Are Electric Guitars Dying A Slow Death?

[Mincer]

Re: Are Electric Guitars Dying A Slow Death?

I'd be interested to see if other instruments are suffering the same downward sales trend... I really think it's because of this lazy new I-don't-give-a-$#!+-about-anything generation.

Well, there are probably less clarinet players than, say 90 years ago. Popular music has changed. I think you are right about country, though, as much as I can't stand it (unless you are talking about Chet Atkins/Albert Lee/Dixie Dregs country). It is the only popular music that still has guitar. It also attracts women, too.

 

[Little Pigbacon]

Re: Are Electric Guitars Dying A Slow Death?

It is the only popular music that still has guitar. It also attracts women, too.

Yes, but at what cost? At what cost?

 

[Jacew]

Re: Are Electric Guitars Dying A Slow Death?

...It also attracts women, too.

"I started to play guitar to get women, but all it got me was other guys that play guitar."

I don't remember where I read that quote, but it has been proven to be pretty true...

 

[LLL]

Re: Are Electric Guitars Dying A Slow Death?

It's quite possible that all the notes & chord progressions have been played to death and all the great tones have been found.

There's only so many to go around, after all.

 

[Little Pigbacon]

Re: Are Electric Guitars Dying A Slow Death?

If you haven't played it on a great Telecaster, it's new to you.

 

[chadd]

Re: Are Electric Guitars Dying A Slow Death?

Oldies isn't a time period or a genre. Just about all music is going to be considered oldies by someone, eventually. And a lot of it will go through one or more nostalgia cycles. Right now there are people on the Internet (I guess that's where they live?) going through nostalgia for crap from the 90's that I've never heard of or didn't pay any attention to. Spin Doctors and Soul Coughing are somebody's classic rock.

That's great for me, new lineup of the band is ready to roll and gigs are lined up for fall with tons of Pearl Jam, Nirvana, Soul Asylum and a bunch of one hit wonders like Refreshments, Harvey Danger, Marcy Playground, etc....

Oh, and I have the first two Dangerous Toys discs. Pretty sure I can still recite at least half the lyrics to a couple of their songs.

 

[beaubrummels]

Re: Are Electric Guitars Dying A Slow Death?

"Guitar bands are on their way out, Mr. Epstein."

-Dick Rowe, head of A&R for Decca Records, while turning down The Beatles for a record contract.

 

[Myaccount876]

Re: Are Electric Guitars Dying A Slow Death?

I'll probably be an old grandpa or dead by the time electric guitar becomes obscure, so I couldn't really care. There's also nothing wrong with guitar players becoming a bit more rare - they're already a dime a dozen and it would cut down on the number of people who only learn Wonderwall or whatever modern song is equivalent to pick up underaged girls.

 

[MetalManiac]

Re: Are Electric Guitars Dying A Slow Death?

To be quite frank, guitars aren't "on their way out'..they are out. Everything in the guitar , as well as all other instruments in the music hemisphere is pretty much already digitally sampled, and with a keyboard trigger, there are now a zillion different guitar samples and backing tracks, and permutations therof. Meaning you could trigger a simulated program of any combinations of guitars and amps and backing instruments of any genre all triggered by keyboard, so yeah, it's over.

 

[Demanic]

Re: Are Electric Guitars Dying A Slow Death?

To be quite frank, guitars aren't "on their way out'..they are out. Everything in the guitar , as well as all other instruments in the music hemisphere is pretty much already digitally sampled, and with a keyboard trigger, there are now a zillion different guitar samples and backing tracks, and permutations therof. Meaning you could trigger a simulated program of any combinations of guitars and amps and backing instruments of any genre all triggered by keyboard, so yeah, it's over.

So, that means that you're getting rid of all your gear to me for a song? 'Cause there's obviously no sense in hanging on to a bunch of outdated equipment.

Sent from my MotoE2(4G-LTE) using Tapatalk

 

[Mincer]

Re: Are Electric Guitars Dying A Slow Death?

Yes, but at what cost? At what cost?

The price is too high for me. So I just do what I do. It is strange, weird, and not many people 'get' it, but I have a blast.

 

[zionstrat]

Re: Are Electric Guitars Dying A Slow Death?

I love this thread!

By profession, I plan software products that can meet user needs for decades, however the only way to stay relevant is to regularly upgrade product, messaging and business development to meet current user needs.

From that perspective, much of the music industry (classic labels are a good example) have been behind the curve for 30+ years and many classic brands (Gibson) are struggling to remain relevant in the big picture-

In the same direction, it was clear that everything would change when no cost sampling opened the door to stealing everything from drum groves to modeled amps, guitars and FX chains.

It doesn't matter how this happened, the point is any 12 year old, with a loop production package can put together songs that are readily accepted by music audiences.

And that is the point- As much as we may argue about how we got here, the level of quality or the decrease in musicianship, most of the general public, the average listener, are happy with some version of the final products that are available practically everywhere.

But that doesn't mean the game is over- remember the collapse of the family farm 15 years ago? Have you noticed all of the boutique, green, specialist farms that grew up to fill the void? Customer driven and value ad are not buzz words- It's the way that products and industries become (or remain) relevant.

So if you want to remain a relevant electric guitarist, rethink everything you know from the customer perspective-

Here's a great example- Listen, really listen to the following-


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Fi4T-yR8tM

• Sampled, grove based pop
• Compressed, volume optimized,
• it's pretty much the opposite of Boston 1976

And then consider the space and room this guitarist has maximized-

• Arpeggios, clean, crunch
• He gets it all into this tight little indie song.
• I bet he is loving what he is doing.

Now put the Boston/Led Zep or Metalica history aside for a minute-

If your audience is pop rock and you are a guitarist, doesn't this song fill a similar niche to Blood and Roses from 1986?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vqML7WbOun8

As always, it takes a lot of talent and luck to make money in music. But if you rethink potential audiences and your role, I think we all can remain very relevant.

What do you guys think? Is customer-centrist too much of a 'sell out' for you?

 

[Vasshu the humanoid typhoon]

Re: Are Electric Guitars Dying A Slow Death?

Times are changing....
It is a niche thing.
Acoustics are plentyful these days...so the guitar is just going back to what it was.

I don't even listen to much guitar oriented music anymore!
All the Zappa's and alikes are gone...what is the point?

 

[Darg1911]

Re: Are Electric Guitars Dying A Slow Death?

It's why I don't pile on the criticizing of players who actually are doing their part to keep the instrument relevant. Insert you favorite whipping boy (or girl) here ____

 

[Vasshu the humanoid typhoon]

Re: Are Electric Guitars Dying A Slow Death?

Guthrie Govan...instant sleep pill....mebbe he uses da klun?

 

[treyhaislip]

Re: Are Electric Guitars Dying A Slow Death?

Guthrie Govan...instant sleep pill....mebbe he uses da klun?

 

[Vasshu the humanoid typhoon]

Re: Are Electric Guitars Dying A Slow Death?

Yeah really....haha he puts me to sleep instantly.

 

[treyhaislip]

Re: Are Electric Guitars Dying A Slow Death?

Yeah really....haha he puts me to sleep instantly.

His playing or his talking?

 

[Vasshu the humanoid typhoon]

Re: Are Electric Guitars Dying A Slow Death?

...Oh he talks as well.....mindboggeling...
Haha nah he is just not my cup of tea!

 

[wmachine]

Re: Are Electric Guitars Dying A Slow Death?

I never buy new guitars. There's millions of great used guitars for half the price! That might be why new guitar sales are down.

56 posts into this thread before some mentioned this. Guitars are generally not a consumable like cars and cell phones, for example. So what is the concern about new sales being down? How much are they really down world-wide? This death of guitars is greatly exaggerated......by those that can only think in consumer-istic measures.

Well. There is always the underground.

Yes, but without even being that obscure, guitars can still flourish in the mainstream without being "featured" in the most promoted Pop music of the moment.

Well, there are probably less clarinet players than, say 90 years ago. Popular music has changed. I think you are right about country, though, as much as I can't stand it (unless you are talking about Chet Atkins/Albert Lee/Dixie Dregs country). It is the only popular music that still has guitar. It also attracts women, too.

Okay, this is a response that puts it all in perspective. Clarinet dead? No. I played a bassoon years ago. Just recently I saw a new one on sale (granted a high quality one) for $28,000.00. But it did have a $100 mail in rebate, so I guess the death bell tolls there too.
So past its peak in popularity? Probably, but even that's debatable.
Dying? Hell no.