the art of the air instrument

Posted on August 21, 2009 by jordenf

Tim "Glen Airy Glen Rocks" Evans - 1st Canadian Air Guitar Champion

Tim "Glen Airy Glen Rocks" Evans - Canadian Air Guitar Champion

So I was driving home from work listening to some muzak (as the kid’s like to call it) and rockin’ out with my bad self. I was parked at a stop light and I busted out a mad air guitar solo… after the solo was over I went back into the chorus and I was halfway through a G Chord when I realized I must look like a total knob to anyone around. I looked to my left… whew, no one there…. then to my right… crap, there was a car right beside me! But as I looked through my window sheepishly I noticed that the middle-aged gentleman in the Honda CRV beside me was beating his steering wheel with some make-believe drum sticks. Wow, all we needed was someone to pull up on the left playing the Air Bass and we’ve got a band!

Air Guitar or Air Instrumentation is a part of most people’s lives. Everyone at one point in time has belted out the lyrics to a song and strummed away on thin air. It makes you feel like a rock-star even though you look like a tool. For people who are not musically talented it is a way to participate in the enjoyment of a song while not hurting the ears of the people around them. Now for those of you who don’t know what Air Guitar is, please click the little X icon at the top right hand of your screen… I’m kidding, I’m kidding, seriously don’t… my blog needs you. But as per the Air Guitar Canada website… yep there is a website, air guitar is defined as the following:

air guitar / ɛər gɪˈtɑr / n. the act of pretending to play guitar, consisting of an exaggerated strumming motion and often coupled with loud singing or lip-syncing.

Air guitars are familiar in shape to normal guitars, with the exception that they are made exclusively out of air. Generally most Air guitars have 6 strings but the occasional 12 string axe has been spotted. By and large, electric Air Guitars are most popular but there has been a recent resurgence of the acoustic variety.

Air Guitar is obviously a little more popular than you previously thought, and as if it is destiny or something, while I am writing this blog and doing some research I’ve found out that it is actually the 14th Annual World Air Guitar Championships on Friday August 21st 2009! By visiting their website you can actually watch the finals today live via webcast. How about that for timing! Now Craig “Hot Lixx Hulahan” Billmeier is the reigning world champion but I’ve posted a clip of my favourite Air Guitarists who will be competing this year… C.Diddy.

Now awesome isn’t exactly how I would describe him but I’m sure he gets tonnes of chicks.

Although Air Guitar is definitely the most popular out of all the air instruments the Air Drum has been making a pretty big push in pop-culture these days. There is a movie that came out a year ago called the Adventures of Power which isn’t just the best air instrument movie but could possibly be the best trailer of any movie I have ever seen.

Now if you don’t want to go out and form an Air Band after seeing that you aren’t human. Now if you are interested in competing professionally on the Air Guitar circuit you can go to the Air Guitar Canada website and fill out and entry form. If you are voted as the best you get to travel to Finland for next years World Air Guitar Championships. You will have to read all the rules first before entering… just so you know what you are getting yourself into. Some of my favourite rules from the AGC are:

1. The instrument of an Air Guitar player must be invisible, i.e. air.

2. An Air Guitarist may play an electric guitar or an acoustic one – or both.

3. Personal Air Roadies are allowed. Backing groups – real or Air Groups – are not allowed.

So what are you waiting for! Sign up and let me know how it goes… and if you hit it big and need a band, I can play an awesome rendition of “More Than a Feeling” by Boston!

Now go and rock on with your Air Instrument, whatever it might be! But just don’t play the air-trombone… try it in the mirror and you’ll see what I mean.

Cheers!

jordenf