The Life-Changing Power of the Guitar.
The unmistakable, soul-stirring twang of a single-stringed guitar can be heard around the world. From electric and acoustic varieties to the various genres and styles, guitar is an absolutely integral music instrument that resonates with all who can hear its soft strums or entrancing rhythms and riffs. Its historical and cultural impact inspires generations of musicians who, in turn, cast their own unique spins on the instrument, adjusting each trem there and every string here to express themselves and the wide array of emotions that music is capable of expressing. Indeed, the power of the guitar is incredible: it can bring people together, break down barriers, and change lives.
The ancient ancestors of the guitar, known as lutes, date all the way back to 5th century Pictish Scotland, where early versions of the instrument were found in archaeological excavations—primitive two-stringed lutes made from animal hides and antlers. Over the next few centuries, the instrument morphed in various ways, adding strings and adjusting the shape until it could eventually become recognized as the modern guitar. Today, guitars are constructed from a variety of materials, from mahogany to rosewood and from ebony to spruce, each significantly affecting its sound quality.
Guitars have been featured on every continent and across all sorts of music genres, from rock to blues and soul to folk. The breakneck riffs of blues greats such as B.B. King and Jimi Hendrix, Johnny Cash’s slower twang, or the pealing flourishes of Spanish maestro Paco de Lucia—these are just a few masterful players who showcased the diverse ways in which the guitar can be interpreted. Indeed, the sheer number of songs composed on the guitar is mind-boggling, as it became an absolute cultural staple in 20th century America, thanks to its portability and the relative ease at which a beginner can learn how to play.
The electric guitar, in particular, has heightened the instrument’s popularity, challenging deft musicians to really ease into the sound that emerged upon its invention in the 1930s. As electric guitars – and amps carrying the reverberated sound – grew in popularity, genres such as punk, grunge and alternative followed suit, altering how songs were written and even how history itself has been documented. Whereas folk songs were typically now penned about everyday life, the electric guitar and its louder sound meant for more aggressive, faster-paced tracks, with lyrics that often spoke out against oppressive powers or simply relished in the vigor that has so often come to define electric and harder rock.
The heyday of electric guitar, or “guitar era,” as it’s been deemed, emerged in the 1950s, as popular music shifted from crooning jazz greats of yesteryear to the harder rock of the time. Nowhere was this more apparent than in the United States, where electric guitars such as the Gibson Les Paul, Gretsch Jet Firebird, and Fender Stratocaster, along with accompanying amplifiers, became all the rage. This newfound age boasted the likes of Elvis Presley, who took the rock ‘n’ roll genre to new heights with his arm-swaying gyrations and gravelly sound that has echoed through the decades.
Notably, the guitar was famously featured in activist music during the civil rights movements of the 1950s and 60s, particularly through protest songs like Bob Dylan’s “Blowin’ in the Wind”, Curtis Mayfield’s “People Get Ready,” and Buffalo Springfield’s “For What It’s Worth.” Activists of all colors, creed, and genders harnessed the resonant power of the guitar and its softer sounds to tell the stories of the persecuted and paint a brighter, more tolerant vision of the future. Many cultural commentators have argued that “Blowin’ in the Wind”, in particular, served as a spiritual precursor to the civil rights anthem “We Shall Overcome,” and subtly helmed the fight for civil rights.
The influence of the guitar is also felt within the culture of popular music as a whole. Although certain genres emphasize the guitar more than others, the instrument has been embedded within the tapestry of pop songs since the 1960s, providing a fast-paced, melodic accompaniment to the likes of The Beatles, Nirvana, and Coldplay. Its unending variety and capability to both mesmerize and energize has meant that an incredibly diverse range of cultures around the globe are attracted to this beloved instrument.
Indeed, the power of the guitar to transcend culture, language, and genre is a testament to the beauty of the instrument. It truly has the ability to serve as a bridge between people and cultures, assisting in a unique way to form bonds, share stories, and refuse to let injustices go unnoticed. Furthermore, the guitar’s relative ease of use and the wealth of ways it can be interpreted has made it an undeniably attractive option for budding musicians the world over.
From its birth in 5th century Scotland to its emergence as the world’s most recognized music instrument, the guitar has been an integral part of the human story in every respect. Every single day, new works of art are created using the guitar, new music is composed, and new stories are told that span the entire spectrum of emotions. Whether through its mesmeric melodies, thunderous chords, or driving riffs, the guitar forever continues to make its mark on our lives. Such is the power of the guitar—a life-changing instrument that we are all privileged to share.