Guitar World Analysis

ANALYSISGUITAR WORLD

EYEFLOWGuitar world has an unusual eye flow because it darts around the page. The central image of Jimmy Hendrix is left almost untouched so it stands out, however it is crowded by kickers and explanatory's. Consequently our eyes start at the masthead and drift down through the models eyes to the secondary kicker, then onwards towards the primary cover feature about hendrix’s performances.The the eyeflow trailsoff to the bottom right hand corner.

MASTHEADTHE MASTHEAD FEATURES

A CLEAR BLOCK SANS SERIF FONT WHICH IS

READABLE AND INDENTIFIABLE.

THIS TYPE OF FONT IS SIMILAR TO WHAT WOULD COMMONLY BE FOUND ON

BAND POSTERS AND ALBUMS BECAUSE OF IT’S READABLITY AND BOLD

NATURE.

THE ‘G’ OF THE MASTHEAD IS ALSO

SIMILAR TO CLASSICAL ROCK

FONTS SUCK AS THE GIBSON GUITAR

LOGO:

THE MASTHEAD IS FOUND TO THE LEFT OF THE COVER WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT RUNS THROUGHOUT THE MUSIC MAGAZINE GENRE. THIS IS DUE TO THE FACT THAT THEY USUALLY ARE SHORT WORDS AND THE

COVERS ARE DOMINATED BY KICKERS.

THE DROPPED SHADOW BEHIND THE FONT GIVES IT A 3d EFECT BUT ALSO SUGGESTS THE IDEA OF A CONCERT, ESSPECAISLY AS THEY COMONLY PUT

THE WRITING UP OUTSIDE THE VENUE, AND LIGHT IT SO IT HAS

SHADOW BEHINS IT.

Kickers

This is a very modern font, sand serif and very readable. The letters are elongated and lend to a more gothic style. They

are also quite squared off which again is modern

and grungy.

This font is identical to that of the

masthead featuring identical shadow. The numbers are

more classical and suggest a more old school rock edge.

The text down here stays with the

modern grungy text but keeps the

dropped shadow. This brings it out

from the image and makes is stand out

on the cover.

Again the sans serif futuristic font is used for

the primary readable kicker.

This font here is again incredibly similar to that of the Gibson logo, which highlights the magazines throwback to classic days

of rock.

Once again the readable font is

used.

The magazine opts for an array of kickers which line

up underneath each other. This isn’t common in music magazines and

suggests how ‘guitar world’ is less associated with modern pop rock

culture.

The kickers on Guitar World interestingly stray from the franticness expected from most modern music magazines, as well as their usual block writing. Guitar world’s primary font is the masthead text which is bold and features letters close together, this is classic and the dropped shadow implies a throwback to past rock culture. The kicker text, on the other hand is more elongated and futuristic, however it too feels distinctly classic, perhaps again due to it’s square blocky nature. The kickers seems to stack up in a linear fashion, which contrasts with magazines such as Keranng, where the kickers are often placed at angles.

LANGUAGE

Guitar World uses a lot of language on it’s cover which is specific to lovers of guitar and rock music. Terms such as bootleg and studio refer to performances but will mean volumes to avid fans of rock music. The idea of bootleg suggests the ‘glory days’ or rock, whereby music was less produced and more gritty and self made. This is often thought of by fanatics as being the best kind of music. The magazine itself is aimed at the older generation, hence it’s focus on rock idols such as Hendrix, hence why language like this is used, to draw a stronger connection between the institution and it’s content.

The term ‘tab’ refers to tablature music, the form of music writing most common among rock guitarists. This language again connotes the idea of raw music, which is something the magazine plays upon.

The punctuation used throughout the cover is interesting because it frequents exclamation marks. Music, primarily rock, is often linked with noise pollution, or the idea of anarchy. Especially in the time of artists such as Hendrix, it was seen as almost anarchistic. This notion is still present and Guitar World chooses to express it with this punctuation. However, they are aware of their audience’s predominantly older age and so do not want to appear too youth orientated to the point where they no longer connect with their reader, so it is sparse.

The language in Guitar World is particularly informal, using short terms such as ‘tabs’ and exclamation marks. This is to emphasize it’s connection to classic rock as a pose to the modern produced kind. Unlike magazines such as ‘NME’ which is litered with slang, Guitar world opts for a more refined vocabulary, only occasionally using music orientated words. They do however use terms such as ‘bootleg’ that refer to classic rock, identifying it’s unifying theme. Punctuation is significant because the institution is trying to put emphasis on being a part of the anarchistic rock culture, but must accept it’s older readership.

COLOUR SCHEMEGuitar world, like most rock magazines often opts for the red

black and white colour scheme, with it’s masthead alternating between those colours. however in certain issues

the scheme is changed, usually to accompany the mes en scene of the picture, i.e. the model’s guitar, hair clothes

ect… On the jimmy Hendrix edition the magazine opts for an unusual combonation of pinks and purples, which match the

blue background.

The kickers and fonts on the cover are predominantly purple and white, ad this is to match the model’s clothes

and background. The above section is from the background of the artwork and the purple is evident. Towards the middle of the picture there is a section of white, hence why it is the primary kicker colour. The

background also matches the model’s attire, Hendrix is wearing a purple coat, which again matches the

background. The colour purple is significant because of it’s connection to Jimmy Hendrix and therefore the rock genre. Guitar World use this colour because is compliments the model and highlights who he is. Similarly the flakes of

colour that decorate the cover (seen in the background picture above) equally connote Hendrix. Rock music of Hendrix’s era, and the era where most of Guitar World’s readers will be interested in was largely associated with liberation and to an extent alcoholism and drug use. The

connotations of these colours are freedom something that rock music was often regarded as being about during this era. The masthead on the other hand is chosen to be a

colour that matches that of the kickers but also stands out. Guitar world often front bright Masthead colours if they

compliment the primary colour. In this example the bright pink identifies the magazine without overwhelming the

image.

MODELUnusually the model is looking directly at the

reader. Usually models are put off centre to look more

casual. This allows for instant identification.

This is a studio shot, mostly because they are the most common within this genre. This is often because artists have an image they want upheld. Similarly gossip is not a primary topic in a music

magazine because readers care more about

the theme than those involved with it.

Hendrix is the cover star, which immediately links

the magazine with this idea of classic rock.

The guitar is important because, as the name suggests,

this magazine specialises in guitar, so therefor it is

important to show that. It also links Hendrix with the guitar and therefore he seems more

closely connected to the institution.

Unusually this picture has been superimposed with artwork coming from behind and in

front of the model. This gives the model a more powerful feel,

that even with his seemingly casual stance he has this

colourful effect on the world. The idea of colour, which represented freedom and pleasure in the late 60’s

through till the early 80’s, is again used here to identify with Guitar World’s older readership.

The jacket has connotations of soldiers

and battle, perhaps suggesting the battle with society that rock was once

seen as. It could also suggest a sort of anti-new

age rock, which would again sit well with the

classic rock fans that read the magazine.