The Acoustic Guitar
The earliest origins of the acoustic guitar are somewhat hazy. Most believe it to date back at least as early as the Renaissance. Early guitar style instruments such as the Lute did not have metal frets, they were instead made of gut. The frets could be moved depending on what notes where needed. The Spanish (or classical) guitar, as we know it today, dates back to the mid 19th century. The principle of the acoustic guitar has remained very much unchanged although there are some very important differences between classical and steel strung instruments. Steel strings were developed because they are louder. Because of the extra tension they put on the wood, reinforcement was needed around the bridge and a metal rod (known as a truss rod) was fitted inside the neck. If steel strings are fitted to a classical guitar it will almost certainly cause irreversible damage. Classical and steel strung acoustics are tuned the same so chords are played the same, although steel strung guitars are more suited to today's contemporary music styles. Certain woods provide a better sound, although these woods are often expensive as they tend to be Brazilian rain woods. Many new guitars are made of a composite of woods as this is cheaper and easier to make. Composite woods do not sound as rich so often a 'solid top' is fitted to an otherwise composite guitar. This keeps prices low whilst providing a much nicer sound. Acoustic guitars come in different sizes, the most popular of which is the 'Dreadnought' size as it produces a great sound whether strumming or finger picking. Electro acoustic guitars are now available. These are basically an acoustic guitar with a built in pickup. This enables the guitar to be amplified or recorded whilst still sounding like an acoustic. Electro acoustics also often have a cutaway design, allowing the player greater access to the higher frets.
The Electric Guitar
In the Past guitarists often found that they could not be heard over the sound of drums and brass instruments. Microphones and amplifiers had been around for a while, so the obvious thing to do was mike up the acoustic guitar. This worked to some extent but often caused problems with feedback, it also meant the guitarist had to sit right in front of the microphone and could not move around. A well known guitarist called Les Paul devised a way of electrifying his guitar with a needle from an old gramophone plugged into an old radio. This amplified the guitar but still caused feedback problems because of the acoustics hollow body. Les Paul decided to build a solid bodied guitar with a built in magnetic pickup. He approached different companies to make his design and eventually Gibson did (hence the Gibson Les Paul). Leo Fender again revolutionised the electric guitar with the idea of a bolt on neck. This was originally done for practicality as the neck would be easier to change. Leo Fender also took the electric guitar to the production line, first with the Esquire model and then the Telecaster which featured an extra pickup. Fender again revolutionised electric guitar design with the Stratocaster model. After listening to the needs of session musicians Leo Fender designed a guitar with two cutaways, a contoured body, 3 pickups and a 'floating' trem system. The Stratocaster went on to become the most popular and most copied guitar shape of all time. Over 50 years later the Strat design has changed very little.
Because the electric guitar was amplified, guitarists found they could use thinner strings. Artists such as B.B. King found they could bend the strings to add expression to their playing. Chuck Berry took this one stage further by bending double strings in his unique rock 'n' roll style. In the sixties innovative guitarists including Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck and Alvin Lee found that by turing a valve amp up full they could make it distort and a whole new sound was created. Jimi Hendrix took this to the extreme, using distortion and feedback as part of his playing. Unfortunately this sound could not be achieved at low volumes so the distortion pedal was created. These days most amps have a distortion channel built in and a master volume. This way the guitarist can get distortion without deafening themselves. Throughout the years the level of distortion used has become higher, multi effects are now available with all manner of effects built in, but the basic principle of electrifying the guitar has remained unchanged.
The Electric Bass
The electric bass is tuned the same as the bottom four strings of a standard guitar, only an octave lower. Early acoustic basses had to have huge bodies in order to amplify such a low sound, this made them impractical and difficult to play. Most were played in the upright position. Electric basses were being built as early as the 1930's, but it was Leo Fender that took the electric bass into main stream production with the invention of the Fender Precision bass. This new design was not much bigger than a guitar. Players were now able to wear their bass around the neck like a standard guitar and playing techniques changed accordingly. Paul Mc Cartney helped change the image of the bass, no longer was the bass player stood at the back. The 1970's saw the arrival of funk and bass players became more flashy than ever. Artists like Bootsy Collins developed the slapping style that was later taken even further by the likes of Flea and Les Claypool. The electric bass remains very much the same as Fenders original design, although five and six string basses are now available. Recent years have also seen the development of active pickups, giving the player greater control of the sound. The electric bass is now firmly established within contemporary music.
The earliest origins of the acoustic guitar are somewhat hazy. Most believe it to date back at least as early as the Renaissance. Early guitar style instruments such as the Lute did not have metal frets, they were instead made of gut. The frets could be moved depending on what notes where needed. The Spanish (or classical) guitar, as we know it today, dates back to the mid 19th century. The principle of the acoustic guitar has remained very much unchanged although there are some very important differences between classical and steel strung instruments. Steel strings were developed because they are louder. Because of the extra tension they put on the wood, reinforcement was needed around the bridge and a metal rod (known as a truss rod) was fitted inside the neck. If steel strings are fitted to a classical guitar it will almost certainly cause irreversible damage. Classical and steel strung acoustics are tuned the same so chords are played the same, although steel strung guitars are more suited to today's contemporary music styles. Certain woods provide a better sound, although these woods are often expensive as they tend to be Brazilian rain woods. Many new guitars are made of a composite of woods as this is cheaper and easier to make. Composite woods do not sound as rich so often a 'solid top' is fitted to an otherwise composite guitar. This keeps prices low whilst providing a much nicer sound. Acoustic guitars come in different sizes, the most popular of which is the 'Dreadnought' size as it produces a great sound whether strumming or finger picking. Electro acoustic guitars are now available. These are basically an acoustic guitar with a built in pickup. This enables the guitar to be amplified or recorded whilst still sounding like an acoustic. Electro acoustics also often have a cutaway design, allowing the player greater access to the higher frets.
The Electric Guitar
In the Past guitarists often found that they could not be heard over the sound of drums and brass instruments. Microphones and amplifiers had been around for a while, so the obvious thing to do was mike up the acoustic guitar. This worked to some extent but often caused problems with feedback, it also meant the guitarist had to sit right in front of the microphone and could not move around. A well known guitarist called Les Paul devised a way of electrifying his guitar with a needle from an old gramophone plugged into an old radio. This amplified the guitar but still caused feedback problems because of the acoustics hollow body. Les Paul decided to build a solid bodied guitar with a built in magnetic pickup. He approached different companies to make his design and eventually Gibson did (hence the Gibson Les Paul). Leo Fender again revolutionised the electric guitar with the idea of a bolt on neck. This was originally done for practicality as the neck would be easier to change. Leo Fender also took the electric guitar to the production line, first with the Esquire model and then the Telecaster which featured an extra pickup. Fender again revolutionised electric guitar design with the Stratocaster model. After listening to the needs of session musicians Leo Fender designed a guitar with two cutaways, a contoured body, 3 pickups and a 'floating' trem system. The Stratocaster went on to become the most popular and most copied guitar shape of all time. Over 50 years later the Strat design has changed very little.
Because the electric guitar was amplified, guitarists found they could use thinner strings. Artists such as B.B. King found they could bend the strings to add expression to their playing. Chuck Berry took this one stage further by bending double strings in his unique rock 'n' roll style. In the sixties innovative guitarists including Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck and Alvin Lee found that by turing a valve amp up full they could make it distort and a whole new sound was created. Jimi Hendrix took this to the extreme, using distortion and feedback as part of his playing. Unfortunately this sound could not be achieved at low volumes so the distortion pedal was created. These days most amps have a distortion channel built in and a master volume. This way the guitarist can get distortion without deafening themselves. Throughout the years the level of distortion used has become higher, multi effects are now available with all manner of effects built in, but the basic principle of electrifying the guitar has remained unchanged.
The Electric Bass
The electric bass is tuned the same as the bottom four strings of a standard guitar, only an octave lower. Early acoustic basses had to have huge bodies in order to amplify such a low sound, this made them impractical and difficult to play. Most were played in the upright position. Electric basses were being built as early as the 1930's, but it was Leo Fender that took the electric bass into main stream production with the invention of the Fender Precision bass. This new design was not much bigger than a guitar. Players were now able to wear their bass around the neck like a standard guitar and playing techniques changed accordingly. Paul Mc Cartney helped change the image of the bass, no longer was the bass player stood at the back. The 1970's saw the arrival of funk and bass players became more flashy than ever. Artists like Bootsy Collins developed the slapping style that was later taken even further by the likes of Flea and Les Claypool. The electric bass remains very much the same as Fenders original design, although five and six string basses are now available. Recent years have also seen the development of active pickups, giving the player greater control of the sound. The electric bass is now firmly established within contemporary music.
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