How did the guitar become so dominant? - Page 2

Bobby Jim · #16 May 4, '12, 11:23 pm

Well besides what everyone else has said... the range of the guitar is pretty well suited to accompanying singing (vs, say, the ukelele or the mandolin, or the bass). And it combines bass and treble in a single instrument, so one person can play some neat sounding stuff. The same is of course true of piano and organ, but those are more expensive and not portable.

Also - guitar (and I suppose other fretted instruments, but guitar is currently the most common of these), is not that hard to get a decent sound out of. Well I hear mandolin is pretty hard, but anyway. Neglecting for a minute the ability to sing and play at the same time: Compare playing guitar to say, a violin. I went to a kids' music recital a few weeks ago; kids who are playing violin for a few years are just getting past the point where they sound like sick cats, and they still needs to be accompanied by someone else on piano or cello or something to actually sound nice. Not that playing guitar is easy or anything, but it's a bit faster to get to the point where you can play some songs, complete with their own accompaniment. A lot of wind instruments as well lack that basic satisfaction of being able to harmonize. Guitar is something you can play solo, without having to get the band together to play different parts.

As to why the guitar is dominant over, say, the banjo - in the days after Earl Scruggs died, I heard an interview he had recorded a few years back. Among the things that came up is that, until Scruggs and others of his generation came along, the banjo was used primarily as a prop for musical comedy routines... "That Earl Scruggs - he's not funny one bit!" And by that time (1940s) the guitar was already being electrified, and becoming popular in a wider variety of musical styles. So some musical instruments are perhaps limited by their own history.

Et Cetera · #17 May 5, '12, 2:16 am

It sounds pretty nice.

sedonaman · #18 May 9, '12, 7:25 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by VeritasLuxMea

... how and why did the guitar become so dominant as a musical instrument?
...

Probably the same reason cigarettes became popular.

tomarin · #19 May 9, '12, 8:01 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4Squarebaby

That you can stand/dance play and sing (be the front man) at the same time. Also it was new, star musicians of their parents era were horn players and pianist

Take a band like the Commodores on their breakout hit the drummer Walter Orange was the lead singer. however he could not 'front the band from behind the drums. So in concert Lionel Ritchie took over more of the lead duties. While Ritchie could be a second keyboardist he only went to the piano for visual effect and stayed upright dancing for most of the concerts, occasionally playing sax when Orange had the lead singing duties.

What about Phil Collins? He plays the drums and sings.

tomarin · #20 May 9, '12, 8:02 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bobby Jim

As to why the guitar is dominant over, say, the banjo - in the days after Earl Scruggs died, I heard an interview he had recorded a few years back. Among the things that came up is that, until Scruggs and others of his generation came along, the banjo was used primarily as a prop for musical comedy routines... "That Earl Scruggs - he's not funny one bit!" And by that time (1940s) the guitar was already being electrified, and becoming popular in a wider variety of musical styles. So some musical instruments are perhaps limited by their own history.

(shortened by Tomarin)

Yeah, as far as I know the banjo has always been considered a "character" instrument.

LemonAndLime · #21 May 9, '12, 8:12 am

I can't watch any US program, particularly a sitcom without hearing a guitar. If its a touching moment - acoustic guitar, slow. If they're having fun - electric guitar, loud and quick.

I even tried to watch an american cop show. The narrator was having to shout over the sound of guitars. I'd say it was definately more dominant in the US than the UK just by looking at the differences in TV shows.

Case example - there is a program very popular in the UK called "Don't tell the Bride". The music they use are popular music tracks (think top 10 in iTunes), as well as orchestral music. I've watched a few episodes of the US version and its all guitar. Loud, loud, guitar.

piejesu · #22 May 9, '12, 8:12 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bobby Jim

but guitar is currently the most common of these), is not that hard to get a decent sound out of.

Guitars are easy to play. People are lazier than ever, and want instant gratification. Technical jobs go to foreigners because American kids don't want to put in the time and effort to learn mathematics and science. The same holds true with musical instruments. Math and music are linked sciences.

sedonaman · #23 May 9, '12, 8:43 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by LemonAndLime

...I even tried to watch an american cop show. The narrator was having to shout over the sound of guitars. ... I've watched a few episodes of the US version and its all guitar. Loud, loud, guitar.

It's been said that electricity is the worst thing that ever happened to music.

4Squarebaby · #24 May 9, '12, 10:27 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by tomarin

What about Phil Collins? He plays the drums and sings.

Hence with Genesis he was not the frontman at first. And when he did become the frontman he was normally upfront singing with a hired sideman on drums.

wardrandolph · #25 May 9, '12, 11:36 am

[quote=piejesu;9276648]Guitars are easy to play. People are lazier than ever, and want instant gratification. Technical jobs go to foreigners because American kids don't want to put in the time and effort to learn mathematics and science. The same holds true with musical instruments. Math and music are linked sciences.[/QUOT As a guitar player for over 45yrs.,I respectfully disagree with the instant gratification and lazy tag.Anyone who thinks you can master the guitar in a few hours or are to lazy to learn to play a violin,trumpet or any instrument has never attempted to play one.After all these years I'm still learning differant techniques etc.And as an added bonus I don't have to blow the saliva off after I'm finished(most of the time anyways).

tomarin · #26 May 9, '12, 12:15 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4Squarebaby

Hence with Genesis he was not the frontman at first. And when he did become the frontman he was normally upfront singing with a hired sideman on drums.

Ah. I stand corrected then.

sedonaman · #27 May 9, '12, 12:55 pm

[quote=wardrandolph;9277743]

Quote:

Originally Posted by piejesu

Guitars are easy to play. People are lazier than ever, and want instant gratification. ...

Heck, if that's the case, why not just play a Victrola?

wardrandolph · #28 May 9, '12, 1:40 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4Squarebaby

Hence with Genesis he was not the frontman at first. And when he did become the frontman he was normally upfront singing with a hired sideman on drums.

Don Henly(Eagles)The Band,ZZtop,GFR all had drummers who sang while they played.Also Ringo.

Samson01 · #29 May 9, '12, 1:44 pm

Could it be the musical scale and how it matches voice's...? Or becuase they RAWK!

wardrandolph · #30 May 9, '12, 1:55 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Samson01

Could it be the musical scale and how it matches voice's...? Or becuase they RAWK!

WOW.Nice SG.Finish is interesting.Is that a 61?I have the HC Gibby Standard.Love it.