This is one of those pointless debates in my opinion.
Some of the greatest rock songs in the world, are played by musicians who can't read a sheet of music. I'd rather have a player with feel over a shredder any day of the week. There are some technically gifted players such as Steve Morse, George Lynch, Satriani and so on, who manage to utilise their ability with feel but most listeners are hearing the song as a whole anyway, and mainly the vocals and melody... they couldn't give two ****s about the technical mastery or the theory behind the music.
I've played in bands for twenty years and have had many conversations with extremely gifted musicians about keys, chords and changes but have never had a band-member turn-up with a sheet of music. I've jammed around an idea for hours and would rather do that than sit down with a sheet of paper. I've played with Drum Tech and Guitar Tech graduates and what made them incredible was their willingness to play what was right for the song, to enhance it and that often means refraining from unleashing a vomit of notes or chords.
Do you have to have a PHD in Grammar and Literature to be a great storyteller? Of course not. You can understand all the theory in the world and be able to play a gazillion notes a second and still not be able to put together a song people want to listen to.
Ben Harper is a beautiful songwriter and in actual fact is certainly not without technical ability... Lapsteel and slide can be tricky. The guy grew up with musicians for parents who owned a music shop and as he grew up, he would sit in the store and pick up and learn wind and string instruments.
Damien Rice's tunes are not technically difficult to play for guitarists with solid ability, if he recruited a player who came out and threw down Phrygian and Lydian modes over Cannonball, he'd likely get beaten-up by a thousand teenage girls. And deservedly so.
My idols... players who can make me cry with their choice of song construction, melody and timing, have crafted their ability by writing, playing, writing, playing and playing some more with like-minded musicians who bounce ideas around, evolve and create something magical.
I've been playing guitar for twenty years and written many tunes, never written one into sheet music or guitar tab for that matter... but guess I am no musician.
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