# The "Forbidden Riff" - Guitar enthusiast challenges ubiquitous social norm! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [March 5, 2022, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-forbidden-riff-guitar-enthusiast-challenges-ubiquitous-social-norm/960522 "2022-03-05T16:26:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2022, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-forbidden-riff-guitar-enthusiast-challenges-ubiquitous-social-norm/960522/1 "2022-03-05T16:26:38Z")
This YouTuber is a huge guitar nerd and I just love this video for the way it shows how much he engaged with the equipment in the various parts of this part of this store(? or is it a convention?) before he tries playing Stairway to heaven, and how fast he is shut down each time. Also love his response to the shut downs! šŸ˜ƒ [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/_2Z-5Bop7-g/maxresdefault.jpg "Playing THE FORBIDDEN RIFF in a Huge Guitar Store") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2Z-5Bop7-g) ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2022, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-forbidden-riff-guitar-enthusiast-challenges-ubiquitous-social-norm/960522/2 "2022-03-05T16:51:08Z")
What is the reason for the shut downs? ---
**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2022, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-forbidden-riff-guitar-enthusiast-challenges-ubiquitous-social-norm/960522/3 "2022-03-05T16:53:28Z")
Hereā€™s a video on that topic. I donā€™t know if it is actually as universal as these videos and other media make it out to be, but I know it as a trope. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/QsRqC0kOywI/maxresdefault.jpg "Why is Stairway to Heaven BANNED in Guitar Stores?") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QsRqC0kOywI) ---
**Author:** ![Stratocaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stratocaster/32/16393_2.png) [@Stratocaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stratocaster)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2022, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-forbidden-riff-guitar-enthusiast-challenges-ubiquitous-social-norm/960522/4 "2022-03-05T17:24:51Z")
Itā€™s a joke. Iā€™m sure he must have set it up in advance with the vendors, in return for highlighting their merchandise. Yes, staff at a convention or guitar store might roll their eyes behind your back, but in my experience, you can Stairway, Smoke on the Water, or Sweet Home Alabama to your heartā€™s content, as long as it leads to a sale. ---
**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2022, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-forbidden-riff-guitar-enthusiast-challenges-ubiquitous-social-norm/960522/5 "2022-03-05T17:29:10Z")
> [@Stratocaster](#): > > Yes, staff at a convention or guitar store might roll their eyes behind your back, but in my experience, you can Stairway, Smoke on the Water, or Sweet Home Alabama to your heartā€™s content, as long as it leads to a sale. I figured the staff might be in on the joke for this video, but I didnā€™t want to clutter it with my complete outsiderā€™s suspicions. šŸ™‚ Iā€™d like to see a youtube rebuttal with you just playing Stairway to your heartā€™s content in store after store. This is a widespread belief that needs to be challenged with solid evidence. ---
**Author:** ![Stratocaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stratocaster/32/16393_2.png) [@Stratocaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stratocaster)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2022, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-forbidden-riff-guitar-enthusiast-challenges-ubiquitous-social-norm/960522/6 "2022-03-05T17:31:51Z")
I think Wayneā€™s World started it. Just my experience (a few decades of it), but I have heard all kinds of playing in guitar storesā€”superb, horrendous, hackneyed, whateverā€”and invariably the staff is enthralled, pointing out that the playing is evidence that the person really needs to buy whatever is in their hands. ---
**Author:** ![74westy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/74westy/32/3950_2.png) [@74westy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/74westy)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2022, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-forbidden-riff-guitar-enthusiast-challenges-ubiquitous-social-norm/960522/7 "2022-03-05T18:42:12Z")
I donā€™t know if it existed in the real world but the legend definitely pre-existed Wayneā€™s World. I had heard of the list of songs you werenā€™t allowed to play in the '70s. Maybe the legend only existed to teach young guitar players some manners. In 1978 a salesman played Stairway for me in a music store on a Yamaha FG355 I bought and still own. Also ā€œLong Train Runninā€™ā€ (donā€™t know if thatā€™s on the list). He also sold me a book of Led Zeppelin tabs. He could just see it in my face. ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2022, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-forbidden-riff-guitar-enthusiast-challenges-ubiquitous-social-norm/960522/8 "2022-03-05T19:06:41Z")
If I tried that in a guitar store and was shut down Iā€™d say ā€œbutā€¦I was playing the opening to ā€˜Taurusā€™ by Spirit.ā€