Quote Originally Posted by Robert View Post
But let's be real - rock, blues and metal guitar playing is dominated by males. Why? I can think of couple of reasons.

1) Guitar players seem to be competitive. Playing the fastest, the most impressive/technical, etc. I think there are plenty of female singer/songwriter role models, but they aren't playing like EVH or Yngwie or Hendrix or Bonamassa, etc. I am guessing most girls aren't as interested in the competitive aspect.
2) There aren't enough famous female guitar players that can function as role models for young girls.
3) Sexism.

In comparison, playing the flute is probably more common for girls.
I was just thinking about this the other day and I agree with the competitiveness. There's also some sort of visceral aspect to electric guitar that I think resonates a lot with guys (hence the popularity of classic rock, hard rock, metal) but not so much for girls. And for the girls it does resonate with, they find a musical landscape already absolutely overrun with guys who were attracted to the guitar and know it at least a little bit, so they pick up something like drums, bass, keys, singing (the less common but necessary elements for a band) and get into music that way.

It's an interesting, self-perpetuating thing (males and the attraction to electric guitar).