This day and age with guitar learning.

Seventhson

I was thinking how much easier it is to learn to play guitar these days.

You have so many sources on the net to help you. Not to mention youtube.

Hell when I started playing I only had a really good book. Really wish I had youtube and the net ?

But since I got the net my playing has starting going to new heights and also you can share your recordings with a click of a button?

Even if I never become famous we have the tools to make albums at a decent price compared to years ago.

plazma

What you say is very true. The downside of learnig guitar in the Information Age is the many, many distractions that come with the ease of access to resources.
So many magazines, websites, video sites, dvd's in shops, music on TV, radio stations...

I am usually quickly distracted by amazing guitar players on Youtube when I'm really looking for lessons.

Hammeron

Yea, I think too much input often leads to lack of uniqueness....

DaFiz

Songs I battled with and gave up on many years ago, can now by found on chordie or ultimate guitar archive or you tube and suddenly they're easy.
The problem is there are so many incorrect variations that you still have to sift through them to find the proper chords.
It's also taught me that it's ok to play the easy chord if you can't stretch your fingers to play the diminished/augmented/sus7add9 :-[
When you're playing at the braai no-one's gonna notice. :-\

BMU

All of the above is very true. It's easier now but there are more distractions too. When I started I didn't even know anyone who could play guitar. (Heck TUNING the thing was a major challenge) That impedes your learning curve for sure, just seeing how someone else does it can help a lot.

Things like Youtube has also raised the bar for everybody. Used to be, the guy who could play the Thunderstruck intro was a 'shredder'. I'm so glad we're wiser now.

Malkav

BMU wrote: Used to be, the guy who could play the Thunderstruck intro was a 'shredder'. I'm so glad we're wiser now.

Agreed!

It just takes a different kind of self control and discipline these days, but the resources are there and if you know what you're doing they can be invaluable. I also like the fact that things have become more varied than the old days and we're not all hooked up on whatever the radio or TV tells us is the next big musical thing, it's nice that there's more grounds to make up ones own mind with regard to musical preferences.

BMU

also like the fact that things have become more varied

That is a good thing indeed. You can find any music now, from stuff that sounds like 80s synthpop (but is brand new) to technical death metal. All these fringe subgenres can co-exist, it's great.

The downside to that, however, is I think it's almost impossible to make a living out of music anymore, for the 99.9% of musicians who aren't regularly in the international top 20. Seems like there's too much music in the world and too small a pool of dollars to buy it.