h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Love the article but you missed some bits out. For one what about the infamous air microphone (with or without stand)? The legandary air double bass played while listening to jazz?

Also I personally think you are a being a little baised by saying Led Zepplin is the main thing that causes this socially crippling disease. Iron Maiden has many a person getting very uptight whilst trying to play along. Queen's Brian May has been mimicked countless times with carefully melodic plucking of those invisible strings. And who hasn't figured out the last bit of the guitar duet in Hotel California by the Eagles with a mate on the air guitar, and then played it together in complete sychronism?

Well thats my lot. Hope it was informative. Yup and now Im bored again.

Kaine

Hotel California indeed...

As until recent, I have had no intention of discussing this entry. I am far more familiar with the air-drum or the classical air-flute. If you ask me, one must go about with great respect discussing such an important family of instruments as the air-held ones.
Anyhow, this morrow, I was (mildly spoken) disturbed by the racket of a most distressing noise; (as I am a great fan of the air-orchestra I am usually not so easily disturbed, yet this morrow, my love for air-music did, must I confess, suffer (as did I). You see, the gentle sound of the air-guitar was mixed with the howling voice of its conductor. To get to the point; a good air-guitarist should know not to disturb the sound of silence (do not think I dont like the music behind the air-instrument. I do. Although, many a song excellently played on the air-instrument has been spoiled by a not so excellent performance in singing). However, this is something a good air-guitarist with no doubt is aware of, as (s)he probably is a skilled musician from the getgo.

Oh, how foul an experience 'tis to be disturbed by the layman conductor of an air guitar. Beeing startled by this is a normal reaction and wich of none you should be ashamed. But regarding your wiew of the air flute I must confess sir, I spit on thee, yes I spit on thee sir. As anyone with common sence would know, the classical fraction of the air instruments is never exposed in public and it never will be. The conductor of a classical (symphonic) instrument has an uniqe feel for proffesionalism and is often not the stranger to the real instrument. Thus meaning that (s)he not will allow him(her)self to be ridiculed in public. Not that the classical airinstrument is of a ridicual sort, it just hasn't been recognized with the same "coolness" as the air guitar.
Thus leading me swiftly to my real point. The skilled/proffesional air guitarist.
Just as with the conductors of the classical airinstruments there is an equal within the airguitar performers. The skilled air guitarist is the rare combination of a real guitarist and an air guitarist. He need nor tennisequipment nor headphones to perform. He knows the riffs and solos, even though maybe incompetent in delivering in real life, (s)he is experienced enough to give a splendid performance. In short; where the layman guitarist will struggle, the skilled airguitarist will excel.

If someone ridicules the not so widely known air-flute, as to say it should not be represented in public, I will bear witness to this deed, and by all means - I will reply!
The historical account of the air-flute is hard to come upon, but any ardent devotee of fine culture will acknowledge its brave history amongst theatres, filled with suspicious crowds. What would "Orpheus" be without a couple of airflutes? Many a man thinks, what he is ashamed to avow, and as for the air-flute, this is the untold naked truth. It is far to easy to dismiss this classical instrument, without giving it a proper chance, than it is to embrace it. As a wise man once said;
"What good does it do for a man to have ears that can hear for a thousand miles, if he cannot listen to the whispers of his own heart?" Just as easy as it may be to detest, the delectation of affection is far greater.

hi, i completely agree
I myself am a Brian May fanatic and constantly try to better my air guitaring as well as my performance on the electric guitar as well. While still not able to play his formidable solos on the latter instrument, i have become extremely proficient on the air guitar.
Also (if you're interested) i read in one of his recent interviews that he planned to make a whole album just using air guitars! (I'm sure he was joking but it's an interesting idea isn't it?)

Now, now. We must not argue. True the air-flute is very rarely seen if at all but that does not mean it is not in it's own right a good waste of thy time. Thou may have guess-ed that I am a guitarist myself (in fact I am a bassist) and know thee now that the air-guitar is recomended accopainied by the real music but, yay, it doth have a salute-esque quality when performed quickly alone (see Bill & Ted).

Mine point layeth in the fact that one must always strive to immitate the instuments of the holy muse even if yonder sound is not avalible. Weather thine heart layeth in yon 'Classical' instruments or in the more 'modern' instruments.

Now to sort out the rest of you... Air guitar album? Sounds fun. Wonder what the songs would be? Air in G for the guitar maybe (hehehe)?

And wots wrong with Hotel California? I ought to rip your teeth out for that.

Ive said my peace. Now lay down with a nice cup of coco and rest your little heads. And if I see you arguing agian Ill beat you to an inch of your lives!

Nothing wrong, just a typical song to play on the air guitar. It was more of a nostalgic little laugh than a derogatory-point-your-finger haha.

Fair enough. I suspected it was that in actual fact. What else it a good song on the air-guitar? Queen's- We Will Rock You, as I said before anything by Iron Maiden, Led Zeplins (excuse the spelling) Whole Lotta Love, OH there are so many I cant be bothered to write them all.