Note-worthy Experiences Music Studio
F E A T U R E
Explore an Instrument: Guitar
F E A T U R E
Explore an Instrument: Guitar
History:
Archaeologists have found roots of the guitar in ancient artwork dating back to circa 3000 BCE. One example is called a tanbur; this stringed instrument of Egyptian and Mesopotamian descent featured a long neck and a rounded hemispherical body. The strings were made of animal gut, and the amount of strings varied from user to user. Variants of this instrument are still played today all over Middle Eastern Countries as well as Central and South Asia. Another early predecessor to the guitar is the lute; the earliest surviving examples date to 1500 BCE, unearthed at the burial site of Harmose. This instrument resembled a guitar closer than any older instruments found, featuring three gut strings and incorporating wood and rawhide in its construction. Attached to the neck of the instrument was a plectrum.
The first guitars as we know them today were developed in Spain during the early 15th century, taking inspiration from the vihuela. The people of Malaga developed a guitar whose body had a bulged waist and was overall deeper and narrower than modern counterparts. Initially the guitar had a tuning of C F A D spread out over three coursed strings and the top single string respectively. Over the course of the 16th through 19th century several changes took place. A fifth course of lower strings was added before 1600 and by the late 18th century an even lower sixth course was added. Before 1800, the double courses were dropped in favor of single strings tuned E-A-D-G-B-E, the standard tuning used to this day. Today people have the freedom to choose to play acoustic, electric, and or bass guitars to play all genres of music.
Q/A
Q: How does a guitar work?
A: An acoustic guitar is usually held flat against the player's body, and the strings are plucked and/or strummed by the dominant hand, which makes them vibrate. Simultaneously, the opposite hand is used to press down selected strings against the frets. These vibrations are transmitted from the bridge to the top, side, and back of the guitar's body; which is a hollow chamber that amplifies the sound.
Q: How many strings does a guitar have?
A: Guitars usually have 6 strings; though there are 12-string and 7+ strings available on the market, featuring round-wound/flat-wound steel or nylon strings.
Q: What's the difference between types of guitar strings?
A: Nylon strings have taken the place of the earliest strings which were made of animal gut, and are typically used on acoustic guitars playing classical music, though they have been featured in most other genres of music. Flat-wound strings have more tension due to a larger and heavier core, and have been featured predominantly in jazz as well as early blues, country and rock-n-roll records on acoustic as well as electric guitars. Round-wound strings have lower tension than flat-wounds, and are the most popular string choice due to their brighter tones and vast versatility.
Q: What does a guitar do?
A: In a group setting or on its own, a guitar can equally play an accompanying role and or a leading role, and is one of the few instruments that can provide both roles while being incredibly portable.
Q: Who are some guitarists I should listen to?
A: A concise and eclectic list is as follows: Andre Segovia, BB King, Wes Montgomery, Scotty Moore, George Harrison, Jimi Hendrix, and Frank Zappa to name a few.
To learn more about Justin, please visit his Teacher Page.
Archaeologists have found roots of the guitar in ancient artwork dating back to circa 3000 BCE. One example is called a tanbur; this stringed instrument of Egyptian and Mesopotamian descent featured a long neck and a rounded hemispherical body. The strings were made of animal gut, and the amount of strings varied from user to user. Variants of this instrument are still played today all over Middle Eastern Countries as well as Central and South Asia. Another early predecessor to the guitar is the lute; the earliest surviving examples date to 1500 BCE, unearthed at the burial site of Harmose. This instrument resembled a guitar closer than any older instruments found, featuring three gut strings and incorporating wood and rawhide in its construction. Attached to the neck of the instrument was a plectrum.
The first guitars as we know them today were developed in Spain during the early 15th century, taking inspiration from the vihuela. The people of Malaga developed a guitar whose body had a bulged waist and was overall deeper and narrower than modern counterparts. Initially the guitar had a tuning of C F A D spread out over three coursed strings and the top single string respectively. Over the course of the 16th through 19th century several changes took place. A fifth course of lower strings was added before 1600 and by the late 18th century an even lower sixth course was added. Before 1800, the double courses were dropped in favor of single strings tuned E-A-D-G-B-E, the standard tuning used to this day. Today people have the freedom to choose to play acoustic, electric, and or bass guitars to play all genres of music.
Q/A
Q: How does a guitar work?
A: An acoustic guitar is usually held flat against the player's body, and the strings are plucked and/or strummed by the dominant hand, which makes them vibrate. Simultaneously, the opposite hand is used to press down selected strings against the frets. These vibrations are transmitted from the bridge to the top, side, and back of the guitar's body; which is a hollow chamber that amplifies the sound.
Q: How many strings does a guitar have?
A: Guitars usually have 6 strings; though there are 12-string and 7+ strings available on the market, featuring round-wound/flat-wound steel or nylon strings.
Q: What's the difference between types of guitar strings?
A: Nylon strings have taken the place of the earliest strings which were made of animal gut, and are typically used on acoustic guitars playing classical music, though they have been featured in most other genres of music. Flat-wound strings have more tension due to a larger and heavier core, and have been featured predominantly in jazz as well as early blues, country and rock-n-roll records on acoustic as well as electric guitars. Round-wound strings have lower tension than flat-wounds, and are the most popular string choice due to their brighter tones and vast versatility.
Q: What does a guitar do?
A: In a group setting or on its own, a guitar can equally play an accompanying role and or a leading role, and is one of the few instruments that can provide both roles while being incredibly portable.
Q: Who are some guitarists I should listen to?
A: A concise and eclectic list is as follows: Andre Segovia, BB King, Wes Montgomery, Scotty Moore, George Harrison, Jimi Hendrix, and Frank Zappa to name a few.
To learn more about Justin, please visit his Teacher Page.
