Guitar observation, agree or disagree?

OMG.

I finally get to comment on one of "My Type" of questions!! YAY!

Everybody who has answered has valid points and observations. Even the first guy who "totally disagreed" with you, went on to basically say exactly what you did in a different way

The technological observations are indeed part of the problem. I, too, remember the days when calculators were a novelty. I remember my shock and surprise when we were allowed to use calculators for math exams in college!

The idea was that you had to know the operations of the math to do the calculations properly, so the calculator wasn't "cheating" Horse Muffins!

I remember an algebra final in high school. I got all but one question correct. The first question was so easy that I accidentally multiplied 2 and 3 instead of adding them to solve the equation. We couldn't use calculators back then.

Just like the idea of guitar tabs. I really don't like that all the kids think that that is the right and proper way to learn guitar.

To an old fart like me, they are more confusing than anything else. I can't make heads nor tails of them.

The modern generation is too used to instant information and for devices that make things easy.

I'm pretty sure most of you guys learned guitar with chordbooks, song sheets and Mel Bay's guitar method.

WE didn't have DVD's, Videos, internet, electronic tuners and a bunch of nice guys like us to ask on a little magic box.

Another thing I'm noticing....most of the veterans who know what they are talking about on here seem to mostly come from the UK and Australia. (apologies to the ones like me from the U.S. that I don't know the location of) but Tony B. Pompous, JCR, cnewshadow, the former Mamianka, (now" ..."), Rachel, and others are not from the US. Not sure where you're from, Harry, but I wish there was a nice club for us to all get together and convivialize.

But I've noticed most of the dumb questions are from here or the UK. The ones who have "dreams" are from here and the one's who have a "passion" are UK types.

When I grew up and learned guitar in the late 60's early 70's, I wanted to learn guitar, knew it was "hard" and didn't expect to be Jeff Beck in 6 months.

I knew how hard it was to play like Carlos Santana or Jimmy Page.

Now the kids are seeing popular music played by short attention span artists with only a few years of playing under their belts and think they can do that, too. and of course, they can.

The guitar solos I see in youthful music are usually 4-8 measures of a single string melody using tons of effects, but no "improv" ability.

This just waters the talent pool down.

And every once in a while one of us feels the need to express our frustrations in the form of questions like these, probably in the hope that some of the noobs will read them and our answers and possibly glean some wisdom from them (or get a good splash of water in their face to wake them up to reality)

Unfortunately, I've seen no decline of stupid questions. Like I was dong research on how many times "what's a good beginner guitar? " has been asked. It's almost up to one million times!

The only salve I can rub on our emotional wounds is that there are still some kids on here that are really trying to learn something, and it is those kids us veterans can still salvage and advise and hopefully mentor a few of them to make good music eventually.

try looking at the Entertainment and music sections and read all the stupid crap they ask and say on there. You'll think the ones in performing arts are geniuses.

Lot's of hate and ignorance there. A bunch of them think Led Zeppelin and other classic artists of those days are sheer crap and didn't do anything special, but Five Finger Death Punch does or that Deathcore is the only great style of music and everyone else are *******.

*sigh*

I guess times like this question is the best we can do as a gathering place to share a metaphorical drink and ***** about the youth of today, Harry. ( I know our parents thought the exact same thing about us LOL)

I respectfully and completely disagree with ya there, my friend.

Most kids that pick up a guitar these days never make it to a confident/advanced level because most kids that have picked up a guitar at any point in history didn't make it to a confident/advanced level. It's like anything else that requires effort; painting, boxing, guitars, whatever; most give up along the way, the select few rise to the top.

Also, It's becoming more rare for really good guitarists to hit the mainstream because musical trends are changing; rock n roll as well as guitar music in general isn't what the kids are listening to these days.

Its easier to turn the xbox on and play games than to

Spend years of hard work learning guitar.some of the

Youngsters at my work want me to teach them how to

Play but the dont know the beatles,led zeppelin,queen ect.

Most kids follow the media and wont go their own way in

Fear of being an outcast.the majority are spoilt and get

What they want when they want and they think the same

About guitars.they want it and they want to play straight

Away.they realise its not easy and they cant play the song

That inspired them to try because its too advanced so the

Easy thing to do is to give up and turn the xbox on. The lucky

Few are the ones brought up around rock music by their parents.

In the future there will probably be memory implants on guitar

Playing loaded into the brain, like the matrix. Far fetched but i think

Itll happen.most people want everything easy.

My dear friends, and comrades of the axes...

I'd be glad to provide the coffee and the donuts when we meet within the club, pub or coffee house of choice.

It all sounds like a group of non commission officers, telling of their experience with their fresh boots and what babies they have, to be responsible for their welfare and making them into individuals who can handle life and think for themselves.

Sure can be frustrating, eye opening and even alarming of what naive ignorance has been presented on occasion. Even an embarrassment if not being realized what some do present as their questions, be it sincere, or out of pure stupidity.

And yes, I must agree (as an old 'sage' that I sound as) that the instant 'answer' has become too available in bypassing the reasoning behind it, to any situation out mere curiosity, or real complexity.

Thanks to the methodology of our technology. (Sorry, for the word play.)

Once thought that having a hand held calculator was a cheat tool, and of just a generation is but an accepted and expected tool for learning today.

And the Internet, was meant to be a communication tool exclusive for research and science between universities and corporations.

We all (now) have the power, but became as slaves to our own devices, and created addicts and robots as a result of our advancements.

True creativity, real art, sincere expression, honest enthusiasm and solid ability or capability... has been made even more rare and better appreciated through such example, as what we've come to experience around here.

Have another cup, on me. And, pass me another donut.

I've noticed those questions too - people who seem not to understand the idea of having to learn to do something.

A while ago there was a question from a fifteen year old wanting advice about his "talent": as I remember it, he'd tried guitar, piano, drawing, swimming and various sports but had not been good at any of them and hadn't liked or been interested in them. Now he thought, "maybe drums" was right for him. Working hard and making an effort to do these things, to learn how to do them, had never occurred to him! People ask questions about what instrument is the "easiest" to learn - that's the one they want! It's only recently that I began to understand the sudden popularity of "Drop D" tuning (popular in folk styles of playing and very useful when playing in D, but why would young kids be interested?) - of course it makes one-finger power chords possible without learning to play.

People have become passive, they don't expect to have to "do" anything. In the UK, we have TV programmes where part way through someone will tell you what the programme is, who the presenters are, what you have just seen and what you are going to be seeing later. Everything is "dumbed down" so people don't even have to think.

So, I agree with you but I think there are other factors that help explain the attitude you describe. The first, I can only describe as "ignorance". It seems to me that people know less than they used to. Looking at questions posted here I am quite alarmed at how, I presume, the Internet has resulted in people being so misinformed and so lacking in knowledge. Here is a brief list of some of the things they don't understand: acoustic guitar, fret, melody, instrumental, song, strum, producer, mix, standard tuning, MIDI. A while ago someone stated that it had been "scientifically proven" that an electric guitar was easier to play than an acoustic; the two instruments are completely different, we are told. People routinely give the exact percentage of self-taught players who "give up" during the first year. There are, apparently many pieces of music which simply cannot be played on a guitar, or only on one particular type of guitar. Oh, and of course, they have no idea what a truss rod is but let's "adjust it anyway! They can't even use an electronic tuner. Some people are aware of their lack of knowledge and seem proud of it. We've had a lot of questions from people about to buy a guitar, or who have actually bought a guitar, but know "nothing" about them and have no idea how they might learn to play. A while ago someone had decided to learn to play guitar and bass but wondered what the difference was between them! People want to know if playing an acoustic guitar means you can play an electric. This is the twenty first century but these people know less than I did as a thirteen year old in the nineteen sixties.

Linked with this is a general lack of passion or even interest. A recent question was from someone who'd had a guitar since April but had only just got round to trying to play it. I longed for a guitar, some of these people post questions asking strangers to decide for them if they should even get one. Last week someone wanted to know if they should get a guitar or an iPad. Should they give up guitar? What are the pros and cons of playing the guitar? Which guitar is right them? Which musical instrument should they play?

Finally, I think that, over the years we have put increasing importance on the idea that children need to have self-confidence and self-esteem. We believe, and even tell them, that they are the most important people in the World. They should be free to express themselves and made to feel the equal of any adult. Some of these kids really do believe that everyone is talented and that they can do anything. People post questions saying they know they are talented but don't know what their talent is. They muddle up a "talent" for something with simply working hard at something. To become good at it and actually enjoying the process.

Of course kids as talented as this are going to be able to play guitar without any effort - that's if they ever get enough enthusiasm to get one. The might lack the knowledge of where to get one from but there is probably a YouTube video they can watch to help them.

I realise, of course, that I am putting all these negatives together as if they all applied to everyone and I know that what I describe applies to only some of the questions posted here and that the people post here are a tiny minority of young guitar players, but, even so, I think it's a trend which is not encouraging.

I've long since left religion behind but I sort of know what this is all about. I grew up in a Pentecostal church. Services involved speaking in tongues, laying on of hands, people jumping up and shouting. In lots of non evangelical, non-Pentecostal churches, this sort of stuff just doesn't happen. And if someone from that background comes in contact with it, then they tend to freak out. It's not even so much about denomination. Some Baptist churches are very enthusiastic in their worship services. Some Baptists aren't. Usually, the words that are used to distinguish one type church from another are Pentecostal (although that is a denominational difference), charismatic, or evangelical. Your boyfriends mother might have been a little confused because given that Baptist churches tend to pride themselves on the independence of their congregations, you can't always tell what your getting just because the church says Baptist. Honestly, I've found that a lot of this stuff generally to be almost related to class divisions as much as anything else. The ritzier the church the more they generally frown on this type stuff. They just generally tend to frown on any emotional displays. This really doesn't have anything to do with differences in religious doctrine. It's more a matter of some people being uncomfortable with emotional display, touching etc. For folks that are comfortable with it, they view it as a display of enthusiasm, sincerity or maybe a gift of the Holy Ghost. For those who aren't comfortable with it, they tend to view emotional reactions as a sign of personal weakeness of some sort. People are supposed to be restrained and not shout or touch somebody else etc. Your boyfriends mother may have been temporarily weirded out by this experience. I don't really see how this should be a problem. I mean, it's not like your boyfriends Mom is going to be required to attend services with your relatives. So the fact that they might have different styles of worship, shouldn't really be a problem. Think of it this way. You and your boyfriend view your relationship as a relationship between you and the other, and God (since your religious). Your families view your relationship as involving a relationship between the entire families. Your prospective mother in law is uptight. Your family isn't. This worries her. But unless this affects your relationship with your boyfriend, then just try to roll with the punches. If it does affect your relationship with the guy, well, sad to say, your boyfriend is a momma's boy and hasn't yet developed his own personality. It wasn't meant to be. Hope things work out for you.