In Thursdays post I wrote about super small weddings that are occasionally being misrepresented as elopements. I received this note from an acquaintance at The Knot magazine:
I have seen a big trend in this as well, but they are spending as much on the details just with a really small guest count - I've heard them referred to as "pop-up weddings"
I have also written about an apparent emerging trend in guitar playing. Solo acoustic guitar playing is becoming more of a "thing". Last week two new students, independent of one another, requested to learn to play pop songs in this fashion. I've had several "tweens" refer me to the YouTube videos of Andrew Foy. He is close to their age and, although very good, is not quite as virtuosic as several other older players. His choice of songs is in keeping with the age group. These kids relate to him.
Both of these trends seem to be about scale. It seems that things have been on such a grand scale for such a long time that some folks are trending away from it. They are opting for quality over quantity. A beautiful wedding becomes more affordable if the guest list is small and the reception is a luncheon. You can always invite your friends to your home at a later date for an informal backyard party.
To play guitar in a rock or country band today costs a lot of money. You need a guitar, an amp, and a bunch of effects pedals. Then of course you will need some other musicians and a place to meet. But with one modestly priced acoustic guitar you can sit on the couch or the edge of your bed and play at your convenience. And if you want to world to hear you, just set up your phone and live stream yourself. There seem to be more of these videos on YouTube than ever before.
I recently read that acoustic guitar sales have surpassed electric guitar sales since 2010. That makes sense when you realize that pop music is dominated by hip-hop and created more with computers. Even contemporary country music is influenced by the computer sounds. Todays 13 year old looks at rock 'n roll as their parents or grandparents music. It's as antiquated as Barbershop Quartets. There are no new rock bands.
Popular music today is built on a grand scale to be performed in front of huge audiences. But many of my students don't want to perform. And if they do perform it's only for friends and family. The quality of the music or their talent is not defined by the size of their audience. I'm guessing that this will extend into the world of pop music as these kids grow up and take over. As someone from my generation once said, "The times they are a changin'. "