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Who will save the music?
Posted on 4/13/19 at 10:58 am
Posted on 4/13/19 at 10:58 am
After reading articles regarding companies in real trouble or on the verge of bankruptcy proceedings I happened upon a bit on Guitar Center, and it turns out that their sales have been plummeting some 36% from 2005 to 2016.
As a guitarist for the past 40 some odd years this comes as no big surprise as I’ve witnessed interest in musicianship peter off tremendously from when I started playing music. Hell, all you have to do is listen to music being played to realize the days of serious musicians are numbered. The kids today know my generation’s music as much or more than I do. I can attribute at least some of Guitar Center’s struggles to online sites like Sweetwater and the like, but the plain fact of the matter is, there are just many other indicators that tell me there’s a real danger for musicianship, not the least of which is the fact that we’re down to the last hold outs for music stores alive in America, and that both Gibson and Fender are in real trouble financially. It’s not just Guitar Center or online sales. There’s a problem.
From the days when most kids wanted to play an instrument to become the next rock god, or just get laid, there were an unlimited number of guitar shops scattered all over town, local bands playing live every night at multiple places around town pretty much completely sold out to catering to live music, and serious musical groups coming to down packing auditoriums almost every single weekend, or at least with such frequency that it seemed you were constantly saving up for the next big act to come to town.
We’ve gone from that to a real lack of guitar shops in town, fewer and fewer kids picking up instruments, ridiculously fewer places to hear live music by comparison, almost never big acts coming to the area, unless of course it’s my generation’s groups re-touring and doing their music, to Dub Step, Rap artists, and Raves garnering attention and packing auditoriums.
I just have to wonder, when the 30’s and older die off, will there be any music to carry on, or will future generations just hit their heads with sticks and grunt.
Oh yeah, get off my lawn.
As a guitarist for the past 40 some odd years this comes as no big surprise as I’ve witnessed interest in musicianship peter off tremendously from when I started playing music. Hell, all you have to do is listen to music being played to realize the days of serious musicians are numbered. The kids today know my generation’s music as much or more than I do. I can attribute at least some of Guitar Center’s struggles to online sites like Sweetwater and the like, but the plain fact of the matter is, there are just many other indicators that tell me there’s a real danger for musicianship, not the least of which is the fact that we’re down to the last hold outs for music stores alive in America, and that both Gibson and Fender are in real trouble financially. It’s not just Guitar Center or online sales. There’s a problem.
From the days when most kids wanted to play an instrument to become the next rock god, or just get laid, there were an unlimited number of guitar shops scattered all over town, local bands playing live every night at multiple places around town pretty much completely sold out to catering to live music, and serious musical groups coming to down packing auditoriums almost every single weekend, or at least with such frequency that it seemed you were constantly saving up for the next big act to come to town.
We’ve gone from that to a real lack of guitar shops in town, fewer and fewer kids picking up instruments, ridiculously fewer places to hear live music by comparison, almost never big acts coming to the area, unless of course it’s my generation’s groups re-touring and doing their music, to Dub Step, Rap artists, and Raves garnering attention and packing auditoriums.
I just have to wonder, when the 30’s and older die off, will there be any music to carry on, or will future generations just hit their heads with sticks and grunt.
Oh yeah, get off my lawn.
14
Posted on 4/13/19 at 11:00 am to Mike da Tigah
Posted on 4/13/19 at 11:05 am to Mike da Tigah
Guitar Center is down because places like Sweetwater, Musicians Friend, Reverb, Amazon, etc. are up. Just because people aren’t buying overpriced instruments in a big box store doesn’t mean they aren’t buying them online or in the huge secondhand market out there.
I’d argue there are more places to see live music now than ever before.
I’d argue there are more places to see live music now than ever before.
Posted on 4/13/19 at 11:08 am to Mike da Tigah
Can’t speak for others but my kids are absolutely going to start off playing piano or guitar at an early age. Learning to read music is great for early childhood development.
My parents didn’t push music on me or my siblings as a kid and kinda bummed out about it now bc I enjoy all kinds of music so much.
My parents didn’t push music on me or my siblings as a kid and kinda bummed out about it now bc I enjoy all kinds of music so much.
Posted on 4/13/19 at 11:14 am to PillPusher
quote:
Guitar Center is down because places like Sweetwater, Musicians Friend, Reverb, Amazon, etc. are up. Just because people aren’t buying overpriced instruments in a big box store doesn’t mean they aren’t buying them online or in the huge secondhand market out there.
I concede that to a point, but the fact that so many companies like Gibson and Fender to name the two biggest are struggling says it’s more than just internet sales at play here.
quote:
I’d argue there are more places to see live music now than ever before.
It’s not even comparable. We destroy this generation in terms of live music and venues to see live acts any and every night of the week. Papa Joes, The Rax, Sports Page, Caterie, Chelseas, just to name a few, all had bands playing and people packing the places any night of the week. This post was edited on 4/13/19 at 11:15 am
Posted on 4/13/19 at 11:19 am to Mike da Tigah
quote:
I concede that to a point, but the fact that so many companies like Gibson and Fender to name the two biggest are struggling says it’s more than just internet sales at play here.
When rock music was gaining steam everybody and their brother wanted a late 60’s Les Paul so they went and bought one. Well now 50 years later I’d still buy someone’s used 67 LP on Facebook or ebay instead a new lower quality one. Gibson doesn’t make a sale that way. If they made the same quality instrument they did back in the day they would sale better.
Gibson also made some financially poor decisions regarding other areas besides guitars which led to their situation.
This post was edited on 4/13/19 at 11:23 am
Posted on 4/13/19 at 11:27 am to Mike da Tigah
In 5th grade when I went to my first rock concert.. Poison. I use to want to be a guitarist because of CeCe Deville. Then of course I liked Motley Crue, Gun & Roses, Twisted Sister, etc.
Since I was as young as I can remember I listened to all types of music. My sister mostly listened to 80s pop, my brother listened to hip hop, my mom use to listen to the Jackson 5, James Brown, etc.. My dad listened to country. For some reason I started to favor hip hop more than other types of music.. And into the 90s, when I was a teenager, alternative was a close 2nd.
There was something about someone having two turntables and being able to create music using sounds from other music. Taking one beat in one song, looping it, slow it down or speed it up.. The taking a sample from another song, syncing up the beats from each loop.. Taking a James Brown song.. Adding him singing "Yeah!" into another beat and having to time it all so that it flows..
Then DJs started to use beat makers to add different sounds. As technology improved, it became easier and easier for people to create their music electronically. It's sort of like how music stores selling CDs all started to close down or Blockbuster because people didn't have to go rent a movie then have to worry about returning it, etc.
With that said, I do like music that merges hip hop and rock. Rage Against The Machine is a good example of what I like. It's hard enough.. Not too heavy, but not pop sounding. Lyrically there is some flow in their music.
Since I was as young as I can remember I listened to all types of music. My sister mostly listened to 80s pop, my brother listened to hip hop, my mom use to listen to the Jackson 5, James Brown, etc.. My dad listened to country. For some reason I started to favor hip hop more than other types of music.. And into the 90s, when I was a teenager, alternative was a close 2nd.
There was something about someone having two turntables and being able to create music using sounds from other music. Taking one beat in one song, looping it, slow it down or speed it up.. The taking a sample from another song, syncing up the beats from each loop.. Taking a James Brown song.. Adding him singing "Yeah!" into another beat and having to time it all so that it flows..
Then DJs started to use beat makers to add different sounds. As technology improved, it became easier and easier for people to create their music electronically. It's sort of like how music stores selling CDs all started to close down or Blockbuster because people didn't have to go rent a movie then have to worry about returning it, etc.
With that said, I do like music that merges hip hop and rock. Rage Against The Machine is a good example of what I like. It's hard enough.. Not too heavy, but not pop sounding. Lyrically there is some flow in their music.
Posted on 4/13/19 at 11:28 am to Mike da Tigah
Frickin mellinials. They're ruining everything.
They don't care about playing music or watching sports or hunting/fishing. What are they interested in?
They don't care about playing music or watching sports or hunting/fishing. What are they interested in?
Posted on 4/13/19 at 11:28 am to PillPusher
quote:
When rock music was gaining steam everybody and their brother wanted a late 60’s Les Paul so they went and bought one. Well now 50 years later I’d still buy someone’s used 67 LP on Facebook or ebay instead a new lower quality one. Gibson doesn’t make a sale that way. If they made the same quality instrument they did back in the day they would sale better.
There’s truth to that, no doubt, but an American strat is still an American strat, and they are struggling as well. I think there’s another argument to be made that people with more expendable income today are looking for a more customized or boutique guitar even, but that’s a smaller market of serious musicians than just kids wanting to play a guitar brand as classic American Rock and Roll and jazz as Gibson and Fender.
Posted on 4/13/19 at 11:30 am to Mike da Tigah
quote:
The company still sells over 150,000 units every year, and throughout the decades, it has diversified and moved into other areas of the music industry. The famed guitar giant also owns a dozen other brands, such as Epiphone, Steinberger, Kramer and many others, and it also sells audio equipment such as amplifiers, tuners, headphones and almost everything else a studio musician could need to produce a record.
According to a number of sources, one of the biggest reasons why Gibson is in financial trouble is because it tried to expand and diversify, focusing on making the beloved name more of a lifestyle brand, instead of just a guitar seller. That involved investing and acquiring a number of other companies and focusing resources on different products, and Gibson lost a lot of money as sales slumped and new offerings underperformed.
Forbes article when Gibson filed for bankruptcy
Posted on 4/13/19 at 11:35 am to Mike da Tigah
Hell there are apps out there that allow anybody to create entire songs. Without even knowing anything about music........
Posted on 4/13/19 at 11:37 am to Mike da Tigah
quote:
fewer and fewer kids picking up instruments
The oldest kid in this band is 16, I think.
They do like the old tunes, however. At least they have tastes.
Posted on 4/13/19 at 11:37 am to Mike da Tigah
Why should I spend money on a guitar when I can make beatbox noises and rhymes for free and call myself a musician?
Posted on 4/13/19 at 11:38 am to Mike da Tigah
But what I think really hurt the music industry are record labels trying to maximize profits (which I understand from a business end of it), but more money can be made by making one person a star than having a band with 4 or 5 people.
All in all. I think there are a number of factors that have contributed to where we are in music. Like everything else it evolves.
All in all. I think there are a number of factors that have contributed to where we are in music. Like everything else it evolves.
Posted on 4/13/19 at 11:41 am to Mike da Tigah
Music started to taper when Steve Perry retired. Only Steve can save music again.
Posted on 4/13/19 at 11:46 am to OweO
quote:
But what I think really hurt the music industry are record labels trying to maximize profits (which I understand from a business end of it), but more money can be made by making one person a star than having a band with 4 or 5 people.
All in all. I think there are a number of factors that have contributed to where we are in music. Like everything else it evolves.
Or devolves, depending upon your perspective I suppose.
I personally believe that Rock was at it’s strongest when bands had to tour to promote their albums, and by staying on the road to play live, and constantly getting back in the studio to come up with newer and more interesting music, it made them into very serious and accomplished musicians, and it bred competition amongst other groups which made everyone have to constantly up their music game as a result. It’s why the music became so infamous, and is still being played today.
The bubble gum music I hear today is honestly pretty boring and nauseating. We need more Jeff Beck’s of the world, and fewer sell outs.
This post was edited on 4/13/19 at 11:48 am
Posted on 4/13/19 at 1:45 pm to L1C4
quote:
They're ruining everything.
They don't care about playing music or watching sports or hunting/fishing. What are they interested in?
Craft beer
Posted on 4/13/19 at 2:00 pm to tigerpimpbot
quote:
one of the biggest reasons why Gibson is in financial trouble
Did they get hit by environmentalist that forced them to make changes?
Not sure if the article breaks it out, but timeframes of these "reasons per sources" would be interesting.
Posted on 4/13/19 at 2:06 pm to Mike da Tigah
2 of my 3 kids play guitar and play it well. Paying gigs in their teens. And All three of my kids “ get “ music. It bonds my family together. I’m convinced it’s just how your brain is wired or not wired. It’s genetic. While our culture has been in a creativity/commercial lull since around 2000 , there will always be that guy who emerges to “ save” music. It’s a human constant. Just keep playing and improving the world with your playing. It’s a great gift.
Posted on 4/13/19 at 2:26 pm to Mike da Tigah
quote:
sales have been plummeting some 36% from 2005 to 2016.
So sales have been rising since 2016?
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