What is the best single note you ever heard?
Not riff, phrase, or chop, I mean one single note not connected to the notes before and after.
(go ahead and laugh, I know this is probably the dumbest music thread idea ever posted)
The first note of "Satisfaction" Rolling Stones jumps to mind
That Garcia note where he leads off "Eyes of the World"
Duane Allman had zillions, first thought is that first note where the lead kicks in on "Dreams" or was that Betts. Either way, great note.
Duane = Don't Keep Me Wondering. 
Berry = Whipping Post.
Dickey = Blue Sky.
That's a little indistinct without the rest of the Satisfaction riff. If I were on Name That Tune I'm not sure I could name that tune with just one note. The 1st song to jump out on me was One Of These Days by Ten Years After. It's a little longer and might be an A 5th (2 note) chord as well. I have to think about this one. Neil Young has been called the master of the single note, but it's a more lead wise originating moniker? The harmonic pre Angie is instantly recogniazable, but I will mull the topic over a bit.
One note? I'm thinking one of those David Gilmore notes off of "Time" on the Dark Side of the Moon LP. Right after one of those ticking away, the moments that make up a dull day lines, he just bends the note way up.
It's probably a rare case where you could identify a song from one note!
Someone posted a few years ago that David Gilmore gets more out of one note than any other guitarist. I think that's a fair statement.
I have to go with the amazing sustained note in Jimi's "Machine Gun."
Here's a link:
Blooby
[Edited on 4/28/2015 by Blooby]
The long sustained note that Alex Lifeson opens the solo to "Limelight" with...especially live.
Miles - So What
Jimi - Little Wing
Duane - Dreams
Derek - Anyday (outro solo)
Phil Lesh- Morning Dew (bass bomb right in the middle)
Trey - YEM
[Edited on 4/28/2015 by stormyrider]
[Edited on 4/28/2015 by stormyrider]
Just one note, huh? I don't know about 'best' ... there are so many good ones out there! 😉
But ... there is one that Carlos Santana lets loose with in Samba Pa Ti live that kind of lingers then serves as a bridge from one end of the song to the next. That's one of the best ones for sure ... 
[Edited on 4/29/2015 by lolasdeb]
Phil Lesh- Morning Dew (bass bomb right in the middle)
Of course how could forget the NOTE in The Other One. Good lord. What an experience.
Carlos - Samba Pa Ti
Clapton gets one to start a solo during Old Love on the 24 Nights album. I haven't listened to it in forever, but I distinctly remember the note.
Derek's first note in his solo on Worried Down With The Blues, from the One Way Out album, too.
[Edited on 4/28/2015 by cmgst34]
The harmonic note in The Beatles Nowhere Man.
"Europa" by Santana, the live version on Moonflower- the long, sustained note in the middle of the solo always kills me every time- God, how I love that note! In concert, it's even better!!
Carlos does another stellar sustained note in live versions of "Incident at Neshabur."
Blooby
Two more good notes... same artist, different songs. When Clarence Clemons let's those long opening notes out into the stratosphere on Jungleland and Drive All Night... well, you just know what follows is going to grab at your heart - that you are in for a treat
Jimi " Still Raining , Still Dreaming "
Duane, YDLM from LAFE the long bend and release at the end of his first solo.
Gary Moore, sustained bend at the beginning of second solo from Parisienne Walkways live at Montreaux
Carlos Santana is definitely a master of this. Besides the ones already mentioned, I saw him hold a note for 2 full minutes during Jingo once.
Somebody already mentioned Machine Gun by Hendrix, another textbook example.
For ABB-related single note sustain, it doesn't get any better than Revival from 10/4/09. Warren and Derek hit the note together and it sings with harmony.
Last but not least, the version of Perpetual Change on Yessongs has Steve Howe absolutely crushing a big note.
the bend/release first note of Alex's Lifeson's solo in La Villa Strangiato
seeing this is an ABB site ...:) I have to go with when Dickey comes flying in on Jessica Oh MY
Peter Green certainly had some great notes. His tone was incredible.
Clarence Clemons - the first note of the sax solo in Jungleland.
Edit: Oops, I just noticed Lolasdeb already mentioned this, so I'll second it. I also agree with the Samba Pa Ti suggestions. Lots of goods notes there.
[Edited on 4/29/2015 by bob1954]
B.B. King Live at Cook County Jail - How blue can you get........ the "Note" is at 2:22 but please enjoy the whole tune
[Edited on 4/29/2015 by goldtop]
seeing this is an ABB site ...:) I have to go with when Dickey comes flying in on Jessica Oh MY
My first thought when I read the topic...
That, and that last sustained note Bugs Bunny(as Leopold!) coaxes out of the tenor that eventually shatters the Hollywood Bowl....
Duane's Session work has some fantastic notes. The tone in those sessions is something i've never heard before or since.
Like the notes in the solo in John Hammond's Shake For Me. They just jump out of the album and tackle you.
And a couple of the notes in the Outtro of Hey Jude that Clapton always talks about.
Damn there's some tasty notes in Duane's Goin Down Slow too.
How about that big splash at the beginning of White Room?
Never been able to tell for sure whether it was DA or DB, but there is a note in the Ludlow version of "Dimples"...
Larry Carlton in "Kid Charlemagne"
As mentioned earlier, my first thought was the long sustain in Santanas " Europa" also.
Another one, though technically a chord, are the pianos at the end of " A Day in the Life " by The Beatles.
