GUITAR
The
guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a
pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the
strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are
traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut
or, more recently, with either nylon or steel strings. Some modern
guitars are made of polycarbonate materials. Guitars are made and
repaired by luthiers. There are two primary families of guitars:
acoustic and electric.
Acoustic
guitars (and similar instruments) with hollow bodies have been in use
for over a thousand years. There are three main types of modern acoustic
guitar: the classical guitar (nylon-string guitar), the steel-string
acoustic guitar, and the archtop guitar. The tone of an acoustic guitar
is produced by the vibration of the strings, which is amplified by the
body of the guitar, which acts as a resonating chamber. The classical
guitar is often played as a solo instrument using a comprehensive
fingerpicking technique.
Electric
guitars, introduced in the 1930s, rely on an amplifier that can
electronically manipulate tone. Early amplified guitars employed a
hollow body, but a solid body was found more suitable. Electric guitars
have had a continuing profound influence on popular culture. Guitars are
recognized as a primary instrument in genres such as blues, bluegrass,
country, flamenco, jazz, jota, mariachi, metal, reggae, rock, soul, and
many forms of pop.