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Inspiration

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(@arden)
Eminent Member
Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 12
Topic starter  

O.K. I thought I'd try to get this forum swingin' with a pretty generic question:
Which women guitarists do you feel are providing inspiration to gals today and getting them to pick up the guitar?


   
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(@serenitee)
New Member
Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 1
 

Well the inspiration for me to pick up the guitar was India.Arie (I LOVE her!). Sheryl Crow, Michelle Branch, Indigo Girls, Sarah McLachlan, Jewel are among the current stars who also serve as inspirations and Joni Mitchell is a golden-oldie who also inspires me.


   
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(@olive)
Estimable Member
Joined: 22 years ago
Posts: 126
 

Well, the Indigo Girls were (and still are) my biggest inspiration when I started. Amy Ray (Indigo Girls member) is one of my favorite guitarists and lyricists.

I could also live with being able to rock it like Bonnie Raitt. Not only a great guitar player, but she's also very involved with programs to get kids interested in music.

Ani Difranco is another great female guitarist. I can't even begin to play like she does. Not only that, but she is a true independent artist. She started her own record company--Righteous Babe Records--and has been very sucessful.

There are scores of other great female players out there...I could use up lots of space listing just the female artists in my CD collection. Not to mention all the ones that I haven't discovered yet!

"My ex-boyfriend can't tell me I've sold out, because he's in a cult, and he's not allowed to talk to me." --Dar Williams


   
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(@dirtgrrl)
Active Member
Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 14
 

among my many inspirations is definately P J Harvey- that woman sure knows how to rock!! I also lurve Ani DiFranco, and Adalita from the aussie band Magic Dirt. :)


   
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(@shinypinkguitar)
Eminent Member
Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 25
 

Hey!

I first got into more "proper" music when I was about 12 and listened to Nirvana and other grunge bands. I know we're talking about female influences here but I think Nirvana and co appealed to me because they did seem different/more interesting than the macho rock bands like Guns n Roses who I never really got into. What do other women think??
It was probably Nirvana who inspired me to pick up a guitar myself and Tori Amos (probably the first female artist I got into) who made me want to sing!!

As time's gone on, I've gained more female heroes - Right now I love Sleater-Kinney, Pretty Girls Make Graves (woman singer) and the two women from the Von Bondies have ace guitar skills!! Kim Deal is obviously a great one too from a bassists point of view, I love the Pixies' bass lines and her vocals. Also, I'm really getting into The Distillers - Brody has an amazing voice and she's also pretty good with her axe as well! I think women are now becoming more visible in popular rock/alternative music, but there's still more work to be done so I hope more and more girls/women are going to continue being inspired to do their own thing! :D

xx

http://www.chinmusicrocks.co.uk


   
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(@dirtgrrl)
Active Member
Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 14
 

Totally agree- Nirvana is what introduced me to music. Before I loved Nirvana i had so little perspective. They taught me to like other bands, and embrace my own personal tastes


   
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(@slacker)
New Member
Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 3
 

Music has nothing to do with gender. I don't get what possible connection there could possibly be between the two. I'm a woman, just so no-one here thinks I'm some sort of macho I-don't-know-what, but I fail to see how gender could possibly affect guitar playing ablities, Any differences between men and women don't come into play (except maybe boobs geting in the way of the guitar or something).

Personally, the only difference I see between men and women guitarists is that women tend to stick to easy stuff. Now please, I don't want to make any enemies, and it is NOT my intention to insult any of you. That said, I will explain. Women that I've noticed seem to be accompanying themselves more than actually playing. You've got the acoustic guitar with the capo on the 3rd fret, while the singer is belting out about her femininity. Either that or you have those "grrrl" groups trying to prove that they are just as good, if not better, than male guitarists. If this is so, where are all the guitar goddesses? Why do female guitarists not strive to play sublimely the way the men do (Steve Vai, Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Satriani, Jimmy Page...the list goes on). There's no reason why we can't, so why don't we? The industry wants women at the moment, so we have ample chances to "make it".

So I think that question of female guitar inspirations is just as bad as "male guitar inspirations" would be. Why the segregation? Why feel the need to set ourselves apart instead of being part of a whole? We are guitarists, musicians, just the same as the males. If we start gender wars, or gender clans, we are only missing out on the bigger picture. My musical influences were and still are, male guitarists. Why? Because the music I like, the skills I admire, are played and possessed by by men. It just happens to be that way. Gender doesn't enter into it.

Again, I want no enemies and I wish to insult no-one. Consider the above post merely as an opinion, and not an attack on anyone.

Peace!


   
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(@olive)
Estimable Member
Joined: 22 years ago
Posts: 126
 

I fail to see how gender could possibly affect guitar playing ablities

Gender doesn't affect guitar playing ability, but it does affect a persons perspective. Men and women are different. In general, we act differently and we think differently...and that's not a bad thing! Homogeneity is boring! For my part, I think it's cool to see a woman playing guitar. It's living, breathing proof that gender doesn't affect guitar playing ability.
Personally, the only difference I see between men and women guitarists is that women tend to stick to easy stuff....Women that I've noticed seem to be accompanying themselves more than actually playing. You've got the acoustic guitar with the capo on the 3rd fret, while the singer is belting out about her femininity.

I wouldn't classify rhythm guitar as "easy". Rhythm guitar presents just as many challenges as lead guitar. Not only do you have to come up with an interesting chord progression, but you also have to add interesting rhythm. And maybe throw in a moving bass line or a riff to spice things up. And to sing on top of all that! Not to mention that you have to work up the courage it takes to get up in front of a crowd and lay it all on the line. It takes just as much hard work and dedication to be good at rhythm guitar as it does to be good at lead guitar.
So I think that question of female guitar inspirations is just as bad as "male guitar inspirations" would be. Why the segregation? Why feel the need to set ourselves apart instead of being part of a whole? We are guitarists, musicians, just the same as the males.

You're probably right. But, as a female, I'm more inclined to seek out female guitarists to look up to. Just like guys are more likely to idolize a male guitarist. That's just the way it goes. As far as setting ourselves apart...I'm of the opinion that if it gives women a chance to see that other ladies are out there playing, then it's a good thing! The more girls that pick up the guitar the better...if a girl guitar player is more commonplace, then maybe we won't have to ask the "female guitar inspirations" question.

"My ex-boyfriend can't tell me I've sold out, because he's in a cult, and he's not allowed to talk to me." --Dar Williams


   
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(@dirtgrrl)
Active Member
Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 14
 

word up, olive, couldn't have said it better myself. Rather than 'creating a segregation', I think we are more acknowledging a segregation and trying to abolish it through the equalisation of genders within music, especially guitar


   
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(@corbind)
Noble Member
Joined: 22 years ago
Posts: 1735
 

Just checking in to see how everyone is doing and I see we have some interesting discussion here. Being a guy, I tend to look up to male guitarists. Then again, I totally respect anyone who plays. I love Cheryl Crow's music, it's just lovely. Still, I imagine gals would look up to gal players. Just my guess. Please don't get the lighter fluid out and burn me at the stake. Instead, let's grill some steak (it's dinner time now…)

"Nothing...can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts."


   
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(@delphine)
Active Member
Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 6
 

Still, I imagine gals would look up to gal players. Just my guess. Please don't get the lighter fluid out and burn me at the stake. Instead, let's grill some steak (it's dinner time now…)

Flaming's not my bag, so you're safe. For now ... :twisted:

Can't speak for anyone but myself, but I've never "looked up to" any female guitarists. I've had a certain style and sound in mind ever since I began playing, and there are no women I know of who play that way. I won't bore you with any armchair sociological analyses about possible causes of and remedies for this. All I can say is that my heroes and role models when it comes to guitar have always been, and still are, men.

Unfortunately, women have mainly served as cautionary examples of what NOT to do. But other women who are into other genres of guitar playing will surely have a different opinion.

FWIW (probably not much)
Lori

*********
http://www.lorilinstruth.com


   
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(@corbind)
Noble Member
Joined: 22 years ago
Posts: 1735
 

Well, I must say that is interesting (I presume based on your name) from a gal. It surprises me but also leads to more conversation on the subject.

"Nothing...can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts."


   
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(@psychonik)
Reputable Member
Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 268
 

take a click on delphine's link in her sig, go to music, and click on any random song.
Amazing guitarist. Im actually listening to some of her work right now.


   
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(@greybeard)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 21 years ago
Posts: 5840
 

Better still have a gander at her vids.

I started with nothing - and I've still got most of it left.
Did you know that the word "gullible" is not in any dictionary?
Greybeard's Pages
My Articles & Reviews on GN


   
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(@delphine)
Active Member
Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 6
 

Well, I must say that is interesting (I presume based on your name) from a gal.

My apologies, I should have been more explicit. Yes, I am a woman. :-)
It surprises me but also leads to more conversation on the subject.

You have piqued my curiosity. I'd be interested to know just what was surprising? Or put another way, what would you have expected a woman to say?

Intrigued,
Delphine

*********
http://www.lorilinstruth.com


   
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