Where are the Female Guitar Legends?

[BallPtPenTheif]

actually no that's not it, it's not arbitrary to be able to play as well as Jimi Hendrix or Stevie Ray Vaughn or Eric Clapton. it's not chauvinistic at all, it's technical skill and merit not who has a bigger guitar to strum

i apply the same for those bands that "don't solo to center out someone" it's because they just can't do it

no i don't limit myself like that but the realms of rock and metal have attracted most of the best guitarists over the years because of the skill required to do some of the really great licks and tricks that has been rock over the past 40 years

Technically difficult riffs is a narrow way to view musicianship. It's music not cup stacking or the Olympics.

Nonethless, I think you are misunderstanding me... look at how long the feminist movement has been around and how long rock has been around. It becomes very obvious as why there a few legendary (aka.. well known, top selling, difficult to emulate) female guitarists. When taking all of music into account "legendary rock" is a narrow focus.

And I was not implying that hard rock guitar playing was chauvanistic (i think you misunderstood me there).. the lifestyle was. Why would a 15 year old girl be drawn to a groupie lifestyle and be incentized towards excelling at guitar?

As for the technical merit of rock music... many top tier guitarists refer to spanish guitar and folk music in order to expand their technique and style, so the selection of rock from the 60's and 70's is arbitrary.

This is straying off topic though since the OP wasn't wondering WHY there were so few female guitarists just asking if we knew of any.

 

[speedcoreXdandy]

It's all about Wata from Boris. Maaan is she good.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_GgowniQWk&feature=related

 

[BrightDeathFriend]

Being a groupie is less work?
8D
Nah but seriously, I think it's just always been a male dominated thing, and we don't geth the recognition we deserve c:

I hear that my friend! =D *high fives*

 

[pantsoffdanceoff]

Because, quite frankly, genetics are out to get them. they have smaller hands and the width of your hand is vital to playing guitar. You maybe able to some what compensate with fast fingers, but I know some girls who can't play a bar chord. Its not that they don't have the skill, their index finger cant stretch across all six strings. It's not about recognization because it would be complete lies to say female artists can't famous.

 

[CrafterMan]

Kaki King.

 

[SecretTacoNinja]

Guitar makes my hands hurt... I'm trying to learn Cello but that makes my hands hurt too and my teacher tells me I need to cut my beautiful nails off...

Maybe something to do with that? Or maybe all girls are too busy worrying about their clothes and putting on waaay too much makeup to care about rock music, let alone shredding.

I know every girl here is going to call me out on that, but the non-computer nerd/gamer girls are so ditzy, dull and annoying...
Ah don't listen to me, I haven't had any friends in three years...

 

[jim_doki]

you wanna know where they are? they are in the bedrooms of podunk towns. they are sitting in our pubs and clubs. they're sitting listening to AC/DC and thinking "Me Too!"

 

[BrightDeathFriend]

Guitar makes my hands hurt... I'm trying to learn Cello but that makes my hands hurt too and my teacher tells me I need to cut my beautiful nails off...

Maybe something to do with that? Or maybe all girls are too busy worrying about their clothes and putting on waaay too much makeup to care about rock music, let alone shredding.

I know every girl here is going to call me out on that, but the non-computer nerd/gamer girls are so ditzy, dull and annoying...
Ah don't listen to me, I haven't had any friends in three years...

I know what you mean though. I like to think of myself as a half-gamer half "normal"? girl and I think it's just down to whether girls are more interested in music and focusing on that, or themselves...for most of them, it's a predictable choice...unfortunately. It sucks that women/ all females can't just put part of their hold-ups on hold and have fun getting down with a guitar and rockin' out!

 

[speedcoreXdandy]

Maybe something to do with that? Or maybe all girls are too busy worrying about their clothes and putting on waaay too much makeup to care about rock music, let alone shredding.

Hmmm, that didn't seem to bother KISS.

 

[SecretTacoNinja]

Maybe something to do with that? Or maybe all girls are too busy worrying about their clothes and putting on waaay too much makeup to care about rock music, let alone shredding.

Hmmm, that didn't seem to bother KISS.

Heh heh. Zing...

 

[Bowstring]

Guitar makes my hands hurt... I'm trying to learn Cello but that makes my hands hurt too and my teacher tells me I need to cut my beautiful nails off...

Maybe something to do with that? Or maybe all girls are too busy worrying about their clothes and putting on waaay too much makeup to care about rock music, let alone shredding.

I know every girl here is going to call me out on that, but the non-computer nerd/gamer girls are so ditzy, dull and annoying...
Ah don't listen to me, I haven't had any friends in three years...

Ahh I wouldn't worry about the 'ole pain barrier. Learning a new instrument is a steep learning curve, usually starting with a lot of pain due to inexperience, poor technique, and supple features. (Like sex. Har har.)

Guitar is a nightmare to start; steel strings aren't too comfortable to press your fingers against. But once the callouses start building up then you're good to go. I've been playing for a few years now, and I'm glad I started when I did. I gave up a few times, but my love for the music drove me on.

But yeah, It's all dependant on your interests, and your passion for what you do. I guess girls don't typically (there is a minority) have a lot of interest in that niche of the world.

 

[Yog Sothoth]

...

Nonethless, I think you are misunderstanding me... look at how long the feminist movement has been around and how long rock has been around. It becomes very obvious as why there a few legendary (aka.. well known, top selling, difficult to emulate) female guitarists. When taking all of music into account "legendary rock" is a narrow focus.

And I was not implying that hard rock guitar playing was chauvanistic (i think you misunderstood me there).. the lifestyle was. Why would a 15 year old girl be drawn to a groupie lifestyle and be incentized towards excelling at guitar?

...

This is straying off topic though since the OP wasn't wondering WHY there were so few female guitarists just asking if we knew of any.

I must agree with BallPt here..

I think that ultimately the culprit for the absence of a true female guitar goddess is the result of the American culture that's been largely misogynistic up until recently, and that women are still struggling for serious recognition in the rock genre.

BTW, my question was in fact as much about the why as it was the who, so no worries about straying off topic...

 

[r4ndom]

Didn't Michael Jackson have a kickass female guitarist?

And Gabriela from "Rodrigo y Gabriela"

 

[Cahlee]

I dont know. They're are TONNES of female musicians but not too many guitarists. It's quite a peculiar phenomenon. Especially since girls generally have longer fingers then men, well in relation to their hand size at least.

 

[zoozilla]

This thread has given me a purpose.

I will improve my guitar playing at all hours of the day, never stopping until I have guitar chops comparable to those of Jimi Hendrix or John Petrucci.

Then, I will change my sex. To female.

Thus, filling in a gaping hole in our society, and helping the world attain greater completeness.

 

[Siegreich]

if it helps...there are tons of great female vocalists.

I really don't mean to be sexist here, but I just can't stand most female vocalists, maybe that's because I listen to a lot of metal, but i just never seem to here a good female vocalist

 

[sheic99]

Where are all of the funny female comedians? Where are the great female guitarists? Do you really want to know?

We hide them all in our super secret female base where we laugh about how superior we are compared to you guys and secretly plan our take over of the world.

It's all true.

Hmmm... Good look with that...

I have never EVER witnessed a female bassist or drummer!

Kira Roessler

 

[Shivari]

We hide them all in our super secret female base where we laugh about how superior we are compared to you guys and secretly plan our take over of the world.

We've already got a plan to neutralise your crack comedy corp. A Dane Cook-powered sonic weapon. A similar technique harnessing Christian Rock will wipe your superior shredders from the face of the planet, ensuring male dominance until the Y chromosome vanishes from the genome.

You aspire to conquer us by rendering yourselves extinct?

This is why we don't let you guys in on anything.