| A guitar is a stringed musical instrument. For right-handed players, the right hand plucks the strings with either the fingers or a plectrum (guitar pick), while the opposite applies for left handed players (in general). The sound is produced by vibrating strings, which in turn cause the body and neck of the instrument to resonate. Guitars may be acoustic, electric (i.e. with electrical amplification) or both. Classical guitars are also present in the guitar family. 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. 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. The modern word, guitar, was adopted into English from Spanish, possibly from earlier Greek word kithara. Acoustic guitar 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. Electric guitar 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. |