter.
  • Charo.
  • Elizabeth “Libba” Cotten.
  • Joni Mitchell.
  • John Fahey.

What is Joni Mitchell's disease?

In recent years, Mitchell has been plagued by health problems, including a stroke, post-polio health issues, and Morgellons disease, a rare, controversial, and mysterious condition. Worlwide, over 10,000 known cases of Morgellons disease exist, with most in the United States.

Is Joni Mitchell underrated?

On International Women's Day, we remember one of the most influential, and widely underrated, singer-songwriters of our time. "I never wanted to be a star," Joni Mitchell said in an interview with Joe Smith in 1986. "I didn't like entering a room with all eyes on me." She's said things like that all her life.

Why Joni Mitchell is amazing?

Joni Mitchell has received numerous Grammy awards and nominations. She was the recipient of Billboard's prestigious Century Award for “distinguished creative achievement” in 1995 and in 1997 she was inducted into both the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Is Prince the greatest guitarist of all time?

Prince may have been the greatest guitarist of the post-Hendrix era and often seemed to carry Hendrix's aura more intrepidly than anyone, most notably in his incredible versatility.

Who did Jimi Hendrix think was the best guitarist in the world?

The legendary guitar play Jimi Hendrix was blown away by Terry Kath's guitar playing. When first hearing Terry Kath play, Jimi Hendrix was quoted as saying that he thought Terry Kath played guitar better than he did. It was later on reported that Jimi Hendrix also called Terry Kath the “Best Guitarist in the Universe.”

Did Jimi Hendrix call Rory Gallagher the best guitarist?

According to lore, in an interview with Rolling Stone magazine, Jimi Hendrix was asked, “How does it feel to be the greatest guitarist in the world?” He is believed to have answered, “I don't know, go ask Rory Gallagher.” Accounts of Hendrix's reference to the Irish blues-rock guitarist and singer abound but, to be ...

What is Jimmy Page's favorite guitar solo?

How Elliott Randall Nailed Steely Dan's “Reelin' in the Years” Recording in One Continuous Take. Said to be Jimmy Page's favorite solo of all time, Randall's lead on this 1972 tune is a masterpiece.

Who played the guitar solo in Free Bird?

Although this video hit the YouTubes a few years ago, we thought you'd enjoy hearing the isolated guitar-solo track from Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Free Bird." The solo on the song—which was played by Allen Collins and Gary Rossington—comes it at Number 3 on Guitar World's list of the 100 Greatest Guitar Solos of All Time.

How did Joni Mitchell learn to play guitar?

The guitar— — with the Pete Seeger record — —followed shortly. “But I didn't have the patience to copy a style that was already known.” Joni dumped the record and learned guitar by experimentation, so that today she re-tunes her guitar after almost every song, and she plays direct harmony to her own singing.

How does Joni Mitchell play the guitar?

As a guitarist, Mitchell has a unique approach to the instrument as virtually every song she has composed features an altered tuning. In fact, she has used over 50 altered tunings during her career. Early on you can see Joni playing her Brazilian bodied Martin D-28.

Did Joni Mitchell use a pick?

Joni states she purchased Pete Seeger's How to Play Folk-Style Guitar. She was so proficient that she skipped ahead of the book's lessons and learned to fingerpick the way Elizabeth Cotton picked on her famous song Freight Train.