[chiefalchemist]

Music tastes run in cycles. If vinyl can make a comeback so might guitars.

That said, anecdotally, kids today don't do adversity; they want instant gratification. Learning to play guitar takes time, lots of it. In the current climate a comeback seems pretty unlikely.

[mandelbrotwurst]

Eh, get off my lawn with your generalizations about "kids today" =/

Maybe at least provide one of your anecdotes?

[chiefalchemist]

How about I get off your cloud? ;)

[surrey-fringe]

Yeah, I always associated your generation's music with hard work and discipline. Jimmy Hendrix and The Who and the like.

[chiefalchemist]

My era was more The Clash, Joy Division, and the like :)

[eroccatlun]

Oddly, there are some amazing young guitarists... though obviously, anyone who is already great has likely been at it for 10+ years, so there may be a significant shortage 10 years from now.

[giantsloth]

Guitars (or any musical instrument) are essentially REPLs and therefore do provide instant feedback and often gratification.

Learning to do anything well takes a lot of time, so that statement is true == true. Learning to have fun with something often happens (and in the case of a guitar) quickly.

Lowering the barrier to accessing guitars, mixers, computers and software to get a recording up is the real challenge, because that takes cash.

[stcredzero]

That said, anecdotally, kids today don't do adversity; they want instant gratification

My experience:

In the 1990's, a kid given the video game "weapons station of a starship" probably starts pressing controls and blowing stuff up.

In 2014, a kid presented with the video game "weapons station of a starship" freezes and meekly waits for instruction from an adult.

[Buldak]

If we're dealing in stereotypes, guitar playing as an indicator of work ethic seems like an odd choice.

[chiefalchemist]

Work ethic? Nah. That's a different conversation for another day.

[internetman55]

Kind of disagree. Kids are still learning the piano, violin, etc. In my view learning how to play pop songs on your guitar is sort of an instant gratification approach to music. These days a lot of folks just use rapping or electronic production in that niche.

[chiefalchemist]

Yes. Agree. Some are. But certainly the "is there an app for that?" generation has to be effected by that mindset.

Or maybe I just need new friends? Maybe their kids will be different? :)