Guitar – The Universal Connector

It is really amazing how this one instrument – the guitar – has captured the imagination of people from all across the globe. It is true that each country and culture has its own specialized music form and, by that logic, specialized musical instruments. However, more and more, over the years, people have found it acceptable, however illogical it may seem, to identify with universally accepted musical forms such as rock and roll and blues, instead of retaining their traditional heritage.

There could be many reasons for this, and we could spend a lifetime debating on the practicality of such a situation. However, the fact remains that even today, you will find rock bands in Japan, India, and even Pakistan. This influence can be easily gauged by the fact that in nightclubs in Tokyo, you could find Elvis Presley look-alikes. You could find western musical influences in the musical compositions of Indian movie composers as well. Some did not take that much trouble and simply lifted the tunes of famous English numbers, plagiarism be damned. It does not take a nuclear physicist to figure out the apparent improbability of global success for a, say, Japanese or an Indian rock band. However, the fact remains that such bands exist.

While this may not speak too much about the fondness of people for their native culture, it does speak a whole lot of the popularity that the guitar – that iconic representation of western music – commands over global audiences. One would rather be seen gyrating with a guitar on stage, than sitting placidly with a sitar, that wonderfully melodious stringed instrument from India. Like it or nor, the guitar has, very rightfully, staked claim to be the single instrument that can connect the world musically.

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