|
|
|
|
It is said that the forerunner of the guitar, the lute, was created by the Greek god, Apollo. In India, it is believed that the sitar, another stringed instrument from which the guitar is descended, is sacred to the goddess Saraswati. And one of the most popular tales about the guitar is the story of how it was pressed into service to play a hymn of praise to Jesus Christ at a Christmas Eve mass when the organ of the church broke.
It's no wonder that the guitar has a history of association with the divine. The range and styles of music that can be played on the classic stringed instrument is incredible.
From the intricate fire and beauty of classical Spanish and flamenco guitar to the down-home country sounds of good finger-pickin', the guitar is a versatile and beautiful instrument.
Modern-day guitars have a hollow or solid body, a neck with frets, and a tuning mechanism that is called the machine head. They may be acoustic, or electric, and are one of the most popular instruments in the world.
Those technical descriptions, however, can't begin to express the sheer versatility of such a simple instrument.
Even in the hands of a beginner, the guitar can make lovely music - the best kind of music, the kind, in the words of a guitar teacher, that makes you want to sing along. Learning a few simple chords and finger placements, a few strumming patterns, can allow even a student who has only a few lessons to play literally dozens of popular songs.
The most important piece of the guitar is the face, or top.Its composition, shape and engineering will determine the final sound of the guitar. The back and sides also make a difference, but not so much, and often, luthiers will choose the wood for the sides and back with an eye to appearance rather than sound quality.
Electric guitars are solid, though they are rarely made of a single solid piece of wood. Instead, most are created of many layers of different kinds of wood laminated together.
This gives the guitar both strength and sound quality that wouldn't be possible in a single piece of wood. Often, the electric guitar is made of a 'good sounding' wood like ash or poplar, with a laminated top of a more attractive wood for appearance.
Even within the broader categories of acoustic and electric there are many variations. Acoustic guitars may have six strings or twelve, the strings may be made of steel, nylon or gut. They may be arranged in pairs or singly or in triplets. Each of these has a different characteristic sound, from the wah-wah of a steel guitar, to the lush beauty of a flamenco guitar.
Nowhere else will you find the variety of guitars that you find in a typical Mexican mariachi band. A typical mariachi band will include at least three kinds of guitar - a classical guitar, a vihuela and a guitarron, a large guitar that is nearly the size of a cello.
Guitar tablatures are among the most searched for items on the internet. It's a teen rite of passage to learn at least one classic guitar riff from Jeff Beck, Stephen Tyler or Eric Clapton.
Whether you choose to learn just a few chords so that you can play for friends at parties, or find yourself so enchanted with the guitar that you take it up as a lifelong practice, there are few other instruments that will provide you with as much pleasure.
Courtney Pancost is the owner ofDAL Guitarwhich is a great resource with extensive information about guitars. For lots of info, go to:http://www.dalguitar.com
 CTV.ca | Will the American Music Awards win the youth vote? Los Angeles Times, CA - By Geoff Boucher At rehearsals this week for the 36th Annual American Music Awards at the Nokia Theatre, one of the key executives for the show gushed that ... Performances pack American Music Awards show in Los Angeles Britney Spears to Perform at Sunday's American Music Awards? Britney's surprise appearance at AMA |
 Canada.com | Why the new Zune Pass should be irresistible ZDNet - The music industry has been stumbling and bumbling with subscription-based music services for years, and I’ve been experimenting with them since the very ... Microsoft Ups the Ante on Zune Downloads Microsoft Announces New Zune Pass Music Subscription Model Microsoft lets Zune music subscribers keep tunes |
 New York Times | Movement Mostly Minimal, With Music to Match New York Times, United States - I thought, “Couldn’t I at least listen to some music while I watch this?” Then we did hear music (drumming with rhythms far more complex than any of the ... |
'Music Center or bust!' by train and bus Los Angeles Times, CA - One of the truly Sisyphean tasks of LA living is trying to get to the Music Center from the so-near-but-oh-so-far Metro Red Line subway station. ... Classical Music/Opera Listings |
 New York Daily News | Julianne Hough Wants To Focus On Her Music Career. kypost.com, KY - She tells Ryan Seacrest that she really wants to focus on her music and "be taken seriously." She says it's hard to be on "Dancing With The Stars" and be ... Julianne Hough 'Dancing' no more Julianne Hough Hangs Up Her Dancing Shoes `DWTS' pro Julianne Hough won't return next season |
Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra delivers audience-friendly 20th ... Dallas Morning News, TX - By SCOTT CANTRELL / The Dallas Morning News FORT WORTH – The mere mention of the words "20th century music," sadly, will send many a concertgoer fleeing for ... |
 Bleacher Report | Jets-Titans offer early AFC showdown in Music City The Associated Press - NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The Tennessee Titans feel they aren't getting the attention and respect that usually go with a 10-0 start. ... 100 Words: Jets (7-3) at Titans (10-0) The View from the Cheap Seats |
 MTV UK | Kanye West's new album to debut on MySpace Music The Associated Press - NEW YORK (AP) — Add Kanye West to the list of artists previewing their new CDs on MySpace Music. The 31-year-old rapper's "808s & Heartbreak" doesn't come ... Kanye West examines real vs. fake, puppet vs. human on '808s and ... Kanye West: 808s and Heartbreak Kanye West's "808's & Heartbreak" album covers |
Music review: Fiery finale for Guarneri Quartet San Francisco Chronicle, USA - In the potent performance of the Mendelssohn Octet that occupied the second half of the program, a listener could witness the mantle of chamber-music ... West Coast premiere of Salonen composition, canceled at OCPAC ... |
Dudamel's baton entices a new wave of classical music lovers San Diego Union Tribune, United States - By Roxana Popescu The high-energy Gustavo Dudamel will replace Esa-Pekka Salonen as music director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic next year. ... |
| Top of Page home Bookmark Us Now ctrl+d 1st 4 Music, shopping via 1st4music cost no more than going direct and can often save you money with special offers. with questions or comments about this website |