“I know some guitarists that will work on a 30-second soundbite for days before filming it in a way that looks off the cuff”: How social media is affecting our perception of guitar playing

A teen guitarist playing guitar and jamming online using a laptop.

To raise some money for a charity project I offered to host some one-to-one Zoom lessons. I don’t do them often but it’s great to meet students and help get them through their struggles rather than making best guesses on how to help people I’ve never met.

But one thing that really shocked me was the negative effect of social media on all these men and women who were all intelligent, successful and over 40, but over half of them said that they ‘can’t just play naturally like those they see on social media’. That everyone they see plays so ‘effortlessly’ and ‘naturally’ and without mistakes or fumbles.