The History of the Guitar

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The Guitar is a stringed musical instrument with six or twelve strings that is played by either plucking or strumming the strings. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. If an individual were asked to identify a guitar most people would answer the question correctly more so than they would if they were asked about another instrument. When people think about famous guitarists, they more than likely think of famous rock and roll guitarists and do not think about the many other famous guitarists in other musical genres such as jazz or country. The guitar is a well-known instrument that influences many musical genres including Country. The origins of the guitar can be traced back to the Arabic oud. The Arabic oud is stringed instrument closely related to the lute. This instrument does not resemble the guitar structure but its structure is the theory behind the modern day’s guitar structure. The people of Malaga are said to have invented the first instrument recognized as the guitar (Kentor Michael 2). This early version of the guitar incorporated tied frets and gut strings that were arranged in pairs. Pairing the strings gave the instrument the ability to produce a louder, fuller sound. The Malaga’s instrument did not gain much popularity although it did appear in Juan Gil of Zamora’s publication of “Ars Musica.” The next step leading to the modern guitar was the Guitarra Moresca. The Guitarra Moresca was a four stringed instrument with tied frets, similar to the lute, that orginated from Spain in the Thirteenth Century. The Guitarra Moresca led to the advancement of the soundboard. In its early stages, the Guitarra Moresca was an accepted instrument but was not considered for large perfomances. It was not considere... ... middle of paper ... ...orge Strait is one of the most well-known and adored Country artists. He has influenced many Country artists and is one of the Country classic artists. The guitar is very important in the Country genre. In the Country genre, guitarists use various techniques to help get them the country sound that they want. The techniques Country guitarists use, give the genre its distinct sound and tone. Works Cited Dickinson, Chrissie. "Inductees." Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. N.p., n.d. 25 Feb. 2014 Kentor, Audry, and Steve Michael. "The History of the Guitar." (n.d.): n. pag. Maran Illustrated Guitar. Mississauga, Ont.: MaranGraphics, 2003. Print. Phillips, Mark, and Jon Chappell. Guitar for Dummies. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley Pub., 2006. Print. Unknown. "Guitar Diagram." How To Tune A Guitar The Parts of the Guitar Comments. How to Tune A Guitar, n.d. Web. 3 Feb. 2014.

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