Playing God

Polyphia, 2022, from Remember That You Will Die. Solo by Tim Henson & Scott LePage.

Playing God is built around Tim Henson's nylon-string guitar, played with a fingerstyle approach that borrows from flamenco and classical technique. He weaves fast, intricate lines over a groove shaped by trap and hip-hop production, an unusual blend that helped define Polyphia's sound. Scott LePage adds layers that fill out the texture without cluttering it. The acoustic tone is crisp and percussive, and the playing mixes speed with rhythmic snap. The song became a viral touchstone for a new generation of guitarists, many of whom picked up nylon-string instruments because of it. Listen for the percussive slaps and rasgueado-like strums between runs, which make the guitar function as both melody and drum kit.

Playing God by Polyphia is #1 in our ranking of the best Polyphia guitar solos. The solo is played by Tim Henson & Scott LePage and the song was released in 2022.

In our lists

• The Most-Taught Solos — #47
• 2010 to Now — #6
• Best of the 21st Century — #10
• The Best Polyphia Guitar Solos — #1
• The Best Tim Henson Guitar Solos — #1

Sources

• Guitar World: The greatest guitar solos of the 21st century... so far — #10