I think it's part of the instant gratification thing. I don't think the guitar will leave us. But it used to be considered the portable instrument. In the early '60's, if you wanted music at a party, you pretty much had the guitar or 45's. 45's were a problem, some of my friends carried theirs to parties in small suitcases.

Then guitar allowed for 4 or 5 people to make music and we got together and sang.

I cannot speak for the 70's, I was totally out of touch. The late 60's brought transistor radios, I bought one for $100 bucks. But no good for a party.

Now everyone has earphones and my youngest kids share tunes by passing one earphone to someone, my daughter and her friend sit on the couch, one ear each to the music.

A guitar by comparison is HUGE, and I think the e music and mp3 players the size of a small biscuit are eroding the popularity of all instruments.

I learned to play a horn (tenorhorn, bombardino) at the age of 52. It took only 3 months and a few hours a day. Everyone should learn more instruments, and languages.

I didn't learn the guitar because I'm a non-conformist, and my girlfriend (who was from Switzerland) played the guitar. She was so good I didn't do anything but listen.

My short answer then is all instruments are suffering due to mp3 players and downloads and techno music. We need more instrumentalists, but I don't know who's going to make them when this generation of non players have children. Unless they make your ring a theremin and your ear rings speakers.

John Conley
Musica est vita