The classic Spanish guitar, sometimes referred to as Flamenco or simply just the "classic" guitar, is not played in the exactly the same way as other guitars. The design of a Spanish guitar takes this technique into account. While most guitars are designed to be strummed or, if playing one string at a time, using a pick, the Spanish guitar is primarily designed for finger-picking.
When finger-picking, the left hand holds the strings down in the desired pattern, while the fingers on the right hand pluck the individual strings. Such a playing technique can produce polyphonic tones with two, three or even four “voices” of music at the same time. To allow for this technique, there needs to be more room between the strings so that the fingers can comfortably pluck them. It follows that the guitar neck needs to be wider than normal.
Of course, it's not all about finger-picking - Spanish guitar music also incorporates a fair element of strumming. This strumming is usually done with the back of the fingernails and is called rasgueo. If strumming in a pattern, the term is rasgueado. The typical Spanish guitar will have a larger body than that of traditional guitars. This is to produce more volume while the strings are being individually plucked. And with such a large body, when strumming, the resulting sound is usually rich and full.
You won't often see a Spanish guitar played while held with a strap. In most cases, the musician will be seated on a stool with the right leg propped up - perhaps on a smaller stool or on one of the rungs of the stool on which they are seated. The guitar is then positioned on the right knee and held in place by the right arm. This gives the guitarist much more control over the guitar’s position and provides for more flexibility in the movement of the right hand.
Spanish guitar strings are traditionally a mix of nylon and wound steel. The three treble strings are nylon while the remaining three bass strings are normally flat-wound steel. These strings have less tension than those on a traditional guitar, offering better vibration for improved resonance through the guitar's hollow body.
The body of a Spanish guitar is usually made from mahogany or rosewood; while the top, or soundboard, is generally made from mahogany, spruce or red cedar. This body is comparatively thin, so internal bracing is required to prevent it from collapsing under the strain of the tension of the strings. The quality of the soundboard and the placement of its internal bracing will be important factors affecting the sound quality of the guitar.
Thursday 8 April 2010
Wednesday 7 April 2010
How To Change A Guitar String
One fact of life that all guitarists have to come to terms with, is that their guitar strings won't last forever. Even with the best of precautions, constant use, rust and decay are going to see off all strings in time.
The good news is, changing a guitar string is a fairly simple process.
Originally, strings were made from cat gut, but nowadays, most guitar strings are made out of nylon and wound steel; either regular wound or flat. They are found in a variety of thicknesses depending on the playing style and individual preference of the guitarist.
Nylon is most often used for the treble strings on a classical guitar. Because of the nylon's even vibrations and smooth surface there is little noise from the fingers when they slide along the strings. A steel guitar string, the kind that's usually found on most regular guitars, has more of a harsh sound and the noise of the guitarist's finger slides are more noticeable. Both types are subject to wear and tear.
When a guitar string is manipulated by the fingers, it will pick up perspiration and natural oils from the hand. Over time, this will cause the string to weaken and lose its tuning tension, raising the likelihood of a break. Many guitarists will carry soft rags or chamois cloths in order to wipe the strings off after playing. This can remove much of the moisture from the strings and also off the fret board, thus slowing down the natural discoloration. Along with general deterioration, hard playing can also cause the guitar string to break.
Changing it, although easy, takes a few moments.
With the string now in two pieces, first of all unwind the section of string from the post at the tuning knob. Then, depending how your string attaches near the bridge, either feed it through the hole in the bottom of the guitar or remove the slotted pin, and then the string.
Every guitar string has a small piece of metal at the bottom resembling a small barrel to hold it firmly in place. Discard the broken string carefully so as not to hurt your fingers.
Place the barrel on the bottom of the string back into its holder and thread the upper point in to the tuner knob. Pull it through until you notice a little slack between the strings and fret board.
Then tighten the guitar string about two notes higher than your desired tuning pitch - this will help the natural tendency of the string to stretch - and then tune as normal.
Depending on how frequently and how hard you play your guitar, you should really change the full set of strings at least four times a year if not more often.
The good news is, changing a guitar string is a fairly simple process.
Originally, strings were made from cat gut, but nowadays, most guitar strings are made out of nylon and wound steel; either regular wound or flat. They are found in a variety of thicknesses depending on the playing style and individual preference of the guitarist.
Nylon is most often used for the treble strings on a classical guitar. Because of the nylon's even vibrations and smooth surface there is little noise from the fingers when they slide along the strings. A steel guitar string, the kind that's usually found on most regular guitars, has more of a harsh sound and the noise of the guitarist's finger slides are more noticeable. Both types are subject to wear and tear.
When a guitar string is manipulated by the fingers, it will pick up perspiration and natural oils from the hand. Over time, this will cause the string to weaken and lose its tuning tension, raising the likelihood of a break. Many guitarists will carry soft rags or chamois cloths in order to wipe the strings off after playing. This can remove much of the moisture from the strings and also off the fret board, thus slowing down the natural discoloration. Along with general deterioration, hard playing can also cause the guitar string to break.
Changing it, although easy, takes a few moments.
With the string now in two pieces, first of all unwind the section of string from the post at the tuning knob. Then, depending how your string attaches near the bridge, either feed it through the hole in the bottom of the guitar or remove the slotted pin, and then the string.
Every guitar string has a small piece of metal at the bottom resembling a small barrel to hold it firmly in place. Discard the broken string carefully so as not to hurt your fingers.
Place the barrel on the bottom of the string back into its holder and thread the upper point in to the tuner knob. Pull it through until you notice a little slack between the strings and fret board.
Then tighten the guitar string about two notes higher than your desired tuning pitch - this will help the natural tendency of the string to stretch - and then tune as normal.
Depending on how frequently and how hard you play your guitar, you should really change the full set of strings at least four times a year if not more often.
Tuesday 6 April 2010
How To Read Guitar Music
A cursory surf around the net will throw up plenty of sites dedicated to guitar music. Tablature has been around as long as guitars have, making it relatively easy even for a novice musician to play like a pro.
Learning to read guitar music, however, does take time and practice, especially knowing when notes or chords are to be sharp or flat. Guitar music is usually written on 6-line staff paper, which is a graphic representation of the guitar strings, with sharps indicated by the pound sign, and flats shown by a lower case b.
Frets are also indicated by lines on the paper as well as finger placement. A “0” would indicate to play the string open, while numbers would correspond to the finger with which to hold the string down.
Tablature differs from traditional sheet music in that it provides finger placement for the chords. Traditional guitar music supplies only the name of the chord. Guitar music is also written to provide the lead vocal, the bass pattern and the words to the song, giving aspiring musicians the ability to learn a song quickly and easily.
Some musicians' sites even offer tab sheets for their music for free while others offer to sell it online. A majority of book stores and many music stores also offer guitar music as single-song sheet music or in compilation books. Prices vary depending on the age of the songs and the popularity of the artists.
Looking at guitar music you will notice it generally contains two concurrent staffs which show the music’s melody line. The top staff is always the lead line and is written in what’s called a treble clef.
It looks rather like a large letter s with a line through it vertically. There will also be “#” and “b” on the left of the first line, indicating what key it is played in. Each sharp or flat indicator specifies a note which indicates the overall key.
The bottom staff, represented by a colon surrounded by kind of a backward “C,” is the bass clef and is written as bass guitar music. The two lines when played together give you the chords for the song, the bass beat and tune for the song and the melody for the lyrics.
Learning to read guitar music, however, does take time and practice, especially knowing when notes or chords are to be sharp or flat. Guitar music is usually written on 6-line staff paper, which is a graphic representation of the guitar strings, with sharps indicated by the pound sign, and flats shown by a lower case b.
Frets are also indicated by lines on the paper as well as finger placement. A “0” would indicate to play the string open, while numbers would correspond to the finger with which to hold the string down.
Tablature differs from traditional sheet music in that it provides finger placement for the chords. Traditional guitar music supplies only the name of the chord. Guitar music is also written to provide the lead vocal, the bass pattern and the words to the song, giving aspiring musicians the ability to learn a song quickly and easily.
Some musicians' sites even offer tab sheets for their music for free while others offer to sell it online. A majority of book stores and many music stores also offer guitar music as single-song sheet music or in compilation books. Prices vary depending on the age of the songs and the popularity of the artists.
Looking at guitar music you will notice it generally contains two concurrent staffs which show the music’s melody line. The top staff is always the lead line and is written in what’s called a treble clef.
It looks rather like a large letter s with a line through it vertically. There will also be “#” and “b” on the left of the first line, indicating what key it is played in. Each sharp or flat indicator specifies a note which indicates the overall key.
The bottom staff, represented by a colon surrounded by kind of a backward “C,” is the bass clef and is written as bass guitar music. The two lines when played together give you the chords for the song, the bass beat and tune for the song and the melody for the lyrics.
Monday 5 April 2010
What Affects The Sound Of An Electric Guitar?
There are differences between acoustic and electric guitars, the most obvious being one uses electrical power and the other doesn’t. Beyond that, getting the best sound possible from electric guitars still depends on many variables working together.
The type of wood and basic construction, the age and condition of the strings play a role in the sound quality of electric guitars as do the quality and length of the guitar cord that connects the guitar to an amplifier. The type and placement of the pickups have a large affect as well as the design and tone of the amplifier itself.
Back in the 1950s, the Gibson Guitar Company found that by placing a small electrical coil close to a vibrating guitar string, the sound could be played through loudspeakers, thus giving birth to electric guitars.
However, the problem with these early examples was that the coils designed to pick up sounds in the 60 Hz range, also produced a hum from the 60 Hz current that supplied power to the amplifier.
More work and designed produced pickups with two counter coils that virtually eliminated the humming sound, a design called hum bucking. These hum bucker pickups remain extremely popular today for those playing electric guitars.
Adding Sound Effects
With the growth in popularity of electric guitars came the production of special effects such as the “Wah” pedal, tremolo, harmonics and distortion, among many others and these helped musicians produce a wide variety of different sounds.
Stompboxes began appearing in the 1960s which may have had one or several different special effects built into one box, turned on and off by a spring switch operated by pressing it with the foot, hence the name.
One of the earliest and most common effects for electric guitars is the tremolo bar which was attached to the bottom string attachment. When pressed it would lessen the tension of the strings uniformly, “bending” the sound. While still widely used today, most tremolo effects are gained through the amplifier which produces the same effect more uniformly.
As electric guitars evolved over the years, so have the amplifiers, especially with the sound evolution from valve driven (tubes) systems to solid state transistors. Since one of the first amplifiers was designed by an RCA technician who grew up designing sound systems using tubes, it was only natural for his amplifier for electric guitars to employ tubes. Many guitar players today still prefer valves over transistors, contending they produce a cleaner sound with less clipping at the higher sound range.
The type of wood and basic construction, the age and condition of the strings play a role in the sound quality of electric guitars as do the quality and length of the guitar cord that connects the guitar to an amplifier. The type and placement of the pickups have a large affect as well as the design and tone of the amplifier itself.
Back in the 1950s, the Gibson Guitar Company found that by placing a small electrical coil close to a vibrating guitar string, the sound could be played through loudspeakers, thus giving birth to electric guitars.
However, the problem with these early examples was that the coils designed to pick up sounds in the 60 Hz range, also produced a hum from the 60 Hz current that supplied power to the amplifier.
More work and designed produced pickups with two counter coils that virtually eliminated the humming sound, a design called hum bucking. These hum bucker pickups remain extremely popular today for those playing electric guitars.
Adding Sound Effects
With the growth in popularity of electric guitars came the production of special effects such as the “Wah” pedal, tremolo, harmonics and distortion, among many others and these helped musicians produce a wide variety of different sounds.
Stompboxes began appearing in the 1960s which may have had one or several different special effects built into one box, turned on and off by a spring switch operated by pressing it with the foot, hence the name.
One of the earliest and most common effects for electric guitars is the tremolo bar which was attached to the bottom string attachment. When pressed it would lessen the tension of the strings uniformly, “bending” the sound. While still widely used today, most tremolo effects are gained through the amplifier which produces the same effect more uniformly.
As electric guitars evolved over the years, so have the amplifiers, especially with the sound evolution from valve driven (tubes) systems to solid state transistors. Since one of the first amplifiers was designed by an RCA technician who grew up designing sound systems using tubes, it was only natural for his amplifier for electric guitars to employ tubes. Many guitar players today still prefer valves over transistors, contending they produce a cleaner sound with less clipping at the higher sound range.
Benefits Of An Electric Guitar Tuner
The electric guitar tuner is not just limited to the electric guitar; it is a tuning aid which can also help with an acoustic guitar. It utilizes special sound electronics to achieve its purpose, which themselves rely on the very nature of sound. Therefore, to understand the way an electric guitar tuner works we need to look into the nature of the sounds it is designed to meter.
The Electric Guitar Tuner And Sound
An electric guitar tuner relies on sound waves to discern the tones from an instrument. It works because every sound creates a waveform; these are the peaks and troughs of the energy that makes up the composition of sound. The speed of these highs and lows determine the pitch of the sound.
When you examine the subject in more detail, you will find that the larger a waveform, the slower the rate of the peaks and valleys. This means that a deep note has a slower rate than a higher one. That's where the electric guitar tuner comes in. It is an electronic package tuned to the specific waveforms of particular notes. This enables it to compare the sound coming in to that of the waveform it's tuned to, and measure how close the two match.
This allows it to work on various instruments and still pick out the correct tones. The only requirement would be that the instrument is capable of the range the electric guitar tuner is capable of itself.
What Can An Electric Guitar Tuner Do For You?
There is the obvious benefit of helping you get your guitar into tune by tuning it to a note and playing that note on your guitar for comparison. However, it can do a bit more than that. Those who may have some tonal trouble with their hearing are also helped by the tuner. It allows them to get a feel for the notes they are playing to be more comfortable that they are correct for the music.
It can also allow musicians to practice at times when noise may be an issue. You can be relaxed, knowing that you are hitting the right notes without disturbing the neighbors.
Electric guitar tuners deliver all these benefits, simply from making good use of the very nature of sound. Not all of them are made exactly the same way, or deal with the same notes or range of notes, but the nature of sound doesn’t change, and they can all tap into that feature to help you stay in tune.
The Electric Guitar Tuner And Sound
An electric guitar tuner relies on sound waves to discern the tones from an instrument. It works because every sound creates a waveform; these are the peaks and troughs of the energy that makes up the composition of sound. The speed of these highs and lows determine the pitch of the sound.
When you examine the subject in more detail, you will find that the larger a waveform, the slower the rate of the peaks and valleys. This means that a deep note has a slower rate than a higher one. That's where the electric guitar tuner comes in. It is an electronic package tuned to the specific waveforms of particular notes. This enables it to compare the sound coming in to that of the waveform it's tuned to, and measure how close the two match.
This allows it to work on various instruments and still pick out the correct tones. The only requirement would be that the instrument is capable of the range the electric guitar tuner is capable of itself.
What Can An Electric Guitar Tuner Do For You?
There is the obvious benefit of helping you get your guitar into tune by tuning it to a note and playing that note on your guitar for comparison. However, it can do a bit more than that. Those who may have some tonal trouble with their hearing are also helped by the tuner. It allows them to get a feel for the notes they are playing to be more comfortable that they are correct for the music.
It can also allow musicians to practice at times when noise may be an issue. You can be relaxed, knowing that you are hitting the right notes without disturbing the neighbors.
Electric guitar tuners deliver all these benefits, simply from making good use of the very nature of sound. Not all of them are made exactly the same way, or deal with the same notes or range of notes, but the nature of sound doesn’t change, and they can all tap into that feature to help you stay in tune.
Sunday 4 April 2010
How Do Electric Guitar Pickups Work?
Electric guitar pickups are at the very heart of an electric guitar. They are the first, and most visible - one of the major parts that distinguishes an electric guitar from an acoustic one. Indeed, without electric guitar pickups, there would be no signal to send to the amp and make the sound we associate with an electric guitar.
But the process behind how it does its job remains a mystery to most. Let’s try to demystify this important part to understand just what is going on.
Electric guitar pickups are well named - they pick up. But to understand how will take some more explanation. We will just touch on the broad details of the principles, but it would make an interesting study, if you really wanted to get down to the nitty gritty differences between all the various types of electric guitar pickups.
It all starts with magnetism, or more particularly electro-magnetism. The difference is simple, electro-magnetism deals with a magnetic field generated by creating a coil and running electricity through it, rather than one that occurs naturally. This is the core of electric guitar pickups, because if it weren’t for the metallic core wrapped with wire generating a field the pickup wouldn’t, well.. pick up.
The coil generates a particular magnetic field, which reaches out around the strings. Then as the strings vibrate with the strum it disturbs the field that creates the signal, which moves into the amp to become the sound the instrument produces. Electric guitar pickups make this entire process possible.
Before the development of electric guitar pickups, guitars had to rely on the acoustic resonance of the body chamber to amplify the vibrations of the strings. This made the building of a guitar a very technical process that relied on skilled artisans using time-tested materials and designs. This severely limited the potential for changing and customizing the designs for particular players.
Now with electric guitar pickups, the possibilities are nearly limitless. All that is needed are the pickups, a neck of some sort, the strings and an amp to patch the music into. This is not to say that creating an electric guitar is uncomplicated, but guitar builders today have more scope to customize the final sound depending on the preferences of the musician.
The electric guitar pickups have made the electric guitar possible, enabling an entirely new music style - all due to those little coils.
But the process behind how it does its job remains a mystery to most. Let’s try to demystify this important part to understand just what is going on.
Electric guitar pickups are well named - they pick up. But to understand how will take some more explanation. We will just touch on the broad details of the principles, but it would make an interesting study, if you really wanted to get down to the nitty gritty differences between all the various types of electric guitar pickups.
It all starts with magnetism, or more particularly electro-magnetism. The difference is simple, electro-magnetism deals with a magnetic field generated by creating a coil and running electricity through it, rather than one that occurs naturally. This is the core of electric guitar pickups, because if it weren’t for the metallic core wrapped with wire generating a field the pickup wouldn’t, well.. pick up.
The coil generates a particular magnetic field, which reaches out around the strings. Then as the strings vibrate with the strum it disturbs the field that creates the signal, which moves into the amp to become the sound the instrument produces. Electric guitar pickups make this entire process possible.
Before the development of electric guitar pickups, guitars had to rely on the acoustic resonance of the body chamber to amplify the vibrations of the strings. This made the building of a guitar a very technical process that relied on skilled artisans using time-tested materials and designs. This severely limited the potential for changing and customizing the designs for particular players.
Now with electric guitar pickups, the possibilities are nearly limitless. All that is needed are the pickups, a neck of some sort, the strings and an amp to patch the music into. This is not to say that creating an electric guitar is uncomplicated, but guitar builders today have more scope to customize the final sound depending on the preferences of the musician.
The electric guitar pickups have made the electric guitar possible, enabling an entirely new music style - all due to those little coils.
How To Choose An Electric Guitar Package
The distinctive sound of the electric guitar has held a fascination for music lovers for at least as long as Rock and Roll itself. Over the decades, the styles of guitar and playing set-ups have changed from the single custom guitar with separate amp to the modern electric guitar package.
Whilst many of the custom features of a specialized product may be beyond the scope of the typical set-up, there are still several important things to take into account when deciding how to pick just the right electric guitar package for your needs.
Personal Choices
At the heart of any electric guitar package, is the electric guitar itself, and whilst there are certain stereotypical images of this instrument, the actual variations in the style and design of the products are considerable. You'll need to look carefully at these variances before you actually purchase your electric guitar package.
Foremost among these considerations would be the actual type of music you want to play, because this will determine everything from the wood and body construction methods to the electronics in the amp as well as any accessories you choose. As a general rule, most of the well-known manufacturers specialize in specific materials and constructions that affect the final sound of the instrument - so look around at what the pros making your style of music are using.
You will notice certain factors appearing. For example, many blues musicians will favor hollow bodied guitars that produce a more mellow sound, while the sharper, hard tones of rock tend to be produced on solid bodies. Of course, theres much to it than that and you should certainly research in more depth exactly what it is that affects your music the most.
After the guitar itself, you should begin looking at just what else a given electric guitar package comes with. The extras can range from tuners to extra strings or cords. Here again it is important to look to your needs. For example, the strings can be very influential over the way a particular guitar plays, so you may not want to have to keep on with the same type of string that doesn’t sound or feel just right. You may decide to use a completely different set.
On the other hand, you may have tried a friend’s electric guitar package, and really liked the strings, and so getting an extra set thrown in as part of the deal would be a good option for you. Therefore, you can see how it would be important to look into what you really need in order to play the way you want.
It is probably obvious to you now that the choice on an electric guitar package is a very personal one, and that you might want to try a few out before settling in on a particular brand or set. If you do your research, and pick the features you need, you should be happy for a long time to come.
Whilst many of the custom features of a specialized product may be beyond the scope of the typical set-up, there are still several important things to take into account when deciding how to pick just the right electric guitar package for your needs.
Personal Choices
At the heart of any electric guitar package, is the electric guitar itself, and whilst there are certain stereotypical images of this instrument, the actual variations in the style and design of the products are considerable. You'll need to look carefully at these variances before you actually purchase your electric guitar package.
Foremost among these considerations would be the actual type of music you want to play, because this will determine everything from the wood and body construction methods to the electronics in the amp as well as any accessories you choose. As a general rule, most of the well-known manufacturers specialize in specific materials and constructions that affect the final sound of the instrument - so look around at what the pros making your style of music are using.
You will notice certain factors appearing. For example, many blues musicians will favor hollow bodied guitars that produce a more mellow sound, while the sharper, hard tones of rock tend to be produced on solid bodies. Of course, theres much to it than that and you should certainly research in more depth exactly what it is that affects your music the most.
After the guitar itself, you should begin looking at just what else a given electric guitar package comes with. The extras can range from tuners to extra strings or cords. Here again it is important to look to your needs. For example, the strings can be very influential over the way a particular guitar plays, so you may not want to have to keep on with the same type of string that doesn’t sound or feel just right. You may decide to use a completely different set.
On the other hand, you may have tried a friend’s electric guitar package, and really liked the strings, and so getting an extra set thrown in as part of the deal would be a good option for you. Therefore, you can see how it would be important to look into what you really need in order to play the way you want.
It is probably obvious to you now that the choice on an electric guitar package is a very personal one, and that you might want to try a few out before settling in on a particular brand or set. If you do your research, and pick the features you need, you should be happy for a long time to come.
How Is An Electric Guitar Chord Produced?
The electric guitar has introduced several new chords to the guitar; the power chord, the amp chord, and so forth, but it's the sound of the electric guitar itself that sets the electric guitar chord apart.
What is it about the electric guitar chord and its sound that sets it apart from the classic chords of the acoustic guitar? For that we need to examine the fundamental differences between the two instruments, and the characteristic differences in their sounds.
From Acoustic To Electric
One of the oldest instruments is the acoustic guitar and its particular sound, many would argue, has set it apart from other instruments, affording it a special place in the history of music. This pride of place originates from the way that it handles the sound. Before the guitar, stringed instruments simply relied on the vibration of the strings to create the sound, and this meant that for each note you wanted to play, you had to have a string of a specific length. That process resulted in the need for either very limited or very large instruments such as the lyre or the harp.
With the development of the guitar, the player could now limit the length of the string by pinching it off against the neck. This enabled the production of a much wider range of notes, and the ability to play a chord by strumming all the strings, and pinching them off making a pleasing set of notes.
This also allowed the body of the guitar to be developed into a resonance chamber which would amplify the sound and direct it, allowing more people to hear it at a time. This mellowing resonance chamber distinguishes the smooth sound of the guitar that so many have come to recognize and appreciate.
With the advent of the age of electricity came the development of the electric guitar chord. The thing that sets the electric guitar chord apart from its acoustic cousin is inherent in the nature of the beast. An electric guitar still uses the string, and the neck, but it is in the way that it handles the vibrations of the strings that we start to see the real difference.
Electric guitars use the pickup to sense the vibrations of the strings, and turn them into a signal which is then run through an electric amplifier and made louder. This method does away with the need for an acoustic resonance chamber, allowing different bodies to be designed, each of which can change the way the strings vibrate.
This process also allows various distortions and effects to be applied to the signal on the way to the amp, thus creating entirely new sounds. In this way, the electric guitar chord set itself apart and has become the exciting and creative instrument of today's music.
What is it about the electric guitar chord and its sound that sets it apart from the classic chords of the acoustic guitar? For that we need to examine the fundamental differences between the two instruments, and the characteristic differences in their sounds.
From Acoustic To Electric
One of the oldest instruments is the acoustic guitar and its particular sound, many would argue, has set it apart from other instruments, affording it a special place in the history of music. This pride of place originates from the way that it handles the sound. Before the guitar, stringed instruments simply relied on the vibration of the strings to create the sound, and this meant that for each note you wanted to play, you had to have a string of a specific length. That process resulted in the need for either very limited or very large instruments such as the lyre or the harp.
With the development of the guitar, the player could now limit the length of the string by pinching it off against the neck. This enabled the production of a much wider range of notes, and the ability to play a chord by strumming all the strings, and pinching them off making a pleasing set of notes.
This also allowed the body of the guitar to be developed into a resonance chamber which would amplify the sound and direct it, allowing more people to hear it at a time. This mellowing resonance chamber distinguishes the smooth sound of the guitar that so many have come to recognize and appreciate.
With the advent of the age of electricity came the development of the electric guitar chord. The thing that sets the electric guitar chord apart from its acoustic cousin is inherent in the nature of the beast. An electric guitar still uses the string, and the neck, but it is in the way that it handles the vibrations of the strings that we start to see the real difference.
Electric guitars use the pickup to sense the vibrations of the strings, and turn them into a signal which is then run through an electric amplifier and made louder. This method does away with the need for an acoustic resonance chamber, allowing different bodies to be designed, each of which can change the way the strings vibrate.
This process also allows various distortions and effects to be applied to the signal on the way to the amp, thus creating entirely new sounds. In this way, the electric guitar chord set itself apart and has become the exciting and creative instrument of today's music.
Designing A Custom Electric Guitar
After they have been playing for a while, most electric guitar players start thinking about the next step instrument wise – a custom electric guitar. In fact, for many, owning a custom electric guitar is the mark of the true professional.
For each individual guitarist, this naturally takes on a meaning of its own, from a neck that more comfortably fits your hand all the way to a completely custom electric guitar as special as those in Billy Gibbon’s collection. This wide range of options can be very confusing, so perhaps a quick look at the subject would be in order.
Custom Electric Guitar Design Options
The range of choices is even more varied than the people looking for them, so it can help to narrow down the choices before getting into designing your custom electric guitar. Let’s start with what you have now. If you want a custom, then there must be some features of your current guitar that you might like to see improved.
Is the neck too long, or too short? Are the pickups in the way of your comfortable strum? It could be that the frets bother you. Changing any of these can fine-tune your playing experience and help you be more comfortable each time you pick your custom electric guitar up.
Don’t just concentrate on the negatives of your current setup. Look to the positives as well. If something is particularly comfortable, or even just familiar about your old guitar, measure it, and it can help plan the placement on your new rig. You have been playing it for a while, after all, so there must be some good there, don’t lose it reaching for the new thing.
Making Your Statement
When you have looked at the various options, this is the point where you take what you have learned so far and devise a rough plan for your new custom electric guitar. Now you can step it up to the next level, and start thinking about materials and finishes such as things like weight and colors that you like. But, if you are really ready to make a statement, look to things that have meaning for you.
Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top has an extensive collection of guitars, including the one he had made from the roof boards of Muddy Water’s shack. So just let your imagination run wild as there really is no limit to a custom electric guitar, but your own imagination.
For each individual guitarist, this naturally takes on a meaning of its own, from a neck that more comfortably fits your hand all the way to a completely custom electric guitar as special as those in Billy Gibbon’s collection. This wide range of options can be very confusing, so perhaps a quick look at the subject would be in order.
Custom Electric Guitar Design Options
The range of choices is even more varied than the people looking for them, so it can help to narrow down the choices before getting into designing your custom electric guitar. Let’s start with what you have now. If you want a custom, then there must be some features of your current guitar that you might like to see improved.
Is the neck too long, or too short? Are the pickups in the way of your comfortable strum? It could be that the frets bother you. Changing any of these can fine-tune your playing experience and help you be more comfortable each time you pick your custom electric guitar up.
Don’t just concentrate on the negatives of your current setup. Look to the positives as well. If something is particularly comfortable, or even just familiar about your old guitar, measure it, and it can help plan the placement on your new rig. You have been playing it for a while, after all, so there must be some good there, don’t lose it reaching for the new thing.
Making Your Statement
When you have looked at the various options, this is the point where you take what you have learned so far and devise a rough plan for your new custom electric guitar. Now you can step it up to the next level, and start thinking about materials and finishes such as things like weight and colors that you like. But, if you are really ready to make a statement, look to things that have meaning for you.
Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top has an extensive collection of guitars, including the one he had made from the roof boards of Muddy Water’s shack. So just let your imagination run wild as there really is no limit to a custom electric guitar, but your own imagination.
Saturday 3 April 2010
History And Description Of The Classical Guitar
Ever famous for classical music, or even in folk music, the classical guitar has always been a favorite for those who enjoy soft and soothing music. For many years, and in fact for many centuries, musicians have been using this guitar for many purposes; live shows, plays, sketches, and many more pastimes
Classical guitars date back to the 17th century, when many renowned players, arrangers, and composers used the instrument extensively for all their music performances. Some of these exponents would include Gaspar Sanz in the 17th century, Fernando Sor in the 18th century, Mauro Giuliani in the 19th century, and Francisco Tárrega in the 20th century.
The more recent and possibly more well-known classical guitarists would be the likes of Andrés Segovia, John Williams, Phillip Glass andJames Newton Howard amongst others.
The Components Of The Classical Guitar
Classical guitars are also known as Spanish guitars, probably because that’s where they might have originated from. This guitar is played using fingers, and not necessarily plectrum or bow. And just using the fingers to pluck produces beautiful polyphonic music. It's common for these guitars to sustain up to four musical lines or voices.
There are many parts of the classical guitar which have a significant impact on performance. Such parts of a typical classical guitar would include the headstock, the nut, the machine heads or tuning machines, the fret wires, the neck, the heel, the body, the bridge, and many more. Each of these parts has their own function in producing the best quality of sound.
Just to explain a few, let’s examine the headstock, the nut, the neck and the Bridge.
The headstock, located at the end of the guitar neck, has the machine heads which are used to adjust the string tension, which in turn affects the pitch produced. The nut is a medium-hard material which guides the strings onto the fret board, giving consistent and accurate lateral string placement and tuning.
The neck is a long wooden extension containing the entire guitar attributes such as the frets, fret board, tuners, and the headstock, and this neck needs to be very strong in all circumstances, because the rigidity determines the quality of the classical guitars. The bridge, just like on any other guitar, is designed to transfer the vibration from the strings to the sound board to be amplified into a beautiful sound. The bridge also functions to hold the strings in place on the body.
Classical guitars date back to the 17th century, when many renowned players, arrangers, and composers used the instrument extensively for all their music performances. Some of these exponents would include Gaspar Sanz in the 17th century, Fernando Sor in the 18th century, Mauro Giuliani in the 19th century, and Francisco Tárrega in the 20th century.
The more recent and possibly more well-known classical guitarists would be the likes of Andrés Segovia, John Williams, Phillip Glass andJames Newton Howard amongst others.
The Components Of The Classical Guitar
Classical guitars are also known as Spanish guitars, probably because that’s where they might have originated from. This guitar is played using fingers, and not necessarily plectrum or bow. And just using the fingers to pluck produces beautiful polyphonic music. It's common for these guitars to sustain up to four musical lines or voices.
There are many parts of the classical guitar which have a significant impact on performance. Such parts of a typical classical guitar would include the headstock, the nut, the machine heads or tuning machines, the fret wires, the neck, the heel, the body, the bridge, and many more. Each of these parts has their own function in producing the best quality of sound.
Just to explain a few, let’s examine the headstock, the nut, the neck and the Bridge.
The headstock, located at the end of the guitar neck, has the machine heads which are used to adjust the string tension, which in turn affects the pitch produced. The nut is a medium-hard material which guides the strings onto the fret board, giving consistent and accurate lateral string placement and tuning.
The neck is a long wooden extension containing the entire guitar attributes such as the frets, fret board, tuners, and the headstock, and this neck needs to be very strong in all circumstances, because the rigidity determines the quality of the classical guitars. The bridge, just like on any other guitar, is designed to transfer the vibration from the strings to the sound board to be amplified into a beautiful sound. The bridge also functions to hold the strings in place on the body.
The Origin Of Bass Guitars
If you go to a musical instrument shop and ask for a bass guitar, what you'd normally get is an electric guitar, which might confuse you. Many people have been confused between normal electric guitars and bass guitars.
The bass guitar, also known as the electric bass or simple bass guitar, appears almost the same, but varies in several aspects. In general, it has a larger body, a longer neck and scale length, and normally four to five strings tuned an octave lower in pitch, in the bass range.
The popularity of these type of bass guitars began to grow in the 1950s, although they have in fact existed since the 1930s. Since then, bass guitars have been extensively used in all sorts of music; modern, country, jazz, fusion, rock and roll, metal, latin, funk, reggae, soul, and a host of other styles.
The Early Bass Guitars
It all began in the 1930s when the guitar-style electric bass instrument was invented. This new style bass guitar was fretted and designed to be held and played horizontally. These bass guitars were as solid as the ones today, and were constructed from very expensive wood. Additionally, this guitar was mush easier to hold, to learn and, of course, to transport - factors which made its popularity grow quickly among artists at the time.
Experimental Bass Guitars
In the 1950s, when these guitars started replacing more traditional instruments as the bass line provider, they were very highly regarded. Bass guitars started to be mass-produced due to their popularity, and the design of the guitar improved and evolved into newer styles, such as those with contoured body design with beveled edges for comfort, and a single split coil pickup for convenience. These bass guitars were then also widely introduced into the world of jazz.
In the 1960s and 1970s, bass guitars became more stylish, and were universally distributed and sold. Other makers apart from the traditional ones boomed, and better designs were introduced. This would include the guitars with pickups mounted in positions in between the base of the neck and the top of the bridge, or the pickup mounted directly against the neck pocket by other revolutionary makers. Bass guitars started to shrink in size, and also became sleeker, often functioning by active powered electronics.
The Growth Of The Bass Guitar
Now widely used in pop and rock music, the bass guitar is a staple product of many and various guitar manufacturers, and is also available for custom-tailoring employing unique designs or premium wood body choice or hand-finish.
The bass guitar, also known as the electric bass or simple bass guitar, appears almost the same, but varies in several aspects. In general, it has a larger body, a longer neck and scale length, and normally four to five strings tuned an octave lower in pitch, in the bass range.
The popularity of these type of bass guitars began to grow in the 1950s, although they have in fact existed since the 1930s. Since then, bass guitars have been extensively used in all sorts of music; modern, country, jazz, fusion, rock and roll, metal, latin, funk, reggae, soul, and a host of other styles.
The Early Bass Guitars
It all began in the 1930s when the guitar-style electric bass instrument was invented. This new style bass guitar was fretted and designed to be held and played horizontally. These bass guitars were as solid as the ones today, and were constructed from very expensive wood. Additionally, this guitar was mush easier to hold, to learn and, of course, to transport - factors which made its popularity grow quickly among artists at the time.
Experimental Bass Guitars
In the 1950s, when these guitars started replacing more traditional instruments as the bass line provider, they were very highly regarded. Bass guitars started to be mass-produced due to their popularity, and the design of the guitar improved and evolved into newer styles, such as those with contoured body design with beveled edges for comfort, and a single split coil pickup for convenience. These bass guitars were then also widely introduced into the world of jazz.
In the 1960s and 1970s, bass guitars became more stylish, and were universally distributed and sold. Other makers apart from the traditional ones boomed, and better designs were introduced. This would include the guitars with pickups mounted in positions in between the base of the neck and the top of the bridge, or the pickup mounted directly against the neck pocket by other revolutionary makers. Bass guitars started to shrink in size, and also became sleeker, often functioning by active powered electronics.
The Growth Of The Bass Guitar
Now widely used in pop and rock music, the bass guitar is a staple product of many and various guitar manufacturers, and is also available for custom-tailoring employing unique designs or premium wood body choice or hand-finish.
Buying the Right Acoustic Guitar
For generations, classical guitars have been employed extensively in all manner of ways, and in the course of time, more modern forms of guitar have begun to appear. One of the more famous of these newer forms of guitar is the acoustic guitar. This direct descendant of the classic guitar is a non-electric instrument which is generally strung with steel strings, giving a brighter, louder sound.
In general, all types of non-electric guitars are termed acoustic guitars. You might have heard people using terms such as steel-stringed guitar, classical guitar, folk guitar or others; but they really all mean the same.
Acoustic guitars are popular with many famous guitarists such as rock band artists because these guitars produce a very loud, but also natural sound.
Variants Of Acoustic Guitar
Essentially, acoustic guitars are made from a few various types of materials. The more expensive ones employ extremely solid wood tops, sides and back. Usually these sort of guitars are made exclusively from woods such as rosewood, maple or mahogany. The medium range guitars are normally made from combined solid tops with laminated backs or sides, while those at the lower-end are usually made almost entirely of limited woods.
In normal circumstances, when buying one, we should first of all examine the built of the wood; i.e.determine the wood type and its construction. A good guitar has to be made of dried wood. the best guitars are made from extremely dried woods in order to ensure the absence of moisture. Otherwise, this can make the whole guitar become crooked in time.
Other than these, there are many acoustic guitars nowadays which are constructed using different types of woods. Many manufacturers are building guitars with tops made of red cedar, mahogany, or other alternative materials such as plastic or graphite.
The Different Parts Of An Acoustic Guitar
Acoustic guitars obtain their good sound from the blending of many parts of the guitar, such as the bridge, the neck, the body, and the end blocks. It is important, therefore, to check these individual parts when looking to purchase one.
Take, for instance, the bridge. The part of the bridge which is in contact with the strings picks up the vibrations and transmits them into the sound chamber. Here, they are amplified and bounced through the box-shaped struts and then finally pushed out from the sound hole.
So it is vitally important to have a good bridge unit. You should avoid buying acoustic guitars with bridges made from plastic, because they would be unlikely to produce a satisfying sound - and the same principle applies to the other parts of the guitar as well. Each individual component needs to be made of very good material - this is probably the main thing you need to check before making your purchase.
In general, all types of non-electric guitars are termed acoustic guitars. You might have heard people using terms such as steel-stringed guitar, classical guitar, folk guitar or others; but they really all mean the same.
Acoustic guitars are popular with many famous guitarists such as rock band artists because these guitars produce a very loud, but also natural sound.
Variants Of Acoustic Guitar
Essentially, acoustic guitars are made from a few various types of materials. The more expensive ones employ extremely solid wood tops, sides and back. Usually these sort of guitars are made exclusively from woods such as rosewood, maple or mahogany. The medium range guitars are normally made from combined solid tops with laminated backs or sides, while those at the lower-end are usually made almost entirely of limited woods.
In normal circumstances, when buying one, we should first of all examine the built of the wood; i.e.determine the wood type and its construction. A good guitar has to be made of dried wood. the best guitars are made from extremely dried woods in order to ensure the absence of moisture. Otherwise, this can make the whole guitar become crooked in time.
Other than these, there are many acoustic guitars nowadays which are constructed using different types of woods. Many manufacturers are building guitars with tops made of red cedar, mahogany, or other alternative materials such as plastic or graphite.
The Different Parts Of An Acoustic Guitar
Acoustic guitars obtain their good sound from the blending of many parts of the guitar, such as the bridge, the neck, the body, and the end blocks. It is important, therefore, to check these individual parts when looking to purchase one.
Take, for instance, the bridge. The part of the bridge which is in contact with the strings picks up the vibrations and transmits them into the sound chamber. Here, they are amplified and bounced through the box-shaped struts and then finally pushed out from the sound hole.
So it is vitally important to have a good bridge unit. You should avoid buying acoustic guitars with bridges made from plastic, because they would be unlikely to produce a satisfying sound - and the same principle applies to the other parts of the guitar as well. Each individual component needs to be made of very good material - this is probably the main thing you need to check before making your purchase.
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