Originally Posted by: ClassicRock64From what I understand, hunter, I'm sure you remember artists like Joan Baez, Joni Mitchell, and Richie Havens all tried to mellow people out with the acoustic guitar. It seems like a contradiction of sorts; during the Vietnam Era, the 60's, it was this time when these three artists were prolific. Then came Disco to mello out the troops after the war. That was more intense than the acoustics of the 60's. It seems as though acoustics sort of went away after 73', a time when it should have been relaxing everyone??? :confused:

Interesting point. Although I tend to be of the mind that Disco was a natural outcropping of the ennui of the end of the 60's. I saw it as a meld, a kind of hybrid, of youth that was moving from the idealism of their youth to their late twenties, early thirties where there was this realization that they weren't going to change the world after all and funk/soul and R&B. Plus (and I am sure many will disagree with me here) the recreational pharmaceuticals that were being consumed in the seventies were much, much stronger than they were in the sixties. People were burnt out, tired and disillusioned. They were aching for something simple, something that just played to their hedonisitic tendencies. They didn't want to be forced to think. They didn't want music that had a purpose other than to be the soundtrack for drinking, dancing, drugging and ..well, other things. As a member of the disillusioned generation of the seventies, I was a part of that.

I love playing the electric guitar. It has so much range and power. You can make an electric cry or scream. It can provide a back beat that can make your hair stand on end or drop you to your knees in awe. But I still find the quiet and respectful sounds of a well played acoustic to be some of the most beautiful music heard. Acoustic guitar seems to be the perfect stage for a master story-teller. Almost as if, when played well, the acoustic guitar and player are playing a duet. When a masterful electric guitarist is playing, it's like watching two individual stars on stage. (Does that make sense? I'm not sure if I am saying that correctly. Sorry.)

I find myself switching back and forth between the two. Some nights are perfect to crank the amp and HIT IT HARD. And other nights, the acoustic just eases me into a nice relaxed state.