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Why the hate towards guitarists?
- Thread starter Electricblue
- Start date
It had nothing to do with a slam on that.
It was a slam on us humans as a whole.
But just to relax the fluffed feathers, I went back and deleted the reference in an effort to restore peace to the galaxy.
You missed the point, good sir. Even so, I went back and deleted the reference as your comment suggests to me that I didn't do a very good job in making my point. Sometimes my written communication skills fail the objective.
IMO good dudes/gals that play guitar are not guitards, self centered guitar players that think and/or act like idiots may be referred to as guitards.
faulknersj said:
It's ok to me to play with good guitarists with loud distorted guitars.
In any music genre that I can play.
I've met plenty of moron guitarists, moron bassists, moron singers with LSD, moron drummers, and moron keyboardists. I certainly have also known some excellent musicians (guitar, bass, vocals, percussion, keys, etc).
It seems that guitar is the most common instrument of choice for musicians and aspiring musicians, so naturally there are perhaps more moron playing guitar (guitards) than morons playing other instruments. This may not be the case in all geographic locations, but it's at least true in my experience.
It seems that guitar is the most common instrument of choice for musicians and aspiring musicians, so naturally there are perhaps more moron playing guitar (guitards) than morons playing other instruments. This may not be the case in all geographic locations, but it's at least true in my experience.
Bingo. And I too despise that ignorant term. Too bad we can't all appreciate what the other members of the band bring to the table instead of disparaging them. We all throw in our own ingredients in order to make the best "stew" possible...
AwkwardLoudness makes a good point. Guitar is probably the most popular instrument for beginners. It's easier to learn than piano, you can play chords and sing along quite easily. Bass by itself isn't as versatile for the beginner. There are also many who kind of want to play something but don't have the interest in investing the effort that really good musicianship requires. Most of them will go to guitar rather then other instruments. So there likely is a higher percentage of mediocre guitarists. But this doesn't detract from those who are really good.
Guitards (in cover bands):
- Play too loud & drowns everyone out despite everyone yelling at them about it.
- Do not bother to learn the correct version or play what the band decided on because their "version" is much better.
- Plays nothing, but power chords.
- Adds in guitar solos where they do not fit.
- Plays everything too fast and then accuses the band for screwing everything up.
- Tells the bass player to play only root notes on EVERYTHING.
- Brings no back up gear whatsoever and expects his band mates to save him every show
Guitarist
- Respectable volume on stage
- Plays cover songs correctly
- Understands their role and everyone else's
- Work with everyone in the band
- Asks for permission to do extended solos
- Can be approached about musical issues/questions
In a nut shell - a guitard is a player is who is not concerned for others around him and is looking out for his own interests.
I have been very lucky to play with such great guitarists. People who I can talk to about stage volume, tone issues, song structures - anything relating to music. The two guitarists I play with are far away from being a "guitard". Regardless they would find the term "guitard" hillarious.
As bass players, we get annoyed quickly with guitarists, because many of them are very self-centered while bass players generally come from a team-style approach. We look at how we can play with the band while a guitarist looks for the next opportunity to solo. If everyone in the band looked at how they can help each other - bands would stay together longer.
I do not think people on talkbass refer to ALL guitar players as "guitards" - there is a clear difference between a guitarist who wants to do an extended solo where appropriate and the guitarist who does nothing, but solo and butcher all of the band's hard work for their own self-gratification......
just like with any instrument, you will have those who fit a stereotype and some who will not.
That having been said, I've worked with many guitarists (and I started on guitar as well) who have been difficult to work with on many levels. The common themes tend to be feeling like they make the band or that they know more than everyone else (singers can have this same problem). The last few guitarists I've worked with have been very level-headed gents and actually know a lot about theory...perhaps thats the common denominator here? Knowing theory?
That having been said, I've worked with many guitarists (and I started on guitar as well) who have been difficult to work with on many levels. The common themes tend to be feeling like they make the band or that they know more than everyone else (singers can have this same problem). The last few guitarists I've worked with have been very level-headed gents and actually know a lot about theory...perhaps thats the common denominator here? Knowing theory?
^^^This^^^ +1, you said it my friend, that's what the term is all about...
I believe our friends across the pond call em wankers. And yeah, they aren't all like that, of course, but like singers, there is a tendency for that behavior to manifest itself in guitarists.
The whole offhanded "gitard" thing sorta cheapens the discourse a bit..
All the "so, like, my gitard did this stupid thing onstage last night.." etc etc comes off a bit trailer, more like yahoo newsgroup posts than the spirit of the Low Freq Brotherhood.
... but, they do seem to have a disproportionate number of volume-hogs than most other instruments..
All the "so, like, my gitard did this stupid thing onstage last night.." etc etc comes off a bit trailer, more like yahoo newsgroup posts than the spirit of the Low Freq Brotherhood.
... but, they do seem to have a disproportionate number of volume-hogs than most other instruments..
I should note that I have used the term guitard, and do regret it as it does diminish me as credible when I use it, and is not fair to ******** people, who by accident of birth can't help their condition, and is itself derogatory, and thus childish and cruel.
I will continue to use wanker though, as its funny, and more accurate when describing obnoxious guitarists, singers, drummers and yes, bassists. Oh, and don't get me started on keyboardists! ...
I will continue to use wanker though, as its funny, and more accurate when describing obnoxious guitarists, singers, drummers and yes, bassists. Oh, and don't get me started on keyboardists! ...
you are aware of what humour is right?
making fun of guitarists for being egocentric is a joke, like fun of the irish for being drunks or the french for being rude. If you don't get the joke, don't participate.
you wouldn't think it would be in 2011, sadly some people want the world run according to religion.
I love the description "GUITARD". It describes
1. Someone that mows down vocals.
2. Someone that can not control volume
3. Someone that has to tune differently on each song
4. Someone that plays to loud cuz "tone its my tone"
5. Someone that is "always" noodling between song.
6. Some one that demands I play a certain way
7. Someone that demands I play a certain kind of axe
8. Someone that shows up late
9. Someone that demands we play Led Zepplin without a singer that even comes close.
10. Someone that has no clue what the term "its the notes you don't play that are most important" means.
That right there sums up about 99% of guitar players I've met. There are exceptions. I've been playing in bands for 45 years and just my experience.
YMMV
1. Someone that mows down vocals.
2. Someone that can not control volume
3. Someone that has to tune differently on each song
4. Someone that plays to loud cuz "tone its my tone"
5. Someone that is "always" noodling between song.
6. Some one that demands I play a certain way
7. Someone that demands I play a certain kind of axe
8. Someone that shows up late
9. Someone that demands we play Led Zepplin without a singer that even comes close.
10. Someone that has no clue what the term "its the notes you don't play that are most important" means.
That right there sums up about 99% of guitar players I've met. There are exceptions. I've been playing in bands for 45 years and just my experience.
YMMV
I don’t like the term. As many have said, there are good, bad and ugly players on all instruments. There is, IMHO a difference in the character of the average lead guitarist / front man. It’s a different job, and it takes a different mindset to pull off, with that set of character traits comes other less desirable tendencies, do I want their job?... no. Do they?.. Yes, that’s the difference, so I take the rough with the smooth, it’s a package. They need to have that belief they are wonderful in order to have the confidence to pull off a good show. In my experience the better the front man the more often he will be late for rehrsal, ECT. The really good ones are complete loonies, I work with one right now, and we turn it into a joke guessing how many seconds before sound check they will turn up, bursting through the door in a cloud of lyric sheets. Live and let live, I’m sure they think most bass players are geeks.
