BOLLOX

Interesting topic. Specifically and musically, I think lead guitar has just stagnated for the past 20 years. There is only so much you can do with the pentatonic scale, which is what 99% of lead guitarists do, and I think many of us are "been there, done that" with it. I mean, many of the same licks played today were played back in the 50s and 60s. The Internet made the world a lot smaller, whereas where you may have been the only kid on the block that could play the live EVH "316" solo or "Summer Song," now you are in an expanded field where you are just another person in a long line who can whip out a flawless cover of that type of stuff all day long. I think that is defeating to a lot of guys. Sitting on the edge of your bed everyday and practicing for 8 hours has lost its luster when you see how many guys have such techncial prowess; flawless sweeps, alternate picking, etc. etc. and aren't really doing much with it other than posting Youtube clips of cover songs. The sad thing is, these super-talented guys may be a splash on the internet, but they are essentially overlooked because we've all heard it before. There is no real creative direction -- there doesn't seem to be anywhere else to take the instrument, sonically, that hasn't been done before. I think If anything "new and revolutionary" has come out in lead guitarland over the last 20 years, I haven't heard it. It's going to take someone who does something radical technically and melodically that can appeal to the mainstream.

As far as musicians in general and the art of musicianship, there is no real incentive. Musicians are getting screwed left and right. There is no loyalty from record companies. Nobody buys CDs anymore, many kids just illegally download music. Radio is a joke, don't even get me started on MTV. I don't know how a lot of musicians pay the bills anymore.

Just my $.02.
 
For most people its a hobby. A passionate one but still a hobby. I did the whole original thing in my 20-30's like most everybody. But at this stage its its own reward. I do it for fun and I still love it. If you can make a living being a musician then your very fortunate. .
 
I play in an original, hard working rock / metal band, and we do tours, etc. I love what I do, but I also play in a cover band just for cash, and I do have fun with it as well. The sad part about it is that alot of the general public would rather hear a sloppy cover band mash up "PLUSH," then a super tight original band that is bringing it hard! This all due to the rising trend of massive ADD, and laziness to give new music a chance.

I will post clips of my band in the other "Video."
 
Because a lot of people are getting older, have a lot of other things on their plate, or are realistic, and know they will not – or even don't want to – "make it big". So they stick to playing their favourite tunes at home or on a local stage, just because they love to play the music and not because they want to make a grand creative statement. And that's ok, too.
 
Heritage Softail":rdxgydmu said:
Hopefully you pick up fragments from others, put your spin on it, then go create something.
Click to expand...
This^^ I think that learning your favorite players songs and licks is an important step in learning guitar. Eventually you move on but retain the skills and put your spin on it.
 
I wouldn't be playing guitar or buying amps & modelers if it wasn't for all the cool riffs & tunes that I love to learn & jam along with.

I've never been in a band & have never had any desire to create my own tunes etc....

I don't give a rats ass about being original on guitar. For me it has always been about having fun.

Nobody will ever be as cool as Eddie, Randy, Hendrix, Page etc..... If you can't beat 'em, then just play their stuff!!! lol

Here's to hoping not everyone shares my viewpoint, because I'm still hoping there's some kid out there that's gonna bring some new magic to the table just like Eddie did back in '78! If so, I'll be first in line to copy him!!! lol
 
RazorDave":34h1ze7f said:
The sad part about it is that alot of the general public would rather hear a sloppy cover band mash up "PLUSH," then a super tight original band that is bringing it hard! This all due to the rising trend of massive ADD, and laziness to give new music a chance.
Click to expand...

^^^^ This! :yes: ^^^^
 
joolzriff":8szclp8i said:
im going to get my fire retardant suit on for this one...
as i browse the internet music forums as i love to do alls im seeing is people buying Artist signature gear & doing videos of covering songs & a huge Van Halen cloning world full of dudes spending HRS learning to play like evh & amp Builders building van halen amps...
why arnt we all putting this same time into being ''US'' ..sounding like ''us'' & writing our own material.....
what happend?
Click to expand...

The bigger question is................Why do you give a rat's ass?? :confused: :confused:
 
I think it's important to strike a balance between learning from your influences while still doing your own thing. I like to take a lick learned from an influence and speed it up, or play it in a different key, or remove a note, add a note, etc. You have to know where you've been to know where you're going. How else would we learn? I guess we all could have started by playing classical guitar, but where's the diversity and uniqueness in that?

As for the signature gear thing. I just dig the look, feel, and work that goes into them. Unless you looked closely at my Strat, you would have no idea it's a Jeff Beck. Out of the 30 people who saw me play out 2 years ago, 2 could tell what it was, my buddy who was playing rhythm, and his 60+ year old father who plays a American Standard in black with a maple board (Clapton's his hero and he has been playing since high school). If you really dig the look and sound, then you just happen to share the same taste as the original artist. If you're buying a guitar just because someone else plays it, then I can certainly see that being a problem.
 
Shiny_Surface":3uq15buk said:
There's probably some great original stuff but people don't want to use that material for their forum clips, they are just "playing to the crowd" knowing a cover will suffice for demoing a tone or whatever.
Click to expand...

I use my own stuff pretty much every time.
 
I play more original stuff these days ... but I have always done both. Early it was to learn ... later it was to make money. There is much less money in originals for most people.
 
We like to mix it up on whatever feels good at the moment to play. Usually warm up with some type of original...then when we do play someone elses tunes.....
we usually butcher them so bad they are hard to make out.
But either way....I play in my garage for fun to an audience of no one. :LOL: :LOL:
 
Bob Savage":1dme5bju said:
Shiny_Surface":1dme5bju said:
There's probably some great original stuff but people don't want to use that material for their forum clips, they are just "playing to the crowd" knowing a cover will suffice for demoing a tone or whatever.
Click to expand...

I use my own stuff pretty much every time.
Click to expand...

I know, you're one of the better examples to the exception of that, at least imo. :thumbsup:
 
Mailman1971":f9yh1js2 said:
We like to mix it up on whatever feels good at the moment to play. Usually warm up with some type of original...then when we do play someone elses tunes.....
we usually butcher them so bad they are hard to make out.
But either way....I play in my garage for fun to an audience of no one. :LOL: :LOL:
Click to expand...

Yeah...

But according to new rig talk protocol, you need to pt one clip per thread...

:rock:

:LOL: :LOL: :LOL: :LOL: :D
 
Heritage Softail":pqgjk8p1 said:
Mailman1971":pqgjk8p1 said:
We like to mix it up on whatever feels good at the moment to play. Usually warm up with some type of original...then when we do play someone elses tunes.....
we usually butcher them so bad they are hard to make out.
But either way....I play in my garage for fun to an audience of no one. :LOL: :LOL:
Click to expand...

Yeah...

But according to new rig talk protocol, you need to pt one clip per thread...

:rock:

:LOL: :LOL: :LOL: :LOL: :D
Click to expand...
:hys: :hys: \:D/
 
Nothing wrong with doing covers .... the Rolling Stones still do covers. They seem like they did OK ?

I think I posted one clip in about 15 places on the internet.
Some of my stuff was posted all over Europe & Asia ... not by me.
 
stephen sawall":inhtbbvw said:
Nothing wrong with doing covers .... the Rolling Stones still do covers. They seem like they did OK ?

I think I posted one clip in about 15 places on the internet.
Some of my stuff was posted all over Europe & Asia ... not by me.
Click to expand...

You are the man Stephen!

:LOL: :LOL:

You know I mean that in a good way.

But aside of the gas station burritos, what makes one a musician to you?

I always thought being a musician is something someone else would tell you.

When I saw ZZ Top they played Ring Of Fire. Rush covered Buddy Holly.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top