Yngwie J. Malmsteen (English pronunciation: /ˈɪŋveɪ ˈmɑːlmstiːn/ ING-vay MAHLM-steen; born June 30, 1963) is a Swedish virtuoso guitarist, composer, multi-instrumentalist, and bandleader. Malmsteen became known for his neo-classical playing approach in heavy metal music, which became a new musical style in the early 80s due to his work and that of other virtuosos. He is considered by many to be one of the most technically gifted hard rock guitarists of all time and is considered to be a pioneer of shred guitar.