The end guitar playing?

Shawn@PRS

Shawn@PRS

yogi
Joined
Aug 23, 1985
Messages
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Location
Stevensville, MD
I was listening to "Four Simple Words" by Frank Turner today and one phrase really jumped out at me. (Frank plays what I would call "Folk Punk" which is right in my wheelhouse as my friend from New Jersey likes to say.) Anyway, the lines I'm referring to are:

Somebody told me that music with guitars
was going out of fashion and I had to laugh.
This sh!t wasn't fashionable when I fell in love.

How many times have we heard that guitar-oriented music was dying? Disco was killing it, techno was killing it, American Idol is killing it, etc. Young men and women all over the world will continue to feel a burning inside their hearts and they will continue to pick up guitars looking for an outlet for their creativity, pain, happiness, awkwardness, sorrow, love, hate and every other emotion known to mankind. Speaking through music is a universal truth and what instrument is more accessible and portable than a guitar? Many contenders will step into the ring, but all fill eventual fall by the hand of the king, the guitar. Thoughts?
 
Can't see guitar disappearing for a long while - if ever.

Now, musical styles can go in and out of fashion (But never truly disappear) and that may dictate whether guitar is the main instrument. The guitar may well take a backseat role in some forms of popular music these days but it's still there. People still want that instrument in their songs.

The other argument is that kids these days are too bothered by their smartphones, tablets, games consoles, etc. They want instant gratification and guitar doesn't give them that. That's certainly true for some but it'd be wrong to tar all kids with the same brush. there are still many, many kids (And adults) who want to learn and....

There has NEVER been a better time!!! Good quality gear is available at prices that where unheard of once upon a time. We have Youtube and other sites that provides free tuition. Instantly accessible!

Has there ever been a better time to learn the guitar?

I may be a bit bias here but as far as i'm concerned, nothing beats the guitar when it comes to making music. It's range, sonic abilities and ability to get right to the back of a listeners skull is unmatched!

All hail the guitar!
 
I feel like I could agree. However, computers pose a challenge that Tubas don't. You don't have to practice. Just copy paste and push play. I don't care for it, it doesn't have a soul. It is like on Star Trek next gen, when Data is trying to play the violin. It might be technically perfect, but lacks the feeling that human fingers on strings emit. I just wonder if the coming generations will care. Autotune might just be too easy for real singing/playing to overcome.
 
I think those are legitimate concerns.

But the more computerised and fake music becomes perhaps there will be more call for genuine talent. There's always going to be folks who couldn't care if the entire song was generated by software with no human input but there's always going to be people who respect real talent and will seek it out.
 
Shawn@PRS said:
Speaking through music is a universal truth and what instrument is more accessible and portable than a guitar? Many contenders will step into the ring, but all fill eventual fall by the hand of the king, the guitar. Thoughts?
Click to expand...

Ukelele for one! :laugh:

I tried picking up one of them little boogers at a campout a couple of years ago and it was so not a guitar that I put it back down again real fast!

I play guitar regardless of whatever's popular or marketable because it's just one of the most expressive and coolest sounding instruments out there. I can lose myself in it and forget whatever crap is going down in my life for a while -- like Paul says, it's therapy!

Oh, and this: "Let’s be realistic about this, the guitar can be the most blasphemous device on the face of the earth. That’s why I like it…The disgusting stink of a too-loud electric guitar: now that’s my idea of a good time." -- Frank Zappa :biggrin:
 
As long there are skinny dudes with acne that don't know how to talk to women.... the guitar isn't going anywhere.
 
leeasam said:
this is a great program with Joe Walsh.. go straight to the wrecking ball intro and listen to what Joe has to say about the way music is today.
http://www.livefromdarylshouse.com/currentep.html?ep_id=75
Click to expand...

While I agree with Joe in that MOST music has lost it's mojo, I certainly wouldn't say ALL music has lost it's mojo. The music business has changed and musicians/bands will need to adapt to those changes. Old guys (and I'm amongst those ranks) often decry "kids today". Things keep moving and things keep changing, but the world doesn't stop turning. Great music will continue to survive, we might just have to work a little harder to find it.
 
Ok after hearin the news,on guitars growen out of demand,with that bein said,anyone whant to buy,,all my prs guitars,lol,disco back on the rise,techno and kids,i agree kids have access to ,too much software,want that quick fix.
 
agree. I actually see the good stuff still out there. IMO the best music usually was not the stuff on top 40 radio etc. good guitar rock has always stood the test of time and will continue to do so. Heck even on American Idol Randy Jackson made a point to say how much he loved the guitar arrangement and playing on a certain song before he commented on the contestant!
Guitar will always be a huge part of music. it`s not always just electric but acoustic music is still big and thus the guitar will survive. I like blues -- 70s rock 80s hair metal etc. Love the guitar driven stuff.

I know Slash plays the other brand but as long as there is music and lick like this there will always be guitars around !! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bC8EmPA6H6g

But Myles is playing a PRS Mira later in the song :)
 
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Besides the Piano, the guitar is the go to instrument to create a song. No matter how strong a following digital song creation might evolve into, someone will come along like a SRV or Jimi and blow it all out the water.
 
Shawn@PRS said:
I was listening to "Four Simple Words" by Frank Turner today and one phrase really jumped out at me. (Frank plays what I would call "Folk Punk" which is right in my wheelhouse as my friend from New Jersey likes to say.) Anyway, the lines I'm referring to are:

Somebody told me that music with guitars
was going out of fashion and I had to laugh.
This sh!t wasn't fashionable when I fell in love.

How many times have we heard that guitar-oriented music was dying? Disco was killing it, techno was killing it, American Idol is killing it, etc. Young men and women all over the world will continue to feel a burning inside their hearts and they will continue to pick up guitars looking for an outlet for their creativity, pain, happiness, awkwardness, sorrow, love, hate and every other emotion known to mankind. Speaking through music is a universal truth and what instrument is more accessible and portable than a guitar? Many contenders will step into the ring, but all fill eventual fall by the hand of the king, the guitar. Thoughts?
Click to expand...

This is the truth of a real lover... BRAVO !!!!!!!!!!!
 
Classical music is dead. Tell that to the thousands of talented music majors all over the country who want nothing more than to join an orchestra.

Jazz is dead. Ask DiMeola, Scofield, Jarrett...

Electric guitars are out of fashion. Where? It's literally a synthesizer with strings, responsive to the touch and the player like no other instrument. And you can modify its tone with a repertoire of processors like no other piece of musical gear, and make it your own.

As some here know, I'm a keyboard player who doubles on guitar. I'm good at what I do, and I'm expert with a synth. But when I really, really want to express my inner being, I pick up a guitar.

By the way, the accordion is coming back. Just wait! ;)
 
Beyond the recorded song and cut-and-paste digital auto tune stuff, there is playing music. I seriously doubt I'll ever be recorded, I do not play in front of other people (on purpose anyway, sometimnes my wife or kids walk in). But I do play. Not well, hardly ever play a complete song, usually just random phrases that I string together. But I enjoy it, it relaxes me and helps me think. For people like me, the digital stuff will never replace a real instrument.
 
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My Daughter will be a guitar player. She will inherit a pretty nice pile of guitars too.

I think it's fair to say there will be lots of kids like her to keep the flame burning.
 
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