Erm, not to add extra heat to this thread, but now I feel compelled to defend the whole reason I originally started my website. Tabs helped me learn to play the guitar. Granted, I have an ear for it, and later went to transcribe many of J’s songs into tab, but it was a combination of the two that helped me hone my skills.

They’re also great when you just can’t seem to figure out that one little part of a song, that’s been driving you crazy.. Perhaps someone else has. Not to mention that I’ve known several serious musicians who, no matter what, simply cannot learn anything by ear, no matter how inventive they may have been as music writers…

PS: Dearest Rosa, please don’t take this post to be a harshly written one. Bare in mind that I still have momentum from a certain other thread. <img>

<small>[ 03-26-2002, 11:54 PM: Message edited by: Mattman ]</small>

I’m with Rosa on the sexist generalization crap regarding female guitar players. While I agree people learn different ways and tabs are a cool way to do it no doubt, if woman do or do not tab things does not mean anything at all!!! It has absolutely nothing to do with their abilities as guitar players. Plenty of great female musicians out there, signed and unsigned.

Allison

Out of the (very good) female guitar players that I know and have been in bands with, very few have any interest in solos. Indeed, I recall a topic on these very boards a year or so ago with some of the girls here stating that they did not like J’s solos (think the thread was something like "favourite J solos"). So, if they ain’t into it, why learn it? Think it is something that is definitely more a guy thing (can’t imagine girls pulling the stoooopid faces that us guys pull when bending top notes ha ha). Now before you girls come back at me telling me that you love J’s solos, I know this does not apply to everyone.

Also, re tabs – whatever floats yer boat, but I would never use them – would much rather play something over and over again until I nail it myself, just for self-satisfaction. I guess that’s just me though. Chords are always pretty easy to learn – just work up from the root, but I’m usually just lucky with solos, and having learnt as a classical guitarist, I guess I had an advantage with scales etc.

Would never argue with MM – as much as I disagree with some of his opinions (that’s what makes the world interesting though) I was HUGELY impressed with his midifiles when I first discovered them, and still check them regularly. DIsappointed I could never download them into my phone ring though….

No gloating though MM <img>

As far as tabs go, I do have to say that I have a no solo policy. Mostly because they’re a pain in the ass to tab out, but also because I consider solos, especially of those artists who tend to improv them, such as J (and myself <img> ) to be a highly personal thing (and trust me, I’ve had PLENTY of requests for them.) I guess it could be said that I consider tab a helper, to either get one started on a song they’re trying to figure out, or to unstick them from a part they’re having trouble with. I think we can all agree that using tabs to learn some popular song so that one can look cool around their loser friends is kinda lame. <img>

As for the lack of female guitarists, I see women playing the guitar all the time. As for Jarvo’s comment on the majority of female guitarists not being interested in solos, it would seem to be that way, but I just had a theory on it, here goes…

I’ve noticed a trend in lots of current guitarists, male and female, in that there doesn’t seem to be as much of a focus on raw, technical skill, especially in the indie and alternative scenes. Guitars of exceptional caliber, such as J and Bob Mould, are relatively rare is the genre. The big technical solo guys mostly came from the male dominated metal related scenes…

Do you folks think I could be hitting on something here?

Of course, the blues and jazz scenes also produce a lot of guitar talent, and there are quite a few women in those scenes that are very talented guitarists, but are just overlooked… Bonnie Raitt comes to mind. I’m not a big fan of here music, but dare I say she’s one of the best slide guitarists out there. As for me, I can’t play slide to save my life. <img>

</font><blockquote><font>quote:</font><table><tr><td><table><tr><td>Originally posted by Javro:
<strong>Would never argue with MM</strong></td></tr></table></td></tr></table></blockquote>Why? Are you scared? <img> <img>

Glad you like the MIDI’s though. <img>

<small>[ 03-27-2002, 11:14 AM: Message edited by: Mattman ]</small>

</font><blockquote><font>quote:</font><table><tr><td><table><tr><td> Be that as it may, why is there only one female in the list of the top 100 guitar players Rosa linked to here? Only one out of a hundred. How can that be? </td></tr></table></td></tr></table></blockquote>I posted that link because it contained a bit on J, and, seeing as this is a J Mascis page, I figured that some people might actually enjoy that little paragraph. No need imply that I aligned myself with the opinions of Guitar.com.

</font><blockquote><font>quote:</font><table><tr><td><table><tr><td> Are girls — in general — less interested in playing guitar than boys? </td></tr></table></td></tr></table></blockquote>Nope.

</font><blockquote><font>quote:</font><table><tr><td><table><tr><td> Is the list made up by sexist pigs who ignore important female guitar players? </td></tr></table></td></tr></table></blockquote>It’s part sexism, and part cultural ignorance. Oh yeah, and record companies have no balls. There are lots of women guitarists signed, but how many of them actually get marketed? We’re too "risky". Because really, who is ready to hear a talented female guitarist? <img>

</font><blockquote><font>quote:</font><table><tr><td><table><tr><td> Out of the (very good) female guitar players that I know and have been in bands with, very few have any interest in solos </td></tr></table></td></tr></table></blockquote>That has been my experience too. The only explanation I can think of is that men are more interested in (NOT more adept at) technical details in general. Kind of like how most auto technicians are men, but women have a better overall feel for the way the vehicle handles. (We also are better drivers year after year, extend the metaphor if you wish <img> )

</font><blockquote><font>quote:</font><table><tr><td><table><tr><td> The lack of role models for female guitarists might be one reason for women to pick up guitars </td></tr></table></td></tr></table></blockquote>Nah. I learned how to play guitar listening to Dinosaur Jr, and I told J that when I met him. There was never ever any moment in my life where I hesitated to explore guitar because there weren’t enough female guitarists in the public eye.

But I do agree with the rest of your post, Salamiguy. There are so many people that don’t get credit for whatever stupid reasons. Of course it was shocking to me that Nancy Wilson and Susan Tedeschi were not included on that "top 100" list. Even Ani DiFranco, who I don’t even like, can wrangle a guitar with just as much skill as anyone.

I remember reading an interview with Tori Amos a long time ago; when she was first starting her solo career, the radio stations would tell her, "we can’t play any more girls this hour; we’re already playing Sarah McLachlan".

It’s discouraging, but encouraging at the same time.

xo
Rosa

yeah, hey.

I just want to leave two quotes, one from me, and one from Kurt.

"If all men were perfect, wed be just like women" -Me
"Never met a wise man, if so, its a woman" -Kurt.

I have a new female guitarist in my band and I dare say shes almost as good as I am…..SHE EVEN SOLOS, YES, SSHHHEEEE SOOLLLOOOOSSSS. The only person that knows how "good" I am really on here is Allison.

But weeewww…anywho, bye…RJ

Hey Fuzzbuster,

Thanks for clearing up the intention of your post, hope you can understand how the brevity of the original post led to some misunderstanding as to the intent. But Hey! it certainly got a few of us going and thats a cool thing.

I, of course, agree in a huge way with your woman are smarter deal <img> <img> <img>

Randy Jane kicks ass btw, great to hear you have a female guitar player now…too cool.

Allison <img>