This guy gets kicked out of Guitar Centers all the time

[Scott Fraser]

Hey! You know the rules.

 

[KuruPrionz]

I expected something else entirely. He was a bit understated but a great player and a nice adaptation.

 

I'd let him stay if he played other stuff too! Love a nylon string guitar, wish I was anywhere near that good.

 

This is more what I thought I might hear.

 

Decades ago, I walked into Guitar Center in Hollywood, CA. There were at least 6 or 7 heavy metal rodent children shredding in different keys, some with Floyd Rose woo woo bars and some without. They had all more or less dialed in the dizzy wasp trapped in a jam jar tone, pretty loud and that compressed, gated tone where all you have to do is move your hands real fast in specific patterns and you can sound cool.

There was no attempt to make any sort of musical collaboration. A beautiful disaster, I really enjoyed it. But then, I just needed strings and left in short order. I would hate to be working there, all of those little demons had probably bought half stacks there and stuff...

[Lou Gehrig Charles]

Ha ha I thought it would be the "Music is Win" guy!

[Larryz]

Reminds me of the sign at the guitar store in the Wayne's World movie: "No Stairway to Heaven" LOL! It's one of those tunes that was loved to death and people tired of hearing it every time a guitar player in a guitar store started playing it again...but, I still find it a beautiful tune and this guy does a beautiful job of it, using simple open chord formations. I would much rather hear this gentleman play at a guitar center than all the little rubes that all sound the same. The GC's I've been to lately keep a pretty good lid on it and they have a back room designed for loud players that need to try out their amps. The acoustic room players can't be heard on the main floor either, but I have found a few worth listening to if and when I ever visit the store(s).

[Caevan O’Shite]

Hey! You know the rules.

 

 

Very well done, very nice arrangement.

 

I felt that he could have put a little more into the 'fanfare' passage- you know, "Deh-D' DEH, Deh-D' DEH, Deh-D' DEH, DEH, DEHH... " I like that part, nice bit of drama; he just played one little bit of it and was on...

 

And, of course, I was expecting a tour de force chord-melody arrangement of THAT SOLO...

 

Still, very nicely done, combining the vocal-melodies with the guitar, bass and keyboard parts. I enjoyed that.

[desertbluesman]

Wow what a player, and of course the composition was an inspired piece as well.

[The Real MC]

"Sweet Child Of Mine" is the new "Stairway To Heaven" at GC stores.

[The Real MC]

I would hate to be working there, all of those little demons had probably bought half stacks there and stuff...

 

I know of at least two who moved over from retail to teaching lessons just to get away from the hordes of novice guitar players on the retail floor.

 

[KuruPrionz]

"Sweet Child Of Mine" is the new "Stairway To Heaven" at GC stores.

 

Yes and long ago it was Sunshine Of Your Love.

 

We cannot forget Eruption, that might have been the worst since very few played it with any credibility.

 

[surfergirl]

I would hate to be working there, all of those little demons had probably bought half stacks there and stuff...

 

I know of at least two who moved over from retail to teaching lessons just to get away from the hordes of novice guitar players on the retail floor.

 

Everyone was a novice guitar player at one time. Novice guitar players are future great guitar players. They should be embraced and encouraged. I would imagine that manufactures would love to see hordes of novices on the retail floor.

[KuruPrionz]

surfergirl, I agree with you 100%.

 

Almost. I've encouraged, given lessons and guitars to kids and I may not know them or ever see them again but I hope they can take whatever help they got from me with them through life.

One of the fun parts of open mic night is seeing youngsters play in public for the first time, getting applause and support and just lighting up. Lots of talented and musical youngsters, I think it's wonderful.

 

Some Guitar Center situations I've heard would have driven me insane if I didn't have the option to walk out the door.

I think it's because it is a random barrage. If the kids were jamming together that would be awesome.

 

And then there is the NAMM show. It's been decades but I went to the one in Anaheim 3 different years. You get to see some amazing stuff and people and there are strict limits on volume but you literally have thousands of guitarists, bassists and drummers in a huge convention center all playing at the same time. From any given spot at any given moment you can easily be listening to 20-30 "soloists" over a cacaphonous din. Every note that exists is being played at every tempo and in every time signature. It is just sensory overload.

 

So, it isn't just kids or beginners. It's something that brings me great amusement for a little while but then madness ensues.

[Larryz]

+1 SurferGirl, I give Guitar Center a lot of credit. It's a place where novices both young and old can actually go and get their hands on a new guitar and try one out. There are fewer and fewer brick and mortar guitar stores staying in business these days. GC's bridge the gap with mail order discount stores at reasonable prices and I'm glad there are still a few of them left for us to visit. It seems like there are not as many wanting to be a guitar player these days. I hope there will always be enough new players to keep a few stores in business. Back in my teens, guitar stores were quite the hang out...and as we got jobs, we got our guitars!

[Caevan O’Shite]

Everyone was a novice guitar player at one time. Novice guitar players are future great guitar players. They should be embraced and encouraged. I would imagine that manufactures would love to see hordes of novices on the retail floor.

 

TRUTH. Well said, my friend.

[Al A.]

I miss the 80s at times since it is the era that I grew up in. Then I hear a story like this and remember the 80s without the rose colored glasses. I used to laugh when three or four guys would be trying to outshred one another and would either keep turning up, or playing faster and faster. It was the musical equivalent to the guy who gets on the treadmill next to you at the gym and keeps upping his speed and looking at you like you're in a race. I would be willing to be THAT guy was the one who plugged in next to me with the Kramer Baretta back in 1986. Yep. I'm pretty sure that was him.