short essay on history of guitar

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Guitar History: How the Guitar has Evolved

Dec 11, 2018 | Education , In The Know

Stringed Instruments in History

YouTube stars of today shred the guitar with innovative, mind-blowing riffs and licks that are changing music forever. Many don’t realize that the guitar – or some version of it – has existed since the dawn of time.

The exact origin of the guitar is still a mystery. The word “guitar” probably comes from the ancient Greek word κιθάρα ( kithara ). Mythology attributes Hermes with creating the first kithara from a tortoise shell, but many likenesses of Apollo show him with this instrument.

This instrument had a wooden soundboard and box-shaped body, or resonator. Two hollow arms, connected by a crossbar, extended from the resonator. The instrument originally had three strings running from the crossbar to its lower end, passing over a bridge on the soundboard; later versions had as many as 12 strings.

The ancient musician typically played the strings with a plectrum, which is an early version of the modern pick. The player would use his or her left-hand fingers to dampen unwanted strings and, at times, stop the strings or produce harmony with their left hand. Solo musicians would sometimes pluck the strings with the fingers of both hands. Holding a kithara is similar to holding a guitar, and musicians would often use the early equivalent of a guitar strap with an over-the-shoulder band.

History of the Shape of Guitars

Shape of the Guitar From Prehistory Through the Middle Ages

The history of the guitar generally goes back to two instruments, the oud and the lute , which predate written history.

Many say that a man known as Lamech, who was Noah’s grandfather and the sixth grandson of Adam and Eve, designed the Arab precursor to the guitar. Lamech was apparently inspired to design the shape of the instrument, known as an oud, after hanging the body of his dead son from a tree. The Moors brought the oud with them when they invaded Southern Spain in 711 AD.

Shape From the 15th Century to Present Day

The lute came in a variety of shapes and sizes, but generally had a curved back. The instrument passed from the Egyptians to the Greeks and then onto the Romans, who took it to Europe.

The first ancient pictorial record of a lute-like stringed instrument first appeared in 3500 to 3200 BCE in Southern Mesopotamia – Iraq, which is now Nasiriyah City. The image depicts a female crouching on a boat; the position of her hands on the instrument indicates she is playing an instrument.

Long- and short-necked varieties of lutes continued to appear in pictorial records throughout Mesopotamian and Egyptian history. Metropolitan Museums of New York, Philadelphia, Cleveland and the British Museum display many examples of these pictorial records on clay tablets and papyrus paper.

The lute had evolved significantly by the end of the Renaissance – many lutes had up to 20 or 30 strings – but the lute-like shape of the instrument was fading in popularity. By the 15 th and 16 th centuries, musicians in Spain began to favor instruments featuring the familiar curved shape we now associate with guitars.

These guitars, known as Baroque guitars , effectively replaced the lute as the go-to stringed instrument for musicians from about 1600 to 1750. Further refinements, such as five courses of gut strings and moveable frets, made these instruments easier to play.

The vihuela, which has incurving sides that give its body an hourglass shape, became popular in Spain, Portugal and Italy during that time too. Mariachi groups still use a version of the vihuela today.

The evolution of Spanish guitars settled by the 1790s; they had the standard body type and six courses of strings that resembles the modern guitar, but were smaller. Spanish musician and guitar maker Antonio de Torres Jurado changed all that in the mid-1800s, when he created the style of guitar that gave rise to all guitars to follow. Many people consider him as “ one of the single most important inventors in the history of guitar .”

His guitars featured a broadened body, thinned belly and increased curve at the waist. He also replaced wooden tuning pegs with a machined heads. His innovative approach to body design and fan bracing, which is that system of wooden struts inside the instrument, gave his classical guitars their distinctive, rich voice.   

Influential Spanish guitarist Andres Segovia established Torres’ classic guitar as a concert instrument. The talented guitarist also penned complex musical compositions that we now identify as “classical guitar” music.

At about this same time, Europeans brought a steel-stringed version of the Spanish instrument when they immigrated to America. There, the modern guitar took on a new shape and a new place in history, with the invention of the flat top, archtop and modern electric guitar.

The Modern Guitars

The flat top acoustic guitar remains the most popular form of acoustic guitar, nearly two centuries after its invention. German-born American guitar maker, Christian Frederick Martin , created the flat top. Martin replaced the old-fashioned fan bracing with X-bracing to help the guitar body handle the extra stress of modern steel strings, which had posed a problem for the old Torres-style guitars.

The tight steel strings of the flat top also required the guitarists to change their playing style and use picks more often, which fundamentally changed the type of music played on these instruments. Melodies on classical guitars are precise and delicate, for example, while steel strings and picks created bright, chord-driven music. The common use of picks also triggered the evolution of the pickguard, now seen below the sound hole on most flat top guitars.

Many attribute Orville Gibson with the creation of the archtop guitar. This guitar features F-holes, arched top and back, and adjustable bridge, which increases the instruments tone and volume. Gibson created guitars that had bodies similar to cellos, which helped the instruments produce a louder sound. Jazz and country musicians quickly embraced these guitars; big bands and swing bands also used flat tops.

George Beauchamp and his partner Adolph Rickenbacker won the first patent for the electric guitar in 1931. Many other inventors and guitar makers were working on electric versions of these old instruments at about the same time. Les Paul pioneered the solid body guitar made by Gibson Guitars , for example, and Leo Fender invented the Fender Telecaster in 1951. Together, the Fender Telecaster, Gibson Les Paul and Gibson SGs helped the guitars of yesteryear evolve into the solid-body electric guitars still used today.

https://www.ancient.eu/Kithara/

http://amukhtar.com/articles/

http://www.guitarhistoryfacts.com/guitar-inventor/antonio-torres-jurado/

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A Brief History of the Guitar: Its Origins and Evolution

The guitar has had a profound impact on our modern history, and its history is extensive. Many societies throughout the world’s history has been using some variation of the stringed instrument and it is of course still present in numerous traditions today.

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Storytellers and singers would often use these stringed musical instruments throughout ancient societies. The oldest guitar-like device has been spotted more than 3,500 years ago, in ancient carvings and statues from Egyptian, Sumerian, and Babylonian civilizations.

You can visit the lute of Har-Mose at the Museum of Egyptian Antiquities in Cairo, which once belonged to an ancient Egyptian court singer with the same name. This instrument (pictured) had three strings and a plectrum that was suspended from the beck by a cord. It had a beautifully designed soundbox that was made of polished cedarwood, as well as a rawhide “soundboard.”

It is believed by some that the modern guitar evolved directly from either this type of lute or the ancient Greek kithara. However, Dr. Michael Kasha did extensive research in the 1960s that proved that these theories dit not paint the full picture. He was able to confirm that the lute had common ancestors with the guitar, but that they later evolved separately. 

However, the guitar was influenced by the lute, as the early guitars looked very similar to the fretted lute. As for the Greek kithara, it is noteworthy that the Greek word “kithara” and the Spanish word “Guitarra” are very similar. However, a kithara is a square-framed lap harp and is not overly similar to the early guitar.

Another guitar-like instrument, which is also still alive and well today, is the tanbur family. A tanbur is a long-necked string instrument that has a small pear- or egg-shaped body. This instrument will have either an arched or round back, and often has a soundboard made of wood or hide, and a long straight neck. Tomb paintings and stone carvings show the tanbur and harps being played together more than 3,500 – 4,500 years ago.

The modern guitar is both related to – and different from – all of these ancient instruments. All of them has strings and a neck, but a guitar is distinguished by a flat wooden soundboard, a long, fretted neck, with ribs and a flat back, which some of these instruments lack. 

Guitar Etymology – Origins of the Name

The guitar may have originally gotten its name from the ancient Sanskrit word “tar,” which means string. Many of the stringed folk instruments that are used in Central Asia have names that contain “tar” and a prefix that shows the number of strings in the instrument.

Therefore, because the early guitar had four strings, it came from the Sanskrit word “chatur.” When the four-stringed Persian “chartar” came to Spain, it evolved and became known as the Guitarra or Chitarra. 

The Origins Of The Modern Guitar

This guitar, however, was more narrow and had a deeper body than the modern guitar, as well as a less obvious waist.

The guitarra latina had four courses of strings, including three double strings, with the top one being a single string. These strings ran along from a pegbox that was similar to one found on a violin all the way to a tension bridge that was glued onto the soundboard. The bridge helped to keep the strings pulled tight. On the belly of these original guitars, you would find a circular soundhole, which was often designed with a beautiful caved, ornate wooden rose. During the 16th century, this guitar would be tuned to C–F–A–D, which was similar to the lute and vihuela, which was a guitar-shaped instrument played in Spain.

Between the 16th and the 19th century, the guitar was improved upon greatly. By the turn of the 17th century, it gained another course of strings, making it five in total. Before the 19th century, a sixth course was added. In the 1800s, the double courses were switched out for single strings which were tuned to E-A-D-G-B-E, which is the same modern tuning we use to this day.

That violin-inspired pegbox was replaced for a flat head that utilized rear tuning pegs, which were then upgraded to tuning pegs. Other changes included the fretboard which was switched from a flat board to a slightly raised board.

Who Invented The Modern Guitar?

His modern design significantly improved the tone, volume, and projection of the instrument. The design of modern acoustic guitars has remained very similar ever since.

Around the same time that Torres designed his guitar in Spain, German immigrants in the United States were making guitars with X-braced tops. It is thought that this unique style of the brace was first designed by Christian Fedrick Martin, who built the first guitar that was used in the US in 1830. X-bracing is popularly used in steel-string guitars. Steel-string guitars became more popular around the 1900s because there were able to produce a louder sound, but the tension from the strings was too much for the fan-braced guitars created by Torress. The X-brace was able to handle the strain much more effectively.

At the end of the 19th century, Orville Gibson became to design archtop guitars that featured an oval soundhole. He merged together the steel-string guitar with a cello-like body. Therefore, the bridge would exert no torque on the top, and only created pressure straight downward. This new design helped the top of the guitar to vibrate more freely and was much louder. In the 1920s, Lloyd Loar joined forces with Gibson and invented the archtop jazz guitar that has f-holes, cell-type tailpiece, and a floating bridge.

When Was The Electric Guitar Invented?

The need for the electric guitar began to emerge in the 1880s. As more bands started to perform in large concert halls, the classical guitar was much too quiet to contribute in any meaningful way. Instead, the bands in the early 20th century would get their power and sound from drums and brass, and the acoustic guitar would instead be used to produce melodies that were often too quiet for even the members of the band to hear. It became clear that a more powerful instrument was needed.

While many people might think that Les Paul was the creator of the electric guitar, this is not the case. There were several people that had a hand in the invention of the electric guitar. The electric guitar is not merely an invention, but instead an evolution of several people’s ideas. George Breed was one of the first who was granted a patent for an electric apparatus that helped to transfer vibrations into an electric current. However, this device did not create a very guitar-like sound, but he was one of the first to combine a stringed guitar with electricity.

Lloyd Loar also had a hand in the development of the electric guitar. He was a quality control supervisor at Gibson who experimented with amplification and pickups. Loar designed a prototype for an electric harp guitar, electric bass, and electric viola and even played some of his instruments at a concert. However, Gibson was not receptive to his ideas of electrifying stringed instruments. Loar eventually quit, started his own company, but quickly moved on to building keyboards.

George Beauchamp is the one who is credited with being the inventor and even designed his first electric guitar in his own house. He got his inspiration from the Hawaiian guitar, which was used by Hawaiian musicians as the melody instrument. The musicians were the push that Beauchamp needed to create the electric guitar.

Originally, jazz musicians and others tried to utilize attachments to enhance and amplify the sound of hollow-body wooden guitars. However, all of these attempts were unsuccessful. A Hawaiian-style lap steel guitar was electrified. This type of guitar was played across the knees and horizontally, and was much louder than the wooden acoustic guitars.

George Beauchamp teamed up with Adolph Rickenbacker, an electrical engineer. After some experimentation, they were able to invent an electromagnetic device that picked up the vibrations coming from the strings of the guitar – i.e. a pickup. The device was able to convert these vibrations into an electric signal, allowing them to be amplified and played through speakers.

By 1931, Beauchamp and Rickenbacker began to use pickups that were designed by Harry Watson. These pickups were called the “Frying Pan” due to their shape and were part of the first commercial prototype. By 1932, the Frying Pan became the first commercially produced electric guitar that produced a clear sound.

In 1932, we saw the first public mention of an electrically enhanced guitar. An article printed in a local Kansas newspaper spoke of the electric guitar. A musician Gage Brewer showed up two of the newest electric guitars produced by Beauchamp. The guitars were also used in a series of Halloween concerts. Ever since those times, the electric guitar has come to dominate the music industry and has taken over in popularity.

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The History of the Guitar: A Journey Through Time

Table of Contents

With a history spanning more than four thousand years, the guitar is globally cherished as one of the most beloved instruments. Its journey from being an ancient Greek instrument to its contemporary electric variant showcases just how far it has evolved through time and shape. From humble origins to electrifying performances, the guitar continues to mesmerize music lovers all over with its versatility and beauty.

The guitar has been a musical instrument that has fascinated people for centuries. This article will trace its evolution from a classical acoustic stringed device to an electrified marvel and examine how it has permeated almost every civilization worldwide. 

The Early Roots of the Guitar

The guitar is a beloved instrument for all kinds of music, yet its exact beginnings remain debatable. Most linguists suggest that the word “guitar” originated from the Greek κιθάρα (kithara). The oldest predecessor to today’s guitars was likely crafted in Spain during the late 14th century and called a “guitarra latina”. 

It has since evolved into many different shapes and sizes, accompanied by varying strings and tunings. Nowadays, it can be found playing anything from classical pieces to rock anthems!

The Origins of the Guitar

Generations of music lovers have treasured the guitar since its beginnings as an ancient Greek kithara, used by classical poets. Over time it evolved into the gittern, vihuela, four-course Renaissance guitar, and finally, to a five-course baroque version known today. By the 1500s Spain was already entranced by this beloved instrument’s melodious tones.

As time advanced, the guitar became more popular and beneficial in many genres of music, such as rock, blues, folk, and jazz. It even gained a lot of attention when it was adapted to electric forms like the bass and lead guitars. Nowadays, acoustic guitars are incredibly versatile instruments that can produce soft humming up to heavy riffs with just one instrument!

Throughout the world, the guitar stands as a powerful representation of music, and its past is shrouded in both intrigue and history. As technology advances, so does our comprehension of this beloved instrument’s legacy.

The Lute and the Vihuela

With a common ancestry of the 15th century, both the lute and vihuela are plucked string instruments. The former is akin to a mandolin, while the latter has taken on more characteristics from that of a guitar in terms of size and shape. Despite these similarities, however, their tuning differs greatly; the lute is tuned differently than its sister instrument – which follows in suit with standard guitar tuning conventions.

The lute and vihuela are enjoying a resurgence in popularity today thanks to their distinctive sound and malleability. Both instruments were favored during the Renaissance era, but now they can bring something special and new to modern ensembles alike. If you’re curious about exploring an uncommon instrument or just want a unique addition to your group, these two-stringed wonders should certainly be on your list!

The Development of the Four-Course Guitar

With a legacy spanning centuries, the four-course guitar is an iconic instrument. Developed during the Renaissance period, its double-string pairs quickly made it the preferred musical choice of its time. Everything from dances to fantasias and chansons was performed on this revered tool – giving life to secular genres across Europe.

For the past 85 years, research and documentation of the four-course guitar have been infrequent. Currently, most remaining examples are from earlier in the 17th century. The modern guitar is considerably larger than its 16th-century ancestor; however, individual craftsmen have begun to formulate their unique styles over time.

The Classical Guitar and the Spanish Influence

Spanning centuries, the classical Spanish guitar has been an integral part of its culture. This instrument traces back to two other instruments – the vihuela and gittern of fifteenth-sixteenth century Europe – that eventually developed into what we now know as the baroque guitar. The uniqueness of this instrument lies in its construction and sound; features like the “Spanish heel” have become symbolic aspects of it today. 

It is no surprise, then, that the Spaniards adopted this marvelous piece for their use, popularizing it with their genres, such as classic music being composed with these strings. Furthermore, Spain’s gifted craftsmanship was responsible for further perfecting 19th-century guitars, which ultimately led to a global love affair with them!

The influence of Spanish Guitar Music

Spanish guitar music has proven to be timeless, leaving an indelible mark on contemporary musical styles. Its distinguishing sound is due to its utilization of nylon strings; their gentler timbre makes for a warmer and more mellow tone compared with steel strings. Flamenco, classical, jazz, pop – even rock – have embraced Spanish guitar’s characteristically soothing tones throughout the years.

Paco de Lucia, Andres Segovia, and Joaquin Rodrigo are only a few of the renowned composers whose works illustrate Spanish guitar music’s profound influence. This genre has also inspired present-day musicians to invent innovative sounds that reflect their individual styles. Consequently, this type of music maintains its essential role in today’s musical realm.

The Rise of the Classical Guitar

With a storied history that spans several centuries, the classical guitar has been heavily influenced by instruments like Vihuela and others from Mesopotamia to Spain and then across the Americas. Notable figures such as Johann Sebastian Bach and Andres Segovia have only added fuel to its popularity in recent times. But it was Antonio Torres who revolutionized classical guitar design during the 19th Century – giving this instrument it’s current ubiquitous standing among modern-day music lovers!

Notable Classical Guitar Composers and Performers

Music has forever been altered by renowned classical guitar composers and performers throughout history. From John Dowland to J.S Bach’s Baroque era glory, all the way up to Leo Brouwer’s present-day brilliance – these musical geniuses have left an irrevocable mark on their craft. Other prominent figures include Fernando Sor, Gaspar Sanz, Luis de Narvaez, and Agustín Barrios Mangoré; each of them adding a unique flavor to this timeless genre of music.

The Transition to the Modern Guitar

For centuries, the guitar has been on a continuous journey of development. From lutes and vihuelas to today’s electric guitars, it has undergone both sound and design transformations along its path. Fender’s industrial-style instruments in the 1950s were game-changers for modern guitar playing. Nowadays, this instrument is embraced by many genres, such as jazz or rock ‘n’ roll, due to its versatility and extensive range of sounds; no surprise that it continues to be one of the top picks among musicians!

Steel String Guitar

Since its inception in 1947 by Albert Augustine Strings, the steel string guitar has become a staple of both amateur and professional musicians alike. With its robust sound that is incomparable to traditional gut-string guitars, it’s no wonder why this instrument has taken center stage across various genres, from folk music to rock and roll. The versatility of these strings enables anyone with a passion for playing an exquisite array of sounds effortlessly!

The Development of the Archtop Guitar

Since its inception in Paris during the 1820s, the archtop guitar has been an essential part of jazz music. Its unique sound and full body structure, framed with a distinctive arched top, make it instantly recognizable. As time passed, this instrument developed many features, such as a carved top and tailpiece that allowed musicians to adjust their tone preferences. This legendary invention still plays an integral role in modern Central European musical culture today!

The Birth of the Electric Guitar

The electric guitar has completely transformed the music industry since its birth in 1931. Paul H. Tutmarc was credited with creating this revolutionary instrument, dubbed the Rickenbacker Frying Pan, which could amplify sound like never before and thus quickly gained favor among jazz aficionados who yearned to play single-note solos within larger bands.

The electric guitar revolutionized the way music was created and performed, enabling more complex melodies as well as solos to be produced. It also made it possible to craft an extensive range of sounds – from bright twangy tunes to dark distorted riffs. Thanks to its versatility, this instrument has become indispensable in many genres, such as rock, pop, blues, country, and metal.

The electric guitar has captivated the world with its unique timbres and musical styles. Its impact on today’s music is unarguable and will continue to shape our songwriting for years ahead, making it one of the most popular instruments in history.

The Impact of the Electric Guitar

The electric guitar has been a revolutionary force in the music industry since its invention in 1931. Its influence is undeniable, as it has quickly become an essential component of popular music – ranging from rock and roll to blues and jazz. Armed with this powerful instrument, musicians have explored new sounds that soon became intertwined with society- it’s now seen by many as a symbol of freedom and rebellion!

 The electric guitar continues to shape modern culture by inspiring countless songs and performances, undoubtedly making an impact on our world for years to come.

Since its inception in the early 1900s, the electric guitar has revolutionized popular music and shifted our entire perception of it. This remarkable instrument gave way to innovative sounds, allowed musicians to explore different genres, and extend their reach beyond what was imaginable before. It’s no surprise that this iconic tool left an indelible mark on music history forever.

It’s no surprise that the electric guitar has become so beloved in modern music – from rock and roll to jazz, blues, and even classical tunes. The instrument creates some of the most iconic songs ever written with its versatility and distinct sound. Truly a timeless addition to any genre of popular music today, it is clear why the electric guitar continues to remain at the forefront of musical instruments despite advances in technology through time.

The rise of Popular Music and the Electric Guitar

Legends of the guitar, like Jimi Hendrix and Eddie Van Halen , have left an indelible mark on the music by pushing the envelope with their iconic styles and cutting-edge techniques. The ripples created by these musical innovators are still felt today in countless genres across all forms of popular culture. Their influence continues to shape new generations of guitarists who strive to reach ever-greater heights with this beloved instrument.

The Role of the Electric Guitar in Shaping Modern Music

From rock and roll to jazz, metal to funk, the electric guitar has left an indelible mark on modern music. Its versatility and distinct sound have helped define a multitude of genres in their unique way, providing musicians with endless opportunities for artistry expression. Additionally, its ability to be amplified means that its crisp sounds can fill large venues – making it indispensable at live performances. Taking all this into consideration, one thing is certain: the electric guitar is essential for any musician hoping to stamp their presence on contemporary music today!

The Evolution of the Guitar in the 20th and 21st Centuries

For centuries, the guitar has been an integral part of music. However, it is the evolution during the 20th and 21st centuries that truly stands out. The invention of electric guitars in the 1930s was a game-changer: allowing artists to express their creativity with greater ease than ever before. As technology advanced over time, so too did the possibilities for new developments – such as multi-effects processors and digital amplifiers – enabling even more groundbreaking creations on this incredible instrument!

Boasting a wide range of applications, guitars are an incredibly versatile instrument that can be heard in virtually every type of music, from rock to classical and beyond. As we look into the future, it will be fascinating to witness how this extraordinary instrument continues to evolve and what new sounds it has yet to produce.

The Rise of Alternative Tunings and Playing Techniques

Alternative tunings and playing techniques have drastically changed the world of guitarists, allowing them to access a myriad of musical styles. Among these is Drop D tuning – one of the most widespread alternate tunings that offer players an abundance of volume for their sound as well as simpler access to lower notes. Other popular alternatives include Double Drop D, DADGAD, Open D, Open E, Open G, and Open A; inspiring musicians across all genres in ways never thought possible before!

By shifting the tuning of a guitar, an array of playing styles are unlocked- like fingerpicking, open chords, and slide guitar. This allows for masterful melodies that wouldn’t be achievable in standard tuning to come alive. Moreover, certain alternate tunings simplify access to notes or chords, which would otherwise be hard to reach on a regular-tuned guitar.

If you’re a beginning or advanced guitarist, exploring new tunings and playing techniques will help take your music to the next level. With alternative tunings and strategies at your fingertips, it’s never been easier to discover fresh musical styles and create unique sounds that are yours.

The Impact of Technology on the Guitar World

Technology has had a tremendous effect on the guitar-playing world. From automated tuning devices to midi pickups, today’s guitarists have access to an array of items and utilities that make playing more effortless yet still gratifying. The 1930s saw the debut of the electric guitar, which completely revolutionized music as we know it; since then, there have been countless creations like ToneWood Amp and Yamaha’s TransAcoustic technology – both providing effects similar to reverb or delay.

Technology has significantly impacted acoustic guitars in the past three decades, affecting design, amps, and accessories. With these technological advancements, it’s evident that playing and listening to music have drastically changed.

The Guitar’s Enduring Legacy

Throughout the decades, the guitar has captivated music lovers around the world with its varied sounds. Whether it’s electric or acoustic, there is just something about this versatile instrument that causes people to fall in love with it time and time again. Its longevity speaks volumes – after centuries of being a staple in popular music genres, the legendary status of the guitar shows no sign of waning.

As the guitar is an instrument that spans a multitude of genres, it’s no surprise why its sound has become so emblematic in music. It appears to be quite simple yet can offer limitless possibilities for exploration – whether you’re just beginning or have been playing for years. Plus, its timeless appeal offers up something new and exciting with each passing day! If there ever was one must-have tool for any musician, this would undoubtedly be it.

The Enduring Popularity of the Guitar

The guitar has rightfully earned its place as one of the top instruments in the world, with thousands of manufacturers and global revenues nearing $1 billion. This is due to its diversity, multiple notes at once feature, portability, and learning ability. The iconic Gibson Les Paul stands out amongst this remarkable musical instrument’s line-up for further exemplifying these qualities among others which have led to a timeless legacy that will likely never cease being appreciated throughout music history!

In the past few years, electric guitar sales have experienced a remarkable boost – 3 million instruments were sold just in the US in 2020! Fender’s Stratocaster is one of history’s celebrated electric guitars and still proves to be highly desirable. With such an extensive selection of styles and sounds available, it’s no shocker why this timeless instrument has firmly stood its ground for so many years.

The Guitar’s Impact on Music and Culture

The guitar has undeniably left an indelible mark on music, culture, and society. From classical to rock and roll, it’s been embraced in a multitude of genres for decades and is seen as an emblem of popular culture. The electric guitar revolutionized the soundscape when it was introduced in the 1950s and completely altered how we appreciate music today. It also serves as a means to express individualism or group identity while bridging cultural gaps all over the world still even now. Truly one of the modern-day’s most crucial instruments, its impact will continue into generations ahead!

The Future of the Guitar and its Ongoing Evolution

For centuries, the guitar has been a timeless instrument that has undergone tremendous transformation. From its original acoustic form to today’s electric models, it is an evolving work of art. As technology continues to surge forward, so do the prospects for this beloved musical device. 

We are now seeing fresher designs and features being added to make playing easier and more exciting than ever before! Moreover, with recent advancements in sound engineering and digital effects, we can look forward to even greater developments down the road. The days ahead promise plenty of exhilarating things for all guitarists around the world – what a thrilling time it will be!

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Guitar Research: History, Musicians, and Repertoire Essay

History and manufacturers, famous performers, famous composers, works cited.

The first texts about guitars as the musical instruments appear in the 14 th century. The modern form and function of guitars are related to the similar musical instruments such as vihuela which are originated from Spain. In the 18 th century, guitar with the double courses appears.

In the 19 th century, the guitar’s body is improved, and it is actively used in concerts. Antonio de Torres Jurado is discussed as the author of the guitar’s modern design, and he is the first famous manufacturer (“A History of the Guitar”). The first popular musical pieces for guitars were composed by Fernando Sor.

In the 20 th century, the history of the electric guitar begins. The electric guitar was designed in the 1930s, and it had the non-resonant body. The early years of the 20 th century are the period of the famous guitar manufacturers’ competition. The guitar becomes one of the most popular musical instruments. Thus, such manufacturers as Epiphone and Gibson companies develop into the leaders of production within the industry (“History of Builders”).

The most famous guitar performers are the blues and rock guitarists of the 20 th century. Albert King should be discussed as the famous American blues guitarist who focused mainly on the technique of guitar playing and used the electric guitar for performing blues. The technique and music of Albert King was influenced by Lemon Jefferson and Lonnie Johnson.

However, later Albert King was followed by the other musicians as the icon of performing. In spite of the fact the musician was left-handed, he often used the right-handed guitars. Albert King is famous for his expressive performance, and his technique is followed by many modern musicians (“Albert King”).

Jimi Hendrix, the other famous guitarist, was also influenced by Albert King. The first success met Jimi Hendrix in Europe. The next years are closely connected with the rock music and development of the Woodstock Festival. Combining the elements of blues and rock music, Hendrix developed the specific technique of receiving the feedback with overdriven amplifiers (“Jimi Hendrix”). Jimi Hendrix was the most influential figure in the rock music of the 1960s.

Franciso Tárrega (1852-1909) is the famous Spanish composer who contributed to the development of classical guitar teaching and provided the transcriptions of the works by Classic and Romantic composers for guitar. During his life, Tárrega suffered from the chronic eye disease, but this fact did not prevent him from playing the guitar and composing songs.

Tárrega performed the first guitar concerto at the age of 11. The fingering technique and talent in composing developed. Later, Tárrega became famous not only because of his musical pieces but also because of the specific fingering technique. Tárrega hold the hand perpendicular to the strings (“The Biography of Franciso Tárrega”).

Fernando Sor (1778-1839) is the Spanish composer who chose music instead of the military career. Guitar was discussed as a tavern instrument, but Sor intended to argue the fact and state that guitar can be used in concerts for performing the greatest melodies. The composer’s contribution to the development of the classical guitar performance is incredible. Sor’s works are discussed today as the examples of the guitar music of the highest level (“Classical Guitarists and Composers”).

“Capricho Arabe” composed by Francisco Tarrega is characterized by the impact of the Arabic melodies (“Classical Guitar 101”).

“Asturias” composed by Issac Albeniz is characterized by the significant influence of the Spanish music, and this music piece is directly associated with the Spanish culture (“Classical Guitar 101”).

“La Cathedral” composed by Agustín Barrios Mangoré is famous for its harmonic structure (“Classical Guitar 101”).

“Introduction and Variations on a Theme by Mozart” composed by Fernando Sor is traditionally performed as the part of guitar concerts, and the virtuosic fingering technique is often used to perform it (“The Truth about the Guitar”).

“Recuerdos de la Alhambra” composed by Francisco Tarrega is characterized by the combination of the classical and folk elements in music (“The Truth about the Guitar”).

Although guitar is not a typical instrument used in orchestras, there are many orchestras which use only guitars. The Happy Valley Guitar Orchestra is an avant-garde orchestra which uses acoustic and electric guitarists to perform the contemporary music works. The orchestra is known for the unique approaches to performing the famous melodies and music pieces. The repertoire of the orchestra can meet the preferences of the diverse audience (“Happy Valley Guitar Orchestra”).

The New York City Guitar Orchestra was founded only in 2010, but it became popular with the audience. The orchestra is directed by Jason Sagebiel. The New York City Guitar Orchestra succeeds in combining the classical music pieces and modern music traditions to achieve the variety of sound. The performances of this orchestra support the idea that guitar is the best instrument to demonstrate the virtuous playing and the harmony of the melodic structures (“New York City Guitar Orchestra”).

A History of the Guitar . 2013. Web.

Albert King .Web.

Classical Guitar 101 . 2012. Web.

Classical Guitarists and Composers . 2002. Web.

Happy Valley Guitar Orchestra . 2013. Web.

History of Builders . 2010. Web.

Jimi Hendrix . 2012. Web.

New York City Guitar Orchestra . 2010. Web. < http://nyccgs.com/orchestra/ >.

The Biography of Franciso Tárrega . Web.

The Truth about the Guitar . 2011. Web.

• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2022, March 30). Guitar Research: History, Musicians, and Repertoire. https://ivypanda.com/essays/research-on-guitar/

"Guitar Research: History, Musicians, and Repertoire." IvyPanda , 30 Mar. 2022, ivypanda.com/essays/research-on-guitar/.

IvyPanda . (2022) 'Guitar Research: History, Musicians, and Repertoire'. 30 March.

IvyPanda . 2022. "Guitar Research: History, Musicians, and Repertoire." March 30, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/research-on-guitar/.

1. IvyPanda . "Guitar Research: History, Musicians, and Repertoire." March 30, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/research-on-guitar/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Guitar Research: History, Musicians, and Repertoire." March 30, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/research-on-guitar/.

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The History of the Guitar: See the Evolution of the Guitar in 7 Instruments

in History , Music | May 11th, 2021 Leave a Comment

A thor­ough­ly mod­ern instru­ment with an ancient her­itage, the gui­tar dates back some 500-plus years. If we take into account sim­i­lar stringed instru­ments with sim­i­lar designs, we can push that date back a few thou­sand years, but there is some schol­ar­ly dis­agree­ment over when the gui­tar emerged as an instru­ment dis­tinct from the lute. In any case, stringed instru­ment his­to­ri­an Bran­don Ack­er is here to walk us through some of the sig­nif­i­cant dif­fer­ences, with “sev­en check­points along the way of the his­to­ry of the gui­tar,” he says above in a guest vis­it to Rob Scallon’s YouTube chan­nel.

The gui­tar is part of the lute fam­i­ly, which dates back some “5,000 years ago, in Mesopotamia.” Sim­i­lar instru­ments exist­ed all over the ancient world. Which of these even­tu­al­ly becomes the gui­tar? That is a ques­tion, says Ack­er, for anoth­er day, but the first instru­ment actu­al­ly iden­ti­fied as a gui­tar dates from around 1500. Ack­er doesn’t toe a strict musi­co­log­i­cal line and begins with an oud from around 700 CE, the bowl-like stringed instru­ment still played today in Turkey, the Mid­dle East, and North Africa. Like near­ly all gui­tar pre­cur­sors, the oud has strings that run in cours­es, mean­ing they are dou­bled up in pitch as in a man­dolin.

Strings would have been made of gut — sheep intestines, to be exact — not met­al or nylon. The larg­er oud is not much dif­fer­ent in shape and con­struc­tion from the Renais­sance lute, which Ack­er demon­strates next, show­ing how polypho­ny led to the advent of fin­ger­pick­ing. (He plays a bit of Eng­lish com­pos­er John Dowland’s “ Flow My Tears ” as an exam­ple.) We’re a long way from coun­try and blues, but maybe not as far you might think. The lute was ide­al both for solo accom­pa­ni­ment as an ensem­ble instru­ment in bands and helped ush­er in the era of sec­u­lar song.

The lute set the course for oth­er instru­ments to fol­low, such as the Renais­sance gui­tar, the first instru­ment in the tour that resem­bles a mod­ern guitar’s hour­glass shape and straight head­stock. Tuned like a ukulele (it is, in fact, the ori­gin of ukulele tun­ing), the Renais­sance gui­tars of Spain and Por­tu­gal also came in dif­fer­ent sizes like the Poly­ne­sian ver­sion. A ver­sa­tile instru­ment, it worked equal­ly well for strum­ming easy chords or play­ing com­plex, fin­ger­picked melodies, sort of like… well, the mod­ern gui­tar. Through a few changes in tun­ing, size, and num­ber of strings, it doesn’t take us long to get there.

The gui­tar is so sim­ple in con­struc­tion it can be built with house­hold items, and so old its ances­tors pre­date most of the instru­ments in the orches­tra. But it also rev­o­lu­tion­ized mod­ern music and remains one of the pri­ma­ry com­po­si­tion­al tools of singers and song­writ­ers every­where. Ever since Les Paul elec­tri­fied the gui­tar , high-tech exper­i­men­tal designs pop up every few years, incor­po­rat­ing all kinds of keys, dials, but­tons, and extra cir­cuit­ry. But the instru­ments that stick around are still the most tra­di­tion­al­ly styled and eas­i­est to learn and play. Acker’s sur­vey of its his­to­ry above gives us a bet­ter under­stand­ing of the instru­men­t’s stay­ing pow­er.

Relat­ed Con­tent: 

Kei­th Richards Demon­strates His Famous 5‑String Tech­nique (Used on Clas­sic Stones Songs Like “Start Me Up,” “Honky Tonk Women” & More)

What Gui­tars Were Like 400 Years Ago: An Intro­duc­tion to the 9 String Baroque Gui­tar

The His­to­ry of the Gui­tar & Gui­tar Leg­ends: From 1929 to 1979

The His­to­ry of Rock Mapped Out on the Cir­cuit Board of a Gui­tar Ampli­fi­er: 1400 Musi­cians, Song­writ­ers & Pro­duc­ers

Josh Jones  is a writer and musi­cian based in Durham, NC. Fol­low him at  @jdmagness

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The Story of The Guitar

May 7, 2024 | News , Videos

In his groundbreaking three-part series, Alan Yentob takes an intimate look at the evolution of the guitar and its rise to become the most popular musical instrument in the world. Beginning with its earliest ancestor, a Middle Eastern lute, Yentob traces the history of this remarkable instrument through Bill Hailey and Elvis Presley’s influence, to where it stands today.

The documentary delves deep into the social and cultural context in which this iconic device has developed over time, exploring its unique role in defining generations of performers and listeners. By examining both traditional acoustic guitars as well as their electric counterparts, viewers can experience an unprecedented glimpse at how these instruments have changed music culture.

But this is more than just a study of technology; Yentob takes us on an emotional journey by showcasing some of the greatest guitarists in history. We learn about their passion for music and their individual approach to creating their own unique sound.

Whether you’re a musician or merely a fan of music, this series will captivate you with its engaging stories and stunning visuals. It promises to be an unforgettable adventure into the world of the guitar – so make sure to watch it!

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A Brief History of the Guitar

A-J Charron Guitar Lessons Guitar History

In many history books, even some that are highly rated, you will read that the guitar was invented by the classical-era Greeks. This is due to a simple mistake. The Greeks had an instrument which they called a Kithara. As this was a stringed instrument and that the name resembles closely that of the guitar, historians tend to assume that this was a guitar. The Kithara was in fact a type of lyra or harp, nothing to do with the guitar. Also, if you look at ancient Egyptian paintings, you will see many musical instruments which could easily be mistaken for a guitar. Even by those of us who have been playing the instrument for twenty years.

The fact is that, quite often, in these ancient paintings, the instruments in question were used as religious objects and were not even played. Through rigorous study, it becomes obvious that the guitar is not an ancient musical instrument.

Closer to us in time, most of us will think of the lute as a direct ancestor to the guitar. This is indeed correct. Think of it as the “father” of the guitar. The lute, this instrument favored by troubadours of the dark ages and the renaissance, more closely resembles a modern bass than a guitar. Usually, it had four strings which would be plucked. One could not strum a lute.

The body of the lute was oval and the back was rounded, sort of like an Ovation guitar. The result of this was that the lute was not a loud instrument. Hence, it could not be played in any kind of band setting.

Now, to get from the lute to the guitar, many elements are missing. One of these is the treble strings. Another the pinched waist. Finally, the flat back of the instrument.

In comes the vihuela. Think of it as the “mother” of the guitar. This instrument was developed in Spain in the 15th century. The vihuela has a slightly pinched waist, a smaller body than the lute and treble strings, in pairs, called courses, which were made to be strummed.

It’s about a hundred years later, some time during the 16th century that someone (nobody will ever know who) had the idea of mixing the two instruments together. Making the body more like that of the vihuela, but sized closer to that of the lute. The neck was closer to that of the vihuela. Finally, both bass and treble strings were added to the instrument.

The first examples of this instrument are very crude. Some very beautiful models were made by violin maker Stradivarius. But the instrument was still far from being as complex as its modern counterpart.

It’s toward the end of the eighteenth century that we can start talking about the modern guitar. This was a time when the US were electing their first president, Britain was in the throes of the first industrial revolution and Napoleon seized power in France.

I’ve often heard how Art achieves its greatest moments when civilization is in the midst of conflict or pressure. Just look at the Rock and Roll revolution during the cold war. One could find many examples of this sort. I don’t know whether any studies have actually ever been done, but I’d certainly be interested in reading one.

At any rate, it’s at this moment that the modern guitar makes its first appearance. It’s unclear whether this was in France or in Italy. But here was an instrument very similar to the ones we see today, with six strings.

This is when the machine head was invented and so the old wooden peg box, used to hold the strings and tune them was discarded. It’s also at this time that guitar makers started carving the heads of guitars. Although they usually aren’t carved nowadays, makers still leave their mark on the headstock. A very old tradition.

In the late 18th century, José Pagés and Josef Benedid started adding fan-shaped struts inside the body of the guitar in order to amplify the sound. This method was picked up by other guitar makers, such as François Lacôte in Paris. It’s also at this point that the “floating arm technique” came about. Previously, one rested the little finger of the right hand on the sound board. This was a technique which had been handed down from lute players.

But the finishing touches, involving volume and tone, were added by Antonio de Torres Jurado. He increased the size of the body, increased the distance between the bridge and the nut and improved on the fan shape of the struts. The result being that finally a guitar could be played with an orchestra. Previously, the sound of the guitar would be completely buried by that of the other instruments. However, that still did not make it a popular instrument.

Well, popular with the masses, just not with the “serious” musical community. During the 1950’s, Julian Bream (only one of the greatest names related to the classical guitar) was threatened with expulsion from the music college for playing his guitar on the premises.

The first college level guitar course in the UK was given by John Williams (apart from his classical work, Williams has played for such people as Sky (the original Sky, not the pop outfit from a few years ago), Kate Bush, David Bowie, and many, many others). This course was given, for the first time, in 1965. Hence, and contrary to popular belief, not many of the older guitar heroes are classically trained.

The guitar, being such an easy instrument to learn (not play well, but at least learn a few basic chords and songs), became very popular within the masses. Especially in South America where it immediately became a hit. In Europe and North America, though, it was snobbed at. Even today, there are very few concertos written for the guitar, as it is still snobbed at by many people in the classical community.

The 20th century has seen most of the instrument’s improvements. First, the old cat gut strings were replaced by metal and nylon strings. Then, the classical (or Spanish) guitar was modified to make the acoustic guitar in an attempt to have an even louder sounding instrument.

Many attempts to electrify the instrument were made, primarily by Martin. Here came the invention of the pick-up.

The pick up is generally a coil of fine copper wire wound around a bar magnet. This generates a magnetic field. Once the strings move into this field, they generate pulses of electrical energy which are transmitted to the amp.

The first amps came out toward the end of the 1930’s. However, the main improvements were made by Leo Fender. The first electric guitars were hollow bodied models. Although these look fantastic and sound great, they are quite inconvenient on stage where the sound coming from the amps tend to make the instrument vibrate and thus create feedback. If you ever have a chance to see B.B. King live, notice that he stuffs the inside of Lucille with a towel to diminish the vibration.

Enter Les Paul. His first electric hard-body guitar was basically a log (it was even called “the log”) with a neck and two double-coil pick-ups set into it. He gave it its distinctive look in order to make it more attractive, then sold the idea to Gibson. And they still make it.

Leo Fender was another innovator in the milieu. Coming up with the Telecaster for country music, then later with the Stratocaster. Note that Leo Fender sold the company in 1965 as he was convinced he had little time to live. He sold the company to CBS for $13 million dollars. He came back during the seventies and left again as he didn’t agree with the quality of the work being done by the company. Eventually they were bought out by a Japanese company who created the Squire series with much less than impressive results.

Another innovation of Leo Fender is the bass. He invented this instrument for live bands. Because of the electric guitar, bass notes, played on a contrabass could not be heard live. Fender thought of creating a bass based on a guitar. The first model was the Fender Precision Bass.

Another strange guitar that was produced in the 1930’s is the Dobro. The first one was made in 1926 by National. This looks like an acoustic guitar, except that the body is made of aluminium. At the back of the front panel are resonator plates (hence, this type of guitar is also known as “resonator”). A Dobro doesn’t need to be plugged in to sound loud. The aluminium body produces a sound which is quite distinctive.

Since then, many experiments have been tried. Mainly in an attempt at getting more sustain or because of the scarcity of certain woods, various materials have been tried. Acrylic being one of them. Although it looks fantastic and does wonder to sustain, it can do weird things toward the tone of the instrument.

In an attempt to come up with a material that would be lighter, yet denser than wood, Steinberger invented graphite. Many professional guitarists swear by it.

Go visit guitar manufacturer’s websites, or just visit a guitar store and you’ll see strange things. Such as two solid wood plates, front and back, sandwiching a cork body. All in all, and by the looks of things, the instrument’s progression is far from over.

Michelle September 10th, 2016 @ 9:07 pm

^tru because I used the website Robert used for a project and this is really different then what I have read

Michael January 5th, 2016 @ 2:33 pm

Robert is correct

robert May 16th, 2015 @ 2:58 am

Your history of the guitar is certainly wrong. please upload proper information for the readers. research has shown that the guitar is actually made from the Persian Tar. here is a link to show you the long version of the information in case you would like to update your site. If anyone search the internet for “Origin of guitar” you will find the article “a brief history of guitar by Paul Guy. but here is a link: http://www.guyguitars.com/eng/handbook/BriefHistory.html

Joey Lepore March 31st, 2014 @ 6:57 am

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The History of Guitar

Updated 04 August 2023

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Category Music

Did you ever think to know how a guitar came to be? A guitar is a fretted musical instrument with six strings. Besides, a guitar is made up of a wooden material and strung with steel string, nylon or gut from other chordophones by its tuning and construction (Alves 1). The typical body shape of a guitar is dreadnought with a bolder, more productive and louder tone. A guitar was first described as an instrument with the flat wooden soundboard, fretted neck, flat back, and ribs.

History of Guitar and its Cultural Significance

A guitar originated from Spain in the 16th century (Alves 1). Realistically, the origin of the first guitar cannot be traced back beyond the 15th century. However, people think that a guitar was invented by Malaga people (Alves 1). The first guitar was tiny and was strung with four pairs of strings. A guitar never had respect during the Renaissance. By then, a guitar was not considered a serious musical instrument. Eventually, a guitar started to attract more publications, players and music began to appear. Guitar originally had four courses of string with the top course single and the fortth course double. However, several changes occurred in the guitar instrument from the 16th to 19th century. Before 1600, the fifth course of string was added, and the sixth course of string was added by the late 18th century (Alves 1). However, before 1800, the double course got replaced by a single string tuned E-A-D-G-B-E. This remains the standard tuning of the guitar. Guitar body also changed in the 19th century which resulted in increased sonority. Currently, other forms of guitar include the cello guitar, metal strung guitar, electric and steel guitar.

 My acoustic guitar came into my possession as a birthday present from my father. Since I am pursuing music studies, this was the best present my dad ever gave me during my birthday. Guitar connects with many other objects which include Piano, Microphone and music software to produce music (Alves 1). Guitar connects with places like music studios and stage music performances. The guitar is widely used in the production of rock music, roll, blues, and folk music. The guitar is also used in music faculties which train people how to play guitar and make music from it.

 I use the guitar to entertain people and produce my music. The guitar is tied to musical activities and production practices. I use the guitar to play musical tunes because this changes our wellbeing in profound ways (Leisner 3). Also, I use my guitar to record my music at school and at home. When playing music, the guitar adds rhythm and flavor to my performance (Alves 2). There are various kinds of relationship I can connect to my guitar. Benefits of playing guitar include social, personal benefits, physical health benefits, mental health benefits, as well as professional benefits.

 Regarding social benefits, the guitar is an instrument used to bring people together as a group. For instance, my guitar makes me enjoy benefits which include raising people's moods by playing my guitar in a theatre room (Leisner 3). Guitar has also helped me to bring new people to my world by unveiling my hidden talent. Personal benefits of guitar include helping me to improve my memory and concentration by learning to create chord shapes and read guitar tabs. My guitar enables me to handle multiple tasks by improving my listening skills, sight reading, and guitar hand coordination. Use of guitar has also helped me to achieve a sense of fulfillment and boost my confidence by creating new goals. Professional benefits of using guitar include improving time management skills by setting guitar practices time (Alves 1). Emotional benefits and mental health as a result of using guitar include gaining a form of stress relief through heavy strumming and shredding. Having a guitar session with my friends has enabled me to escape from anxiety (Leisner 3). This has boosted my creativity skills. Bringing my guitar playing talent to the public has also empowered and motivated other people. Physical health benefit of playing guitar includes strengthening hands and wrists through constant strumming and practicing chords. Furthermore, guitar helps to manage body weight by standing and performing onstage.

Guitar relates to various identity roles or social roles. Playing guitar in popular and classical music makes it one of the most rewarding instruments to learn. Guitar plays an identical role in the center of the music piece. The guitar plays a social function of uniting people. For instance, bring a guitar to a cultural celebration such as circumcision becomes the center of attention (Leisner 4). Guitar also plays a social role in bringing more people into my culture by encouraging other people to speak to me and share their culture with me. Moreover, playing guitar attracts the attention of band members. An individual with a guitar in hand can change people's impression (Alves 2). People from diverse social backgrounds come together to sing and present cultural views and opinions. Playing guitar makes me practice my talent because it is entertaining. Playing music is fun, and it can help one’s social cycle.

Works Cited

Alves, Júlio Ribeiro. "The history of the guitar: its origins and evolution." Huntington (WV): Marshall University (2015).

Leisner, David. Playing with Ease: A Healthy Approach to Guitar Technique. Oxford University Press, 2018.

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Early Southern Guitar Sounds: A Brief History of the Guitar and Its Travel South

By Mike Seeger, ed. Carla Borden

To learn more and read the rest of the liner notes for  Early Southern Guitar Styles , click here . 

A Brief History of the Guitar and Its Travel South

At guitar-teaching sessions back in the 1960s, many of us were curious about how this instrument came into use amongst Southern workers and rural dwellers. Our guesses were often "I don't know," with some of us wondering whether it came up through New Orleans or Mexico. Although that may be a possibility for the Southwest, for most of the country the guitar came from the makers, importers, and factories in the North and Midwest.

We know quite a bit more now, mostly through published histories of several guitar makers such as Martin, Ashborn, Lyon and Healey, Gibson, Stella, and a few others. Very few of these books touch on the history of the less expensive guitars that the majority, the working-class people, played. How the guitar came into widespread use in the South is a subject not much written about as far as I know, but I'll try to present a story based on known facts with some possibilities. I'll do my best to be clear as to fact and speculation.

The guitar is related to a variety of European string instruments, including the lute, cittern, and  vihuela , with roots that may go back to the Roman  cithara  or Arabic  oud . By about 1800 it had become standardized with six strings, often tuned as it is today. It became a popular parlor instrument in Europe by the late 18th century, and its popularity later spread to cities and towns in the new United States. Guitars and a few teacher/performers and makers came from Europe, along with working-class immigrants who helped make the instruments and played them. C.F. Martin, who emigrated from Germany in the 1830s, is the best known of these early makers, and his company is still thriving in Pennsylvania. In those early days makers like Martin turned out only a few guitars a year, perhaps twenty or thirty, and they were expensive, costing about as much as an average worker would earn in a month. In the late 1840s an Englishman, James Ashborn, established a small guitar factory in Connecticut, apparently using some of the methods from the then-developing industrial revolution. For about fifteen years he could turn out as many as 1,000 well-made, practically identical guitars each year, mostly marketed through New York City music stores whose names were stamped inside. They weren't usually as fancy or expensive as the Martins.

An Ashborn or Martin, like many of the imported guitars of the 1840s and 1850s, was small by today's standards, about the size of a Martin style 3. (That's six sizes smaller than today's standard "Dreadnought" guitar.) They were very light, used gut and wound strings (no steel), and had either straight-through wooden friction pegs or geared pegs and the old-style cone-shaped heel. Many had the old fan-shaped bracing under the top. Their tone was warm and well balanced, and they were responsive to finger picking, typically thumb and two or three fingers at that time. They weren't as loud as today's instruments.

Most of these guitars were intended for use in parlor music learned from written manuscripts and teaching manuals. When you see drawings or photographs of guitar players of this period, they're often women, and they're usually in a middle- or upper-class parlor setting, even if they're socializing or partying. Of course, drawing or photographing such scenes would have been most likely a parlor activity. I assume that these parlors were generally in cities or small towns throughout the relatively settled parts of our young country.

Guitars also turned up occasionally in minstrel shows of the mid-19th century. We know very little about the use of the guitar by everyday working-class or farming people.

The last quarter of the 19th century saw some fundamental changes in America, all of which furthered the democratization of the guitar.

The turmoil following the Civil War was transforming Southern life. Industrialization was beginning, leading to urbanization and giving former rural dwellers money in their pockets. For those who remained on the farm, cash crops established their part of the dollar economy.

Traveling salesmen and general stores were becoming active in small towns. Towards the end of the century, railroads and a postal system made possible mail order of almost anything, including guitars.

Emancipation gave African Americans some measure of freedom of movement and livelihood for the first time. It freed black musical creativity. General consciousness of black music and singing could be less subject to white interpretation than in the heyday of the minstrel shows. Songsmiths had been turning out American songs that would often more appropriately be accompanied by guitar than banjo. (The Carter Family and other old-time musicians would record a lot of these songs in the 1920s and 1930s.) Community-made music continued to be popular in rural areas, especially throughout the South.

Musical tastes were evolving.

Over the coming decades the guitar would prove itself the most versatile, expressive, portable, affordable, and accessible musical instrument for both amateurs and the most adventurous professional musicians.

The guitar itself had been increasing in size for a while, and its durability was being improved as well. The contemporary heel design replaced the weak "cone" style, which eventually made steel stringing more feasible. Fan bracing of the top was abandoned in favor of the Martin "X" bracing or the "ladder" bracing of most inexpensive guitars. And due to about fifty years of enormous advances in the making of steel wire, inexpensive steel guitar strings became available by the 1890s.

Although guitar makers in small shops continued their work, guitar factories were established, possibly following Ashborn's success at industrializing American guitar production. The Ditson Company of Boston was a very influential early leader with the Tilton and Haynes brands. It also helped establish the eventually mammoth Lyon and Healey Music Company in the Chicago area with its Washburn and countless other brands. Later, also in Chicago, Harmony and Regal produced huge numbers of inexpensive instruments. And of course around the turn of the century in the Jersey City and New York City areas the Oscar Schmidt Company built equally huge numbers of mostly inexpensive instruments under a variety of names: the fabled Stella, also Sovereign, some that bore the Galiano name, and others.

Factory production made possible the very inexpensive guitars that were offered by mail order houses and furniture or music stores from about 1890 onward. The advent of the three-dollar guitar put the instrument into the hands of a player for the equivalent of three or four days' wages rather than the month's required for a Martin or Haynes. These instruments were made for the most part in large factories, sometimes supplied by small makers of parts in areas near the main factory. They were made simply of cheap, plentiful domestic woods such as birch and oak, and by 1900 or so had steel strings, simple "ladder" bracing, and sometimes rudimentary paint finish either to look like more expensive woods or for decoration. Ladder bracing, inexpensive woods, and especially steel strings also gave the guitar a brasher sound that could compete and mix with a banjo or fiddle; it was no longer a shy, quiet, refined instrument for "well-trained ladies."

It's generally thought that many of the factory workers were European immigrants; after all, we were a country of immigrants, especially then. Some were production-line workers, and others were experienced woodworkers and could make some pretty fancy, reasonably priced instruments, marketed by the same manufacturers. We can wonder about who designed these influential mass-produced instruments; we know little about guitar and string manufacturing of this period. At present there's no reliable estimate of the number of guitars sold by these early factories- they were just doing business- but the numbers, possibly in the hundreds of thousands, dwarfed the small output of pre-1890s makers, and the accessibility of the instrument made possible momentous musical developments.

Evidence of working-class playing of these guitars is sparse during this period. I cam across one intriguing, reliable report by writer Lafcadio Hearn describing an African American string band consisting of "a cracked violin, a dismal guitar and a wheezy bass viol" at a lively 1875 waterfront square dance in Cincinnati. (On another occasion a band there consisted of fiddle, banjo, and bass viol.) I think it's significant that this combination of instruments appeared at an African American dance only a decade after emancipation. Such a band would have likely also played for European American dances. This suggests that the guitar was beginning to enter Southern working-class music by that time, at least in some commercial river towns. It's hard to imagine, though, how one of those little guitars, almost certainly with gut strings, would fare during a whole night of spirited dance music. A complete set of steel strings for guitars or banjos would have been extremely unlikely then.

Although we have reports and photos of guitar players in the late 19th century, they can only suggest the musical story. A photo of formally dressed European American mandolin and guitar players in a parlor setting suggests formal written music; a three-piece group (also formally dressed) of African American musicians- fiddler, banjoist, and guitar player- at an 1895 outing in the Virginia mountains suggests a more rural style. A group of Ohio Civil War-period soldiers, posed for a photograph in a field with instruments that included guitar, violin, banjo, triangle, and bones, probably played minstrel-based music, but we can barely imagine their sound.

We can only wonder why the banjo maintained such popularity from about 1840 into the beginning of the following century, overshadowing the guitar, especially in the rural areas. Was it the brash otherness, the minstrel shows, its ease of playing? Certainly in the country the banjo could be homemade, especially since it required no frets. And it had been around in the South for a long time as an African American instrument. The 19th-century guitar was more expensive, fragile, and needed to be professionally made. Perhaps for a while it was a matter of fashion and preference, especially in the Southern countryside.

The guitar's journey from a literate parlor instrument to a "by ear," working-class instrument was slow but gained momentum after 1900, within a continuing story of industrialization and urbanization. The efforts to increase loudness led to changes in the instrument. Sizes increased further, some makers experimenting briefly with enormous, unwieldy guitars such as Lyon and Healey's "Monster Guitar," more than six inches larger at the lower bout than today's typical Dreadnought. The same company designed and advertised its "Lakeside Jumbo" with dimensions practically identical to the first Ditson Dreadnaughts (that's the old Martin spelling) built several years later (in 1916) by Martin. Eventually, in the early 1930s, Martin joined in the competition, building the instrument under its own name which after about 1950 became the standard guitar size. The arch-top guitar evolved around 1900, produced mostly by the Gibson Company in Michigan. The resophonic guitars, Dobro and National, were invented in the late 1920s, and they became popular as both Hawaiian-style and regular fretted models. Steel strings became the standard around 1900 for most mass-produced inexpensive guitars, the kind that most old-time music was played on. As guitar sizes increased and steel strings became the norm, picks (which had been around for a while) became more necessary, especially to move the bigger pieces of wood. Southerners enthusiastically embraced many of these developments and the increasing availabiltiy of guitars to create new forms of music.

Around the turn of the century within the African American community, the guitar was being adapted to ragtime and jazz in the towns and cities and playing a critical role in the creation of the blues in the deep South. The Hawaiian-style guitar music fad of the mid-1910s spread throughout the country into Southern music and has been a part of it ever since. The guitar was gradually taking the place of both the melody playing of the fiddle and the rhythm accompaniment of the banjo. The electronic microphone, which was developed in the mid-1920s, made successful recording as well as radio broadcast of the guitar possible, and then popular. By the 1930s the fiddle or fiddle-banjo ensemble sound was giving way to the guitar or sometimes mandolin melody playing, always with guitar accompaniment. The guitar was becoming people's favorite instrument from home to stage.

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Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History Essays

The spanish guitar.

Attributed to Matteo Sellas

José Massague

Attributed to Joseph de Frías

Joseph Benedid

Benito Sanchez de Aguilera

Pierre-René Lacôte

Johann Anton Stauffer

Pedro Fuentes

Christian Frederick Martin

Manuel Ramírez

Flamenco Guitar

Santos Hernández

Hermann Hauser

Ignacio Fleta

José Ramirez III

The Spanish Singer

Edouard Manet

Daniel Wheeldon Department of Musical Instruments, The Metropolitan Museum of Art

The term Spanish guitar has been used differently across the centuries in different countries. Today it is often used interchangeably with the term classical guitar and is certainly not limited to instruments made in Spain. The recorded history of the guitar begins in the Renaissance, with the earliest written sources dating to the fourteenth century. The guitar emerged in Europe alongside musical traditions that came out of the Arabic world, among instruments like the lute and the viol . Johannes Tinctoris, writing in the fifteenth century, identifies Catalonia as the birthplace of the guitar, yet regardless of the instrument’s origin, the country of Spain has had an extraordinary impact on its development.

In the sixteenth century, the guitar throughout most of Europe had four courses of strings in pairs tuned g g’ – c’ c’ – e’ e’ – a’ a’ . When talking about the stringing of a guitar, a course refers to a playable unit of strings; typically two strings tuned in unison or an octave apart and placed close together so that they can be fretted or plucked as one string. Music for the guitar published in Spain during this period is typically found among works for other instruments; for example, a section dedicated to the guitar is included in Juan Bermudo’s El libro llamado declaración de instrumentos musicales (1555). In France, there were significantly more published works devoted specifically to the guitar.

The fifth course was introduced at the end of the sixteenth century. This was recognized universally as a Spanish invention, and instruments with five courses were known as Spanish guitars. The musician and author Gaspar Sanz, writing in 1674, describes how the French and Italians imitated the Spanish instruments, adding a fifth course and using the term Spanish guitar to set their instruments apart from contemporary four-course guitars. Even the original owners of the Venetian Baroque guitar by Matteo Sellas ( 1990.103 ) may have called it a chitarra spagnola . This is in fact the repeating story of the Spanish guitar: the innovations of Spain’s virtuosic musicians and ingenious craftsmen disperse to captivate and transform guitar-playing traditions around the world. The five-course Spanish guitar arguably achieved its greatest success in France and Italy, where solo repertoire emerged relatively early on. In Spain, however, there was no solo guitar music published before 1674 (see Tyler 2005, p. 149), and although the instrument was used throughout Spain, royal courts preferred to be associated with Italian and French music.

The Spanish guitar in the eighteenth century increased in size, with a wider and deeper body. An instrument by José Massague ( 1990.220 ), made about 1755–60, is a fine example of these larger instruments, having an impressive body depth of about 4 1/2 inches. This instrument has a large internal space while maintaining a similar proportion in the plantilla (body profile) as the earlier Renaissance guitars, where the upper and lower bouts were more equal in size and were separated by a wide waist. This body shape would change, however, and Spanish guitar makers were again in the forefront of design innovation. An instrument made in 1797 by Benito Sanchez de Aguilera ( 1990.221 ) is an early example of a nineteenth-century design form; while it retains the wide lower bout, it has a narrow waist connecting to more rounded shoulders. These accentuated curves would become an increasingly popular feature of early nineteenth-century guitar making in Madrid.

The guitar’s main function in Spain during the eighteenth century was to facilitate national dance music often performed in elaborate settings. Instruments were often intricately decorated with inlaid designs on the front, as can be seen on a guitar attributed to Joseph de Frías ( 1992.279 ) from southwestern Spain.

The soundboard of a guitar has to withstand a formidable amount of string tension while also being able to vibrate freely. Most guitars made before the mid- to late eighteenth century had no bracing on the soundboard below the bridge, and at this time some makers attempted to produce louder instruments by making the top of the guitar thinner and adding braces on the inside. This period also saw the addition of a sixth course, and instruments became wider, making internal bracing all the more necessary. The earliest guitar with fan bracing is thought to have been made in Seville by Francesco Sanguino in 1759. The guitar makers of Cádiz also made regular use of fan bracing. An early example of this is an instrument by Joseph Benedid of Cádiz ( 1992.1.2 ), made in 1787. The luthiers in Cádiz at this time demonstrated a clear understanding of the importance of fan bracing on the soundboard of these larger, six-course instruments.

From the beginning of the nineteenth century, the six double-course guitar, with pairs of unison strings, began to give ground to those with six strings. Instrument makers in many parts of Europe used lateral barring, as can be found on guitars by Pierre René Lacôte ( 1992.1.1 ) and Johann Anton Stauffer ( 1979.390 ). The guitar maker Louis Panormo, working in London, promoted himself as “the only maker of guitars in the Spanish style,” adopting a kind of Spanish fan bracing system.

In Édouard Manet’s painting The Spanish Singer ( 49.58.2 ), a man holds a guitar that is clearly a French-made instrument, yet the artist no doubt knew that his audience would associate it with Spain. There was a fascination with Spanish guitar music throughout the nineteenth century and a growing demand for these instruments to be used in concert halls. Works by Sor, Paganini, and Berlioz were transforming the amateur image of the guitar into an object of musical finesse.

This period coincided with the arrival of German guitar maker C. F. Martin in New York, in 1833. Martin was well trained in the Viennese school of guitar making, but in America it soon became evident that he would have to accommodate the demand for Spanish-style guitars. By the end of the 1830s, Martin was advertising his ability to manufacture Spanish guitars, instruments that he also actively imported into the country. Martin’s instruments before the 1850s used a simple Spanish fan bracing system and plantilla , and even the company’s later guitars ( 2012.209a,b ) had Spanish features.

Many small alterations took place in the first half of the nineteenth century, all leading up to what can be described as the concert guitar , exemplified in the work of Antonio de Torres. Workshops introduced raised fingerboards, bridges with saddles, and new designs for the soundboard. Torres, whose work began in the 1850s, standardized many of these features and produced instruments that received speedy recognition for their merits. His instruments were praised for their tone, and his designs for fan bracing were quickly taken up by other guitar makers. An instrument by Pedro Fuentes ( 1992.46a,b ), made before 1858, uses five fan braces on the soundboard, which Torres was also using at this time on some of his instruments. The wooden mosaic decoration on Fuentes’ guitar would become a standard feature on classical guitars after the 1850s.

The brothers Ramírez, Manuel (1864–1916) and José (1858–1923), trained as guitar makers from an early age. Manuel was quick to adopt Torres’ innovations and from early in his career was considered the heir to Torres’ legacy ( 1986.353.2 ). Santos Hernández, foreman of the Ramírez workshop, had learned his craft alongside Manuel, and his instruments demonstrate obvious similarities to his employer’s. When, in 1912, Manuel Ramírez famously gave a young Andrés Segovia a guitar from his workshop, we know that it was at least in part made by Hernández. Santos Hernández was a flamenco guitarist, and his 1924 instrument ( 2016.787a,b ) was designed specifically for that playing style. Its lightweight construction, with the back and sides made of cypress and wooden friction tuners, is well adapted for flamenco music, where the player usually holds the instrument up without support from the left leg. Both Ramírez and Hernández faithfully carried on the work that had inspired them, refining their designs and demonstrating their own creativity and sensitivity to players’ demands.

To an even greater extent than Fernando Sor in the nineteenth century, Andrés Segovia was actively involved in guitar design and development, meeting with guitar makers of the highest quality, including Ramírez and Hernández. In the 1920s, he encountered the German guitar maker Hermann Hauser, about whom he observed:

I examined [his instruments] and immediately foresaw the potential of this superb artisan if only his mastery might be applied to the construction of the guitar in the Spanish pattern as immutably fixed by Torres and Ramírez as the violin had been fixed by Stradivarius and Guarnerius. (Romanillos 1987, p. 56)

Hauser later approached Segovia and presented him with a guitar ( 1986.353.1 ). Through his own ingenuity and ability to recognize the genius of the Spanish traditions in the work of Torres and Ramírez, Hauser is now recognized among them as one of the great makers of the Spanish guitar.

The twentieth century has seen innovation of a different kind; guitar makers did not face the same design problems as they did a century before. It was the task of nineteenth-century guitar makers to produce a concert instrument capable of filling a large room with sound; this was achieved by Torres, and his designs remain the benchmark to this day. A guitar by Ignacio Fleta ( 2010.420 ), made in 1953, a hundred years after Torres’ first instruments, demonstrates both the continuing value in Spanish instrument making and the persistence of the traditions established in the early twentieth century based upon the designs of Torres. Whereas Torres and his predecessors are noted for their daring innovation, makers since have chiefly concerned themselves with minor adjustments in the internal barring structure and in the materials used. Spanish guitar makers today by necessity have to be educated in the innovations of these grand masters.

Wheeldon, Daniel. “The Spanish Guitar.” In Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History . New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000–. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/spgu/hd_spgu.htm (May 2017)

Further Reading

Evans, Tom, and Mary Anne Evans. Guitars: Music, History, Construction, and Players from the Renaissance to Rock. New York: Facts on File, 1977.

Romanillos, José. Antonio de Torres, Guitar Maker: His Life and Work. Shaftsbury: Element Books, 1987.

Shaw, Robert, and Peter Szego, eds. Inventing the American Guitar: The Pre–Civil War Innovations of C. F. Martin and His Contemporaries. Milwaukee: Hal Leonard Books, 2013.

Tyler, James. Guitar and Its Music: From the Renaissance to the Classical Era. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2005.

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Artist or Maker

• Benedid, Joseph
• De Frías, Joseph
• Fleta, Ignacio
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A Brief History of the Classical Guitar

The classical guitar, with its rich and melodious tones, has captivated music enthusiasts for centuries. Renowned for its versatility and expressive power, this timeless instrument carries a fascinating history that spans continents and epochs. In this blog post, we embark on a brief history of the classical guitar through time to explore its origins and evolution, uncovering the key milestones and notable figures that have shaped its remarkable legacy.

Table of Contents

Origins of the Guitar

The origins of the guitar trace back to ancient civilizations, with its roots deeply intertwined with the development of stringed instruments across various cultures. The lute, an ancestor of the guitar, flourished in ancient Mesopotamia and Egypt. Its evolution continued through ancient Greece and Rome, reaching its pinnacle during the Islamic Golden Age. Arab Moors brought the instrument to medieval Europe, laying the foundation for the guitar as we know it today.

The Emergence of the Classical Guitar

During the Renaissance, which spanned roughly from the 14th to the 17th century, the guitar as we know it today had not yet fully developed. However, there were early predecessors and ancestors of the modern guitar played during this period.

Guitar Predecessors

The most notable predecessor of the modern guitar during the Renaissance was the vihuela. The vihuela was a plucked string instrument that had six or sometimes seven courses of strings. It had a rounded back and a flat front, resembling the shape of a modern guitar. The strings were made of gut and were plucked with the fingers or a pick. Vihuelas were usually played in a seated position, and their repertoire included both solo pieces and accompaniment for vocal music.

Another instrument that was popular during the Renaissance and had some similarities to the guitar was the lute. The lute had a pear-shaped body, and a fretted neck, and usually had multiple courses of strings. It was played by plucking the strings with the fingers. The lute was highly regarded and widely played by both amateur and professional musicians of the time.

While the vihuela and lute dominated stringed instruments of the Renaissance, there were other variations and regional variants that emerged during this period. For example, in Spain, the guitarra latina and the guitarra morisca were played. These instruments had similarities to the vihuela and the lute but had distinct characteristics.

It’s important to note that the guitar as we know it today, with its six single strings and standardized tuning, did not fully emerge until the Baroque period and continued to evolve. The Renaissance instruments served as important predecessors and influenced the development of the guitar and its playing techniques.

Types of Music

Renaissance music for guitar-like instruments often included polyphonic compositions, dances, and accompaniment for vocal music. Notable composers of this era, such as John Dowland and Luis de Narváez , wrote music specifically for instruments like the vihuela and lute, which can still be performed on modern guitars today.

Overall, while the guitar as we know it today was not fully developed during the Renaissance, instruments like the vihuela and lute paved the way for its evolution and laid the foundation for the rich tradition of guitar music that followed in subsequent centuries.

The Spanish Influence

The Spanish influence on the guitar during the Baroque and Classical periods was significant and helped shape the instrument’s development and repertoire.

The Baroque Period

During the Baroque period (approximately 1600-1750), Spain played a crucial role in the evolution of the guitar. One of the most influential figures was Gaspar Sanz, a Spanish composer, and guitarist who published a notable work titled “Instrucción de música sobre la guitarra española” (Musical Instruction for the Spanish Guitar) in 1674. Sanz’s publication included a vast collection of guitar compositions and introduced various playing techniques, such as rasgueado (strumming) and punteado (plucking).

In addition to Gaspar Sanz, Francisco Guerau, another Spaniard, composed guitar music during the Baroque period. Guerau’s work, “Poema harmónico,” published in 1694, contained intricate and virtuosic compositions for the guitar.

The Classical Period

During the Classical period (roughly late 18th century), the Spanish influence on the guitar continued to be prominent. One of the most renowned composers and guitarists of this time was Fernando Sor. Sor, a Spanish virtuoso, composed numerous guitar works that showcased the instrument’s expressive capabilities. His compositions included solo pieces, duets, and chamber music.

It’s also worth mentioning that the six-string guitar, as we know it today, began to gain popularity during the Classical period. The instrument underwent significant modifications and improvements in terms of its construction, including the introduction of fan bracing, which enhanced the guitar’s tonal qualities.

Spanish luthiers (guitar makers) played a crucial role in advancing the instrument’s design during this time. Antonio de Torres Jurado , often referred to as the “father of the modern classical guitar,” was a Spanish luthier who made important innovations to the guitar’s construction, such as increasing its size and improving its sound projection.

Furthermore, Spanish guitarist and composer Dionisio Aguado contributed to the development of guitar technique through his instructional works, focusing on scales, arpeggios, and other fundamental aspects of guitar playing.

The Spanish influence on the guitar during the Baroque and Classical periods not only impacted the instrument’s repertoire but also helped establish playing techniques and contributed to advancements in guitar construction. The legacy of Spanish composers, performers, and luthiers during these periods remains influential and continues to shape the classical guitar tradition.

19th Century Innovations

The 19th century witnessed several notable innovations and advancements in guitar design, construction, and playing techniques. These developments greatly influenced the evolution of the instrument and expanded its capabilities. Here are some key innovations from that period:

Increased Guitar Size

In the early 19th century, guitar makers started increasing the size of the instrument to improve its volume and tonal projection. The larger body allowed for greater resonance and a fuller sound. This shift was influenced by the Spanish luthier Antonio de Torres Jurado, who is credited with pioneering the modern classical guitar design.

Fan Bracing

Torres also introduced the use of fan bracing, a structural element inside the guitar body that supported the top (soundboard) and increased its stability while allowing for better resonance. Fan bracing became a standard feature in classical guitars and contributed to their improved sound quality and projection.

Metal Frets

Before the 19th century, gut strings were tied directly onto the guitar’s neck, and there were no frets as we know them today. However, the introduction of metal frets in the 19th century revolutionized guitar playing. Frets made it easier to play in tune and allowed for more precise intonation and chord voicings.

Six-String Configuration

While six-string guitars existed before the 19th century, it was during this period that the six-string configuration became more widely adopted as the standard. The addition of the sixth string (typically tuned to low E) expanded the guitar’s range and allowed for greater harmonic possibilities and bass accompaniment.

Steel-String Guitars

In the mid-19th century, the use of steel strings began to gain popularity. Steel strings produced a brighter and more powerful sound compared to gut strings, which were commonly used previously. This innovation led to the development of the steel-string acoustic guitar, a precursor to the modern acoustic guitar.

Guitar Repertoire and Virtuosity

The 19th century saw a surge in the popularity of the guitar as a solo instrument, particularly with the rise of virtuoso performers. Prominent guitarists such as Francisco Tárrega and Fernando Sor pushed the boundaries of technical proficiency on the instrument, expanding its expressive possibilities and inspiring the composition of a more challenging and complex repertoire.

These innovations and advancements in guitar design, construction, and playing techniques during the 19th century laid the foundation for modern classical and steel-string acoustic guitars. The instrument’s improved sound projection, tonal range, and technical capabilities contributed to its continued popularity and further developments in the 20th and 21st centuries.

Revival and Modern Era

The 20th and 21st centuries have seen a remarkable revival and flourishing of classical guitar music. During this time, the classical guitar has gained widespread recognition as a solo instrument and has enjoyed increased popularity among both performers and audiences. Here are some key aspects of the revival and modern era of the classical guitar:

Andrés Segovia and the Guitar Renaissance

The Spanish guitarist Andrés Segovia played a crucial role in the revival of the classical guitar during the early 20th century. Segovia’s virtuosic playing, tireless advocacy, and extensive touring helped elevate the guitar’s status as a concert instrument. He expanded the repertoire by commissioning new compositions from prominent composers like Manuel Ponce and Joaquín Rodrigo, further cementing the guitar’s place in the classical music world.

Composition and Repertoire Expansion

The 20th century witnessed significant growth in the classical guitar repertoire. Composers from various countries, including Heitor Villa-Lobos (Brazil), Leo Brouwer (Cuba), Roland Dyens (France), and John Williams (Australia/UK), among others, composed substantial works for the guitar. These compositions explored new tonal possibilities, extended techniques, and innovative musical forms, enriching the repertoire and pushing the boundaries of the instrument’s expressiveness.

Education and Guitar Festivals

The establishment of specialized guitar departments in music schools and conservatories contributed to the increased visibility and legitimacy of the classical guitar. Guitar festivals and competitions also played a vital role in promoting the instrument, offering platforms for performers to showcase their skills and fostering a vibrant community of guitarists worldwide.

Technological Advances

The advent of recording technology in the early 20th century allowed for the dissemination of guitar music to a broader audience. Recordings by virtuosos such as Segovia, Julian Bream, and Christopher Parkening helped popularize the classical guitar and made its repertoire more accessible.

Evolution of Guitar Construction

In the modern era, luthiers continued to refine the design and construction of classical guitars. They experimented with materials, bracing patterns, and construction techniques to enhance the instrument’s tonal qualities, playability, and projection. The use of new materials like carbon fiber for the guitar’s top and innovative bracing systems became increasingly common.

Global Recognition and Cross-Cultural Influences

The classical guitar gained recognition and attracted performers and composers from diverse cultural backgrounds. Musicians from countries such as Spain, Brazil, Cuba, Mexico, and Japan, to name a few, have made significant contributions to the classical guitar repertoire, infusing it with their distinct musical traditions and styles.

Popularization through the Internet

The advent of the Internet has played a transformative role in the classical guitar world. Online platforms and communities allow for easy access to instructional resources, sheet music, performances, and collaborations, fostering a global network of guitarists and enthusiasts.

Today, the classical guitar continues to thrive as a versatile and expressive instrument. It is performed in prestigious concert halls, included in chamber music ensembles, and embraced in various genres such as jazz, world music, and contemporary classical compositions. The revival and modern era of the classical guitar have firmly established it as a dynamic and vital part of the musical landscape.

Conclusion of a Brief History of the Classical Guitar

From its ancient origins to its modern-day prominence, the classical guitar has traversed a remarkable journey through time. Rooted in diverse cultures and influenced by countless innovators, this instrument has captivated audiences across generations. Today, the classical guitar stands as a testament to the timeless beauty of music and the enduring human spirit of creativity and expression. As we appreciate the rich history of the classical guitar, let us embrace its legacy and continue to explore the limitless possibilities it offers for generations to come.

Remember, whether you’re an aspiring musician, a music lover, or a curious soul, the classical guitar welcomes you to embark on a lifelong adventure filled with enchanting melodies and endless inspiration.

Check out our other related posts:

• How to Read a Guitar Tuner: A Comprehensive Guide for Beginners
• How to Tune an Acoustic Guitar Easily with an Electric Tuner
• Best Classical Guitars Under 1000
• 10 of the Best Beginner Acoustic Guitars

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I have two degrees in guitar performance and was privileged to study under Aaron Shearer, Tom Kikta, David Skantar, Ken Karsh, Tim Bedner, and currently Christopher Berg. Outside my editorial work on this blog, I teach full-time across many genres including classical, jazz, blues, rock, funk, and metal.

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2 responses to “A Brief History of the Classical Guitar”

[…] The development of frets, a standardized body shape, and the addition of a sixth string were pivotal in shaping the classical guitar as we know it today. The instrument gained popularity in the 19th century, with notable figures like Fernando Sor and Francisco Tárrega contributing to its evolution and establishing it as a prominent instrument in the classical music world. For a deeper understanding of the origins of the classical guitar, check out my article A Brief History of the Classical Guitar. […]

[…] A Brief History of the Classical Guitar […]

Guitar Outrun

The History of Fingerstyle Guitar

History of fingerstyle guitar: short key takeaways.

• Fingerstyle guitar traces its roots to ancient plucking techniques, evolving through various cultural influences.
• The 19th century brought innovations and players like Andrés Segovia who popularized fingerstyle.
• The 20th century saw legendary fingerstyle artists such as Mississippi John Hurt and Chet Atkins.
• The folk revival in the 1950s and 1960s reintroduced fingerstyle through musicians like Bob Dylan and Joan Baez.
• Modern fingerstyle blends genres and thrives in the digital age, with notable players like Tommy Emmanuel and Andy McKee.
• Various techniques, including Travis picking and hybrid styles, enrich fingerstyle’s repertoire.
• Fingerstyle has a prominent role in soundtracks, popular music, and storytelling.

Introduction

The beauty of fingerstyle guitar lies in its ability to create enchanting melodies and intricate harmonies, all brought to life by the nimble fingers of the guitarist. In this journey through the history of fingerstyle guitar technique, we’ll explore the roots, evolution, and pivotal figures that have shaped this mesmerizing style. Strap in as we embark on a voyage through time and music.

Early Beginnings

Ancient stringed instruments and plucking techniques.

Long before the modern guitar graced our stages and homes, ancient civilizations were plucking strings with their fingers. From the oud in the Middle East to the Chinese pipa, these instruments laid the foundation for fingerstyle guitar with their delicate and intricate plucking techniques.

Emergence of Fingerpicking in Various Cultures

• Classical Guitar in Spain: Spain’s classical guitar tradition was one of the first to embrace fingerstyle techniques. In the 16th century, musicians like Luis de Milán started using their fingers instead of a pick, introducing a softer and more nuanced tone to their music.
• African and Middle Eastern Influences: Across the African continent and the Middle East, fingerpicking techniques were flourishing. These regions introduced intricate rhythms and percussive elements into the fingerstyle repertoire, adding depth and complexity to the technique.
• American Folk Traditions: As European settlers made their way to the Americas, they brought their stringed instruments and fingerpicking techniques with them. These techniques blended with the rhythms and melodies of indigenous and African cultures, creating a uniquely American fingerstyle tradition.

The Transition from Rudimentary to Systematic Fingerstyle

In its early days, fingerstyle guitar was a matter of necessity and personal preference. Musicians played intuitively, developing their own techniques. However, as the guitar gained popularity, a need arose for systematic teaching and notation. This transition marked the beginning of fingerstyle as a codified and teachable technique.

The Birth of Modern Fingerstyle

19th-century innovations and the influence of segovia.

The 19th century saw significant innovations in guitar construction and playing techniques. The Spanish guitarist Andrés Segovia, often hailed as the father of modern classical guitar, played a pivotal role in popularizing fingerstyle. His precision and technical prowess elevated fingerstyle guitar to new heights.

Transition from Gut to Nylon Strings

The early 20th century witnessed a shift from gut strings to nylon strings, revolutionizing the guitar’s tonal capabilities. Nylon strings produced a warmer, more resonant sound, perfectly suited for fingerstyle playing. This transition opened up new creative possibilities for guitarists.

Notable Fingerstyle Players of the 20th Century

• Mississippi John Hurt: A seminal figure in the country blues genre, Hurt’s fingerstyle technique was characterized by its intricate picking patterns and soulful storytelling. His influence on folk and blues guitarists is immeasurable.
• Merle Travis: Travis’s innovative thumb-picking style added a unique bass-driven rhythm to fingerstyle guitar. His “Travis picking” became a defining feature of country and folk music.
• Chet Atkins: Often called “Mr. Guitar,” Atkins was a true virtuoso. His fingerstyle prowess incorporated elements of jazz, country, and pop, showcasing the versatility of the technique.
• Reverend Gary Davis: A blind street musician turned fingerstyle legend, Davis was a master of syncopation and intricate fingerpicking. His gospel-infused style influenced a generation of folk and blues musicians.

Folk Revival and Fingerstyle’s Resurgence

The folk music boom of the 1950s and 1960s.

The mid-20th century saw a remarkable resurgence of folk music in the United States, a movement that played a pivotal role in the revival of fingerstyle guitar. Folk music became a powerful vehicle for social and political commentary during this era. Artists like Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, and Lead Belly used fingerstyle guitar to convey their messages, inspiring countless others to pick up the guitar and join the folk music revolution.

Folk Icons like Bob Dylan and Joan Baez Embracing Fingerstyle

Bob Dylan and Joan Baez, two of the most iconic figures in folk music history, embraced fingerstyle guitar and brought it to a global audience. Dylan’s poetic lyrics and intricate fingerpicking, as heard in songs like “Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right,” made him a folk legend. Joan Baez’s enchanting voice combined with her fingerstyle guitar playing made her an influential voice in the folk revival.

The Pivotal Role of Folk Festivals and Fingerstyle Competitions

Folk festivals became hotbeds for fingerstyle guitar enthusiasts. The Newport Folk Festival, in particular, became a showcase for fingerstyle virtuosos. Musicians like Mississippi John Hurt, Rev. Gary Davis, and Elizabeth Cotten gained renewed recognition through their performances at these festivals, cementing the importance of fingerstyle guitar in folk music.

Expanding Boundaries: Contemporary Fingerstyle

The fusion of styles and genres.

Modern fingerstyle guitarists have pushed the boundaries of the technique, incorporating diverse influences from various musical genres.

• Jazz Influences (e.g., Lenny Breau): Lenny Breau’s innovative approach blended jazz harmonies and fingerstyle techniques, creating a fusion that expanded the horizons of both genres.
• Fingerstyle in Rock and Pop Music: Fingerstyle guitar found its place in rock and pop music, with artists like Paul Simon, Lindsey Buckingham (Fleetwood Mac), and Mark Knopfler (Dire Straits) incorporating fingerpicking into their iconic hits.
• World Music and Cross-Cultural Influences: Fingerstyle guitarists like Pierre Bensusan drew inspiration from global musical traditions, infusing their compositions with flavors from around the world.

The Impact of Technological Advancements

The digital age has transformed the way fingerstyle guitar is both created and shared.

• Fingerstyle in the Digital Age: Advancements in recording technology and digital effects have given fingerstyle guitarists unprecedented creative control, allowing them to craft intricate and layered compositions.
• YouTube and Online Fingerstyle Communities: The internet has democratized music distribution, enabling fingerstyle guitarists to share their performances and tutorials with a global audience. Platforms like YouTube have birthed vibrant online communities of fingerstyle enthusiasts and budding musicians, creating a space for collaboration and learning.

Notable Modern Fingerstyle Guitarists

As fingerstyle guitar continues to evolve, a new generation of virtuosos has emerged, each contributing a unique voice to the technique.

• Tommy Emmanuel: Tommy Emmanuel’s virtuosity knows no bounds. His fingerstyle prowess combines intricate melodies, percussive elements, and a stage presence that captivates audiences worldwide.
• Andy McKee: Andy McKee is a master of percussive fingerstyle guitar. His innovative techniques, such as slap harmonics and body percussion, have garnered him a massive following.
• Kaki King: Kaki King’s fingerstyle approach is characterized by its intricacy and emotional depth. She seamlessly blends melody and rhythm, creating a mesmerizing sonic landscape.
• Antoine Dufour: Antoine Dufour’s compositions showcase a fusion of folk, classical, and jazz influences. His intricate fingerstyle work and delicate harmonies paint vivid musical landscapes.
• John Butler: John Butler’s fingerstyle guitar is imbued with a raw, earthy energy. His slide guitar work and rhythmic prowess set him apart in the contemporary fingerstyle scene.

Fingerstyle Techniques and Styles

A. travis picking.

Travis picking, named after the legendary Merle Travis, is a fingerstyle technique characterized by a steady alternating bass pattern played with the thumb while the fingers pick out melodies and harmonies on the higher strings. This technique creates a robust and rhythmic sound, making it a staple in country and folk music.

B. Clawhammer Style

Clawhammer style, primarily associated with the banjo, found its way to the guitar and is characterized by a downward striking motion with the fingernails. It’s a distinctive technique with a percussive and rhythmic quality, often used in folk and Appalachian music, adding a unique flavor to fingerstyle guitar.

C. Percussive Fingerstyle

Percussive fingerstyle involves incorporating percussive elements, like tapping and slapping, into the guitar playing. Musicians like Andy McKee and Don Ross have elevated this style, creating complex rhythms and textures that transform the guitar into a one-person band.

D. Hybrid Picking

Hybrid picking is a versatile technique that combines fingerpicking with the use of a plectrum (pick). It allows guitarists to achieve a combination of fingerstyle finesse and the articulation of a pick. This technique is often employed in rock and country genres, offering a wide tonal range.

E. Contemporary Fingerstyle Innovations

Modern fingerstyle guitarists continue to push boundaries by experimenting with unconventional tunings, extended techniques, and unique instruments. They draw from a wide range of musical influences, creating a rich tapestry of sounds that defy genre categorization. This constant innovation keeps fingerstyle guitar fresh and exciting.

The Role of Fingerstyle in Modern Music

A. soundtracks and film scoring.

Fingerstyle guitar has found a significant role in the world of soundtracks and film scoring. Its ability to convey emotions and create atmospheric textures makes it a favorite choice for composers. Films like “Into the Wild,” featuring Eddie Vedder’s fingerstyle compositions, showcase the instrument’s storytelling capabilities.

B. Fingerstyle in Popular Music

From Ed Sheeran’s chart-topping hits to John Mayer’s soulful ballads, fingerstyle guitar has permeated the realm of popular music. Its versatility allows artists to craft intricate arrangements that captivate audiences and elevate their songs to new heights.

C. Fingerstyle as a Storytelling Medium

Fingerstyle guitar isn’t merely a technique; it’s a storytelling medium. Artists use it to convey narratives, evoke emotions, and create vivid sonic landscapes. The subtle nuances of fingerstyle playing can paint a picture or convey the deepest of feelings, making it a powerful tool for musical expression.

Learning Fingerstyle Guitar

A. resources for aspiring fingerstyle guitarists, 1. books and instructional materials.

A wealth of instructional books, tabs, and sheet music is available for aspiring fingerstyle guitarists. Works by renowned musicians like Tommy Emmanuel and Antoine Dufour provide valuable insights into technique, composition, and style.

2. Online Tutorials and Courses

The digital age has made learning fingerstyle guitar more accessible than ever. Online tutorials and courses on platforms like TrueFire and YouTube offer step-by-step guidance, allowing beginners to learn at their own pace and explore various styles.

B. The Importance of Practice and Patience

Learning fingerstyle guitar is a journey that requires dedication and patience. Developing finger dexterity, mastering techniques, and building a repertoire all take time. Consistent practice and a passion for the art will ultimately lead to mastery, enabling aspiring guitarists to create their own musical stories through fingerstyle playing.

The enduring appeal of fingerstyle guitar lies in its timeless ability to captivate and move listeners. From its ancient roots to its modern innovations, this technique continues to evolve, adapting to new genres and technologies. As we conclude this exploration, I encourage you to explore the rich history and limitless potential of fingerstyle guitar. Whether you’re a seasoned guitarist or just beginning your musical journey, the world of fingerstyle guitar offers a captivating and rewarding path of expression. So, pick up your guitar, let your fingers dance on the strings, and create melodies that resonate through time and space.

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Paragraph on Guitar

Students are often asked to write a paragraph on Guitar in their schools. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 200-word, and 250-word paragraphs on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

Paragraph on Guitar in 100 Words

A guitar is a fun musical instrument with six strings. It’s made of wood and comes in all sorts of colors. By strumming or plucking its strings, you can play many different tunes. Some people use a small piece called a pick to play it. There are two main types of guitars, acoustic and electric. Acoustic guitars are often bigger and make sound on their own. Electric guitars need an amplifier to be loud. People play guitars in many types of music, like rock, country, and blues. Learning to play the guitar can be a wonderful way to make music.

Paragraph on Guitar in 200 Words

A guitar is a wonderful musical instrument that makes lovely sounds. It has a long neck with six strings attached. People play it by strumming or plucking the strings with one hand and pressing on them with the other hand. When you press the strings against the neck, it changes the sound. You can play many songs on a guitar, from slow, beautiful tunes to fast, exciting ones. Many people love the guitar because it’s not too big, so you can take it with you and play it anywhere. You can play it at a party or at a campfire under the stars. Some people enjoy playing the guitar alone, while others like to play it in a band with friends. Learning to play the guitar can be fun, but it also takes a lot of practice. It’s like learning to ride a bicycle; at first, it might seem hard, but once you get the hang of it, it becomes easy and enjoyable. The guitar is a magical instrument that brings joy to both the person playing it and those listening.

Also check:

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• Essay on Guitar

Paragraph on Guitar in 250 Words

A guitar is a popular musical instrument that we see in many musical performances. It is stringed, usually with six strings, but some kinds have more. The sound from a guitar is made when the strings are strummed or plucked with fingers or a pick. The guitar body amplifies the sound. There are two main types of guitars: acoustic and electric. Acoustic guitars create sound through a hollow body that echoes the vibrations of the strings. Electric guitars need an amplifier to make their sound louder. They can create a variety of sounds, which makes them popular in different music styles, like rock, pop, blues, and jazz. Guitars are also important in classical music. Learning to play the guitar can be fun and rewarding. It takes practice to become skilled, but you can start making music even as a beginner. You have to learn chords, which are combinations of notes, and scales, which are sequences of notes. These are the basic building blocks of songs. Guitar music can be written in different ways, such as sheet music or tablature. Sheet music tells you the notes to play, while tablature shows you where to put your fingers on the fretboard. Playing the guitar can be a great way to express yourself and connect with others who enjoy music.

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