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Overdub

Overdub

Overdubbing is a technique used by recording studios to add a supplementary recorded sound to a previously taped musical recording. The overdub was first used by inventor and guitarist Les Paul on his 1947 "Lover (When You're Near Me)", featuring eight different electric guitar pieces. His later work would be seminal in the popularization of multi-track recording. Overdubs can be used for a variety of reasons. One of the most obvious is for convenience; for example, if a bassist is temporarily unavailable, the recording can be made and the bass track added later. Similarly, if only one or two guitarists are available but a song calls for multiple guitar parts, a guitarist can play both lead and rhythm guitar (such as in Cream's hit, "Sunshine of Your Love", when it would have been physically impossible for Eric Clapton to solo and play rhythm at the same time). Singers who also play an instrument find overdubbing a convenience, since it allows them to focus on one role at a time. In other cases, overdubbing can be used to enhance the quality of a track, such as adding orchestral pieces (i.e. "A Day In The Life"). Obviously, the alternative (fitting an entire orchestra into a recording studio) would have been less attractive. The members of Queen overdubbed their voices to create the chorus effect for Bohemian Rhapsody. Numerous recording artists have made albums with only (or mostly) themselves performing, using overdubs to serve as their own 'one-man band', including Paul McCartney (McCartney, McCartney II, and 2005's Chaos and Creation in the Backyard), Todd Rundgren (Something/Anything?), and Prince, on many of his 1980s classics. Overdubbing can at times have a negative connotation, when it is seen as being used to artificially enhance the musical skills of an artist. The early records of the Monkees were made by groups of studio musicians recording backing tracks to the songs (often in a different studio, and some before the group was even formed), which were later overdubbed with the Monkees' vocals. While the songs became hits, many critics cried foul, and Michael Nesmith in particular disliked having to "duplicate someone else's records" for their television show. No cheating was intended in the practise (with the emphasis on the TV program, and the four members not an experienced group, it was felt that using studio 'ringers' would be more efficient), and numerous other singers and groups had studio help, but this didn't save them from critical and public scorn.

See also


- Multitrack recording
- Dubbing (music)

Recording studio

A recording studio is a facility for sound recording.

Design and equipment

Recording studios generally consist of at least two rooms: the studio itself, where the sound for the recording is created, and the control room, where the sound from the studio is recorded and manipulated. Recording studios are carefully designed so that they have good acoustics and that there is good isolation between the rooms. Equipment found in a recording studio commonly includes:
- Mixing console
- Multitrack recorder
- Microphones
- Reference monitors, which are loudspeakers with a flat frequency response And may also include:
- Digital Audio Workstation
- Music workstation
- Outboard Effects, such as compressors, reverbs, or equalizers

History

Early recording studios often lacked isolation booths, baffles, and sometimes even speakers. Designed for live recording of an entire band or performance, they attempted rather to group musicians and singers than to separate them. (Modern sound stages sometimes use this approach for large film scoring projects today.) With the introduction of multi-track recording, it became possible to record instruments and singers separately and at different times on different tracks on tape. Therefore, the emphasis shifted to isolation and sound-proofing. In the 1960s, recordings were analog recordings made using ¼-inch or ½-inch eight-track magnetic tape. By the early 1970s, recordings progressed to using 1-inch or 2-inch 16- or 32-track equipment. Most contemporary recording studios now use digital recording equipment and the number of tracks is limited only by the capacity of the mixing console or computer. General purpose computers are assuming a larger role in the recording process, being able to replace the mixing consoles, recorders, synthesizers, samplers and sound effects devices. A computer thus outfitted is called a Digital Audio Workstation. Popular software packages for recording studios include Digidesign Pro Tools, Cubase and Nuendo by Steinberg, Motu Digital Performer, Ableton Live (although this is geared more towards performance) and Apple Logic Pro. Apple Macintosh hardware tends to be favored in the recording industry, though much software is also available for Microsoft Windows and Linux. There are also dedicated computers which integrate a recorder, preamps, effects, and a mixing console; these devices are also called DAWs. A small, personal recording studio is sometimes called a project studio. Such studios often cater to specific needs of an individual artist, or are used as a non-commercial hobby. The first modern project studios came into being during the late 1980s, with the advent of affordable multitrack recorders, synthesizers and microphones. The phenomenon has flourished with falling prices, MIDI equipment, and inexpensive digital hard-disk recording solutions.

See also


- The recording studios category on wikipedia
- A list of famous recording studios ja:録音スタジオ

1947

1947 (MCMXLVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar).

Events

January


- January 1 - British mines nationalized
- January 1 - Nigeria gains limited autonomy
- January 1 - The Canadian Citizenship Act went into effect
- January 3 - Proceedings of the U.S. Congress are televised for the first time
- January 10 - United Nations takes control of the free city of Trieste
- January 15 - Elizabeth Short (the "Black Dahlia") is found murdered
- January 16 - Inauguration of Vincent Auriol as a president of France
- January 24 - Demetrios Maximos founds monarchist government in Athens
- January 25 - Philippinean plane crashes in Hong Kong with $5 million worth of gold and money
- January 30 - February 8 - heavy blizzard in Canada buries towns from Winnipeg to Calgary

February


- February 3 - In Snag, Yukon Territory, -63 degrees Celsius
- February 3 - Percival Prattis becomes the first African American news correspondent allowed in the United States House of Representatives and Senate press gallery.
- February 5 - Boleslaw Bierut becomes president of Poland
- February 10 - Paris peace treaties signed between the World War II Allies and Italy, Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria: Italy cedes most of Istria to Yugoslavia
- February 12 - A meteor creates a crater into Sikhote-Alin, Soviet Union
- February 17 - Propaganda: The Voice of America begins to transmit radio broadcasts into the Soviet Union.
- February 20 - State of Prussia ceases to exist
- February 20 - Explosion at the O'Connor Electro-Plating Co in Los Angeles, California - 17 dead, 100 buildings damaged, 22-foot crater
- February 21 - In New York City, Edwin Land demonstrates the first "instant camera", the Polaroid Land Camera, to a meeting of the Optical Society of America.
- February 23 - International Organization for Standardization (ISO) is founded.
- February 28 - USA gives France a military base in Casablanca
- February 28 - In Taiwan, civil disorder is put down with large loss of civilian lives.

March-May


- March 1 - The International Monetary Fund begins to operate.
- March 1 - Wernher von Braun marries his first cousin, 18-year-old Maria von Quirstorp.
- March 1 - Japanese city Tsushima, Aichi is founded
- March 6 - USS Newport News, the first air-conditioned naval ship, is launched from Newport News, Virginia.
- March 12 - The Truman Doctrine is proclaimed to help stem the spread of Communism.
- March 15 - Hindus and Muslims clash in Punjab
- March 21 - Homer Collyer of the Collyer brothers is found dead in their house in Harlem, New York City. His brother is found April 8
- March 25 - A coalmine explosion in Centralia, Illinois kills 111.
- March 28 - WW2 Japanese booby trap explodes in Corregidor - 28 dead
- March 29 - Rebellion against French rule erupts in Madagascar
- April 16 - The Texas City Disaster - Ammonium nitrate cargo of SS Grandcap explodes in Texas City, Texas - 552 dead, 3000 injured, 200 lost, 20 city blocks destroyed
- May 1 - Gang of Salvatore Giuliano opens fire on a labor parade near Portella Della Ginestra, Sicily; Eleven killed, thirty wounded
- May 3 - New post-war Japanese constitution goes into effect.
- May 22 - Cold War: In an effort to fight the spread of Communism, President Harry S. Truman signs an act implementing the Truman Doctrine. The act granted $400 million in military and economic aid to Turkey and Greece.

June


- June 5 - Secretary of State Gen George Marshall outlines the Marshall Plan for U.S. aid to Europe.
- June 10 - Saab produces its first automobile.
- June 15 - Portuguese government orders 11 military officers and 19 university professors to resign accused of revolutionary activity
- June 20 - Bugsy Siegel found shot in the Beverly Hills mansion of Virginia Hill
- June 21 - A Seaman named Harold Dahl claims to have seen six UFOs near Maury Island. The next morning Dahl reports the first modern MIB encounter.
- June 23 - The United States Senate follows the United States House of Representatives in overriding U.S. President Harry S. Truman's veto of the Taft-Hartley Act.

July

Taft-Hartley Act
- July 1 - The Australian real estate franchise L. J. Hooker lists on the Australian Stock Exchange
- July 7 - Downed UFO believed to be found in the Roswell UFO incident
- July 10 - Princess Elizabeth announces engagement to Philip Mountbatten
- July 11 - Exodus (ship) departs France to Palestine with 4500 Jewish Holocaust survivor refugees
- July 18 - Following wide media and UNSCOP coverage, Exodus (ship) is captured by British troops and refused entry to Palestine in the port of Haifa
- July 18 - President Harry S. Truman signs the Presidential Succession Act into law which places the Speaker of the House and the Senate President Pro Tempore next in the line of succession after the United States Vice President.
- July 19 - Murder of Burmese nationalist Aung San
- July 24 - 100 year anniversary of Brigham Young leading 148 Mormon pioneers into the Salt Lake Valley, resulting in the establishment of Salt Lake City.
- July 26 - Cold War: U.S. President Harry S. Truman signs the National Security Act into United States law creating the Central Intelligence Agency, Department of Defense, Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the National Security Council.
- July 29 - After being shut off on November 9, 1946 for a refurbishment, ENIAC, one of the world's first digital computers, is turned on after a memory upgrade. It will remain in continuous operation until October 2, 1955.
- July 30 - Thor Heyerdahl sails with Kon-Tiki

August

Kon-Tiki Kon-Tiki
- August 5 - Netherlands stops political actions in Indonesia
- August 7 - Thor Heyerdahl's balsa wood raft the Kon-Tiki, smashes into the reef at Raroia in the Tuamotu Islands after a 101 day, 4,300 mile journey across the Pacific Ocean proving that pre-historic peoples could have traveled from South America.
- August 7 - The Bombay Municipal Corporation formally takes over the Bombay Electric Supply and Transport (BEST).
- August 9 - Beginning the 6 Scout World Jamboree - see [http://www.jamboree1947.com Jamboree Scout 1947] (in French)
- August 14 - Pakistan gains independence from the British Empire under the leadership of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah. While the transition is officially at midnight on this day, Pakistan celebrates its independence on August 14 compared to India on the 15th. Muhammad Ali Jinnah became the first Governor General of Pakistan.
- August 15 - Following decades of nonviolent resistance and periodic civil unrest from 1919, India gains independence from the British Empire. Pakistan splits from India. Jawaharlal Nehru takes office as first Prime Minister of India.
- August 15 - The Khan of Baluchistan declares independence (acceeds to Pakistan in 1948)
- August 16 - In Greece, General Markos Vafiadis takes over
- August 23 - Prime Minister of Greece Dimitrios Maximos resigns.
- August 27 - When the French government lowers the bread ration to 200 grams, it causes riots in Verdun and Le Mans

September-October


- September 4-September 21 - Hurricane in southeast Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama - 51 killed
- September 9 - "First actual case of (a computer) bug being found" - a moth lodged in a relay of a Mark II computer at Harvard.
- September 13 - Nehru suggests transfer of 4 million Hindus and Muslims between India and Pakistan.
- September 18 - The United States Army Air Forces, along with some components of the United States Navy's air arm, becomes the United States Air Force.
- October 14 - American test pilot, Captain Chuck Yeager flies a Bell X-1 faster than the speed of sound, the first man to do so in level flight.
- October 20 - The Indo-Pakistani War of 1947 begins
- October 30 - The General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), which is the foundation of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) is founded.

November


- November 2 - In California, Designer Howard Hughes performs the maiden flight of the Spruce Goose; the largest fixed-wing aircraft ever built (flight lasted only eight minutes).
- November 2 - Earthquake in Chilean Andes - 233 dead
- November 10 - Arrest of four steel workers in Marseille begins a communist rioting that spreads to Paris
- November 16 - 15.000 demonstrate in Brussels against the relatively short sentences of Nazis.
- November 16 - British begin to withdraw their troops from Palestine.
- November 20- Her Royal Highness Princess Elizabeth marries the Duke of Edinburgh at Westminster Abbey, London.
- November 20 - Paul Ramadier resigns as Prime Minister of France - he is succeeded by Robert Schuman. Schuman calls 80.000 reservists to quell the rioting miners
- November 24 - Red Scare:The United States House of Representatives votes 346 to 17 to approve citations of contempt of U.S. Congress against the so-called Hollywood 10 after the 10 had refused to co-operate with the House Un-American Activities Committee concerning allegations of Communist influence in the movie industry, (the 10 were blacklisted by Hollywood movie studios the next day).
- November 25 - New Zealand ratifies the Statute of Westminster and thus becomes independent of legislative control by the United Kingdom.
- November 27 - In Paris, police occupy editorial offices of communist newspapers.
- November 29 - The United Nations General Assembly votes to partition Palestine between Arabs and Jews.

December


- December 3 - French communist strikers derail Paris-Tourcoing Express train because of false rumors that it was transporting soldiers - 21 dead
- December 3 - Tennessee Williams' play A Streetcar Named Desire opens on Broadway.
- December 4 - French interior minister Jules Moch secures emergency measures against riots after six days of violent arguments in the national assembly
- December 9 - French labour unions calls off the general strike and begin negotiations with the French government
- December 23 - the Transistor is invented.
- December 30 - King Michael of Romania abdicates

Unknown dates


- Prussia is legally abolished in March by the Allied Control Council following World War II and the establishment of the Oder-Neisse line as Germany's eastern border.
- The House Un-American Activities Committee begin their investigations of communism in Hollywood.
- Cambridge University begins to admits women as full students.
- Mikhail Kalashnikov designs the AK-47 assault rifle.
- Walter Morrison invents the Frisbee.
- Raytheon produces first commercial microwave oven.
- Women's suffrage is granted in Argentina.

Births

January


- January 1 - Afeni Shakur
- January 2 - Ai
- January 2 - Jack Hanna, American zoologist
- January 3 - Patricia Anthony
- January 6 - Sandy Denny, British vocalist (d. 1978)
- January 8 - David Bowie, English musician
- January 8 - Jenny Boyd
- January 8 - Samuel Schmid, Swiss Federal Councilor
- January 16 - Laura Schlessinger, American psychologist and radio talk show host
- January 18 - Takeshi Kitano, Japanese film director and actor
- January 23 - Thomas R. Carper, U.S. Senator from Delaware.
- January 24 - Warren Zevon, American musician (d. 2003)
- January 29 - Linda B. Buck, American biologist, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine
- January 30 - Les Barker, English poet
- January 30 - Steve Marriott, British musician (The Small Faces) (d. 1991)
- January 31 - Nolan Ryan, baseball player

February


- February 1 - Jessica Savitch, American journalist (d. 1983)
- February 2 - Farrah Fawcett, American actress
- February 2 - Melanie, American singer
- February 3 - Paul Auster, American novelist
- February 4 - Dan Quayle, Vice President of the United States
- February 5 - Darrell Waltrip, American race car driver and broadcaster
- February 10 - Louise Arbour, Canadian jurist
- February 13 - Mike Krzyzewski, American basketball coach
- February 18 - Princess Christina of the Netherlands
- February 18 - Dennis DeYoung, American musician (Styx)
- February 20 - Peter Osgood, English footballer
- February 20 - Peter Strauss, American actor
- February 24 - Edward James Olmos, American actor
- February 25 - Lee Evans, American athlete
- February 25 - Doug Yule, American singer and musician (The Velvet Underground)
- February 27 - Gidon Kremer, Latvian violinist

March


- March 3 - Miyamoto Teru, Japanese author
- March 4 - Jan Garbarek, Norwegian musician
- March 6 - Kiki Dee, American singer
- March 6 - Dick Fosbury, American athlete
- March 6 - Rob Reiner, American actor, comedian, and producer
- March 7 - Matthew Fisher, British singer-songwriter, and producer
- March 7 - Walter Röhrl, German car racer
- March 7 - Richard Lawson, American actor
- March 8 - Carole Bayer Sager, American composer
- March 10 - Kim Campbell, Prime Minister of Canada (1993)
- March 12 - Kalervo Palsa, Finnish artist
- March 13 - Beat Richner, Swiss pediatrician and cellist
- March 14 - Pam Ayres, English poet
- March 14 - Billy Crystal, American actor and comedian
- March 15 - Ry Cooder, American guitarist
- March 19 - Glenn Close, American actress
- March 20 - John Boswell, American historian (d. 1994)
- March 24 - Louise Lanctôt, Canadian terrorist and writer
- March 25 - Elton John, English singer
- March 27 - Walt Mossberg, American newspaper columnist

April


- April 1 - Alain Connes, French mathematician
- April 2 - Emmylou Harris, American singer
- April 2 - Camille Paglia, American writer
- April 6 - John Ratzenberger, American actor
- April 8 - Tom DeLay, American politician
- April 11 - Deem Bristow, American video game actor (d. 2005)
- April 12 - Tom Clancy, American author
- April 12 - David Letterman, American entertainer
- April 16 - Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, American basketball player
- April 18 - Kathy Acker, American author (d. 1997)
- April 18 - James Woods, American actor
- April 19 - Murray Perahia, American pianist
- April 23 - Philip Schneider, American structural engineer
- April 25 - Johan Cruijff, Dutch footballer and coach
- April 29 - Olavo de Carvalho, Brazilian philosopher

May


- May 6 - Martha Nussbaum, American philosopher
- May 8 - H. Robert Horvitz, American biologist, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine
- May 13 - Stephen R. Donaldson, American novelist
- May 26 - Glenn Turner, New Zealand cricket captains
- May 27 - Branko Oblak, Slovenian football player and coach

June


- June 4 - Viktor Klima, Chancellor of Austria
- June 6 - David Blunkett, British politician
- June 6 - Ada Kok, Dutch swimmer
- June 8 - Eric F. Wieschaus, American biologist, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine
- June 14 - Barry Melton, American musician (Country Joe and The Fish and The Dinosaurs)
- June 15 - John Hoagland, American war photographer (d. 1984)
- June 16 - -minu, Swiss columnist and writer
- June 19 - Salman Rushdie, Indian-born author
- June 20 - The Duchess of Gloucester
- June 20 - Candy Clark, American actress
- June 21 - Shirin Ebadi, Iranian activist, recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize
- June 22 - David Lander, American actor and baseball scout
- June 22 - Pete Maravich, American basketball player (d. 1988)
- June 22 - Mike Stone, American football player
- June 28 - Mark Helprin, American writer

July


- July 2 - Larry David, American actor, writer, producer, and director
- July 3 - John William Carter, son of U.S President Jimmy Carter and Rosalynn Carter
- July 7 - Richard Beckinsale, British actor
- July 9 - O. J. Simpson, American football player, actor, and suspected murderer
- July 10 - Arlo Guthrie, American singer
- July 10 - Jackie Lane, British actress
- July 17 - Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall
- July 19 - Brian May, English guitarist (Queen)
- July 20 - Gerd Binnig, German-born physicist, Nobel Prize laureate
- July 20 - Carlos Santana, Mexican guitarist
- July 21 - Co Adriaanse, Dutch football manager
- July 24 - Peter Serkin, American pianist
- July 30 - Arnold Schwarzenegger, Austrian-born actor, bodybuilder, and Governor of California

August


- August 10 - Ian Anderson, British musician (Jethro Tull)
- August 15 - Raakhee Gulzar, Indian actress
- August 19 - Gerard Schwarz, American conductor
- August 24 - Roger De Vlaeminck, Belgian road cyclist
- August 28 - Liza Wang, Hong Kong actress

September


- September 1 - Al Green, American politician
- September 3 - Kjell Magne Bondevik, Prime Minister of Norway
- September 17 - Tessa Jowell, British politician
- September 19 - Steve Bartlett, U.S. Congressman and Mayor of Dallas, Texas
- September 21 - Stephen King, American author
- September 22 - Norma McCorvey, American abortion plaintiff
- September 27 - Dick Advocaat, Dutch football manager
- September 30 - Marc Bolan, English musician (T Rex) (d. 1977)

October


- October 1 - Aaron Ciechanover, Israeli biologist, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry
- October 5 - Brian Johnson, English singer
- October 14 - Lukas Resetarits, Austrian cabaret artist and actor
- October 17 - Gene Green, American politician
- October 19 - Giorgio Cavazzano, Italian comics artist and illustrator
- October 24 - Kevin Kline, American actor
- October 26 - Hillary Rodham Clinton, First Lady of the United States and Senator from New York
- October 26 - Trevor Joyce, Irish poet

November


- November 14 - P. J. O'Rourke, American journalist and satirist
- November 19 - Bob Boone, baseball player and manager
- November 19 - Lamar S. Smith, American politician
- November 24 - Dwight Schultz, American actor

December


- December 7 - Wendy Padbury, British actress
- December 8 - Thomas R. Cech, American chemist, Nobel Prize laureate
- December 9 - Tom Daschle, U.S. Senator
- December 14 - Christopher Parkening, American guitarist
- December 18 - Rod Piazza, American musician
- December 16 - Vincent Matthews, American athlete
- December 21 - Paco de Lucía, Spanish guitarist
- December 26 - Carlton Fisk, baseball player
- December 28 - Aurelio Rodríguez, Mexican Major League Baseball player (d. 2000)
- December 29 - Ted Danson, American actor
- December 30 - Michael Burns, American actor
- December 30 - Jeff Lynne, British musician (Electric Light Orchestra)
- December 31 - Tim Matheson, American actor
- December 31 - Burton Cummings, Canadian Musician Songwriter

Unknown date


- Florence Anthony, American poet

Fictional

None yet. Please erase this and put a name when one goes up here.

Deaths


- Emil J. Brach, American candy manufacturer (b. 1859)
- January 20 - Andrew Volstead, American politician (b. 1860)
- January 25 - Al Capone, American gangster (b. 1899)
- March 11 - Victor Lustig, Austrian-born con artist (b. 1890)
- March 18 - William C. Durant, American automobile pioneer (b. 1861)
- March 19 - Prudence Heward, Canadian painter (b. 1896)
- March 20 - Victor Goldschmidt, Swiss geochemist (b. 1888)
- March 30 - Arthur Machen, Welsh-born author (b. 1863)
- April 1 - King George II of Greece (b. 1890)
- April 7 - Henry Ford, American automobile manufacturer (b. 1863)
- April 20 - King Christian X of Denmark (b. 1870)
- April 24 - Willa Cather, American novelist (b. 1873)
- May 8 - Harry Gordon Selfridge, American department store magnate (b. 1858)
- May 16 - Frederick Hopkins, English biochemist, recipient of the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine (b. 1861)
- May 17 - George William Forbes, Prime Minister of New Zealand
- May 20 - Philipp Lenard, Austrian physicist, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1862)
- May 24 - C. F. Ramuz, Swiss writer (b. 1878)
- July 19 - Aung San, Burmese nationalist (assassinated) (b. 1915)
- July 30 - Joseph Cook, sixth Prime Minister of Australia (b. 1860)
- October 4 - Max Planck, German physicist, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1858)
- October 6 - Leevi Madetoja, Finnish composer (b. 1887)
- November 25 - Léon-Paul Fargue, French writer (b. 1876)
- December 1 - Aleister Crowley, British occultist (b. 1875)
- December 1 - G. H. Hardy, British mathematician (b. 1877)
- December 7 - Tristan Bernard, French writer and lawyer (b. 1866)
- December 7 - Nicholas M. Butler, American president of Columbia University, recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize (b. 1862)
- December 17 - J. N. Brønsted, Danish chemist (b. 1879)

Nobel Prizes


- Physics - Edward Victor Appleton
- Chemistry - Sir Robert Robinson
- Medicine - Carl Ferdinand Cori, Gerty Cori, Bernardo Houssay
- Literature - André Gide
- Peace - The Friends Service Council (UK) and The American Friends Service Committee (USA), on behalf of the Religious Society of Friends Category:1947 ko:1947년 ms:1947 ja:1947年 simple:1947 th:พ.ศ. 2490

Guitar

A guitar is a stringed musical instrument. It is often played with the fingers of the left hand. The right hand plucks the strings with either the fingers or a plectrum (guitar pick). The sound is produced by vibrating strings, which in turn resonate the body and neck. Guitars may be acoustic, electric (i.e. with electrical amplification) or both. Classical guitars are also present in the guitar family, although they are not as popular as the prior two. Guitars have a body acting mostly as a resonator, which can be hollow in acoustic guitars or solid in most electric guitars, and a neck. Typically, a headstock extends from the neck for tuning. Guitars are made and repaired by luthiers. Guitars are used in a variety of musical styles. Guitars are widely known as a solo classical instrument, and the primary instrument in blues and rock music. rock music, features steel strings.]] __TOC__

History

steel string Instruments similar to what we know as the guitar have been popular for at least 5,000 years. The guitar appears to be derived from earlier instruments known in ancient central Asia. Instruments very similar to the guitar appear in ancient carvings and statues recovered from the old Iranian capitol of Susa. The modern word, guitar, was adopted into English from Spanish, possibly from earlier Greek word kithara. Prospective sources for various names of musical instruments that guitar could be derived from all appear to be a combination of two Indo-European roots: guit-, similar to Sanskrit sangeet meaning "music", and -tar a widely attested root meaning "chord" or "string". The word guitar may also be a Persian loanword to Iberian Arabic. The word qitara is an Arabic name for various members of the lute family that preceded the Western guitar. The name guitar was introduced into Spanish when guitars were brought into Iberia by the Moors after the 10th century. ([http://www.iranian.com/Music/2002/November/Guitar/index.html See related article]). The Spanish vihuela appears to be an intermediate form between the ancestral guitar and the modern guitar, with lute-style tuning and a small, but guitar-like body. It is not clear whether this represents a transitional form or simply a design that combined features from the two families of instruments. (See the article on the lute for further history.) The electric guitar was invented by Adolf Rickenbacker, with the help of George Beauchamp and Paul Berth, in 1931. Rickenbacker was the inventor of the horseshoe-magnet pickup. However, it was Danelectro that first produced electric guitars for the wider public. Danelectro also pioneered tube amp technology.

Parts of the guitar

tube amp Guitar consists of several parts. Refer to appropriate article for description of a part: # Headstock # Nut # Machine heads # Frets # Truss rod # Inlays # Neck # Neck joint # Body # Pickups # Electronics # Bridge # Pickguard

Headstock

Pickups The headstock is located at the end of the guitar neck. It is fitted with the tuning machines for pitch adjusting. Traditional layout of tuners is "3+3" which means 3 top tuners and 3 bottom ones. Some electric guitars feature 6 in-line tuners or even 4+2.

Nut

The nut is a small strip of ivory, bone, plastic, brass, graphite, or other medium-hard material that braces the strings at the joint where the headstock meets the fretboard. It is grooved to hold the strings in place, and it is one of the endpoints of the strings' tension. The material used also affects the sound of the guitar.

Fretboard

Also called the fingerboard, the fretboard is a long plank of wood embedded with metal frets that comprises the top of the neck. It is flat on classical guitars and slightly curved crosswise on acoustic and electric guitars. The curvature of the fretboard is measured by the fretboard radius, which is the radius of a hypothetical circle of which the fretboard's surface constitutes a segment. The smaller the fretboard radius, the more noticably curved the fretboard is. Pinching a string against the fretboard effectively shortens the vibrating length of the string, producing a higher tone (a string, unfingered, will vibrate from the saddle to the nut; once fingered, it will vibrate only along the distance between the saddle and the fret directly before the finger). Fretboards are most commonly made of rosewood, ebony, and maple.

Frets

Frets are metal strips (usually nickel alloy) embedded along the fretboard which are placed in points along the length of string that divide it mathematically. When strings are pressed down behind them, frets shorten the strings' vibrating lengths to produce different pitches- each one spaced a half-step apart on the 12 tone scale. For more on fret spacing, see the Strings and Tuning section below. Frets are usually the first permanent part to wear out on a heavily played electric guitar. They can be re-shaped to a certain extent and can be replaced as needed. Frets also indicate fractions of the length of a string (the string midpoint is at the 12th fret; one-third the length of the string reaches from the nut to the 7th fret, the 7th fret to the 19th, and the 19th to the saddle; one-quarter reaches from nut to fifth to twelfth to twenty-fourth to saddle). This feature is important in playing harmonics. Frets are available in several different gauges, depending on the type of guitar and the player's style.

Truss rod

The truss rod is an adjustable metal rod that runs along the inside of the neck, adjusted by a hex nut or an allen-key bolt usually located either at the headstock (under a cover) or just inside the body of the guitar, underneath the fretboard (accessible through the sound hole). The truss rod counteracts the immense amount of tension the strings place on the neck, bringing the neck back to a straighter position. The truss rod can be adjusted to compensate for changes in the neck wood due to changes in humidity or to compensate for changes in the tension of strings. Tightening the rod will curve the neck back and loosening it will return it forward. Adjusting the truss rod affects the intonation of a guitar as well as affecting the action (the height of the strings from the fingerboard). Some truss rod systems, called "double action" truss systems, will tighten both ways, allowing the neck to be pushed both forward and backward (most truss rods can only be loosened so much, beyond which the bolt will just come loose and the neck will no longer be pulled backward). Classical guitars do not have truss rods, as the nylon strings do not put enough tension on the neck for one to be needed.

Inlays

Inlays are visual elements set into the exterior wood on a guitar. The typical locations for inlay are on the fretboard, headstock, and around the soundhole (called a rosette on acoustic guitars). Inlays range from simple plastic dots on the fretboard to fantastic works of art covering the entire exterior surface of a guitar (front and back). Fretboard inlays are most commonly shaped like dots, diamond shapes, parallelograms, or large blocks in between the frets. Dots are usually inlaid into the upper edge of the fretboard in the same positions, small enough to be visible only to the player. Some manufacturers go beyond these simple shapes and use more creative designs such as lightning bolts or letters and numbers. The simpler inlays are often done in plastic on guitars of recent vintage, but many older, and newer, high-end instruments have inlays made of mother of pearl, abalone, ivory, colored wood or any number of exotic materials. On some low-end guitars, they are just painted. Many classical guitars have no inlays at all; the player himself sometimes will make them with a marker pen or correction fluid. The most popular fretboard inlay scheme involves single inlays on the 3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th, 15th, 17th, 19th, and 21st frets, and double inlays on the 12th, sometimes 7th, and (if present) 24th fret. Pros of such scheme include its symmetry about the 12th fret and symmetry of every half (0-12 and 12-24) about the 7th and 19th frets. However, playing these frets, for example, on E string would yield notes E, G, A, B, C# that barely make a complete musical mode by themselves. A less popular fretboard inlay scheme involves inlays on 3rd, 5th, 7th, 10th, 12th, 15th, 17th, 19th, 22nd and 24th frets. Playing these frets, for example, on E string yields notes E, G, A, B, D that fit perfectly into E minor pentatonic. Such a scheme is very close to piano keys coloring (which involves black coloring for sharps that pentatonic consists of) and of some use on classic guitars. Beyond the fretboard inlay, the headstock and soundhole are also commonly inlaid. The manufacturer's logo is commonly inlaid into the headstock. Sometimes a small design such as a bird or other character or an abstract shape also accompanies the logo. The soundhole designs found on acoustic guitars vary from simple concentric circles to delicate fretwork. Many high-end guitars have more elaborate decorative inlay schemes. Often the edges of the guitar around the neck and body and down the middle of the back are inlaid. The fretboard commonly has a large inlay running across several frets or the entire length of the fretboard, such as a long vine creeping across the fretboard. Most acoustic guitars have an inlay that borders the sides of the fretboard, and some electrics (namely Fender Stratocasters) have a black inlay running on the back of the neck, from about the body to the middle of the neck, commonly referred to as a skunk stripe. Some very limited edition high-end or custom-made guitars have artistic inlay designs that span the entire front (or even the back) of the guitar. These designs use a variety of different materials and are created using techniques borrowed from furniture making. While these designs are often just very elaborate decorations, they are sometimes works of art that even depict a particular theme or a scene. Although these guitars are often constructed from the most exclusive materials, they are generally considered to be collector's items and not intended to be played. Large guitar manufacturers often issue these guitars to celebrate a significant historical milestone.

Neck

A guitar's frets, fretboard, tuners, headstock, and truss rod, all attached to a long wooden extension, collectively comprise its neck. The wood used to make the fretboard will usually differ from the wood in the rest of the neck. The bending stress on the neck is considerable, particularly when heavier gauge strings are used (see Strings and tuning), and the ability of the neck to resist bending (see Truss rod) is important to the guitar's ability to hold a constant pitch during tuning or when strings are fretted. The rigidity of the neck with respect to the body of the guitar is one determinant of a good instrument versus a poor one. Conversely, the ability to change the pitch of the note slightly by deliberately bending the neck forcibly with the fretting arm is a technique occasionally used, particularly in the blues genre and those derived from it, such as rock and roll. The shape of the neck can also vary, from a gentle "C" curve to a more pronounced "V" curve.

Neck joint

This is the point at which the neck is either bolted or glued to the body of the guitar. Almost all acoustic guitars, with the primary exception of Taylors, have glued (or set) necks, while electric guitars are constructed using both types. Set necks usually feature dovetail joints, which offer stability and sustain. Other commonly used neck joints include mortise-and-tenon joints (such as those used by CF Martin & Co. guitars), and Spanish Heel style neck joints (commonly found in classical guitars). Bolt-on necks, though they are historically associated with cheaper instruments, do offer greater flexibility in the guitar's set-up, and allow easier access for neck joint maintenance and repairs. Some very high-end instruments may not have a neck joint at all, having the neck and sides built as one piece and the body built around it.

Body (acoustic guitar)

The body of the instrument is a major determinant of the overall sound for acoustic guitars. The guitar top, or soundboard, is a finely crafted and engineered element often made of spruce, redcedar or mahogany. This thin (often 2 or 3 mm thick) piece of wood, strengthened by different types of internal bracing, is considered to be the most prominent factor in determining the sound quality of a guitar. The majority of the sound is caused by vibration of the guitar top as the energy of the vibrating strings is transferred to it. Different patterns of wood bracing have been used through the years by luthiers; to not only strengthen the top against collapsing under the tremendous stress exerted by the tensioned strings (Torres, Hauser, Ramirez, Fleta being among the most influential designers of their time), but also to affect the resonation of the top. The back and sides are made out of a variety of woods such as mahogany, Indian rosewood and highly regarded Brazilian rosewood (Dalbergia nigra). Each one is chosen for their aesthetic effect and structural strength, and can also play a significant role in determining the instrument's timbre. These are also strengthened with internal bracing, decorated with inlays and purfling, and subjected to a lot of abuse.

Body (electric guitar)

Most electric guitar bodies are made of wood. This wood is rarely one solid piece, as laminating hardwoods in the proper way can produce a body of exceptional strength and superior tone. The most common woods used for electric guitar body construction include maple, basswood, ash, poplar, alder, and mahogany. Many bodies will consist of good sounding but inexpensive woods, like ash, with a "top", or thin layer of another, more attractive wood (such as maple with a natural "flame" pattern) glued to the top of the basic wood. Guitars constructed like this are often called "flame tops". The body is usually carved or routed to accept the other elements, such as the bridge, pickup, neck, and other electronic components. Many higher-end electrics have a nitro-cellulose laquer finish on the top, which promotes resonance.

Resonating chamber

Usually on acoustic guitars, the resonating chamber or sound hole allows the acoustic guitar to be played without amplification. It is normally a round hole in the top of the guitar, though some may have different shapes or multiple holes. This allows the vibrations from the back and sides of the guitar to be pushed forward toward the listener.

Pickups

The electric guitar is usually not very loud when played without an amplifier. Pickups are electronic devices attached to a guitar that detect (or "pick up") string vibrations and allow the sound of the string to be amplified. Pickups are usually placed right underneath the guitar strings. The most common type of pickups contain magnets that are tightly wrapped in copper wire. This allows the pickups to measure the movement of the steel guitar string within the magnetic field above the pickup. Some acoustic guitars also have microphones or pickups built into them for stage work. Pickups work on a similar principle to a generator in that the vibration of the strings causes a small current to be created in the coils surrounding the magnets. This signal is later amplified by an amplifier. However, a new type of pickup, called a [http://www.q-tuner.com/ Q-Tuner] pickup, has been developed that measures the magnetic flux density of multiple magnets located in the pickup. These pickups produce a better tone and pick up harmonic frequencies better than standard pickups, but they cost more and are more difficult to wire. Traditional electric pickups are either single-coil or double-coil. Double-coil pickups are also known as humbuckers for their noise-cancelling ability. The type and model of pickups used can have large effects on the tone of the guitar. Typically, humbuckers are used by guitarists seeking a heavier sound. Some guitars need a battery to power their pickups and/or pre-amp; these guitars are referred to as having "active electronics", as opposed to the typical "passive" circuits. Guitar Synthesisers may have specialist 'cluster' pickups, effectively giving each string its own pickup.

Electronics

On guitars that have them, these components and the wires that connect them allow the player to control some aspects of the sound like volume or tone. These at their simplest consist of passive components such as potentiometers and capacitors, but may also include specialized integrated circuits or other active components requiring batteries for power, for preamplification and signal processing, or even for assistance in tuning. In many cases the electronics have some sort of magnetic shielding to prevent pickup of external interference and noise.

Purfling and Binding

This is the decorative edge found around the body of an acoustic guitar. Its purpose is not merely decorative, however. Because of the construction methods, the edges of the body are typically the weakest point of the acoustic guitar. There is not much wood there, as the sides have to be thin to allow for bending, and the top and back have to be thin to allow the string vibrations to resonate. Trying to connect two thin pieces of wood at a 90 degree angle is an engineering challenge. So to help, the purfling is used. The corners are overbuilt, using a triangular piece of scored wood (called a kerfed lining) on the interior of the instrument to allow it to follow the contours, and is glued in place. During final construction, a small section of the outside corners is carved or routed out and then filled in with the purfling or binding material. In mass produced guitars, the binding or purfling is almost exclusively high quality plastic. Once the purfling is glued in place, it is an integral part of the guitar, and contributes greatly to the durability of the instrument, since plastic tends not to split as wood does upon impact.

Bridge

The main purpose of the bridge on an acoustic guitar is to transfer the vibration from the strings to the soundboard, which vibrates the air inside of the guitar, thereby amplifying the sound produced by the strings. On both electric and acoustic guitars, the bridge holds the strings in place. From there, the variations are astounding. There may be some mechanism for raising or lowering the bridge to adjust the distance between the strings and the fretboard (action), and/or fine-tuning the intonation of the instrument. Some are springloaded and feature a "whammy bar", a removable arm which allows the player to modulate the pitch moving the bridge up and down. The whammy bar is sometimes incorrectly referred to as a "tremolo bar"; unlike the change in pitch that the whammy bar produces, a tremolo is a quick oscillation of the volume. Some bridges allow for alternate tunings at the touch of a button.

Pickguard

Also known as a scratchplate. This is usually a piece of plastic or other laminated material that protects the finish of the top of the guitar. In some electric guitars, the pickups and most of the electronics are mounted on the pickguard. On acoustic guitars and many electric guitars, the pickguard is mounted directly to the guitar top, while on guitars with carved tops (e.g. the Gibson Les Paul), the pickguard is elevated. The Pickguard is more often than not used in styles such as flamenco, which tends to use the guitar as a percussion instrument at times, rather than for instance, a classical guitar. Guitars have frets on the fingerboard to fix the positions of notes and scales, which gives them equal temperament. Consequently, the ratio of the widths of two consecutive frets is the twelfth root of two \sqrt[12], whose numeric value is about 1.059463. The twelfth fret divides the string in two exact halves and the 24th fret (if present) divides the string in half yet again. Every twelve frets represents one octave. Guitars usually have six strings, although there are variations on this, the most common being a twelve-string guitar; the seven string guitar; the ukulele, which has four strings; and the bass guitar, which usually has four strings but also exists in five, six, eight, and twelve-string versions. There are also more exotic models involving multiple necks and pickups. The vihuela, a guitar variation which emerged in 16th century Spain, has six double strings made of gut. 16th century The weight of a string is determined by its diameter and is normally measured in thousandths of an inch. The larger the diameter the heavier the string is (with thinner strings being lighter). Heavier strings require more tension for the same pitch and are consequently harder to hold on to the fretboard. Heavier strings will also produce a louder note and for this reason steel-strung acoustic guitars will normally be strung heavier than electric guitars. On electric guitars, heavier strings may also produce a thicker tone, leading to their use by rhythm guitarists in rock music.

Tuning

A variety of different tunings are used. The most common by far, known as "standard tuning" (EADGBE), is as follows:
- sixth (lowest tone) string: E (a minor thirteenth below middle C—82.4Hz)
- fifth string: a (a minor tenth below middle C—110Hz)
- fourth string: d (a minor seventh below middle C—146.8Hz)
- third string: g (a perfect fourth below middle C—196.0Hz)
- second string: b' (a minor second below middle C—246.92Hz)
- first (highest tone) string: e' (a major third above middle C—329.6Hz) Standard tuning has evolved to provide a good compromise between simple fingering for many chords and the ability to play common scales with minimal left hand movement. The separation of adjacent strings by a 5-semitone interval (a perfect fourth) allows the notes of the chromatic scale to be played with each of the four fingers of the left hand controlling one of the first four frets (index finger on fret 1, little finger on fret 4, etc.). It also yields a symmetry and intelligibility to fingering patterns. The major third interval (two whole tones = four semitones = four frets) between the g and b' strings tunes the b' and e' strings a semitone flatter than if the pattern of perfect fourths were followed for all six strings. Though this breaks the fingering pattern of the chromatic scale (though only by making the little finger redundant on the g string) and thus the symmetry, it eases the playing of some often-used chords and scales and it provides more diversity in fingering possibilities. It also means that each open string is on a whole note, allowing it to be the root of a major scale, and that when the guitar is strummed with all strings open (as sometimes happens momentarily during difficult chord changes in frenetic passages of modern songs) it plays a tolerable chord. Some common alternate tunings:
- Symmetry (guitar): E-a-d-g-b'-e', has the same intervals as for a renaissance lute, matches the standard for tablature.
- Open G: D-G-d-g-b'-d', commonly used for blues or slide guitar
- Open D: D-a-d-f#-a'-d', commonly used in blues and folk.
- Open E: E-b-e-g#-b'-e', one step up from open D.
- Open C: C-G-c-g-c'-e', commonly used in country blues and by modern acoustic fingerstylists.
- Drop D: D-a-d-g-b'-e', frequently used in folk music and by metal and alternative-rock bands.
- All Fourths: E-a-d-g-c'-f', like that of the lowest four strings in standard tuning. Removes from the standard tuning the irregularity of the interval of a third between the second and third strings. With regular tunings like this, chords can simply be moved down or across the fretboard, dramatically reducing the number of different finger positions that need to be memorized. The disadvantage is that not all major and minor chords can be played with all six strings at once.
- All Fifths: C-G-d-a'-e'-b", tuning in intervals of fifths like that of a mandolin or a violin. Has a remarkably wide range, though it is difficult to achieve (the high b" makes the first string very taut such that it will break easily), and may not play well on an acoustic guitar (the low C is too low to resonate properly in a standard guitar's body).
- New Standard Tuning: C-G-d-a'-e'-g', the new standard tuning devised by Robert Fripp of King Crimson, used by most Guitar Craft students around the world. The tuning is like all fifths except the first string is dropped from b" to g'.
- DADGAD: D-a-d-g-a'-d' frequently used in Celtic music, and by artists such as Pierre Bensusan.
- Major Third Guitar Tuning: E-G#-c-e-g#'-c', devised in 1960's by jazz guitarist Ralph Patt.
- Drop Tuning/E-flat Tuning: Eb-ab-db-gb-bb'-eb', common in rock music. All the strings are flattened by a half step. Sometimes they are Drop D on top of that, with the sixth string lowered a further half step to D, allowing for fifth chords to be played easier.
- Nashvile Tuning: this is achieved on a high-strung guitar - a guitar strung with only the high strings of a 12-string guitar set. This is known as "Nashville tuning" when the strings are in standard tuning. Each of the six strings can be alternately tuned as low as a whole step lower and as much as a whole step higher without stressing the neck or the strings. With five possible tunings for each string (+2, +1, 0, -1, and -2), there can be as many as 16,575 possible tunings for a six-string guitar, according to Stephen Potts of "GUITAR DNA". Note that a standard guitar sounds one octave below pitch as written in standard notation. That is, the first string in standard tuning plays the E note that is a major third above middle C, and is written on the staff as a major tenth above middle C. There are also tenor guitars, baritone guitars tuned ADGCEA (or GDGCDG, GDGCEA, GCGCEG, etc.) a fifth lower than a standard (prime) guitar, treble guitars tuned a fourth higher than a prime guitar, and contrabass guitars, which are tuned one octave lower than prime guitars.

Acoustic and electric guitar

Broadly speaking, guitars can be divided into 2 categories: # Acoustic guitars: Unlike the electric guitar, the traditional guitar is not dependent on any external device for amplification. The shape and resonance of the guitar itself creates acoustic amplification. However, the unamplified guitar is not a loud instrument, that is, it cannot compete with other instruments commonly found in bands and orchestras, in terms of sheer audible volume. Many acoustic guitars are available today with built-in electronics to enable amplification. There are several subcategories within the acoustic guitar group: classical and flamenco guitars, both of which use nylon and composite strings, and steel string guitars, which includes the flat top, or "folk" guitar, the closely related twelve string guitar, and the arch top guitar. A recent arrival in the acoustic guitar group is the acoustic bass guitar, similar in tuning to the electric bass. ## Renaissance and Baroque guitars: These are the gracile ancestors of the modern classical guitar. They are substantially smaller and more delicate than the classical guitar, and generate a much quieter sound. The strings are paired in courses as in a modern 12 string guitar, but they only have four or five courses of strings rather than six. They were more often used as rhythm instruments in ensembles than as solo instruments, and can often be seen in that role in early music performances. (Gaspar Sanz' Instrucción de Música sobre la Guitarra Española of 1674 constitutes the majority of the surviving solo corpus for the era.) Renaissance and Baroque guitars are easily distinguished because the Renaissance guitar is very plain and the Baroque guitar is very ornate, with inlays all over the neck and body, and a paper-cutout inverted "wedding cake" inside the hole. ## Classical guitars: These are typically strung with nylon strings, played in a seated position and used to play classical music. Flamenco guitars are almost equal in construction, have a sharper sound, and are used in flamenco. In Mexico, the popular mariachi band includes a range of guitars, from the tiny requinto to the guitarron, a guitar larger than a cello, which is tuned in the bass register. The father of the modern classical guitar was Antonio Torres Jurado. ## Flat top guitars: Similar to the classical guitar, however the body size is usually significantly larger than a classical guitar and it has a narrower, reinforced neck and stronger structural design, to sustain the extra tension of steel strings which produce a louder and brighter tone. The acoustic guitar is a staple in folk, Old-time music and blues music. ## Resonator, resophonic or Dobro® guitars: Similar to the flat top guitar in appearance, but with sound produced by a metal resonator mounted in the middle of the top rather than an open sound hole, so that the physical principle of the guitar is actually more similar to the banjo. The purpose of the resonator is to amplify the sound of the guitar; this purpose has been largely superseded by electrical amplification, but the resonator is still played by those desiring its distinctive sound. The type of resonator guitar with a neck with a square cross-section -- called "square neck" -- is usually played face up, on the lap of the seated player, and often with a metal or glass slide. The round neck resonator guitars are normally played in the same fashion as other guitars, although slides are also often used, especially in blues. ## 12 string guitars usually have steel strings and are widely used in folk music, blues and rock and roll. Rather than having only six strings, the 12-string guitar has pairs, like a mandolin. Each pair of strings is tuned either in unison (the two highest) or an octave apart (the others). They are made both in acoustic and electric forms. Big Joe Williams is a a blues musician famous for his 12 string guitar. ##Archtop guitars are steel string, instruments which feature a violin-inspired f-hole design in which the top (and often the back) of the instrument are carved in a curved rather than a flat shape. Lloyd Loar of the Gibson Guitar Corporation invented this variation of guitar after designing a style of mandolin of the same type. The typical Archtop is a hollow body guitar whose form is much like that of a mandolin or violin family instrument and may be acoustic or electric. Some solid body electric guitars are also considered archtop guitars although usually 'Archtop guitar' refers to the hollow body form. Archtop guitars were immediately adopted upon their release by both jazz and country musicians and have remained particularly popular in jazz music, usually using thicker strings (higher guaged round wound and flat wound) than acoustic guitars. Archtops are often louder than a typical dreadnought acoustic guitar. The electric hollow body archtop guitar has a distinct sound among electric guitars and is consequently appropriate for many styles of rock and roll. Many electric archtop guitars intended for use in rock and roll even have a Tremolo Arm. ##Acoustic bass guitars also have steel strings, and match the tuning of the electric bass, which is likewise similar to the traditional double bass viol, the "big bass", a staple of string orchestras and bluegrass bands alike. ##Harp Guitars. Harp Guitars are difficult to classify as there are many variations within this type of guitar. They are typically rare and uncommon in the popular music scene. Most consist of a regular guitar, plus additional 'harp' strings strung above the six normal strings. The instrument is usually acoustic and the harp strings are usually tuned to lower notes than the guitar strings, for an added bass range. Normally there is neither fingerboard nor frets behind the harp strings. Some harp guitars also feature much higher pitch strings strung below the traditional guitar strings. The number of harp strings varies greatly, depending on the type of guitar and also the player's personal preference (as they have often been made to the player's specification). #Harp Guitar Electric guitars: Electric guitars can have solid, semi-hollow or hollow bodies, and produce little or very low sound without amplification. Electromagnetic pickups (single and double coil) convert the vibration of the steel strings into electric signals which are fed to an amplifier through a cable or radio device. The sound is frequently modified by other electronic devices or natural distortion of valves (vacuum tubes) in the amplifier. The electric guitar is used extensively in blues and rock and roll, and was commercialized by Gibson together with Les Paul and independently by Leo Fender. The lower fretboard action (the height of the strings from the fingerboard) and its electrical amplification lend the electric guitar to some techniques which are harder (or impossible) to execute on acoustic guitars. These techniques include tapping, extensive use of legato through pull-offs and hammer-ons (a.k.a. slurs in the traditional Classical genre), pinch harmonics, volume swells and use of a Tremolo arm or effects pedals. ## 7 string guitars were developed in the 1990s (earlier in jazz) to achieve a much darker sound through extending the lower end of the guitar's range. Used by bands such as KoЯn and players such as Steve Vai. Meshuggah & Charlie Hunter go a step further, using an 8 string guitar with two extra low strings. The electric bass is similar in tuning to the traditional double bass viol. Hybrids of acoustic and electric guitars are also common. There are also more exotic varieties, such as double-necked guitars, all manner of alternate string arrangements, fretless fingerboards (used almost exclusively on bass guitars, meant to emulate the sound of a stand-up bass), and such.

Guitar terminology

The guitar has come to be called many different colloquial names over time such as: box, guit-fiddle and axe. The pitch bend arm found on many electric guitars has also had slang terms applied to it, such as "tremolo bar", "sissy bar", "whammy handle", and "whammy bar". The latter two slang terms led stompbox manufacturers to use the term 'whammy' in coming up with a pitch raising effect introduced by popular guitar brand "Digitech". Interestingly, Leo Fender, who did so much to revolutionize the modern electric guitar, also created much confusion over the meaning of the terms "tremolo" and "vibrato", specifically by mis-naming the "tremolo" bar on his guitars and also regarding the "Vibrolux" amps. Vibrato is a variation in pitch, whereas tremolo is a variation in volume, so the tremolo bar is actually a vibrato bar and the "Vibrolux" amps actually had a tremolo effect. A capo (used to change key without changing fingering) is sometimes called a "cheater". A Slide, (bottle or knife) used in blues and rock to create a 'gliss' or 'hawaiian' effect. Many times, the necks of bottles were used, thus creating the term "bottle-neck".

Guitar/synthesizer

A guitar/synthesizer is the adaptation of a guitar to control a synthesizer. Most commonly, a guitar/synth is a converter which analyzes the pitch of each string and sends an electronic message to a synthesizer, telling it what note to play. The pitches of the individual strings can be determined if a hexaphonic pickup is used. In modern implementations, the converter's output is a MIDI signal. This implementation led to the use of MIDI guitar as a synonym for a guitar/synthesizer or for the field of guitar synthesis in general. A guitar-like MIDI controller is also refered to as a guitar/synthesizer. Such a device is not actually a guitar, but the human-interface is designed to play like one, allowing a guitarist to play a synthesizer or other MIDI-enabled instruments. The SynthAxe was one notable example. One might also use the term guitar synthesis to refer to the field of programming synthesizers to sound like guitars, but this is far less common.

See also


- List of guitar-related topics

External links


- [http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/new/new_lute.html Wayne Cripps' lute pages] Photos of replica Renaissance and Baroque guitars
- [http://www.guitarmadesimple.com Guitar Lessons] Lessons, Guitar instruction, articles, tips
- [http://www.guitarnoise.com Guitar Noise] Articles on theory and practice of guitar.
- [http://www.tabwiki.com/ Wiki Guitar Tabs] Guitar Tabs site using Wiki-technology.
- [http://www.guitarwiki.com/ Guitar Wiki] — Wiki-based guitar resource.
- [http://www.wikiguitar.net/ Wiki Guitar] Another Wiki-based guitar resource.
- [http://www.guitartabs.cc/ Guitar Tabs] Guitar Tabs.CC
- [http://www.rocknrollvintage.com/vintage-guitar-photos-2.htm Photos of a variety of vintage guitars]
- [http://folkguitar.us/ Folk Guitar] How to play backup guitar to old time fiddle tunes.

Notes, References, and Sources


- Unlike most musical instruments, guitars are produced in both right and left-handed models. The explanation above is given from the perspective of the more common right-handed player. Interestingly, many left-handed players learn to play on right-handed instruments. This causes them to play certain notes with their thumb; an appendage that is usually reserved for pushing on the back of the guitar's neck. Some lefties have even restrung a right-handed guitar to serve as a left-handed one. Category:Musical instruments
- Category:String instruments ko:기타 ja:ギター



Eric Clapton

Eric Patrick “Slowhand” Clapton CBE (born 30 March, 1945) is a Grammy Award winning British composer, singer and guitarist who became one of the most respected and influential artists of the rock era, garnering an unprecedented three inductions into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Clapton is widely considered to be one of the greatest and most influential guitarists in popular music history. Clapton's musical style has undergone multiple changes during his career, but has always remained rooted in the blues. Clapton is credited as an innovator in several phases of his career, which have included blues-rock (with John Mayall's Bluesbreakers and The Yardbirds), blues-hard rock (with Cream), and work as a sideman and a solo artist.

Musical Career & Personal Life

Clapton's Early Years

“Slowhand”, as he is nicknamed, was born in The Green, Ripley, Surrey, England, UK, as the illegitimate son of 16 year old Patricia Molly Clapton and Edward Walter Fryer - a 24 year old Canadian pilot. Fryer returned to his wife in Canada before Clapton was born. Young Clapton grew up with his grandparents, believing they were his parents, and that his mother was his older sister. Years later his mother married another Canadian soldier, moved to Canada and left Eric with his grandparents. When Clapton was 9 years old he discovered this family secret, and the experience became a defining moment in his life. His first job was as a postman Clapton grew up a self-confessed "nasty kid". In his high school years he attended the Hollyfield School in Surbiton. He then studied stained-glass design at Kingston Art School and started teaching himself how to play the guitar at age 15. Influenced by the blues from an early age, he joined his first band at 17, and stayed with this band - the early British R&B outfit The Roosters - from January to August 1963. During his time with the band, Clapton frequently jammed in London clubs with future members of the Rolling Stones. Clapton did a seven-gig stint with Casey Jones and the Engineers, a Top 40 band, in September 1963.

The Yardbirds & John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers

Clapton joined The Yardbirds, a blues-influenced rock and roll band in 1963 and stayed with them until 1965. Synthesising influences from Chicago blues and leading blues guitarists such as B.B. King and Freddie King, Clapton forged a distinctive style and rapidly became one of the most talked-about guitarists in the British music scene. The band initially played all strict blues covers of Chess/Checker/Vee-Jay material and began to attract a large cult following when they took over the Rolling Stones' residency at the Crawdaddy club in Richmond. They soon toured Europe with American bluesman Sonny Boy Williamson; a joint LP under both their names was issued in 1966. In August 1965, the band's first solo album For Your Love yielded the eponymous pop hit "For Your Love." For Your Love Still obstinately dedicated to his roots in blues, Clapton took strong exception to the Yardbirds' new pop-orientated direction, partly because "For Your Love" had been written by pop songwriter-for-hire Graham Gouldman, who had also written hits for teen pop outfit Herman's Hermits and harmony pop band The Hollies. He reportedly refused to play on the single and quit the band as soon as it had been recorded in 1965. He recommended his friend Jimmy Page as his replacement, but Page w