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Guitar chord forum - chordie → Chordie's Chat Corner → Songs not to play in a guitar shop
The obvious one (remember Wayne's World), Stairway To Heaven.
But when I took my son to buy an electric guitar recently, I had to insist on no Smoke On The Water.
He kept his promise, but sure enough there was a demented teenager in one of the practice rooms playing Smoke On the Water, badly and in the wrong key. The guys in that shop must have heard it so many times before...
cheers
David
that is so funny the only other song I could think of would be house of the rising sun
Why shouldnt you play stairway to heaven? I think its great...one u missed is the practice excercise E5, G5, A5 Etc.
Yeah, that's how the kid was playing Smoke on the Water, the original starts G5 Bb5 C5, I believe 
I have to agree with acmecorp.
It's great that people want to learn the guitar, but playing the common easy tunes in a guitar shop must really get on the salesman's nerve after a while.
Just a few chords of a few other less common tunes should give you the feel and appreciation of the guitar and prevent the rolling of eyes from on-lookers.
Jock.
Why shouldnt you play stairway to heaven? I think its great...one u missed is the practice excercise E5, G5, A5 Etc.
the reason is that for a long time stairway to heven was the song that every guitar player had to learn so it ended up getting so overplayed that it became like play something different
Hi there,
I agree on Smoke on the water, I hate it! I've had to teach that to so many people 
Also in Cambridge for some reason practically every guitarist can play Wild Thing. I expect that's heard a lot too. I now refuse to tead Smoke On The Water to anyone. Mind you I have played it on a 12 string in a shop before I discovered how anoying it was. And Wild Thing. Actually I'd like to take this oppurtunity to apologise.
Will
I..am..."Iron Man." Although I must admit I like to crank this at home, the first 15 or so chords anyway. 
Don't worry about the rolling eyes. The guitar shop I go to and test guitars, I apologized for my really bad playing trying to play along with the shop's music by ear (I suck at playing by ear), and he said, "Aww don't even think on it. You know that I don't even hear you guys any more. Blaze on."
But still, I'd have to think that Smoke on the Water is in poor taste...
- Zurf
Hi acme, most of people in a music store, here in my Country, they play two different styles.
- The one I hate: did you here already 5-6 people, playing for hours, nothing than solo's, or it looks like that. I think it should be a nice topic, making a new reality show, you can spot talent, and then you follow that kid with camera and sound engineers, everywhere, in his rehearsal place, his first gig on his nephew's communion, or bar mitzwah.
- The others (not with Nicole Kidman), try to play songs like the house of the rising sun, stairway to heaven and more and more the eagles, hotel California. I have a smile on my face when they play these songs, because I, and many others, were so proud to be able to play these songs. I do think that if you hang around in a store, you will see sometimes 15 year old kids who play quit well. DOES SOMEBODY HAS AN EXPLICATION HERE, I think they followed music on school.
You also see, but less, older man, BUT they are trying out guitars, like a Gibson 335, a George Benson, and they play really good, mainly JAZZ and some blues, I always observe and I admit they know exactly what they want.
Hi
In my experience most workers in guitar shops are laid back and really could 'nt give a damm about whats being played (murdered) by prospective buyers. It might lead to a sale and It's all part of the job.
Whats "cool" and what's not is all in the mind of the person with the guitar.
Ark
there is a guitar shop in Glsagow called McCormicks, they have or had a sign up before wit ha big list of songs you were not allowed to play.
I think if they want to sell an instrument the nthe buyer should be able to pay whatever the hell he likes, or she likes.
I didnt like the shop anyway, got bad advice from them before so I never ever went in after the first time, I never recommend it and I hope it has shut down.lol
Ken
I would like to have the confidence to play anything in a music shop.When i went in to buy a guitar, there was a young chap serving who plays in a band.He gave me a stool to sit on to try out the guitar and i just froze, i was too shy and embarrassed to play anything! So i awkwardly just roughly strummed a few chords. I bet he thought this old twat can't even play!!
There is no "wrong key." Only different keys.
We call that "transposing." 
Well, actually, I agree with Ken, I only started this topic for a bit of a laugh, (but the story about my son is true).
You should go and knock them dead with anything you know.
My favorite is to piss them off with stuff like the Spice Girls until they actually here you singing along and wonder what drugs you're on.
Then quickly start a Rolling Stones song, before they quite get it!
Hint : most of the Stones early stuff takes only three chords.
cheers
David
I would like to have the confidence to play anything in a music shop.When i went in to buy a guitar, there was a young chap serving who plays in a band.He gave me a stool to sit on to try out the guitar and i just froze, i was too shy and embarrassed to play anything! So i awkwardly just roughly strummed a few chords. I bet he thought this old twat can't even play!!
How very true, been there, got the T shirt etc.
My favorite is to piss them off with stuff like the Spice Girls until they actually here you singing along and wonder what drugs you're on.
superb idea.
I hope i remember this next time igo and try out a guitar. I should make a point of going to mcCormicks in glasgow for this.
Hanx
Ken
Guitar chord forum - chordie → Chordie's Chat Corner → Songs not to play in a guitar shop
