Why don't girls play electric guitar?

Morn · 14-12-2002 2:08am #1

After reading the Joan Jett post I was driven to wonder if there is a reason for this? Girls and electric guitars are just not a common phenomenon whereas almost every boy you meet has owned one at one stage in his/her life.

Our lead singer, Kathryn, plays electric guitar and not only is she normally the only female guitarist at any showcases/competitions we're at, nine times out of ten she's the only girl present out of all the bands! How come this has emerged so? Every girl I know that does play guitar can do so as well as their male contemporaries...

Is this just random chance that things have evolved this way or is there a real cause? Are the boys mean to the girls?

The only female electric guitarist that I can think of in Ireland (apart from Kathryn of Someday ;-) is Gemma Hayes...

Anybody know any others?

Splinters · 14-12-2002 2:57am

well as of last week splinters have a new female bassist so does that count?

polarbelly · 14-12-2002 3:36am

dollar short

playground psychotic

Amz · 14-12-2002 4:18am

The hammoc district
Mines a large one
Sweet Jehova

dera · 14-12-2002 7:27am

well, theres
Nina Hynes
Catherine Dowling in Babelfish
and the woman in Ash I guess (if she doesnt have to be a lead singer too)

that's not so many though..

Tyrrial · 14-12-2002 1:44pm

Well no matter how many you can name, the point remains that there are to few femail guitarists. some people don't like female vocals with guitars i guess that could be a reason.

Lunar Junkie · 14-12-2002 2:11pm

Playground Psychotic are a great band with three female members- their site is here

startled_frog · 14-12-2002 11:05pm

are you talking about Irish girls or just girls in general?

Cizie · 14-12-2002 11:18pm

female guitarists are few but female drummers are even fewer! apart from myself, i only know one female drummer. *pfft* :P

THE JESSIES · 14-12-2002 11:42pm

Our drummer is female.

Jessica insane

Sat 21st

Da2

Giblet · 14-12-2002 11:46pm

Not to be sexist, but I find most girls who try play guitar just give up, or are bad. From my experience anyway....

polarbelly · 15-12-2002 4:12am

girl drummers = seafood

and they are a ****IN great band as horsekick and panzer attack will verify

www.seafood.uk.com

again... brilliant

turn/idlewild/wilt vibe thing goin on

class

oh and beretta is a lady who plays drums

polarbelly · 15-12-2002 4:12am

girl drummers = seafood

and they are a ****IN great band as horsekick and panzer attack will verify

www.seafood.uk.com

again... brilliant

turn/idlewild/wilt vibe thing goin on

class

Kopf · 15-12-2002 5:54pm

Originally posted by Morn
Girls and electric guitars are just not a common phenomenon whereas almost every boy you meet has owned one at one stage in his/her life.

HEH.

Raggamuffin · 15-12-2002 6:23pm

stevie nicks (i think)

velvet underground had a girl drummer

LA punk band X had a lead girl...

The runaways

Mybloodyvalentine (i think)

the breeders and the amps

Black flag had a girl bassist....

um...... who else..... amiee mann, fiona apple.

cat power etc. etc.

Muppet Monarchy · 15-12-2002 10:36pm

Originally posted by Giblet
Not to be sexist, but I find most girls who try play guitar just give up, or are bad. From my experience anyway....

I would tentatively suggest that this kind of attitude may go a way towards explaining the dearth of female guitarists/musicians in rawk. That, and the fact that it is an overwhelmingly sexist and macho industry. It's hard enough to get up there if you not only have to contend with people's seemingly genetic aversion to supporting local bands, but also their inherent sexism. I have seen this at too many gigs to mention.

knobbles · 15-12-2002 11:03pm

Ms "rodrigo y gabriella" would kick the ass out of most male guitarists.

but most girls have small hands and
small hands is a barrier in taking basic guitar skills up another level. In fairness artists mentioned like MBV,breeders,cat power play basic guitar.

Raggamuffin · 15-12-2002 11:24pm

Basic guitar?

jesus... what do you want some guy **** the guitar ike in metallica or guns and roses.

BASIC?

SMells like a teen spirit is BASIC and its still great
Where is my mind is BASIC and the song is amazing

and the comment on small hands?

if that is the case why do alot of girls play bass?

knobbles i'm sure there are lots of girls out there who are better guitarists than you'll ever be. (if in fact you play guitar, and i hope you don't with attitudes like that)

Shorty · 15-12-2002 11:36pm

MBV basic !?!

Yet another reason to add to the list why I hate this board!

Shorty · 15-12-2002 11:46pm

Oh wait, that was basic guitar play. But still, they're a great band and I've expressed my "reservations" about this board before.

Muppet Monarchy · 15-12-2002 11:50pm

I think everyone needs to take a deep breath before posting on this topic. Small hands. What were you thinking? I can only hope you were joking.

MBV didn't play basic guitar. Well, not basic in the 3 chords sense, anyway. You were right the first time, shorty.

Miss-Misery · 15-12-2002 11:54pm

The small hands thing could be an issue to people who aren't committed enough to overcome it ( e.g. me). I've known a fair few girls who've started learning to play guitar but then dropped it, this could be taking gender differences a bit too far but most guys i know, once they start on something like a musical instrument, get a lot more hooked and obsessive about it then girls. Same reason there are more male computer geeks, more competitive male sports ( why do i get the feeling i'm gonna be slapped for that one?). The girl bass players thing could in some cases be like Hilary from jj72, who was enlisted before she could play bass and they figured it was the quickest,easiest thing to learn so they'd have a hot chick in the band. Plus guys generally start wanting to learn guitar from when they're younger and by the time girls realise they'd like to, feel intimidated by how far behind they are.

Amz · 15-12-2002 11:59pm

Originally posted by Raggamuffin
if that is the case why do alot of girls play bass?

knobbles i'm sure there are lots of girls out there who are better guitarists than you'll ever be. (if in fact you play guitar, and i hope you don't with attitudes like that)

Darn Tootin!

lamda · 16-12-2002 12:20am

Hmmm I have small hands and extremely bendy fingers and I manage ok....
But girl musicians are rarer id say because of the idea that they have more to prove. Any female musician in a band is gonna be under scrutiny cos maybe if they look good its assumed they are there for eye candy... take any guy and girl musician at the same level and you can bet that people would be waiting for the girl to slip up. Just the way o the world i spose:mad:

the66electric · 16-12-2002 12:26am

Jessica Insane drummer Brita was doing the Meg White thing about three years before that talentless wankstain. She is an amazing drummer.

bandit · 16-12-2002 12:57am

The only time woman should be mentioned in the same sentances as guitars is when you say that you 'double bassed' a girl last night.
APART FROM
P.J Havrey shes a woman and she plays the guitar and she sings and she causes me to do the sex wee everytime i looks at her.....

the66electric · 16-12-2002 1:04am

Ah Bandit. You certainly mix it up. For the good people and those uneducated in the ways of your sexual metaphor, explain what it is to 'double bass' a young lady?

knobbles · 16-12-2002 1:07am

Originally posted by Raggamuffin
Basic guitar?

jesus... what do you want some guy **** the guitar ike in metallica or guns and roses.

BASIC?

SMells like a teen spirit is BASIC and its still great
Where is my mind is BASIC and the song is amazing

...apologies,no insult was intended. You're right, music doesn't get more amazing than the genius production of simple guitar like MBV's loveless.

Originally posted by Raggamuffin

and the comment on small hands?

if that is the case why do alot of girls play bass?

knobbles i'm sure there are lots of girls out there who are better guitarists than you'll ever be. (if in fact you play guitar, and i hope you don't with attitudes like that)

very true but i don't aspire to be a great guitarist.

i obviously made a balls of my point, i was really just relating girls and lead guitar which is a rare site the last 40 years of all rock music, a possible explanation being small hands.

Reviewing the topic, i see we're not being asked about lead guitar playing like Slash but why so few girls play electric guitar at all. I'm not sure if we can convince each other on an answer for that...i can't explain that either

bandit · 16-12-2002 1:13am

Originally posted by the66electric
Ah Bandit. You certainly mix it up. For the good people and those uneducated in the ways of your sexual metaphor, explain what it is to 'double bass' a young lady?

Whilst your both standing you penitrates the woman from behind and then feel around to her bare breast with one hand and her 'front bottom' with her other and it seems like your playing a double bass:p
Take no maral high ground with me mr pop your the one who told me what it meant and i saw your drunken actions last night

Pigman · 16-12-2002 1:16am

..... well for one thing all that noise from strumming would interupt all the incessant nattering.

the66electric · 16-12-2002 2:01am

Bandit, i take no moral high ground. How can i after a night out which included she-males, birds-eye baldness viewing, Fun snaps being pelted of a sleep hog, and an attempted 'Nudie-rape' of my sleeping self by you and yours.

I play double bass in a jazz band who perform freeform saxophone interpretations of Arnold Schwarzenegger films.

Why don't girls play electric guitar?

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