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GMC Forum _ PRACTICE ROOM _ Young People And Instruments/music

Posted by: Jerry Arcidiacono Feb 11 2008, 03:16 PM

Talking with some of my youngest students (8-17 years old), they told me that they're the only ones who play an instrument between their classmates.
When I was in the high-school I had a lot of friends to play with.
Luckily some of us are doing music or other arts as a living, right now.

So I was wondering what happens around the world. Are kids still interested to play an instrument like in the past?

During the 80's we had a lot of guitar players (with strange haircuts smile.gif ) also on mainstream bands, on MTV and so on. Guitar solos are slowly disappeared during the years, the nu-metal came...
Of course you can use YouTube and the Net to find everything.
But for my ears it's quite strange when someone discover a great guitar player using Guitar Hero blink.gif biggrin.gif


Posted by: OrganisedConfusion Feb 11 2008, 03:30 PM

It certainly isn't the case in the UK. Everybody plays an instrument it seems and most play guitar. Its silly.

Posted by: Robin Feb 11 2008, 03:35 PM

Back when I was in high school there were many guitar players and bands. Always someone playing the acoustic guitar at school.
Doesnt seem to be that many that REALLY loves music though. Many of my friends that started guitar in high school have quit long ago.

Posted by: Jerry Arcidiacono Feb 11 2008, 03:40 PM

QUOTE (OrganisedConfusion @ Feb 11 2008, 03:30 PM) *
It certainly isn't the case in the UK. Everybody plays an instrument it seems and most play guitar. Its silly.


biggrin.gif biggrin.gif

Posted by: jammer91 Feb 11 2008, 03:49 PM

Right now almost no one wants to play bass. Finding a bassist is pretty hard and if you do, theyre probably in another band. I kinda like it with not many guitarists. Too much competition and people show off.

Posted by: Bogdan Feb 11 2008, 03:49 PM

We had music classes in primary and in high school..But unfortunately kids don't get to play instruments (we play Flute in primary and nothing in secondary)..Its the one of subjects kids don't pay attention at all...I'm sure a lot of young people would play if they had the chance to tryout different instruments in primary school..

Posted by: Nemanja Feb 11 2008, 03:57 PM

In my highschool every body playd some instrument....but considering i went to a music high school it is normal...smile.gif
but in our non music high schools there is at least 2-3 rock\metall bands...or at worst 1 band.....so I think that there is steel interes in playing an instrument...but that all depends from the family to..maybe kid wants to play but the parents wount lett them...bicouse they had other plans for them.....

Posted by: SLASH91 Feb 11 2008, 07:20 PM

EVERYONE around here plays guitar, because, sadly all you have to do to impress someone these days is learn the few chords necessary to play some Fallout Boy or Greenday song (not bashing them). But it is incredibly hard to find someone who plays bass or drums. sad.gif

Posted by: OrganisedConfusion Feb 11 2008, 07:23 PM

I have never known the amount of people to play guitar being so high. Everybody plays here like SLASH91 said. I think its a mix of modern stuff being very cool to youngsters and very easy to play and that people have been inspired to pick up the guitar by Guitar Hero.

Seriously round here too many play guitar. It is hard to get gigs because there are way too many bands around here.

Posted by: Mark. Feb 11 2008, 07:26 PM

Well Im still in high school, but nobody plays a instument seriously.. blink.gif
Some, like 1 of 30 plays a instrument a bit, mostly guitar they know a few chords but thats it dry.gif
This really sucks cause I cant find a band sad.gif blink.gif mad.gif

Posted by: OrganisedConfusion Feb 11 2008, 07:28 PM

QUOTE (Mark. @ Feb 11 2008, 06:26 PM) *
Well Im still in high school, but nobody plays a instument seriously.. blink.gif
Some, like 1 of 30 plays a instrument a bit, mostly guitar they know a few chords but thats it dry.gif
This really sucks cause I cant find a band sad.gif blink.gif mad.gif

UK there is too much competition to get in a band lol smile.gif

Posted by: Milenkovic Ivan Feb 11 2008, 08:25 PM

I think that music education in formal or basic schools, whatever is it called should be better. Kids should listen to modern music more, rock, blues and jazz as well as classical - not just classical. This way they have a choice, and they can get interested easily in music.

Posted by: Jerry Arcidiacono Feb 11 2008, 09:58 PM

QUOTE (Bogdan @ Feb 11 2008, 03:49 PM) *
We had music classes in primary and in high school..But unfortunately kids don't get to play instruments (we play Flute in primary and nothing in secondary)..Its the one of subjects kids don't pay attention at all...I'm sure a lot of young people would play if they had the chance to tryout different instruments in primary school..



QUOTE (Milenkovic Ivan @ Feb 11 2008, 08:25 PM) *
I think that music education in formal or basic schools, whatever is it called should be better. Kids should listen to modern music more, rock, blues and jazz as well as classical - not just classical. This way they have a choice, and they can get interested easily in music.


This is the first problem. dry.gif

Posted by: Stevie·Ray·Vaughn Feb 11 2008, 10:04 PM

Around here, everyone plays an instrument smile.gif .. half the people in my classes play guitar or drums, but there is only 1 or 2 singers/bassists in the whole school sad.gif

Posted by: Muris Feb 11 2008, 10:05 PM

I see many kids here trying to play and practice
but they quit too easily...
Looks like they want some kind of instant progress and success,
caused my life and tempo of life we're living today,
every thing has to be done fast and without much work,
which is quite impossible,specially when it comes to instrument and music.

And media of course,TV runs different kind of music nowdays
but there are still kids browsing the net and listening to"real" playing,
at least that's one advantage of the net as Jerry said. smile.gif

Posted by: Smells Feb 11 2008, 10:05 PM

QUOTE (jammer91 @ Feb 11 2008, 02:49 PM) *
Right now almost no one wants to play bass. Finding a bassist is pretty hard and if you do, theyre probably in another band.


+1 the last couple of bands I`ve been in the Bass players started off as the guitarists and dropped back onto Bass coz of the lack of them about, we`ve started looking for a new Bass player since the start of the year, so far ... none!


Posted by: FretDancer69 Feb 11 2008, 10:07 PM

QUOTE (Muris @ Feb 11 2008, 03:05 PM) *
I see many kids here trying to play and practice
but they quit too easily...
Looks like they want some kind of instant progress and success,
caused my life and tempo of life we're living today,
every thing has to be done fast and without much work,
which is quite impossible,specially when it comes to instrument and music.

And media of course,TV runs different kind of music nowdays
but there are still kids browsing the net and listening to"real" playing,
at least that's one advantage of the net as Jerry said. smile.gif


I think a possible cause of that could be today's technology

Posted by: Milenkovic Ivan Feb 11 2008, 10:12 PM

I think it is not that big problem man afterall. THere are a lot of classes adn schools where young people do play, but music is tough buisness, and it is not considered doing by most elders, because the money is too small. But if we had some good formal education that woudl surely change. More people woudl listen to music, more people woudl learn it, and more people woudl benefit.

Posted by: tonymiro Feb 11 2008, 10:15 PM

Personally I think it's very hard to call. Again, personally I think it's quite easy for us to assume that a younger generation finds things easier and puts 'less' into whatever they do. I'm sure if we go back one, two, three or however many, generations it wouldn't be too hard to find similar discussions. What I can say, just based on observing my daughter and her friends, is that they all enjoy music - listening to and performing it. So to me what I - and other parents - need to do is encourage that. If she doesn't, well then it's more that I failed her then that she didn't put the effort in unsure.gif .

Cheers,
Tony

Posted by: Muris Feb 11 2008, 10:15 PM

QUOTE (FretDancer69 @ Feb 11 2008, 10:07 PM) *
I think a possible cause of that could be today's technology


One of the causes,probably,yeah...comes with "instant" thing sad.gif

Posted by: Iron King Feb 12 2008, 03:06 AM

QUOTE (Milenkovic Ivan @ Feb 11 2008, 02:25 PM) *
I think that music education in formal or basic schools, whatever is it called should be better. Kids should listen to modern music more, rock, blues and jazz as well as classical - not just classical. This way they have a choice, and they can get interested easily in music.


I couldn't agree more
When I was in high school, the only forms of music recognized were Jazz and Classical. We had a mandatory music program, and it was pretty intensive. Now even though we were forced to practice a lot, and became quite good musicians, very few people were interested in the music being played. Because of being forced to play music that we didn't like, a lot of students discouraged from all types of music.

That being said, there are a lot of guitar players around. Most of them are pretty bad, with no training and relying on power chords, but there are also A LOT of great guitar players. That's kind of the curse of guitar, you always have to compete with a lot of other people.

Where I am, I only know of 3 people that play guitar. Music just isn't as popular as it once was. One factor is that kids lack the patience to put in the hard work required but I think another big factor is parents.

It seems to me that all the focus today is on the sciences and maths, arts like music are frowned upon by parents because it isn't as secure. A lot of parents will push their kids towards the sciences but consider music a waste of time.

For example, when I was fifteen I begged my parents for a guitar. They refused, saying it was a waste of money and that I only thought I wanted to play, but would soon grow out of it. So I didnt get one, when summer came around, I got a job and bought one myself...


Posted by: Tjchep Feb 12 2008, 03:25 AM

Well. At my school there are a total of

3 bass players, 2 are really good, the other one ehh..

about 40 ish guitarist, 30 are terrible the other 10 are fine, but most are rhythm players. Last year there was 2 guys that I think could totally cut it in a prog metal band, realllly good.

5 drummers, 2 good ones.

So I mean there is still some people that put some effort into music, but everyone would rather just have a guitar and know how to play some stinky little song to get some chicks..

And its really really really hard to even find a jam session for me now besides a couple good friends.But the people less interested person usually makes up an excuse that he wants to go to a party or whatever instead having no desire to get better. And Having a band get together is like hell..

I tried it once, Me and the drummer where there, bassist didnt show up and the other guitarist / lead singer didn't either.

So I think there are some people that try to be good, but when It comes to going somewhere with music, there are very few people that I know that will do it.

But at my guitar center I always walk in and hear some kid a little older than me rippin it pretty hard. So I think there are some people. And they ussually find other band members.

Here, I think there are good gigs, one of my friends started to get gigs 3-5 times a week as a senior in high school.

Posted by: Scott Gentzen Feb 12 2008, 04:30 AM

QUOTE (Muris @ Feb 11 2008, 04:05 PM) *
I see many kids here trying to play and practice
but they quit too easily...


This was me 20 years ago.

We had a guitar program in school but it was straight classical. Tried learning to play guitar from a friend of mine, but it never worked out. I ended up playing sax and I was pretty good at it. The sad thing was that I learned almost no theory. I learned to play a lot of songs but had no idea how music worked.



Posted by: SLASH91 Feb 12 2008, 04:49 AM

QUOTE (Tjchep @ Feb 11 2008, 08:25 PM) *
But at my guitar center I always walk in and hear some kid a little older than me rippin it pretty hard. So I think there are some people. And they ussually find other band members.


I think that a guitar store is probably the best place to find other skilled musicians.

Posted by: mattacuk Feb 12 2008, 10:19 AM

Back in the 80's everyone wanted to play guitar, it really was the eara of shred!! Big haired and Badly dressed, you had heros such as Paul Gilbert, Satch, Malmsteen, EVH to name just a few.... Not supprising then everyone wanted to be in a band !!

Today its all about instant everything, instant music, instant video games, instant coffee laugh.gif

Posted by: blindwillie Feb 12 2008, 10:41 AM

Where I live the music scene have been very active the last years after a dark period. Quite a few bands from here have reached some amount of fame in their genre and a new breed is up and coming.

Their main problem is to get support in the beginning, the first stumbling steps where you need guidance and support. Before you know and understand enough to be able to get along by yourself. Lack of teaching.
The last couple of years they've got more places to perform for an audience and once a month the concert hall is open for the local bands. It's free for them and the audience.

All this come as a result of the success of the previous generation of groups I think. That started a movement and interest.

Posted by: Crazyfret Feb 12 2008, 10:47 AM

+1 on Ivan's comments and Iron King's

I must admit I found the way music was taught was really 'dull' and in no way related to the music I was listening to. Not surprisingly I found music lessons uninsipring. How could I relate the notes on the stave if I wasn't playing an instrument.

Also one thing with the passage of time you appreiciate different styles of music. It something that I didn't have as a child sad.gif.


Posted by: Erol May 13 2008, 02:02 AM

I agree with Jerry about disappearance of guitar solos which I find unacceptable. That's one of the main reasons that affect on my music choice. I don't listen to any of those "new" rock bands. There's a genre (you've all heard of it) which seems to be very popular and it's called "alternative rock". I think that's the most boooooring and most horrible rock subgenre ever. I apologize if I've insulted anyone, but that's my opinion. There are same 3 chords circulating through the whole song, there's no solo, and all parts of the songs are the same.. Ok the chorus is usually different; but not necessarily. I often meet people who dress like "rockers", and when I ask them about their favourite bands, they start talking about Linkin Park, Green Day, Maroon Five etc. and that's when I start asking myself about the true meaning of life and whole human race existance. I think I've gone off the tracks a bit tongue.gif Anyway, I recommend everyone to search for a South Park episode calleed "Guitar Queer-o-s" (I think it's spelled like this) and everything will be clear to you laugh.gif laugh.gif

Posted by: Jerry Arcidiacono May 13 2008, 10:45 AM

O-oh, my old topic laugh.gif

Thank you all guys for your posts.


QUOTE (Erol @ May 13 2008, 03:02 AM) *
That's one of the main reasons that affect on my music choice. I don't listen to any of those "new" rock bands. There's a genre (you've all heard of it) which seems to be very popular and it's called "alternative rock".


Mmm... this is almost the same for me. I can listen old bands for hours and hours and without boring myself.
Anyway, I like some songs from Incubus, as example.

QUOTE (Erol @ May 13 2008, 03:02 AM) *
Anyway, I recommend everyone to search for a South Park episode calleed "Guitar Queer-o-s" (I think it's spelled like this) and everything will be clear to you laugh.gif laugh.gif


I will check this for sure smile.gif

Posted by: Daniel Robinson May 13 2008, 11:13 AM

I think the other problems here at least in the States is that its a budget issue.

When i was in school i was in both Jazz bands, both concert bands and marching band playing all different instruments.


Right now in the U.S. there is a big campaign going on, i am sure if you live here will have seen the commercials "Save the music"


The problem here in our public schools is budget issues to have decent music programs. I really think as time goes by its going to be more of a problem as the public schools population increases. There just isnt enough national funding for music programs.

Why its so important for parents to get involved in these problems and encourage and insist on decent music programs in their school districts.

Its a fact that students who participate in strong music programs have better grades, and get into trouble less often then those who don't.

I am a firm believer in this.

Daniel

Posted by: Jerry Arcidiacono May 13 2008, 11:28 AM

Thank you for sharing your experience Daniel.

We have YouTube now and we can see almost everything. So, all the guys can check what they like.

BUT... I think also television and radio should help by increasing the quality of their contents.

I'm talking for Italy, of course. Don't know what happen around the world exactly.

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