Here’s a history of the Guitar, the various types such as classical, acoustic, bass, and electric. Good for inspiration and also to help with your theory in case you are doing some research on guitars.
The guitar is probably one of the most common and popular musical instrument today. But where did this wonderful instrument come from, who founded it and what is really the story behind it? So many of us listen to and enjoy music and the amazing beats of the various musical instruments, the most popular one being the guitar. We watch music videos, enjoy listening to pop, blues, reggae, and ballads etc which use the guitar extensively.
The guitar has become a kind of fashion apart from being a mark of creativity. Knowing to play a guitar earns you a “cool” status these days, especially amongst youngsters. And for those pursuing music seriously, guitar is a must have and a must know.
With many enhancements and upgrades, there are various kinds of guitars available in the market such as classical guitars, twelve string guitars, electric guitars and many other varieties. Each of it being a different make, type and fulfilling different requirements too. With such developments in this instrument, it becomes even more pertinent to understand and reveal the history of a guitar. Where did it come from, who found it and when?
History of the Guitar – Classical, Acoustic, Bass, Electric Guitars
The acoustic guitar has a rich history that extends back several centuries while the electric guitar is less than a hundred years old.
The “ancestors” of our modern instruments can be found at least as far back as the 13th and 14th centuries, during the European Renaissance. The origins can be traced back to Europe and Central Asia where stringed instruments (of some kind) were used. Those countries still use fretted instruments such as sitar (which are cousins of the guitar).
Around 1400BC, Romans converted an already existing stringed instrument into a more playable one and called it the cithara. Around the 8th Century, the Moors introduced their 4-sting Oud, which further led to the modification of the cithara, and from this, the modern day guitar developed.
By the 16th century, music composed specifically for the guitar appeared. A Spanish instrument known as a vihuela is generally considered the immediate ancestor of the modern guitar, which soon outshone the viheula in popularity. It is safe to say that the 16th and 17th centuries saw the emergence of the guitar as an instrument in its own right.
In the 1800’s, some more alterations were made to the guitar, some using fan struts under the soundboard, some featuring 6 strings, in some cases the neck was raised and the fingerboard was made of ebony or rosewood. Also the tuning pegs were replaced with machine tuners. As a result of all these changes, the classical guitar was born.
Origins of the Name: The name “Guitar” is inspired from many languages. From India, ancient Sanskrit word “tar” meant “string”, similarly in Persian the word “tar” denotes the same meaning. The term in German “Gitarre”, French “Guitare”, Latin “Chitara” etc are all descendants of the word “tar”. Hence you will see that there are many influences of the word from various parts of the world.
Evolution of the Guitar
When was the guitar really introduced? Who invented the first guitar and when? There is no exact date as to when the guitar was created but its history can be traced back to almost 4000 years.
Predecessors of Guitar
There were many predecessors to the modern guitar. Some of the types of guitar are as follows:
First Guitar Ever Made: Who Invented It?
The Vinaccia family of luthiers (in Italy) is known for developing the mandolin. The earliest extant six string acoustic guitar was built in 1779 by Gaetano Vinaccia (1759 – after 1831) in Naples, Italy. So actually, this guitar was actually a mandolin in its first stage of play.
The first actual acoustic guitar was developed by Antonio Torres Jurado (from Spain) around 1850. He added his own attachments to help differentiate the instrument from the mandolin and become its own thing, known as a guitar.
That is why, Spain is where the guitar is said to have originated first. No doubt the guitar is such an important part of the Spanish music culture.
The electric guitar was patented by George Beauchamp in 1936. Beauchamp, Adolph Rickenbacker & Paul Barth, co-founded Rickenbacher, which used the horseshoe-magnet pickup.
However, it was Danelectro that first produced electric guitars for the wider public. Danelectro also pioneered tube amp technology.
Though George Beauchamp was the first to patent the electric guitar, the original inventor was Les Paul, when he was a teenager he made a crude configuration out his acoustic and his radio.
Evolution of the electric guitar…
Summary
Guitar is one the most popular musical instruments in the recent times but it was not developed overnight. The guitar has a history and you will be surprised to know that its ancestors can be traced back to as early as the 3rd century. Although one cannot say for sure who invented the guitar, its predecessors like the tanpur, sitar etc have been found in Asia, Egypt and many other parts of the world. Over the centuries, the guitar has only evolved, from the ancient Renaissance to modern electric guitar. Technology has played a major role in the evolution of the guitar, from acoustic to electrical, and has helped it to be an instrument of mass popularity and entertainment today.
In the history of recorded music, the guitar initially played a relatively minor role. Guitar solos or lead lines were rare, and the instrument was usually relegated to a supporting role. With the rise of guitar amplification and the availability of recorded music to a wider range of listeners, the status of both the electric and acoustic guitar rose substantially. Without question, no musical instrument has affected popular culture in the 20th or 21st century as has the guitar.
KeytarHQ editorial team includes musicians who write and review products for pianists, keyboardists, guitarists & other musicians. KeytarHQ is the best online resource for information on keyboards, pianos, synths, keytars, guitars and music gear for musicians of all abilities, ages and interests.
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