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Has the Electric Guitar taken a backseat in todays music?

4K views 109 replies 31 participants last post by  pjp 
#1 ·
Today many modern artists have an increasing preference for electronic instrumentation. There is a feeling that the Electric Guitar has gone as far as it can and Electric composition is unlimited. Songwriting software can do some excellent work. However can a synthesized guitar equal a Clapton, Hendrix or Duane Allman? The human creativity. Your thoughts and opinions.:)
 
#21 ·
That's not how it works, thou. Musicians/Producers will know what sound they're going for and will then try to find out how they can get that sound without exceeding budget limitations. So if you wanna have a beautiful guitar solo in your track you'll rather think about asking Steve Vai for a feature instead of thinking how to program that in a synth (unless it's just for a quick demo).
 
#3 · (Edited)
I don't see it done for. I see great talent emerging all the time. Nobody will ever be able to compete with our sentimental memories of course, but look at someone like Marcus King, only about 21 years old and on the path to be one of those greats. Ever heard of Billy Strings, incredible talent.



I believe there are may be more electric and acoustic guitar players now than there ever was. A greater field for top talent to emerge. Will there be another 'ground breaking' player, that does something totally different? It gets harder as so much ground has now been broken.


One interesting thing about the changes in music business, with all the streaming and ease of recording, the only way to make money is to perform live. Those talented performers will be rewarded. In the past, anybody could slap a studio hit together and make big money.
 
#4 ·
I don’t think that a synth guitar will ever replace an actual musicians playing stringed guitars at least not with any past or future blues artist. Tonality which is the signature of any guitarist. Instantly recognized upon the 1st few notes played.

The enjoyment of listening to a tight band perform. Where each band member adds there own creativity to a song. Which combines to produce a journey from the beginning to the end of the song.
 
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#5 ·
There basically is acoustic and there is electric. All electric (guitar) stuff is synthe-ish, meaning unnatural artificial sound, at its core. I know people who do not listen to any electric stuff for that reason. Some electric guitarists use a electric raw sound and some use sort of artificial electric sound, it about more or less with obvious artificial sound being a bit more extreme. Allan Holdsworth*, one of the great player ever, plenty of great guitarists admire him, is a pioneer of synthe guitar. After listing to some of that stuff Mclaughlin also made records with synthe sound claiming it gave lots more freedom of expression.

*He became associated with playing an early form of guitar synthesizer called the SynthAxe , a company he endorsed in the 1980s.
 
#7 ·
There basically is acoustic and there is electric. All electric (guitar) stuff is synthe-ish, meaning unnatural artificial sound, at its core. I know people who do not listen to any electric stuff for that reason. Some electric guitarists use a electric raw sound and some use sort of artificial electric sound, it about more or less with obvious artificial sound being a bit more extreme. .
But it's still a guitar and the artist's two hands making music. ;)
 
#6 · (Edited)
The popularity and availability of the garbage music made by lesser talented musicians is only a reflection of the how the population has become more homogenous these last couple of generations. When millennials only care about what's happening on social media and "opinion" based journalism, you can't expect serious talent and quality to prevail. They see that same mentality in the music, lazy, familiar, packaged... it speaks to them on their level. Guitarists are out there, they are just not taken as seriously or given the attention they deserve due to the current mass consumption of recycled and regurgitated music the industry pumps out because they keep making money on it. Almost every new song I hear, has pieces parts or chords from other popular songs from the past in them. When newer listeners hear this, they don't recognize the origins because they never experienced it. The same culture raised on movie remakes and cheap knock offs of products that were once revolutionary. "Modern" generations of people are passive, ambiguous, artificially diversified to the point where nothing can excite you, trigger natural responses or even address the laws of nature without being seen as too hostile or prejudice. The music reflects this and electric guitars challenge that warm and fuzzy comfort of staying in your mother's womb forever. When bands have to resort to using banjo's to get attention you know the industry is upside down.
 
#8 ·
I guess that depends on what you mean by today's music. If you're referring to the top 40, and modern radio hits then sure guitar isn't a major player. But that's simply because guitar isn't a featured instrument in the genres that are popular like pop, rap, and electronic. Guitar is normally a staple of rock music, which isn't the popular genre it once was.

If you take "today's music" simply to mean music being made today, then no, guitar most certainly has not taken a backseat. There are hundreds of bands all over the world constantly releasing new albums with wonderful guitar work. They're just not in the spotlight. He's not going to play Wembley stadium, but nothing is stopping your from going to see Isaiah Mitchell for example.

 
#14 ·
Guitar sales have been steady, so people are playing even if no one is listening. There is a huge underground guitar audience on YouTube. The most skilled guitarists ever are among today's artists (Guthrie Govan, Buckethead, Tosin Abasi, John Petrucci, etc.). And IMO, the best guitar album in the last thirty years was released in 2016 (Nick Johnston's Remarkably Human).

I doubt guitars will ever return to prominence in pop music. The attention span isn't there for anything but a simple beat. All the monotonous singing shows have made vocals the focus. And rap made it acceptable to create music using no musical talent. But even the synthetically created music in pop music is pretty simplistic.

The trouble with synthetically created music is that it sounds - fake. Maybe it's because I play guitar, but when I hear something that's obviously been enhanced or programmed it just doesn't sound right. It doesn't sound - human. It has no variance. It has no feel.

With today's guitar modeling, plug-ins and effects, you can pretty much make a guitar sound like anything, however you're still limited by the player's skill. It will be a long time before all the techniques of the electric guitar can be accurately programmed. It could be done, but it will be a massive undertaking.
 
#36 ·
Guitar sales have been steady, so people are playing even if no one is listening. There is a huge underground guitar audience on YouTube. The most skilled guitarists ever are among today's artists (Guthrie Govan, Buckethead, Tosin Abasi, John Petrucci, etc.). And IMO, the best guitar album in the last thirty years was released in 2016 (Nick Johnston's Remarkably Human).

I doubt guitars will ever return to prominence in pop music. The attention span isn't there for anything but a simple beat. All the monotonous singing shows have made vocals the focus. And rap made it acceptable to create music using no musical talent. But even the synthetically created music in pop music is pretty simplistic.

The trouble with synthetically created music is that it sounds - fake. Maybe it's because I play guitar, but when I hear something that's obviously been enhanced or programmed it just doesn't sound right. It doesn't sound - human. It has no variance. It has no feel.

With today's guitar modeling, plug-ins and effects, you can pretty much make a guitar sound like anything, however you're still limited by the player's skill. It will be a long time before all the techniques of the electric guitar can be accurately programmed. It could be done, but it will be a massive undertaking.
All of those names are considered as GODS in my world. :D

Couldn't agree more with this. A prime example is Eddie Van Halen's sound on the 1984 track Top Jimmy. This one has a really awesome metallic string tone to it. Love it! ;)
 
#15 ·
So, the original question: Has the electric guitar taken a backseat in today's music?

While the question might pertain to today's "popular", radio-friendly stuff, but not the music I listen to and have been listening to for the past 25+ years. And these guys (see photos) are still creating/recording/performing.
 

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#17 ·
Every time Gary Clark comes to town I go, probably 5 times now. In the context of music streaming or otherwise possibly. In a live venue certainly not and never will. It can't compete with human emotion of a guitar player versus someone clicking a mouse or pushing a button.

Back to Gary Clark Ive been impressed with the sound in the different venue's, all on the smaller side. A few tend to f the sound up. He apparently doesn't go for that because 2 places Ive cringed repeatedly it was spot on. Highly recommend if you get a chance
 
#27 · (Edited)
Electric guitar had been taken a back seat for a long time. E guitar was in full glory in the late 60s to early 70s and has be in the background since with occasionally one or two broke through like Van Halen.



Why do I know? Because I was a guitarist, quite good at that in the 70s standard. But towards the late 70s, I was really going nowhere. I cannot sing, I don't have talent in song writing ( because I cannot sing). That was pretty much the end of the road. Yes, I could play in clubs and all, but that's not a way to have as a career. Luckily in the process of modifying my guitar amp, I found my new passion much more over music......Electronics. Had a full career, and even now that I am retired, I still design amps as hobby.



Here is a recording of a street jam in 1978 where I played the guitar. It was recorded by a small hand held cassette recorder only. Sound quality was really low, but I quit not long after that and was my last tape.


Guitar playing advanced a lot, judge my playing with the standard in the 70s.


Since I retired, I actually designed a noise cancellation circuit that I got a US Patent in 2014. This is a demo of my invention:


I turned my guitar playing into electronics.
 
#43 · (Edited)
Electric guitar had been taken a back seat for a long time. E guitar was in full glory in the late 60s to early 70s and has be in the background since with occasionally one or two broke through like Van Halen.

Why do I know? Because I was a guitarist, quite good at that in the 70s standard. But towards the late 70s, I was really going nowhere. I cannot sing, I don't have talent in song writing ( because I cannot sing). That was pretty much the end of the road. Yes, I could play in clubs and all, but that's not a way to have as a career. Luckily in the process of modifying my guitar amp, I found my new passion much more over music......Electronics. Had a full career, and even now that I am retired, I still design amps as hobby.

Here is a recording of a street jam in 1978 where I played the guitar. It was recorded by a small hand held cassette recorder only. Sound quality was really low, but I quit not long after that and was my last tape.

Guitar playing advanced a lot, judge my playing with the standard in the 70s.

Since I retired, I actually designed a noise cancellation circuit that I got a US Patent in 2014. This is a demo of my invention:

I turned my guitar playing into electronics.

No reaction the first time, so tried again:

I have to say, after I quit playing guitar, I don't listen to guitar at all. I expand my view( hearing). I am more into piano, sax, and song writing. Favorite is Dave Grusin.
I, I, I, I. Since when was this thread all about you Alan?

You do realise, don't you, that every thread you enter on AVS does not have to revolve around you, right? Give us a break, please.
 
#29 ·
I was going to insert this gif into the power cord thread only to find it had closed before I could do so. Doh! So, please disregard this post, just practicing my gif insertions. Nothing to see here. :) I see I still need to practice.

on another note, I have been rewatching Californication on Netflix, when Dear Mr. Fantasy started playing, always loved that song. Stevie Winwood can play a mean guitar
 

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#31 ·
I was going to insert this gif into the power cord thread only to find it had closed before I could do so. Doh! So, please disregard this post, just practicing my gif insertions. Nothing to see here. :) I see I still need to practice.



on another note, I have been rewatching Californication on Netflix, when Dear Mr. Fantasy started playing, always loved that song. Stevie Winwood can play a mean guitar
It was posted ..I responded and that thread was closed...just as I said it would...[emoji16]

Sent from my MHA-L29 using Tapatalk
 
#32 · (Edited)
YOU are the problem if you want to listen to more/better GUITAR music....tune away from the URBAN/RAP Music Channels and look elsewhere....there is PLENTY to chose from. Sirius, Music Choice and other Channelized Music Streaming sources provide MANY "tailored" choices via SAT/CABLE/Internet....in particular I like the BRAZILIAN, HAWAIIAN, JAZZ and sometimes SMOOTH JAZZ Music Feeds [although I prefer CD/SACD's for the best QUALITY]....but YOU may prefer COUNTRY....or R&B....or FOLK....or maybe FUNK???
https://www.reviews.com/music-streaming-services
https://www.siriusxm.com/sxm/pdf/xm/channelguide.pdf
http://corporate.musicchoice.com/affiliates/january-12-2016-channel-change
https://musicchoice.com
https://www.accuradio.com [Variety of Internet Radio Feeds]
https://channelstore.roku.com/browse/music [ROKU, et.al. have MANY Music Streaming Choices]
https://tidal.com [TIDAL provides LOSS-LESS FLAC, TRUE HI-FI Music Streaming]
https://www.whathifi.com/us/advice/25-tidal-tips-tricks-and-features [TIDAL Tips & Tricks]
https://www.gottabemobile.com/tidal-vs-spotify-tidalforall [TIDAL vs SPOTIFY]


I first learned to play Ukulele and Guitar when I was a teenager in HAWAII....hence Slack Key Guitar (Ki Ho'alu) was and continues to be one of my most favorite types. If you have never heard it, you MUST give it a chance:
https://www.avsforum.com/forum/173-...ase-sparked-your-love-audio.html#post57305084

I also particularly like BRAZILIAN....and CLASSICAL Guitar for their OUTSTANDING fingering exercises...and melodic tone:
https://www.avsforum.com/forum/44-m...ssical-greatest-hits-albums.html#post57620780

Also check out some of the best contemporary JAZZ, ROCK & POP Guitarists:
https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/artist-list-six-contemporary-jazz-guitarists-worth-checking-out
https://www.musicradar.com/news/10-contemporary-guitar-virtuosos-you-need-to-hear
https://www.musicradar.com/news/the-12-best-acoustic-guitarists-in-the-world-right-now
https://www.musicradar.com/news/13-guitar-players-you-need-to-hear-in-2018
https://www.roadietuner.com/blog/top-10-underrated-funk-guitarists

And if you ever get out of the house, check out your "local" Live Music Scene, where you WILL Hear and See LOTS of Guitarists....
 
#41 · (Edited)
Stanley Jordan was originally trained in Classical Piano....and then became a self-taught JAZZ Guitarist, mastering the art of "hammering on" and pulling unusual harmonics....so BOTH of his hands are moving furiously up and down the Frets....must be SEEN to understand:
https://www.google.com/search?clien...2i30j33i299j33i160j0i13j0i8i13i30.VDC-ElC8Ews
Bartok Concerto shows him playing Piano with one hand and Guitar with the other.....

"Hammering On", aka "Touch Technique" explained:
https://www.wikihow.com/Hammer-on-a-Guitar-Note

[Hanspeter Kruesi: Advanced Touch Techniques, note 2 fingers on Right Hand play Harmonics]

Keep watching that channel for more demos....
https://music.apple.com/album/live-pure-feat-hanspeter/907878622 [LIVE PURE Album on iTunes]
https://itunes.apple.com/artist/hanspeter-kruesi/id265385062 [Other Apple iTunes by Hanspeter Kruesi]

More "hammering on" Touch Techniques can be seen watching last week's AGT's Guitar Whiz Marcin Patrzalek where he plays a blend of "New Age" [usually very precise] and Flamenco [usually very sloppy] Guitar styles....with frequent Harmonics thrown in for good measure. He's only 18-yo, so he should be quite a sensation a few years from now:
https://www.goldderby.com/article/2...uitarist-marcin-patrzalek-beethoven-agt-video
BTW: I suspect that he is using a "Slack Key" type Guitar Tuning....where certain strings are loosened so that without holding down any Frets, strumming generates a (usually) Major Chord, rather than garbanzo...

Although he has certainly mastered the "Touch" Technique, Stanley Jordan did NOT invent it:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Touch_guitar
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tapping

===============================================
FYI: In fol. video, Stanley Jordan talks about changing from Standard Guitar Tuning to "P4 Tuning" [Perfect Fourths, normally used with Bass Guitars], wherein you get the SAME Note when holding down the FIFTH Fret on the next smaller string, as you progress through all of the string pairs to tune the guitar. THAT means that the finger locations for any particular Chord are the SAME, whether played on the top 4 strings, the bottom 4 strings or the middle 4 strings. Stanley said he had trouble changing his "mind set" in-between songs and frequently had the "wrong" Guitar in hand. [PS: A Hawaiian Slack Key Guitarist typically plays half a dozen....or MORE different Guitar Tunings (some a closely held family secret)....just an accepted part of the gig....and BTW, most learning is mano a mano without Tablature, so everything is played from Finger Memory for an assumed Tuning Choice....so in live recordings there is always a lot of time for jokes as they retune in-between most songs]:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_fourths_tuning
https://www.justinguitar.com/guitar-lessons/tuning-in-4ths-p4-es-041

[P4 explanation begins at about 1:30]
 
#42 ·
I have to say, after I quit playing guitar, I don't listen to guitar at all. I expand my view( hearing). I am more into piano, sax, and song writing. Favorite is Dave Grusin.
 
#49 ·
I checked out top 100 charts of many years. I am pretty shure that it all started in the eighties when there were lots of songs in the charts with horrible synthe sound. Rap also started in the eighties (end seventies). There you have the basis for todays music.

wiki quote:
In the 1980s, the invention of the relatively inexpensive Yamaha DX7 synth made digital synthesizers widely available. 1980s pop and dance music often made heavy use of synthesizers.
 
#50 ·
We went from the wonderful creativity and variety up to the mid 70s and then we sorta suffered through a few years of the sameness with disco, but then in 1979 B-52s and a few others of the nearly eight year 'new wave' era burst on the scene with what I expected to be more sameness as disco, but it really wasn't. Wonderful variety, but after that era with popular music, it's just gotten worse, much worse. I generally chalk that up to me becoming just another grumpy old man, but I see that I'm not the only one who thinks this way.
 
#51 ·
That is TOTALLY dependent on the genre in question. Pop music and rap sure electronic instrumentation is WAY more popular. But for things like Rock, Country, Jazz, etc. nothing can replace a electric or acoustic guitar. No synth can replace the feel and touch of a human directly interacting with the strings. The pressure they put on the frets, the force and type of pick the strum with, you can't replicate that electronically.
 
#61 · (Edited)
There's no jobs. How many clubs you see with live bands around? So many guitarist, so few jobs. It's an illusion looking at the very few successful ones that earn mega bucks. Most musicians have day time jobs to support their playing. Been down that road. It's not the money, it's being able to have a consistent job.

Also, which club want to have the same band for more than a few months? it's like fashion, they need to keep changing. There is no job security, the longer you are on that job, the less job security you have. Then you have to fight to get another gig. So many competitions around.

You'd be surprised, if you get a gig, the money is NOT that low. The problem is no security. I am so glad I quit.
 
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