All compositions for the final animation.

This video is simply a render of all the compositions I am going to use within my final video. Although there's no audio or transitions between the separate comps I think it shows the movements well.

Interim Evaluation

Design Direction 
Strengths  
Subject with good visuals to work from. Feel I know where it is going in terms of animation and what I've left to do.
Weaknesses 
Choice of animation style could prove a little limiting but can find ways to work around it.

Design Development
Strengths
Coming on Ok, again because I know where I want the visuals be and how I need to go about doing it, I feel a little more confident I'll be pleased with the outcome.
Weaknesses
A lot more to work on and need to get down to animating a lot more substantially instead of creating a slideshow. Thinking more in terms of the transitions would be useful.

Visual Quality 
Strengths 
Good visuals from sourced images and very happy with how they are coming together in after effects, especially with type.
Weaknesses 
Because of the subtleties of the animation I need to find a good way of transitioning between them that may inject some energy into the animation or just tie them all together nicely. Also need a new song to go along with the visuals because my original choice, Kashmir, doesn't really go with the animation.

Technical Competence
Strengths 
My technical competence on After Effects is growing slowly. The workshops are really helpful but still finding after effects very difficult when working without some kind of guidance. Find it's based very much around working methodically/logically/in order.
Weaknesses
My main problem when working in most software packages is the ability to work methodically/logically/in order, even more so when working on multiple layers. I usually try to stick to as few as possible so as not to complicate things but not really possible with animation.


Action Plan
Organise all files and name everything!

Work on transitions between compositions in order to get a more effective title sequence.

Packaging design

Context and design practice blog up to date

Storyboard!

Kurt Cobain Image Manipulation

separating Cobain from the background in order to allow 3-Dimensional motion within the After Effects composition.

Omar Rodriguez Lopez Image Manipulation

Image manipulation with Omar Rodriguez Lopez in Photoshop ready to work with in after effects.

John Frusciante image manipulation.

Image manipulation with John Frusciante in photoshop ready to animate as a 3-d space.

Guitar Vectors

Vectors ready to go into my animations. Here I have given a small amount of information for each guitar and the player who uses it from my top ten. The image was too large to place straight onto blogger, hence the issuu document, but I think it helps with the amount of zoom that is possible. Gives a really clear image of the vectors and I think I've achieved the technical drawing aesthetic I was going for.

Audio for intro sequence.

Stone Free by The Jimi Hendrix Experience.
I chose this song because of the fairly lazy sound of the lyrics etc over the top of the song that has a strong beat and also some interesting points to work with. Such as the cowbell throughout the verses. I also thought it fitting that it were a song by Hendrix, number one in the list of Most influential Guitarists.

Some other choices for song included:
The wind cries mary.
Another Hendrix song that I thought was fitting with the subtle movements in my animation, but I felt there needed to be a little more energy in the video and a little more obvious guitar work.
Little Wing by Jimi Hendrix.
The song I went to after the Wind Cries Mary because of its more obvious guitar work, especially in the solo section, however I thought this one may be a little difficult to fit the motion to.
Led Zeppelin Since I've Been Loving you.
A nice slow number based pretty much entirely around the guitar, hence why I thought it may be fitting for the intro sequence. Ignoring the first few seconds of this live version however, as its a bit much for an intro sequence. Possibly difficult to animate to.
Led Zeppelin Stairway to Heaven
Another fairly obvious choice, however a really iconic rock song despite still being fairly subdued. I was also going to use this version from Madison Square Gardens as the start comes to exactly a minute. However again I chose against it as there's nothing in this section of the song to move it along, like a beat to animate to...

Jack White finalised ident

Final ident for Jack White

Tom Morello finalised ident.

The finalised ident for Tom Morello.

Jimmy Hendrix finalised ident.

The finalised Hendrix ident.

Jimmy Page finalised Ident

The finalised ident for Jimmy Page with the title screen added.

Jack White ident screens

Tom Morello ident screens

Jimi hendrix ident screens

Jimmy Page ident screens

Brian May image manipulation.

Manipulating a found image of Brian May ready to animate in after effects.

Jack White test

Jack White using the techniques from previous tests. This time however there is a foreground item which I think works brilliantly. It gives much more the feeling of a 3-Dimensional space when separated onto three layers as it allows movement past the foreground item, also the element furthest forward in the composition shows the most movement. Lucky however to find an image that works so well with this technique, I don't think there'll be many images for other guitarists that are so easy to work with...

Tom Morello test

Very similar concept, this time I've altered the camera movement to fit better with this image and again changed the soundtrack, vectored guitar and information...

Lorraine tech seminar.

Photoshop
Drop down settings menu in layers bar.
select layers
> new group from layers.

This means layers are easy to deal with both in photoshop and after effects. The created group also appears in after effects as a folder.

Colour coding layers will also help organise complicated compositions.
Making layers you're finished 'shy' will take them off the timeline and mean it's less cluttered.

Output formats
H.264
this setting gives the best quality with the smallest file size, as opposed to the usual animation with quality no better than H.264 but enormous file size.

Render settings > best settings
time span : work area only.
this will only render the work area...
means you can show small changes without having huge files clogging blogger and vimeo account.

ctrl + 8 > applies a marker. 
Holding shift allows you to snap to markers set within the timeline.

Jimmy page finalised.

Another experiment with the jimmy page still, this time refining the movement, type and adding sound. really like this now.

Jimi Hendrix test.

Test using Hendrix in the same way as previous experiments with Jimmy Page. This was a really good image for this type of animation because of it having a fairly plain background. This meant that it was quite easy to clone out, allowing a much more obvious movement across the scene.

After Effect Workshop 5

Keyframing 
Grouping 
Audio
'U' - reveals all animated properties
- moving at constant speed > unnatural movement
- Things don't realistically move in this way, they build momentum
accelerating & decelerating

> dots on motion path represent frames
(acceleration)  < easing in & out >
highlight first keyframe

shape of keyframe -

-positioning of frames is no longer the same along the motion path.

decelerate > ease in to last keyframe
applying ease out and ease in just select | easy ease |

Graph editor.
click the graph editor icon above the timeline
shows the speed of actions in the composition on a graph.
graph editor also allows you to make changes to keyframes

Can go straight to the graph editor to alter speed - No need to use keyframe assistant...
doesn't only apply to position

pendulum...
> double click ellipse tool with a layer selected to create a circular mask.
Rotation...
'Y' activates pan behind tool.
move the anchor point to a position where the top of a pendulum would be. 
edit value graph - edit speed graph

Simplifying complicated comps.
Animating multiple layers keeping them in position relative to each other.
[ establishing parent child relationships...
> allows you to link layers together.
select all layers - change parent to layer you want them to be linked to.
>all move relative
>all rotate around the same anchor point
>all scale as a group
Parent & child
> child layer can move independently but will always be bound to the parent layer
> child layer can still be animated but will always move relative to the position of the parent layer.

layer > transform > auto orient.
this makes the animated element automatically orient itself relative to the path it's on.

Set keyframes to rove across time by right clicking them
> sets position but doesn't effect the speed graph

Nesting compositions
placing compositions inside another
Layer > pre-compose > shift + command + C
Puts all the selected layers into a new composition > simplifies timeline
Changing settings in new composition will automatically update them for the composition it's nested within.

> working in this way means comps don't always have to be PAL D1/DV widescreen square pixel and can be put it at almost any size.

>collapse transformations.
means that it ignores the original composition boundary and all items/layers will stay fully visible.

Audio
Doesn't matter where audio sits in the layers stack...
RAM preview will play the audio (space bar doesn't)
position - volumes etc
when rendering with audio > tick audio output in output module settings.

Audio for idents.

For the idents I'll be using a separate song for each of the guitarists, showing only one guitarist for each ident.

Voodoo Child by Hendrix.
(couldn't find the studio version of this song to post on youtube but I think this is a pretty good indication) With it being only ten seconds, I'll be sampling from the start as I think everyone will know that part. It is one of Hendrix's best known tracks and I think it really sums him up as a player.



Kashmir by Led Zepplin I am choosing for the Jimmy Page ident, commonly used for all types of programs I think again it's a song everyone knows, even if they don't know who Jimmy Page is. Also the riff is instantly recognisable so it'll work well over such a short period of time. It's also a possible for the 60 second intro sequence because of the strong beat...


Seven Nation army by The White Stripes. The obvious choice for Jack White I think. Despite the strong visuals that come to mind from the video. I don't think in this instance it matters, because it almost helps reinforce the image.


Wake Up by Rage Against the Machine. This is the song I chose for Tom Morello and although Morello isn't the best known guitarists I think this song sums him up. It's also in a similar vain to Kashmir so I thought it'd tie together quite nicely. Another reason for this song choice is that it was used at the end of the Matrix, I thought people were more likely to know a song like this.

Dave Gilmour image manipulation

Image manipulation for Dave Gilmour, again separating him from the background in order to allow movement creating 3-dimensional space.

Jonny Greenwood image manipulation

Manipulating an image of Jonny Greenwood for animation, same as before, cloning the background in to allow movement across the frame. This image however, provided a different challenge, as in the original image, Greenwood's head covers a light, so I had to use photoshop to create the light that sits in the back of the image.

Jack White image manipulation

Image manipulation for Jack White, this image working very effectively because of the foreground item that gives another element of 3-dimensionality.

Tom Morello image manipulation

Manipulating an image of Tom Morello in order to animate it within after effects. This image was in rather strange dimensions so I had to zoom in quite a lot, however I feel this just bring more of the focus onto the guitarist.

Hendrix Image manipulation

Hendrix image manipulation, an image that works well with the cloning technique in photoshop as it was fairly blank so fairly simple to clone out.

Jimmy Page image manipulation

Image manipulation with an image of Jimmy Page. This was a fairly difficult one to achieve as there is quite a lot going on in the background so the clone tool needed to be used fairly effectively. Some areas in the final it is noticeable however I think within the animation it doesn't have an effect.

Title sequence storyboard

Photos of my storyboard for the 60 second title sequence. Not sure how I'll be able to achieve some parts of this storyboard, such as the smoke screen effects I'm using for transitions and the formation of the titles, however I'm sure it is possible.

Progress crit.

Feedback group 1

Strengths
Who - Strongly associated with music lovers, naturally.
Topic is clearly evident
Good test videos, really enjoy the smoothness of the text & image of Jimmy.

Areas for Improvement
More relevant context > imagery - music?
Sound considerations.

Considerations 
How are you going to achieve the smoke effect?
How many artists are you going to show in the minute clip?



Feedback group 2
Strengths 
-Clear test pieces to give idea of how it will go.
-text & image combo made clear
-obvious broad target audience and channel
-test animation works well
-layered effect is effective.

Areas for Improvement
-Possible audio
-Intro isn't clear
>is text formed by the smoke
> is it feasible?
-Will the type be consistent?
- their personal logos or a neautral typeface for all.

Considerations 
- Sound - clips from live shows? or one song throughout
- gig posters research - imagery could be a basis for your animation (alongside photography stills)
- Content (stats) is this going to be shown through image? text, video or audio? or a combination
- How will you integrate a colour scheme or is colour defined solely by the photography stills with all other content white?
-add lighting which will shadow the layers
> under Ae layers.

Page test 3.

Another attempt at animating the same Page still, this time looking at applying depth of field effects in order to give an extra element of 3-dimension(ality?). (not sure thats a word) however because the type layer is also a 3-dimensional layer it is affected by the depth of field effect in the same way. This was something I tried to use to my advantage by making the text clear towards the end of the animation, however its movement is very clumsy and I will need to change this. But a lesson learnt.

Page test 2.

A slight change in the motion of the layers, tring to make the middle layer (singer) and backgroud move more obviously but not overly. Also applied a film grain effect to see how it affects the outcome but I think the movement of the grain is a little strange...May have to look into different ways to animate a film grain.

After effects Workshop 4

TEXT WITHIN AFTER EFFECTS 
double clicking selects all of the text
> character palette then lets you change text attributes freely.

Anchor point of text layer starts in the bottom left corner of the text itself.
Moving the anchor point stays relative to the layer ie the layer moves but the anchor point stay in the same place.
Y > pan behind tool .
means you can reposition the anchor point behind the item.

- text properties
Source text > allows to change content and formatting of the text over time.
Also allows change in colour.

Animate >
range selector
choosing how much of the text you want to be affected by a change in property.
Starts in %
> advanced - units - percentage to index. (changes the units into individual characters.
mode > blend modes
amount > changes the amount of property change
smoothness > how text changes between states.

Animating scale.
> More options - anchor point grouping > character // line // word // all.
range selector
> start
> end                               } these will animate the text.
> offset

adding another animator allows you to change another property.  

property tracking
delete properties with an animator using backspace.
Adding > fill colour RGB
decrease the smoothness to five no fading of colour.

Easily remove properties whilst keeping others using backspace.
text done in this way is also always editable.
Create marks in after effects using shape or pen tool - paths

Audio file formats
- aiff // wav
change these for tracks using quicktime player 7.

Resulting animation.

Nothing particularly special however I think a good try for my first effort with this technique in after effects. I Definitely think this is a good way to look at the introduction sequence for my program, however I need to work out ways to animate in between the stills, and also source imagery that will work with this technique....

Still animation. test.

 The original still

  Separating the layers I want to animate in photoshop.

 Cloning in areas of the background (badly) to allow movement of the separate elements.

 All the elements combined including the two areas I Had cut, then placed back over the cloned background. Importing into After Effects as A .psd with layers will allow me to animate each visual. 

I then spent some time watching a tutorial on turning a 2d image into a 3 dimensional space based around the use of the camera tool.

 My separate layers in After Effects resized and moved accordingly to allow the right movement across the frame. What also can't be seen here is that the separate layers have been moved different distaces from the camera, the closest layer, the guitarist himself, is placed at -500mm from the camera, the background is at 0, and the middle layer is inbetween. This means that movement of the camera using the camera orbit tool makes the elements stand off the backdrop almost.

 I then looked at adding type to the animation, that would fade in and move with Jimmy Page as the camera panned around him. So I created the type, applied an opacity key frame and linked it to the top layer of the .psd as the parent item. this means it moves with it...

Refined concept crit.

Strengths
Use of stills

Areas for improvement
Limit movement
Think about sound
For idents individualise for a select few guitarists.

Considerations
Live lighting
70s effects
What colours are you going to use?
Motion graphics need a style
Where are the images coming from

Refined action plan
Action - Look at other 'top 10s' or 'greatest of all times', particularly music based ones and look at how they deal with the subject.

Find out what I can achieve in after effects in terms of camera and image manipulation.

Storyboard > get a set direction for the animation and decide on specifics.

Sound > decide on a track or sound tracks that will compliment the animation.

Defined statement.

Top 10 Guitarists
BBC 4
10pm?
Retro aesthetic based on live footage and the animation of stills from gig photography.
Clean type in contrast to the bright lighting and quality of the stills.
Possibly use editing effects reminiscent of those beginning to become popular in the 70s.
Minimal movement.
Focus on sound

Concept crit.

Strengths
Research
Use of existing imagery

Areas for Improvement
Think About style > Old/New
Pace?
Movement? - think about camera movement/blur/effects etc.
Possibly simple line drawing over the stills.
Re-create the atmosphere with a still - texture/smoke/sound etc.

Considerations
Decide on either crisp or retro
-depth of field within the image
tracking?
Moving components of the image over the backdrop.

ACTION PLAN
Action - Define style of the animation. old? retro? new? or spanning all for the different guitarists?
Reason - So I have direction and a more defined idea that I can take forward.


Action - Source stills & vector imagery
Reason - provide assets for the animation.

Action - Sort out after effects > look into how I can animate the stills...
Reason - to see whether animating the images is possible/plausible and to see how effective it would be.

Action - Storyboard.
Reason - define seperate elements and the specifics of the animation.



Tasks...
Come up with a defined/specific statement for my motion graphic.
Target audience > time it would be shown/channel
Think on the idents - when will they be show? taken from titles or seperately animated?

Think about the DVD cover and the translation of type and image from motion graphics to print.
SOUND!

I found this a really useful crit session and I think I've gained some invaluable feedback on my chosen topic, direction and also knowledge of how it can be produced in after effects. Something that I may not have considered up to this point.

Top 10 Concept boards.

Top Ten research.

Top 10...Tom Morello

Thomas Baptiste "Tom" Morello (born May 30, 1964) is a Grammy Award-winning American guitarist best known for his tenure with the bands Rage Against the Machine, Audioslave, his acoustic solo act The Nightwatchman, and his newest group, Street Sweeper Social Club. Tom is also the co-founder (along with Serj Tankian) of the non-profit political activist organization, Axis of Justice, which airs monthly on KPFK 90.7FM in Los Angeles. He is best known for his unique and creative guitar playing style, which incorporates feedback noises, unconventional picking and tapping as well as heavy use of guitar effects. He was ranked #26 in Rolling Stone's list of the "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time."

Top 10...Omar Rodriguez Lopez

Omar Alfredo Rodríguez-López (born September 1, 1975) is a multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, producer, writer, actor and film director who was born in Bayamón, Puerto Rico. He is the composer, guitarist and producer for the progressive rock group The Mars Volta, and the former bassist and guitarist for the dub reggae band De Facto and the post-hardcore outfit At The Drive-In respectively. He has also embarked on a solo career, both in studio and in concert, frequently described as experimental, avant-garde and/or progressive. He has collaborated with numerous artists spanning from John Frusciante to El-P.

Top 10...John Frusciante

John Anthony Frusciante (born March 5, 1970) is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, record and film producer. He is best known as the former lead guitarist of the rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers, with whom he had been for a number of years and recorded five studio albums. Frusciante has an active solo career, having released ten albums under his own name, as well as two with Josh Klinghoffer and Joe Lally as Ataxia. His solo recordings include elements ranging from experimental rock and ambient music to New Wave and electronica. Influenced by guitarists of various genres, Frusciante emphasizes melody and emotion in his guitar playing, and favors vintage guitars and analog recording techniques.
Frusciante joined the Red Hot Chili Peppers at eighteen years old, first appearing on the band's 1989 album Mother's Milk. The group's follow-up album, Blood Sugar Sex Magik (1991), was a breakthrough success. However, he was overwhelmed by the band's new popularity and quit in 1992. He became a recluse and entered a long period of drug addiction, during which he released his first solo recordings: Niandra Lades and Usually Just a T-Shirt (1994) and then Smile from the Streets You Hold (1997). In 1998, he successfully completed drug rehabilitation and rejoined the Red Hot Chili Peppers with the album Californication (1999). His album To Record Only Water for Ten Days was compiled in 2001. On a creative spree, Frusciante released six solo albums in 2004; each album explored different recording techniques and genres. In 2009, Frusciante released The Empyrean and again parted ways with the Red Hot Chili Peppers. As of 2011, Frusciante is currently working on his eleventh solo album. Frusciante has produced and/or recorded with the Wu-Tang Clan, The Mars Volta, George Clinton and others.
Frusciante has received critical recognition for his guitar playing, ranking at #18 on Rolling Stone's list of "The 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time" in 2003 however on the revised list in 2011, Frusciante was ranked at #72. He was also voted the best guitarist of the last 30 years in a 2010 BBC poll called "The Axe Factor". Frusciante will be inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame as a member of the Red Hot Chili Peppers on April 14, 2012.

Top 10...Stevie Ray Vaughan

Stephen Ray "Stevie Ray" Vaughan (October 3, 1954 – August 27, 1990) was an American electric blues guitarist and singer. He was the younger brother of Jimmie Vaughan and frontman for Double Trouble, a band that also included bassist Tommy Shannon and drummer Chris Layton. Born in Dallas, Vaughan moved to Austin at the age of 17 to continue his music career. Producer John H. Hammond arranged a deal with Epic Records in 1983.

Alcohol and drug abuse severely affected his health before he became sober in late 1986. After three years without a new album, he returned to the studio, releasing In Step. The album produced the single "Crossfire" in July 1989, which became a number one hit on the Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. On August 26, 1990, Vaughan performed at Alpine Valley Music Theatre as part of his In Step Tour in a triple bill along with Eric Clapton and Robert Cray before an audience of approximately 25,000 people. While leaving the concert that evening, his helicopter crashed into a nearby ski slope. He was pronounced dead hours later.

Vaughan was a very important figure in Texas blues, a loud, swing-driven fusion of blues and rock. He became the leading musician of the blues rock sound, with multiple network television appearances and charting albums. His debut Texas Flood, released in June 1983, became a double-platinum record. Vaughan encompassed multiple styles, including jazz and ballads. Nominated for 12 Grammys, he won six. He won five W.C. Handy Awards and was posthumously inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 2000. He is widely considered one of the most respected and influential guitarists of all time.

Top 10...Keith Richards

Keith Richards (born 18 December 1943) is an English musician, songwriter, and founding member of the Rolling Stones. Rolling Stone magazine said Richards had created "rock's greatest single body of riffs", and placed him as the "10th greatest guitarist of all time." Fourteen songs written by Richards and songwriting partner and the Rolling Stones' lead vocalist Mick Jagger are listed among Rolling Stone Magazine's "500 Greatest Songs of All Time". Richards' notoriety for illicit drug use stems in part from several drug busts during the late 1960s and 1970s.

Early Life

Musician, singer, songwriter. Born on December 18, 1943, in Dartford, England. Keith Richards is one of the driving forces behind the Rolling Stones, the self-proclaimed "World's Greatest Rock & Roll Band." One early influence on the future rhythm guitarist was his grandfather, a musician and bandleader. Richards' mother, Doris, was also musical. Richards developed a passion for singing as a child, performing in choirs at school. Around the age of 10, he sang at the coronation of Elizabeth II in 1953 as part of a choir.
Richards' voice changed in his teens, and so did his interests. Around the age of 15, he got his first guitar as a present from his mother. Richards devoted much of his time to learning to play his instrument, teaching himself such songs as Elvis Presley's "That's All Right, Mama."
A poor student, Richards was expelled from Dartford Technical School for skipping school. The school's headmaster suggested Richards attend Sidcup Art School instead. But Richards continued his rebellious ways at Sidcup, spending more time working on his music than studying commercial art. While at art school, Richards met up with guitarist Dick Taylor, who was in a band with Mick Jagger. Richards knew Jagger when the boys were growing up in Dartford. Before long, Richards joined their group, Little Boy Blue and the Blue Boys.

Aspiring Musician

All three members shared a love of American blues, and Richards especially found a lot of inspiration in the work of American rock 'n' roll great Chuck Berry. He bought himself an electric guitar and learned how to play some of Berry's hits, including "Maybelline."
The band focused mostly on creating a blues sound, and landed a few gigs. Jagger and Richards went to check out Alexis Korner's Blues Incorporated, an emerging blues group that often played at the Ealing Club. That night, the band was joined by an amazing guest guitarist, Brian Jones, who was using the stage name "Elmo Lewis" at the time.
Richards and Jagger were impressed by Jones, and the trio became roommates and bandmates as Jones tried to put together his own group. Their friend Dick Taylor and pianist Ian Stewart were also part of the early line-up of the Rollin' Stones in 1962.

Top 10...Eric Clapton

Eric Patrick Clapton, CBE, (born 30 March 1945) is an English guitarist and singer-songwriter. Clapton is the only three-time inductee to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: once as a solo artist, and separately as a member of The Yardbirds and Cream. Clapton has been referred to as one of the most important and influential guitarists of all time. Clapton ranked second in Rolling Stone magazine's list of the "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time" and fourth in Gibson's Top 50 Guitarists of All Time.
In the mid 1960s, Clapton departed from the Yardbirds to play blues with John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers. In his one-year stay with Mayall, Clapton gained the nickname "Slowhand", and graffiti in London declared "Clapton is God." Immediately after leaving Mayall, Clapton formed Cream, a power trio with drummer Ginger Baker and bassist Jack Bruce in which Clapton played sustained blues improvisations and "arty, blues-based psychedelic pop." For most of the 1970s, Clapton's output bore the influence of the mellow style of J.J. Cale and the reggae of Bob Marley. His version of Marley's "I Shot the Sheriff" helped reggae reach a mass market. Two of his most popular recordings were "Layla", recorded by Derek and the Dominos, and Robert Johnson's "Crossroads", recorded by Cream. A recipient of seventeen Grammy Awards, in 2004 Clapton was awarded a CBE for services to music. In 1998, Clapton, a recovering alcoholic and drug addict, founded the Crossroads Centre on Antigua, a medical facility for recovering substance abusers.

"People who tend to go after money as a solution for whatever they feel they lack had better be careful what they pray for, because they just may get it."

– Eric Clapton

Top 10...Jimmy Page

Synopsis

Jimmy Page was born January 9, 1944, in Heston, England. In 1965, he was asked to join the Yardbirds. In 1968 he formed a new band, renamed Led Zeppelin. The band toured the United States and released their first album, Led Zeppelin I, in 1969. Led Zeppelin soon developed a strong following. In addition to their recordings, Led Zeppelin was one of the most successful live acts of the 1970s.

Jimmy Page is viewed by critics, fans and fellow musicians alike as one of the most influential and
important guitarists and songwriters in rock music. Rolling Stone magazine has described him as "the pontiff of power riffing & probably the most digitally sampled artist in pop today after James Brown." In 2010, Jimmy Page was ranked No.2 in Gibson's list of "Top 50 Guitarists of All Time" and, in 2007, No.4 on Classic Rock Magazine's "100 Wildest Guitar Heroes". Page was ranked third in Rolling Stone magazine's list of the "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time" in 2001. He has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice; once as a member of The Yardbirds (1992), and once as a member of Led Zeppelin (1995).

The Yardbirds

Musician, songwriter, producer. Born James Patrick Page on January 9, 1944, in Heston, England. He was inspired by rock star Elvis Presley's "Baby Let's Play House" to take up the guitar at the age of 13. As a teenager, Page joined his first band, Neil Christian & the Crusaders. He toured with the group for a time, but he had to leave after suffering from a glandular fever.
After a stint at art school, Page returned to music. He then became a session musician and a producer, working in England's thriving rock scene with such acts as the Rolling Stones, the Kinks, and the Who. In 1965, Page was asked to join the Yardbirds, a blues-influenced rock band, which had just scored a big hit with "For Your Love." The band wanted him to take over for Eric Clapton, who left the group for John Mayall's Bluebreakers. Page turned them down and recommended fellow session musician and legendary guitarist-in-the-making Jeff Beck. The Yardbirds sought out Page again the following year, and he finally agreed to become a band member.
For a short period of time, the Yardbirds had two lead guitarists, Page and Beck. Beck left in late 1966 because ill health and a possible nervous breakdown. After Beck's departure, the Yardbirds released Little Games (1967), but they could not match their earlier success. The band fizzled out in 1968, and Page formed a new band to play some remaining Yardbirds concert dates. Initially calling themselves the New Yardbirds, the band consisted of John Paul Jones on bass and keyboards, John "Bonzo" Bonham on drums, and Robert Plant on lead vocals.

Led Zeppelin

Quickly renaming themselves Led Zeppelin, the band toured the United States as the opening act for the American rock group Vanilla Fudge. They released their first album, Led Zeppelin I in 1969, which earned mixed reviews. As John Mendelsohn wrote in Rolling Stone magazine, "Jimmy Page, around whom the Zeppelin revolves, is, admittedly, an extraordinarily proficient blues guitarist and explorer of his instrument's electronic capabilities. Unfortunately, he is also a very limited producer and a writer of weak, unimaginative songs, and the Zeppelin album suffers from his having both produced it and written most of it (alone or in combination with his accomplices in the group)." While critics may not have been thrilled by their work, music fans enjoyed such tracks as the now classic "Dazed and Confused." Their songs showcased Page's skills as a musician, often featuring his intense guitar riffs.
Led Zeppelin soon developed a strong following. Music fans really enjoyed the band's hard rock and heavy metal sound. Their second album, the aptly titled Led Zeppelin II (1969), featured "Whole Lotta Love," "Ramble On," and "Heartbreaker." "Whole Lotta Love" reached the No. 4 spot on the pop charts, and the album reached the top of the charts by year's end. Again, Page worked behind the scenes, serving as producer for the recording. He also wrote or helped to write the music for many of the band's songs while Plant served as the group's main lyricist.
In 1970, Led Zeppelin released the more folk-influenced Led Zeppelin III. The single, "Immigrant Song," became the band's latest hit. Many critics saw the group's fourth album, however,
as their best work. This 1971 untitled work is sometimes called the Runes Album for the symbols on the cover, which reflected Page's interest in the occult. The album offered listeners such songs as the legendary "Stairway to Heaven," which became one of most requested rock songs of all time despite its startling 8-minute length. "Black Dog" and "Rock and Roll" were other significant tracks from that album.

Ups and Downs

With 1973's Houses of the Holy, Led Zeppelin continued its domination of the rock world. The album went to the top of the charts and featured the hit "D'yer Mak'er." The band launched their own record label, Black Swan, in 1974, and worked with such acts as Bad Company.
The following year, Page and the rest of the group enjoyed great success with the double album Physical Graffiti. The recording contained such hits as "Trampled Underfoot." That August, however, the band was forced to take a break as Plant recovered from injuries sustained in a car accident. Their next effort, 1976's Presence, proved to be a disappointment.
In addition to their recordings, Led Zeppelin was one of the most successful live acts of the 1970s. Some of their performances were captured in the 1976 concert film The Song Remains the Same. Off stage, they became infamous for their excessive lifestyles, which led to the group's downfall. Bonham died at Page's house outside London in September 1980. After doing some heavy drinking, Bonham choked to death on his own vomit. Losing Bonham affected Page deeply—he couldn't play music for months after the incident. The rest of the band had similar feelings, and they decided that Led Zeppelin could not continue without Bonham.

Top 10...Jimi Hendrix

Synopsis

Guitarist, singer, and songwriter Jimi Hendrix was born on November 27, 1942, in Seattle, Washington. Learning to play guitar as a teenager, Hendrix grew up to become a rock guitar legend who excited audience in the 1960s with his innovative electric guitar playing. Hendrix died in 1970 from drug-related complications, leaving his mark on the world of rock music and remaining popular to this day.

Hendrix, as well as his friend Eric Clapton, popularized use of the wah-wah pedal in mainstream rock which he often used to deliver an exaggerated sense of pitch in his solos, particularly with high bends, complex guitar playing, and use of legato. As a record producer, Hendrix also broke new ground in using the recording studio as an extension of his musical ideas. He was one of the first to experiment with stereophonic phasing effects for rock recording.

Musical Aspirations

In many ways, music became a sanctuary for Hendrix. He was a fan of blues music and taught himself to play guitar. At the age of 14, Hendrix saw Elvis Presley perform. He got his first electric guitar the following year and eventually played with two bands - the Rocking Kings and the Tomcats. In 1959, Hendrix dropped out of high school. He worked odd jobs while continuing to follow his musical aspirations.

Hendrix enlisted in the United States Army in 1961 and trained at Fort Ord in California to become a paratrooper. Even as a soldier, he found time for music, creating a band named The King Casuals. Hendrix served in the army until 1962 when he was discharged due to an injury.

After leaving the military, Hendrix pursued his music, working as a session musician and playing backup for such performers as Little Richard, Sam Cooke, and the Isley Brothers. He also formed a group of his own called Jimmy James and the Blue Flames, which played gigs around New York City's Greenwich Village neighborhood.

Career Breakthrough

In mid-1966, Hendrix met Chas Chandler, a former member of the Animals, a successful rock group, who became his manager. Chandler convinced Hendrix to go to London where he joined forces with musicians Noel Redding and Mitch Mitchell to create The Jimi Hendrix Experience. While there, Hendrix built up quite a following among England's rock royalty. Members of the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, the Who, and Eric Clapton were all great admirers of Hendrix's work. One critic for the British music magazine Melody Maker said that he "had great stage presence" and looked at times as if he was playing "with no hands at all."

Released in 1967, the band's first single, "Hey Joe" was an instant smash in Britain, and was soon followed by other hits such as "Purple Haze" and "The Wind Cried Mary." On tour to support his first album, Are You Experienced? (1967), Hendrix delighted audiences with his outrageous guitar-playing skills and his innovative, experimental sound. He won over American music fans with his stunning performance at the Monterey Pop Festival in June 1967, which ended with Hendrix lighting his guitar on fire.

Rock Superstar

Quickly becoming a rock music superstar, Hendrix scored again with his second album, Axis: Bold as Love (1968). His final album as part of the Jimi Hendrix Experience, Electric Ladyland (1968), was released and featured the hit "All Along the Watchtower," which was written by Bob Dylan. The band continued to tour until it split up in 1969.

That same year, Hendrix performed at another legendary musical event: the Woodstock Festival. His rock rendition of "The Star-Spangled Banner" amazed the crowds and demonstrated his considerable talents as a musician. He was also an accomplished songwriter and musical experimenter. Hendrix even had his own recording studio in which he could work with different performers and try out new songs and sounds.

Hendrix tried his luck with another group, forming Band of Gypsys in late 1969 with his army buddy Billy Cox and drummer Buddy Miles. The band never really took off, and Hendrix began working on a new album tentatively named First Rays of the New Rising Sun, with Cox and Mitch Mitchell from the Jimi Hendrix Experience. Unfortunately Hendrix did not live to complete the project.

"Blues is easy to play, but hard to feel."

– Jimi Hendrix

Top 10...100 Wildest guitar heroes

Classic rock magazines '100 wildest guitar heroes'

1. Jimi Hendrix
2. Keith Richards
3. Stevie Ray Vaughan
4. Jimmy Page
5. Dimebag DarreII
6. Tony Iommi
7. Rory GaIIagher
8. Eddie Van HaIen
9. Chuck Berry
10. Kurt Cobain
11. Steve CIark
12. James Hatfield
13. Brian Jones
14. Jeff Beck
15. John Frusciante
16. Steve Jones
17. Johnny Thunders
18. Ted Nugent
19. Peter Green
20. Ace Frehley
21. Rick NeiIsen
22. Bo Diddley
23. BiIIy Gibbons
24. NiIs Lofgren
25. Michael AngeIo Batio
26. Tommy BoIin
27. Buckethead
28. SIash
29. Brian Robertson
30. PauI GiIbert 

31. Dave Uhrich 

32. Eddie PhiIIips

33. Reeves GabreIs
34. Tom MoreIIo
35. PauI Kossof
36. Wayne Kramer
37. CarIos Santana
38. Joe Perry
39. Fred Frith
40. Adrian BeIow
41. Derek BaiIey
42. Reggie Wooten
43. StanIey Jordan
44. Yngwie MaImsteen
45. Ritchie Blackmore
46. GIenn Tipton
47. KK Downing
48. Joan Jett
49. Dick DaIe
50. Ronnie Wood
51. Frank Zappa
52. Frank Marino
53. Johnny Winter
54. Link Wray
55. Chrissie Hynde
56. Ron Asheton
57. Steve Vai
58. UIi Jon Roth
59. Kerry King
60. Jeff Hanneman
61. John Petrucci
62. Chris ImpeIIitteri
63. Shawn Lane
64. Rusty CooIey
65. AIex Lifeson
66. Randy California
67. Randy Rhoads
68. Joe Waish
69. Daron MaIakian
70. Eddie CIarke
71. Ritchie Stotts
72. Geordie WaIker
73. BumbIefoot
74. Jerry CantreII
75. James Honeyman-Scott
76. BiIIy Corgan
77. James GurIey
78. Bernie Torme
79. Pete Townshend
80. Dave Mustaine
81. Brian May
82. David Crosby
83. Roy Harper
84. John Martyn
85. James TayIor
86. Prince
87. Zakk WyIde
88. Angus Young
89. MaIcoIm Young
90. Michael Schenker
91. Bert Jansch
92. ArieI Bender
93. Johnny Greenwood
94. The Great Kat
95. AIvin Lee
96. Rick Parfitt
97. Francis Rossi
98. Dave Navarro
99. Bonnie Raitt
100. Mick Mars

I have made bold names that come up regularly in these lists, and will look further into.

List from :
www.daveuhrich.com

Top 10...metal guitarists.

1. Kirk Hammett - Metallica

2. Dave Mustaine - Megadeth

3. Synyster Gates - Avenged Sevenfold

4. Randy Rhoads - Ozzy Osbourne

5. Dimebag Darrell - Pantera

6. Alexi Laiho - Children of Bodom

7. John Petrucci - Dream Theatre

8. Steve Belong 

9. Slash - Guns 'N' Roses

10. James Hetfield - Metallica

list from :
www.the-top-tens.com

Top 10...Gibson's top 50

1. Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix revolutionized guitar playing and rock music – building a rainbow bridge between blues, rock and roll and the psychedelic experiments of the mid-’60s. Never has a guitar player appeared so “at one” with his instrument – his live shows were more out-of-body experiences than performances.
2. Jimmy Page (Led Zeppelin)
Rock’s sorcerer supreme, Jimmy Page took the blues, rockabilly and folk and fired it out of a cannon with the release of Led Zeppelin’s eponymous debut in 1969. Years of teeth-cutting in London studios and a short, but eventful, tenure in the Yardbirds only served to sharpen Page’s incomparable skills.
3. Keith Richards (The Rolling Stones)
The undisputed musical leader of The Rolling Stones, Richards is the best rhythm guitarist in history. He’s the rajah of the riff, the overlord of opening tuning and the sultan of “Satisfaction.” Taking cues from Chuck Berry, Muddy Waters and Jimmy Reed, Richards’ genius lies in simplifying a guitar phrase until it’s down to the absolute essentials.
4. Eric Clapton (Cream, Derek and the Dominos)
Forget about his far-reaching solo work for a minute. Forget Cream. Forget the Yardbirds. Forget Derek and the Dominos. Forget the beer commercial and “Tears in Heaven.” Forget everything. The main reason kids should still be spray painting “Clapton is God” on city walls is because of that solo on The Beatles’ “While My Guitar Gently Weeps.” All that came after that was just gravy.
5. Chuck Berry
What’s the old cliché? Before Jimi went to the moon, Chuck built the rocket. Well, that’s why Berry is in the pantheon of great guitarists. His brilliant synthesis of blues and hillbilly guitar created the language of rock and roll.
6. Jeff Beck (The Yardbirds, The Jeff Beck Group)
Only the rarest of musicians are capable of celebrating a milestone like a 65^th birthday by making one of the their best albums and, sure enough, Beck’s beautifully orchestrated 2010 release Emotion & Commotion recalls the passion and scope of his pivotal 1970s masterpieces
7. Eddie Van Halen (Van Halen)
For countless guitarists around the world, history can easily be divided into two distinct eras: pre-Van Halen and post-Van Halen. And it all started with an explosive instrumental track, “Eruption,” from the group’s debut album Van Halen.That track alone signaled a seismic shift in the way the instrument would forever be played.
8. Chet Atkins
One of the founding members and architects of the Nashville Sound, Chet Atkins was unquestionably the greatest and most renowned guitarist country music has ever known. 
9. Robert Johnson
No guitarist has had a greater impact on modern blues and rock guitar than Robert Johnson. A haunted figure, Johnson led a life shrouded in mystery, with some insisting only a pact with the Devil could account for the seemingly sudden burst of guitar skills that took hold in him in his early 20s.
10. Pete Townshend (The Who)
The guitar, as an instrument, has never sounded as angry as when played by Pete Townshend. Punk was born from this. Heavy metal. Hard rock, in all its various forms, can be traced back to the London kid with the big nose windmilling like his life depended on it. The genius of Townshend, though, is that this is just one facet of his playing.
11. George Harrison (The Beatles)
If judged solely by the number of people who picked up a guitar for the first time because of his music, George Harrison is the most influential guitarist of all time.
12. Stevie Ray Vaughan
If you ever had the chance to witness Stevie Ray Vaughan perform, you, too, understand that he didn’t just “play” the guitar – he channeled music from the depths of his soul and through his body and guitar, which were connected as one.
13. Jack White (The White Stripes, The Raconteurs)
Blending technical prowess with old-timey aesthetics, White unleashes scorching runs that should melt his plastic guitar. He’s equally outstanding as a songwriter, providing an unbeatable framework for his tortured solos. this junk collector is the guitar hero for the 21^st century. – Bryan Wawzenek
14. Prince
Often overlooked as one of the all-time great guitarists, Prince is a tremendous player with a chameleon-like ability to color any song with dazzling fretwork and a prodigious fusion of funk, blues, R&B, jazz and rock.
15. Steve Cropper (Booker T. & The MGs)
As the six-string voice of Memphis’ Stax Records, Cropper is a man of a thousand riffs. Today Cropper’s sinuous and sinewy licks remain deeply embedded in the American soul and subconscious. – Ted Drozdowski
16. Mike Bloomfield (Paul Butterfield Blues Band, Bob Dylan)
Bloomfield was a very powerful and influential player who possessed incredible fire and intelligence in his playing. His work with The Paul Butterfield Blues Band and then with Bob Dylan really helped shape the lead blues guitar movement of the ’60s.
17. B.B. King
He’s become an institution and beacon for every guitarist who was raised on the blues – including Keith Richards, Jimmy Page and his sometime-collaborator Eric Clapton.
18. Wes Montgomery
This thumb-picking master of the Gibson L-5CES from Indianapolis changed the sound of jazz guitar melody from bebop’s single-note lines to elegant gliding octave and block chords that rang like gentle, breathy sighs even during his most ferocious playing.
19. Mick Ronson (David Bowie, Ian Hunter)
One of rock’s most versatile sidemen, Mick Ronson was the six-string engine behind seminal albums by Lou Reed, Ian Hunter, and, of course, David Bowie.
20. Django Reinhardt
Pioneer of the gypsy jazz genre, Reinhardt mesmerized 1930s Parisian audiences – and later distracted them from World War II – with his percussive, swinging approach to the guitar.
21. Johnny Marr (The Smiths)
An innovative post-punk guitarist, Marr's groundbreaking work with one of the most significant bands of the '80s, The Smiths, marks him out as a great.
22. Les Paul
The architect and grandfather of rock and roll, Lester William Polfuss (a.k.a. Les Paul) was a unique figure in the history of 20^th Century music. He revolutionized the way we record music and the way we play it, pioneering such developments as the solid-body electric guitar. Beyond that, he was an almost terrifyingly brilliant player.
23. The Edge (U2)
U2's guitarist has created a sound that is distinctly his own – no small feat when you consider he's had to do it in the course of three decades while working shoulder-to-shoulder with one of the biggest personalities in rock, Bono.
24. Ron Asheton (The Stooges)
His caveman riffs and hallucinogenic roaring predated punk by nearly a decade, giving his followers a wall of mud to grab from. Asheton reduced rock and roll to its primal elements long before sex found a pistol or anyone changed their surname to Ramone. It was so dumb, it was genius.
25. Angus Young (AC/DC)
The AC/DC guitarist is responsible for some of rock and roll's most familiar riffs from the past four decades. The fact that he's done it all in an English schoolboy uniform makes it all that much sweeter.
26. Neil Young
Another one of those players who isn't that technically proficient but still manages to make the heart thump by channeling every one of his emotions into a massive guitar blowout.
27. Danny Gatton
Gatton is one of the most eclectic and far-reaching guitarists who ever lived – an innovator in rockabilly, country and jazz.
28. Ed O'Brien and Jonny Greenwood (Radiohead)
Radiohead's dynamic duo were the only guitarists to receive votes as a pair in this poll, let alone the only two-member entry on this list. That fact speaks to the inseparable nature of these two musicians, known as much for their abusive guitar playing as they are for ambient approaches to Radiohead's ethereal material.
29. Duane Allman (The Allman Brothers, Derek and the Dominos)
Though he died young – in a motorcycle accident at the age of 24 – Duane Allman made terrific use of the time he did have on earth, co-founding The Allman Brothers Band and establishing himself as a preeminent session guitarist.
30. Roy Buchanan
This Arkansas native was a blend of transcendent technician and hillbilly. Buchanan's interest in steel guitar led him to develop a singular vocabulary of sleight-of-hand volume effects, radical string-bending, artificial harmonics and other tics that he wove into one of the most soulful and dynamic guitar tones ever developed.
31. Bo Diddley
Psychedelia begins with big, bad Bo. Using his guitar like a drum, Mississippian Elias McDaniel wedded the clave rhythm and the street corner hambone to invent a fundamental element of rock and roll.
32. Ry Cooder
The slide guitar master, composer and producer is universally acclaimed in musical circles as one of the greats, not just for his playing but his eclectic musical knowledge.
33. Scotty Moore (Elvis Presley)
One of the most influential guitarists in history, Scotty Moore backed Elvis Presley through the ’50s and early ’60s, playing on such seminal rock and roll tunes as “That’s All Right,” “Hound Dog,” “Heartbreak Hotel” and “Jailhouse Rock.”
34. Slash (Guns N’ Roses, Velvet Revolver)
More than 20 years after Guns N’ Roses first b*tchslapped the sugary Sunset Strip metal scene of the mid-to-late ’80s, history now holds Slash as the single most influential guitarist to emerge from that highly competitive guitar-hero era.
35. Buddy Guy
It’s hard to find a Chicago blues player with more originality and expression in his playing. Guy is a true innovator with his double-stop style, and an all-time great bender.
36. (tie) Charlie Christian
Modern electric lead guitar starts with this Texas native’s ’30s and ’40s recordings, which elevated the instrument from a jazz time-keeper to a formidable voice equal to that of horn players like Lester Young.
36. (tie) Mike Campbell (Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers)
I don’t think Tom Petty would argue with this: The band should be called Tom Petty and Mike Campbell and the Heartbreakers. As a co-writer, a co-producer and a phenomenally melodic guitarist, Campbell has as big a claim on that band as anyone.
38. Lou Reed (Velvet Underground)
Though it would be a stretch to call Lou Reed a six-string virtuoso, few guitarists have proven as adept at capturing the essence of rock and roll.
39. Frank Zappa
You might not have expected the man who titled his songs “But Who Was Fulcanelli?” and “Theme from the 3rd Movement of Sinister Footwear” to take his job all that seriously. But with Zappa, the absurdity was just a front for his unflinching dedication to his craft.
40. Steve Jones (Sex Pistols)
Steve Jones exploded on the scene in the mid-’70s – a one-man Les Paul blitzkrieg. His staggering work on Never Mind the Bollocks – the Sex Pistols’ only album – alone puts Jones in the elite class.
41. David Gilmour (Pink Floyd)
Sure, Pink Floyd began as a psychedelic rock band, but there are few riffers with a purer approach to blues than Gilmour, whose stunning Gold Top essay in “Comfortably Numb” is one of the greatest solos of the modern era.
42. (tie) Richard Thompson 
The British folk legend has been lauded critically and received numerous industry awards but remains a commercial mystery. One of the great guitar stylists, Thompson easily sits at the English head table alongside Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page.
42. (tie) John Frusciante (Red Hot Chili Peppers)
He was just 18 when he was drafted to replace his personal idol Hillel Slovak, who died of a drug overdose, in the Red Hot Chili Peppers. But Frusciante didn’t come onboard just to recreate the stuttering punk-funk riffs of the past. He brought melody and depth to the band’s defining multi-platinum releases, 1989’s Mother’s Milk and 1991’s Blood Sugar Sex Magik. And each time he circled back to the group between his various solo flights, the results were always inspirational.
42. (tie) Rory Gallagher (Taste, solo)
The late Irish guitarist may not be a household name, but his incredible ability to master the American blues put him in the company of all the greats, from Muddy Waters and Jerry Lee Lewis to Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page.
42. (tie) Clarence White (The Kentucky Colonels, The Byrds)
A flatpicking and electric giant in equal parts, Clarence White died tragically young, hit by a drunk driver in 1973. Like Charlie Christian, Wes Montgomery, Robert Johnson, Eddie Lang, Duane Allman and Jimi Hendrix, White died long before his full impact on the guitar could ever be measured.
42. (tie) Hubert Sumlin (Howlin’ Wolf, Muddy Waters)
One of the most revered Les Paul wranglers in electric blues, this shy 78-year-old invented some of the genre’s greatest riffs under the wing of his mentor Howlin’ Wolf.
47. (tie) Andrés Segovia
Andrés Segovia, El Maestro, the self-taught peerless master of the Spanish classical guitar, singlehandedly made the guitar respectable. Pre-Segovia it was a seedy bar instrument.
47. (tie) Robert Fripp (King Crimson)
With a Gibson Les Paul “Black Beauty” under his arm, this Dorset, England, native burned his name into the history of art rock as the leader of King Crimson in 1969 and then pioneered ambient music with Brian Eno.
49. (tie) Kurt Cobain (Nirvana)
The Nirvana frontman recoiled against technical proficiency but there’s a good reason why people are still trying to emulate the dirty, pummeling riffs of “Smells Like Teen Spirit” nearly two decades after Cobain first played them.
49. (tie) Ritchie Blackmore (Deep Purple, Rainbow)
One of rock’s great riff-masters, Blackmore has always danced to a different muse. Pulling largely from medieval and classical influences while his competitors drew almost exclusively from blues, Blackmore created a musical vocabulary that influenced generations of shredders.



List from :
www.gibson.com