Guitarist DNA? The threads that bind us.

[Turp]

Reading a interview with and comments about Eric Clapton prompted me to recall the same impressions I often get from reading guitar related books and articles about guitarists who have influenced me or whose skills I hold in high regard.

Is there Guitarist DNA?

Do you often read comments and expressions from other guitarists that initiate personal discovery in your music or cause you to respond "yeah me too"?

Is there a difference between Guitarists and Guitar Players?

[Brian W.]

Originally Posted by Turp

Is there Guitarist DNA?

Do you often read comments and expressions from other guitarists that initiate personal discovery in your music or cause you to respond "yeah me too"?

"No words to describe it . . . poetry . . . they should've sent a poet." I've always like this line is from the movie Contact (1997).

I can think of a couple artists that have this poetic ability to effortlessly articulate their thoughts about guitar in such a way that that it leaves me inspired and on the path to musical discovery. I don't necessarily feel as though we are cut from the same cloth however. More like they're silky smooth and I'm itchy polyester. : )

[DenverSteve]

Originally Posted by Turp

Is there a difference between Guitarists and Guitar Players?

There is to me. I play guitar therefore I am a guitar player. One who makes his living playing guitar is a guitarrist. Just as a Dentist is someone who makes his/her living from dentistry and a carpenter is one who makes his/her living from carpentry. I do carpentry and similar things but I'm not a carpenter. Someone trained in law is a lawyer if they practic law. If they work in carpentry, they are a well-educated carpenter.

[J Patrick]

...it may be more collective conciousness than DNA....or not...my brother and i both play guitar...my sisters do not...nor do my parents....my grandfather on my mothers side played guitar but thats the only grandparent of four that played....did my brother and i inherit a strand from my grandfather?....i doubt it...i am a strong believer in collective conciousness because i see and feel it on so many levels every day...

[EverythingMusic]

Originally Posted by J Patrick

...it may be more collective conciousness than DNA....or not...my brother and i both play guitar...my sisters do not...nor do my parents....my grandfather on my mothers side played guitar but thats the only grandparent of four that played....did my brother and i inherit a strand from my grandfather?....i doubt it...i am a strong believer in collective conciousness because i see and feel it on so many levels every day...

Just because they didn't play does not mean the talent wasn't there waiting. We have a student base player whose dad decided to pick up the guitar. He never knew he had the ability to learn it until she picked up bass.

[Turp]

All of these are great insights. I used the DNA concept more for commonalities between people who are passionate about guitar.

While I didn't provide an answer initially, I do believe there is a difference between guitar players and guitarist. I believe the difference lies in the passion for playing the instrument. I don't think you have to be paid to be a guitarist, I do think you have to posess your own identity or uniqueness as a musician.