Why don't more women play lead (solos and riffs) guitar?

Question

I see plenty of women sitting and strumming on an acoustic, singing self-indulgent poetry. I play a Fender Telecaster and I tear it up with blues solos better than any woman I have ever heard. Why? Because there are so few women out there who play that kind of guitar. If they do, I don't see them anywhere.

Susan Tedeschi is Ok, but I can play better than her anyday of the week. Come on, I'm talking badass guitar.

Answer 1

There are women shredders out there (see Jennifer Batten), but you're right, they're sorely underrepresented.

I think a lot of it has to do with the over-masculization of rock, specifically metal, which is where most of the best soloists play. It's not a good reason, but it's the only one I can come up with.

You can get a good feel for the female guitarists out there with the list below, but there aren't many shredders on it.

Answer 2

Check out the band Insomnium. They are from Finland and they have some of the best riffs I have ever heard. Listen to the songs Mortal Share and Bereavement. Another band with good riffs and solos is Mors Principium Est. Listen to the song Sinners Defeat. A band from America that has a sweet guitarist is Nevermore. Jeff Loomis solos at least once in every song.

Answer 3

Check out Susan Tedeschi

Answer 4

I play mandolin (I believe the guitar is pushed at school. Nobody mentions a small instrument like a mandolin, which would suit smaller hands.) The mandolin is gorgeous and I spend time learning chords, fills, melody and my position on the fretboard wo that I am familiar with any note I hear and leran to find its position on the instrument.
I bet that if smaller handed women tried mando first, then the guitar would be out the window in no time. Let the larger species take to the guitar and save their physical make-up for more realistic tasks that fit their physique!
Bluegrass on, the mandolin!

Leonie (Lee) McK.

Answer 5

One of two solo stars to spring from the ashes of the '70s all-girl hard rock band the Runaways, Lita Ford has long been a more frustrating, contradictory proposition for critics than former colleague Joan Jett. Ford is subtly feminist in her musical approach, displaying guitar heroics on the level of any male metal hero; the mere fact of her existence in the otherwise testosterone-driven heavy metal genre has made her a hero to some, but her persona has often been criticized as calculated to appeal to male adolescent sexual fantasies, simply embodying the standard wild-girl stereotypes of many male metal artists' lyrics. When she has the material to back her up, though, Ford is inarguably capable of rocking out aggressively and assertively.

Check this site to see Lita and other female greats...
http://www.debseymour.com/women.html

Cheers :-)

Answer 6

Im a music tutor and professional preformer with 20 years
stage experience.
I have many female students that shred a mean guitar,most are young (15 ish) and are not blinded by old stereo types.
I truly believe that things will change,and many women will
take their righful place in the guitar ripping spotlight

Rob

Answer 7

Most women aren't interested enough to put in the time necessary for playing lead, strumming seems to fit girls better just learn a few chords and their happy , a lot of my students that are girls only two of them were interested in even playing notes, they just want to strum five to ten chords, enough to get them buy. I'm not sure if it's laziness or they don't want to put in the time, (usually that's it) or that they don't have the strength to make both chords and notes, because they are not willing study at least an hour a day to train their muscles and fingers. I usually get this, but my fingers and hands hurts !!!!! And a lot of them don't want to cut their nails on their left hand.