| History of the Guitar | | | | his electric guitar in a sort of "Violin meets Guitar" |
| The human race has always had a love for music | | | | experimental sound. |
| hardwired into our circuits. Ancient humans discovered | | | | Modern stringed instruments can be ordered from |
| long ago that magical sounds pleasing to the ears | | | | the factories with custom fitted electric pickups to |
| could be made from vibrating strings. The earliest | | | | amplify the sound, to fit in with any style of music. |
| record of stringed instruments takes us back to as | | | | Violins or Fiddles, are now made as an electric guitar |
| early as the days of King David, (the Jewish king), in | | | | with the ability to synthesis sounds and use special |
| the BC era of ancient Israel. | | | | effects to create very unique results in some popular |
| Stringed instruments such as the lute or mandolin | | | | rock and county music songs. |
| were used by traveling early musicians called | | | | Keyboard instruments such as the piano, clavichord, |
| "minstrels" as early the 14th century in Europe, and | | | | and harpsichord are actually considered stringed |
| they would entertain the crowds by playing their | | | | musical instruments as well because they have |
| unique compositions in the community market places. | | | | strings, which are struck by hammers. Some even |
| Later other musical instruments were invented that | | | | consider the piano, a percussion instrument. Today |
| combined and made up our earliest orchestras. Even | | | | the Electronic Piano Keyboard has become |
| in modern times we are still interested in these early | | | | synthesized and can produce sounds sampled and |
| forms of the stringed instruments. | | | | digitally reproduced in small compact keyboards with |
| Rock star "Sting" has recently released a CD | | | | weighted keys and other features that closely |
| compilation of 16th century lute music. American band | | | | duplicate the sound of traditional large Grand Pianos. |
| REM has often featured a mandolin in their music | | | | Full stringed orchestra sounds can be selected to |
| performances. The Rod Stewart hit, "Maggie May" | | | | blend with other wind and percussion instrument |
| also featured the unique classical sound of the | | | | sounds to produce a full concert hall orchestra sound |
| mandolin. The mandolin is also still a common sound in | | | | with this one amazing little instrument. These are |
| today's country music genre. | | | | often referred to as "Workstations". |
| Every culture on earth has a version of the | | | | All of the modern versions of the Guitar and other |
| forerunner of the modern guitar. African and Far | | | | old world stringed instruments, are still used today in |
| Eastern and Middle Eastern cultures have several | | | | a range of sounds that are quite awesome to listen |
| versions of stringed musical instruments, some with | | | | to, and to perform with as a musician. Fiddle music |
| only three strings. Here in America, the banjo has | | | | for instance...can cause your foot to start tapping, |
| become very popular in country and folk music. The | | | | and a good guitar player may cause involuntary hand |
| guitar was used here in the US back in the early days | | | | clapping. Add percussion to this mix and you may feel |
| of our history and in the Western Cowboy culture | | | | the urge to get up and dance. On the other hand... a |
| long before it became popular for jazz, blues, and | | | | softly flowing cello solo may cause you to "tear up" |
| then eventually becoming the featured instrument of | | | | as featured in the new movie..."The Soloist". |
| every rock and roll band. | | | | Whether your favorite Guitar Music is composed |
| Western rock music has also blended the Sitar, a | | | | along with other stringed instruments, or is being |
| stringed instrument originating from the Middle East, | | | | synthesised through computer based software, or in |
| first heard in a pop song performed by The Beatles | | | | analog form and unplugged, All of our personal music |
| with Norwegian Wood. And we cannot forget to | | | | favorites, still can express many things much better |
| acknowledge the huge contribution that the music of | | | | than we as humans can say in mere words alone. |
| Spain and Latin America has made to classical guitar | | | | The Soundtracks of many movies have proven to |
| music. | | | | entertain audiences with very little spoken dialog such |
| Many of the most loved compositions in classical | | | | as the western: "The Good Bad and the Ugly", but |
| music have been written for a stringed orchestra or | | | | with a very compelling music dialog... We get the |
| string ensemble. The violin, viola and cello continue to | | | | message! |
| work very well together in string musical instrument | | | | Yeah... I can hear that unmistakable tune in my head |
| pieces. The double fretless bass is very versatile and | | | | right now as well! |
| can be found in jazz bands, orchestras and in | | | | All that being said...there is still nothing quite as sweet |
| bluegrass rockabilly bands. | | | | as the traditional sound of a live orchestra of violins, |
| A popular string instrument often used in rock, | | | | cellos, stringed bass, and a Grand piano in a concert |
| country and folk music is the violin or "fiddle". The | | | | hall filled with avid fans of great instrumental music. |
| fiddle is known as the traditional iconic symbol of | | | | So... with today's overwhelming popularity of the |
| Irish, jigs and reels. Jazz artists such as Darryl Way | | | | Guitar and all of the awesome music it has created... |
| and Jean Luc Ponty are very accomplished violinists | | | | hopefully we will always remember it's ancient, and |
| and performers. The radical guitarist Jimmy Page | | | | old world beginnings. |
| from Led Zeppelin, has even used a violin bow with | | | | |