Paul Gilbert is a guitar legend noted for his brilliant skill and limitless imagination on the instrument. Gilbert has gained international success as a solo artist and as a member of bands such as Racer X and Mr. Big during the course of his three-decade career. He is also a well-known author and instructor who has authored numerous notable guitar teaching books. Gilbert’s musical legacy continues to influence guitarists and music enthusiasts all over the world.
1. Who Is Paul Gilbert?
Paul Gilbert is an American musician, guitarist, and composer who was born in Illinois on November 6, 1966. He is best known as the founder and main guitarist of the bands Racer X and Mr. Big. Gilbert has also recorded many solo albums and collaborated with a number of different musicians.
Gilbert began playing guitar at an early age and subsequently went on to teach at the Guitar Institute of Technology (GIT) in Los Angeles. He created the band Racer X in 1985 and quickly became known for his rapid, precise playing style. He co-founded the band Mr. Big in 1989, and the band attained international recognition with the hit songs “To Be with You” and “Just Take My Heart.” Gilbert, in addition to his involvement with these bands, has recorded a number of solo albums that showcase his wide musical inspirations and guitar virtuosity.
Gilbert is highly regarded as a great guitarist who has received acclaim for his technical prowess and musicality. He has impacted many other guitarists and is an inspiration to budding musicians all across the world.
2. What Are Paul Gilbert Best Songs?
Paul Gilbert has recorded several tracks as a solo artist and as a member of various bands throughout the years. It might be tough to choose the “greatest” songs because this is primarily a question of personal preference. Nonetheless, here are a selection of Paul Gilbert’s most well-known and critically appreciated songs:
- Technical Difficulties – from the album “Technical Difficulties” by Racer X.
- Colorado Bulldog – from the album “Bump Ahead” by Mr. Big.
- Scarified – from the album “Street Lethal” by Racer X.
- Green Tinted Sixties Mind – from the album “Lean into It” by Mr. Big.
- Fuzz Universe – from the album “Fuzz Universe” by Paul Gilbert.
- Space Ship One – from the album “Spaceship One” by Paul Gilbert.
- To Be With You – from the album “Lean into It” by Mr. Big.
- I Can Destroy – from the album “I Can Destroy” by Paul Gilbert.
- Street Lethal – from the album “Street Lethal” by Racer X.
- The Gargoyle – from the album “Silence Followed by a Deafening Roar” by Paul Gilbert.
Remember, this is only a tiny sample of Paul Gilbert’s many wonderful songs, and various fans and listeners may have different favorites based on their unique likes and preferences.
3. 5 Facts About Paul Gilbert
- Paul Gilbert was born in Carbondale, Illinois, on November 6, 1966. He grew up in a musical home and started playing guitar at an early age.
- Paul Gilbert is well-known for his technical prowess and guitar dexterity. He has been named one of the world’s quickest guitar players and has received various honors for his abilities. He has been designated one of the “Top 10 Shredders of All Time” by Guitar One magazine and has received the “Best Rock Guitarist” award from Guitar Player magazine’s Reader’s Choice Awards for consecutive years.
- Gilbert has performed as a member of numerous popular bands, including Racer X, Mr. Big, and G3. Over his career, he has also worked with various musicians and artists.
- Gilbert is a prolific songwriter who has released multiple albums as a solo artist and as a member of various bands throughout the years. He is well-known for his broad and varied musical style, which incorporates elements of rock, pop, blues, and jazz.
- Gilbert is also a well-known guitar teacher, having written many instructional books and produced instructional films. In addition, he has taught at the Guitar Institute of Technology (GIT) in Hollywood, California, and has delivered masterclasses and seminars all around the world.
4. Is Paul Gilbert The Fastest Guitar Player?
While Paul Gilbert is recognized for his remarkable speed and technical abilities on the guitar, it is impossible to declare that he is the quickest. There are many brilliant guitarists with remarkable speed and technical competence, and it comes down to personal choice and opinion in the end.
That being said, Paul Gilbert is widely considered as one of the most brilliant and virtuoso guitarists of his time, and his extraordinary speed, precision, and musicality have set the bar very high. His work with Racer X and Mr. Big, as well as his solo albums and collaborations, demonstrate his exceptional technical ability and inventive approach to guitar playing.
5. Did Paul Gilbert Leave Mr. Big?
Yes, Paul Gilbert has left Mr. Big at various periods over their careers. He was a founding member of the band, alongside Eric Martin, Billy Sheehan, and Pat Torpey, and had been with them from their inception in 1988. Gilbert left the band in 1997 to pursue a solo career, but he returned for a reunion tour and the release of their album “What If…” in 2009.
Gilbert, on the other hand, departed Mr. Big again in 2018 to focus on his solo career and other projects. He had not returned to the band at the time of my knowledge cutoff in September 2021, although it’s worth mentioning that musicians’ careers are fluid and things might change.
6. What disease does Paul Gilbert have?
Mr. Big’s Paul Gilbert didn’t think much about protecting his ears, and as a result, he suffered from hearing loss.
Paul Gilbert has rehearsed his guitar playing for hours on end, day in and day out, via his work with the bands Racer X and Mr. Big, as well as his solo career. He has performed hundreds of events and released over 30 CDs. And yet during all of this he has not taken the required steps to safeguard his hearing. On the contrary, Paul Gilbert has spent hours listening to loud music with the amp turned all the way up. As a result of all of this, he now has difficulties hearing high frequencies and suffers from chronic tinnitus. As a result, Paul Gilbert has trouble hearing and understanding what others are saying.
7. Can Paul Gilbert speak Japanese?
Paul Gilbert is fluent in Japanese. He speaks Japanese fluently and has lived in Japan for several years. As a youngster, Gilbert got fascinated in Japanese culture and language, and he began studying it while attending the Guitar Institute of Technology (GIT) in Hollywood, California.
Gilbert came to Japan in the 1990s to teach guitar at the MI Japan school, and he has since become a well-known performer and guitar instructor in Japan. He’s also published CDs, played alongside Japanese musicians, and been highlighted in Japanese media. Gilbert, in addition to his music career, is a well-known figure in Japan, having featured on several TV shows and radio programs, where he demonstrated his command of the Japanese language.
8. What Is Paul Gilbert Doing Now?
Paul Gilbert is a current musician, guitarist, and composer who continues to play, record, and tour as of my knowledge cutoff in September 2021. He has recorded a number of solo albums and collaborated with a number of different artists, including his time as a member of Mr. Big and collaborations with musicians like as Joe Satriani and Steve Vai.
Gilbert is a teacher and educator in addition to his musical endeavors, sharing his knowledge and skills with guitarists and music aficionados through instructional videos, workshops, and classes. He is well-known for his teaching manner, and he has published instructional books as well as editorials in guitar periodicals. Given the fluidity of performers’ careers, Paul Gilbert’s current activities may have altered since my knowledge cutoff.
