This is what happens with EVERY generation. It's tiring. Every generation is "the best", and what comes after is trash. So are young musicians just supposed to regurgitate what was played decades ago? What drivel. Carry on with your wonderful music.
i mean no disrespect but just be creative lol. name any great band or guitarist, and really all they ever did was regurgitate the stuff they've heard and liked in their own way. bands like king gizzard and psychedelic porn crumpets are the best example to show that creativity is more important that being able to play and write the most complex stuff. so yes just regurgitate and make it your own like any musician you've ever heard or looked up to and you will hopefully find success. if not hopefully you can at least have fun trying to be yourself instead of the best
Yes they are. This is a time not of innovation, but of summarization. We want the stones, the violent femmes, led zepplin, the doors, Pink Floyd and queen again. The music today is undeniably worse and it happpeningbecause we hindered by our new musical “freedoms” music then was headed in a good direction, and it is headed towards a bad one. Skill is fine, but the music needs to be human and poetic. I don’t just listen to music from that time. Some of my favorite artists are Francisco Tarrega, Luiz Bonfa, Django Reinhardt, Secos y Malhaldoes, Ludwig van Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, Chopin, Schubert, Bach, Mozart, Gershwin. I listen to music if it is good. And as far as I am concerned, the shit I am hearing is not good music. I am hearing incredible skill attained through inflexibility and bone headed stoicism. There’s nothing childlike to it, no warmth, so little of anything pertaining to the human experience. It is music which attempts to be honorable by being “original” when music is not supposed to be original. It is supposed to be common, and unique in that it is straight from an individual composers heart. I do not hear personal pain or light hearted simple joy in the music. It is as if I am a woman and a man is hitting on me by showing me a business card and listing his accomplishments. That’s what it sounds like. Listen to Luiz Bonfa or Francisco Tarregga, and you will hear warmth and emotion, and skill that came as a result of patience and experience. I am not going to comply with you people, who like a clown believe that because something is contrary, it is righteous and good. Who say the Moonlight Sonata or Bohemian Rhapsody is a bad song because it is popular and through no fault of the composers own you listened to it far too many times.
If you ask any of these new school people who their inspirations are, they will say something like “I don’t really have any.” They aren’t passionate about music, they are just weirdos obsessed with inanimate objects.
my inspirtations are drax, charles caswell, brakence, tim henson, and jane remover mainly. what you're saying is ridiculous. actually talk to us instead of assuming things, and you'll find we all have clear inspirations and we love music. @@lawsonbill1255
Agree and the reality is that, in various form, the same thing happened in every generation. It's not that the 60s had only good music, simply the bad one have been forgotten. Talent and genius is not something that disappear from a generation to another
Plus most of those people have like, actual albums too lol. Like yeah you aren’t gonna get too much evolution out of a 1 minute short form clip, but if you listen to the actual bands these guys are from it’s not like their 40 minute albums are just a bunch of random 1 minute riffs
Yeah. I have mixed feelings. Somehow I feel Polyphia's music is usually more "souless" than a similar artist's like Ichika Nito's. Both are very "TikTokey", but I think Nito, although as repetitive as Henson can be, does create music in a more honest way. And there are also some modern guitarists like Mancuso or Pobozhiy that, although technically proficient, do strike me as creative and interesting enough to listen to.
Sure there are still great bands. But when people say that they mean what is played on the radio or other mainstream media. And they are right about that most is just pure computerized garbage. Samples and autotune. I don't know if you know it but the most telling thing is that today's generation doesn't even listen to their own music. Most growth is due to old music not new. The new market for music is shrinking (!!!). Young people are listening to 60s soul or classic rock like Queen not their own generation. And that is more than telling.
@@llvkey Don't blame it all on "The Old People" Some of Polyphia's biggest Fans are "Old" I'm 65 I went to see them recently and went with a friend who is 70. It was a very mixed crowd age wise plenty of teens and people in their 20's and 30's but there was a lot of Boomers and GenX'ers there as well. Two of Tim's biggest fans besides yours truly is Rick Beato and Steve Vai.
I don’t think the argument is against modern CREATIVE playing. I think it’s more against the whole “look how many notes I can jam into this 15 second shred” kinda thing.
I'm not into it, but what's wrong with shred? I also don't like boomer bend blues but I never say that it's not a valid form of music that some enjoy...
bro never listened to megadeath, metallica, van halen or literally any old school rock/metal band. They all did it too. The fast paced playing is nothing new, the technicality has just improved a lot.
Sure there are still great bands. But when people say that they mean what is played on the radio or other mainstream media. And they are right about that most is just pure computerized garbage. Samples and autotune. I don't know if you know it but the most telling thing is that today's generation doesn't even listen to their own music. Most growth is due to old music not new. The new market for music is shrinking (!!!). Young people are listening to 60s soul or classic rock like Queen not their own generation. And that is more than telling. And yes most of new guitar players are acrobats not musicians. Yes it is impressive but a solo doesn't make a song.
It’s like the 1980s, in the wake of EVH. It was a sound - every song had a guitar solo with lots of tapping, whammy, etc. Then the shred genre emerged with guys playing faster and faster. Satriani, Vai etc. Lots of virtuosity that made you go wow for a second. Eventually everyone got bored with it, grunge emerged, the focus became songwriting and guitar solos essentially disappeared. Extreme guitar is having a moment again, there will be a few new stars, a few people will get rich and then people will get bored with it and move on to whatever is next.
I'm already bored with it. Polyphia is tedious to listen to. Another similar problem these bands have with the 80s guitarists is so many of them seem to go for a really cheesy guitar tone and an overall cheesy production. Except IMO polyphia's overproduced trap beats are worse than any cheesy 80s drum sound
Speaking for myself, I never got bored with it, instrumental guitar music has always fascinated me. I grew up listening to EVH, Joe Satriani and Steve Vai etc and still do today. These three guys are the reason I am the musician that I am today.
"A study by Dolby of 2000 US adults, 18 and up, showed that Gen Z in particular are discovering and enjoying more and more music from different eras than right now. In fact, 80% feel like they were born in the wrong era with regards to their music tastes." So you see Gen Z is killing it. In a literal sense. They are killing the new music industry because they don't care to listen to it. Most music they listen to is 30+ years old. If that isn't telling I don't know what is. So next time a video like this comes up to dispute that fact just show them this. That says it all. The problem with your description is that Van Halen actually made a lot of memorable songs people still sings today. Not so much with modern guitar players and we already are almost 30 years away from the 90s. Still no one on that level. That and the fact that Gen Z doesn't even listen to their generation I think is more than you need to know.
it has never been more about the music. Musicians are not limited by record labels and technical difficulties anymore and its getting easier and easier to release music. Its better than ever
agree, less barriers to entry, far easier access to quality lessons, incredible gear, and instrumental music for the first time in a long time is becoming popular again, its not just some pretty face selling records
To say it’s never been more about the music is an over statement. It’s about creating content more than ever. There are so many musicians that I don’t really know about their music, but I know them through their content . Or other musicians who I met who tell they need to make music that blows up on tik tok. It’s a lot less about songs
@@bumwees2865 depends how you define "the music". In some context it means songs or tracks, in some you can just call individual riffs music. the latter part would probably be true, there is an overabundance of riffs.
With the first statement in the video... The entirety of "not memorable, not about the music, 15 second video." That's not what music is now, that's just what TikTok is.
Modern Guitar is certainly about music and I believe it is a really cool experimental phase. Sort of like in the 60s when experimental phases led guitar down a better route. Although, I do feel that some of these guitarists need to understand that less is more, and I will stand by that point forever. Listen to David Gilmour guitar solos and you will understand
As a Gen Z'er, I agree. I've seen Ichika Nito's playing and while it is technically impressive and beautiful, its not very catchy and kinda sounds the same
@@pabloscobar958calling Polyphia bland just shows how much appreciation for theory you'll never have. The beatles are bland with having 4 chords regurgitated, yet they're legends. Settle down know-it-all.
I feel like a lot of these riffs could sound better if they chose a less corny tone for the guitar sound and got rid of the overproduced cheesy EDM beats
@@michaelegan3522 I totally agree on that. If you take away all the digital effects they are using, would it still sound like music? Can you make it sound good with just a Les Paul and a Plexi?
"A study by Dolby of 2000 US adults, 18 and up, showed that Gen Z in particular are discovering and enjoying more and more music from different eras than right now. In fact, 80% feel like they were born in the wrong era with regards to their music tastes." So you see Gen Z is killing it. In a literal sense. They are killing the new music industry because they don't care to listen to it. Most music they listen to is 30+ years old. If that isn't telling I don't know what is. So next time a video like this comes up to dispute that fact just show them this. That says it all. And yes like video games. Twiddely-diddely. Also a solo doesn't make a good song. It is a good ingredient but not the only thing. Ironically this video shows exactly what people criticize.
@@TheFatKidFromUpyeah it is like people listening to rock saying that "all metal sounds the same". Yeah, because you are not giving it a bit of curiosity and chance to discover the genre. To me, classical music can also sound the same if totally being uninterested.
I really like bands like polyphia because most old metal songs all have the same structure of like intro, riff part then solo. It always just leads up to a solo, (most the time,) and while there is nothing wrong with that formula I love old metal, after listening to a lot of old metal it kinda gets a bit boring and tedious. Music like Polyphia don’t just always have a solo near the end of the song, they have different parts and segments of a song that sometimes repeat, and it goes between different riffs as the song progresses. It is really refreshing to hear music like this after listening to old metal.
ya dude, metal had been so stale for so long, band after band doing the same tired stuff, this is really the first huge innovation and cultural change ive seen on guitar playing since the 80's imo obv ppl r going to copy this into oblivion like anything else but even if its not ones cup of tea i think its undeniable to say guitar centric music really needed this push forward from bands that appeal to a younger audience
@@karmaceutical3963 modern metal has not been stale. These past few years have been some of the best for the metal scene with bands pumping out banger after banger thanks to the building blocks set by earlier bands. Listen to Meshuggah, who started their reign in the 2000s and have changed how so much modern metal is written, and then see the ways modern bands have grown with it. You’ll find it’s nothing like the 80s.
whenever someone hits me with this take i know they never even listened long enough to hear the hook repeat or they're just parroting something they read on reddit
@@jaymarsh123for real, the old heads that say shit like Polyphia is too complicated and uninspired sound like Pop fans who can't see the merit in metal because tHeYrE jUsT yElLiNg You show me someone who thinks technicality is a crutch, I'll show you someone who doesn't know as much about their instrument as they think they do.
music reflects the artists life. In previous generations people went to bars and clubs, huge concerts, they got laid, partied and lived outward lives rich in social interactions and meaning.. so the music reflected that and spoke to a wider audience. These young players are playing at home, the music is virtual, the audience is mostly virtual. It's a much more isolated experience. And the music then becomes a reflection of that. Everyone is glad they were born in their own era. I'm genx and I'm glad for the music and era that I experienced musically. I'm sure boomers and millenials feel the same for themselves.
born in '54,... Hendrix Clapton came out when I was 13, Zep at 15, they killed it.... back in the day. Then came EVH and the amazing fusionists. But you young uns are even better players as a generation, Hendrix and Beck et al are smiling as I do-- when my jaw ain't dropping... keep the faith and keep raising the bar!
I was born in the early 80's and I still listen to Hendrix, Clapton, Led Zeppelin, all kinds of Prog Rock that my parents listened to. This month I finally learned all the parts from Carry On Wayward Son. I think we can appreciate all the different music from every century if we have an open mind and most importantly, truly love music. Glad to see an appreciative music fan from the "boomer" generation 😉👍
"A study by Dolby of 2000 US adults, 18 and up, showed that Gen Z in particular are discovering and enjoying more and more music from different eras than right now. In fact, 80% feel like they were born in the wrong era with regards to their music tastes." So you see Gen Z is killing it. In a literal sense. They are killing the new music industry because they don't care to listen to it. Most music they listen to is 30+ years old. If that isn't telling I don't know what is. So next time a video like this comes up to dispute that fact just show them this. That says it all.
Honestly all I want is to see people demonstrate exceptional knowledge of harmony, melody, and phrasing, and solid evidence of them having put in the work to achieve it. More than anything I want to see these people get more recognized, if that's what they want. Hard work deserves to be recognized.
Im reminded of something a producer once said to me, when I was in a studio and ripped this crazy riff, "Great, you can do that... but how does it serve the song? Think about playing this every night in front of a crowd, are you going to be a performer, or someone who just jerks off all over the stage? What about hearing this on the radio, are people going to sing along with the lyrics first, or replicate all those notes you just played, with their mouths?" Many years later, that always kind of stuck with me.
Guitar nowadays is the best it's ever been. The only sad thing is that it's not in the mainstream anymore like it used to, but these musicians are raising the standard so much in present day.
interestingly guitar is still pretty mainstream in japan. Like literally even a random idol pop dance group will have guitar riffs in the background (mixed quite low though) and it's not rare to hear a guitar solo even.
There is one caption I don't agree with here. You said "we are the future, whether you like it or not" Not true. You are not the future. You are the present. Surely the whole point of this video is that music changes, and tastes change. In the future the style adopted by the guitarists of that time will be drastically different to this one. Just as this is drastically different to the last. And this whole debate will start all over again. Surely, the beauty of music is that it changes and evolves always. And the musicians of every generation build on what came before and, in turn, inspire the next generation to build on that again. So this is not the future of music, but the present. And it will go out as fast as it came in. And that, really, is what's so beautiful about it all
Good example: Djent. Showed up, blew our minds for a few minutes, then faded as the lack of listenable structure showed itself. It morphed into metalcore which is awesome in not only it's complexity but in it's rhythmic and ultimately listenable qualities. I love Charles Caswell's alien-like talent but can't listen casually because there is no discernable regular rhythm that humans need for sustained listening. Give me 5 minutes of that then I am back to Dayseeker, Spiritbox, et al. For the rest of the day.
Because of social media it's become quite the pissing contest, especially in the polyphian "dubstep with guitars" genre. They're all super talented but I hope they put it to use by writing memorable songs and not just 15 second instagram posts.
@@Troubledaid They say there is no soul in literally any new form of music that comes out because people for whatever reason see innovation as disingenuous
@@Meatball996 I like a lot of modern music but this ‘influencer guitar’ is boring I think it’s literally just about playing fast and cool than methodical and emotive, no feel, innovation is important but it should be done with passion not synthetically
I think it's like what happened to classical music as it entered the modern age. It got more and more complex, technical and dissonant, as technique and complexity became a goal in it of itself. Kind of a cyclical pattern.
Instrumental music is rarely as memorable as a lyrical track, even in genres like death metal and stuff where the vocals arent intelligible and the riffs are the focus, because the presence of lyrics just forces some kind of structure to the songs and when the riffs and vocals combine in pronounced accents thats what actually makes that emotional connection and makes it memorable.
"A study by Dolby of 2000 US adults, 18 and up, showed that Gen Z in particular are discovering and enjoying more and more music from different eras than right now. In fact, 80% feel like they were born in the wrong era with regards to their music tastes." So you see Gen Z is killing it. In a literal sense. They are killing the new music industry because they don't care to listen to it. Most music they listen to is 30+ years old. If that isn't telling I don't know what is. So next time a video like this comes up to dispute that fact just show them this. That says it all.
but atleast death metal has groove that makes you want to headbang your head and even though you can't understand the lyrics, and all the instruments are equally appreciated like drums, bass, guitars,
As a guitar player I have to disagree a lot. Vocals are completely independent of structure, just like any other instrument (e.g. piano vs no piano). And I honestly get more emotional connection from cool instrumental sections even in songs with vocals. And like, are we really saying classical music "isn't memorable"...? Really? There are plenty of evocative masterpieces in that category.
@@Zooropa_Stationyeah honestly I just tend to take the opinions of whoever says “music without vocals aren’t memorable” with a grain of salt, because like, a HUGE amount of music do not have vocals. I try not to classify music with vocals and without as separate genres by assigning the troublesome word “instrumental”, because I feel like it just tramples on the passion and innovation of so many genres
These pieces are closer to very old concepts and forms such as aria, cadenza and etudes. Albums for example are a fairly recent development in comparison.
I may not “like” Polyphia, or Unprocessed, but saying it is not music is ignorant. They are as much music as music was in the 1600s. The post 2010s has all been about production over complexity (which is fine), and now the guitar youth is taking it into another generation, by providing production and virtuosity through ALL genres.
@@Heheha329 you can technically attribute that to popular music culture (even guitar centered music can be considered popular). People like something that is well produced. No one is re-inventing the wheel in terms of composition at this point
I applaud anyone talented and/or patient enough to learn an instrument to such a degree as to create essentially whole genre bending symphonies such as these artists have.
I think we just completed the circle, most of classical music was like this in the first place, in 5min composition you had ~1.5 minutes of memorable melodies, other ~3.5minutes its just completing the vibe and filling in the gaps
Not only that...but the people complaining, haven't ever listened to the "progressive" classical music that actually exists. The amount of notes those pianists went through within 30 seconds is absurd. Just a bunch of filler, to go through to the next section. Literally classical "shredding".
That lotus ending in this video...!!! Pure magic. If you know what I mean, you will agree too that there are some kind of REALLY nice works, REALLY nice musicians, and obviously a REALLY nice music evolution. Commercial music of last 20 years kills empathy with (ALL🤣) new artists and sounds, but some of they are making something wonderful, and that's why in this kind of music some people study and practice so hard: Ex.: You can copy Trap, reggaeton, (commercial) pop, some boring (commercial) classical or (commercial) rock, (commercial) metal... In less that a few moments. It's always simple and a really little dose of satisfaction hearing it or even playing it. It's almost impossible to copy 10 seconds of any song like the best classical (including solo) compositions, or most complex and astonishing modern music, like new artists, maybe Guthrie, Marcin, Tim, Jason Richardson, till novander... Satisfaction level of hearing and playing it lasts FOREVER.
Previous generations walked and ran so these guys could fly! They're pushing the music and the instrument forward in ways that people before would never have imagined! It's amazing! Love this video.
Some stuff is definitely "more show than go" these days (as in, stuff that seems more "look what I can do", chops, technical mastery demonstration type stuff than actual "music"), but there is TONS of SUPER epic shit out there!!! For SURE!!
Mateus Asato sounds the same as Kaichi Naito? One is playing blues and the other is playing Japanese progressive guitar EDM. You must have some really shitty ears if you think all these artists sound the same lol
So it WAS actually the same song? Thats hilarious as I thought it all sounded the same, however, as my parents thought all my music from (early!)Genesis to the Pink Fairies sounded the same, I do think this is clever, but samey.
This is why I was so happy to see Steve Vai join up with Polyphia to bridge the gap in generations and show that he also respects their music. Which both are fckin fantastic! \m/\m/
I feel like many people from older generation just can't accept that thing change and maybe just maybe we didn't learn guitar to play the same music as before because it was already done and overlistened and we need to try new thing too to make thing evolve and + why would i want to play old blues or thing like this all my life when i didnt grew up with this and kinda dont care (without disrespect this is very good but the past is the past and music always change and people taste too) + just listening to full song of ichika nito like illusory sense orb or many more is a counter argument in itself lol ty for the video nice initiative Edit : And i discovered some guitarist with this thank's
People said the same things in the 70’s, 80’s, 90’s, etc. It’s really no different. Flashy guitar has been around for about 50 years now and new techniques/ways of doing things is constantly evolving. I stick to only 70’s-80’s metal, but I highly appreciate and get stricken with awe on a daily basis at the innovation today. It makes me so happy to see that people still have not yet lost that passion for guitar.
It seems to be a cycle for each generation lol. It's cool seeing the evolution though. Who knows what the future holds and who will be the next person/group that will bring those new inspirational sounds for future guitarists
@@Wobbu_C Music has always sounded that way. It’s just a different genre/style. It actually reminds me a lot of retro video game music, most of the retro music sounded very emotionally similar to the music played here. I just find it odd because people act like this is “all that new guitar is”. It’s really not, there’s plenty of bands being created that still play classic metal/rock in various different sub genres. The music in this video here just one of the many genres and styles expressed today, it’s an innovative and very unique way of doing things. I don’t see how it’s bad to have a new unique style emerge. If anything that adds more variety to what already is there and continues to be made.
@@Wobbu_Cisn’t that what metal has always been about? I remember listening to Manowar, in the ‘80s, sing about dying on the battlefield. Death and dying has been a theme in metal since Black Sabbath started.
Ichiko Nito is so good I try not to watch too many of those videos. I'd give up on practicing music entirely if I kept watching those unbelievable skills.
I just don't understand the problem with highly technicall guitarists. First, if you don't like it, just don't hear it. Nobody forces anyone. And second, this is just a logical step on music, new ways of expression. Polyohia takes from a lot of genres (Metal, math rock, hip hop, pop, classical...) And makes something that could have not been made before if Tim Henson decided to stick with metal and shredding. Ichika Nito has a style influenced by many japanese bands and pianinsts, making a super clean tapping style, making rythim, bass, chords and melody all at the same time and sounding amazing.
I have been playing guitar for 15y+ and I am more inspired by the Vai, Satriani, Petrucci era. I also loved some of Polyphia’s early works. I appreciate the new generation techniques. However, somehow everything started to sound the same to me. Impressive technique yeah right, but all sound like video game music. For example, Andy Timmons’ Cry for you is an unmatched guitar instrumental and kids of today don’t seem to understand how to tell a story with their instruments. Petrucci plays thousands of notes in a solo but it conveys emotions in context. I think what’s “bad” about the new trend is the jazz/fusion elements. It’s like new guitarist neglect simple major/minor chords. Overcharging the harmonic context creates a certain similarity between all. Another thing to point out is Dynamics, the dynamic range is reduced and compressed to make all notes sound clear, but that shouldn’t be a rule for guitar. To me electric guitar must sound nasty sometimes, e.g Zack Wylde. Simply, Guitar is not designed to sound like a midi piano.
Great video. There were some examples you showed that I loved, and some that I hated, and I that's a good thing. Guitar playing now is as diverse as it always has been, if not more, and you'll always be able to find something you like in any given period of time.
Mum! I Made the List!!! In all seriousness the idea that modern guitar isn't about music is silly and its dope that you're highlighting the rly cool musicians we have today
I dunno, I grew up on 70's and 80's classic rock and heavy metal, transitioned to melodeath and so on, and I REALLY DIG polyphia and their boys playing
Tbh right basically all of these consist of very basic melodies, some cool techniques and good playing but melody hasn't really seen innovation for a long long time leaving lots of ppl feeling like guitar isn't making progress (it is just in other areas)
The issue is that stuff like Polyphia sounds same-y in every song because it's the same style of just plucking and generic sounding beats which could be played on the same drum beat and it would sound familiar but not in a unique sense
lol, you say you disagree and then showed a bunch of flashy 5 second clips which is exactly what they were talking about. Where's the "Cliff's of Dover" from one of these people? The "Ceremony"? Where are the SONGS? That's the point
Yeah, you got it. Guitar as instrument has become a vessel for people's ego inflation. Guitar is not an arp anymore, it's a racing field where the technicians, the speed-runners crowd the lanes of the field. There is such thing as too much virtuosity, there is such thing as too much melody. In the era of consumption, in the era of obesity, Music too has become a commodity to be consumed, and measured, and developed and enhanced. Music was born out of the heart of humanity cloaked in the most profound mistery of magic, Music is magic, and as long as our modern rationale won't allow us to see, we will keep treating Music as a servant, when in fact we should be humbled to serve the Muses. I like to ramble with unearned grandiosity. So what.
Get the fuck outta here with that fake philosophical bs. Just yapping without purpose. There's plenty of non prog guitarists these days. Prog doesn't define a genre. People listen cause it's interesting, it ain't that deep.
I will say one thing… it can become tedious for me to have to fully engage for such a long time. Most music I can see everything coming and can zone out and be happy when there’s a cool little part that surprises me, but some of this stuff is like listening to a book in 2x speed. As I’m processing one thing, I realize I’ve missed something else. That’s more on me than the artist… but I feel like that’s how a lot of people that complain actually feel.
It's all just bubblegum guitar playing to me. Sure it can sound nice short term but you get tired of it super quick and it becomes annoying to hear. It also makes me think of tik tok when people play like this, which makes me physically ill remembering that platform exists.
as a jazz guitarist I don´t like the style but I respect them as who they are. as a MUSICIAN. they are incredible in they´re genre and they like it. thats the importan thing. maybe they dont like playing over changes as guthrie those but art is about what you like
I listen to a lot of prog and genuinely it isn’t about the sound anymore that interests it’s the hidden gem of technique and crazy rhythm with abstract time signature that fascinates me. If people broaden their mind about the language of music we can be less jaded. We’re in a time period where playing fast or playing the most complicated riff doesn’t mean shit anymore. Let musicians transcend their craft in the most creative way possible it isn’t a competition.
I agree, I've been playing guitar for 25+ years and to me these new guitarists are just amazing. Not only are they very technically skilled but often also very talented songwriters. I think they push the boundaries on how to play guitar AND how to write riffs and music. I think alot of the negative comments stem from jealousy
it's the tired old "shredders have no soul" thing that was going on when I picked up guitar 17 years ago and was learning to play malmsteen and satriani. it's 100% copium, and the only argument for old music is that the selection process has already taken place.
As far as it being the future I can agree it is going to continue to grow but I don't think it will ever replace the variety of existing guitar styles, it is simply another addition that we should embrace.
Every musician in that video is fucking amazing! I wish I even had half that talent. From what I've seen popping up lately over the past decade, the next generation of musicians, especially guitarists, are super talented, experimental and daring. Music comes in all styles and forms, doesn't matter the country, the culture, the genre, or whether it has vocals or not, or what ever instrument it's played on, if people can't hear the melody in the music then they're simply just deaf to the creativeness being presented in front of them and most likely don't indulge in anything past the era they're stuck in.
Musicians are more focused now on breaking the mold than adding to it... and in music, specifically guitar, its so exhausting. Im tired of math riffs. They're dumb. Ill take a Marty Friedman or SRV track any day over anything out of this genre. Infinitely more listenable with replay value.
I've never understood people who hate on modern guitar music. If you don't like it, go listen to GVF or something, idk. There's only so much you can do with pentatonic scales. There's all kinds of guitarists pushing the envelope when it comes to technique, voicing, instrument application, chops, tone, INSANE amounts of creativity. I'm not even a guitarist either, I'm a drummer, but guys like Ichika, Scotty, Tim, Brakence (whoever plays on his tracks) etc. have actually made me start playing guitar more seriously because I've seen all the wide applications you can actually use it in. The shit inspires me in the same way that Tony Royster Jr, Benny Greb, and Jojo Mayer did over a decade ago when I was first taking drums seriously
this video sort of obliterated the point you were trying to make lol. NONE of them were in an actual song with lyrics. They are nearly all just from reels and tik toks. It's one thing to make an instrumental or a short riff. It's quite another to make a song that stays with you and a solo or riff that fits into the song.
So a song HAS to have lyrics to be a song? Point is stupid beyond belief. And of course nothing is gonna stick with you when you listen to a bunch of snippets of songs during a 3 minute video.
@@vikso89 im saying that it’s a hell of a lot harder to write a “proper” song with lyrics and knit it all together for that mass appeal than it is to put together an instrumental track or especially a 30 second clip. Writing good, not cringey lyrics and singing them is incredibly hard. Im saying that this won’t have mass appeal because what resonates with people tends to be songs with great/catchy lyrics where the instrumental parts are woven in in a way that compliments and elevates the song as a whole.
The most frustrating part about these old farts trying to shove the newer generation down is that they don’t even realise just how much music is being made by guitarists today. They focus in on this one style they don’t like and ignore all else. Being primarily in the metal scene, I find myself struggling to understand how so much criticism can be thrown at “modern guitar” when people aren’t even looking at all the genres that guitars fit into, be it jazz, rock, electronic fusions, or the many dozens of metal subgenres. “Modern guitar” is so much more than these idiots bring themselves to believe, and all these genres are beautiful self expression that results from years of honing the craft. The reason it’s so technically impressive is because nowadays people can finally produce music much more freely than before, without the need for approval by a record label.
I think the reason the new stuff got more complex is probably the accessibility to DAW's at home. You can record bits, rerecord them as many times as you want, move bits around, change stuff, create a rough demo and then practice the whole thing, etc. The "old" guys didn't have access to this. Songs had to be written much more dynamically. With that said, I think some innovation and change is good. Things would be borring without it and this is coming from an "old" guy. I listen to a lot of the stuff I grew up with but I still throw on some Plini or Animals as Leaders once in a while.
that one who comment "no memorable melodies" "just showoff" clearly just watch few seconds and saw some crazy harmonics and concluded to be just riffs lmao. it only means he doesn't hear enough variety of math rocks. this video really shows many talented musicians great craftswork.
I would say that the ability of a composer, an artist, a poet, a writer, is to highlight or express some characteristic of our human nature, created by nature itself. What's the difference? This comes down to the expression of human feelings, and therefore, I embrace all forms of expression. Each expression carries with it a piece of some soul. That's the main thing.
These comments scream "i cant comprehend anything that isnt a blues scale or a pentatonic lick and my understanding of music stopped there and hasnt dared evolve or step outside its comfort zone since"
Developing strong technical abilities is essential but at the same time I don’t want to hear your whole bag of tricks in 30 seconds. I like a lot of these highly technical players and some of them are a joy to listen to ie: Yvette and Manuel.
There's a terrible dictatorship of rhetoric surrounding this development of trendy guitar playing lately, and it's exemplified pretty badly in this video and the comments. "We are the future whether you like it or not" and all the howls of "Embrace the change / Accept the future" are such grossly arrogant and short-sighted statements, and just as mindlessly bandwagoning as the patterns they claim to rebel against. The attitude doesn't help anyone. That there's demographics of listeners all coming to the same critical conclusions independently isn't some old-generation-conspiracy or boring-ass ageing issue: it's a naturally formed part-consensus worth addressing that a cherry picked highlight reel of noteworthy moments among a much larger selection of faddish playing that, overall, does not sound like these moments is not going to disprove. Something objective has happened here, and it probably is to do with social media clout-chasing and one-upmanship. For now, the fact is that this undeniably trendy, technicality-before-art based media style has not withstood the test of time, and that merits a humility that its advocates just aren't willing to accept for one reason or another, which is part of why this rather incestuous style is inspiring such disdain. And the worst part of it is that the modern fanbase is crafting this bubble of superiority with the previously mentioned attitude-comments where it's impossible to criticise this style of playing. Either technicality or the critic's age (or age of taste) or the entirely unphenomenal process of time will be weaponised again and again to diffuse all possibly legitimate enquiries into what makes a trend a trend.
look man its not that deep. we're just having fun making the music we wanna make and oldheads keep coming at us with a million reasons as to why what we make is objectivley bad music and is ruining guitar. just stick to your pat metheny and allan holdsworth and leave us alone if you don't like this stuff
@@jamesstent It is this deep. You're adjudicating yourselves to be the ones that are "actually in the right" when you are just as pedantic as these oldfart douchebags. You won't make any case of defending this style but for yourselves. It's all a big cocksucking circlejerk from both sides.
This is the most autistic rant I've seen in a while, and I'm autistic myself. Dude, touch grass. Seriously. You're going to rant yourself into an early grave. Stop trying to tear apart something people love and go, 'Gotcha! See, I'm smart!' and just focus on yourself. Future you will thank you.
who ordered the yappachino? "dictatorship of rhetoric... incestuous style" relax bro it's literally just a sub-genre of music, there are hundreds of them and I bet you feel the same way about most of those, you just don't see them because they're not having a moment on social media right now. The kids are just defending what they're into against YOU troglodytes who insist on calling it "not music", it truly isn't deeper than that.
One of the magical things about music is how diverse it is. I’m not a shredder guy (yea, I’m old), but I do appreciate how much work and dedication it takes. These youngsters can cram 132 notes in a bar, cool. But let’s see them do something Derek Trucks does. Both take talent, but they’re different disciplines.
I would only be able to get a realistic idea of what they're actually playing by hearing isolated dry (no effects at all) tracks. Digital effects are covering it up.
I enjoy the progress younger players are making. I don't want to be stuck in the 80's when I was learning. Back then people thought the shredders were not musical. Every generation has to deal with negative people and some of those same people begin to like the new stuff.
those negative people are just smooth brained garbage who think there’s only one way of making good music. There are infinite ways. Any natural sound like rain, birds chirping, can soothing to hear. You can tune any dubstep or Polyphia stuff to 432hz and it would all sound soothing. Or you can tune everything to a bad frequency and it would hurt your head, especially when you catch fevers.
it depends of which genre of music you like, I prefer metalcore riffs (august burns red, architects, killswitch engage, parkway drive, BMTH, as I lay dying) while in this video is mostly specificaly guitar solos
ive personally never liked this genre, but my appreciation for it only grew with players like matteo mancuso and Mateus Asato. Its just not my thing but it objectively doesnt suck
It is as it's always been: Most suck, some are mediocre but passable, and then there are the standouts everyone will remember. The main difference nowadays is that even the ones that suck are all now insanely technically proficient. It's the new way to suck. The problem alluded to in 'The downfall of modern Guitar' is that achieving technical wizardry on killer gear after endless years of obsessive practice is such a headrush in and of itself that it just makes it virtually impossible to objectively realize you're doing completely forgettable elevator Muzak at 150 bpm.
so there's just a certain aount of people that suck or are good or are mediocre? becoming good at music and developing a unqiue style, a sense of melody, songwriting and production, those things can be improved with practice the same as your technique. no one was bornan amazing songwriter. this is just an incredibly lazy way to look at music.
The problem is that we are not living in the same time where rock music was the norm and guitar was king along with drums. It's a different world now but guitar is still popular in different pockets of the world. It's still a great instrument that people can enjoy just like piano and other instruments too. Today is very digitized, so young folks are looking for something else.
those who keep complaining about modern guitar playing dont even play music themselves and not realize that music is a form of art and creativity. we arent given a guitar with a bunch of frets and strings to just play simple bar chords. you find its ultimate potential and create a new era of sound and thats what makes music and other forms of art innovative and creative and inspirational.
This is what happens with EVERY generation. It's tiring. Every generation is "the best", and what comes after is trash. So are young musicians just supposed to regurgitate what was played decades ago? What drivel. Carry on with your wonderful music.
Spot on mate
i mean no disrespect but just be creative lol. name any great band or guitarist, and really all they ever did was regurgitate the stuff they've heard and liked in their own way. bands like king gizzard and psychedelic porn crumpets are the best example to show that creativity is more important that being able to play and write the most complex stuff.
so yes just regurgitate and make it your own like any musician you've ever heard or looked up to and you will hopefully find success. if not hopefully you can at least have fun trying to be yourself instead of the best
Yes they are. This is a time not of innovation, but of summarization. We want the stones, the violent femmes, led zepplin, the doors, Pink Floyd and queen again. The music today is undeniably worse and it happpeningbecause we hindered by our new musical “freedoms” music then was headed in a good direction, and it is headed towards a bad one. Skill is fine, but the music needs to be human and poetic. I don’t just listen to music from that time. Some of my favorite artists are Francisco Tarrega, Luiz Bonfa, Django Reinhardt, Secos y Malhaldoes, Ludwig van Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, Chopin, Schubert, Bach, Mozart, Gershwin. I listen to music if it is good. And as far as I am concerned, the shit I am hearing is not good music. I am hearing incredible skill attained through inflexibility and bone headed stoicism. There’s nothing childlike to it, no warmth, so little of anything pertaining to the human experience. It is music which attempts to be honorable by being “original” when music is not supposed to be original. It is supposed to be common, and unique in that it is straight from an individual composers heart. I do not hear personal pain or light hearted simple joy in the music. It is as if I am a woman and a man is hitting on me by showing me a business card and listing his accomplishments. That’s what it sounds like. Listen to Luiz Bonfa or Francisco Tarregga, and you will hear warmth and emotion, and skill that came as a result of patience and experience. I am not going to comply with you people, who like a clown believe that because something is contrary, it is righteous and good. Who say the Moonlight Sonata or Bohemian Rhapsody is a bad song because it is popular and through no fault of the composers own you listened to it far too many times.
If you ask any of these new school people who their inspirations are, they will say something like “I don’t really have any.” They aren’t passionate about music, they are just weirdos obsessed with inanimate objects.
my inspirtations are drax, charles caswell, brakence, tim henson, and jane remover mainly. what you're saying is ridiculous. actually talk to us instead of assuming things, and you'll find we all have clear inspirations and we love music. @@lawsonbill1255
I get the negative impacts of "Tiktokfication of Music" on guitar but some stand outs sound really great and musical.
Agree and the reality is that, in various form, the same thing happened in every generation. It's not that the 60s had only good music, simply the bad one have been forgotten. Talent and genius is not something that disappear from a generation to another
Plus most of those people have like, actual albums too lol. Like yeah you aren’t gonna get too much evolution out of a 1 minute short form clip, but if you listen to the actual bands these guys are from it’s not like their 40 minute albums are just a bunch of random 1 minute riffs
Yeah. I have mixed feelings. Somehow I feel Polyphia's music is usually more "souless" than a similar artist's like Ichika Nito's. Both are very "TikTokey", but I think Nito, although as repetitive as Henson can be, does create music in a more honest way.
And there are also some modern guitarists like Mancuso or Pobozhiy that, although technically proficient, do strike me as creative and interesting enough to listen to.
@@birmax5420 it's just the return of prog, both the good and bad kind
Sure there are still great bands. But when people say that they mean what is played on the radio or other mainstream media. And they are right about that most is just pure computerized garbage. Samples and autotune. I don't know if you know it but the most telling thing is that today's generation doesn't even listen to their own music. Most growth is due to old music not new. The new market for music is shrinking (!!!). Young people are listening to 60s soul or classic rock like Queen not their own generation. And that is more than telling.
Nobody embraces change unless they're apart of it
facts
People don't embrace change when they are "apart" from it.
They embrace change when they are "a part" of it.
💀 Old people like to cope, they need to accept that younger generations are better in every single way 💀💀😂
Thats why being inclusive is so important.
@@llvkey Don't blame it all on "The Old People" Some of Polyphia's biggest Fans are "Old" I'm 65 I went to see them recently and went with a friend who is 70. It was a very mixed crowd age wise plenty of teens and people in their 20's and 30's but there was a lot of Boomers and GenX'ers there as well. Two of Tim's biggest fans besides yours truly is Rick Beato and Steve Vai.
I don’t think the argument is against modern CREATIVE playing. I think it’s more against the whole “look how many notes I can jam into this 15 second shred” kinda thing.
Well said!
still a shit argument. if its melodic or groovy or inspiring i dont see what the problem is.
I'm not into it, but what's wrong with shred? I also don't like boomer bend blues but I never say that it's not a valid form of music that some enjoy...
bro never listened to megadeath, metallica, van halen or literally any old school rock/metal band. They all did it too. The fast paced playing is nothing new, the technicality has just improved a lot.
Sure there are still great bands. But when people say that they mean what is played on the radio or other mainstream media. And they are right about that most is just pure computerized garbage. Samples and autotune. I don't know if you know it but the most telling thing is that today's generation doesn't even listen to their own music. Most growth is due to old music not new. The new market for music is shrinking (!!!). Young people are listening to 60s soul or classic rock like Queen not their own generation. And that is more than telling.
And yes most of new guitar players are acrobats not musicians. Yes it is impressive but a solo doesn't make a song.
It’s like the 1980s, in the wake of EVH. It was a sound - every song had a guitar solo with lots of tapping, whammy, etc. Then the shred genre emerged with guys playing faster and faster. Satriani, Vai etc. Lots of virtuosity that made you go wow for a second. Eventually everyone got bored with it, grunge emerged, the focus became songwriting and guitar solos essentially disappeared. Extreme guitar is having a moment again, there will be a few new stars, a few people will get rich and then people will get bored with it and move on to whatever is next.
Great comment and this will probably happen.
I'm already bored with it. Polyphia is tedious to listen to. Another similar problem these bands have with the 80s guitarists is so many of them seem to go for a really cheesy guitar tone and an overall cheesy production.
Except IMO polyphia's overproduced trap beats are worse than any cheesy 80s drum sound
Speaking for myself, I never got bored with it, instrumental guitar music has always fascinated me.
I grew up listening to EVH, Joe Satriani and Steve Vai etc and still do today. These three guys are the reason I am the musician that I am today.
"A study by Dolby of 2000 US adults, 18 and up, showed that Gen Z in particular are discovering and enjoying more and more music from different eras than right now. In fact, 80% feel like they were born in the wrong era with regards to their music tastes."
So you see Gen Z is killing it. In a literal sense. They are killing the new music industry because they don't care to listen to it. Most music they listen to is 30+ years old. If that isn't telling I don't know what is. So next time a video like this comes up to dispute that fact just show them this. That says it all.
The problem with your description is that Van Halen actually made a lot of memorable songs people still sings today. Not so much with modern guitar players and we already are almost 30 years away from the 90s. Still no one on that level. That and the fact that Gen Z doesn't even listen to their generation I think is more than you need to know.
So Steve Vai's Passion and Warfare has only one great second on it?! Which one is it idiot?
it has never been more about the music. Musicians are not limited by record labels and technical difficulties anymore and its getting easier and easier to release music. Its better than ever
agree, less barriers to entry, far easier access to quality lessons, incredible gear, and instrumental music for the first time in a long time is becoming popular again, its not just some pretty face selling records
To say it’s never been more about the music is an over statement. It’s about creating content more than ever. There are so many musicians that I don’t really know about their music, but I know them through their content . Or other musicians who I met who tell they need to make music that blows up on tik tok. It’s a lot less about songs
@Aaa-pz6nh just because it's not a "song" doesn't make it not about the music.
My God I wish I had your ears sometimes. 99% utter garbage coming out these days.
@@bumwees2865 depends how you define "the music". In some context it means songs or tracks, in some you can just call individual riffs music. the latter part would probably be true, there is an overabundance of riffs.
the most technically complex and sophisticated ringtones i have ever heard
Musicians try to accept change challenge (never before done)
this isn't change, just lack of creativity.
@@HunnysPlaylists How is this not creative?
@@CatfishMan131 It's not listenable, it's just scales.
@@CatfishMan131 sounds like exercises played by someone neurotic.
@@HunnysPlaylistsbro this shit is not scales if anything the shit played in the 70s 80s and 90s is basic scales
With the first statement in the video... The entirety of "not memorable, not about the music, 15 second video."
That's not what music is now, that's just what TikTok is.
Tells you more about them then the music they are dissing, really...
@@BaldorfBreakdowns Honestly the bad part is a lot of those clips of songs get more attention than the songs.
Modern Guitar is certainly about music and I believe it is a really cool experimental phase. Sort of like in the 60s when experimental phases led guitar down a better route. Although, I do feel that some of these guitarists need to understand that less is more, and I will stand by that point forever. Listen to David Gilmour guitar solos and you will understand
As a Gen Z'er, I agree. I've seen Ichika Nito's playing and while it is technically impressive and beautiful, its not very catchy and kinda sounds the same
Bands like polyphia are so bland BECAUSE they just cram all these notes in riffs that don't need them
@@pabloscobar958calling Polyphia bland just shows how much appreciation for theory you'll never have. The beatles are bland with having 4 chords regurgitated, yet they're legends. Settle down know-it-all.
@@bumwees2865 I went to school for 8 years i know theory better than you know spongebob memes
@@bumwees2865 Also i don't quite understand your comparison to the Beatles, who are also an extremely overrated band
Bro just casually drops 20 of some of the hardest players I've seen
I subscribed to like 5 of them, thanks!
I love what all these guitarists have created (including you!), can’t wait to hear what’s next!
All sounds like video game music to me
I feel like a lot of these riffs could sound better if they chose a less corny tone for the guitar sound and got rid of the overproduced cheesy EDM beats
Speaking as an old school arcade gamer, I totally agree. That's what makes it fun to listen to.
@@michaelegan3522 I totally agree on that. If you take away all the digital effects they are using, would it still sound like music? Can you make it sound good with just a Les Paul and a Plexi?
"A study by Dolby of 2000 US adults, 18 and up, showed that Gen Z in particular are discovering and enjoying more and more music from different eras than right now. In fact, 80% feel like they were born in the wrong era with regards to their music tastes."
So you see Gen Z is killing it. In a literal sense. They are killing the new music industry because they don't care to listen to it. Most music they listen to is 30+ years old. If that isn't telling I don't know what is. So next time a video like this comes up to dispute that fact just show them this. That says it all.
And yes like video games. Twiddely-diddely. Also a solo doesn't make a good song. It is a good ingredient but not the only thing. Ironically this video shows exactly what people criticize.
Yep
They all sounds same, they all extremely edited in daw. And its the same thing as 80s shred era.
I think there's a lot more jazz and blues influence in these but with modern techniques. This does not sound like the 80s shred era.
They sound the same to you because you don't understand it. That's why music is subjective and we don't all listen to the same thing.
@@TheFatKidFromUpyeah it is like people listening to rock saying that "all metal sounds the same". Yeah, because you are not giving it a bit of curiosity and chance to discover the genre. To me, classical music can also sound the same if totally being uninterested.
I really like bands like polyphia because most old metal songs all have the same structure of like intro, riff part then solo. It always just leads up to a solo, (most the time,) and while there is nothing wrong with that formula I love old metal, after listening to a lot of old metal it kinda gets a bit boring and tedious. Music like Polyphia don’t just always have a solo near the end of the song, they have different parts and segments of a song that sometimes repeat, and it goes between different riffs as the song progresses. It is really refreshing to hear music like this after listening to old metal.
Holy shit that’s almost like how every song is made
Well listen to some prog rocks
ya dude, metal had been so stale for so long, band after band doing the same tired stuff, this is really the first huge innovation and cultural change ive seen on guitar playing since the 80's imo
obv ppl r going to copy this into oblivion like anything else but even if its not ones cup of tea i think its undeniable to say guitar centric music really needed this push forward from bands that appeal to a younger audience
@@karmaceutical3963 modern metal has not been stale. These past few years have been some of the best for the metal scene with bands pumping out banger after banger thanks to the building blocks set by earlier bands. Listen to Meshuggah, who started their reign in the 2000s and have changed how so much modern metal is written, and then see the ways modern bands have grown with it. You’ll find it’s nothing like the 80s.
I think I just will never love new formulas and creativity
"But you don't remember the song" and then I instantly recognized that Manuel riff while preoccupied with something else
whenever someone hits me with this take i know they never even listened long enough to hear the hook repeat or they're just parroting something they read on reddit
@@jaymarsh123for real, the old heads that say shit like Polyphia is too complicated and uninspired sound like Pop fans who can't see the merit in metal because tHeYrE jUsT yElLiNg
You show me someone who thinks technicality is a crutch, I'll show you someone who doesn't know as much about their instrument as they think they do.
Problem is those are not real songs.
@@kornelijekovac9793 Are you just being pedantic? And how would it have been different if the video featured full songs instead of riffs?
@@RinDrop I'm not talking about this video.
Sounds like shuffling through Nokia ringtones lol
Hat dance was a banger of a song, probably best ringtone ever
Lmao that's exactly it
music reflects the artists life. In previous generations people went to bars and clubs, huge concerts, they got laid, partied and lived outward lives rich in social interactions and meaning.. so the music reflected that and spoke to a wider audience. These young players are playing at home, the music is virtual, the audience is mostly virtual. It's a much more isolated experience. And the music then becomes a reflection of that.
Everyone is glad they were born in their own era. I'm genx and I'm glad for the music and era that I experienced musically. I'm sure boomers and millenials feel the same for themselves.
born in '54,... Hendrix Clapton came out when I was 13, Zep at 15, they killed it.... back in the day. Then came EVH and the amazing fusionists. But you young uns are even better players as a generation, Hendrix and Beck et al are smiling as I do-- when my jaw ain't dropping... keep the faith and keep raising the bar!
I was born in the early 80's and I still listen to Hendrix, Clapton, Led Zeppelin, all kinds of Prog Rock that my parents listened to. This month I finally learned all the parts from Carry On Wayward Son. I think we can appreciate all the different music from every century if we have an open mind and most importantly, truly love music. Glad to see an appreciative music fan from the "boomer" generation 😉👍
"A study by Dolby of 2000 US adults, 18 and up, showed that Gen Z in particular are discovering and enjoying more and more music from different eras than right now. In fact, 80% feel like they were born in the wrong era with regards to their music tastes."
So you see Gen Z is killing it. In a literal sense. They are killing the new music industry because they don't care to listen to it. Most music they listen to is 30+ years old. If that isn't telling I don't know what is. So next time a video like this comes up to dispute that fact just show them this. That says it all.
I'm glad to know people like you exists!
Honestly all I want is to see people demonstrate exceptional knowledge of harmony, melody, and phrasing, and solid evidence of them having put in the work to achieve it. More than anything I want to see these people get more recognized, if that's what they want. Hard work deserves to be recognized.
Im reminded of something a producer once said to me, when I was in a studio and ripped this crazy riff, "Great, you can do that... but how does it serve the song? Think about playing this every night in front of a crowd, are you going to be a performer, or someone who just jerks off all over the stage? What about hearing this on the radio, are people going to sing along with the lyrics first, or replicate all those notes you just played, with their mouths?" Many years later, that always kind of stuck with me.
Thank you for putting all the guitar artists and songs in the description, great video!
Guitar nowadays is the best it's ever been. The only sad thing is that it's not in the mainstream anymore like it used to, but these musicians are raising the standard so much in present day.
I heard on a rick beato video that guitar is being featured more and more in the top songs in the charts lately.
interestingly guitar is still pretty mainstream in japan. Like literally even a random idol pop dance group will have guitar riffs in the background (mixed quite low though) and it's not rare to hear a guitar solo even.
Yes, but it's also super saturated. Everyone wants to play guitar and be "look at me". I love shredding, but nowadays I find it uninspired.
The guitar is truly a limitless instrument. To quote Eddie Van Halen: “If it sounds good, it IS good.
Thanks for including my solo bro :)
Your solo is awesome!
Funny that the reaction to the modern guitar movement is the same reaction my grandpa had to Cacophony when I showed him the band.
There is one caption I don't agree with here. You said "we are the future, whether you like it or not"
Not true. You are not the future. You are the present. Surely the whole point of this video is that music changes, and tastes change. In the future the style adopted by the guitarists of that time will be drastically different to this one. Just as this is drastically different to the last. And this whole debate will start all over again. Surely, the beauty of music is that it changes and evolves always. And the musicians of every generation build on what came before and, in turn, inspire the next generation to build on that again. So this is not the future of music, but the present. And it will go out as fast as it came in. And that, really, is what's so beautiful about it all
Good example: Djent. Showed up, blew our minds for a few minutes, then faded as the lack of listenable structure showed itself. It morphed into metalcore which is awesome in not only it's complexity but in it's rhythmic and ultimately listenable qualities. I love Charles Caswell's alien-like talent but can't listen casually because there is no discernable regular rhythm that humans need for sustained listening. Give me 5 minutes of that then I am back to Dayseeker, Spiritbox, et al. For the rest of the day.
That's what everyone says and then they become the past
Because of social media it's become quite the pissing contest, especially in the polyphian "dubstep with guitars" genre. They're all super talented but I hope they put it to use by writing memorable songs and not just 15 second instagram posts.
15 second videos are often used to build an audience so there is actually someone to listen to the memorable songs
all these people make full songs. they just also post 15 second clips on instagram
I don’t think it matters because their is no soul with in the playing it’s just ‘hey look at me I can play’ rather than evoking any type of emotion
@@Troubledaid They say there is no soul in literally any new form of music that comes out because people for whatever reason see innovation as disingenuous
@@Meatball996 I like a lot of modern music but this ‘influencer guitar’ is boring I think it’s literally just about playing fast and cool than methodical and emotive, no feel, innovation is important but it should be done with passion not synthetically
I think it's like what happened to classical music as it entered the modern age. It got more and more complex, technical and dissonant, as technique and complexity became a goal in it of itself. Kind of a cyclical pattern.
Whatever turns you on .. life is short
Instrumental music is rarely as memorable as a lyrical track, even in genres like death metal and stuff where the vocals arent intelligible and the riffs are the focus, because the presence of lyrics just forces some kind of structure to the songs and when the riffs and vocals combine in pronounced accents thats what actually makes that emotional connection and makes it memorable.
"A study by Dolby of 2000 US adults, 18 and up, showed that Gen Z in particular are discovering and enjoying more and more music from different eras than right now. In fact, 80% feel like they were born in the wrong era with regards to their music tastes."
So you see Gen Z is killing it. In a literal sense. They are killing the new music industry because they don't care to listen to it. Most music they listen to is 30+ years old. If that isn't telling I don't know what is. So next time a video like this comes up to dispute that fact just show them this. That says it all.
but atleast death metal has groove that makes you want to headbang your head and even though you can't understand the lyrics, and all the instruments are equally appreciated like drums, bass, guitars,
@@joshuanitura9376 agreed, though its highly dependent on the exact type of death metal youre talking about.
As a guitar player I have to disagree a lot. Vocals are completely independent of structure, just like any other instrument (e.g. piano vs no piano). And I honestly get more emotional connection from cool instrumental sections even in songs with vocals. And like, are we really saying classical music "isn't memorable"...? Really? There are plenty of evocative masterpieces in that category.
@@Zooropa_Stationyeah honestly I just tend to take the opinions of whoever says “music without vocals aren’t memorable” with a grain of salt, because like, a HUGE amount of music do not have vocals. I try not to classify music with vocals and without as separate genres by assigning the troublesome word “instrumental”, because I feel like it just tramples on the passion and innovation of so many genres
0:53 that would go perfectly with tim hensons part in jdbsc
Bro I love that little arpeggio at 1:45 that jumps up to a beautiful little melodic fragment. Class. Keep creating, fellow musician James \m/
I'm just south of 60 and I LOVE the new sounds...
These pieces are closer to very old concepts and forms such as aria, cadenza and etudes.
Albums for example are a fairly recent development in comparison.
that novander clip is soooo good bruh how can you even listen to that and hate on it LIKE ITS SOO GOOD IT PURGED THE NEGATIVITY FROM MY SOUL
I may not “like” Polyphia, or Unprocessed, but saying it is not music is ignorant. They are as much music as music was in the 1600s.
The post 2010s has all been about production over complexity (which is fine), and now the guitar youth is taking it into another generation, by providing production and virtuosity through ALL genres.
Man the writing is kinda weak tho.
@@Heheha329 you can technically attribute that to popular music culture (even guitar centered music can be considered popular). People like something that is well produced. No one is re-inventing the wheel in terms of composition at this point
I applaud anyone talented and/or patient enough to learn an instrument to such a degree as to create essentially whole genre bending symphonies such as these artists have.
I think we just completed the circle, most of classical music was like this in the first place, in 5min composition you had ~1.5 minutes of memorable melodies, other ~3.5minutes its just completing the vibe and filling in the gaps
You literally don't have a slightest clue what you are talking about.
I believe the ideas of counterpoint and theme and variation may be lost on this one.
Not only that...but the people complaining, haven't ever listened to the "progressive" classical music that actually exists. The amount of notes those pianists went through within 30 seconds is absurd. Just a bunch of filler, to go through to the next section. Literally classical "shredding".
That lotus ending in this video...!!!
Pure magic.
If you know what I mean, you will agree too that there are some kind of REALLY nice works, REALLY nice musicians, and obviously a REALLY nice music evolution.
Commercial music of last 20 years kills empathy with (ALL🤣) new artists and sounds, but some of they are making something wonderful, and that's why in this kind of music some people study and practice so hard:
Ex.: You can copy Trap, reggaeton, (commercial) pop, some boring (commercial) classical or (commercial) rock, (commercial) metal... In less that a few moments.
It's always simple and a really little dose of satisfaction hearing it or even playing it.
It's almost impossible to copy 10 seconds of any song like the best classical (including solo) compositions, or most complex and astonishing modern music, like new artists, maybe Guthrie, Marcin, Tim, Jason Richardson, till novander...
Satisfaction level of hearing and playing it lasts FOREVER.
Didn’t expect to see Deja Vu used in another video but in this context it definitely works! Jon Lui’s production is amazing indeed 10/10
Previous generations walked and ran so these guys could fly! They're pushing the music and the instrument forward in ways that people before would never have imagined! It's amazing! Love this video.
That Mateus solo on the Paul Davids video… that melts me… I play it on repeat 100 times a day
Some stuff is definitely "more show than go" these days (as in, stuff that seems more "look what I can do", chops, technical mastery demonstration type stuff than actual "music"), but there is TONS of SUPER epic shit out there!!! For SURE!!
If people dont like the music, they can get up from their arses and do their own stuff
Literally showed 20 different people and in a blond test couldnt tell you who was who. They all sounded the same
Mateus Asato sounds the same as Kaichi Naito? One is playing blues and the other is playing Japanese progressive guitar EDM. You must have some really shitty ears if you think all these artists sound the same lol
Hey genius, he put a song over 20 people all covering that song. Of course they all sound the same when they are all playing the same song...
So it WAS actually the same song? Thats hilarious as I thought it all sounded the same, however, as my parents thought all my music from (early!)Genesis to the Pink Fairies sounded the same, I do think this is clever, but samey.
All metal sounded the same in 80s
@@АртП-м7ж My mum used to say that too.
This is why I was so happy to see Steve Vai join up with Polyphia to bridge the gap in generations and show that he also respects their music. Which both are fckin fantastic! \m/\m/
I feel like many people from older generation just can't accept that thing change and maybe just maybe we didn't learn guitar to play the same music as before because it was already done and overlistened and we need to try new thing too to make thing evolve and + why would i want to play old blues or thing like this all my life when i didnt grew up with this and kinda dont care (without disrespect this is very good but the past is the past and music always change and people taste too) + just listening to full song of ichika nito like illusory sense orb or many more is a counter argument in itself lol ty for the video nice initiative
Edit : And i discovered some guitarist with this thank's
People said the same things in the 70’s, 80’s, 90’s, etc. It’s really no different. Flashy guitar has been around for about 50 years now and new techniques/ways of doing things is constantly evolving. I stick to only 70’s-80’s metal, but I highly appreciate and get stricken with awe on a daily basis at the innovation today. It makes me so happy to see that people still have not yet lost that passion for guitar.
It seems to be a cycle for each generation lol. It's cool seeing the evolution though. Who knows what the future holds and who will be the next person/group that will bring those new inspirational sounds for future guitarists
@@Wobbu_C ?? That's an overgeneralization with the "all" there but go off!
@@Wobbu_C Music has always sounded that way. It’s just a different genre/style. It actually reminds me a lot of retro video game music, most of the retro music sounded very emotionally similar to the music played here. I just find it odd because people act like this is “all that new guitar is”. It’s really not, there’s plenty of bands being created that still play classic metal/rock in various different sub genres. The music in this video here just one of the many genres and styles expressed today, it’s an innovative and very unique way of doing things. I don’t see how it’s bad to have a new unique style emerge. If anything that adds more variety to what already is there and continues to be made.
@@Wobbu_Cisn’t that what metal has always been about? I remember listening to Manowar, in the ‘80s, sing about dying on the battlefield. Death and dying has been a theme in metal since Black Sabbath started.
Ichiko Nito is so good I try not to watch too many of those videos. I'd give up on practicing music entirely if I kept watching those unbelievable skills.
I just don't understand the problem with highly technicall guitarists.
First, if you don't like it, just don't hear it. Nobody forces anyone.
And second, this is just a logical step on music, new ways of expression. Polyohia takes from a lot of genres (Metal, math rock, hip hop, pop, classical...) And makes something that could have not been made before if Tim Henson decided to stick with metal and shredding. Ichika Nito has a style influenced by many japanese bands and pianinsts, making a super clean tapping style, making rythim, bass, chords and melody all at the same time and sounding amazing.
1:54 clean transition.
I have been playing guitar for 15y+ and I am more inspired by the Vai, Satriani, Petrucci era. I also loved some of Polyphia’s early works. I appreciate the new generation techniques. However, somehow everything started to sound the same to me. Impressive technique yeah right, but all sound like video game music.
For example, Andy Timmons’ Cry for you is an unmatched guitar instrumental and kids of today don’t seem to understand how to tell a story with their instruments. Petrucci plays thousands of notes in a solo but it conveys emotions in context.
I think what’s “bad” about the new trend is the jazz/fusion elements. It’s like new guitarist neglect simple major/minor chords. Overcharging the harmonic context creates a certain similarity between all.
Another thing to point out is Dynamics, the dynamic range is reduced and compressed to make all notes sound clear, but that shouldn’t be a rule for guitar. To me electric guitar must sound nasty sometimes, e.g Zack Wylde. Simply, Guitar is not designed to sound like a midi piano.
Great video. There were some examples you showed that I loved, and some that I hated, and I that's a good thing. Guitar playing now is as diverse as it always has been, if not more, and you'll always be able to find something you like in any given period of time.
Mum! I Made the List!!!
In all seriousness the idea that modern guitar isn't about music is silly and its dope that you're highlighting the rly cool musicians we have today
yooo bro i love ur shit
you really should be ashmed of yourself.
I dunno, I grew up on 70's and 80's classic rock and heavy metal, transitioned to melodeath and so on, and I REALLY DIG polyphia and their boys playing
Tbh right basically all of these consist of very basic melodies, some cool techniques and good playing but melody hasn't really seen innovation for a long long time leaving lots of ppl feeling like guitar isn't making progress (it is just in other areas)
There's only 12 notes available
@@supernothing77 Why have people used them far better than your modern "heroes?"
@@supernothing77actually 🤓☝️ there are WAAAAY more notes than 12, but most modern mainstream music uses just tempered systems
Hi guys you got it all wrong, is not the excessive notes or the malabarism they do, is the fact that the overall product sounds gay, is estrogen music
The issue is that stuff like Polyphia sounds same-y in every song because it's the same style of just plucking and generic sounding beats which could be played on the same drum beat and it would sound familiar but not in a unique sense
@@thespcrewroy8716yes but the rapping about the government is a big thing.
"just plucking"? So every guitarist ever? If you're going to criticize, at least give a more detailed, coherent description lol
It's overcomplicated and sometimes simpler is better, but they're really good.
Is it wrong to say I didn't enjoy any of these overplayed riffs with hip hop stylings?
not at all, just don't say they're not music
I think it's all great and we should be willing to encourage and praise anyone who wants to break new ground in music.
lol, you say you disagree and then showed a bunch of flashy 5 second clips which is exactly what they were talking about. Where's the "Cliff's of Dover" from one of these people? The "Ceremony"? Where are the SONGS? That's the point
lmao cliffs of dover
Yeah, you got it. Guitar as instrument has become a vessel for people's ego inflation. Guitar is not an arp anymore, it's a racing field where the technicians, the speed-runners crowd the lanes of the field.
There is such thing as too much virtuosity, there is such thing as too much melody.
In the era of consumption, in the era of obesity, Music too has become a commodity to be consumed, and measured, and developed and enhanced.
Music was born out of the heart of humanity cloaked in the most profound mistery of magic, Music is magic, and as long as our modern rationale won't allow us to see, we will keep treating Music as a servant, when in fact we should be humbled to serve the Muses.
I like to ramble with unearned grandiosity. So what.
Get the fuck outta here with that fake philosophical bs. Just yapping without purpose. There's plenty of non prog guitarists these days. Prog doesn't define a genre. People listen cause it's interesting, it ain't that deep.
@@idratherstayanonimous7020what is blud yapping about
@@randomnpc731 bout Joe
I will say one thing… it can become tedious for me to have to fully engage for such a long time. Most music I can see everything coming and can zone out and be happy when there’s a cool little part that surprises me, but some of this stuff is like listening to a book in 2x speed. As I’m processing one thing, I realize I’ve missed something else. That’s more on me than the artist… but I feel like that’s how a lot of people that complain actually feel.
It's all just bubblegum guitar playing to me. Sure it can sound nice short term but you get tired of it super quick and it becomes annoying to hear. It also makes me think of tik tok when people play like this, which makes me physically ill remembering that platform exists.
as a jazz guitarist I don´t like the style but I respect them as who they are. as a MUSICIAN. they are incredible in they´re genre and they like it. thats the importan thing. maybe they dont like playing over changes as guthrie those but art is about what you like
It does suck
It doesn’t 🤡
I listen to a lot of prog and genuinely it isn’t about the sound anymore that interests it’s the hidden gem of technique and crazy rhythm with abstract time signature that fascinates me. If people broaden their mind about the language of music we can be less jaded. We’re in a time period where playing fast or playing the most complicated riff doesn’t mean shit anymore. Let musicians transcend their craft in the most creative way possible it isn’t a competition.
I agree, I've been playing guitar for 25+ years and to me these new guitarists are just amazing. Not only are they very technically skilled but often also very talented songwriters. I think they push the boundaries on how to play guitar AND how to write riffs and music. I think alot of the negative comments stem from jealousy
you are a rare breed my friend. the world needs more open minded people like you
Well said 👏
it's the tired old "shredders have no soul" thing that was going on when I picked up guitar 17 years ago and was learning to play malmsteen and satriani. it's 100% copium, and the only argument for old music is that the selection process has already taken place.
Love this video❤️ bothers me a lot when people say that. When did people decide that their subjective taste was superior? Weird mentality
Only exists online.
As far as it being the future I can agree it is going to continue to grow but I don't think it will ever replace the variety of existing guitar styles, it is simply another addition that we should embrace.
Technically impressive, but boring.
So are blazing fast arrgegiated scales bro
Every musician in that video is fucking amazing! I wish I even had half that talent.
From what I've seen popping up lately over the past decade, the next generation of musicians, especially guitarists, are super talented, experimental and daring.
Music comes in all styles and forms, doesn't matter the country, the culture, the genre, or whether it has vocals or not, or what ever instrument it's played on, if people can't hear the melody in the music then they're simply just deaf to the creativeness being presented in front of them and most likely don't indulge in anything past the era they're stuck in.
Musicians are more focused now on breaking the mold than adding to it... and in music, specifically guitar, its so exhausting.
Im tired of math riffs. They're dumb. Ill take a Marty Friedman or SRV track any day over anything out of this genre. Infinitely more listenable with replay value.
completely agreed
And who exactly is forcing you?
I've never understood people who hate on modern guitar music. If you don't like it, go listen to GVF or something, idk. There's only so much you can do with pentatonic scales. There's all kinds of guitarists pushing the envelope when it comes to technique, voicing, instrument application, chops, tone, INSANE amounts of creativity. I'm not even a guitarist either, I'm a drummer, but guys like Ichika, Scotty, Tim, Brakence (whoever plays on his tracks) etc. have actually made me start playing guitar more seriously because I've seen all the wide applications you can actually use it in. The shit inspires me in the same way that Tony Royster Jr, Benny Greb, and Jojo Mayer did over a decade ago when I was first taking drums seriously
this video sort of obliterated the point you were trying to make lol. NONE of them were in an actual song with lyrics. They are nearly all just from reels and tik toks. It's one thing to make an instrumental or a short riff. It's quite another to make a song that stays with you and a solo or riff that fits into the song.
So a song HAS to have lyrics to be a song? Point is stupid beyond belief. And of course nothing is gonna stick with you when you listen to a bunch of snippets of songs during a 3 minute video.
@@vikso89 im saying that it’s a hell of a lot harder to write a “proper” song with lyrics and knit it all together for that mass appeal than it is to put together an instrumental track or especially a 30 second clip.
Writing good, not cringey lyrics and singing them is incredibly hard.
Im saying that this won’t have mass appeal because what resonates with people tends to be songs with great/catchy lyrics where the instrumental parts are woven in in a way that compliments and elevates the song as a whole.
this is one of the best videos ive ever seen you're insane i love your content, 2 videos and im already subbed
thank u homie
@@jamesstent much love ❤️
The most frustrating part about these old farts trying to shove the newer generation down is that they don’t even realise just how much music is being made by guitarists today. They focus in on this one style they don’t like and ignore all else. Being primarily in the metal scene, I find myself struggling to understand how so much criticism can be thrown at “modern guitar” when people aren’t even looking at all the genres that guitars fit into, be it jazz, rock, electronic fusions, or the many dozens of metal subgenres. “Modern guitar” is so much more than these idiots bring themselves to believe, and all these genres are beautiful self expression that results from years of honing the craft. The reason it’s so technically impressive is because nowadays people can finally produce music much more freely than before, without the need for approval by a record label.
I think the reason the new stuff got more complex is probably the accessibility to DAW's at home. You can record bits, rerecord them as many times as you want, move bits around, change stuff, create a rough demo and then practice the whole thing, etc. The "old" guys didn't have access to this. Songs had to be written much more dynamically.
With that said, I think some innovation and change is good. Things would be borring without it and this is coming from an "old" guy. I listen to a lot of the stuff I grew up with but I still throw on some Plini or Animals as Leaders once in a while.
that one who comment "no memorable melodies" "just showoff" clearly just watch few seconds and saw some crazy harmonics and concluded to be just riffs lmao. it only means he doesn't hear enough variety of math rocks. this video really shows many talented musicians great craftswork.
yea everyone is stupid but me! only I understand guitar!
It really just isn't memorable
I would say that the ability of a composer, an artist, a poet, a writer, is to highlight or express some characteristic of our human nature, created by nature itself. What's the difference? This comes down to the expression of human feelings, and therefore, I embrace all forms of expression. Each expression carries with it a piece of some soul. That's the main thing.
These comments scream "i cant comprehend anything that isnt a blues scale or a pentatonic lick and my understanding of music stopped there and hasnt dared evolve or step outside its comfort zone since"
Developing strong technical abilities is essential but at the same time I don’t want to hear your whole bag of tricks in 30 seconds. I like a lot of these highly technical players and some of them are a joy to listen to ie: Yvette and Manuel.
There's a terrible dictatorship of rhetoric surrounding this development of trendy guitar playing lately, and it's exemplified pretty badly in this video and the comments.
"We are the future whether you like it or not" and all the howls of "Embrace the change / Accept the future" are such grossly arrogant and short-sighted statements, and just as mindlessly bandwagoning as the patterns they claim to rebel against. The attitude doesn't help anyone. That there's demographics of listeners all coming to the same critical conclusions independently isn't some old-generation-conspiracy or boring-ass ageing issue: it's a naturally formed part-consensus worth addressing that a cherry picked highlight reel of noteworthy moments among a much larger selection of faddish playing that, overall, does not sound like these moments is not going to disprove. Something objective has happened here, and it probably is to do with social media clout-chasing and one-upmanship. For now, the fact is that this undeniably trendy, technicality-before-art based media style has not withstood the test of time, and that merits a humility that its advocates just aren't willing to accept for one reason or another, which is part of why this rather incestuous style is inspiring such disdain.
And the worst part of it is that the modern fanbase is crafting this bubble of superiority with the previously mentioned attitude-comments where it's impossible to criticise this style of playing. Either technicality or the critic's age (or age of taste) or the entirely unphenomenal process of time will be weaponised again and again to diffuse all possibly legitimate enquiries into what makes a trend a trend.
look man its not that deep. we're just having fun making the music we wanna make and oldheads keep coming at us with a million reasons as to why what we make is objectivley bad music and is ruining guitar. just stick to your pat metheny and allan holdsworth and leave us alone if you don't like this stuff
@@jamesstent holdsworth goated
@@jamesstent It is this deep. You're adjudicating yourselves to be the ones that are "actually in the right" when you are just as pedantic as these oldfart douchebags. You won't make any case of defending this style but for yourselves. It's all a big cocksucking circlejerk from both sides.
This is the most autistic rant I've seen in a while, and I'm autistic myself. Dude, touch grass. Seriously. You're going to rant yourself into an early grave. Stop trying to tear apart something people love and go, 'Gotcha! See, I'm smart!' and just focus on yourself. Future you will thank you.
who ordered the yappachino? "dictatorship of rhetoric... incestuous style" relax bro it's literally just a sub-genre of music, there are hundreds of them and I bet you feel the same way about most of those, you just don't see them because they're not having a moment on social media right now. The kids are just defending what they're into against YOU troglodytes who insist on calling it "not music", it truly isn't deeper than that.
Awesome idea for a video. And Plini is amazing too!
Some of Manuel’s song ideas are very interesting . Just never seems to come together for a full track outside of a few .
Cool channel btw . Subbed
That's cause the ones that are song worthy are put in Unprocessed albums.
One of the magical things about music is how diverse it is.
I’m not a shredder guy (yea, I’m old), but I do appreciate how much work and dedication it takes.
These youngsters can cram 132 notes in a bar, cool. But let’s see them do something Derek Trucks does.
Both take talent, but they’re different disciplines.
I miss when music had heart.
agreed purple rain is the best guitar solo of all time music died after 800BC
Damn my boy Max Ostro getting a feature. Very young with very good feel, on top of prodigy level technical ability
Agreed
saying anything isn't music is just plain wrong, if something gets under your skin enought to fully record a video about it you have the problen
I would only be able to get a realistic idea of what they're actually playing by hearing isolated dry (no effects at all) tracks. Digital effects are covering it up.
Everybody copying tim Henson only serves to annoy me
I enjoy the progress younger players are making. I don't want to be stuck in the 80's when I was learning. Back then people thought the shredders were not musical. Every generation has to deal with negative people and some of those same people begin to like the new stuff.
those negative people are just smooth brained garbage who think there’s only one way of making good music. There are infinite ways. Any natural sound like rain, birds chirping, can soothing to hear. You can tune any dubstep or Polyphia stuff to 432hz and it would all sound soothing. Or you can tune everything to a bad frequency and it would hurt your head, especially when you catch fevers.
Video was pretty good up until about 0:36
Haha you’re funny you know that
🤣
it depends of which genre of music you like, I prefer metalcore riffs (august burns red, architects, killswitch engage, parkway drive, BMTH, as I lay dying) while in this video is mostly specificaly guitar solos
People just like nostalgia and simplicity
ive personally never liked this genre, but my appreciation for it only grew with players like matteo mancuso and Mateus Asato. Its just not my thing but it objectively doesnt suck
It is as it's always been: Most suck, some are mediocre but passable, and then there are the standouts everyone will remember. The main difference nowadays is that even the ones that suck are all now insanely technically proficient. It's the new way to suck. The problem alluded to in 'The downfall of modern Guitar' is that achieving technical wizardry on killer gear after endless years of obsessive practice is such a headrush in and of itself that it just makes it virtually impossible to objectively realize you're doing completely forgettable elevator Muzak at 150 bpm.
so there's just a certain aount of people that suck or are good or are mediocre? becoming good at music and developing a unqiue style, a sense of melody, songwriting and production, those things can be improved with practice the same as your technique. no one was bornan amazing songwriter. this is just an incredibly lazy way to look at music.
The problem is that we are not living in the same time where rock music was the norm and guitar was king along with drums. It's a different world now but guitar is still popular in different pockets of the world. It's still a great instrument that people can enjoy just like piano and other instruments too. Today is very digitized, so young folks are looking for something else.
those who keep complaining about modern guitar playing dont even play music themselves and not realize that music is a form of art and creativity. we arent given a guitar with a bunch of frets and strings to just play simple bar chords. you find its ultimate potential and create a new era of sound and thats what makes music and other forms of art innovative and creative and inspirational.