UG has always been a place for guitar players of all genres to congregate. However, I've always noticed theres always an arrogant prick (flyinguitar or Muphin, for example) that needs to insult anothers musical taste or style of playing. Before I begin, I'd like to say I enjoy a variety of styles besides metal. My biggest infulences genre-wise besides metal are baroque, classical, film and video game scoring, smooth jazz, and celtic folk.
A lot of the douche-baggery is aimed particularly towards metal and shred. I've always heard the whole "metalhead are elitist assholes" from a multitude of users on this forum. And of course, the classic one "shred has no emotion" has been used quite frequently by those who like to play open chord songs.
Some of it may be true: there are black metal elitists who hate everyone, metalheads who hate bands like Avenged Sevenfold, and yes - there are people who shred to show off. But all of these things are generalizations. Not all muslims are terrorists. Not all Americans are fat-asses. Not all Brits have yellow teeth. Every metalhead I've met listens to more than just metal. And a lot of metalheads I know are quite nice, down to earth people. If you know none, then stop being selective with who you make friends with. Biased people like this are no different than Nazis.
As for shred, who says it's just fast and no emotion? I'll play sixteenth notes at 200 BPM because I fucking want to. It's how I wish to express myself with a guitar, and you have no right to say it has no emotion. All music, to an extent, has emotion from the artist behind it. Just because you don't enjoy the way it sounds, doesn't mean it isn't music. Music is an expression and performing art. Let people express and perform as they please without your ignorance impeding their creativity. Don't like it? Don't listen to it. Criticizing doesn't make it better, either.
The ones who make the claim that metalheads aren't open-minded are far worse, in my opinion, in terms of elitism. Most of the time, they try to shove their opinion down our throats as if it were religious doctrine. If you are one of these people, and start ignorant threads like 'Why are 85% of UG metalheads?', you can suck my cock.
Let people play what they want. Let them listen to what they want. You're not a better person because you think your music is better, when in fact, it isn't. If you can't come to acceptance with something like that, then in all honesty, I pity you for your failure at life. Have a nice day, and thanks for reading.
Oh, and I might appear to be somewhat of a hypocrite. That's alright though. Being a dick to these types of people is ok, since they completely deserve it.
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Dimebag Dave's blogs, last updated : June 1, 2008
