What is a guitar? What is the story of the invention of this musical instrument? What is the classification of guitars? What elements does the tool consist of? The answers to these and other questions can be found in our publication.
The history of the guitar
The first written references to a string instrument, which was the progenitor of a modern guitar, date back to the 2nd millennium BC. Corresponding images were found during excavations of clay bas-reliefs in the area where ancient Mesopotamia was located.
At the turn of the 3rd and 4th centuries AD, Chinese craftsmen invented a tool called the Ruan. It consisted of a lower and upper deck, as well as a wooden case.
In the Middle Ages, the instrument was widely used in Spain. The guitar was brought here from ancient Rome. The Spanish masters performed several improvements. In particular, they increased the number of strings to 5. At the end of the XVIII century, the instrument received another string, as a result of which the repertoire of performers expanded significantly.
On domestic open spaces they learned quite late about what a guitar is. This happened around the beginning of the 18th century, when Italian musicians and composers began to call in on us en masse. The first Russian master, who perfectly understood the technique of playing the instrument, was a certain Nikolai Petrovich Makarov. It was thanks to his efforts that the guitar became extremely popular among the people. Further interest in the instrument was developed by composer and virtuoso musician Andrei Sikhry. The latter wrote more than a thousand relevant parts.
origin of name
Where does the name guitar come from? This concept probably comes from the ancient Greek word sitra or Indian sitar. In ancient Rome, the instrument began to be called kifara, in its own manner.
Nowadays, guitars in different languages are called about the same. From the above names come the modern concepts of guitar, uitarra, guitare.
Guitar - a description of a musical instrument
Structurally, the guitar is presented in the form of a body with an elongated neck, the front side of which is flat or has a slight bulge. Strings are stretched along such a neck. The latter are fixed on one side to the casing stand, and on the other they are attached to the lamb on the neck.
The presence of special pegs allows you to adjust the tension of such metal threads. The strings lie on several sills. The upper one is at the head of the neck. The bottom is located near the stand on the tool body.
Materials of manufacture
A guitar is an instrument that is traditionally made from wood. The cheapest, simplest models are made from plywood. The case of the most expensive guitars is made of mahogany, maple or rosewood. Some modern electric guitars are made of plastic and graphite composites.
As for the vultures, they are made from a wide variety of wood species and their combinations. In this case, the main emphasis is on creating the most durable structural element that can withstand increased loads.
Who invented the electric guitar?
The American engineer George Bishamp is considered the author of the modification of the classic version. In the 30s of the last century, this man was fired from a large string instrument company. Subsequently, he decided to conduct his own work to find new methods to increase the volume of the guitar. The engineer came up with the option of creating sound vibrations around magnets with a winding in the form of a metal wire. A similar principle has already been used in the production of acoustic speakers, as well as phonograph needles.
After several failures, Bishamp finally managed to create a working pickup. Each string of electric guitar passed over a separate magnet. The current that flowed through the metal coil of the pickup allowed the signal to be transmitted to the speakers. After making sure that the device was working, the inventor took the help of wood wizard Harry Watson. Within a few hours, the first-ever electric guitar case was cut out.
In the 50s, the famous performer Les Paul modified the instrument using a solid wooden case instead of a hollow one. The solution allowed to reproduce the widest variety of sounds and gave rise to a whole host of new genres in music.
Classification
According to the method of amplifying sound vibrations, these types of guitars are distinguished:
- An acoustic guitar is an instrument where a hollow body acts as a resonator.
- Electric - sound is produced through electronic signal conversion. The vibrations from the vibrations of the strings are transmitted to the speakers through the pickup.
- Semi-acoustic - acts as a combination of electric and acoustic models. The hollow housing contains pickups that make the sound clearer and more accented.
- Electro-acoustic - a classical guitar, in the case of which an electronic device is installed, which makes it possible to amplify and adjust the sound.
In fact, there are many more varieties of guitars. In hybrid models, an increase in the number of strings, their twinning, and the use of several vultures are often observed. Such solutions allow you to add variety to the sound of the instrument, as well as facilitate the solo performance of complex works. With the advent of rock music, bass guitars have arisen that have extremely thick strings and make it possible to play sounds of the lowest frequency.